Damien had never thought that medicine could be so bitter, as he had never needed one. However, he also never thought about how such bitterness could hold such a sweet aftertaste.
A taste so sweet it sent an impossible warmth that even his fur could never offer him.
Had it not been for Callista showing signs of consciousness, his mouth would've stayed longer on hers.
*
*
*
Damien blinked, his drifting mind returning to the current lapse. Standing behind the delegation with his horse beside him, his ears perked up at the faint scent of Solenne. However, he hadn't turned his head when he heard the buzzing noises around him come to a sudden halt.
His brows knitted at his men's sudden silence, only to understand the reason.
There, joining the delegation, were Callista and Solenne.
"What?" Ronin blurted out, wide-eyed. His mouth quivered in disbelief, unable to look away from Solenne.
Not just him, but everyone was staring at the princess in disbelief.
Why?
Because right now, standing before them, was Solenne in humbler clothing underneath a thick robe. The hood of her robe was hanging on her back, letting everyone see her braided hair and her bare face.
"She's… she's beautiful," one of them blurted out under his breath, and he didn't even realize it when he heard his own remark.
"Better than the rumors, indeed," another whispered.
"I did hear that the Fourth Princess could be Aethera's treasure, but I never thought it to be true."
More than shocked, everyone was mesmerized by the lady before them. No one had seen her face before, and even during the entire journey with her, she was wearing a veil. They had known she might be beautiful, considering she was King Jaro's precious princess. They just didn't expect that her beauty would exceed their expectations.
Solenne smiled at them, gracing them with the sweetest smile they had seen in a while. "I apologize for the wait, and I thank you all for taking a short break for my comfort."
"Ah!" Ronin laughed out loud, scratching the back of his head. The tips of his ears reddened as he said, "Your Highness, you didn't need to thank us! Ensuring your safety is what we're tasked to do! Hehe!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" another one chimed enthusiastically. "You do not need to apologize or thank us — hehe!"
One after another, they chorused, reassuring Solenne not to worry about anything.
"We're just glad that you're feeling better now!" one of them cheered.
Ronin nodded profusely. "But Your Highness, if you want to rest more, please do not hesitate to tell us! Your safety and health are our top priorities! You don't need to push yourself if you can't!"
Damien, standing on the sidelines, narrowed his eyes at his men. At the same time, all of them shuddered as they suddenly felt a diabolical aura coming from somewhere behind them. They didn't need to turn to know someone was unhappy with them.
"Haha!" Solenne chuckled at the lively crowd. "Thank you for your reassurance, but I'm fine now, thanks to all of you."
She then raised her brows. "The North is still far, so… shall we depart now?"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Having said that, Callista and Ronin ushered Solenne into the carriage while everyone else started moving. This time, Callista would be joining Solenne just to ensure that her health was better and so she could tend to her at any notice.
*
*
*
As they left the town, Solenne leaned against the carriage. She had kept the window slightly ajar, allowing the fresh morning breeze to brush her cheek.
"Your Highness," Callista called, visibly dissatisfied with something. "Those wolves were quick to change their tone the moment they saw you. I'm afraid they'd start… having terrible ideas. Moreover, it is customary to wear your veil until you arrive at your groom."
"It is customary in the Kingdom of Aethera to keep the bride hidden until her groom lifts that veil," Solenne corrected. "We left the border last night, and besides, the North doesn't have such customs. Therefore, I don't see the need to wear the veil or the custom wedding dress throughout this journey."
In all three lifetimes, she followed this custom. But in the end, no one spoke about her discomfort throughout the entire journey to the North.
So, this time, she decided to have a change of clothes — comfortable ones. It wouldn't change the route or path, but at least her dress wasn't hurting her, or her girdle wasn't grazing her skin at each bump.
Callista was not pleased with this, and she had expressed it quite profoundly when she first asked her. However, she didn't have a choice.
"Your Highness, are you sure you're alright?" Callista asked, eyeing Solenne sincerely.
Solenne tilted her head. "Why do you ask, Callista? Don't I look alright to you?"
Callista didn't respond, keeping her lips pressed in a thin line. Her eyes, however, revealed the concern and worry in her heart.
Her Highness had been acting strange since that day, she thought, recalling that morning when Solenne suddenly brought up decapitation out of nowhere.
Since then, Solenne's every decision had been strange — almost out of character. So, Callista was worried about what was going on in the princess's mind.
Seeing this, Solenne smiled warmly.
"Survival." Her voice made Callista's brows furrow as her smile stretched. She snapped her gaze out the window. Solenne propped her elbow on the surface beside her, cupping her cheek.
"The North is different, Callista. Even if the snow would stop falling for a while, the frost was often too thick that before it completely melted, snow would fall once more," she hummed. "It is very different from Aethera. Most importantly, I am not going there to visit or as a guest."
Slowly, she slid her eyes back to Callista. "I'll be marrying their alphas and claiming the title of Duchess of the North. Am I alright? I have to, because heading there is a duty of mine as a princess of Aethera. But once I set foot in the North, I am no longer just a princess."
"I will carry the duty of being a princess, but also the duchess of La Lacretia, and the luna of the pack," she added, shifting her gaze outside the window. "So, as long as you and I survive, I'll be alright, Callista."