Xiao Zhi tried to open her eyes, but they were too heavy. Her weak breath caught in her throat. For a heartbeat, she didn't know where she was. The last thing she remembered was the blinding sun, the burning heat, Ruhan's voice urging her to keep walking, and then… darkness.
The first thing she felt was warmth. Not the cruel, burning heat of the desert sun, but something softer. A steady, comforting warmth that wrapped around her like an embrace. She felt the soft, thick fur beneath her. The faint crackle of fire reached her ears, along with the quiet murmur of voices and the smell of roasted meat.
She managed to flutter her eyes open.
She scanned her surroundings. The endless dunes were gone. In their place stretched a small camp. A few canvas tents, torches planted in the sand, and dark figures moving between them. Horses stamped nearby. Somewhere, someone laughed softly.
Did I… die? she thought dizzily. Is this heaven? Or did I just fall into another novel again?
Heaven felt weird, though. Nothing fancy was going on there.
Then came the voice. A calm, steady, familiar voice.
"You're awake, Princess?"
Her heart leapt. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus through the haze. There he was, Ruhan, sitting by the fire. His expression was as composed as ever, but softer than she had ever seen it.
"Ruhan?" she croaked, her throat dry. "Are we dead?"
A faint smile touched his lips. "Not even close."
He rose and slowly crouched beside her. "A Tughril patrol found us before we could succumb to the desert. You slept through the rescue and the journey here. You've been out for almost a full day."
She blinked, trying to process his words. "A… patrol? We're safe?"
He nodded. "For now. We're under Tughril protection. Their camp is a day's travel from the border. Once you're stronger, we'll move on to the border."
Relief hit her like a wave. Her body, though weak, felt suddenly lighter.
She tried to sit up but immediately fell back with a soft gasp. Her muscles screamed in protest. Her hands trembled. "I feel… like I was hit by a truck," she muttered, almost inaudible.
Ruhan's brows lifted, not catching the word she said. "A what?"
She coughed lightly. "Never mind. Just… something big."
He chuckled under his breath, then adjusted the blanket around her shoulders. "Although we are safe, you are still weak. Rest. But you need to eat first."
He reached for a small iron plate near the fire and handed it to her. Steam curled upward from thin slices of browned meat. The smell almost made her drool.
She stared at it, hesitation flickering in her eyes. She had never seen this type of meat before. "This looks… suspicious."
"Eat first, judge later." His tone left no room for argument, though there was a faint smile in his eyes.
Xiao Zhi hesitated, then picked up a piece between trembling fingers and took a bite.
Her eyes widened. "This is—" she paused to chew again, "actually… good?" The meat was not tender, a bit chewy even. But it tasted good, to her surprise.
Ruhan smirked. "Glad to hear it."
She swallowed, her hunger taking over as she reached for another piece. "What kind of meat is this?"
He looked far too pleased when he said, "Snake."
Xiao Zhi froze mid-bite. Then she gagged, coughing violently. "Snake?!"
Several nearby Tughril soldiers turned their heads, chuckling. Ruhan's smile deepened, unbothered. "Desert snake. Harmless. Full of protein."
She gaped at him, horrified. "You couldn't have told me before I ate it?"
"I could have," he said dryly, "but then you wouldn't have eaten."
For a long moment, she stared at the meat, her face twisting between disbelief and reluctant acceptance. Then, muttering something about barbarian diets, she took another bite.
"It's still good," she admitted reluctantly.
Ruhan leaned back on his heels, watching her with quiet amusement. "See? You're adapting faster than you think."
A few Tughril soldiers nearby exchanged looks and whispered something in their native accent. Xiao Zhi caught the word 'princess' among them, followed by low laughter. Their eyes lingered on her delicate features. Too clean, too refined for the desert.
Ruhan's gaze snapped toward them, sharp as a blade. The laughter stopped immediately. The men straightened, muttering apologies before returning to their duties.
Xiao Zhi blinked. "What… was that about?"
"Curiosity," Ruhan said simply, though his tone carried steel. "You're an unusual sight here. Tughril soldiers don't often see a beautiful princess sitting by their fire."
She flushed at the comment. "Then maybe I should wear a veil," she said quietly, half-joking. She had lost her veil during the bandit attack anyway.
He tilted his head. "No. Let them see you. They'll learn soon enough who you are."
Something in his voice made her pause. "Somehow that doesn't sound as nice."
"It's the truth," he said, standing and tossing another log onto the fire. "Tomorrow we reach the Tughril border. From there, everything changes."
She frowned slightly. "Changes how?"
He didn't answer immediately. His eyes were fixed on the horizon, staring at the empty dunes.
When he finally spoke, his voice was low. "The Tughril palace is a battlefield. Not of swords, but of power and bloodlines. You'll need to be ready."
Xiao Zhi's heart sank. "You make it sound like we escaped one danger only to walk into another." She knew the words Ruhan spoke were no different than what she had imagined. The story had already written a cruel fate for Princess Lian Zhi in the Tughril palace, and soon she would walk in as the said princess.
Ruhan turned back to her, and this time, his expression softened. "We'll manage. Just as we survived the desert."
She stared blankly into the fire. It had been quite a journey since the day she arrived in this world. She had almost not survived the desert, and now the real danger would await her the moment she reached Tughril. And she had prepared nothing. Not a single plan.
"Sleep. You'll need your strength." Ruhan's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
She hesitated. "You'll stay nearby?"
"Of course."
A faint smile touched her lips. "Then I guess I can sleep." She wasn't sure why his words made her feel safe. Back in Hua, he had been the one who threatened her safety. Yet ever since the journey began, he was the one who seemed to protect her, ensuring her survival. How drastically fate could change in a few short days.
As she drifted off, the camp fell into silence. Only leaving the sound of the crackling fire and the cool desert breeze.
Ruhan stayed awake, his hand resting on the back of his head. He glanced at the sleeping princess, her breathing soft and steady under the fur blanket.
"You've come too far to die, Princess," he murmured under his breath. A hint of guilt touched his voice.