Under the oak tree, p.32
Under the Oak Tree, page 32
Nonetheless, Riftan’s perspective was evidently different. He rubbed his forehead with his palm. “Your face was flushed, your eyes sparkled, and your clothes clung to you, drenched in sweat. And your tousled hair…” He groaned and stared at the ceiling. “This is the hardest campaign I have ever been on in my life.”
“I-I did not know that it was…so hard on you,” Maxi mumbled weakly after a brief silence. She was no stranger to his virility, but she was stunned that he could feel such strong desire even in the middle of an exhausting march. Was that the reason he had been sleeping outside their tent? When she looked back up at him, Riftan sighed and pulled the blanket over her.
“I was going to restrain myself until the end. I know that it is hard for you to keep up with us, so I should have just let you rest….” He swore under his breath. “I must have lost my mind.”
“I-I did not…dislike it. I-I was surprised…but…I-I still liked it.” Maxi’s face turned crimson at her own words. They were not empty reassurance. The idea that he was so taken with her that he could not hold back made her happy. She would never forget the way he looked at her in the rain as long as she lived.
For the first time in her life, Maxi felt like a stunning beauty. It was a scary but thrilling moment she knew she would never experience again. She reached out and caressed his forearm, and Riftan lay down beside her. He pulled her into his arms.
“Do not say such things. Or do you really want to drive me mad?” He said it in a grumble but pleasantly rubbed his cheek on her shoulder as he did so. Maxi giggled when his warm breath tickled her nape. Though she was utterly spent, she had never been so sated and happy in her life. Enveloped in his embrace, she listened to the rain until she drifted off to sleep once more.
* * *
—
The rain finally let up at dawn. By first light, the knights were already out of their tents busily preparing breakfast. None of them had been able to eat a decent meal the night before, so they took the time to prepare a more substantial meal before setting out. Nothing mattered more during a brutal march than sufficient rest and food.
Maxi ate the bowl of potato stew Riftan brought her, then got dressed. As the sun rose, the party prepared to depart.
Maxi was about to mount Rem when Riftan appeared at her side.
He grabbed her arm. “Come with me.”
Maxi’s eyes widened in a silent question.
“Ride on this today,” he said, pointing to the cart, now free of the tar-coated cloth. Realizing that he was worried that she might still be feeling the effects of the previous night’s exertions, Maxi grew red.
“I-I am all right. I can…ride my horse.”
“Half of our supplies are gone, so you won’t be added weight. You should try to conserve your energy while we are traveling on even ground.”
“Do as the commander says, my lady,” said the knight leading the cart. “You must replenish what energy you can.”
Though Maxi was mortified that the knight might be agreeing with Riftan so wholeheartedly because he had caught on to what passed between them last night, she feigned ignorance and bobbed her head.
As soon as she had climbed onto the cart and settled, the knights swiftly fell in line and led their horses deeper into the lush forest. She had to admit, even with all its rattling, the cart was still more comfortable than horseback. Maxi still kept an eye on Rem for a while. Once she was confident that the mare was obediently following Ulyseon, she propped herself up on a bale of hay and began to nod off in earnest.
They made it through the rest of the Kardikil Forest safely with no monster attacks. After a full day resting on the cart, Maxi’s physical condition was much improved by sunset. Determined to contribute now that she felt rested, Maxi rolled up her sleeves and went to help the knights prepare their meal. Riftan frowned disapprovingly but did not say anything to her bustling about. Maxi helped the junior knights boil broad beans in a large cauldron and skewer four rabbits over the fire. When the food was ready, the knights gathered in a circle to savor the humble yet satisfying meal.
Perhaps due to spending a day at ease, the next day’s travel felt significantly faster to Maxi. She felt the wind in her hair as they galloped across fields and hills covered in wildflowers.
At long last, the port came into view. Maxi’s eyes widened at the magnificent sight along the foothills. The setting sun made the deep blue waters sparkle as though they had been sprinkled with gold. The rim of the cape jutted out into the sea like a crescent moon, dotted with ships docked along the coast.
Maxi soaked it all in. The city lay behind a high wall. Judging by the multi-story buildings jammed together along intricate roads, it was easily two to three times more populated than Anatol. Hebaron bellowed a lively cheer as he, too, looked down at the city.
“We finally get to put our feet up! And I, for one, am in desperate need of ale.”
Riftan led the party down the hill, not pausing or speaking until they reached the gates. After going through a simple checkpoint to confirm their identities, they entered the city.
Maxi’s eyes roved about the road lit with torches. Taverns lined the main road, and through their wide-open doors, Maxi could see drunken sailors and red-nosed mercenaries surrounded by women flaunting their bare, pale breasts. Some of the women stuck their heads out the window and whistled loudly at the knights. Startled by their drunken cackles, Maxi hunched her shoulders.
Gabel rode up to her and cautioned, “There are many unsavory people near the ports, my lady. Try not to look around, or you might see something unsightly.”
Maxi took the advice and kept her eyes forward. Riftan rode through the square toward the pier with the confidence of someone who had been to the city before. Maxi followed him down the wide road, and soon large ships came into view. The campaign party came to a stop in front of a building near the dock.
“Edon, let them know we are here, and get the servants.”
Sir Edon dismounted and entered the building. In a few minutes, servants bearing lamps rushed outside to greet them.
As Maxi dismounted, she glanced up curiously at the three-story building. Riftan, who had approached without her noticing, placed his arm around her shoulder protectively and led her to the entrance.
“We will be sleeping here tonight.”
As she stepped inside, Maxi’s eyes passed over the smooth stone floor, the carpeted stairs, and the neatly plastered walls. Compared to the dingy inns she had seen so far, this place was luxurious.
“Wh-What…is this place?”
“It’s an inn owned by the Verden Merchants’ Guild,” Riftan explained as they climbed the stairs. “It’s a prominent guild that manages several of the crown’s trading ships. The head of the guild, Lord Verden, is a cousin of King Reuben’s on his maternal side, so he often offers funds for large campaigns like this. He is who is supplying us with a ship tomorrow.”
While the servants ushered the knights to their respective rooms, Maxi and Riftan were presented with a lavish suite furnished with a large bed. As the door closed behind the servants, Riftan pulled off his heavy armor piece by piece.
Maxi went straight to the open window and watched the sea as it swallowed the sun. The briny smell pierced her nose, and she listened to the crashing waves. An odd sense of wonder filled her heart as she gazed out at the seemingly endless horizon. The sea was far more beautiful than she could ever have imagined just from reading stories.
“I’ve asked them to prepare a bath. Do you have anything to change into?” Having cast off his heavy armor, Riftan walked over to her with light steps and brushed away a lock of hair sticking to her face. Turning to him, Maxi shook her head. “Then I guess you will have to sleep with nothing on tonight.”
The anticipation in his eyes made Maxi’s cheeks flush. He cupped her face with his callused hands and gently planted a kiss on her lips.
“Are you tired?”
“I-I am all right.”
In truth, she was exhausted, but she knew he would leave the room and not return until late if she told him so. Maxi wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her face against his sturdy chest. Riftan blinked, taken aback by her boldness, before a pleased smile pulled at his lips. He hoisted her onto the windowsill and carefully loosened her tight braids.
Maxi relished the feeling of his long fingers painstakingly unraveling her tangled locks. Riftan combed them through her hair for a long time, then massaged her stiff shoulders with great care. By the time his touch was turning to gentle caresses, servants entered the room with towels and water for the bath.
Riftan and Maxi managed to wedge themselves into the cramped tub and began to wash each other. She lathered his hair with soap while he gently wiped her back and shoulders with a towel. Once they were clean, they dried themselves and lay side by side on the bed, their lips locked in a lingering kiss.
Perhaps it was because their march had ended safely, but Riftan was more relaxed and gentler than ever before. He took his time caressing her before he entered her carefully and began to move as slowly as a gentle wave. Maxi lost herself in his embrace. Touch after touch only heightened her pleasure. She relished the feeling of his weight pressing onto her, the sensation of his hot lips on her skin, and his burning length quivering inside her as it stretched her to her limit.
They made love until they were spent. Then, lying on their fronts, they devoured the food a maidservant had left for them outside the door. After their stomachs were full of fresh fruit and richly seasoned dishes, the first time they had tasted spices in a while, they began to feel drowsy.
They fell asleep with their limbs tangled together like vines, as if they were of one body. It was the first sweet and languid moment they had shared in weeks.
* * *
—
The next day, the tranquility ended as soon as the sun rose. Riftan’s grave expression returned as he donned his armor, and it was as if the tension on his face had never eased. Maxi put on the clothes the servants had washed for her the night before and carefully packed her things.
It was hard to believe that the real journey had only just begun. It would take them seven to ten days to reach Levan, the capital of Livadon, by ship. After that, a long battle with the troll army awaited. Maxi’s mood darkened as she thought about the party that had left before them. There was no time for relief, not when they had only reached the port and a far more arduous journey still lay between them and their comrades.
After breakfast on the first floor, the party set out for the pier, where large ships were docked in an orderly line. Suntanned sailors tirelessly loaded cargo onto the vessels. Maxi also noted a few of them hanging precariously on to the masts, checking the condition of the ropes and sails. Maxi felt she might harm her neck as she craned it around to take in all the hustle and bustle of the port.
Riftan spoke with the captain of a ship anchored at the very end of the dock. Hebaron had explained to her on the ride that nothing mattered more in a sea voyage than a competent captain. It was why they had to make sure that whoever took charge of the vessel was trustworthy. Riftan was certainly grilling the man, but the seaman seemed to take it in stride, calmly answering the barrage of questions without any sign of displeasure.
“We finished all the preparations a few days ago. Before she left for Livadon, Her Royal Highness Princess Agnes specifically instructed that we must be set to depart as soon as you arrived.”
Maxi was taken aback at overhearing mention of the princess. Had Princess Agnes also traveled to Livadon? Riftan, on the other hand, did not seem surprised at all.
“When did the royal knights depart?”
“They arrived four days ago and left immediately for Livadon.”
“Any news from Livadon?”
The captain shook his head, looking grave. “The coalition army seems to be struggling after the fall of Louivell Castle. I have heard that they are fighting to reclaim the lands taken by the monsters, but more news has yet to make it to us.”
Riftan’s face hardened, as did the faces of the knights silently listening to their conversation. The captain broke out in a sweat as the air around them grew bleak.
“If you wish, we can depart immediately. We already have enough provisions and hay on board.”
“Is there enough room for the horses?”
“Of course. I have prepared a stable.”
After inspecting the vessel with several of his knights, Riftan elected to depart at once. The knights led their horses from the inn and boarded the ship. Maxi entrusted Rem to a sailor in case the mare frighted while boarding and climbed aboard.
Standing on the deck, her heart began to hammer. She could not tell if it was fear she was feeling or a peculiar, new kind of excitement. Maxi gazed out at the calm sea glittering under the sun and took a deep breath. The saltiness of the sea filled her lungs, and her heavy heart felt a little lighter.
“Maxi, don’t stand too close to the railing.”
Riftan had been supervising the horses’ transfer to the stables below, but now he beckoned her over. Embarrassed that she had been acting like an excited child when they were on their way to battle, Maxi went to him.
As if he were pulling on the reins of an unruly colt, Riftan wrapped his arm around Maxi’s shoulder and led her to the cabin.
“Let me show you our lodgings.”
Maxi threw him a glance as she followed him down the stairs. “I-Is it all right for you to leave the deck…before all the horses are led to the stables?”
“The knights will see to that.”
The well-oiled wood paneling of the passageway glistened. They stopped at a door at the end, and Maxi peered out from behind Riftan to scan the dim room. Though it could not compare to their bedchambers at Calypse Castle, the cabin was still spacious and lavish. She darted into the room and sat at the edge of the soft bed. Riftan dropped the baggage he had slung over his shoulder with a thud.
“All the sailors are men, which means there will be no maidservants to wait on you. So, tell me if you need anything,” he said, removing the cover from the porthole next to the table. Light streamed in and bathed his face in bright sunlight. “Never wander around the ship on your own. Though I doubt anyone would dare to lay a hand on my wife, it never hurts to be careful.”
Maxi did not think he needed to worry so much, as it was highly unlikely for anyone to take an interest in her, but she kept the thought to herself and simply nodded.
They went back to the deck as the ship set sail. The sailors pulled the lines taut, unfurling the sails to catch the wind. Standing at the railing, Maxi watched as the large ship cut through the churning sea. A light tremor shook beneath her feet each time the waves hit the hull of the vessel, and gusts of wind filled the sails until they swelled out like clouds as though the wind itself were blessing their journey. The unfamiliar sensation of floating had Maxi clinging to Riftan’s side, and he stroked her back reassuringly.
“Sailing for the first time can make you feel dizzy, so try not to look down until you get used to the feeling. You might feel seasick if you keep fixating on the swaying.”
Maxi was already feeling a little dizzy, so she took his advice and stepped away from the railing. Beyond the stern, the port gradually faded into the distance. The city rapidly became nothing more than a speck on the horizon, and soon they drifted all alone on the open sea. Maxi enjoyed the ocean breeze with Riftan for a moment longer before they returned to their cabin to rest.
Their first day on board the ship passed peacefully. Although she felt nauseated for the first few hours, she felt better after a nap and was well enough to have dinner. Maxi went down to the mess with Riftan for their meal, then left for bed early. The fatigue was finally catching up with her. She felt heavy and limp despite the long nap. She was out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow.
When she woke the next day, the sun was already high overhead. Riftan handed her a cup of water as she groggily raised her head.
“How do you feel?”
Gulping down the lukewarm water, Maxi took in her husband. He was wearing comfortable cotton trousers and a white tunic. Unarmed, he looked more his age, young and full of vigor.
“Do you still feel sick?”
“N-No. I think…I am all right now.”
“Even so, you shouldn’t push yourself. Try to rest in the cabin. Forget riding horses or treating the wounded while you can. Would you like me to get you something to eat?”
“I would…l-like to wash my face…and get dressed first….”
Riftan left the cabin and asked a deckhand for some food and a basin of water. A young man of about sixteen brought the water. Maxi washed her face and combed her tangled hair until it was sleek, then arranged it in a single braid. She was rummaging through her bag for a change of clothes when Riftan returned and handed her a small box.
“I had the merchant guild procure this for you.”
Maxi’s eyes widened when she saw the navy-blue dress folded inside the velvet box. Riftan looked her over, and his brow furrowed slightly in disapproval.
“Perhaps you would wear it today? I am sick of seeing you in those trousers.”
“Wh-What is wrong…with me wearing trousers?”
He did not answer, and she pursed her lips, but still took the dress out of the box. She could not help but blush with delight at the smoothness of the silk, something she had not felt in a while. She gleefully unfolded the garment and held it against her body. After locking the door, Riftan slowly walked over to her and held out a hand.
“Let me help you. Turn around.”
“I-I can do it by myself,” Maxi said, clutching the dress defensively.
Riftan narrowed his eyes. “I do not intend to lay a hand on you until you are used to being on the ship, so stop worrying and give it here.”
