The Reluctant Fiancé - Riye

The bad dreams had never come back up after arriving in this world. But that night, before the shadows swallowed me, a second voice broke through. It was low and resonant.

‘Ina.’

He came through the storms. Sand gathered into a figure, shaped like Marik. Tall, hot, regal, and pained. He stepped between me and the queen.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said softly. ‘I couldn’t stop the torment you’ve gone through. But I will now.’

Harsh desert wind battered them both, instead of claws and stringers, the scorpion queen attacked with curses. Whispers seeping into memory, threats born from the past. Things I couldn’t remember upon waking.

‘Marik, this wasn’t your battle to fight.’

A golden glow flared around Marik. The spousal bond responded. He reached out, fingers brushing my cheek. It felt almost so real. Magical aura lanced from him, not poison or pain, but a shield.

‘Because of this bond, I can prevent you from having any nightmares.’

The queen screamed, sand screeching. But Marik stood firm. The queen shattered. The sky brightened. He turned to me, eyes desperate, heartbreak written all over his face.

‘You are not hers. You are mine now, to protect, to hold, if you ever let me.’

He faded with the wind. The dream cracked and collapsed. I awoke. Hands trembling. Chest pounding. And for the first time… relieved.

I pray that this is not just false peace. I want real peace soon.

A hand wiped my sweat away, and another held my shaking hands.

’I’m debating whether you are experiencing a side effect to Marik’s bond, or having a nightmare.’

I looked up and Pan was there beside me. Looking down on me as if he was about to cry.

Oh no. I just kept making the source of my laughter cry.

’Sorry. For making you worry.’ I reached up to wipe the moisture from the corners of his eyes. ’Before, and now.’

I was too afraid to face his feelings head-on yesterday. I could still acknowledge him, even if I couldn’t be the Raiona he longed for.

Pan smiled sweetly. One that I haven't seen yet. One that I feel was only reserved for me. That’s when I noticed it. I was too preoccupied with my own queries. I have never actually looked at him properly. Never thought deeply of his kindness towards me so far.

The way he assisted and carried me gently while my consciousness wasn’t intact. His soft spoken voice carried words that carried a punch. His face looked like how angels were painted from the Victorian era. Gentle, but assertive. Innocent, but knowing. Softspoken, but speaks with reason.

Pan just looked at me. His gaze held mine. His hand squeezed the nervousness from the dreams away. His other hand that finished wiping my sweat away, has started going through my hair.

’I love your purple eyes Pan.’ I admitted hesitantly. Already feeling better.

When I was in and out of consciousness from Marik’s antidote, or his mark, or the poison from the guard, whichever at this point, it was these eyes that kept me grounded.

Memories were slowly trickling back. Pan leaned down and kissed my eyes. Not saying anything. I didn’t know what got into me, but as Pan leaned back, I reached out onto him and hugged him. Thankfully he did not tease me, he just patted my head.

He did not hug me back? Why?

‘Squawk!’

Something stirred from my lap. It was the bird. It stirred and propelled itself to poor Pan.

’I just patted her head!’ Pan exclaimed, as he swatted off the aggressive bird before it could take a chunk off of Pan’s cheeks.

’Oh my! I am ever so sorry Pan!’ I was suddenly very awake. ’I didn’t know that I picked up such a scary bird!’

Both Pan and the bird looked at me. The bird had immediately stopped hovering and attacking Pan, opting to land on Pan’s colorful head of hair. It was a funny yet endearing sight.

’Hahaha!’ I laughed exuberantly.

Pan giggled too, eventually. He looked like he was concerned at first. He picked up the bird from his head and spoke to it.

’Keep on doing that and your girl will fall for me instead.’ Pan snickered.

The bird, which looked just slightly bigger when I first saw it, put his back up once more, as if getting ready to launch for an attack again.

’Scary bird.’ Pan whispered to the pinkish red bird before kneeling down to set it on the ground.

He didn’t have to though, as the bird jumped off his hands and into my lap where it first was. It tucked its head in its own wings, hiding. Me and Pan laughed in tandem.

’Thank you Pan. And birdie. I feel a bit better now.’ I said as I looked at each of them.

Pan nodded. ‘You were already asleep when I came to check on you last night after speaking to the guards.’

Oh! Right… You meant Riye right? I did run back to the carriage and fell asleep trembling beside Celphi…

I looked down at the little bird who was also a witness to the conversation. It was already looking up at me, studying my face.

’Where did you find, erm, pick up that weirdo?’ Pan asked.

Without missing a beat, the bird once more positioned itself to attack Pan.

I couldn’t say where. He’d know I heard their conversation.

‘I saw him leaving the medical carriage and caught him. I thought he was food.’

Not a lie.

Pan laughed heartily and fell to the floor of the carriage. I had to hold back the tiny angry bird from violently going after Pan.

Wait a minute… angry bi…

‘What is this ruckus about?’ A very annoyed Riye said as he almost ripped off the flap on his entry. He quickly assessed the situation.

He made eye contact with me first. Saw me knelt on the ground trying to hold down a bird. Saw Pan laughing and crying on the floor. With a swift swipe, both Pan and the bird were tossed out. He looked at Celphi and I could tell he also wanted to toss him out.

’Who made you cry?’ Riye asked as he knelt in front of me. He reached out to touch my face, and same as the prior instance, took his hand off before meeting my skin.

Why does he treat me like I am fragile? Or that he isn’t allowed to touch me? I mean no, he isn’t allowed… I don’t know.

’I, uh…’ I scrambled to wipe my face dry.

Was it from my dream? Was it from laughing at Pan and the bird? Or from remembering how both Pan and Riye seem to have their own agendas?

‘Did Pan make you cry?’ Riye asked with concern etched all over his manly rugged exquisitely stunning facial features. His golden eyes reached into the depths of my soul. He spoke to me in more than words.

Revised gut feeling. He does have secrets but he doesn’t intend to harm me.

’Wow…’ I blinked rapidly as I melt into his gaze.

Angel: Girl are you serious? Didn’t we agree he is dodgy at the least, dangerous at the most?

Devil: Ey! Stop it! Close up the carriage and ask him to comfort you. *wink*

Angel: Vulgar! We haven’t even had a proper conversation with this man! Also Celphi is half dead on the corner! How dare you! Weren’t you thirsting over him just a few days ago?

Devil: Ha! You snooze, you lose! Ina took a while to trust Celphi but here she is absolutely gobsmacked by another fella in an instant. At this point, this man should be given a reward for this world record.

‘Who did this to you?’ Riye asked, bringing me back to reality.

The realization that my mouth hung open while gawking at him came too late. I buried my face into my hands and curled up into a ball.

I must’ve been so red. I wish he didn't see that.

‘HEY EVERYONE! RIYE MADE THE PRINCESS CRY!’ Somebody announced.

Chaos erupted from outside the carriage. After Riye had opened it to come in and toss out his alleged perpetrators of my tears, the guards helped themselves into spectating the drama.

‘Who did this to you?’ someone mocked.

The sound of some things falling to the hard ground scared me enough to make me jolt upright. Only for it to be followed by guttural laughter.

Whew I thought we were under attack! So it was just guards falling off the skies.

’Who made you cry?’ Another person mimicked.

An infectious laughter spread throughout the convoy. I looked towards Riye’s face very cautiously and I could see a volcano from inside him about to erupt. The poor man was still kneeling in front of me, with his eyes now finally closed, in an attempt to hold back his explosion.

Ooof I feel bad for him…

‘I… Sorry.’ I whispered.

’HEY EVERYONE! RIYE MADE THE PRINCESS APOLOGIZE!’ somebody announced.

The chaos outside doubled. I could hear Pan’s laughter in the mix.

‘Is this how you treat your betrothed?’ Another voice asked dramatically.

’Princess, don’t marry anyone like that! I am a better man! I will treat you better.’ Probably Elliot.

‘Let her recover her memory first before you give her more grief.’ Someone complained.

Riye finally opened his eyes. When he tilted his head ever so slightly, the noise stopped very quickly. Even I was motionless. He stood up and slowly turned around. When I looked behind him into the open space outside, there was nobody there anymore.

Uh oh!

Riye jumped off, turned around to smile at me, a very diplomatic rehearsed smile, closed the flap, and then silence.

Um…

Then at a distance…

*ROOAARR*

The deafening growl reached my core. I felt oppressed. There was a huge pressure like someone stepped on my soul. I understood then and there that some attacks aren’t at all physical. The following loud bangs of what I assumed as flying creatures falling off the air and into the ground wasn’t helpful either.

’Make it stop!’ I cried.

Why was I affected?

‘Riye stop! You’ve made Ina cry for real now.’ Pan said, as I heard him get closer to me from wherever he was hiding.

Oh right, I was Raiona after all. Even if my body isn’t responsive to some poison, my soul could still be affected.

‘There there.’ Pan joined me and cuddled me without hesitation. Even the bird appeared from nowhere and sat back up on my lap.

‘You've done it Riye,’ another voice very carefully teased.

The sound of something big running stopped shortly before hitting the carriage. Riye eventually appeared, with smoke and mist all over him, as if post transformation.

’I have no words. I am very sorry.’ Riye knelt in front of me once more, his arms doing the same thing where he reaches out to touch me, but doesn't.

I don’t want to make things worse. He really did scare me. When Pan said something about King Arye screaming the mountains off… It must be real then.

’Mmm… I was crying because of my dream, thank you for showing me concern. Don’t scare me like that anymore again.’ I said as I wrapped my arms around Pan and hid my face on his chest.

That time, Pan hugged me back, squeezing the bird between us. Or more like, the bird was making sure it was there in the middle of the hug.

’HEY EVERYONE! RIYE GOT REJECTED!’ Someone bravely announced.

I have officially made things worse.

I looked back at Riye with fear. Riye looked like he was an empty shell. Dejected and spent. Not the warrior he was a minute ago.

’If you both keep acting up, don't blame me if I steal her for myself.’ Pan whispered that only Riye and I could hear.

Who is the other one? There is only Riye here. Is it the sleeping Celphi? Must be then.

Elliot came forward and tugged on Riye’s clothing, dragging him to another carriage gently.

‘Please excuse my superior! Let me train him on becoming a better man! If he doesn’t learn, you can take me instead!’ Elliot winked.

‘Yeah! I heard our princess was a healer in the other world. She’s amazing! She is better off with Pan. They can both heal everything.’ Someone explained.

’Maybe she should select a different person this time.’ Someone beamed.

‘Who? You?’ A new voice interjected.

’What about it? I am better than you!’

’And that’s about enough chaos for today.’ Pan said as he closed the flaps to the carriage.

And it is just morning…

The noise outside continued as the convoy moved closer to Aesylium.