Chapter 16: The Underground Healers and Locked Doors

As they fell through the howling wind, Ethan's vision began to blur from the deadly hunter poison. He looked at the girl cradled tightly against his chest, his voice barely a breath against the rushing air. "Iris... I wish I could be with you until I turned older..."

A second later, their bodies plummeted straight into the freezing, rushing currents of the river below.

A young boy standing near the riverbank caught sight of them from afar. "Damn! Who are they?!" he muttered, his eyes widening as he watched two bodies fall out of the sky.

He rushed down the steep bank toward the water, splashing into the current. Grabbing hold of their clothes, he dragged them out onto the muddy shore. "Ah... they're so heavy," he gasped, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

He laid both of them flat on the ground. Taking in their condition, his breath caught. They were completely covered in dark purple bruises, deep cuts, and bleeding arrow wounds. Their breathing was so faint it was almost non-existent.

"Oh no..." the boy whispered, panic setting in. "They look completely dead!"

He scrambled back toward a hidden path, shouting at the top of his lungs. "Noorin! Noorin, come here quickly! Help!"

A woman came running out from the shadows of a nearby cave entrance, her expression frantic. "Steevan! What is it? What happened?"

Steevan pointed frantically at the muddy shore. "Look! They're just kids, and they fell from all the way up there! I think they might be dead!"

Noorin gasped, dropping to her knees beside them. "Oh... what are we going to do now?"

"You take this girl inside the house, and I'll carry the boy," Steevan ordered, his voice tight.

"Okay," Noorin nodded.

With a heavy effort, she lifted Iris's battered body and carried her inside their hidden dwelling. Steevan scooped Ethan up into his arms, following closely behind.

They entered a secret, underground home carved into the stone. Noorin gently laid Iris down onto a small bed, and right beside her, Steevan laid Ethan.

"Noorin, run and bring me my herbal medicine box right now!" Steevan shouted, his hands trembling as he checked Ethan's pulse. "I'm going to try to save them!"

Noorin hesitated, looking down at the two completely still, pale faces. "Steevan, just leave them... they're already dead. They aren't even breathing."

Steevan sat heavily on the edge of the mattress, staring at the deep wounds. "But how did they even fall? There's an arrow in the girl's back, and one in the boy's back too."

Noorin's eyes filled with sudden sorrow. "They're still just children... how could they be involved in a fight like this?"

Steevan looked around the stone walls. "That's exactly why I brought you down to this underground place, Noorin. So we could escape the surface and live our lives in peace."

Noorin nodded slowly, a tear slipping down her cheek. "But now... what are we supposed to do with these dead bodies?"

"I don't know," Steevan whispered, his hand gently resting on Ethan's cold forehead. "I just... I want to save them."

Noorin walked over, gently placing a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Is it because you see our own children in them, Steevan?"

Steevan closed his eyes, his voice breaking. "I have been a father, Noorin. I never want to see any child suffer like this."

Noorin's grip tightened, her voice turning bitter with old grief. "Those bastard nobles started that useless war..., and they ate away our children."

"Let it go, Noorin," Steevan sighed heavily, standing up. "It has already been three years."

"I can never forget that person," she whispered fiercely.

Steevan walked toward the front door, needing some air. "I'll go outside for a bit to clear my head. Watch over them."

---

Meanwhile, back at the Duke's lavish mansion, the double doors to the private lounge were pushed open.

Prince Advard stepped inside, a cold, arrogant smirk plastered across his face. "Ha. Mister Duke," he mocked, looking around the expensive room. "Living happily, I see?"

The Duke immediately stood up from his leather chair, keeping his expression guarded. "Welcome, Prince Advard."

Advard walked over, leaning against a pillar. "Don't go wasting my father's royal money like that," he warned with a cold smile.

The Duke's jaw tightened. "I think you are getting a bit too smart for your own good, Advard."

"You cannot play these games with us, Duke," Advard shot back, his eyes narrowing. "Your family is only happy and wealthy right now because of the Royal Throne."

The Duke forced a polite mask onto his face. "You don't have to worry, Your Highness. The work will just take some time."

"Good," Advard smirked. "But Mister Duke... make sure you don't involve your wife in this."

The Duke frowned. "Why would she be involved?"

Advard turned to leave, but paused at the threshold, looking over his shoulder. "Oh, and yes. My father told me to give you this message: that boy and girl you were desperately hunting down? They're dead."

The Duke froze, instantly standing up from his desk. "What?! How could they die without my permission?!"

Advard shrugged carelessly. "How should I know? They fell straight off a massive mountain cliff. So, what can you really do about it now? Anyway, my work here is done. Bye. I don't have any interest in your other business."

The Duke took a furious step forward. "Wait right there!"

Advard stopped, turning his head just enough to flash a deadly, cold glare that made the Duke instantly freeze in his tracks. Satisfied with the silence, the Prince smiled and walked out of the mansion.

---

Stepping out into the bright afternoon sun, Advard spotted Princess Cecelia waiting gracefully by the estate gates.

He walked up to her, his charming royal mask instantly sliding back into place. "I am so incredibly sorry for making you wait out here, Cece."

Cecelia offered a soft, elegant smile. "That's quite alright, Your Highness."

Advard gently took her hand, his thumb brushing over her skin. "Now come, My Lady."

They walked out of the courtyard together. As they reached the royal carriage, Cecelia went to step inside her own, but Advard smoothly blocked her path. "Won't My Lady sit with me in my carriage instead?"

Cecelia blinked, her heart fluttering. "Sure..." She turned back to her royal guards and ordered, "The rest of the team can return to the palace without me."

She stepped up into Advard's private carriage, sitting down on the velvet seat right next to him. As the wheels began to turn and the carriage started moving, a heavy, quiet tension filled the small space.

Advard looked at her, a playful smirk on his lips. "Is My Lady feeling shy today?"

"No," Cecelia murmured, looking down at her hands to hide her nerves. "I mean... it's just the first time I've ever hung out with you like this, Prince Advard. I'm not fully used to it yet."

Advard leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a smooth whisper. "So... what if I make you get used to it?"

Cecelia blushed, her eyes darting to his. "What do you mean by that?"

"If you're smart, My Lady, you should already know the meaning," Advard teased.

"Then I guess I am not smart enough," Cecelia whispered back.

Advard smoothly reached over, taking her hand and lifting it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against her knuckles. "I have never seen anyone as beautiful as you, My Lady."

Cecelia's mind completely exploded into a frantic, blushing mess. How can this person flirt this easily with me?! she thought to herself, her chest heaving.

She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, the carriage ground to a halt. A knight called out from the front, "Your Highness, we have arrived."

Advard immediately opened the door, stepping out first. He turned and held his hand out, waiting perfectly for her. Cecelia stepped down onto the cobblestones, looking around at the grand, towering mansion in front of them.

"Is this your place?" Cecelia asked, her brow furrowing. "It doesn't look like the royal palace."

"I don't live at the palace," Advard explained smoothly, taking her by the hand. "I prefer to live here, in the heart of the capital."

He led her through the massive front doors. As they entered the grand hallway, Cecelia noticed the entire place was dead silent and completely empty. Not a single servant was in sight.

"It's so big... and so empty," Cecelia murmured, a sudden wave of unease hitting her.

Before she could process the silence, Advard suddenly grabbed her arm and firmly pushed her into a nearby private room.

"Aa—! What are you doing?!" Cecelia gasped, stumbling over her dress.

Advard quickly stepped into the room right behind her. Without saying a single word, he slammed the heavy wooden door shut and turned the key, locking them inside the dark room together.

---

[Chapter Ended - To Be Continued]