"Why are you here?" Luren asked as Clara stepped into the carriage. She hadn't gone home with her parents, and her sudden appearance caught him off guard.
Clara plopped down beside him with a grin. "Are you sad because His Grace isn't
riding with you?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Stop it, Clara. I'm serious," Luren muttered, but he felt his cheeks heating up. Outside, Craige, Keith, Rolen, and the other knights were riding on horseback.
"I'm on a mission," Clara replied, turning her gaze to the window, scanning the
surroundings with mock seriousness.
"What mission?" Luren asked, clearly confused.
"A very important one," she said with a dramatic nod. "A mission to keep the future
duchess from getting bored."
"The heck, Clara!!" Luren burst into laughter, his earlier awkwardness cracking into
genuine amusement.
"It's true!" she giggled. "Keith came to the office and said the Duke requested me to
stay in the north, just in case you needed company. He didn't want you to feel lonely."
Luren felt his face flush again, embarrassment mixing with an unexpected warmth in his chest. Ashamed, yet undeniably happy.
"Wow, you look like a tomato! Where's the cold and composed Luren I used to know? You're totally lovesick," Clara teased, nudging him with her elbow.
Luren turned away, refusing to dignify her comment with a reply. He stared out the
window, and his eyes found Craige. The Duke rode confidently on his black horse. The first time Luren had seen him like that, he looked fearsome, like a dark storm bearing down on the world. But now... Now he looked like something out of a dream. Regal. Proud. Effortlessly captivating.
"The Duke might melt under your stare," Clara interrupted, smirking as she leaned closer.
Luren tore his gaze away, flustered. "Clara!"
Outside, Craige turned his head at just the right moment and met Luren's eyes through
the carriage window. For a brief second, the world seemed to still. Craige's expression softened, just a flicker, but enough to make Luren's heart stutter.
When the sun went down, the carriage stopped at a nearby inn.
"Let's rest for the night," Craige announced, handing his horse over to one of the knights,
who would take it to the inn's stable.
Clara and Luren stepped out of the carriage.
They all ate together before heading to their assigned rooms. Luren and Clara went ahead while Craige remained behind for a meeting about tomorrow's journey.
Luren had already finished bathing, but Craige was still outside. He looked out the
window, it was already dark. Just then, the door opened.
"Is everything alright?" Luren asked. Craige looked visibly frustrated.
"Yeah… we just received a message from the duchy," Craige muttered as he headed straight to the bathroom. "I'll go wash up first."
Luren glanced down at himself, he was already in his pajamas, then moved over to sit on the bed.
After a few minutes, Craige came out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but his underwear. Luren's gaze couldn't help but trace the outline of his sculpted chest, abs, broad shoulders, down to his firm waist, and then to—
Craige caught the look and smirked.
"Like the view?" Craige teased with a smirk, then jumped onto the bed, circling his arms
around Luren's waist and planting soft kisses on his hair.
Luren smiled shyly and wrapped his arms around Craige in return.
"Kiss me," Luren whispered seductively, his breath warm against Craige's skin.
Craige groaned lowly, eyes darkening with desire.
"Don't tempt me, baby…" he said, voice husky, but he was already leaning in.
Their lips met in a playful kiss, Craige gently biting Luren's lower lip. Luren responded
eagerly, wrapping his arms around Craige's neck to deepen the kiss, their bodies pressing close, hearts racing in sync under the quiet of the night.
After the heated kiss, Craige gently pulled away, his breath still uneven. He needed to
control himself.
"Let's stop for now, baby," he whispered seductively, his lips brushing against Luren's
ear. "This isn't the right place for your first time."
Luren's cheeks turned crimson. Embarrassed and flustered, he buried his face into Craige's chest, his heart pounding wildly.
"Good night, Craige," he murmured shyly, his voice muffled against the warmth of
Craige's embrace.
Craige smiled softly, his arms tightening around him.
"Good night, baby," he whispered, holding Luren closer as if protecting something
precious.
In the morning...
"Change into your riding clothes. We'll be traveling on horseback," Craige said firmly after breakfast.
They were seated in the small restaurant of the inn, the scent of brewed tea and warm bread lingering in the air.
Luren and Clara both nodded without question, sensing the seriousness in his tone.
Craige turned to Rolen. "You go ahead, take the rest and head north. The four of us will make a stop at the Western Duchy first."
Rolen gave a sharp nod, understanding there was more to the detour than Craige was saying aloud.
"Should I find another horse for the route?" Keith asked, already halfway to the door.
Craige shook his head. "No. The slope is too narrow, regular horses won't manage it. We'll need to ride our own."
He paused, his gaze falling on the horses outside the window, the early sun gleaming on their coats.
"Warhorses are built for this. They're trained to handle all kinds of terrain. Their stamina and strength go far beyond what a normal horse can endure."