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When he was done cooking, she was still on the counter while she watched every move of his with the most beautiful smile she had ever mustered on her face. “Done already?” She asked, for the aroma has been filling her nostrils to the point that she wanted to tell him to feed her with the undone food, but she knew that would never happen.

He nodded his head at her and smiled, “Done already, your highness. You should get down, wash your hands and get ready to fill your starving stomach that will bore me a child.” She playfully rolled her eyes at him and was about to get down from the counter when he came forward and gently placed her down. “I shouldn’t risk anything happening to you, Aranya, you know that right?” She smiled and nodded her head.

When she looked out through the window, she noticed that it was dark already. “You promise that we will go back to the ocean, can we eat there?” She gave him her best puppy eyes because she knew he would hardly agree and say it was night and what if Betla was following every of their move? Even though both of them knew there was little to no security in the palace also.

“Aranya...” He began, and she knew from the expression on his face that he was going to say no and she quickly lifted her feet and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “Will you please say no? You actually did promise me, Lorcán.” She whined and pouted her lips, he smiled, not knowing how that was able to come out of his lips. He thought he was going to look stern and say no straight?

“Let’s go, but you aren't going to do anything, right? You can just sit by the ocean and we eat, promise?” She vehemently nodded her head with a small smile and rushed to where he had kept the food and began putting them away in the basket.

“I’m eager to sit by the ocean, do you have some carpet around?” He nodded his head and before she took in a breath, he had disappeared and in a few seconds, he appeared back in front of her holding the carpet. “Wow, it’s so beautifully. Let’s walk there, right?” He nodded his head and took the basket from her no matter how she tried to stop him from doing so. With their hands entwined, they walked to the ocean and Aranya was so happy. The cool wind caressed her skin and it felt as if she had been to heaven for the first time.

At first, she started walking like a normal lady would. And he kept stealing glances at how she was smiling, with the wind caressing her skin. Slowly, she handed him the basket she was holding and in the blink of an eye, Aranya had broke into a sprint. “You promised to just walk, Aranya!” He called out while staring at her. She looked so happy that he wished there was something that could make her even more happy than she was now.

How could he love someone as much as he loved this woman? She turned back and was running backwards, “I can’t just walk around here, can’t you see? Your place is just so beautiful that being here makes me so happy, Lorcán!” She was giggling as though a small girl and being able to see her like this, hear her voice like this was everything and more for him.

There were times when he felt guilty for not being able to take his revenge on the woman that took the life of his brother. But then he remembered how much Dûsan had loved her and he was certain if he was staring down at them now, he would certainly be happy that he had made her happy today. He caught up with her, she was sprawled on the sand as she breathed out heavily.

“You shouldn’t have run this much, Aranya. And you can’t drink anything, right?” She looked up at him, her smile was so beautiful that he instantly leaned over her and planted a soft kiss on her lips. “You look exhausted, but so beautiful that I can't take my eyes off you.” She chuckled, and he helped her sit upright.

“You really want a baby so bad, look at how you’re trying to sugarcoat me.” She teased him and smiled at how flushed he looked.

“I'm not sugarcoating you, Aranya. I'm telling the fact, you know that you’ve always been so beautiful.”

She pecked his cheek and stared at their food, “Let’s eat and bath in the ocean...” He was trying to cut her off when she shook her head and for a moment, he could see as the fire flicked in her eyes. “I want to take my bathe, and...together with you...” Her last words came off in a shy tone and she grinned.

“Can we do that now?”

She was bringing out the food items without staring at him, “No, we can’t. I'm famished.”

*

Keres stared at Katharina as she finished packing all that belonged to her. She knew she had to go to Belrynna even if she didn’t want to, but then she was really going to miss her chamber in Kestramore. She sighed and looked up to Katharina that was staring at her, waiting for another order if there is.

“Can you call in Desdemona please?” She said with a low voice and she nodded before she walked out of the room. Keres stood up as she moved around the room, touching the things she couldn’t carry with her and when she was about to break into tears, she heard a voice behind her.

“Oh oh, you aren’t going to cry, Keres.” Oh yes, she had forgotten that she had brought along the woman that might destroy or make up her life. And as much as she wanted to kill Desdemona, she had to wait until she was no longer of use to her before then.

“It’s said that King Bhaltair will now send someone to take me there, do you think we won't have any problem with them pertaining you? Won’t they recognize that you’re a Durush?” She asked with her voice emoting how low spirited she was, and she was not in mood to argue or have a longer conversation about anything.

Desdemona chucked and sat down even before she was asked to, “There’s no problem with that. I’m sure he might recognize me when I still have my current physical appearance. How about I change myself into your maid, Katharina? You might we’re twins, I won’t mind.” Keres was just staring at her, he didn’t believe what she said and even if they wanted to change her to look exactly as Katharina did, it will take a few hours of magic and she didn’t have much power as it is now.

“What...what do you mean? Can you do that on your own?” Desdemona chuckled before she stood up. She twirled right in front of Keres and in a minute, she couldn’t believe if she was speaking to Katharina or Desdemona. What more secrets was this woman hiding from her? What more powers did she have?

“What more is this woman hiding? You want to know, don’t worry, with time, you will.” She grinned and sat back, aware of the unbelievable look Keres was flashing at her.

“I think we’re set to go then. Make sure to behave yourself and as my maid, you know you can’t be this smug and smirky, right?” Keres held a hot look on her face because she didn't want Desdemona to know that she was beginning to fear what this woman would become if things persisted. Will they even be able to carry out their plan successfully and what did she want to do in Belrynna so bad that she was willing to do all these things?

There was a soft knock on the door and Katharina walked into the room, “Your highness...” She got tongue tied when she saw an exact version of her seated with a smug look on the chair Keres used to sit down. She began to stutter before Keres beat Desdemona at explaining things to her.

“I have to take her to Belrynna with me and there's no way they will let her enter unless this way. She’ll be acting as your twin sister henceforth, hope there won't be any problem?” Keres asked, and reluctantly, Katharina nodded her head.

“They’re hear, his majesty summons you in his chamber, your highness.” And off, they walked. She left behind Desdemona in her room, wondering what the woman was up to. She knew no mistakes will be made so long as she had Katharina in charge of everything.

She walked into her Father’s chamber and found him seated together with her mother, the strong heart she had always trained not to go soft began to soften and no matter how she wanted to fight her tears back, Keres couldn't. No formalities were made, she sat down beside her mother and hugged her so tight.

“I'm scared.” She blurted out, and she really was scared. She had never imagined that she would say it out to anyone but them, and even for them, she didn't think she could be able to say it out loud.

Her mother patted her back lovingly, “I know, Keres. King Bhaltair is no joke that you won’t scared of him. But you’re doing this for out entire clan, don’t you think? You’re strong, I trust that you can do it.”

She wiped at the tears that made it to her face and looked up at them with a feign smile, “So long as I live, he can never raid Kestramore, I'll make sure of that.” They spoke longer than she had initially thought before her father pointed out that the people King Bhaltair had sent to take her with him would be waiting too long before she walked out.

They walked into the carriage they had arranged for her and with a heavy heart, Keres bade her entire clan goodbye before they set off. She thought they were going to use their magic and just travel to Belrynna in a few minutes, but it had always been said that no one knew the right magic to go in and out of Belrynna but King Bhaltair, whoever wanted to go their had t travel as normally.

They traveled for hours she lost count of that she began to get tired, hungry and sleepy, had it always been this far? Oh, no one certainly knew. They made a stop, and when she peeked out of the carriage, they were in a small town and it was night already. Before she comprehended what was happening, the leader of the entourage was standing beside her carriage as he spoke, “We’re going to spend the night here, your highness. I'm sorry, for it took so long before we could find the right place to lodge you in as requested by the King himself.”

She cleared her throat, “That’s fine. I'll get down now.” She was about to get down when she noticed that the carriage was a bit long and spoke again, “Katharina, I need your help to get down from here.” How did she get in? She couldn’t even remember. Was it because that she was tired now? Or perhaps, oh right! Her Father helped her got into it back in Kestramore.

“I'll help you down, Katharina is in there making sure your place is suited to your taste.” The curtains were opened but she couldn’t point a finger at his face yet. It was so dark and his his face was covered with a mask. She stared at his hand then back to the face she couldn’t clearly see. Knowing that she would trip if she tried to get down by herself, Keres decided to make se of the outstretched hand.

She slipped her hand into his and when he held her strongly, she brushed off a feeling that nagged at her heart and got down from the carriage. He immediately released his hold on her and pointed at the path, “I’ll take you to the suite, Your Highness.”