Melora had woken up early the following day to an empty bed. She was curled up against a pillow, the blankets wrapped around her. Her heart sank as she sat up, thinking that Drystan left her and that last night was a big mistake. Her eyes searched her room before she found him. A breath was released as she spotted Drystan standing on the small terrace. Melora pulled her night dress off the floor over her head. She wrapped her arms around herself as she walked and placed herself beside him.

Drystan was already dressed. He was wearing his usual black long-sleeved shirt and matching-colored pants. Gloves covered his hands, and a hood was over his head, blocking his skin from the sun. Melora had never understood his decision, but she wouldn't question him. He didn't look at her when she stepped up to him, making her heart squeeze as she looked down at her feet.

"How are you feeling this morning, Princess?" his rough voice asked her.

Melora looked up at him quickly. Her eyebrows furrowed as she noticed that he still wasn't looking at her. He regrets it. "Good," she answered him quickly. She stepped closer to the balcony and placed her hands on the railing. She leaned over slightly and looked down at the land beneath them. She always thought that their land was beautiful when other people didn't. This was all she knew; she had never seen anything different. The land around them was barren. It was completely brown. No grass or any trees grew. They had to use land far away to grow crops for their food. Even then, it was sparse. Suddenly, she felt a large blanket being wrapped around her body tightly. Melora looked over her shoulder and saw Drystan standing close behind her.

Drystan's arms protected her as he tied the blanket around her front. "Your dress is thin, Princess." She adored the way that his arms held her.

"What did I say about calling me that when we're alone?" she asked as she lifted her chin at him.

Drystan shook his head as he chuckled. "I'm sorry." He finished tightening the blanket and stepped to her side. "I don't want anyone looking at you in that dress."

Melora looked up at him and shook her head. Her body instinctively leaned against him. No one walked around where they were standing. Her father had kept her bedroom out of sight from the rest of the clan. Another way to keep her in his control. She wasn't afraid of anyone seeing her or Drystan, but her heart warmed as she thought of his protectiveness over her.

Drystan wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in front of him, his arms caging her body. Melora moved her body back and leaned against him. "You're mine, Melora," he growled lowly in her ear. A shiver raked through her body at his words. "Until I get you to your betrothed, you are all mine."

"Y-You'll be able to let me go after that?" she stammered as she closed her eyes. A familiar feeling from last night came alive in the pit of her stomach. Could she let him go once they got to the man she was supposed to marry? Would she be strong enough to control her feelings for him that day? Melora bit her bottom lip as a thought went through her mind. Could she convince him to stay with her?

"I'd have to, Melora," he answered dryly. He tipped her head to the side and ran his teeth over her neck, causing her to shiver in delight.

Melora's hands clenched in front of her as she felt a rushing heat further down her body. "When do we have to leave?" Her voice came out strained.

Drystan chuckled, his lips still on her neck. "Soon, Melora." He pressed a kiss to her neck before stepping away from her, squeezing her hips once. "We don't have time for anything."

Melora opened her eyes and turned around, disappointed. Her body felt cold when he stepped away from her. She wanted him to touch her again. She wanted to feel his body against hers again and was disappointed that they had to leave now. She moved her feet and caught up to him, standing by her suitcases. "How long of a journey is it to the man I'm supposed to marry?"

Drystan turned around and looked at her, his eyes holding emotion she couldn't explain. "It's about a two-week journey."

"Hmm," she hummed as she suddenly grew bold. She untied the blanket and let it fall off of her shoulders. "That gives us more time."

Melora could see his golden-brown eyes sparkle as a smirk flitted across his face. "More time?" He stepped closer to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "There's more that I can teach you."

Melora pressed her hands against his chest. "Y-Yes. I was hoping for that."

He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. Melora could feel his muscles rippling underneath his shirt. "You're not regretting last night?"

Melora shook her head. She tried to reach his lips, but he kept pulling back. "Did you?"

"Fuck, no," he growled as he leaned in and crashed his lips onto hers. He was hungry as he kissed her. Her hands gripped his shirt, trying to pull him closer to her. Drystan's hands moved down her body and cupped her ass. He lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist, and backed her into the wall. Melora's arms wrapped around his neck and tangled into his hair as he deepened the kiss.

Suddenly, a hurried knock on the door made Drystan drop Melora to her feet and step away from her. Melora placed a hand over her chest to calm her heart down. Drystan's eyes never left her lips as he motioned for her to move over behind her divider. She instantly did as she was told and stepped behind it. Melora listened carefully as she heard Drystan move toward the door and open it.

"We were told to take the Princess's bags to the carriage, sir," a deep voice told Drystan. Melora heard footsteps and grunts as the person lifted her boxes and dragged them out of the room. She waited until Drystan shut the door before stepping from behind the room divider.

Melora was already dressed for the trip in her garment. She wanted to be comfortable, so she made sure that she kept her favorite traveling dress out. It was a flowing, hunter-green dress with a large hood hanging off the back of her collar. The dress stopped just below her knees, giving her legs plenty of room to move as they traveled. She picked up her brown ankle boots and walked over to the bed. Sitting down on it, she started to bend forward and put her boots on when she felt Drystan's presence looming over her.

Melora looked up and smiled at him, working hard to fight the tears from forming in her eyes. Drystan knelt and covered her feet with his hands. He took her boots and placed them on her feet without saying anything. He looked up at her as he tied the strings on her right book. "As long as you're under my protection and while you're mine, you will not have to do anything. I will take care of you. Whatever you want, you will have. You will never have to lift a hand to do anything as long as I am beside you." He looked back down and tied the strings on her left boot before standing up.

Drystan held out his hand and helped her stand up. "It's time to go, Melora."

Melora took a deep breath and tightened her grip on his hand. She still had time with him. She still had time to be with him, for him to touch her. Her stomach turned at the idea that she had a limited time and would soon have to give him up, but she pushed that thought down. Melora placed a small smile on her lips as she gave him a nod. "Let's go."

Drystan squeezed her hand as he led her to the door and opened it up for her. She walked through and dropped his hand as two guards rounded the corner. They stopped before her and bowed their heads. "If you could, please follow us, Princess." They turned on their heels and didn't stop to check if she was following them before they turned the corner again.

Melora had to jog to catch up to them. The guards brought them down a long hallway and stopped before two large iron doors. Melora wrapped her arms around herself, wishing they were Drystan's arms instead, as she waited for the guards to open the doors.

"Are you alright, Princess?" Drystan asked her, his voice deep. She could feel him standing extremely close behind her. Melora resisted the urge to lean back against him.

"I'm alright," she answered him. Her voice came out small and not how she intended. When the doors finally opened, she walked through them and stopped outside a small carriage. No one was driving the carriage. Her eyebrows furrowed as she spun around to Drystan. "You're not going to be in there with me?"

Melora knew that Drystan could hear the pleading voice from her mouth. She watched as his jaw clenched before he shook his head. "No, Princess. I'm in charge of your safety and also driving the carriage."

Melora nodded weakly as she turned back around. A guard held the door for her, and she hesitated.

"I'm going to be with you the entire time, Princess," Drystan said, placing his hands on her shoulder and gently pushing her toward the carriage. "I'm here."

Melora looked back at him and instantly relaxed. He wasn't ever going to leave her. This much she knew. She knew he didn't have to tell her that he wouldn't ever leave her. Looking back on how he's always protected her and stood by her through everything, that's how she knew. Yes, his job was to protect her, but he always went far and beyond to protect her.

Melora wished that she could see his eyes right now. His hood covered them, and the only part of his face she could see was his nose and mouth. The smile that he was giving her was warm. She resisted the urge to run her fingers over the curves of his mouth.

Melora took a deep breath and grabbed the guard's hand, letting him help her into the carriage. Once she had sat down, she tried to look around for her father, but she didn't see him. Tears threatened to form and fall as she realized what she was to her father. He didn't care that she was leaving forever. If he did, he'd be here, but he wasn't.

The carriage moved as Drystan climbed into the driver's seat and clicked onto the reins. The carriage moved forward as they rode away from the small castle. Rode away from her home. The place that she grew up in and grew to love. She moved away from the window and leaned against the red leather seats.