Chapter 54 - The Way Back

“There’s a solution?” I asked hopefully.

“Of course. Be mine, Rin. Let me pour my seed deep inside of you until you become pregnant with my child…” Ren said passionately.

His hands reached for my legs and wrapped them around his hips. My eyes widened, I could feel the shape and size of his hardness clearing, pressing against me. Ren looked down at me as our eyes met. Silently, I stared into his earnest eyes and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

I could tell that he was serious and my attempt to laugh this whole matter off died.

“What are you saying?!” I cried out in shock as I broke our eye contact.

Ren just laughed; however, I could tell that his proposal was seriously on the table. It was my choice whether I decided to take it. This is just plain crazy…

“I’m serious and I know that you know that I am as well. I’ll wait until you come begging for me to take you,” Ren said confidently as he smiled down at me.

“I’ll never…” I mumbled. How could he suggest such a thing would happen?

Ren laughed softly at me before he adjusted my clothes back into place. I quickly adjusted my clothes so that I had enough to cover my skin. I wouldn’t stay that I looked presentable but at least I was no longer naked or inappropriately exposed.

Ren then pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back instinctively, tightening both my arms and legs around his body before burying my face in his warm chest. We stayed like that for a while as we silently enjoyed each other’s company. I closed my eyes and felt him kiss the top of my head softly.

…

The next day, the army that was sent from the capital to escort Ren and I back to the imperial palace arrived. I knew that the attack that was aimed at Ren’s assassination was a big deal; however, I didn’t think that the emperor would be sending this many men to escort us back.

It was like a mini army had been dispatched to pick us up. I couldn’t count how many soldiers there were on horseback but there were definitely more than thirty and this was excluding the higher number of foot soldiers. In addition to the men, there was a carriage that I was informed was prepare for me for a smooth journey back.

I thought of the journey on the way here when I was travelling alone with Ren, and I was riding with him on his horse. I never imagined that the journey back would be so vastly different. I wondered if Ren would be riding with me in the carriage or if he would prefer to ride on his horse.

It might be more peaceful if I rode in the carriage alone; however, I thought that it will be too quiet…and perhaps, too lonely without Ren. However, when I met him, I didn’t have the courage to ask if he would be riding in the carriage with me.

“Rin, you ride in the carriage. Don’t worry, there’ll be so many soldiers there to guard you,” Ren said to me when we were preparing for departure.

We stood next to the carriage as Ren offered me a hand to support me up onto the carriage.

“What about you?” I asked softly. Isn’t he going to ride in the carriage with me?

“I’ll be on my horse with the soldiers,” Ren replied levelly.

“But isn’t that dangerous?” I asked.

I was worried about Ren and I guess the other part of me didn’t really want to ride in the carriage alone.

“I don’t think we’ll be ambushed again. Plus, I’ll feel safer on my horse where I can fight back, if necessary,” Ren replied.

That made me realize that Ren was wearing his armor on top of his normal clothes. I didn’t remember Ren having brought his armor with him when we left since we were disguised as traders so someone must have brought his amor along with them.

“Ok…” I replied softly.

I guess I didn’t have any other choice. I hope Ren was right and that no one would be attacking us on the way back.

I took his hand and he helped me onto the carriage and with a smile, he closed the door. The inside of the carriage was larger than I had initially thought. It could easily fit six or more people, three on each side. However, I was going to be alone all the way back to the Imperial palace in the capital and that made me feel a little depressed.

Fortunately, the carriage had windows that I could open to peek outside on both sides. Peeking out of one, I could clearly see Ren riding in front with the soldiers on his horse. I wasn’t sure how long the journey would take but I was sure that it was going to take much longer than when Ren and I travelled alone, although the distance was the same.

That was because we were going at a much slower rate than when Ren and I travelled alone. Having a large army had its merits but it made travel slower. The carriage was clearly the one dragging the speed of the entire group down.

As I expected, the journey alone in the carriage was boring. I had no one to talk to and there was not much to see outside of the carriage’s window. The guards surrounding the carriage didn’t talk to me. They didn’t even look at me. Perhaps they were under orders to keep their distance from me; I remembered that the guards back at the holiday palace were also under the same order.

The trip was so boring that at some point I must have fallen asleep in the carriage because the next thing I knew, the carriage came to an abrupt stop, and I woke up as a result. While still feeling dizzy from my sleep, I heard a knock on the carriage’s wooden window from the outside. I moved towards the window and opened it.

“How are you, Rin?” Ren asked.

I opened up the window and saw Ren right outside. He was next to the carriage on his horse as he peered into the window to talk to me.

“I’m doing ok…” I replied softly.

“Are you bored?” Ren asked, hitting the nail right on the head.

“A little…” I admitted.

“Hang in there. We should be arriving at the capital in a couple of hours…” Ren said reassuringly.

“Ok. Thanks for letting me know,” I said as I smiled a little at him.

--To be continued…