The Royal Mark-Chapter 44: Seductive Effect
Before their group sets off, they overhear a soldier exclaim, "Hold on! We require a mage capable of conjuring water. The river has completely frozen over, and the horses, which are to pull the carriages, are in need of a drink."
"How did that happen? It’s not even winter yet," Chris inquired.
"We’re uncertain, Your Highness. However, did you not observe anything unusual last night? It’s where you were," the soldier responded, causing Chris to shake his head. He pondered whether the freezing was a natural occurrence or someone did it on purpose, but why?
"I will stay," declared one of the mages. "We must not cause any delay for the prince and the lady. King Allister is anticipating their arrival."
"Please hold on tight, princess. I wouldn’t want you to fall from the horse," Chris cautioned, gripping the reins with one hand while his other rested on Elsa’s waist.
"Don’t touch me. Keep your hands on the horse," Elsa retorted, removing Chris’ hand from her waist.
Chris leaned in closer and spoke softly, "I wish I could keep my hands on the horse just as you suggest. However, you should be aware that the men around us are admiring your beauty and body today. In your attempt to charm me, you’ve also captivated everyone’s interest as well. I must admit, you’ve quite successfully seduced all of us here. So I must show them that you are mine."
Elsa had her eyes closed while he whispered, feeling his warm breath on her skin, almost as if he were about to kiss her.
"I am not trying to seduce you or anyone," Elsa murmured firmly.
Chris smirked and whispered once more, "Princess, you must understand that everything you do tends to have a seductive effect on me, especially when you put in that extra effort. Just like how you let me freely stare at your cleavage now... So enticing... I still vividly recall how soft it felt in my hand last night..."
Elsa’s face and ears turned as red as a ripe tomato, and she hastily put on her cloak, shooting Chris a sidelong glare.
"Good. Now no one can see your sultry bosoms except for me," Chris leaned over and briskly sucked and licked her red earlobe before making the horse walk.
Elsa was completely taken aback by Chris’s actions, causing her to release the reins and instinctively cover her ear. It made her lose her balance, and she tumbled backward, colliding forcefully with Chris’s chest just as he urged the horse to start moving.
In a swift response, Chris encircled his arm around her and whispered, "You see, princess, this is precisely why I need to hold you." He followed this with another gentle kiss on her cheek.
"My God! Will you please stop with the kissing?!" Elsa exclaimed in annoyance.
"Why? Would you prefer me to kiss you on the lips? You didn’t seem to mind when I did that," Chris teased playfully.
"That’s going to be the last time, mark my words," Elsa declared with a roll of her eyes.
"We’ll see about that, princess," Chris grinned and decided to refrain from further teasing, redirecting his focus entirely to the road ahead.
Elsa wanted to disappear at that moment. Chris just made her remember the scene that she tried hard to forget last night. Just thinking about it makes her heart beat faster. She kept on asking herself why did she allow that to happen when they only agreed on the kissing part.
Just like Chris, she can still feel his hand on her skin and body. Even the movements of his lips and tongue were something that kept her awake all night. She tries to clear her head for she knows that she will be aroused again if she keeps on thinking about it and Chris will smell her again.
The battle stallions were exceptionally swift and had remarkable endurance, allowing them to cover more than half of their route by noon. The group rode continuously, only pausing when necessary for horse care, such as feeding and providing water. They chose to opt out of other meals, stopping solely for lunch. This strategy enabled the group to reach Zemarith City where Rügengard Castle is before nightfall.
Chris gently called up Elsa from her slumber, her fatigue and unstable condition having caused her to fall asleep on his chest. This urgency was one of the reasons they aimed to reach the castle faster, as Elsa’s temperature was once again on the rise.
"Princess, we’re nearly there. Wake up, you wouldn’t want to miss this breathtaking sight," Chris whispered into Elsa’s ear.
Her eyelashes fluttered open, and in the distance, a huge castle greeted her gaze. Her attention was immediately captured by the magnificent structure perched atop a small hill, rising majestically above the surrounding landscape. While she had encountered old castles transformed into museums in her own world, none could compare to the awe-inspiring presence of Rügengard Castle.
It has high formidable stone walls around it and towers that she can’t count with her ten fingers. These towers boasted conical roofs, each adorned with banners displaying the emblem of the Zemaria Kingdom: a golden crowned lion’s head set against a shield featuring two crossed polearms.
As they drew nearer to the castle, Elsa found herself unable to divert her gaze, her admiration for its beauty growing with each passing moment. By the time they reached the city’s gate, the sun had already dipped below the horizon. A crowd of soldiers and citizens had assembled along the streets in anticipation of their arrival.
Chris removed his scarf and used it to cover Elsa’s head and face, leaving an opening for her eyes to see. "Please keep it on until we’ve greeted King Allister," he instructed.
Elsa nodded and took in her surroundings. "You seem to be quite popular here, even though this isn’t your kingdom," she remarked, having noticed some people calling out Chris’ name.
"Not everyone in this place is of human descent. Last night, I was able to get an update from the soldiers and mages after you kicked me out of our tent." Chris disclosed, and he paused to gauge Elsa’s reaction after emphasizing the last part of his statement. He was not disappointed; Elsa raised an eyebrow and shot him a sidelong glance.
"A year has passed since I went into your world, and during that time, Zemaria took in a lot of refugees from Arcanis. Many of my kind rebelled against my uncle, who currently reigns as king in my kingdom. Those who sided with me chose to stay here, patiently awaiting my return," Chris explained with a resolute tone, and Elsa observed how he clenched his fists tightly in anger while gripping the reins.
Elsa’s gaze fixated on his clenched fists, and she instinctively reached out to touch them, which took Chris by surprise. This simple gesture made his anger go away, causing him to relax his grip on the reins.
Their thoughts were interrupted by the blaring sound of a horn, announcing their arrival at the castle. Elsa shifted her gaze straight ahead, noticing that there were no longer any civilians but only soldiers lined up along the way, guiding them toward the colossal doors of the castle.
