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GARDEN OF POISON
Stranded! (Chapter 193)
Music Recommendation: Heavens, what an afternoon - John Lunn
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Far away from the Storm Kingdom, and even farther away from Versailles, Princess Niyasa found herself stranded on a deserted island. It was the fourth day since she had been thrown off the ship bound to arrive at the Storm Kingdom.
She lay sprawled on the sandy shore, not because she was dead, but rather because she possessed the tenacious luck of a cockroach, somehow managing to cling to life. But she wasn't feeling very alive right now.
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Niyasa's expensive clothes were torn and covered in dirt. And at this rate, it wouldn't be long before she resembled a primitive woman from the wilderness.
"Ugh… why is no one coming to rescue me?" Niyasa lamented, adjusting herself beneath the leaves to shield her beautiful face from the sun, as she didn't want to darken her skin. She continued,
"I am the second princess of Versailles, and it's been four long days. Four days have passed and no one has come for me. Maybe they will arrive tomorrow?" But what if no one ever found her? Panic started to rise in her chest, and tears streamed down her face. "MOTHER! BROTHER!" she cried out. Did no one care about her?! She was a member of the royal family, after all!
She hoped they would come soon because she was slowly going mad.
When she heard the distant sound of a ship's horn, hope surged within her, and she leapt to her feet, shouting, "They are here! I AM HERE!"
Niyasa quickly ran to the shoreline where the water splashed back and forth. She yelled, "I AM HERE!" However, the ship was too far away for anyone to hear her, and it seemed no one cared to pay attention to the isolated island. "LOOK HERE YOU DUMBASS! NO! NO! DON'T GO! PLEASE COME BA—OW! FUCKING HELL!"
A crab scuttling past her unexpectedly pinched her toe when she got near it, causing her to yelp with pain. The shoes she had cherished while aboard the ship had been flung into the water in a fit of anger and had since been carried away by the waves. She regretted it now, as she had nothing to protect her feet!
"What am I going to do?" Niyasa asked herself, her eyes widening as if the scorching heat around the island were casting a hypnotic spell over her.
"I shouldn't have left Versailles! Lady Sophia was right; the sea is dangerous," Niyasa said to herself, while looking back at the island's dense forest.
She was thirsty and hungry.
For a woman like Niyasa, who had never lifted a finger except to punish the servants, she found herself utterly clueless about what to do next.
During the first two days, she had clung to the stubborn hope that someone would quickly find and rescue her. But on the second night, the harsh reality started to sink in. What if no one would ever come to rescue her from this wretched island? But Lily was not heartless, Niyasa thought to herself. Surely, she would come to get her, right? Surely she would mount a rescue effort, wouldn't she? But then the next question came: What if her sister had fallen into the water and the entire ship had met a tragic fate and hit rock bottom? What if she was the only survivor?!
She made her way into the forest, her eyes warily looking around her as if something would attack her at any moment. Cautiously, she inched towards the river, where she could find clean water. Gone were the privileged days when she felt parched, and the servants would bring her a refreshingly cold glass without her ever having to move a muscle. Her blue eyes made sure to peer intently into the water, where she caught a glimpse of her horrid reflection.
Niyasa let out a soft, pained sob upon seeing her reflection. "I look worse than a beggar." Her hair resembled a nest, and one audacious bird had gone so far as to peck at her while she slept.
Bending down closer to the surface, she carefully rubbed her hands together to wash them and then cupped them to scoop up the water. Unable to concern herself with whether it was dirty or clean, she tried not to dwell on it and drank the water as if it were the elixir of life.
"Tastes so good," Niyasa whispered with happiness. Who knew that something as simple as water could bring such joy into her life? She fought back tears because she knew that the more she cried, the more she would have to return to this river, and this was the last place she wanted to be.
"If only I had company here," the princess thought out loud. She missed her family, and more than anything, she missed the comforts and luxury that came with being royalty. She was still a princess, but her title didn't matter a bit in this damn place.
When Niyasa was about to scoop another handful of water with her hands, she leaned forward, and in that moment, she noticed a pair of greenish-yellow eyes opening. A crocodile swiftly swam up to the surface to get to her, while she screamed in sheer hysteria.
"I didn't ask for your fucking company!" Niyasa yelled, sprinting as fast as her legs could carry her while evading the crocodile that had nearly bitten her leg two days earlier. The crocodile didn't stop chasing her, as though it couldn't wait to take a bite and swallow her whole. "HELP ME!!!" she screamed. "GRANDMOTHER! LILY! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
Back at the Ruiz estate in the Storm Kingdom, Emily sat in front of Raylen, her hand steady on the horse's mane while she quietly looked at the trees. Unaware of the trouble her sister was currently facing and preoccupied with her thoughts, she asked,
"How did you manage to create such a massive fire earlier?"
"When you spend your years in Hell, you learn a trick or two," Raylen replied. His blue eyes shifted to observe the downcast expression on the princess's face, and he said, "Don't sulk. You won't die." At least not right now, he thought to himself.
"How does it feel to ride with me?" Raylen questioned her, aware that she wasn't particularly excited about sharing a saddle with him. However, that was precisely where his amusement lay.
Emily's eyebrows furrowed before she muttered, "Never imagined it."
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GARDEN OF POISON
Protecting the delicate arms(Chapter 194)
Music Recommendation: Futile devices (Doveman Remix) - Sufjan Stevens
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Emily vividly remembered how the flames had engulfed the forest floor, and she wondered what other entities or phenomena might have emerged from Hell without the awareness of the living. She asked Raylen,
"Who do you think is responsible for the breach in your barrier?"
"It could be anyone," Raylen hummed, gazing ahead with his hands holding the horse's reins. "Possibly a cunning demon attempting to break through the invisible walls I erected around the kingdom. Some demons are quite devious."
It seemed that he loved his kingdom, Emily mused quietly. She asked, "More devious than you?"
Raylen's calm expression twisted into one of cunning, and he leaned closer to her. His breath grazed her ear as he whispered, "You haven't seen what devious is yet, Princess."
Another wave of goosebumps formed on Emily's arms as she felt his cool breath. She didn't need to turn to confirm that he was gazing at her at that very instant, and her mouth momentarily went dry. She inquired,
"Why do you always address me like that?"
"Like what? You are a princess. How else do you want to be addressed?" Raylen chuckled softly, pulling his face away from her.
"You don't address Niyasa that way," Emily pointed out to him. It was as though the way he addressed her carried an underlying taunt.
As the cold air swept past them, Emily could feel the chill setting in, and her nose and hands felt as though they were beginning to freeze. While the others had grown accustomed to the weather of the West, it was a different experience for her.
"Because you carry yourself more like a princess than she does. Always poised and guarded, as if you're constantly concerned about disappointing those around you, afraid that you might accidentally step on someone's toes," Raylen remarked with a thoughtful hum, noticing her shiver. His icy blue eyes glided up from her arms to the strands of hair that framed her delicate neck. Bringing the reins to her front, he instructed, "Hold these."
Emily wondered whether he was allowing her to take the lead in riding the horse, and as she took the reins from him, she couldn't help but notice how large his hands were compared to her own. She asked him, "Isn't thoughtfulness an admirable quality?"
"Never said it wasn't," Raylen replied, and Emily detected a slight movement behind her. He then continued, "It just so happens that when you are constantly trying not to step on someone's toes, someone else will trample on yours without a second thought. That's what happened with your soulmate, and it has caused damage to your soul."
Suddenly, Emily felt something draping around her shoulders, and she realised it was Raylen's coat. She protested, "You don't have to—"
"It would be bothersome if you were to fall ill. You look like a joker with that pink nose of yours," Raylen remarked in a nonchalant tone, and Emily couldn't help but instinctively cover her nose with her hand, which in turn pulled the reins, inadvertently causing the horse to rear on its hind legs. "Woah, there!" Raylen exclaimed.
"It's your fault for saying something like that!" Emily retorted.
"I didn't tell you to startle the horse. Seriously, you are going to be a hard one to discipline," Raylen gently reprimanded her as the horse steadied itself on the forest floor.
Emily frowned at his words and replied, "I am not some horse to…"
As her words hung in the chilly air, she suddenly became aware of his muscled arm that had encircled her waist to stop her from falling to the ground just a moment earlier. She could feel the archdemon's chest pressing firmly pressing her back, and she grew flustered, as she had never been in such close proximity to anyone before.
"King Raylen, can you remove your arm? I am perfectly fine now…" Emily said with as much composure as she could muster, without making a scene.
But Raylen didn't do as he was told, something she should have anticipated and known better. When she attempted to free herself from his hold, it felt as if it only tightened around her.
"Princess." Emily stilled. Raylen's voice didn't sound angry, but his words were as eerily calm as the atmosphere that surrounded them.
He wasn't in the mood to entertain her refusal and rejection of his assistance, especially when he had pressing matters to attend to. He noticed how she had become rigid, as if she had just realised their current position on the horse.
"Yes?" Emily responded, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Do you understand why I rejected your idea of changing your attire earlier?" Raylen inquired, each word that left his lips brushing against the shell of her ear, allowing him to see the blush rushing up her neck. When she parted her lips to speak, he hushed her, saying, "I don't want to hear a word."
Emily wondered if this was a side of him that she and the others hadn't witnessed before. It was intimidating and sinister, his every word making her gulp. She heard him say,
"You missed a wonderful opportunity earlier, one that I paved for you. But don't fret, Princess. There are plenty of days ahead, with many more opportunities awaiting. Do you want a future where you do all the work and he does nothing for you? Such a life is filled with misery. It would be a pity if you were to die early, and I'm certain we don't want that, do we?"
All the words she had ever learned seemed to slip her mind as Emily wondered if Raylen had finally lost his patience and snapped. Her response was swift and tinged with a touch of nervousness, "No."
As their eyes locked, Raylen noticed the blend of anger and fear dancing in the princess's eyes like flickering embers. Yet, there was an element of softness in the expression he had glimpsed from her earlier, and it intrigued him.
"I am not your enemy. You don't need to be so defensive," he said, his arm releasing its hold before he took the reins from her.
Emily jerked away from him before resuming her previous position. He could have spoken those words without wrapping his arm around her, and she would have heard them just the same. The masked snake! she shouted in her mind without turning to look at him again. The horse continued to walk until they finally reached the rear of the Ruiz's mansion.
As Raylen and Emily dismounted, he stated, "I will return to fetch you later."
Emily gave him a nod, but just before he could depart, she stopped him with, "King Raylen." His eyes met hers with curiosity as she gave him a polite bow and continued, "Thank you, for coming to my rescue earlier and for lending me your coat. But I would prefer it if you refrain from… doing what you did on the horse today." She raised her hand, offering his coat back to him.
"We have tried mere words before, but I doubt it made a difference between us, Princess. You are like an anxious cat that is always ready to claw at me." Raylen briefly shifted his gaze from her eyes to her forehead, where the bump had disappeared.
"You bring out the worst in me," Emily muttered, her voice tinged with frustration, even though she always maintained composure and control over her surroundings.
Raylen grinned, seemingly taking her words as a compliment, and he took hold of his coat while murmuring, "This will need to go straight to wash. Smells like you."
Emily gritted her teeth, and her hands clenched into fists in response to his remark.
"Lily, you are back!" Janelle exclaimed, stepping out of the back door of the mansion. "We were getting worried as it was taking time. Thank you for bringing her back, King Raylen."
"No need to mention it," Raylen replied, even as he and Emily engaged in a silent battle with their eyes. "I will see you later. Both of you should return to where others are," he suggested as he offered a saint-like smile.
Once he observed the two young women disappear inside the mansion, he made his way to where his carriage was parked. He lifted his coat that Emily had worn earlier, which was now covered in her scent. He couldn't help but recall the moment in the forest when his nose had moved dangerously close to her neck, and he had felt his canines emerge, ready to taste the delicious blood beneath her tender skin.
Raylen ran his tongue over one of his sharp canines and murmured, "Restricted territories." But it was riveting, he thought to himself, the dilemma.
Inside the Ruiz Mansion, Emily had rejoined the other guests, who were engaged in a discussion about the sudden appearance of the fog in the forest. One of the women said,
"Mrs. Ruiz, is it usually that foggy in there? I thought it was just a simple treasure hunt, but who would have guessed it wouldn't be so easy to obtain the prize." She laughed at the end.
"It is typically foggy at night and in the early morning; it was unexpected for it to appear now," Mrs. Ruiz replied with a smile. She called one of her servants and instructed, "Add more wood to the fireplace, Becket." Then, she rubbed her hands and turned her attention to Emily, asking, "Are you feeling cold, dear? I can have a shawl brought for you."
"I am fine, thank you," Emily smiled, and Julius appeared next to her, offering her his coat.
"Please use this, Lady Emily."
Emily was about to decline when she recalled Raylen's words. It just so happened that she had learned to be self-sufficient in certain matters, making it challenging for her to accept. She said to him,
"I would feel terrible if you were to end up feeling cold without it."
He shook his head and insisted, "You were outside for a long time, and you were shivering when you entered. Please, take it."
However, the truth was that Emily wasn't shivering because she was cold, but because Raylen had made her furious.
"Wasn't it mentioned in the invitation that it would be cold today?" Julius asked her politely. He added, "With winter approaching, the temperature is only going to drop even more."
"Is that so?" Emily smiled and blinked. Just as she was about to take Julius's coat, which he hadn't pulled back to his side, another coat appeared beside it, one that belonged to Marshall Travis.
"You should take this one, Lady Emily. It is made from exquisite materials that I am sure you will appreciate, and it will keep you warm," Marshall, who stood an inch shorter than Julius, declared as he puffed out his chest.
Raylen's plan was working, as other men inched closer to them, seemingly prepared to offer their own coats, while a few women watched Emily with envy at the attention she was receiving.
"Marshall, I have already offered my coat to the lady," Julius stated, as if the man didn't have eyes.
"She didn't take it though, did she?" Marshall raised one of his eyebrows. He then turned to Emily and said, "Milady, this is the finest coat. Allow me to assist you in putting it on."
Emily raised her hand and kindly stated, "Gentleman, your gestures towards me are generous and kind, but as I said, I am perfectly fine." She smiled and added, "I am quite enjoying the weather." She knew she couldn't afford to be picky right now. And although she was supposed to accept the most suitable coat from the ones offered to her in the room, she didn't feel inclined to do so.
Julius, trying to be a polite gentleman, took the offered coat away from her but chose not to put it on himself. Meanwhile, as the other men stepped back, Marshall followed Emily when she began walking towards another part of the mansion.
"You don't have to feel bad, Lady Emily. I will help you," Marshall said in a lowered voice, causing Emily to halt in the middle of the corridor.
"I don't think I follow you, Mr. Travis," Emily replied, her demeanour growing cautious.
"I know you were rejected by Nathaniel Lynx, but I am here for you," Marshall said with a reassuring smile before extending his coat towards her.
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