𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

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The chirping of the crickets rang full through Adrian's head, making the headache that had formed throb in agitation. Opening his eyes, the room around him slowly came into focus, the barely working yellow light above burned his pupils that dilated and contracted, forcing him to blink repeatedly. Groaning as he sat up, he glanced around the space due to the dull scraping sounds coming from a certain direction.

    It was another person.

    Another person was in that room with him.

    Shooting upwards, the sudden movement making him hiss in pain at the sudden, almost electrical shock that ran through him, Adrian tried to put as much distance between him and the other in the room. Of course, his actions only startled them, making a curse slip out their lips when the object in their hand clattered loudly to the floor.

    "Who are you?" He demanded quietly whilst clutching his side, now standing.

    (Y/N) once again swore in her head as stared at the Prince, flicking her eyes from the window every couple of seconds as she placed a finger to her lipsto stop him from shouting. The glare she received only made her glare right back as she picked up the bowl that she had just been eating out of, her meal being interrupted by his sudden awakening.

"Wait..." Adrian tilted his head, examining her face after having rubbed his eyes. "You're that servant... (M/N)(L/N)..."

    Nodding her head, she once more gestured for him to lower his voice, cautiously opening the door to make sure no one had heard the noises, it still being very dark, the only lights out being the moon and the still rising flames of the fire.

    "What are you doing?" He questioned in a harsh whisper, wincing and clutching his side.

    Exhaling in relief when seeing and hearing no one, (Y/N) walked over to him, crouching down at his side where his wound was to relay, "Listen to me, Your Highness, we need to stay silent. Now, I apologize for what I'm about to do, but I'm afraid your sudden movements may have triggered more bleeding. Let me take a look."

    Though Adrian was apprehensive in letting (Y/N) touch him, he watched as she lifted his lift to reveal crudely constructed bandages that now held a dark red spot. With reluctance, he allowed her to unwind the makeshift bandage with ease, wipe the excess blood away, and then reward the wound again. The sound of gunfire, screams, and the crackling of fire filled their ears as (Y/N) moved away from Adrian when she was done, the air alit with a tense animosity directed towards the invaders who dared besmirch their kingdom.

    "Where are we?" Adrian finally spoke again, careful not to irritate his wound for a second time, his gaze kept steady on (Y/N)'s.

    "In a garden shed."

    "Excuse me?"

    "You're hurt, Your Highness," (Y/N) elaborated with an unmoving expression, her lips a thin line whilst her eyes were cold—completely unmovable. "My priority is keeping you alive. Staying in the forest lets us be exposed. Moving to the palace will only increase our chances of running into hostiles. I'm not going to risk that, especially with both of us wounded like this."

    His eyes narrowed at her answer.

"Listen, Your Highness," she exhaled in disbelief, flicking her eyes away from his as she stared at one of the walls, the light of the moon shining down and casting a shadow over her face. "I'm not going to let you die. No matter if you believe yourself more useful on the battlefield, if you go out there hurt like this, you won't be much useful dead, now would you? I suggest thinking twice before making any unnecessary and hasty decision."

    Adrian scoffed at that.

    (Y/N) frowned.

    "What?" He raised a brow her way when he caught how she was looking at him.

"To be entirely honest with you, with all due respect, I don't much care for you," she uttered without an ounce of hesitation, something that made him blink in bafflement from her honesty.

    "Well," he exhaled as he rested his head against the wall, his eyes closing in silent relief. "I guess that's obvious enough. It's quite easy to see what you think of me, especially if you're this expressive—well, more so it's your lack of expression toward me that clued me in the most."

    "I've resigned myself to work on that," (Y/N) answered bluntly, startling from the short, bark of laughter that escaped him, the sound instantly being dampened by his coughing. "I didn't think that would be something to laugh at, Your Highness."

     He snorted, looking up at her with a small shake of his head, a mocking deride of how she acted a moment ago, before placing his hands onto the cold floor to push himself upward into a more comfortable position. He didn't say anything for quite some time, making (Y/N) shift uncomfortably, thinking that she had said something wrong and would be punished.

    Adrian noticed such actions.

    "Stop it," he declared, watching as she stiffened from his voice.

    "Stop what?" She mumbled.

    "You're doing it again—the whole expression thing," he rolled his eyes.

    "What is my expression telling you now?"

    "That you think after all this is over, after you saved my life even though you dislike me, that I'm still going to make your life hell over a stupid comment," he pointed out, completely hitting the nail on the head from observing her reaction of picking nonsensically at her nails "I guess you think that's true, huh?"

    "Honestly?" (Y/N) raised a brow.

   "Tell me," Adrian enunciated.

    "Then, yes," she nodded, staring him straight in the eye with unwavering intensity. "Do you know what the people call you? What they say about you? Do you even know what goes on outside of your protective bubble that is your castle? With all these guards and laws and being a prince?"

    A blink.

    The gold of his eyes dimmed slightly at her words.

    "Of course I know what my people say about me, about what happens," Adrian inhaled deeply, unlocking his gaze from hers.

    She flicked her gaze to the ground.

    "Apologies, Your Highness," she then proclaimed, wondering why she felt guilty for being truthful.

     "For what?" He laughed bitterly. "For speaking the truth? If anything, I'm thankful to you for saying this to me. No one has the guts to do anything or say anything when I'm around, so... thanks, (L/N)."

    "Oh..." she blinked. "Then... you're welcome."

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