Ileus: The Dark Prince

After the last attack on his group, Kaizan had become extremely wary of traveling the road without armor. He didn't have the lady's armor, so he was holding a man's breastplate in his hand for Olivia. 

"Let me help you buckle it," he said. When he was done buckling her in the man's breastplate, he stopped in front of her to admire his handiwork, little realizing that her breasts were squeezed inside it. 

"Thanks," she murmured, as a pale blush rose on her cheeks. 

A servant came to them with her horse. "M'lady," he said as he left the reins of the horse and clasped his hands for her to jostle her up the horse. However, Kaizan's dangerous growl stalled him. 

"I can manage," said Olivia. She had been trained as a warrior and riding horses wasn't alien. But Kaizan would hear no more of it. He simply came to her side, lifted her from her waist and then made her sit on the horse like she was a child. Olivia was mortified as the servant stood there with a gaping mouth. Her pale blush now became deeper and she bit her lip. 

"What?" Kaizan grunted, looking at him and the servant scurried, shaking his head. Kaizan turned his attention to Olivia and said, "I am getting my mount here. You travel with me." 

She nodded. Soon, Kaizan brought his mount next to hers and they all started with their journey. For the next two days there was no attack on them.

Olivia began to miss her home. She fidgeted with her horse's mane every now and then as their group rode closer to Silver Vales. She maintained her mount close to Kaizan's and depended on him to stay within the group. The wagon wheels creaked behind her as she heard howls of wolves in the distance. Some of the pack members would shift and patrol the area for bandits and rogues. Ever since she told Kaizan that there was a price on her head which the last attacker revealed, he had been all the more cautious. The soldiers bantered and spoke loudly with each other. 

Olivia wondered how she would adjust as an enemy with strangers. Had this been a normal wedding, she would just be adjusting with a different household with different customs, but this? Terror swelled in her mind when she thought that she was going as an enemy and that everyone in her husband's household and pack would only be hostile with her. She looked at her husband, who hadn't left her for a minute throughout the journey. He was looking fierce as ever with a no-nonsense and dangerous aura. And she knew that when she reached Silver Vales, she would be all alone navigating her way through the protocols and embarrassing or making mistakes. The thought alone formed knots in her stomach. 

Finn, the cavalry commander came to ride alone with Kaizan to discuss that there had been a large influx of bandits according to his men in the surrounding areas. But he assured him that they wouldn't be attacking them because they were pretty large in numbers. However, Kaizan had asked him to double the guard around Olivia when she was alone. 

Olivia pursed her lips as she watched him ride on his mount in a deep conversation with Finn. He looked… beautiful. Despite the tiredness that was evident on his face, he had perfect features and she wondered if he ever bedded other women. The thought made her heart skip a beat. But what was she expecting of the Second in Command to the King? The man was thirty-three years old and she was sure that he must be having a bed post with a satin ribbon tied to it for every conquest he did on women. Correction. There would be two such bed posts. No, three. Her heart fumed when she thought that there would be four. Her mood plummeted. 

And her mother had asked her to give them a baby soon. Anger rose to her chest and it manifested in her eyes as she looked at her promiscuous husband. She could imagine how many women must be dying to be with him. 

As if sensing her stare, Kaizan head whipped in her direction. He glanced over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. He said, "Are you fine?" 

"I am," she replied, lowering her gaze immediately. For the next one hour, Olivia shivered and fumed at the prospect of meeting his lovers.

They rode in silence for a long time when Kaizan said, "Is this your first time in Silver Vales?" 

She shook her head and that came as a surprise to him. "I had gone to the borders of Silver Vales when I had first shifted along with my friends and cousins. But that was three years back."

Kaizan stiffened. He shook his head inwardly. No Whiteclaw pack member would have the audacity to come near Silver Vales territory. "You are bold," he murmured. 

She didn't say that she had come with her brother. "I have heard that the king and queen are extremely powerful and so is their son and daughter-in-law." 

"You have heard it right. The queen is not to be trifled with." 

"Should I wear this breastplate when you introduce me to her?" A few snorts and laughter were heard from the soldiers around. 

Kaizan raised his eyebrow at the otherwise quiet girl. She had a sharp wit and he liked it. "As long as you stay beside me, you don't have to worry about it. I will protect you." He brought his horse closer to her. He leaned towards her and in a low voice said, "Be wary of Ileus. Be sure to act that you are enamored by me and that you started loving me at the first sight."

Olivia's head reeled. Started loving him? Just a while back she was fuming about the satin ribbons on his bed posts and here, he was asking her to act enamored by him? Life was full of ironies. "Ileus, the dark wizard?" she muttered. She had heard so much about his battle conquests that she was too scared to meet him. And it was a known fact that Kaizan was his promised wolf. 

"Yes, that's the one," said Kaizan, proudly jutting his chin up.