Villainess Becomes The Knight

Chapter 165 - In The Dark Passage

Abi pov contd

As the wind continued to blow, we slowly started to walk again. William was holding the reins of the horse who was still looking weak. 

"There is a stream nearby." we both said at the same time as we heard the sound of water falling from the distance. We both walked a bit hurriedly towards the stream.

"Wait here, I shall check for any threat before we both can go there." he said, holding my hand and I chuckled.

"Are you forgetting that I am the knight here, your highness. Or are you taking me as a weak and needy woman." he shook his head and let my hand go.

"I only take you as a stubborn bird who did not listen to me at all." Although he was saying that, his steps still fastened and his grip on the daggers tightened as he started to walk in front of me, completely covering me from the expected danger.

When we walked, there was only a flock of deer which ran away looking at the human with weapons. 

He took a breath of relief as he led me in front and walked towards the stream. It was a small lake with a waterfall, the water was freezing in the cold night.

I used the water to clean the dirt and mud from my body. The cold water on the injuries gave a numbing feeling.

I heard his footsteps behind me. He sat next to me and then dipped his own hands in the water. Splashing some water on his face, he wasted the dirt over his body as hundreds also moved beside us and started drinking water silently. As if embarrassed by his mistakes or still feeling weak, hundred not even once looked at us or neighed like always.

When he was done, I thought that he would leave, but instead he held some water in his hands and started pouring it over my injuries. He was holding my hand and lifting my shirt a bit with any hesitation as it was the most natural thing to do. 

When she thought that it was the last thing he would do, he took out his shirt and washed it in the water. While I was still looking at him confused, he tore the shirt into long strips, making me surprised. But when he took out his shirt, I could see various injuries on his back too. It was more than I had used the herbs on and each of them were looking deep.

But apart from that my eyes fell on the injuries that were old. There were various different types of marks on his fair and smooth skin. It did not look like the skin of a wastrel but the man who has spent his whole life with sword and in war.

He took one cleanly cut strip and used it on my hand.

"You have much more injuries compared to me. Give me some stripes i will wrap your wounds.'' I forwarded my hand but he shook his head and did not hand me any piece of his shirt.

"They are just scratches, there is nothing major that needs to be wrapped immediately. But we need to reach the palace faster in case your injuries get infected." he replied, tying the knot.

For a moment I felt embarrassed as I would be the one taking care of him as his knight, but he was the one serving me since start.

"You have helped in treating our wound and hundred, and using your knowledge when the hoard of the beast was near. Or else we both would have died a long time ago." as if reading my thoughts, he replied, patting my shoulders and I could only nod.

I did not want him to console me many times like a weak kid.

"We should start walking again." I reminded him and he smiled.

"Do not worry, I know the way from here. I have come here many times in the past when I was young." his eyes were looking distant yet peaceful as he was remembering a beautiful memory from the past. I smiled at him unconsciously and he blinked.

"Come, hundred is looking better, why don't you ride him while i follow you.'' I tilted my head as I looked at the hundred and then at him.

"Do you think you are a superhero or what? It is better that we continue walking slowly." I reminded him and he sighed.

"Stubborn." he muttered under his breath but I avoided his words.

We both stood up and walked this time feeling better. 

"Umm, your highness, if you do not mind, can you tell me how you got so many injuries on your body?" not only on his back, but his chest and upper arms of his body have a lot of injuries as if he was beaten badly or whipped. But it was impossible to fathom that the crown prince could be whipped due to any reason.

"These are all the fun I had done in the past. Since I did not know fencing well I often lost the matches." his eyes had long turned cold when he replied to me. His hands were clenched and I could see pure anger filling his eyes.

I could see that most of the marks were not of sword and I did not feel like he was weak in fencing the way he had used a sword to keep us alive here. 

"This way, it is a shortcut to the palace." He held my hands and changed the path. This was the first time I had seen this path, but strangely it felt familiar. Have I used it but I do not remember it well? I accepted this possibility and followed him in. It was a small dark tunnel.

"Hundred, will you be able to reach the palace from here?" he asked and a hundred nodded his head. Giving him the last part he held my hand and took me in the dark passage with him.