inheritrixx

“i’m  not  hurt.”  the  reassurance  came  immediately,  almost  instinctively,  the  moment  he  noticed  where  her  attention  had  settled.  river  knew  exactly  what  she  was  looking  at.  her  eyes  kept  returning  to  his  cheekbone,  to  the  spot  where  one  of  the  outlaws  had  managed  to  land  a  hit.  it  had  stung  at  the  time—-  more  irritating  than  painful,  really—-  but  whatever  bruise  might  have  formed  had  already  faded.  all  that  remained  was  a  smear  of  dirt  and  dust  streaking  across  his  skin  and  there  was  plenty  more  where  that  came  from.  his  uniform  had  suffered  a  similar  fate.  dark  fabric  was  now  covered  in  road  dust,  traces  of  mud  clinging  to  the  hem  and  sleeves.  he  glanced  down  briefly,  expression  tightening  with  mild  displeasure.  he  had  spent  far  too  much  time  maintaining  appearances  to  enjoy  looking  like  he'd  rolled  through  a  ditch.

still,  his  annoyance  lasted  only  a  moment.  his  attention  drifted  right  back  to  her.  the  moment  he  truly  looked  at  haewon  again,  every  other  concern  became  secondary.  he  could  hear  it  in  her  voice.  the  fear.  the  lingering  tremor  she  was  trying  so  hard  to  hide.  most  people  probably  wouldn't  have  noticed  it  but  river  had  spent  years  learning  every  shift  in  her  tone,  every  subtle  expression.  he  knew  the  difference  between  her  excitement,  her  frustration,  her  happiness  and  he  knew  fear.

the  urge  that  followed  was  immediate  and  almost  overwhelming.  he  wanted  to  pull  her  into  his  arms.  to  wrap  her  up  in  his  warmth  until  the  fear  disappeared  completely.  to  tell  her  she  was  safe.  that  as  long  as  he  was  breathing,  no  one  would  ever  harm  her.  that  he  would  stand  between  her  and  every  danger  this  world  could  offer.  that  he  would  kill  for  her  if  he  had  to.

instead,  he  remained  where  he  was.  barely.  when  her  forehead  pressed  lightly  against  his  chest,  his  entire  body  seemed  to  soften  despite  himself.  for  one  brief  moment,  he  allowed  his  hand  to  rise.  his  fingers  brushed  gently  through  her  hair,  a  small,  comforting  gesture  that  came  entirely  from  instinct.  the  touch  lingered  for  only  a  second  before  he  forced  himself  to  pull  back,  lowering  his  hand  to  rest  instead  on  her  shoulder.  a  safer  place…  a  more  appropriate  place.  his  gaze  shifted  slightly.  all  of  her  ladies  were  staring.  every  single  one  of  them.  river  could  practically  feel  their  eyes  drilling  into  him.  expecting  him  to  make  one  wrong  move.  one  gesture  too  intimate.  one  touch  that  lingered  too  long  and  they  would  likely  spend  the  next  month  lecturing  both  him  and  the  princess  about  propriety.  the  thought  almost  made  him  laugh.

“everyone's  safe,”  he  repeated  softly,  offering  her  a  reassuring  smile  and  it  was  true.  the  outlaws  had  been  dealt  with.  the  soldiers  were  unharmed  beyond  a  few  minor  scrapes.  the  carriage  was  intact.  most  importantly—-  haewon  was  safe.  his  expression  gentled  further.  “we're  halfway  there,”  he  continued,  his  voice  taking  on  that  calm  authority  he  always  carried  when  speaking  during  matters  of  travel  or  security.  “it's  better  if  we  continue  moving.”  his  gaze  briefly  swept  over  the  road  ahead  before  returning  to  her.  “i  won't  ride  too  far  ahead,  so  princess...”  his  smile  softened.  “please  return  to  the  carriage.”  it  wasn't  what  he  wanted.  truthfully,  he  wanted  the  exact  opposite.  he  wanted  to  place  her  on  horseback  beside  him  and  spend  the  remainder  of  the  journey  talking  like  they  used  to.  away  from  everyone  else.  away  from  expectations.  just  river  and  haewon.  but  those  were  exactly  the  kinds  of  thoughts  he  had  been  trying  so  hard  to  avoid.  he  couldn't  afford  unnecessary  risks.  not  with  her.

haewon  hesitated,  unsurprisingly.  river  expected  as  much.  it  took  a  fair  amount  of  reassurance  before  she  finally  relented.  he  remained  patient  throughout  it  all,  offering  calm  explanations  and  gentle  insistence  until  she  eventually  allowed  her  ladies  to  guide  her  back  toward  the  carriage.  only  once  he  saw  her  safely  settled  inside  did  the  tension  in  his  shoulders  ease  slightly.  the  escort  resumed  its  journey  soon  after.  horses  returned  to  their  steady  pace.  wagon  wheels  creaked  against  the  dirt  road.  conversation  slowly  returned  among  the  soldiers  now  that  the  danger  had  passed.  river  guided  his  horse  alongside  the  carriage  instead  of  riding  at  the  front.  close  enough  to  react  instantly  should  anything  happen.  close  enough  to  hear  if  she  called  for  him.  

his  gaze  drifted  upward  toward  the  sky.  the  clouds  gathering  ahead  looked  increasingly  unfriendly.  dark  and  heavy.  the  kind  that  promised  rain.  he  frowned  slightly.  part  of  him  wondered  whether  they  should  stop  at  the  next  town  they  passed  through  and  seek  shelter  for  the  night.  it  would  be  safer  from  the  weather  but  towns  brought  their  own  problems.  crowds.  unknown  faces.  potential  threats  hidden  among  travelers  and  merchants.  an  open  road  carried  risks.  a  crowded  inn  carried  different  ones.  neither  option  was  ideal.  a  quiet  sigh  escaped  him.  his  fingers  adjusted  around  the  reins  as  he  continued  riding  beside  the  carriage.

the carriage was warm and comfortable with the thick cushions and numerous blankets scattered along its inside . as the rain started to fall and the wind picked up , the cold breeze came through the open gold plating windows and sent a chill down her spine . she could have huddled into the middle , kept clear from the straying drops that found its way in with the wind , but she was pressed to the sides and sacrificing the state of her hair to watch river as he kept his place beside her . he must have been cold ; the rain was relentless in its downpour and soaking his uniform he always took pride in keeping neat , his hair dripping , and still found a way to smile at the princess from her spot in her worries . he didn't stray from her side once , haewon watching him with sad eyes and a slightly damp face as more drops found their way through the gold plating , another firm reminder that they'd never be able to truly share the same space as he'd always have to be a step away from her .

as the months passed , the princess continued her routine with her tutors and began to accompany father to his counsel meetings learning of the kingdom's trade routes and finances . it busiest most of her time , having to slowly learn how to takeover the kingdom one day as queen , a role she'd accepted and honored to have , though what she didn't like was how far her new duties pulled her away from the people . there were less villages visits where she could meet with their respective nobles , less time for her to see what parts of the kingdom needed the most help , and she felt rather closed in the castle walls if it wasn't for the small reprieves river had provided .

his presence alone kept her sane . when things felt overwhelming , he'd take her on a ride through the forest . every time she doubted her position as heir during counsel , she felt his assuring nod from the corner . most importantly , despite his new busy schedule required of his position , he never failed his nightly escorts to her chambers .

the whispers from her ladies and maids seemed to spread at the return of the princess from her journey . new eyes seem to track their moves , watching for a hint of something more than a lifelong friendship and waited for them to slip . she knew how the dukes regarded the king's knight with respect , but also noted the closeness between him and the princess , and one afternoon during another counsel meeting when the first proposal was laid out , haewon felt her heart stop in her chest .

" father , you're not considering this ? " she asked , peeking to river who stood behind the king in his rightful spot and noting the way his hand tightened around the sword sheathed on his side . then to hear the dukes proudly proclaiming a few proposals had been offered for the princess , and the announcement for the first meetings to be made into a grand ceremony . she wanted to beg her father to reconsider in front of all the important leaders in the kingdom , propose her own idea of marrying for love , or at least give her more time as she wasn't ready .

her father's sad expression stopped her from all of that . then another reminder , albeit gentle , from the dukes that the responsibility as heir to find a match that would ensure the kingdom to thrive for generations to come . it wasn't just about her , or her heart . her people ; the ones she loved the most . haewon solemnly sat back and lifelessly watched as the first ceremony was planned with the only shine in her eyes from the unshed tears as she looked back to river and his shaken posture .

the walk to her chambers that night was silent . there weren't words that would make either of them feel better . haewon wondered still if she privately asked for her father to reconsider , perhaps he would , but she also trusted the judgement of her counsel and knew her kingdom wouldn't approve of a marriage between her and anyone that didn't have a title .

" i'm sorry , " she managed to whisper to him when her back turned just before calling for her ladies behind the door .

the following week , haewon was dressed grandly for the ceremony . no expense was spared as the castle was decorated with the best flowers from the nursery and scrubbed every corner of gray walls until spotless . the king had arranged for ten princes for haewon to meet , which meant hosting ten kingdom's highest families -- she'd never seen such excitement from all the maids in her entire life .

meeting ten princes at first felt awkward . some were older , younger , all respectful up front , though it was cathay's crowned prince that had taken initiative to approach haewon and lead her through the first dance .

prince wooseok was handsome . he lacked the same charms as the other princes with a colder exterior , though kind when the situation called for , and haewon spotted it as an act immediately . he seemed the type to be ruthless towards those who wronged him , and for a future king , it might've been useful in war , though years of watching her own father's reign did she learn the people respected him due to his ability to be a firm , yet forgiving leader . his leading during their dance was demanding . he didn't seem to have the same respect for the other princes . he regarded river with a sneer when he caught haewon peeking back to him through the crowds , and towards the end of the dance , he separated with a scoff .

" are you sweet to your king's knight , princess ? " he chuckled , having intentionally led their dance towards the corner of the grand hall so they weren't in the direct line of sight to the crowd . " i heard a rumor about baekje's knights being the most loyal guard dogs in all of the kingdoms . have you heard that one before ? no ? "

" the king's guard is highly trained and respected in baekje . it's the highest honor , " she tried to explain to him , though he didn't seem interested in hearing it . wooseok rolled his eyes and tapped under haewon's chin mockingly .

he  lingered  somewhere  between  sleep  and  wakefulness,  caught  in  that  hazy  state  where  reality  and  dreams  blurred  together.  his  body  felt  heavy,  comfortably  weighed  down  by  exhaustion  and  every  time  he  drifted  closer  to  consciousness,  sleep  tugged  him  back  under  again.  through  the  fog,  he  vaguely  registered  movement  behind  him.  a  gentle  hand  running  through  his  still-damp  hair.  the  sensation  was  faint  enough  that,  for  a  moment,  he  wondered  if  he  was  imagining  it.  then  came  the  feeling  of  her  shifting  closer  until  he  felt  her  settle  against  his  back.  an  arm  slipped  around  his  waist.  his  tired  mind  recognized  the  gesture  before  he  fully  processed  it.  even  half-asleep,  he  knew  it  was  her.  a  small  part  of  him  wanted  to  react.  wanted  to  acknowledge  it  somehow but  he  was  simply  too  exhausted.  his  body  had  already  made  its  decision.  sleep  was  winning.

still,  before  consciousness  completely  slipped  away,  one  thing  remained.  one  sentence.  whether  it  came  from  a  dream,  a  memory  or  his  own  thoughts,  he  couldn't  tell.  it  echoed  quietly  through  his  mind.  "neither  one  of  us  is  alone  anymore."  the  words  lingered  for  only  a  second.  then  darkness  claimed  him  completely.  he  slept  deeply  after  that.  

hours  passed  unnoticed.  eventually,  however,  his  body  began  pulling  him  back  toward  consciousness  naturally.  he  stirred  slightly.  his  eyes  remained  closed  at  first.  then  slowly  opened.  the  room  had  shifted  into  the  warm  glow  of  late  afternoon,  sunlight  filtering  softly  through  the  curtains.  for  a  few  moments  he  simply  lay  there,  orienting  himself.  then  he  became  aware  of  the  weight  pressed  against  him.  haewon.  still  attached.

his  lips  twitched  faintly.  she  was  practically  wrapped  around  him.  one  arm  remained  securely  around  his  waist  while  her  body  was  tucked  against  his  back,  holding  onto  him  with  the  determination  of  someone  who  had  absolutely  no  intention  of  letting  go.  like  a  koala.  the  comparison  immediately  came  to  mind.  he  found  himself  strangely  amused  by  it.

careful  not  to  move  too  much,  he  glanced  downward.  his  gaze  landed  on  the  hand  resting  against  his  stomach.  for  a  moment,  he  simply  looked  at  it.  at  the  wedding  ring  sitting  there.  the  ring  neither  of  them  had  removed.  his  sleepy  mind  lingered  on  the  sight  longer  than  necessary.  without  really  thinking  about  it,  he  reached  down.  his  fingertip  brushed  lightly  against  the  metal  band.  slowly  tracing  its  surface.  the  gesture  was  absentminded.  almost  unconscious.  his  finger  moved  from  the  ring  to  her  hand.  following  the  shape  of  her  knuckles.  the  lines  of  her  fingers.  the  softness  of  her  skin.  then  upward  along  her  wrist,  her  forearm.  his  touch  remained  featherlight,  guided  more  by  curiosity  than  intent.

it  wasn't  until  he  felt  movement  behind  him  that  awareness  crashed  back  into  place.  his  eyes  widened  slightly.  oh.  he  froze  immediately.  his  hand  stopped  where  it  was  before  quickly  retreating.  “sorry—-”  his  voice  came  out  rough  with  sleep,  barely  louder  than  a  whisper.  “did  i  wake  you  up?”  the  question  left  him  before  he  could  think  too  hard  about  it.  as  she  shifted  again,  moving  slightly,  he  immediately  lowered  his  hand  completely,  placing  distance  between  them  as  though  pretending  he  hadn't  just  been  tracing  patterns  against  her  skin  moments  earlier.  his  heart  betrayed  him  by  beating  just  a  little  faster.

the  two  of  them  gradually  woke  properly  after  that.  the  comfortable  haze  of  sleep  eventually  gave  way  to  the  reality  of  the  evening  ahead.  dinner.  their  final  day  on  the  island.  the  approaching  end  of  the  honeymoon.  river  got  up  first,  stretching  carefully  while  avoiding  any  movement  that  aggravated  his  shoulder.  thankfully,  the  bruise  seemed  slightly  better  than  before,  though  it  still  ached  enough  to  remind  him  it  existed.  once  dressed,  he  sat  in  the  living  room  and  reached  for  his  phone.  old  habits  returned  immediately.  emails.  he  skimmed  through  everything  quickly.  the  company  was  still  standing.  a  miracle,  apparently.  his  inbox  was  manageable  and  most  of  the  urgent  matters  had  already  been  handled  without  him.

a  few  messages  from  his  mother  sat  unread.  more  from  his  sister.  significantly  more.  he  wasn't  surprised.  his  sister  had  always  worried  about  him  more  than  anyone  else.  especially  after  everything  that  had  happened  before.  she  had  witnessed  firsthand  what  the  aftermath  of  his  previous  marriage  had  done  to  him.  how  long  it  had  taken  him  to  recover.  how  thoroughly  it  had  affected  him.  her  messages  reflected  that  concern.  river  stared  at  the  screen  for  a  moment.  then  sighed  quietly.  his  thumbs  hovered  over  the  keyboard.  eventually,  he  typed  the  same  kinds  of  responses  he  had  been  sending  all  week.  all  technically  true  yet  somehow  incomplete.  because  every  time  he  tried  to  dig  deeper  than  saying  things  were  fine,  he  stopped  himself.  

he  couldn't  bring  himself  to  explain  what  was  actually  happening.  couldn't  explain  how  confused  he  felt.  how  much  had  changed  in  such  a  short  amount  of  time.  how  often  he  found  himself  thinking  about  her  now.  how  comfortable  her  presence  had  become.  because  putting  those  feelings  into  words  made  them  real  and  if  he  admitted  them—-  to  his  sister,  to  his  family,  even  to  himself—-  then  it  felt  dangerously  close  to  hope.  hope  that  this  marriage  might  become  something  more.  hope  that  these  feelings  weren't  one-sided.  hope  that  he  could  actually  have  something  good  and  hope  was  terrifying.  especially  for  someone  who  had  already  learned  how  painful  it  was  when  expectations  shattered.

haewon had woken to gentle fingers grazing the wedding ring . while she'd gotten used to the weight , she hadn't gotten used to seeing it reflect off their respective hands whenever they were close . it was hard to ignore the gentle traces up her finger , then up her hand , and haewon came to and realized it wasn't herself touching her arm , but it was river doing it .

confusing emotions swirled inside the heiress as eyes opened more clearly to focus on the fabric of his shirt , her forehead still tucked to his spine and arms locked around him in an attempt to take what physical touch she could from her husband as it was the only one she could from their position . just this , she'd been happy , but to feel his touch lift up her wrist and up her arm , haewon's eyes forced closed and head pushed more firmly to his back . fingers instinctively gripped onto the front of his shirt as a way to hopefully cling him closer , not having realized the reaction had given away her waking .

then it was gone . haewon watched with a deep sadness as he released himself from her hold and stretched , leaving her on the mattress tilted to his side of the bed leaned forward as if she was still reaching out for him to come back to her . she hadn't been ready to let go of it , yet , and was left there alone to prepare herself for one of their final nights together in hawaii before they had to return back to their normal lives , though she wondered what their new normal would be .

there wouldn't be the waking in the same bed with no plans or schedules waiting for them . no relaxing , no stresses over work , and she'd gotten so used to being turned off from needing to hold appearances she wondered if the front both of them had put up to the media would have to return again . the river she'd met here was more withdrawn , perhaps warming , but so genuine that it really made her appreciate who he was even more . he'd opened up ; what if she shut himself back down when they were home ?

haewon didn't like the idea of them back to being strangers again . it took longer than it should have to get ready for their dinner reservations . it wasn't a particularly elegant one ; her simple sundress and sandals so directed for the island took a minute to put on . her makeup was simple . minimal jewelry .

" i'm ready , " she said after mustering the courage to face her husband again and seeing him there on the couch responding to what she assumed were work emails . she knew she'd have to get used to seeing him like that back home . more quiet car rides , perhaps they'd have their own driver for media events provided by the company , and that silence .

their restaurant hostess recognized the couple immediately and congratulated them for their final night of their honeymoon , offering them the best beachside view the place had to offer . lanterns were lit , music was playing , and vacationing couples dancing in the middle awfully to the beat despite the numerous hula lessons they'd all taken together since arriving . haewon would miss this view dearly .

" we should do it together , " she said , perhaps wanting to use it as an excuse for them to touch another time . " it's the final night we'll get to try without anyone recognizing us , " she added , hoping the light hearted teasing would be convincing enough . " we can both be awful at it , and we can look back on it and laugh at how horrible we looked out there . it might be the best memory we make from the entire week . " she didn't wait for an answer , standing from her seat with a bit of boldness , just in time for the music to slow down significantly , and the couples all getting closer in to a more intimate , loving stance .

“we’re  loners,  aren’t  we?”  the  words  left  him  almost  absentmindedly,  spoken  somewhere  between  observation  and  question.  he  wasn't  entirely  sure  what  she  meant  by  it,  though.  whether  she  was  talking  about  romantic  relationships  specifically  or  people  in  general.  he  felt  like  he  already  knew  the  answer  or  at  least,  he  had  a  strong  suspicion.  but  river  had  never  been  someone  who  liked  making  assumptions,  especially  when  it  came  to  things  that  mattered.  so  instead  of  digging  deeper,  he  let  the  comment  linger  between  them  without  pressing  further.

his  attention  gradually  shifted  away  from  the  conversation  and  back  toward  the  sharp  sting  radiating  through  his  shoulder.  every  time  she  touched  the  bruised  area,  he  could  feel  the  ache  pulse  beneath  his  skin.  he  endured  it  quietly,  as  he  always  did.  then  he  felt  her  blow  gently  against  the  spot.  the  cool  air  offered  immediate  relief,  subtle  but  noticeable  enough  to  make  him  exhale.  his  gaze  drifted  toward  her  almost  instinctively  and  then  their  eyes  met.  everything  seemed  to  stop  or  perhaps  it  only  felt  that  way.  the  distance  between  them  suddenly  felt  impossibly  small.  close  enough  for  him  to  notice  every  tiny  detail—-  the  way  her  eyes  focused  on  him,  the  concentration  lingering  on  her  features,  the  softness  that  seemed  to  appear  whenever  she  forgot  to  guard  herself.

for  a  brief  second,  river  forgot  entirely  about  his  shoulder.  forgot  about  the  hike.  forgot  about  the  heat.  forgot  about  everything  except  her.  it  was  ridiculous  and  yet  he  couldn't  seem  to  look  away.  his  thoughts  became  impossibly  loud.  what  was  this  feeling?  he  couldn't  quite  name  it.  it  wasn't  discomfort.  it  wasn't  awkwardness.  it  wasn't  even  surprise  anymore.  it  was  something  else  entirely.  something  warm.  something  dangerous.  the  next  few  moments  stretched  endlessly.  not  because  he  hated  them,  not  because  the  pain  was  unbearable  but  because  his  mind  was  suddenly  flooded  with  thoughts  he  had  been  trying  very  hard  not  to  entertain.  thoughts  about  her.  about  the  way  she  had  cried  in  his  arms.  about  how  naturally  she  fit  there.  about  waking  up  beside  her.  about  how  much  easier  it  had  become  to  be  around  her.  about  how  often  he  caught  himself  looking  for  her  now  and  perhaps  most  troubling  of  all—-  about  how  much  he  had  started  to  enjoy  it.

when  she  finally  finished  and  stepped  back,  rising  to  her  feet,  the  spell  broke.  river  blinked  once  before  glancing  away,  forcing  his  attention  back  toward  reality.  toward  his  shoulder.  toward  literally  anything  else.  “yeah,”  he  said  after  a  moment,  looking  at  the  bruise.  “no  point  in  using  a  bandage  since  i  have  yet  to  shower.”  he  finished  the  remainder  of  his  lemonade  in  a  few  long  sips  before  carrying  the  empty  glass  to  the  sink.  the  cold  drink  had  helped  but  only  barely.  at  her  question  about  whether  she  should  rest,  his  answer  came  immediately.  “go  ahead  and  take  a  nap.”  he  lifted  one  hand  dismissively,  waving  away  any  concern.  “i  don't  mind  at  all.”  his  lips  curved  into  the  faintest  hint  of  amusement.  “it  was  an  eventful...  morning.”  that  felt  like  an  understatement.  between  the  storm,  the  hike,  the  fall  and  everything  else  that  had  happened  between  them,  he  felt  like  several  days  had  somehow  been  crammed  into  a  single  afternoon.  

when  she  suggested  what  they  could  do  later  that  evening,  he  nodded.  “sounds  good,  actually.”  the  idea  of  a  quiet  dinner  sounded  appealing.  “rest  well.”  there  was  a  brief  pause  before  he  turned  and  headed  toward  the  bathroom,  leaving  her  to  settle  into  bed.  once  inside,  he  closed  the  door  behind  him  and  stepped  beneath  the  shower.  cold  water  cascaded  over  him  immediately.  the  sensation  should  have  cleared  his  head.  it  didn't.  instead,  his  thoughts  continued  circling  endlessly.  all  roads  seemed  to  lead  back  to  her.  he  tilted  his  head  beneath  the  stream,  closing  his  eyes.  the  two  of  them  weren't  all  that  different.  that  realization  had  become  harder  and  harder  to  ignore.  they  both  understood  loneliness,  expectations  and  what  it  felt  like  to  spend  years  trying  to  become  the  version  of  themselves  everyone  else  wanted.  they  wore  different  faces.  lived  different  lives.  but  underneath  it  all,  there  were  similarities  he  hadn't  expected  to  find  and  maybe  that  was  why  being  around  her  felt  so  easy.  

the  water  continued  to  pour  over  him  as  minutes  slipped  by  unnoticed.  before  he  realized  it,  he  had  been  standing  there  far  longer  than  necessary.  eventually,  he  shut  the  water  off.  his  dark  hair  hung  damp  against  his  forehead,  droplets  sliding  down  his  neck  and  shoulders  as  he  wrapped  a  towel  around  his  waist.  when  he  stepped  out  of  the  bathroom,  the  villa  was  noticeably  quieter.  haewon  had  already  drifted  off  or  so  it  seemed  at  least.  he  slowed  instinctively.  her  back  was  facing  him.  

moving  carefully,  almost  absurdly  quietly  for  someone  his  size,  he  gathered  fresh  clothes  and  dressed  as  quickly  as  possible.  the  towel  was  tossed  into  the  laundry  basket  afterward.  then  he  glanced  toward  the  bed  again.  she  hadn't  moved.  his  eyes  lingered  for  a  second  longer  than  necessary.  before  he  reached  for  the  light  blanket  resting  nearby.  carefully,  he  draped  it  over  her  waist.  just  in  case.

once  satisfied,  he  finally  climbed  onto  the  opposite  side  of  the  bed.  the  ache  in  his  shoulder  returned  the  moment  he  settled  down.  with  a  quiet  grimace,  he  adjusted  himself  before  eventually  turning  so  his  back  faced  hers.  it  wasn't  entirely  by  choice.  sleeping  any  other  way  made  the  bruised  shoulder  protest  immediately.  he  stared  ahead  at  the  dim  room  for  a  while,  listening  to  the  faint  sounds  of  the  villa  around  them.  listening  to  her  breathing.  aware  of  her  presence  even  without  looking.

she didn't let on how sad his remark had actually made her . haewon liked to consider herself happily extroverted when the moment required , from the many public outings she often did take enjoyment in , down to the casual time she spent with her friends where she didn't feel restricted by her image . her family was plenty loving enough ; but her life had lacked the intimacy of any sort of closeness that she hadn't realized how empty she'd felt until he'd said it , that she felt herself growing more gloomy the longer she listened to the water run until it stopped .

as tired as she was , her mind was too focused for her to fall asleep so easily and listened as river emerged and was considerate in the way he tried to keep quiet as she dressed . haewon resisted the urge to peek her eyes open to watch him , though as she felt the blanket rest over her , she actually shifted a little under it and felt her heart do another clench at the kindness such a small gesture meant .

it hadn't just been the touch that had her feeling this way . she'd gotten to see that part of her husband that no one else did . he was open , vulnerable , and accepting of her comforting words and didn't feel pressured to return the favor he'd given her so easily ; haewon wanted to be that person that comforted him . and his story broke her on the inside . of course he'd be so closed off at the idea of a second marriage , and for the longest time up until their honeymoon , she thought he'd only tolerated her for the sake of the contract .

she held her breath when she felt the bed dip . it didn't feel strange to be sharing a bed with him anymore , the few nights spent together was already enough for her to have learned his breathing patterns to know when he was sleeping and what positions he'd like to sleep in . she waited .

then she peeked her head behind her to see his back facing , a momentary frown crossing the heiress' features until she remembered his injury . she hoped it wasn't causing him too much pain , and the longing to hold him as she'd nursed his injury came rushing back , this time the urge stronger than before that haewon didn't stop herself when she crossed the distance of the bed and came up behind him .

she was careful not to disturb his rest . this wasn't entirely for herself as selfish as seeking the same comfort he'd given her last night , and hoped it wouldn't startle him as she leaned over so she was looking down at his side . haewon reached to touch the damp bangs and moved them from his face to look over his profile again , her finger barely brushing the skin ; she wanted to kiss him . this was hardly the right time to be doing anything like that having them just opening up finally , stopping herself at her hovering , then back down again , though she didn't roll back to her side of the bed . haewon kept herself right there against his back , allowing herself to loop her arms around his middle as she'd wanted to do before and pressed her forehead to his spine , making sure to stay clear of the bruised shoulder . she'd curled up on her side just like that , looking uncomfortable , but this was exactly what she'd needed in that moment .

" neither one of us are alone , anymore , " she whispered under her breath as she forced her eyes closed as a single tear escaped down her cheek she used his shirt to catch , her face pressed to his back and sighing out , though this time it wasn't out of sadness . it actually felt like relief , hope , perhaps something budding stronger than a casual crush to someone she was starting to fall for .

“yeah,  bless  the  air  conditioning,”  he  muttered  with  a  quiet  exhale,  leaning  back  slightly  as  the  cool  air  brushed  against  his  overheated  skin.  after  the  hike,  after  the  humidity  that  seemed  determined  to  cling  to  him  no  matter  how  much  water  he  drank,  the  coolness  inside  the  villa  felt  almost  unreal.  “would  love  a  cold  shower  next,”  he  added,  bringing  the  glass  of  lemonade  up  for  another  sip.

the  drink  was  cold  enough  to  make  him  pause  for  a  second,  ice  clinking  softly  against  the  glass  as  he  lowered  it  again.  he  followed  her  over  when  she  nudged  the  chair  out  with  her  foot,  silently  offering  him  a  place  to  sit.  he  could’ve  refused  out  of  habit—- said  he  was  fine,  insisted  it  was  nothing  serious—- but  he  already  knew  she  would  keep  pushing  until  he  gave  in. and  honestly,  it  wasn’t  fine. his  shoulder  hurt  far  more  than  he  wanted  to  admit.

without  much  fuss,  he  set  the  lemonade  down  nearby  before  pulling  his  t-shirt  over  his  head  in  one  smooth  motion.  the  fabric  peeled  away  from  skin  still  warm  from  the  heat  outside  and  he  sat  down,  angling  himself  so  the  bruised  shoulder  faced  her  while  the  rest  of  his  back  remained  exposed.

he  glanced  over  briefly,  noticing  her  reading  the  back  of  something  from  the  first  aid  kit,  brows  slightly  focused  as  she  figured  out  what  to  use.  he  didn’t  interrupt.  instead,  he  simply  watched  her  for  a  moment  before  looking  away  again,  letting  her  do  what  she  wanted. letting  her  take  care  of  him. that  alone  still  felt  unfamiliar.

river  had  spent  so  long  taking  care  of  everything  himself  that  being  on  the  receiving  end  of  concern  always  threw  him  off  a  little.  he  didn’t  know  how  to  sit  still  and  let  someone  fuss  over  him  without  feeling  awkward  about  it.  and  yet  with  her,  he  found  himself  allowing  it  more  and  more.

when  she  finally  touched  the  bruised  area,  his  body  reacted  instantly. he  paused,  muscles  tightening  beneath  her  touch  before  a  sharp  sting  pulled  a  wince  from  him  despite  his  efforts  to  suppress  it.  his  jaw  clenched  briefly,  tension  flickering  across  his  expression  as  the  pain  flared  hotter  for  a  moment. still,  he  didn’t  move  away. the  sting  faded  gradually,  leaving  behind  a  dull  ache  and  he  exhaled  quietly  through  his  nose  before  speaking.

“there’s  nothing  to  thank  me  about,”  he  said,  his  voice  calmer  now,  quieter.  “it’s  very  human  to  have  those  emotions  and  to  feel  the  need  to  let  it  out…  or  be  held.” his  words  came  easier  than  expected,  though  admitting  them  still  felt  strange.  because  the  truth  was,  he  had  liked  it  too.  more  than  he  probably  should’ve.

having  her  curled  up  against  him,  feeling  her  pressed  close  in  his  arms—- it  had  felt  natural  in  a  way  he  hadn’t  anticipated.  easy.  like  something  his  body  recognized  before  his  mind  could  catch  up  to  it.  she  fit  against  him  perfectly,  like  there  had  never  been  space  for  anyone  else  there and  that  realization  alone  unsettled  him  a  little. because  if  this  had  been  anyone  else,  he  would’ve  created  distance  immediately.  he  would’ve  shut  it  down  before  it  could  become  something  harder  to  untangle.  but  with  haewon,  every  line  he  thought  he  had  firmly  drawn  kept  blurring  little  by  little.

still,  it  wouldn’t  be  river  wang  if  he  admitted  all  of  that  out  loud  so  soon.

he  was  still  conflicted—- about  the  situation,  about  her,  about  himself  most  of  all.  there  were  feelings  beginning  to  settle  somewhere  deep  in  him,  quiet  but  persistent  and  he  didn’t  quite  know  what  to  do  with  them  yet.  part  of  him  wanted  to  hold  onto  caution,  to  stay  guarded  the  way  he  always  had.  another  part  was  growing  tired  of  constantly  keeping  people  at  arm’s  length.

" it may be a surprise to you , or maybe not , but i haven't really experienced the feeling of people holding me that often in my life , " she chuckled to herself to lighten the mood between them as she wiped at the wound one final time to rid his shoulder of the debris and dirt from the branch . while haewon tried to be gentle , it couldn't have felt good to have cleanser directly on the wounded skin and flinched every time she went over it . she leaned forward in her seat to blow at it hoping to ease some of the stinging , only for her purse lips to blow out and hold her breath as where she leaned , her eyes lifted and met his while holding that contact a bit longer than necessary .

" almost done . " she was back to finishing her work and patted at the bruise one more time . it seemed pointless to bandage it up when he still needed to shower , but hopefully just by her cleaning it would help the healing process and she'd be back to staring again in no time . haewon paused a moment longer , this time her gaze lingering near his waist and how close her arms were to him , suddenly resisting the urge to loop her arms around and rest her chin on his uninjured shoulder .

it had only taken one full night of uninterrupted cuddling for haewon to crave those soft touches that he had deemed " human " . the only real cuddling she'd done in recent years were with cocoa ... and her cat still remained at the hotel's penthouse since she'd made the unofficial move into river's home . she doubted river would wanted to be used as a substitute for the feline .

haewon closed the bandaging kit and stood from her seat to put distance between her and her husband as quickly as she could before she gave in to her urges and held him . " you're all good to shower ... it looks like it doesn't need a bandage to cover it ... " she said like she knew exactly how to handle wounds when she didn't even know to open the kit the first time she touched it . " i'm a bit tired after the hike , with the heat and exertion , it really wore me down . if it's alright with you , i think i'll take a nap while you shower if you don't mind me right outside the bathroom . " and now her eyes were wandering over the bare skin of his chest . " once we have some of our energy back , we can try that restaurant on the water you spotted yesterday ? ice cream after ? "

she took the lemonade with her to the bedroom and settled in comfortably with the air blowing much cooler now and clean , though still felt heated inside from staring at her husband for too long . while haewon took a bit of time to scroll through her phone and answer some missed messages from her friends , she eventually set it off to the side and found odd comfort in listening to the run of the water . haewon attempted to sleep , though her mind wandered , particularly back to river again and when the water stopped , instinctively stiffened as if he'd decide to join her under the blankets .

you've really lost it , haewon . get a grip .

river  had  been  keeping  his  distance  ever  since  that  night. ever  since  the  stolen  kisses  beneath  the  flower  arch.  he  had  meant  every  word  of  his  oath  to  her—- but  that  was  exactly  why  he  needed  space  now.  distance  was  safer.  for  both  of  them. still,  even  from  afar,  he  kept  his  promise.

his  eyes  always  found  her  in  crowded  rooms.  his  presence  lingered  nearby  during  court  gatherings,  during  walks  through  the  gardens,  during  meals  where  he  stood  silently  at  the  edges  like  a  shadow  sworn  to  her  safety.  he  never  neglected  his  duty  toward  her.  if  anything,  he  had  become  even  more  attentive. he  just  no  longer  allowed  himself  to  linger because  every  moment  near  her  threatened  to  undo  him.

she  would  never  truly  be  his.  river  repeated  that  truth  to  himself  often  now,  forcing  it  into  his  mind  like  discipline  drilled  into  a  soldier.  and  so  he  buried  himself  in  work  instead.  becoming  commander  of  the  royal  guard  had  brought  far  more  responsibility  than  simply  fighting  battles  with  a  sword  in  hand. now  he  had  to  lead. to  strategize. to  command  respect  not  only  through  strength  but  through  presence  alone. there  were  meetings  to  oversee,  soldiers  to  train,  disputes  to  settle,  patrol  routes  to  revise.  he  carried  it  all  without  complaint.

so  when  the  king  requested  that  river  personally  escort  the  princess  to  the  kingdom  of  lechia,  he  accepted  immediately. preparations  had  been  made  days  in  advance.  routes  mapped  carefully,  supplies  checked  twice  over,  soldiers  assigned  positions  around  the  carriage  detail.  river  trusted  the  men  beneath  him—- they  would  manage  the  kingdom  just  fine  during  his  absence.

but  this  mission  carried  one  priority  above  all  else. the  princess.

the  journey  itself  had  been  relatively  calm  thus  far.  the  rhythmic  sound  of  horses  against  dirt  roads  and  carriage  wheels  creaking  over  uneven  terrain  filled  most  of  the  day.  river  rode  near  the  front  of  the  escort  formation  atop  his  dark  horse,  posture  straight,  gaze  constantly  scanning  the  surrounding  woods. so  when  he  heard  another  horse  approaching  from  behind,  he  wasn’t  surprised. if  anything,  he  had  expected  it  sooner.

a  faint  smile  tugged  briefly  at  the  corner  of  his  mouth  as  haewon’s  horse  caught  up  beside  his. “my  princess?”  he  repeated  lightly  when  she  addressed  him,  amusement  threading  into  his  voice  despite  himself.  “i  thought  i  was  sworn  to  the  king.” it  was  a  joke,  mostly.  a  weak  attempt  to  keep  things  lighter  than  they  truly  felt  between  them  now. because  despite  the  distance  he’d  been  forcing  between  them,  his  mind  still  betrayed  him  at  the  worst  moments.  sometimes  all  it  took  was  hearing  her  voice  to  remember  exactly  how  soft  her  lips  had  felt  against  his. river  forced  the  thought  away  immediately.

“i’ve  had  quite  a  lot  to  go  through  these  days,”  he  continued,  tone  gentler  now.  “please  forgive  my  absence,  but  it’s  not  so  easy  leading  the  royal  guard.” before  she  could  answer,  something  shifted. his  entire  body  tensed  instantly. it  wasn’t  visible  to  most  people—- not  at  first—- but  beneath  his  composed  exterior,  every  instinct  sharpened  violently.  the  wolf  beneath  his  skin  stirred,  snarling  in  warning,  senses  suddenly  alive  with  d a n g e r.

someone  was  nearby. river’s  gaze  snapped  toward  the  trees  ahead. “haewon—- stop.” his  voice  changed  immediately.  firmer.  commanding. he  guided  his  horse  closer  to  hers,  one  hand  reaching  to  gently  but  firmly  catch  her  reins  before  maneuvering  his  mount  in  front  of  her  protectively.

“come  fort—-” his  arm  lifted  sharply  toward  the  soldiers  behind  them,  signaling  for  the  entire  line  to  halt  and  stay  back. then—- movement. river  unsheathed  his  sword  in  one  fluid  motion  just  as  an  arrow  came  flying  from  the  treeline.  steel  flashed  through  the  air,  cutting  the  projectile  cleanly  in  half  before  it  could  reach  him. silence  lasted  only  a  second. “or  leave  at  once,”  he  called  toward  the  dense  bushes  ahead,  voice  carrying  easily  across  the  path.  there  was  an  edge  of  confidence  to  him  now—- something  almost  taunting.  “i  know  you’re  five.  you  can’t  win  this.”

cocky.  more  cocky  than  protocol  probably  allowed. his  eyes  flickered  back  toward  haewon  briefly,  giving  her  a  subtle  nod  urging  her  farther  back  toward  the  soldiers. then  he  dismounted. boots  hit  the  dirt  heavily  as  he  strode  forward  without  hesitation,  sword  loose  in  his  grip. three  men  burst  from  the  brush  almost  immediately.

river  moved  before  they  could  even  fully  react. one  was  kicked  hard  enough  in  the  chest  to  send  him  sprawling  backward  into  the  mud.  another  swung  wildly  with  a  rusted  sword,  only  for  river  to  duck  beneath  it  effortlessly  before  driving  his  elbow  into  the  man’s  jaw.  the  third  came  from  the  side  but  river  twisted  away  just  in  time,  blades  clashing  violently. the  fight  erupted  around  them and  despite  the  numbers,  river  was  barely  trying.

he  moved  through  them  with  brutal  efficiency,  every  movement  practiced  and  controlled.  still,  a  few  blows  landed—- a  fist  across  his  cheekbone,  a  strike  to  his  ribs—- but  nothing  substantial.  nothing  he  couldn’t  shrug  off. within  moments,  three  bodies  lay  unconscious  in  the  dirt. river  exhaled  once,  adjusting  his  grip  on  the  sword—- then  froze.

movement  again. behind  him. his  head  snapped  toward  the  carriage  just  in  time  to  see  another  outlaw  burst  from  the  bushes  straight  toward  the  princess. one  of  the  nearby  guards  intercepted  too  late. the  impact  sent  both  the  soldier  and  haewon  crashing  to  the  ground. something  inside  river  snapped.

“haewon!” the  growl  tore  from  his  throat  before  he  even  realized  it. he  moved  faster  than  human  eyes  should  comfortably  track,  closing  the  distance  in  seconds  before  launching  himself  onto  the  attacker.  his  hand  slammed  the  outlaw’s  wrist  against  the  ground  hard  enough  to  force  the  dagger  free  while  his  other  hand  twisted  the  second  wrist  violently. a  sickening  crack  echoed  through  the  air. the  man  screamed  in  agony. river  barely  seemed  to  hear  it. “i  told  you,  didn’t  i?”  he  snarled  coldly,  gripping  tighter  as  panic  and  fury  mixed  into  something  dangerous  beneath  his  skin.  “you  can’t  win  this.” it  took  two  soldiers  grabbing  his  shoulders  to  finally  pull  him  back  before  he  crushed  the  thief’s  wrists  completely. breathing  hard,  river  stepped  away  at  last.

the  ladies-in-waiting  rushed  immediately  toward  haewon,  fussing  over  her  dress  and  checking  for  injuries  while  the  remaining  guards  restrained  the  surviving  outlaws. river  stood  still  for  a  moment,  chest  rising  heavily. then  he  looked  down  at  himself. his  uniform  was  dirtied  now,  dust  and  mud  clinging  to  the  dark  fabric.  calmly,  he  brushed  himself  off,  straightened  his  collar,  and  only  then  stepped  toward  the  princess  again. but  the  moment  his  eyes  found  hers,  all  composure  cracked  slightly because  beneath  the  adrenaline,  beneath  the  fury—- he  had  been  terrified.

" ah , there it is again , swearing yourself to the king . if i remember correctly , you swore an oath to protect the realm which means you're to protect me as well , " she joked as a common tease to the separate oath he'd taken to put himself in front of danger. there was no one she felt safer with and no one she'd rather spends a two week journey to accompany her on for such a long ride .

when his voice grew stern , she'd paused almost immediately without hesitation . then a slow retreat , visualizing river briefly jump from his horse before her view was blocked by the sudden soldiers and her ladies forming a wall between the princess and outlaws .

it seems all the hard work she'd watched river put in to his sparring had paid off . she'd never doubted his skill , years of secretly watching him train to the point of exhaustion and trying to nurse him back to health ; that didn't stop her from worrying when she watched him take a hit . then it was the soldiers keeping her back as she tried to push past them to find her own way to him if it meant putting her delicate hands on the robbers herself .

" river ! " she'd shouted when the third one was taken down and restrained . her distraction caused for the attacker to launch his surprise attack , unnoticed by both her and the solider as she was tackled down and stunned into silence . it wasn't long that she stayed down as she was lifted back up just in time to both watch and hear as river fought for her safety . he hadn't hesitated .

she was shaking . she hadn't feared for her life , nor had she really feared for his after seeing the damage taken by the outlaws in their attempt to rob the royal and their crew -- but it didn't take away the fear of the sudden attack . when he approached she'd been numb to the fussing of her ladies or soldiers as they patted her down , her eyes still locked on her knight , and as he approached she finally seemed to loosen up .

" are you hurt ? " she asked right back to him , her suffering nothing more than a few pieces of hair out of place from her fall , but lifting her hand to gently cup the area she'd watched him get punched . should there have been a bruise ? she heard the hit ; he should have a mark on his face , yet all she saw was the dirt and grime from the outlaw's hand smudged against his skin . " i'm fine ... i'm alright , " she said in a frantic voice that contraindicated her words . her hands fell to grip to the front of is uniform , ignoring the mud that stained it , and sought his comfort as he was the only one that could pull her out of the shock . her fingers gripped all over his front until she felt her crest hidden under one of the collars . it took a mere second to identify the gold plating , and haewon finally let out just one soft sob as she dipped her forehead to press in to his chest as it ended with a sigh of relief . no tears . she was steadying out already .

if you are sending to a multi-muse, remember to specify the muse that the sentence starters are being sent for .

fluff

“ [Name], will you marry me? ”

“ I take you to be my lawfully wedded husband / wife. ”

“ Happy anniversary, my love. ”

“ Can you believe it’s been a year already? ”

“ I made us some dinner. It should be edible. ”

“ I still get butterflies when I look at our rings. ”

“ I’m proud of the life we’ve built together. ”

“ We really need a bigger couch if we’re going to keep cuddling like this. ”

“ You know I’m legally obligated to steal your fries now, right? ”

“ I married you, not your terrible taste in movies. ”

“ I love you, but if you snore like that again, I’m filing a complaint. ”

suggestive

“ Are we arguing or flirting right now? I can’t tell. ”

“ Close the door. I need my husband / wife to myself. ”

“ You still make my heart race like we just met. ”

“ I love how you still look at me like that. ”

“ Remind me why I fell in love with you - slowly. ”

“ If you keep looking at me like that, I’m not doing the dishes. ”

pregnancy

“ What do you think about us having kids? ”

“ I'd love to have kids with you. ”

“ I don't know how I feel about having kids… What if I do something wrong? ”

“ What if I'm a horrible mother / father? ”

“ I'm pregnant. ”

“ Wait. Are you pregnant? ”

“ We should think about a name for our baby. ”

“ Our son / daughter has your eyes. ”

“ I don't think my genes had any chance of winning. They're a spitting image of you. ”

“ It's your turn with the baby. ”

angst

“ We’ll get through this. We always do. ”

“ I married you for better and worse, remember? ”

“ It’s okay to fall apart. I’m not going anywhere. ”

“ Do you ever think about our wedding day? ”

“ I love you, but I don’t know how to fix this. ”

“ We can’t keep pretending everything is fine. ”

“ When did we stop talking like we used to? ”

“ I’m scared we’re becoming strangers. ”

“ Do you still want this? Us? ”

“ I don’t regret marrying you - but I regret how we’re hurting each other. ”