Jealously makes the heart.... beat faster?
βYouβre spending too much time in the library, donβt you think?β Riftan looked at Maxi through the mirror as he combs her red hair.
βWell, I like reading books.β Maxi blushed from the attention. βAnd you know that..β she whispered, giving Riftan a soft smile.
The truth is, Maxi has been mumbling in her sleep, calling out a certain name he couldnβt work out and itβs bothering Riftan so much he couldnβt sleep.
For a few weeks now, Riftanβs insomnia has kept the knights enervated, especially Hebaron. Being the only knight who could kept up with Riftan, Hebaron, the sacrificial lamb, endured through the rough waves of drills till dusk. And it doesnβt help that the weather was getting warmer as summer months creep in.
βSir Nirta, come back here!β Uslin hissed, feeling frazzled with the sun shining harshly on his perfect face. Being the vice commander, Hebaron used to oversee the training of squires with Uslin before Riftanβs unease.
βSave me.β Hebaron mouths to Uslin, as Riftan drags Hebaron further away from Uslinβs group.
βWhy, why? Why do I have to do this alone?β whingeing under his breath, Uslin repeats this same question for the umpteenth time. Tired and annoyed, Uslin looks up and shouts to the knight carving his own arrows. βGabel, you come here then!β
βNoisy. Again.β Ruth comments, rolling his eyes as he hears Uslin calling out to Gabel on his trip to the library.
Back at the castle, Ruth was on his way for another lesson with Maxi. βLooks like Iβll have to conjure another shield to keep their nonsense out.β Ruth sighs as he pushes the door open. Β
βMy lady, youβre early.β Ruth yawned, cracking his fingers.
Maxi jumped from his sudden comment and hugged the book tightly in her chest.
βDonβt bother, I know what youβre reading. No books of spells are in that colourβ Ruth giggled.
Β βItβs just too intriguing. Do you think the forgotten princess will eventually find out that her new guard was that hero from her childhood? Will she get together with Sir Herman in the end?β Maxi squeals.
βLesson 394, My STUDENT.β Ruth taps the blackboard with his chalk sternly as if to bring Maxi back to Anatol, knowing her soul was transported to the Land of Roses with Ser Herman and the maiden, rumoured to be the forgotten princess.
βYes, yes, Mage Ruth..β opening her books while taking a sip of the tea Rudys left before leaving the library for her other chores.
Ending her lessons with tons of homework, Maxi dragged her spell books out of the library. Her small built made her had no choice but to leave her novels behind and come back to get them again after.
βBack from your book club activities with Ruth?β Riftan questioned in bemusement, not expecting his wife to be back this early.
βWhereβs Rudys?β Riftan asked as he took over the pile of books from Maxi.
Panting, Maxi waves the questions away with her lady hands as she sat on the bed, trying to catch her breath. Taking a huge breath in, Maxi proceeds to leave for the library again to get her novels.
βWhere are you going? Donβt tell me youβre going to the library again! Just how many books are Ruth trying to bury you under? Iβll have a talk with him.β Riftan said as he pulled Maxiβs arm back.
βNo, itβs not that. Itβs something else. Iβll be back soon!β Maxi chirps as she pecked Riftan goodbye.
βYouβre not having dinner with us tonight?β Riftan questions behind Maxi, as she runs off with her puffy dress that can be seen bouncing in far end of the stairs now.
βIβll see you at the dining hall!β Her little lady voice trailed off, as she hurried back to the library. βRudys!β Maxi exclaimed. Glad that she caught Rudys in time, before she tidies up the library.
βMy lady, please do not run along the corridors. You might fall and injure yourself.β Rudys warmly greeted Maxi with a worry.
Maxi blushed as she bashfully remembered her blue-blacks from her falling and knocking onto the walls whilst reading. It was good practice for her too, on her healing spells.
βMy books, theyβre not back on the shelves, are they?β Her wide eyes scanning the table.
βNo, My Lady, theyβre here. I was about to bring them back to your room after cleaning up Mage Ruthβs mess on the floor.β Rudys smiled tightly, her certain dislike for Ruth can been sensed.
Maxi let out a sigh of relief, βThank you Rudys! Thatβs very sweet of you!β Maxi exclaimed as she hugged Rudys tightly.
βLetβs go for dinner now, Riftan is waiting!β Maxi collected her books from Rudys, laughing while chatting as they head to the dining hall.
Even at the door, the scent of hot gravy and roasted meat perfumed the air.
βMy lady, would you like to join us?β Elliot asked, as he spot Maxi coming through the door. He was standing at his seat, splitting servings of the roasted boar for the table.
βYes, Sir Elliot! It smells wonderful!β Maxi grins, happier than ever as she realized her stutter has improved dramatically. βNot an extra syllable, today!β Maxi smirks to herself.
Moving their bottoms along, expecting Maxi to naturally take the seat beside their Lord Commander, Maxi saw the empty seat beside Hebaron and just took it. Unbeknownst to her, Riftan wasnβt too pleased with her decision.
βShe knows which pubs I go to.. I canβt just go to any pubs now. I hate drinking in the castle.β Hebaron was brooding over his avoidance in the local pubs. βItβs so boring hereβ¦ I want to go out there, and drink with the other lads.β Tilting his head towards the window, Hebaron stares into the night sky whilst Gabel steals his cuts of meat.
A cold breeze sneaked in as swiftly as it went out, causing Maxi to shudder from its sudden visit. As she was directly in Hebaronβs line of sight, Hebaron thinks nothing of it, and took off his vest, putting it on Maxi. βDonβt get a cold, My Ladyβ. Hebaron adds as he got the squires to close off the windows before going back to his dwelling.
Across the table, a darken Riftan was seen stabbing his meat, giving it a second death. βWhy is he looking at Maxi like that?.. Is it Hebaron?β Riftan envisaged in his thoughts.
βSir Hebaron, why are you not eating?β Maxi questioned as she joins Gabel in shrinking Hebaronβs mountain of meat. Jealous at this slight action, Riftan immediately plates more roasted boar for Maxi. βIβll get more meat for you if you want, all you have to do is ask. Why are you getting it from him?β Letting his jealously run his thoughts, Riftan narrows his eyes at Maxi and Hebaron, frowning so much that his eyebrows are almost touching.
βStart eating or thereβll be none left.β Uslin warns Hebaron as he hastily swats Gabelβs fork away. Getting the cue, Elliot sighs as he stands up again, cutting more meat to fill up Hebaronβs plate.
βIβm not hungry.β Hebaron states, shocking the whole table. βIβll go to bed now.β Hebaron put his fork down and pushes his plate towards Maxi. βHere, you can have them, My Lady.β Hebaron smiles as he pats Maxiβs shoulder, gesturing her to eat up, before leaving the table.
βIs he alright?β Maxi asked, her eyes following Hebaron as he walked away.
βIs he alright?! What about me? Iβm not alright. Why do you keep looking at him instead?β Riftan grumbled in his head.
βHeβll be fine, My Lady.β Uslin assured, waving a kitchen maid over. βBring this and more ale to Sir Nirtaβs room.β Uslin instructs her as he hands her a stacked pile of meat on a clean plate.
βWork wife indeed.β Ruthβs comment boosted a great deal of hilarity along the table. However, Gabel and Elliot shut their laughter immediately upon receiving Uslinβs side eye.
Maxi smiled at their interaction, as she continued to stuff her face with dinner, leaving nothing on her plate before she retreated to her room with Riftan.
βCarry me, I canβt walk. Iβm too full..β Maxi whimpered, tugging on Riftanβs sleeves. Sighing in defeat, the jealous husband picked his wife up in his arms.
βAm I heavy?β Maxi asked, her fingers fidgeting with Riftanβs top.
βNo.β Riftan replies cooly.
βThen why are you grimacing? Your faceβs wrinkly.β Maxi pouts as she cautiously cups his face with her hands. Her touch softened his mood.
βItβs nothing.β Riftan kicks the bedroom door open and lays Maxi gently on the bed. Not letting go of Riftanβs top, Maxi used all of her energy to pull him closer for a kiss.
βSilly girl.β Riftan finally smiles as he ruffles her hair, joining her under the sheets. Maxi quickly fell asleep in his arms, with her tummy full of roasted boar.
Unable to sleep, much like the past few nights, Riftan started analysing his thoughts, running through the information as if to plan a combined attack on the field. Misusing his talents as a warfare strategist, Riftan connected the string of words Hebaron told him the other night, that how it was impossible for Hebaron to be with the innominate lady and how rumours will start flying like flies in the sky, with the name Maxi kept muttering in her sleep. Starting with a H, and seems to end with a N.
Piecing 2 wrong puzzle pieces together, Riftan jolts out of bed angrily, as he stormed towards Hebaronβs room with his tirade of nonsensical thoughts.
βHebaron, get up.β Riftan whispered loudly as he fiddled with the doorknob.
Getting impatient, Riftan crushed the doorknob in anger and the door creaked open. Astounded by his own anger, Riftan strut into Hebaronβs room only to find it empty. Not even a soul behind his cloaks this time around.
βHeβs not here?β Riftan sat on Hebaronβs bed, feeling bewildered with his paranoiac thoughts at the helm. βMy wife and my best friend?β Just then, a small shadow on the walls outside of Hebaronβs room caught his attention. βMaxi?β Riftan calls out.
The small shadow on the walls flickered, as Maxi quivered at the sound of his voice, not expecting to hear it at this corner of the castle. She carefully pushed the half-opened door, where the sound was from and was shocked to see Riftan standing in front of her. His hair was in a mess and his body, radiating an unusual amount of heat.
βRiftan, your heart. I can hear it from here. Are you okay? It sounds really fast. Itβs beating much faster than usual... β Maxi questioned with a concerning look in her eyes, her hand reaching out to his chest.
[author's note: have you guys realized that my stories are linked? Ω©(ββα΄ββ)ΫΆ]
