Rebirth Of The Duke's Daughter

Chapter 79

As Mila rode through the forest, she noticed Ambrose rapidly closing the distance between them. He had commandeered a horse from the stables, and the knights could only watch in confusion, unsure of what to do. Ambrose reached out, trying to catch her or knock her off balance, but Mila deftly dodged his grasp, making it difficult for her to stay steady on her horse. 'He's determined to catch me!' She thought, a wave of worry washing over her. Perhaps she had underestimated the intensity of the game they were playing.

Ahead, Mila saw a fallen tree blocking the path. She pulled hard on the reins, knowing the horse, being of the rock element and naturally heavier, would struggle to jump over it. Despite her efforts, the horse couldn't stop in time, and Mila felt herself being thrown forward. She braced for the impact, expecting the worst, but instead, she found herself enveloped in a pair of strong arms, shielding her from the fall.

When the world stopped spinning, Mila realized it was Ambrose who had caught her, taking the brunt of the fall himself to protect her. "Ambrose?! Why did you do that?! You idiot!" she exclaimed, noticing the bruises on his hands from where he had shielded her.

"Are you okay?! You're not hurt, are you?!" she asked frantically, holding his face between her hands, her fingers brushing against the mask he always wore. Despite the mask, she could feel the warmth of his skin through it, a reminder of the risk he had taken for her. 'Why would you go so far to protect me?' Mila's heart ached with guilt and concern, not wanting him to sacrifice his life for her, even in a game.

Ambrose, ever silent, took her hands in his and gently turned them palm-up. With his finger, he traced words onto her skin: 'I'm okay. Are you worried about me?'

"Yes! Yes, I am worried!" Mila's voice trembled as tears streamed down her face. "Don't put your life on the line for me when it could endanger you. I don't want to lose you." She tried to wipe away the tears, frustrated that she was crying in front of him. 'Damn it, I must look pathetic!' she thought, hating how vulnerable she felt.

Without a word, Ambrose pulled her into a comforting embrace, holding her close as she tried to calm down. The warmth of his arms and the steady rhythm of his breathing helped to steady her. Mila hiccuped, trying to suppress the sobs that still threatened to escape. She felt embarrassed, ashamed even, for showing such weakness, but Ambrose's presence reassured her.

Once she had regained her composure, Mila reached into her bag and pulled out a bandage that Thelma had given her. Carefully, she wrapped it around Ambrose's bruised hands. "What do you want? You won," she said softly, looking up at him. "I keep my promises."

Ambrose paused, then slowly traced more words onto her palm: 'Can you give me something before I go to war?'

Mila's heart sank. She knew this day would come, but hearing it from him made it all too real. "I will," she promised, her voice filled with resolve. Holding out her hand, she summoned a small, glowing pouch. "This is something I made a few years ago. It's a scented pouch—keep it with you, and don't lose it. Make sure you come back, no matter what!" She placed the small purple pouch in his hand; the soothing scent meant to calm and protect him.

Ambrose accepted the pouch with a nod of gratitude. Mila helped him to his feet, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they slowly made their way back to the training ground. When they arrived, they found Iris victorious over Perry in their own game. Perry, however, was quick to lecture Mila, clearly upset that his younger brother had been hurt during the game. 'I kind of expected this reaction, but they are brothers after all,' Mila thought, sighing as she listened to Perry's scolding.

"Next time, we'll play a different game. Just not this one," Perry declared, seemingly forgetting that the game had been his idea in the first place.

'This guy...' all three of them thought, sharing a look as they watched Perry try to hide his embarrassment.