Divine Empress

Chapter Twenty-Three

Raina's POV

I am exhausted and my lower back and legs were aching, holding my breath as slowly push myself to the side of my saddle. I stopped, feeling myself slowly sliding down off my saddle, glad that I was getting off my feathered horse. But realising I was falling to the ground, a squeal escaped my lips while my hands scrambled to grab the lead rope, but never got a hold of the rope and fell.

luckily...

"I don't see any grace with you, Empress," hearing Gaibin say, blissfully laughing as he held me. I glared up at him, I wanted to say something but if I did, I fear he would drop me like a hat and there was pain in my body. He lifted an eyebrow with a smirk, waiting for a comeback from me, but stayed silent with a glare, "did you lose your tongue?" He asked.

"You just want a reason to drop me... So, I'm just say nothing," I said. He continued to laugh at me, steadily and gently, to pull me off my Hippasang. I groaned tiredly and in pain, felt my feet finally touching the ground, but could not find my footing and tightened my grip on his clothing. "Don't drop me!" I squealed, trying to feel the ground under my feet as my legs wobbles and knees knocked at each other.

"... And why would I do that?" He joked, carefully pushing me to stand. Finally, I got a hold on my footing, slowly balanced on my feet. I still held on him, "Empress, you will never make a good traveller and warrior."

"Hahaha, funny," I forced a smile, my stumbling back and letting go of Gaibin. While shrugging my shoulders, I glanced around our sight, and trees were all I could see with a few scattered homes and corrals. Two nights and two days of traveling, tired and hungry, and greeted to a peaceful scenery of Tookai. Arriving Tookai as the sun readied to set, "so what are we doing now?" I asked, lazily turning my gaze to him.

He took a deep breath with a smirk, like his going to add more merciless news, "we're going to have dinner and sleep. Tomorrow morning will meet with the mad King." He smirked. I sighed in relief before I knew it, stumbling backwards and fell onto my butt. I did not care at all, I'm tired and hungry, my body ached and my body ready to shut down. "Dear, we're not camping out. We'll be staying that comfort inn, but if you feel like sleeping out, I will not stop you," he chuckled, and he walked passed me.

I threw myself, laid on my back and whimpered, "I want to die!" Hearing gently stomping of two Hippasangs and Gaibin's footsteps, my eyes were closed, guessing he was taking the feathered horses somewhere. Flickering my eyes opened, grunted as I pushed myself up, "why am I here?" I wondered, why did I become too loud for my abilities? My body sure wanted to kick my big mouth.

Throwing my gaze over my shoulder, lazily stared up at Gaibin, "carry me..." I groaned. He glanced at me and smirked, laughing loudly. My lips pouted and whined, "but I'm your Empress!"

"Should I care?" He asked.

"You should!"

"Too bad, I don't!" He laughed before entering the inn.

What have I done for this treatment? I'm an Empress! I screamed in my head, rolling my eyes. Taking one more long deep breath as I pushed myself up on my feet, my knees shook with aches and cracks as stood, panting and groaning, then dragged my feet to the inn.

Entering the inn, greeted by a warm welcoming from the inn owner, she bowed to me in respect and I bowed back to her. I glanced around, seeing few people in the restaurant, spotting Gaibin already making himself comfortable in the table with a wine jug in one hand then two glasses in the other. Walking over, I noticed how some people, even the workers in the inn, had flowers in their hair. Taking a seat across from Gaibin, while he poured a glass for me, then himself, I saw flowers on Gaibin too, "Gaibin, why does everyone wear flowers on their head?" I asked.