PEREGRINATE

CHAPTER 32

"Why do you have such a strong aversion to all of my suggestions?" An exasperated Inder was the last person I had expected to see.

However, my elation knew no bounds. Him being here meant that he was safe from Veer for the time being. But once they realized that he was no longer heading for the princess' kingdom they were bound to return. And we needed to be gone before they arrived. I ran to him as soon as my feet touched the ground.

"I for one am glad that you have developed the obsessive need to always check over me."

"Others have left already. What are you still doing here?" he demanded.

"I am staying." I wanted to yell that out from the roof for everyone to hear.

"What for? No one"-

"No. I mean stay here in this time. With you." My cheeks would hurt if I did not stop grinning soon enough.

"What?" he asked dumbfounded

"I choose you. Choose to stay here with you. If you will have me. "

"You mean it? Really mean that you will stay? No jokes." Little by little he allowed his glorious smile to unfurl. He rushed towards me and picked me up, spinning me around.

"You don't know how happy you have just made me."

I smiled down at his face. "There you go wasting time again. By the way, I am happy too and if want to stay that way we need to get far from here. Your brother is here early." He slid me down his body and I stood in front of him. His fingers went to the lump on my forehead, the smile long gone.

"Did he do this to you?" His touch was as gentle as a butterfly's and yet his voice held barely suppressed rage.

"He did. But it could have been worse. It can still be bad. By the way, you did not follow the plan either."

"As if you have any room to talk."

I had to laugh at that. And laugh some more.

"What now?" Inder playfully narrowed his eyes. I did not find the situation we were in funny in the least.

"To protect each other we have put ourselves in more danger. And now we are trapped." My throat closed up and tears filled my eyes. All I felt was despair. Inder pulled me within in his arms.

As I sniffled into his shirt, the faint fragrance filled my nose. I did not know the name of the flower but I had smelt it only ever in the glade.

"Huh?" I had unknowingly spoken my thoughts aloud. I ripped myself away him looked him in the eye.

"We need to get to our spot. Your brother doesn't know about it. We can hide there."

He tried to put up a fight, of course, he did. He insisted on dropping me off with our people while he got a few soldiers and went in search of his brother. But I put my foot down. I could not have this kid in the company of the others.

Moreover, if we tried to make it to the camp we would end up right in his brother's path and it might put them in unnecessary danger.

It took us a few minutes to reach there on his horse. He helped me down and I waddled towards the base of a tree. It took some maneuvering but I finally managed to plant my ass on the ground. Inder, meanwhile, was tying the horse to a low-hanging branch.

"The castle would be the first place they will search when they don't find you and hardly any people are around there. They might take some time to find this place." I groaned as I tried to make myself comfortable on the solid and cold ground. Was I supposed to sit on the ground?