The Protected (Book 2)

Chapter 10: I Win

I had packed our now dried clothes and the things we used last night as I let Mathew sleep in. I had hunted a hare for breakfast. Mathew woke up to the smell of it mumbling a good morning.

"Eat up quickly, we need to make up for lost time," I said earning a frown from Mathew.

"Why must we hurry? Can't we take our time?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes having gone over this before. "I told you, the longer you are in the open, the more dangerous it is."

"Alright, alright," he put his hands up in surrender. He ate his portion of the hare before we got on our way.

We rode in silence the way I liked it. It gave me the chance to admire the beauty of nature and also kept my ears open to any approaching possible threats.

"Tell me something about yourself," Mathew's voice broke the silence after a long while.

I replied with a, "hmm?"

"Tell me something about you that no one else knows," he explained.

I have never been asked such a question. It was harder to answer than I would have imagined. "Umm... Oh I got one! I have a total of fourteen scars on my body."

Mathew eyes me up and down. "You do?"

I nodded. "Yes, they have collected over the years."

I knew men did not find scars attractive, neither did women, but my father always told me that a warrior should be proud of their scars. I have learned to be proud of mine.

"Did they hurt?" Mathew asked curiously.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Some really hurt, others were bearable."

"You only get more impressive don't you?" he said with a rich smile.

My cheeks blushed at the compliment. I shook my head trying to take the attention off of me and directed it at him. "What about you? Tell me something nobody else knows."

Mathew scratched his head. He looked like he was contemplating something. He finally spoke, "I am scared of getting married."

The good mood fell. I was not expecting that. I just always assumed he wanted to get married to Princess Alana, he bragged about it all the time.

"Why?" I whispered afraid of speaking. The look on Mathew's face was not the happiest of expressions. It was gloomy making my chest feel weird.

"I am marrying a stranger. I don't even remember how she looks like or if I have ever spoken to her. I don't know if I will even like her, or better yet love her. I am being forced to marry someone for the sake of my kingdom," He said in a quiet tone looking straight ahead of him. I could hear the emotions in his voice that he refused to show on his face. "Don't get me wrong, I will do anything for Faraine, I love my kingdom. But I am just scared about how my happiness will look like in the future."

"Coming from a soldier, I have to say that you are one of the bravest men I know," I said softly and honestly. Going in blind, dooming the rest of your future for the sake of everyone, not anyone is capable of doing that.

Mathew's head shot towards me with a wide grin on his face. "Thank you. That means a lot. I am just happy that I will have a friend with me the whole time."

"Friend?" I asked in shock. His cheeks blushed a deep crimson before he ran his hand through his soft hair.

"Yes? I was hoping we had become friends after we had forgiven each other. I don't seem to have any," he said looking embarrassed.