Her eyes lit up when she heard those words. Rhys is coming? Lately, she does not get a chance to see him much other than at night. During the night, he does not speak much; he listens to her talk and then falls asleep. Those moments are very peaceful, and yet their conversations are short. He always seems to be in a hurry too.

"I see you missed me already." A familiar voice mumbled against her ear. Lyn flinched at the sudden contact, but Rhys grabbed hold of her wrist before she could lose her footing.

"Easy there."

"Thank you."

Rhys nodded and turned to Kazuya. "You keep offending people lately; there are some knights from Prince Andrews division looking for you."

Kazuya grinned. "Don"t they know that not even their master can get near me?"

"Don"t cause my brother problems," Lyn interjected. "Lately, he seems even more stressed than before."

Lyn already knew the reason why. Her brother feigns ignorance and all that but... "Say, does the Sound Kingdom have a treaty with the Stone Kingdom?"

"Is this about King John?"

Lyn nodded. "I wondered if you could help my brother."

The Sound Kingdom maybe their enemies. But since the Stone Kingdom practically declared war on the Mist Kingdom by marching their soldiers into the land without permission. Lyn knew it would benefit their side to help them.

Kazuya nodded in understanding. "I will help him."

"What about him?" Rhys said with a frown. "Is that guy bothering you?"

Oh, now that she thought about it. Rhys does not know about the issue with King John. Up until recently, she did not think to tell him. Bothering huh? If it were only something that small, then Lyn would not bother with it. But it isn"t something insignificant. Lyn did not know how to tell Rhys, so Kazuya ended up having to explain.

By the time Kazuya finished explaining, a menacing aura wrapped around Rhys. His facial expression looked terrible. Lyn buried her face in his arms. "Its okay, Rhys."

"How can it be okay, that guy is dead the next time I see him."

Lyn could not miss the sudden change in Rhys eyes when he said the words dead. 

I should have kept it from him. It would not surprise me if he actually ends up doing something.

Kazuya nodded. "I understand how you feel, Rhys, but calm down. When I heard about it before, I went to look for King John. But instead of beating him up, I walked away. Do you want to know why?"

Her eyes widened when she heard those words. Wait what? Kazuya he-- right after that conversation they had, he went to find King John? Is he an idiot?

"Why?"

"I found him having a bath, but not a normal one. I noticed that the water was red. I stuck around for a bit and discovered that it came from the girls he slept with."

Her face color turned pale at those words. "Are they alive?"

"I think so, but imagine having your blood drained for a bath while you are alive. I don"t even want to know what kind of sick and twisted method he used."

To think he was doing something like that. Then again, what did she know about him?

Nothing, everything remained a mystery to her regarding that man. After that frightening encounter several years back, Lyn made sure it stayed that way. But Rhys deserves to know everything. After Kazuya finished talking, she then told Rhys her part. 

As one would expect, Rhys got angry. He started cursing and even kicked a nearby tree. "Such anger and malice." This was one of the reasons why she refrained from telling him in the first place. Lyn knew that Rhys had quite the temper. 

It will be challenging to appease him like this. A sudden thought came to mind, but she hesitated. Kazuya is here. If she did that, would it not be insensitive?

Then again, after what happened not too long ago. Is it not too late for her to think that way?

Lyn took a deep breath before she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his cheeks. "Calm down."

Rhys immediately froze, and Lyn mumbled. "Can you do for that for me?"

In the next second, Lyn found herself in the air, Rhys had picked her up. Uhh? Wait, what is he trying to do now? Lyn, however, didn"t get a chance to say anything since he leaped down the balcony with her. Rhys landed safely and immediately turned to leave the garden.

.....

He kicked a door open and threw her onto the mattress, as he continued to a.s.sault her neck.

This behavior indicated that this was his bedroom. She privileged and flattered that he brought her to his. "Rhys, what do you think you are doing right now?" Lyn managed to say.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Rhys seemed genuinely puzzled by her words.

He played with the zipper of her dress. "Let me unfasten this."

"If you"re going to hara.s.s me, could you be less obvious? I have to go back to the party."

At that comment, Rhys frowned. "You want to return to the party still? Why?"

She rolled her eyes at his words. "What do you mean, why?" Lyn retorted. "I attended the party as Allen" s fiance, and as the second princess of the Mist Kingdom. I can disappear for a short while but not ditch the party entirely."

If she missed out on an event like this, then people would surely talk while she does not mind that. She does not want to harm Allen"s reputation.

Rhys looked troubled, and she ran his hands through his hair. "Did I tell you to stop?"

This urged him, and before Lyn knew it, he was attacking her neck, all the way down to her chest.

Lyn gripped the sheets under her and closed her eyes. She wonders what this is. It"s wrong, and yet the empty feeling in her heart vanishes whenever they do things like this.

After a few minutes, she felt her entire body burn up. "It"s hot.." Why does she suddenly feel so hot? Then again, since earlier, Lyn has felt very strange. She remained still as Rhys continued his peculiar advances on her.

"Hey, Lyn," Rhys mumbled. 

"Yes?"

"You"re still sick." 

His words puzzled her. "I am?" Lyn repeated.

His lips curve to a smile. "You"re too careless. Unless you got sick so I could take care of you again?"

Lyn shook her head. "Why would I want you to keep hara.s.sing me?"

Rhys frowned at her words. "Why do you think I am hara.s.sing you? As a woman, has it never occurred to you to do these things with a man?"

"It never occurred to me, of course." But Lyn knew that Rhys wouldn"t like that answer. She closed her eyes briefly before she opened them again. Rhys was still looking at her. He wanted answers, but unfortunately, she couldn"t give them.

It never occurred to her, of course. "I didn"t think I could fall in love with someone who wasn"t Allen."