Vow Of Silence

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

1st PERSON: Pelomina Lorenzo-Capiz

It felt like my neck would’ve been snapped if I wasn’t so tense. The sudden change of direction didn’t give me vertigo, at least. I was thankful for that bit. Only I wish we didn’t run like there are townspeople that are chasing us with fork rakes, shovels, and torches because they don’t approve of our love, we’re not running away, we’re running ahead, and it’s not like people will get late on hunting.

Animals live here, they’re not going to get an eviction notice on this jungle as soon as the clock struck 10 AM—and am I hearing water? I looked around once I got my focus back, but it was still green, no surprises there. I looked over my shoulder to see Lykus looking behind us and checking if the knights are catching up; they are and once he was done, I called out to him,

“Lykus?!” I yelled,

“Yes?!” he roared back,

“Is there a waterfall around here?” I asked, and he nodded as he flicked the reins again, gesturing ahead.

“Yes! It’s connected to the river!” he explained, and so I looked for a river and found none. What river what he talking about—I see it.

It’s a wide one too, hiding behind the shrubs on the ground. I didn’t even notice it at first, because I was being hit in the face with solid wind, and he is not slowing down. He’s not thinking of jumping over that, is he? Crap, he is. Maybe there are stone steps on the surface. We’re still approaching the river fast and no there are not… he’s really not slowing down,

“Lykus the river—”

“We’re going to jump over, hold on tight!”

“We’re going TO WHAT?!”

I yelled and without even sparing a second to reply to my question; I felt us being lifted off the ground; it felt like we floated for a solid moment before Lily’s front legs made contact with the ground on the other riverbank. I felt my innards go up and fall down; I was grasping at my heart like I could somehow slow it down by doing so.

“Good job, Lily!” Lykus cheered with a proud smile, patting her back and she roared, purred, or maybe growled at the encouragement,

I caught my breath and sighed in relief once we were back on our fast-paced run, Keion was a heaven-sent angel for neatening my hair out, because even in those extreme conditions it stayed intact and did not fly everywhere, that would’ve ruined the whole experience, however, I’m not so sure I enjoyed this one.

Was it thrilling? Yes. Would I ever want to do this again? No, I don’t think so.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of running through the woods like we were being chased by angry townspeople who disapprove of our love, I felt Lykus pull the reins back and Lily gradually slowed down until I could comprehend my surroundings because they stopped appearing before me like zooming blurs, and not long before that, we stopped at a wide clearing.

Lykus got off first and helped me down, the moment I set foot on the ground it took a while as I stood awkwardly like a kid who’s lost in a grocery store, as I stood to find my balance and center and not flail around like a newborn fawn.

The other knights also started filing in, some got off their horses and some didn't. Just looking like they’re just itching for some action because the intense horse-riding is obviously not enough for people who chase other people as their chosen career.

“You know the drill, nothing too young and nothing too old unless you need to,” Lykus began as he rounded them up, “We’ll get back in this same spot after three hours,” he instructed before walking back to me but just as the knights started dispersing once again, he spun on his heel,

“And at the sight of dark magic, mutants, beast, and monsters… end them, no mercy,” he bellowed,

‘Excuse me?’

I turned to look at him with furrowed brows as I watched the knights nod and bow as they left, not taking heavy regard to what Lykus had just said. Once all of them are gone and only me and Lykus are in this silent and serene clearing, the sunbeams looked so mystical as they peeked through the leaves that give shade for most of the jungle’s floors.

Still, no matter how peaceful and divine this looks, it doesn’t change the fact that I just heard this man warn trained soldiers about ‘dark magic’ followed by the scariest words I might’ve heard yet, consecutively, especially in this setting.

He turned to me with a determined smile, “Then, shall we, wife?” he asked, patting on the saddle.

Oh, brother—I gulped and unconsciously took a step back, into my retreating stance, “I… d-don’t we need to hunt on foot? Isn’t that better?” I asked, more like suggested with a pleading tone, and he pursed his lip, tilting his head at me, his hair moving with the motion and falling over his chest.

“Hmm… I suppose,” he agreed, nodding at me and I sighed in relief that he didn’t press on the issue further, "also… you looked shaken up,” he followed,

‘Gee, I wonder why?’

I combed my fingers through my hands and gulped as I waved him off, “Oh, this, no I was… I was just trembling with excitement, be-because it’s thrilling and all,” I began, but it didn’t look like I convinced him enough, “Woo~ I feel my veins pop—PULSE! I mean—ehem—I meant pulse,” I added, adding some hand gestures for pizazz, but to think that my additional statement just made things worse boggles my mind.

‘I surprise myself sometimes,’

He was frowning at me with a worried expression and he was about to say something, but I just rushed over to Lily’s saddle and picked up one of the arrows. “Lykus, how about you teach me how to hunt too? It could be beneficial for me to learn, no?” I exclaimed as I handed him the arrows that he took in his hands with a puzzled look, his gaze shifting between me and the arrow.

I gestured for him to fire it and so, despite the confusion, he grabbed his bow and he placed the arrow on the string, and just as he was about to pull it back, he wavered and gave me a stern look, “Are you certain you want to learn this? You look pale—”

“I am just… excited, yes, that’s it, and yes, I’m certain,” I cut off. It took a whole minute before he nodded and sighed,

“Well, then… I’ll show you how it looks first and you can try it yourself,” he said and I nodded, with a huff, he looked around, not sure what for but apparently for a tree because the split second he saw a tree with no particular specific characteristic to it, he stretched the string back. Having it level with his jaw or his cheek, not sure.

He took a deep breath and glanced at me for a quick second from the corner of his eyes, smiling as he released the arrow.

‘Oh, my goodness—THIS MAN-‘

“It’s just like that…” He said, handing the bow to me with the same smile he has before letting go of that string, he knows what he’s doing, there’s no way this man is clueless on how he acts, there is just no way. Also, how am I supposed to learn archery with the vaguest instructions I’ve ever heard?

I squinted at him, “My lord… ‘Just like that’? Could you try to be a bit more… specific?” I asked as I approached him and took the bow in my hands. This thing is heavier than I expected and I feel I bit daunted now that I’m holding it, do I have the arm strength to hold this thing vertically?

He chuckled as he fetched another arrow, “Well, my lady…” he began, standing behind me, “I could talk all day and explain technicalities about such-and-such or this and that… however, archery is not an act of many words,” he followed, handing me the arrow and placing his hands on my shoulders, fixing my posture before trailing down to my arms,

“It’d be better to help you experience it through the act itself,” he whispered softly. His breath tickling my ear,

‘… I’m doomed,’

How many times does this man’s mood change in a span of a day?! Is he doing this intentionally, or is he unaware of the power he has over someone like me?

I am only a mere person with feeling and emotion, on top of that he has a natural talent for swindling people considering that I hated his guts for the longest time and I had no such thing as a good first impression of him, but still it ended up this way it looks as bad as it sounds and I don’t know if this is a grand scheme of him because what other explanation is there,

Other than him being a natural-born lady killer?