Crown in The Mist (ENGLISH)

CHAPTER TEN

Bounty Hunters. 

Those words clang to my head when I was finally alone. I've been staring at the ceiling for god knows how long, thinking about what happened earlier and how action-packed it was. I never heard about the Royal family in Oregon and I didn't care. Not until when I saw how easy they shot the men earlier. How easy for them to pull that trigger. I don't know much about them except for Natasha who was an assassin. But the royal siblings, they're dangerous. Behind the carefree personality and the cultured one, lurks something more dangerous. I could tell. And it kept me wondering what else are they capable of doing. 

But the bounty hunters in the roof earlier...I can't help but think about how those people, total strangers, want to kill me. And Ares didn't and would not hesitate to kill them. Honestly, I was terrified. Yes, I've beaten men up before, even stabbed and shot some just recently, but never have I ever killed somebody. I've never seen somebody kill somebody. So it was hard to control myself trembling with fear in that helicopter. I don't know if Ares or anyone noticed. I hope they didn't. But if they did, I'm thankful they didn't ask. 

I thought about what he said earlier. The Queen won't make me being the illegitimate daughter public. Either she doesn't want to announce that the King had an affair, or she doesn't want to taint her name while she kills me, an innocent citizen. Or maybe both.

Maybe I could just meet up with her and tell her I don't have any interest in the throne. That maybe she could give me some generous amount of money and then I would stay away from the crown and continue my job being a thief. I would do that. I really would. And besides, she has a daughter. A princess no one has ever seen. But the people say she's already almost at the right age to take the throne. Good for them. Maybe if that happens, the Queen will finally stop her 'let's hire some bounty hunters to kill Rainia Robynn' escapade.

I groaned inwardly. The house is too big for me and too ... lonely. I can't help but be drowned with my thoughts. So I decided to look at the books in the room.  He did not say I can't touch them. So I feasted my eyes with the books and the photos. But something caught my attention. A rather thick book—no, a photo album.

I opened it and was greeted by a photo of a boy in a Prince coat and when I looked closer at it, I chuckled when I recognized the blank expression on his face. Even when he was a kid, he's always been like this? He looked like he was forced to take the picture. I flipped through the pages and I gasped at the girl beside him. She looked exactly like Ares. And when I say exactly, I mean they have the same eyes, nose, lips, and the only difference they have was that the girl was smiling and Ares was just wearing his blank face. Is this his twin? I flipped further through the pages and my theory got confirmed. It's his twin sister. The more I look at her in the photos the more I want to meet her. She looks ... lovely.

I was about to flip to the next page when the door opened. I was immediately on my feet and whirled to see who came. I grabbed the gun Ares left on the table and pointed it at whoever it was.

"Whoa!" the stranger exclaimed, hands in the air. And one look at him, I recognized him from the family pictures.

"What's the matter?" Someone came behind him and looked at me and the gun. She blinked and then smiled. She eyed the bandages on my arm.

Realizing who they are, I put down the gun. The man is Exene Magnussen, and the woman beside him must be his wife.

"You must be Rain?" the woman asked. The way she spoke was very gentle. As if she's putting you to sleep. She is holding a basket containing I don't know what. And damn, are members of the royal family required to look good? If I become Ares' wife I would be the odd one out. Not that I care, anyway.

"She's just as Ares described. So it must be her," the man, Exene Magnussen, blurted.

They closed the door and welcomed themselves inside. "I'm Exene, and this is my wife, Liliana. She's a healer." I looked at Liliana and she was busy hauling things out from the basket she was carrying. Turns out it was some vials and bandages and many other things I am not familiar with. It was quite similar with what Laurent has used to heal my gunshot wounds before. And then I remembered Laurent is Liliana's stepsister.

"I'll just be outside," Exene announced and kissed the woman on her cheeks. I saw how she blushed profusely. I can tell she's still getting used to her husband's affection. I was told that they'll be having an official wedding ceremony where everyone in the family would be invited because apparently, they got married, with just the officiant as the witness. The Queen demanded another wedding. That's what Natasha has told me, at least.

"The one who treated those wounds of yours was my step-brother. Ares sent me here to check your wounds. Can I see it?" She extended her arms and I nodded. She took my arm and gently removed the bandages wrapped around it. When she removed the bandages, she examined the wound closely and nodded. 

"It's healing. No need for these bandages. I'll give you some ointments so it won't turn into a scar. Can I see the other one?" I nodded again and removed the bandages on my legs. She applied ointment on it and placed a plaster. 

"Put the ointments every day before you sleep and after you wake up. Change the plasters too while you're at it." 

I just nodded and took the ointments she gave me. "Did you make this yourself?" I asked. She just smiled and nodded. 

"I am a healer from Sandovia. I learned how to make medicines there. And that man, my husband, is also a doctor. But he's more focused on being  Duke," she said with a fond look on his husband outside.

I looked at Exene who was on the veranda. Him, Pierce, and Ares have a small resemblance. It's very small and I can't point it out but you can't tell they're siblings at a glance. I wonder what their sisters look like in person. 

Liliana and Exene stayed until almost midnight. She talked about her family and the people who were chasing after her. She says she can somehow relate. And that Exene took her and they pretended to be married and ended up marrying each other at the end. She said it could happen to us—getting married for real, getting in love, or whatever—and I immediately bristled the moment it went out of her mouth.

 Absurdity. Total absurdity. 

I have to admit I swooned over his face at first—well, even now— but I would never fall for someone who seems so ... apathetic. I know it's too early to judge his character like that but that's what he shows to me. And that's what I see. So if in fact, he is someone caring and loving to other people and shows the exact opposite of it to me, then that means he isn't interested. So I figured, why should I be? 

So I told Liliana that would never happen and this marriage will purely be a contract marriage,  a loveless marriage, a marriage with a purpose. And she just shrugged, changing the topic. As if telling me she's willing to see what happens until the end. I have given up convincing her.

We talked about everything else. I told her about me and she just listened. No hint of judgment in her eyes when I told her I was a thief. She just listened intently. So we talked and talked until we didn't notice the time. 

Liliana wanted to stay but Exene said she still has a lot of patients the next day. So they decided to drive home late. And I was again alone in the house. 

It wasn't creepy or anything. I've spent so much time on the streets to be scared. It's just...lonely. The same loneliness I felt while lying on the cold stone, wondering what should I eat the next few days. But I have everything I need here, so it's a little better. And it's not the kind of loneliness that makes you feel sad. I think I've gotten used to it that I don't mind it that much. 

I decided to turn on the TV and with curiosity, I switched to Carnes news channel. The Queen's face greeted me. She is beautiful, sure. I heard she was from a prominent family before she married the King. The more I look at her the more I realize the difference between us. The more I realize how big and powerful this woman is. One look at her, one could tell she grew up in a prominent and wealthy family.

When you come from a rich family, it shows. I know because I've seen a lot of them on the streets. The way they hold themselves, the way they talk, the way they move in general is very different. Some are big talkers because they have something to talk about. Some are just composed, silent. Like they make their elegance shout for them. The Queen is the latter. 

And that's what I saw with Ares Magnussen that night he was watching the boats filled with couples. Even though he wore a simple sweater, and a coat--regular clothing you wear in the winter season, his elegance shouts. That's why I stole from him even though the warning bells in my mind told me not to. 

I focused my attention on the Queen who was talking in front of the cameras. The Princess is almost at the legal age to take the throne. And it's a hot topic now, especially in Carnes. Nobody has seen the Princess, except for those who worked inside the Palace. I didn't care about it, but it did make the people curious about what their future Queen looks like. I can't blame them. Everything in that family is shrouded with mystery. 

And then I realized I am somewhat part of that family, being the illegitimate child. And I am also part of that mystery. I chewed on the herbs Liliana gave me. If only I can, I don't want to be part of it. Life was simpler when the only thing I need to worry is when to steal, who to steal, and what to steal. Now, I need to worry about making sure I'm still alive the next day.

I didn't know what time I slept. I didn't notice I slept. The next morning, I saw Ares lounging on the sofa, drinking his tea. Topless, sweaty. 

I have seen a fair amount of men going topless in front of me. I've worked with them and they don't faze me. But Ares, how on earth is he so capable of making me swoon just with the sight of his ... sculpted body? He's not wearing his eyeglasses now and his hair was wet because of the sweat, it dripped down his chest. His hair was always pulled back neatly, making him look really princely. But now ... I didn't notice his hair to be this long, it almost covered his eyes. He looked like a sin I was willing to commit.

He was just wearing his sweatpants and I willed myself not to look further down. But my traitorous eyes looked down and when my gaze went back to his face, he was already staring at me. God, that damned sinful stare. I gulped. I hope he didn't notice me gaping.

"Good morning," he said and tilted his head, waiting for me to respond. But I was just opening and closing my mouth, unable to form words.

And that's the second time--being our first meeting at that stone bridge as the first--that he has left me speechless. 

I searched for anything to say to him and of all things to say, "You look sweaty," was what I thought to be the best response. 

I composed myself and cleared my throat. "Good morning," I mumbled. 

And I could have sworn a little smirk played on his lips. 

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