After that , they continued on their way.
Rayan and the princess moved quickly, their breaths coming in short gasps, the sounds of the forest fading behind them with every step. Trees seemed to jump in front of their eyes like moving obstacles.
Suddenly, the princess raised her hand, her eyes shining with a mix of danger and opportunity. She pointed toward what appeared to be an old, abandoned cabin.
Princess: "There!"
Rayan glanced at her for a moment, then refocused on the goal:
Rayan: "Good idea."
With careful yet swift steps, he led her toward the cabin. Everything around them seemed frozen, as if time itself had stopped for a moment. When they reached the door, they found temporary shelter within its crumbling walls.
The princess approached the fragile door, trying to open it with her hands, but paused suddenly:
Princess: "It's locked…"
Rayan raised a hand toward her, his voice firm yet calm:
Rayan: "Step back a little."
She took a cautious step back, her eyes tracking his movements. Rayan lifted his leg and kicked the door forcefully. The sound of splintering wood echoed through the air as a small gap began to form under the pressure.
He continued pressing with his foot until the lock and wood partially gave way, and the door swung open. They both breathed a sigh of relief before entering.
Inside, the old cabin smelled of dust and decay. Rayan paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the space cautiously, while the princess took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, aware that this was only a temporary respite—the danger had not fully passed.
Rayan: "Are you okay?"
She looked up at him, her voice steady despite the lingering fear:
Princess: "I'm fine…"
Rayan smiled lightly:
Rayan: "Good."
He then moved toward a small opening in the locked door, placing his finger into the tiny hole, brushing away some dust. He leaned close and peered through, eyes alert to every movement outside, making sure the mercenaries had not returned, who had begun to search for them before disappearing from sight.
Rayan exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment, then spoke quietly to himself:
Rayan: "I guess we'll stay here until it's safe…"
The princess lifted her head, still keeping an eye on the door behind them, then turned to Rayan. Her voice came out soft and tense, curious about the young men who had just saved her:
Princess: "Who… are you?"
Rayan turned slowly toward her, his eyes studying every movement of her expression, his voice hesitant and slightly shaky:
Rayan: "Me?… My name is Rayan. I don't know where I am… or how I got here… I still don't understand what's happening…"
Her eyes widened for a moment, confusion tightening her features, before she whispered in surprise:
Princess: "You… don't know where you are?"
Rayan sighed lightly, raising his hand to his head, as if the weight of his thoughts pressed down on him.
Rayan: "All I can remember… is waking up in the forest, lying on the ground, my head hurting, not even able to recall where I was before all this…"
He lifted his gaze to her, watching her carefully, as if trying to read her every movement.
Rayan: "By the way… what's your name, miss?"
She paused briefly, then replied in a calm, steady voice:
Princess: "Roz… Rozaria."
Rayan repeated the name in his mind, trying to remember it amid the strange events of the day:
Rayan: "Rozaria? I've never heard that name before…"
He studied her closely, noting her upright posture, the way she spoke, and her clothing.
Rayan: "You don't seem like an ordinary person either… almost like a princess or a queen, or something along those lines."
Rozaria lifted her head confidently, her eyes shining with unwavering determination, her voice clear as a bell:
Rozaria: "I am a princess… the Princess of the Moon Kingdom… daughter of Idris Astirion."
Rayan paused for a moment, his eyes widening as he tried to process what he had just heard, then exhaled slowly, speaking in a quiet, astonished tone:
Rayan: "Kingdom? Moon?… I guess… I really have traveled back to the medieval times…"
He stole a quick glance through the small hole, making sure the area outside was still safe.
Rozaria, her eyes steady on him, spoke in a low but firm voice:
Rozaria: "Why… did you help me?"
Rayan lifted his head, looking at her directly, his tone calm:
Rayan: "Yes?"
She hesitated for a moment, then repeated the question more clearly, her voice tinged with embarrassment:
Rozaria: "I mean… you don't know me, and you don't even know who I am. So why risk yourself for me…?"
Rayan turned slightly toward the small opening in the cabin, eyes scanning outside, then returned his gaze to Rozaria, his voice low but resolute:
Rayan: "Of course I would help. Didn't you see them? They could have do something bad to you."
He glanced again at the hole, eyes gleaming with vigilance:
Rayan: "And I can't just leave a girl alone in a situation like this without doing something."
He remained standing, shifting his gaze between Rozaria and the opening, eyes never leaving the outside:
Rayan: "I think we're safe for now…"
Rayan exhaled, releasing some of the tension, speaking quietly:
Rayan: "Ah… I don't know even where to go or what to do after all of that…"
Then he turned suddenly to Rozaria, noticing her staring at him with her deep blue eyes, a gaze unlike anything he had ever seen before—a delicate mix of gratitude, confusion, and a subtle warmth.
Rayan, with evident concern, asked:
Rayan: "Are you… okay?"
Rozaria shivered slightly, lowering her gaze to the floor, then answered in a low but clear voice:
Rozaria: "I'm… okay."
Rozaria: "Listen…"
She lifted her head again, staring at Rayan with her blue eyes, a faint question leaving her lips:
Rozaria: "Why… don't you come with me to the kingdom?"
Rayan's surprise grew, his eyes widening slightly, unable to fully comprehend what she said:
Rayan: "Come… with you?"
Rozaria nodded slightly, avoiding his gaze, then continued in a calm, logical voice, as if explaining without revealing her emotions:
Rozaria: "You said you have nowhere to go, right? At least in the kingdom you'll have a roof over your head… food… a bed to sleep on… until you find your way."
Rayan, hesitating, eyes flicking between doubt and gratitude:
Rayan: "Are you sure… I'll be welcome there? I don't want to cause you trouble."
Rozaria, calm and confident, but with a hint of warmth in her voice:
Rozaria: "You saved me… the least I can do is ensure you have a safe place. And don't worry… you won't cause me any trouble."
Rayan looked at her for a moment, moved by the seriousness of her words and the sincerity in her tone, feeling a strange lightness in his chest, as if some of the anxiety that had accompanied him since arriving in this world had begun to ease.
After taking in her words, he lowered his gaze briefly, as if diving into his thoughts, reflecting on the truthfulness of what she said. Then he looked at Rozaria calmly, his voice soft but sincere:
Rayan: "Well… I guess that's not a bad idea."
A faint smile appeared on his face, a mix of relief and hesitation, as he continued:
Rayan: "In fact… it seems better than sleeping outside… and I still don't fully understand what's happening here."
then he moved toward the door, looking at Rozaria with a determined gaze:
Rayan: "Let's make sure you get back safely first."
—End of Chapter—