As soon as she heard her name, Fanaza froze. She already knew who it was before she even turned around.
She wanted to walk faster, maybe even run away before he reached her. She didn't want another argument. She didn't want another painful conversation with him. But then she heard footsteps behind her.
It was coming closer, she slowly took a deep breath and turned around carefully.
What she saw shocked her. Percival staggered forward slightly, his body swaying as if he could barely stand properly.
Before she could even react, his knees suddenly gave out and he collapsed to the ground heavily.
"Percival."
Fear instantly washed across her face as she rushed toward him without thinking. She quickly knelt beside him and held him up carefully in her arms, trying to steady his weight.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
Percival groaned softly under his breath. His eyes looked unfocused as he slowly lifted his hand and touched her face gently, almost like he was making sure she was truly there.
"Fanaza," he called out softly.
The moment his words reached her ears, realization hit her immediately. He was drunk.
"Did you drink, you reek of alcohol," she said as she quickly covered her nose, the strong scent almost choking her.
The smell of wine clung heavily to his clothes and breath. It was sharp and overwhelming.
Fanaza sighed tiredly and tried to stand up, wanting to call the guards before things became worse.
But suddenly, Percival grabbed her wrist and pulled her down roughly. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she landed directly on his lap.
Her eyes widened instantly. She quickly tried to get up again, but his arms tightened around her waist, refusing to let her move.
"We're getting married and it seems none of us is excited about it," Percival said.
His voice sounded low and bitter, almost mocking himself.
"I don't want to talk about it," Fanaza said, trying once more to stand up.
But Percival only pulled her closer against his chest.
"I know you hate me and there's no way you would love me,"
His words no longer carried arrogance like before. This time, they sounded painfully honest.
"Percival you're drunk, let me go so I can call on the guards to guide you to your chambers," Fanaza replied.
But Percival refused to release her.
Instead, his grip tightened even more.
It was almost desperate. Like she was the only thing stopping him from falling apart completely.
"I messed up didn't I?" Percival raised his brows.
His eyes looked dull under the moonlight. The usual pride inside them was gone.
"Please let me go, I don't want to have this conversation,"
"I just wanna talk," he scoffed.
His words came out lazily, but there was sadness hidden underneath them.
"You can always talk without being violent," Fanaza said softly.
Those words seemed to hit him harder than she expected. Percival slowly lowered his gaze toward her wrist. Only then did he finally notice how tightly he had been holding her.
A red mark had already formed on her skin.
His fingers loosened immediately. Guilt flashed across his face.
"I didn't mean to hurt you. I was brought up with violence and love from only my mother's side and siblings. All I know is to kill and destroy. Nothing else matters but ever since you came. I tried to push you away but the more I did that the more the feelings grew and I couldn't control it,"
Fanaza stayed quiet. She simply stared at him. For the first time, Percival looked less like a prince and more like a wounded man struggling with emotions he didn't understand.
"Stupid me, how can the arrogant and rude prince fall in love with a mere woman," Percival said.
"I'm not a mere woman," Fanaza said firmly.
Even while sitting on his lap, her voice remained proud.
"I'm Fanaza of the Dragonseed clan," she said with her full chest while still staring at the drunk Percival.
For a moment, Percival simply looked at her quietly. Then he slowly breathed out. His hands moved gently to her shoulders this time, careful not to hurt her again. His voice softened into almost a whisper.
"What should I do to make you love me?"
The question barely left his lips before his body suddenly relaxed completely. His head dropped against her shoulder and just like that, he fell asleep in her arms from the alcohol.
Fanaza stayed still like a statue. The night breeze moved softly around them, but she couldn't move.
A single tear slowly slipped down her cheek.
She quickly wiped it away before looking down at the sleeping prince in silence. Without wasting more time, she carefully helped Percival back to his chambers.
The journey there was difficult because of his weight. Half of the time, he leaned heavily against her shoulder while mumbling incoherent words under his breath. By the time they finally entered his room, Fanaza was already exhausted.
She slowly helped him sit on the bed before kneeling to remove his boots carefully. After that, she adjusted his pillow properly and pulled a blanket over his body.
"I'll tell the court lady to prepare your soup,"
She turned around, ready to leave but suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist again. Fanaza closed her eyes tiredly. She already knew who it was. Before she could react, Percival pulled her back toward the bed and wrapped his arms tightly around her body.
"Percival please let me go," she pleaded quietly.
Her body felt exhausted. Not just physically.
Emotionally too. Everything around her had become too heavy.
"Can you just stay still for a minute,"
This time, his voice sounded almost pleading. Fanaza took a deep breath. Then slowly, she stopped resisting. She allowed him to hold her quietly.
The room became silent afterward. Only the sound of their breathing filled the air. The warmth from his body slowly made her eyelids feel heavy. Without even realizing it—
Fanaza eventually fell asleep beside him.
*******
Morning arrived quietly. Percival shifted slightly on the bed before slowly opening his eyes. For a moment, he looked confused. Then he felt warmth inside his arms.
He looked down and there she was, Fanaza.
Still deeply asleep against his chest. Her breathing was soft and peaceful. Loose strands of her hair rested across her face while the sunlight touched her skin gently.
His heartbeat slowed. Carefully, trying not to wake her, he got out of bed and walked toward the curtains. He pulled them shut slightly so the harsh sunlight wouldn't fall directly on her anymore.
The room darkened softly again. Percival returned to the bed afterward. This time, he sat beside her quietly. His eyes slowly moved across her face.
The soft curve of her lips. Her long lashes resting against her cheeks. The peaceful expression she rarely wore around him.
For once, she wasn't glaring at him.
Wasn't fighting him.
Wasn't trying to escape him.
She simply looked calm and beautiful.
.
Percival rested his elbow against the bed while staring at her silently, almost scared to blink in case the moment disappeared.
Then suddenly—
Knock! Knock!
The loud sound broke the silence instantly.
Percival frowned immediately.
"Percival!" Stefan called out from outside.
Percival quickly stood up from the bed and walked toward the door before opening it slightly.
He positioned himself carefully by the entrance, making sure Stefan couldn't see inside.
"What?" Percival said.
"I only came to call for your wedding fitting," Stefan said with a sigh. "I brought some designs, let me in so we can see it."
Stefan tried to enter but Percival blocked him immediately. Stefan narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Are you hiding something?" Stefan tried peeking inside again.
Percival blocked him once more. He absolutely could not let Stefan find out Fanaza spent the night in his chambers.
People would judge him lightly because he was a man.
But Fanaza? The rumors alone could destroy her reputation completely.
"Just come back," Percival said firmly.
"I know you're hiding something or someone. Who is it?" Stefan raised his eyebrow.
Then suddenly his expression changed.
His eyes widened in realization.
"Fanaza is in there isn't she?" Stefan asked with a huge smile. "You really don't waste time. Did you two do it?"
"You are really shameless Stefan and no we didn't do it," Percival growled a little.
"I don't trust you, I'll have to ask Fanaza myself," Stefan said as he tried entering again.
Percival pushed him back immediately. Both men heard Queen Lisa's voice approaching from afar.
"Please prepare the wine for the ministers guest," she spoke to the maid nearby.
Stefan's eyes widened instantly.
"That's the queen, she mustn't find out you two spent the night."
"Cover up for me," Percival said quickly before shutting the door directly in Stefan's face.
"You moron!" Stefan screamed out.
At that exact moment, Queen Lisa arrived beside him.
"Stefan, I wasn't expecting to see you here,"
Stefan immediately forced a smile onto his face.
"My queen, you look really lovely today. Your outfit is extremely beautifully gorgeous."
Lisa smiled softly, clearly pleased by the compliment.
"Thank you, you keep showering me with comments. I wish Percival could be like that but he is quite stubborn," Lisa said softly.
"He really is," Stefan replied awkwardly.
"What brought you to his chamber my queen?"
"I came to see my son. Today's his fitting and I just want to accompany him there since his father is busy. And I brought some cookies."
"Oh... I'm sorry my queen, he just left not long ago," Stefan lied smoothly.
Lisa frowned slightly.
"Where did he go?"
"He went to gather some flowers for Lady Fanaza."
The moment Stefan said those words, Lisa's expression changed instantly. Disgust flashed through her eyes.
"Okay," she said coldly before walking away.
But the moment she got far enough from the chambers, hanger exploded. She threw the tray of cookies violently onto the floor.
Crash!
The plate shattered loudly while cookies scattered across the ground. Lisa clenched her fists tightly.
"So it was true... he is really in love with that filth," she muttered angrily before storming away.
Back inside the chambers, Fanaza slowly woke up. Her eyes blinked lazily as she looked around the unfamiliar room.
But somehow, it still looked familiar. Then realization suddenly hit her.
Her eyes widened in horror. She quickly covered her mouth. She had slept on Percival's bed.
"Oh no," she muttered.
"Did you sleep well?" Percival asked.
Fanaza immediately looked toward him.
"No, your bed is as hard as a rock," Fanaza scoffed before quickly getting off the bed.
She immediately walked toward the door, desperate to leave.
But halfway there, she stopped.
"Go, I won't stop you but know my mother is out there by the door and you know what will happen when we get caught for sleeping together before marriage," Percival said calmly.
Fanaza immediately turned toward him.
"Well, it was a mistake."
"No one cares, they may think we did something," Percival said seductively.
A cold shiver instantly ran down her spine.
"D...did what?" She stammered.
Percival smirked slightly.
"What a man and a woman do? Why asking me questions like you have no idea about it."
"Whatever, I can't drag this conversation with you," Fanaza said before sitting back on the bed.
This time, she slowly looked around his room properly. The room matched him perfectly.
Dark wooden walls. Large silver weapons displayed carefully. His armor stood neatly arranged beside the wall, polished until it reflected light faintly. Several swords rested nearby.
There were battle maps scattered across a table. Books piled carelessly in one corner.
His black royal coats hung neatly nearby while a faint scent of leather, steel, and sandalwood filled the room.
The room felt cold, strong and lonely just like him. Fanaza slowly breathed in and out before her stomach growled loudly.
The sound echoed embarrassingly inside the quiet room.
Her face immediately heated up. Quickly, she held her stomach shyly. Percival simply stared at her quietly.
******
Far away from the palace, Moaz sat beside the fire while slowly roasting meat. Rwaine still had not returned home after their huge argument days ago.
Ever since that fight about changing his skin, Rwaine had disappeared completely. Moaz searched everywhere for him. The forest, the river, even nearby villages but there was nothing.
It was almost like Rwaine didn't want to be found. Moaz stared sadly at the fire.
He prayed every single day for Rwaine to return safely. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even realize the meat had started burning badly until smoke suddenly rose upward.
"Oh not again. Rwaine would have done this perfectly," Moaz said while quickly removing the burnt meat from the fire.
He sighed again tiredly. Then he slowly placed another piece over the fire carefully, watching it closely this time.
Moments later, he noticed a familiar figure walking from afar. His eyes widened immediately.
Rwaine.
"Rwaine!" Moaz stood up instantly and ran toward him happily.
The moment he reached him, he grabbed his hands tightly.
"I am sorry, I love you. I believe in you and I don't care if you changed your skin. I just don't want us to fight. Please come home," Moaz pleaded.
Rwaine looked at him quietly. His expression remained calm, but there was something different in his eyes now. Something more serious.
"I didn't leave home because of the fight, I left because I didn't want us to keep living here. We are not animals, we deserve good places, healthy food and water and a good life,"
Moaz forced a small smile onto his face.
"What do you mean son?"
Rwaine looked toward the distant city far away. Determination slowly hardened inside his eyes.
"I want us to start living in the city," Rwaine said.