LEAVING THE PALACE

           It wouldn't be wrong to say that she wasn't aware of how king Raleigh treated her. She was treated like everyone- no special treatment. It was just that king Raleigh was especially tolerant towards her. She didn't know why. Maybe they were childhood friends. Maybe he just treated her nicely because she was his fiance. When she heard the sentence that she was allowed to stay in the royal palace from tomorrow, she was screaming with happiness internally although she didn't show on her face. She had always dreamt of staying in the royal palace. Who wouldn't want to? This place was literally like heaven. She was fascinated by everything in the royal place although she was an aristocrat Till now, she was just a temporary guest but soon this royal palace would be her home. She had already considered this palace as her home and she couldn't wait to rule it.

       Lady Blaine was also aware of king Raleigh's feelings towards her. He was neither too close nor too far with her. He neither treated her specially nor coldly. It was confusing but it was one hundred percent sure that king Raleigh didn't love her romantically. But it was okay. It hurt her pride that she had done everything to be like what king Raleigh wanted but he still didn't love her. She was also satisfied thinking king Raleigh wasn't attracted to anyone else too. Maybe he just wasn't capable of loving. It was also okay. She was wanted by millions of people and she was confident of her charms. After their marriage, she would try her best to make king Raleigh fall in love with her, She had millions of ways to succeed.

        Even if she couldn't make king Raleigh fall in love with her, she was satisfied as long as she could be the queen of the Raven kingdom. She always eyed the royal queen crown with envy and imagined how she would look with that crown on her head sitting alongside king Raleigh on the golden throne. She was always held high and was treated as if she was already the queen since childhood and it had already been deep-rooted in her veins. She wouldn't allow anyone to crush her dreams. She will make sure that no one comes on her way.

          Lady Blaine was lost in her thought when she heard king Raleigh speaking. 

  "Do you understand, lady Blaine?"

   "Yes, your highness." She hurriedly answered. She was embarrassed thinking about how she looked just now when she was thinking lots of things inside her head.

   "Hm."

After they finished their breakfast, king Raleigh stood up and asked, "Do you want to walk around the garden?"

    "Wh- I mean yes, your highness." Lady Blaine hastily answered. She wouldn't miss any chance to be with king Raleigh.

      Everyone in the palace could see a man and a woman walking along the garden stone-paved path. The girl while smiled cutely when the man spoke something to her. Queen dowager was watching them from her room sitting near the window.

      "I hope she could change my son." Queen dowager Avon said to her attendant standing behind her.

     "She will. Have faith in lady Blaine, your highness." The attendant assured her.

      "I am just worried about him. Today he killed two persons easily as if they were just insects and see how he is behaving as if it didn't happen. He's too calm." She was really worried about her son.

      "Your highness, the king might change after the marriage. He is alone now and after getting the company of lady Blaine, his highness might change. We just have to wait."

   "I hope so." Queen dowager Avon said as she watched the two figures disappearing from the royal garden.

           The next day early in the morning, the royal guards and the knights were gathered at the main gate of the royal palace. The sun had just risen and the weather looked calm and clear, the perfect weather for travelling. It would take about one and a half-day to reach their destination and may take a long time to return. The king had said he would return within five days but who knew what would happen and how long it would take. So, there were queen dowager Avon, royal advisor Oswald, lady Blaine and all other ministers of every household along with the commander Weshly with his squad and a group of maids waiting for the king. Everything was already prepared and was already loaded into the carriage. The horses were ready too. They were just waiting for king Raleigh.

   They didn't have to wait for long. King Raleigh arrived with the horse sitting on it. As usual, king Raleigh looked most attractive even in that simple hunting outfit. He had worn a grey-coloured shirt, pants with long black boots, and a cravat around his neck. He was sitting on a beautiful white horse and stood still in front of everyone.

      "Good morning, mother." King Raleigh said slightly lowering his head after he jumped off the horse. King Raleigh never lowered his head in front of anyone, only his mother was an exception but his mother was still not allowed to call him her son. It was always 'Your highness'.

     She smiled and said, "Good morning, your highness. You are going for a long journey, make sure you are safe and eating and resting properly."

     "I will."

"Have a safe journey, your highness and we all are expecting a snow leopard from your highness." Lady Blaine said acting in a preserved matter.

    "Lady Blaine is right, your highness. We all are expecting a snow leopard this year." Everyone present at the main gate said.

      "I will." King Raleigh said. If he wanted, he would do it. Not just for their expectations but for himself too.

      "We will be leaving now." King Raleigh said as he climbed up on his horse. He also signalled everyone going with him to follow him. King Raleigh was in front with commander Weshly right behind him. His four top soldiers were behind both of them. The two of them were in front of the carriages while the other two were behind the carriages. The maids were sitting inside the carriage.

  As a king, King Raleigh also should have sat inside the royal carriage but he never liked that idea. He would feel too suffocated. He liked the feeling of the current of the air hitting on his face while he rode his horse as fast as he could. Besides horse riding was his favourite thing to do in his leisure time. Their journey started with the developed capital full of houses to slightly populated cities. It had already been five hours since they had travelled and all of them were tired. They stopped at a nearby large inn to have lunch. King Raleigh said every one to have lunch while he himself sat on his horse and started wandering. This town was small with less population. It was very beautiful and every house and shop was decorated with the flags of the Raven kingdom showing how much they loved their king and the kingdom. King Raleigh was feeling internal satisfaction. He was glad to know that his citizens were appreciating his efforts. He returned back into the inn and had lunch with everyone. Soon somebody discovered that the king was present in their town and everyone gathered near the inn to meet their king. 

         They all were very excited. They had not been outside of this small town and were happy to meet king Raleigh in their hometown.

     "ALL HAIL KING RALEIGH!!"

     "ALL HAIL KING RALEIGH!!"

King Raleigh talked with everyone for a while and left the town. Soon they started to cross the only towns with humans and from now it was only natural beauty. It was mid-afternoon but the weather was starting to get cold as they further went to the north. All of them took out their warm clothes from the carriages and wore them. King Levi wore a long fur coat made of fox's fur. It was very warm and comfortable. Now there were only large boulders, small hills, steep mountains, and a small number of plants and trees. It looked like a different planet waiting to be explored. But all of them were still enjoying the view. They rarely stepped away from the capital full of people and houses. It was like a rare delicacy to them. 

     Change of environment wasn't bad after all. They all were enjoying breathing the fresh cold air. They sometimes stopped on their way to enjoy especially when they reached the frozen waterfalls, some beautiful small mountains, and some small streams where the water was as cold as snow. But all of them still drank the water. Most of the rivers were frozen further north. As it started to dusk, they could see auroras far away in the north. Everyone stopped their travel and enjoyed the view. They set up tents and planned to spend the night here under a small grassy ground. The maids immediately started to prepare the food for everyone. They prepared warm tea and soups with meats.

     Everyone enjoyed their dinner after their long travel and immediately fell asleep later. But King Raleigh was an exception. He knew he wouldn't fall asleep sooner or later so he just stayed outside the campfire drinking his earl grey. Commander Weshly woke up in the middle of the night and saw king Raleigh sitting alone outside. He woke up and went outside putting on his coat. 

     "Your highness, why are you still awake?"

King Raleigh didn't even raise his head and answered, "Nothing. I just couldn't fall asleep."

Commander Weshly sat on the other side of the king and asked, "Nightmares?"

 

    "Um. I can't sleep peacefully."

    "Maybe you will be able to be after you get someone sleeping beside you." Only commander Weshly dared to say something like that to the king. King Raleigh didn't mind as Weshly was his most trusted confidant and they both knew everything about each other,

    "I don't know if I am making the right decision by marrying her."

    "Your highness knows lady Blaine had loved you since childhood, right. I also know you are agreeing to marry her just because of your father's promise and for the power of the Sherwood family, give her a chance."

   King Raleigh thought for a while. He knew lady Blaine always loved him. She dressed beautifully to impress him. She walked, talked even ate the food only he liked. She had changed herself on a vast level just to be with him. She always supported him every time and always kept him before anyone else. Maybe he should give her a chance. Maybe he should try to appreciate her feeling and try to fall in love with her.

      "Hm. I will try it."

      "That's a good decision from your highness. I pray you'll be happy."

      "You can go to sleep."

      "Yeah. Goodnight, your highness."

      "Goodnight."

King Raleigh looked at the burning fire. Falling in love, huh. It was very hard. He had learned to close his feelings since he became a king and killed his stepbrother who he loved like his own brother. Emotions would only drag him down. Once he learned to be close to feelings, it became his habit. It became easier to make decisions and arouse fear in others' hearts towards him. He wondered if he could fall in love now. If he fell in love in the future, it could be considered a miracle.

    It was getting colder and king Raleigh also entered inside the tent to try to fall asleep. Another endless night of nightmares.

      It was early in the morning of the next day. King Raleigh was the one who woke up early. He ran around the woods and returned back. The maids had already prepared morning breakfast and were waiting for him. Once king Raleigh ate, everyone also started to eat. After completing, they started to get ready to continue their journey. They still needed to travel for at least five hours to reach their destination.

    King Raleigh sat on his horse and looked at everyone standing behind him.

 "We'll be reaching there soon. Make sure to stay warm. The weather is clear now but who knows what will happen later. Weather changes rapidly there. Once there is a ray of sunshine than in a minute, it is cloudy. Our destination is in the northeast part where we had sen auroras yesterday. Do you understand?"

       "Yes, your highness." Everyone answered together.

      "Then let's go."

     Everyone started to travel towards the northeast without knowing what future had stored in them especially king Raleigh Kainz.