The cave was quiet, only the soft sound of dripping water echoing in the distance. Princess Moyin sat beside Prince Rong Yuan, carefully wiping his forehead with a damp cloth. His face looked pale in the dim light, his breathing shallow.
" Rong Yuan… can you hear me?" she whispered, brushing a strand of hair from his face.
He didn't move. His eyes stayed closed, his body still. Moyin's heart tightened with fear.
"You can't just leave me here," she murmured, her voice trembling. "Not after I worked so hard to save you."
But what she didn't know was that he had already regained consciousness hours ago. The poison was gone, his strength had returned. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes. He liked hearing her voice, soft and worried, liked how her hands trembled slightly each time she touched him.
So he lay there, pretending.
Moyin sighed and reached for a small wooden bowl beside her. Inside were a few forest fruits she had found earlier. "Here… you need to eat something," she said softly, pressing a piece of fruit against his lips. "Please, at least this much…"
To her surprise, his throat moved, swallowing it.
Her eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute…" she whispered, staring at him. "Did you just...?"
He stayed completely still.
" Rong Yuan," she said slowly, suspicion rising. "If you're awake and pretending, I swear I'll..."
Just then, his lips twitched, the smallest smile. That was all the proof she needed.
"You...!" She gasped, snatching his hand, and without thinking, hit the very hand that had been bitten by the snake.
"Ow!" he shouted, sitting up in shock, clutching his hand. "What in the world was that for?!"
"So you were pretending this whole time!" Moyin cried, her voice shaking between anger and relief. "I was out there searching for herbs like a fool while you were just, sleeping!"
He couldn't help but laugh, despite her glare. "Sleeping? No, I was recovering. Your care worked wonders, my lady."
Her cheeks flushed red. "You, shameless man! You let me panic for days!"
"I wanted to see how much you cared," he said lightly, his tone teasing.
"Care?" she snapped, standing up and folding her arms. "I should have left you in the woods for the snakes to deal with!"
He chuckled, eyes gleaming. "Yet you didn't."
Before she could argue again, he caught her wrist and pulled her slightly closer. Their eyes met, his filled with mischief, hers with fiery annoyance.
"Let go!" she demanded, trying to pull away.
"Only if you admit you were worried about me," he teased.
Her mouth opened, then closed. Finally, she smacked his arm again, making him wince and laugh at the same time.
"You're impossible!" she said, turning away, but there was a small, reluctant smile on her lips.
Their laughter soon filled the cave again, chasing away the shadows that had lingered for days.
By the time the morning sun reached the mouth of the cave, the air was warm and golden. Princess Moyin was already up, arranging the few things they had left, the torn blanket, the herbs she'd used, and the small pouch of fruits.
Prince Rong Yuan sat against the cave wall, watching her quietly, his lips curved into a faint smile. Every move she made, from the way she brushed her hair aside to the way she scowled at him without meaning to, stirred something deep within him.
"You're staring again," she said without looking back.
He chuckled. "I'm admiring. There's a difference."
She turned to glare at him. "You should be packing, not admiring."
"I'm still recovering from a deadly snake bite, remember?" he said dramatically, placing a hand over his chest.
"Oh please," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "If you can talk that much, you're fully recovered."
He laughed, standing up slowly. "You wound me, my lady. I risked my life protecting you, and this is the gratitude I get?"
"You risked your life by being careless," she shot back, tightening her satchel. "And I saved it. So, if we're counting debts, you owe me."
He arched an eyebrow. "Owe you? And how would you like me to repay this great debt?"
"By keeping quiet for at least half a day," she said firmly, walking toward the cave entrance.
"That's impossible," he said with mock seriousness, falling into step beside her.
She gave him a sideways glance. "Then carry the bag."
"Even worse," he teased, grinning. "You're truly merciless."
Despite her annoyed tone, there was warmth in her voice. As they stepped out into the sunlight, the forest stretched endlessly before them, lush and bright after hours of rain.
For a long moment, they both stood there, breathing in the clean morning air.
"Ready?" he asked, glancing at her.
Princess Moyin nodded. "Let's go before I change my mind."
Prince Rong Yuan smiled faintly. "As you command, my lady."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips. Together, they began walking down the forest path, bickering softly, their voices mingling with the song of morning birds.
The sun was already sinking behind the trees when Princess Moyin and Prince Rong Yuan reached the edge of a small village. The air smelled of wood smoke and fresh bread, and the faint chatter of villagers echoed through the narrow streets.
Moyin sighed in relief. "Finally… I thought we'd never find shelter."
"Because someone refused to let me carry the bag," Rong Yuan said lightly, giving her a teasing look.
She shot him a glare. "You deserved it after pretending to be half-dead."
He chuckled softly. "Still thinking about that? You must care more than you admit."
"Keep talking, and I'll make you sleep outside," she warned, though her cheeks turned slightly pink.
As they entered the village, curious eyes followed them. Travelers were rare, and princess Moyin's fine features, even hidden beneath a simple cloak, drew attention. A woman from a small inn stepped forward, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Travelers?" the woman asked kindly. "You both look exhausted. You can stay the night, but rooms are full. I can only offer one bed."
"One bed?" Moyin repeated quickly. "We... we can't..."
Before she could finish, prince Rong Yuan placed a steady hand on her shoulder, bowing politely. "That will do, kind lady. My wife and I are grateful for your hospitality."
Moyin froze, eyes wide. M...m...my what?!
The woman smiled warmly. "Oh, newlyweds! No wonder you two look so close. Don't worry, dear ..., I'll bring some warm soup for the both of you."
As soon as the woman left, Moyin turned sharply to prince Rong Yuan, whispering harshly, "Wife? Did you just call me your wife?"
He shrugged innocently. "Would you rather sleep outside?"
"You...!" she fumed, lowering her voice as a passerby glanced their way. "I should never have trusted you!"
He leaned closer, a playful glint in his eyes. "Relax, beauty. You make a convincing wife already."
She gave him a shove. "You're insufferable."
At night, inside the tiny room lit by one flickering candle, Moyin sat stiffly at the edge of the bed while Rong Yuan laid back with his hands behind his head, looking entirely too comfortable.
"You can sleep on the floor," she said flatly.
"Impossible," he replied, smiling. "How would it look if a husband let his wife freeze on the bed alone?"
Her jaw dropped. "You...!"
He turned his head toward her, his voice softening slightly. "I'll stay on my side. Promise."
Moyin huffed, lying down with her back to him, pulling the thin blanket tightly around her. "You'd better."
But as the wind howled outside and the cold crept in, she found herself inching closer to his warmth without realizing it.
By the time the candle flickered out, their hands brushed beneath the blanket, and neither of them pulled away.