Cadence sat across from Dylan, his back stiff and his eyes fixed out the window. The carriage rattled, while the villages they passed were quiet and the roads almost empty.
As the sun began to set, Dylan finally spoke. "The sun's going down," she said. Her little voice spoke aloud but it sounded like she was talking to herself.
She lifted her head and gazed at him with her lovely sad eyes wide open. For a few moments she looked him in the face. There's probably no way she could have known about his past and the nightmares that plagued his heart. Cadence couldn't understand that look. Why was she looking at him like that if she didn't know?
He watched as she threw open the carriage window and leaned out, breathing deeply. Her eyes shut as the wind blew through her hair, whipping her ponytail over her shoulder and the side of her face. Cadence reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve so that he could warn her that it was dangerous.
Confusion clouded her face for a split second, but she shook it off. "You should try it," she said. "I promise it's not dangerous."
He narrowed his eyes, disbelief evident in them. What kind of lady was his new master? Not only did she speak to him knowing he couldn't reply, but she also acted in outlandish ways.
"Come here," she called. "I want you to try it."
Cadence shook his head and refused to budge.
"Oh, Cadence," she sighed. "I—"
Suddenly, she leaned out of the window so far she almost fell out. Cadence instinctively leaped out of his seat to stop her from falling. She looked at him skeptically, and then her face split into a wide grin as she grabbed him.
"Got you," she laughed, yanking him towards her. Before he could process what was happening, he found himself leaning out the window beside her.
In the breeze he was unbound and in charge of himself, not burdened by his history and pain—as if the wind was washing him clean. In this moment he felt free. Absolutely free. Free of fear, shame, guilt, of the terrible crimes he had committed in his past. Free.
He didn't understand how a girl, who he had never met before, was able to give him a taste of the very thing he longed for his entire life. He glanced at her, her golden hair fluttering in the wind. Maybe just maybe things would be different this time.
"Isn't this fun?" she shouted beneath the wind.
Then she took a deep breath and screamed. She screamed and screamed, feeling fascinated by how nice it felt to let it all out, and then screamed again. Dylan found Cadence looking at her with an expression of disbelief—half fascination and half confusion.
She took a deep breath and screamed again, at the top of her lungs, "Fuck everyone!"
He watched her, enchanted, and she looked at him with starry eyes. This woman was such a conundrum, he couldn't understand her, couldn't grasp why she acted the way she did. He didn't know why she looked at him like she understood his pain.
"Scream," she told him beneath the wind and rattling of the carriage. "Scream as loud as you can."
And so he did.
***
Dylan awoke the next morning just before the sun rose. She changed into her training clothes, yawning as she made her way to the training grounds. Today she would attend training and then go on an outing with Lucas and Grisa.
She had a few days left before Axil's trial and had every intention of enjoying herself before all hell broke loose. Dylan smiled to herself, humming as she went. When was the last time she saw Conan?
"Good morning, milady," he greeted her with a smile. He seemed genuinely happy to see Dylan.
"Morning," she told him, stifling a yawn. "What's with all this ruckus?"
A crowd of about sixty knights had gathered in a circle. Dylan could hear their shouts and cheers from the other side of the field.
"It's about your personal knight," he explained. "Several men were upset milady didn't choose from one of us, so they've been challenging your knight to duels."
"I see," she said as she mentally rolled her eyes, simultaneously trying to scan the fields for Cadence. The last thing she wanted was for him to get picked on.
"Pfft." Conan dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand. "He's doing really well, milady. In fact, the knights have taken a liking to him."
A look of relief crossed her face and then she said anxiously, "Where is he now?"
Conan offered her his hand and led her with the utmost courtesy through the crowd of knights, who stood aside to let her pass, whispering to one another. She spotted Cadence standing right in the centre of the circle.
"Isn't he amazing?" asked Conan, releasing her hand. "He's won every duel so far."
Cadence's different-coloured eyes met hers.
"Are you okay?" she signed with her hands. Dylan had stayed up late last night studying sign language. Although she wasn't fluent, she could still clearly express and understand basic phrases.
He blinked at her, confused, then a beautiful smile crossed his chiseled face. "Yes," he signed back.
'I remember reading about how you used sign language to communicate in the novel.'
Then Conan cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Line up!"
The practice session that morning consisted of many conditioning drills, technique, and running. By the time it was over, Dylan was sweating up a storm. She heaved a deep sigh and used the edge of her sleeve to wipe her sweaty face. She glanced at Cadence, who was without a single bead of sweat on his forehead.
She narrowed her eyes at him and walked up to him, poking him in the chest with two fingers. "How are you not sweating?" she growled. "Are you even human?"
He signed, "I X X XX X sword XX."
"I can't understand all of your words yet," she told him. "I'll work harder so it'll be easier for us, okay?"
He looked at Dylan and then his smile grew and he shook his head. "Thank you," he signed. "You XX X great XXX me."
Dylan took her flat and open dominant hand, and starting from her chin, arced it down and away from her face. "You're welcome."
Meanwhile, Mina ran as fast as her little legs could take her. She found Lady Dylan at the training grounds, and she waved her arms at her, then stopped running. She hunched over, trying to catch her breath. Dylan dropped her training sword and walked toward her, looking puzzled and worried.
"What's going on?" she called, closing the distance between them.
"We have a problem," Mina said, her chest still heaving. "It's His Grace—"
"What about the Duke?"
"His Grace"—She sucked in a deep breath, still heaving—"is very angry with Lord Lucas."
Dylan froze as a sudden thought slipped into her mind. She intentionally kept her relationship with her half-brother a secret from the Duke. How would the Duke react if her biological brother showed up at her door?
'This is bad.'
"Where are they now?" she asked, biting down on her lip anxiously.
"The drawing room," the maid said said between huffs.
Dylan took off running in the direction of the drawing room with Cadence close by her side. Blood dripped from her lip as she clenched her teeth, running towards the mansion as fast as she could. And as her feet hit the ground, the bad feeling in her stomach grew stronger.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I just wanted to say thank you so much for your support. Without you guys I wouldn't be able to write. TVJWTS readers are the reason I feel inspired to keep writing. Thank you! <3
Please feel free to shoot me a message! I am always open to hearing your feedback and taking in your ideas and suggestions. Even if it's just to chat, feel free to reach out!
Please enjoy these memes...
CC: This one had me crying and laughing for a solid twenty minutes!
CC: Grislan actually has the most amount of supporters of all ships!
CC: LOLOLOLOL!