Heinley and I agreed to travel to the Eastern Empire together, and we began the preparations.
My parents also wanted to come because they had been away from home for a long time. They decided not to attend the trial, but instead planned to go to their estate.
My parents could also testify against Rashta in the High Court, as she had hired an assassin to end their lives. A serious crime. However, it was difficult to make this public in the High Court as a secret informant of Heinleyâs discovered Rashtaâs plot.
Heinley told my parents that he could make their secret informant a witness if they wished, but my parents shook hands with him lovingly.
âDonât worry. Once Rashta is deposed, she wonât be able to harm us.â
âThe fake princess case alone is enough for her to be deposed, it would be in vain to mention this case. It doesnât benefit us at all.â
âIt would not be good to reveal that there are informants from the Western Empire hidden in the Eastern Empire. So itâs best to let it go, Your Majesty.â
Despite this, my parents seemed really happy that Heinley was so considerate. So was IâŠ
Soon after, we set off for the Eastern Empire. On the way, Heinley rode his horse up to the carriage I occupied with my ladies-in-waiting, and asked through the window.
âMy Queen. How many points do you think I have now with your parents?â
I would have preferred that he didnât ask me this in the presence of other people.
âWhy donât you ask them yourself?â
âRight, I canât trust you.â
âYou canât trust me?â
âEver since My Queen slapped my rear without my consent, Iâve lost trust.â
âHeinley, your voice.â
âI know you like my voice.â
I meant to tell him to lower his voice. But before I could speak again, Heinley whispered sweetly,
âI love you.â
Heâs a⊠fox! No, heâs a mix between a fox dog and a fox bird. Yes, heâs a fox bird dog. Is the latter too offensive?
Heinley couldnât read my offensive thoughts, so he smiled naively when our gazes met. He slipped his head through the small window of the carriage to give me a kiss. Then he straightened his posture on the horse and pretended not to have done anything.
He was as cute as he was naughty, so I reached out with my hand to pinch his thigh. Heinley laughed and grabbed my hand.
âMy Queen, do you remember this path?â
âHow could I not remember it?â
âThat time, we rode on horseback to reach the Western Empire. Sometimes I think about it. Iâll never forget it.â
I wonât forget it eitherâŠ
However, if I agreed with him, Heinley might ask if it was because he had hugged me tightly as we rode together on horseback. Of course it was memorable, but I deliberately changed the focus of the conversation.
âIn my case, what I will remember forever is how I had to escape in the secret space inside a carriage seat, crouched uncomfortably.â
That was true.
Heinley said with a chuckle, âOf course Iâll remember that for the rest of my life, too.â
Then he laughed louder.
After I looked out the window for a while, I closed it and turned my attention inside the carriage.
If I left the window open, Heinley would only focus on me instead of the road ahead.
Heinleyâs words made me vividly remember that day. Our escape was hard and I feared we would be caught, but I was full of hope.
Heinley wrapped his arms around me lovingly and we moved together in one direction, our bodies pressed against each other.
Although I didnât want to experience something like that again, Heinley had definitely been the light in my dark past. Now I could look back on the hard times I went through with a smile.
âMy Queen. My Queen. I just had an excellent idea!â
Unable to resist, Heinley knocked on the carriage window again.
As soon as I opened the window, Heinley matched his horseâs pace with that of the carriage and spoke with enthusiasm.
âMy Queen, how about we ride a horse together when our baby has grown a little?â
âIt sounds like fun.â
âOur child will ride on a foal and McKenna will take care of it, while the two of us ride horses together across the prairie. Donât you think youâd enjoy it?â
âYes.â
But will McKenna enjoy it too?
McKenna, who was riding beside Heinley, didnât look happy at all. When McKennaâs eyes fell on me, I pulled my head back in and closed the window. About five seconds later, I heard McKenna complain to Heinley.
A smile naturally appeared on my face. How could this be so much fun?
Laura, who was sitting across from me, murmured,
âI have never been interested in men, Your Majesty. But when I see you with His Majesty Heinley, I feel like Iâd like to get married too.â
âReally?â
âYes.â
âSo, Miss Laura intends to get engaged soon?â
Another lady in waiting chimed in and I looked at Laura. Her family didnât want her to enter a political marriage too soon. Even Laura herself was not interested in romantic relationships.
But if Laura wished, there were many young nobles from respectable families ready to marry her. When the subject of engagement came up, Laura pondered seriously for a moment and then shook her head.
âNo, thatâs not it.â
âDidnât you say a moment ago that you would like to get married?â
âIt would be fine if he were a man like His Majesty Heinley, but if by bad luck I get a man like Countess Jubelâs husband or His Majesty Sovieshuâ Ouch! Why did you pinch me, Countess?â