The afternoon wind blew sand across Scorched Grave desert and over Chinua, but the sand that occasionally disturbed her eyes did not affect her mood but instead affected the many thoughts swirling in her mind.
No matter how many scenarios or credits Chinua tries to give to the man she believes dared to assassinate her; the same name still pops up in her mind. She knew from the moment she left the palace for the Northern Army Camp, that her fate was already full of danger. This idea has been around for a long time. From the day she walked out of the palace, she knew that only Khunbish and Khenbish could not always protect her from all threats coming towards her, so whenever there was a chance, she would choose someone who had nothing to lose to sell his life to her. Only in this way can more royal subordinates be willing to risk their lives to protect her and help her achieve her goals.
On the wooden wagon, Drystan sat looking at Chinua's back, if no one told him that Chinua was a woman, he thought Chinua was a man. He had traveled to many kingdoms, offended and tasted many beautiful women, but Chinua was unlike any woman he had met before. Not far from Naksh, the young woman riding her horse looked harmless but somehow Naksh did not dare to offend her. This made Drystan wonder why a scary-looking man like Naksh would follow this young woman who was only as tall as Naksh's shoulders.
Riding his horse behind Chinua, at first, Naksh didn't understand, but when he clarified the situation and Chinua's title, Naksh knew why someone wanted to kill Chinua. He understands this because he has experienced it himself. He knew very well that as long as you were an obstacle to someone's goals, they would find a way to get rid of you, but at the same time, Naksh didn't understand why that person was Chinua. As far as he knew, throughout history, princesses were born to be gifts and possessions for others. Princesses have only royal titles but no power, and they exist only to secure the borders between kingdoms.
"You've been staring at Chinua for a while," Hye asked. "What are you thinking?"
Naksh turned to looked at Hye who rode beside him. Although the sand had blocked the view of Hye's face and he couldn't see clearly, Hye's firm voice made him turn to look at Hye.
Naksh said, "I know why someone wants to kill Chinua, but I don't understand."
Hye asked, "What is that you don't understand?"
Naksh said, "As far as I know, people with the title like Chinua only exist to be gift to others."
Hye smiled and said, "But Chinua is not like those people who only have titles."
Naksh said, "Any kingdom would do this. I am sure it is the same even in Hmagol."
Hye sighed and looked at Naksh, he said, "Did you not hear anything at all last night?"
Naksh said, "We were woken up by your voice and only heard the end of your conversation."
Hye smiled and said, "Then I believe Chinua will tell you the reason sooner or later. You are Chinua's subordinate now."
Drystan chuckled and said, "It's so funny how two grown-ass men are willing to bend their knees to a young woman."
Naksh looked at Drystan lying on the wagon, with his eyes closed and a smirk on his face. "Better keep your mouth shut, kid, or you're going to have to walk from here until we get to the first rest stop."
Drystan turned to look at Naksh, but when he opened his eyes, he had to quickly close them as a gust of wind roared past him. "I suggest you avoid the first rest stop," Drystan said.
Hye asked, "Oh, why? Are you planning a plot against us there?"
Drystan said, "I don't know. Maybe..." He laughed.
Naksh was about to jump on the carriage and knock Drystan unconscious when he noticed dark clouds gathering in the distance and the wind speed increasing.
"Chinua!" Naksh shouted and quickly galloped towards Chinua. "Chinua, we have to hurry up."
Chinua asked, "Why?"
Naksh pointed to the left and said, "Look at those dark clouds."
Chinua looked at the dark clouds in the distance and saw the strong wind gathering in the distance, but because this was Chinua's first time in the desert, she didn't know what she should look at, so she turned to Naksh and asked, "What am I supposed to look at?"
Naksh said, "The wind is gathering sand, which means there is a sandstorm heading directly towards us. We have two options: either run for the shelters or start digging holes to hide."
Hearing Naksh's word, Hye and Drystan looked at the gathered clouds.
Hye said, "We have nothing to dig with."
Chinua looked at Naksh asked, "Will it come our way?"
Naksh said, "The sandstorm is coming towards us now, but if the wind direction changes, the sandstorm may change direction. It's hard to say."
Chinua said, "Let's make a run for it." Chinua grabbed the rope by the saddle and threw it to Drystan. "If you don't want to be buried in the sand, you'd better tie the rope tight."
As the wind began to pick up speed, Jeet and Khawn stood in front of the huts, waiting for Chinua and the others. The pair found more sand swirling in the wind, making it difficult for them to open their eyes.
"Will they make it?" Khawn said with a heavy heart.
Jeet stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest and said calmly, "They will make it. You just have to be ready to push the wagon into that barn. We can afford to lose the horses, but we cannot lose the peanut sacs."
As the two continued to watch, a group of ten people had already approached the huts on horseback.
"Brothers!" one of the men said with a happy tone. "Is there somewhere we can hide from the sandstorm?"
Jeet looked up at the ten people and said, "There are already people living in those small huts. Go and ask if there is enough room for the ten of you."
Another man asked, "What about that barn? Can we take shelter there?"
Jeet said, "The barn has been occupied." Jeet watched the ten people get off their horses and dragged the horses towards the ten small huts. He turned to Khawn. "Tonight, we need to be extra careful."
Khawn asked, "Why?"
Jeet scoffed and spat on the ground. "Those people are not ordinary people. If my guess is correct, they are imperial officials or some kind of hitman."
Khawn asked, "How could you tell?"
Jeet turned to looked at Khawn and said, "From experience, kiddo. You may fight well, but you lack experience. You still have a long way to go." He turned to look at the swirling wind and when the sound of horse hooves was heard in the distance, he gently patted Khawn's shoulder. "I think that's Chinua and the others."
Khawn asked, "How did you know it was them?"
Jeet chuckled and said, "Like I said, experience. Didn't you hear the sound of the wagon wheels rolling?" Khawn shook his head. "Go open the door so we can push the wagon inside."
Khawn quickly rushed to the barn and began to open the door.
Although the wind was picking up a little faster, Chinua could barely see ahead, but as she got closer, she saw a figure standing a few yards away from her, arms folded over their chest. Chinua stopped her horse in front of Jeet.
Chinua dismounted and asked, "Where are we staying for tonight?"
Jeet pointed to the barn and said, "It's over there, but the place is not big enough to accommodate the horses."
Chinua asked, "What are you suggesting?"
Jeet said, "I have no other suggestion except the stable."
Chinua said, "The stable is good enough for the time being."
Jeet yelled, "Khawn, come and take the horses to the stable." He turned to Chinua and grabbed Chinua's right arm. "Chinua..." He leaned closer to Chinua, making sure he wasn't too loud for Drystan to hear him. "In one of the ten huts, there were ten armed men. I believe that are hitman."
Chinua looked at Jeet and said, "I understand."
After secured the horses in the stable, Naksh, Jeet, and Khawn covered the stable as best they could, then went to the small barn and closed the door tightly.
Drystan, who was sitting in the corner of the barn, looked at the men and found that the man was extremely cautious. He smiled proudly. "It's good that you guy took extra caution..." he said.
Hye said, "Since we rescued you, you should be nice to us and tell us what we need to know so that we can take extra precautions."
Drystan said with a smile, "Ah, I didn't expect that two days later I would be back where I originally tried to escape from."
Naksh said, "Heaven must be blind to let you live until now." He pulled out a katar from the scabbard on the side of his thigh and began to sharpen the blade.
Chinua walked to Drystan, lowered her body, stared at Drystan and said in a very firm and unmoved tone, "We are in the same boat. If someone attacks us tonight, you will also be attacked. Only by standing with us, you will live to see the sunrise tomorrow." Chinua raised the corner of her mouth and smirked at Drystan. "You are not the first or the last smart mouth person to try to play mind games with me." She moved herself closer to Drystan. "No matter how loud the wind howls. The wind can never bring the mountain to her knees."
Jeet looked at Drystan and said, "You know Chinua is right. Your only chance is with us." He fit the scabbard straps across his chest.
Naksh looked at Drystan, smiled and said, "Kid, how about you bend your knees now?"
Seeing the shadow lurking outside the barn, Naksh threw away the stone on which he was sharpening his katar, and with his left hand drew another katar from the scabbard tied to his left thigh. "Here they come," he said, turning his head towards the closed door.