Chapter 13 - Escaping

The sun had risen, casting its rays through the window upon the prince’s face. Sehun opened his eyes, lying on his side on the bed, facing Irene, who was still asleep in his arms. A smile touched his lips, his gaze on her peaceful sleeping face as he moved a strand of her honey brown hair that fell on her cheek.

Last night, the fire incident at the stables had frightened her. It must have reminded her of what had happened inside the woods. The tragedy that had killed a mother and a daughter.

It had made her traumatized, and he hadn't wished that she would have remembered a memory of her past through that incident. His heart ached from knowing how much pain she had been through.

Yet, she had kissed him last night. What had made her do that? Her eyes had shown that his real Irene had been there, so had her love. His Irene had been kicking inside her.

And he missed her. He missed her so much. The way she loved him and involuntary taught him how to love. They had shared their kisses again, and she had let him stay with her in his room to calm her down, to make her feel safe. That had led them to closing their eyes together and falling asleep on his bed.

She needed him, just like she always did since their very first encounter.

He brushed his fingers across her cheek. His intense eyes reflected his longing for her.

Nothing could top what he was feeling inside. There was a hope that she would remember him again. Someday.

A sigh escaped from his lips. He smiled and sat up carefully in order not to wake her up before sliding out of bed to take a bath.

I won't let you suffer anymore, my Irene.

He had made a vow to himself.

Irene opened her eyes, only to find Sehun nowhere on the bed. She sat up. What had happened last night? She had had a breakdown. What the hell had she felt last night? It was a deep . A really deep .

How could it not be? It had been as if she had missed the prince, like the world had only revolved around them, and suddenly they had kissed. Heck, she was the one who had initiated it. Now, would she ever be able to explain that to Won? No, she wouldn't.

And now that sane and reality had come back to her, a thing crossed her mind, which was dead important. Sangju. It was going to be destroyed, and she shuddered at the thought of it.

"Woke up already?"

A voice startled her, and she turned her head to find her husband standing at the door with a smile on his face, already dressed in his knight suit with full armors. It looked like he was ready to leave.

"Uh—yes," she faltered and rose from the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Sehun approached her.

"I'm feeling better now."

Lie. She was worried to death about Sangju and her family.

"I'm going to leave soon, but I'll be back before dark. If you need anything, just let everyone know. I told Tzuyu and Taeyeon to keep you company." He her shoulder.

Irene nodded before staring up at him. "Can I take a walk with them? I still find it difficult to find my way in this area. I need to get some fresh air." It was more like a demand.

"You can go wherever you want within the area of this castle, but I'm afraid you can't go beyond that," he stated, his voice firm. "Not outside this castle. And moreover, most of the soldiers will be out with me."

How she wanted to argue, yet it would be useless. However, she noted his last sentence and just nodded again in response.

Sehun smiled and sighed. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, and she shut her eyes. Gasps echoed from the doorway, where two girls had just arrived and couldn’t hide their excitement at the sight before them.

"Tzuyu, Taeyeon," Sehun muttered.

"Don't worry, Sehun. We will take care of her while you're gone," Tzuyu exclaimed, approaching Irene while dragging Taeyeon behind. She then looped her arm around Irene’s neck, while Taeyeon, who stood beside her, broke into a wide smile.

Sehun chuckled at the three of them and held Irene's hand before stepping backward to the door. "Take care. I'll try to get back as soon as I possibly can today." He sounded like he was reluctant to leave and to let go of her hands. A soft smile touched his lips as he mouthed 'bye', and his fingers finally let go of hers as he his heels to walk out of the room.

Tzuyu couldn't help but sigh dreamily, watching her brother, who was so loving to his wife. She and Taeyeon clung at Irene, giggling, while Irene just plastered an awkward smile.

"What do you think of my brother?" Tzuyu asked as the three of them strolled across the back yard of the castle.

Irene was startled.

"Come on. He's not that bad, right?" Tzuyu winked.

Irene didn't know what to answer. Indeed, she was grateful that he had saved her last night, and she had felt safe in his arms. But she just couldn't deny the fact that he had forcefully kidnapped her and married her, taking her away from the people she loved.

"What is it that you don't like about Sehun?" Taeyeon sighed.

"He's a selfish, rude, arrogant prince—" The sentence stopped short as she realized what she was saying, and to whom she was speaking.

"As in charming, reliable and loving?" Tzuyu bat her eyelashes, and Irene couldn't help but blush.

"It's not like we've known him forever, but I know that you're very important to him," Taeyeon added. "You should see that."

Okay, so now Irene knew that no one was on her side.

"I was relieved that he managed to save you last night," Tzuyu said. "I'm sorry for what happened. It must have been frightening for you being trapped in the fire." They spotted the stables and headed towards it. "But the place is fine. Look at that."

Tzuyu was right. Parts of the stables had been destroyed by the fire, but the majority of the place was fine although some soldiers were still fixing it. They stepped into the place, and Irene’s heart sank. Had she really been here last night? It had been a nightmare for her and didn’t feel like it was the first time.

"Oh, Irene. How could you even survive having experienced something like this?" Taeyeon shuddered, her eyes traveling around the place. "I would have been traumatized if it had happened to me."

"Sehun was there with me all the time," Irene said. "I wouldn't have calmed myself down if he hadn't stayed with me the whole night." Her confesssion made Taeyeon and Tzuyu gasp.

"You spent the night together?" they shouted at the same time, their voices filled with excitement.

Irene cringed at their loudness. How she wanted to slap herself for blurting out. Yet she just gave them a weak nod, and they beamed with happiness.

"What happened? Did you remember anything?" Tzuyu urged.

"A bit," Irene said, for she couldn't deny that she had seen some scenes flashing back in her mind. When she remembered what she had done to him last night, her face turned crimson from embarrassment.

Tzuyu and Taeyeon both noticed this.

"Don't tell me… Something happened, right?" Tzuyu studied her and gripped her shoulder, curiosity rising within her. "Did he kiss you?" she gasped.

"What? Kiss?" Irene stammered, and her blush turned even worse that her face was as red as a boiled crab.

Bingo. Nice shot, Tzuyu. Irene was very easy to read. Poor Irene.

"And you let him do that?" Taeyeon asked, a smirk on her face.

"What? No way," Irene denied. "I wouldn't—Oh God, I wouldn’t let him do that to me ever."

"It's no use lying to us. It's all written on - your - face," Tzuyu said. "You two kissed. That's the fact. No need to deny it."

"That's like….sooo sweeeet," Taeyeon exclaimed, clasping her hands in front.

"No, it's not like that." Irene felt like pulling their hair for what they were thinking in their minds.

"What else are you trying to say, my dear? You two kissed. Or… Don't tell me…. Did he force you to do that?" Tzuyu's eyes widened while Taeyeon gasped.

"I don't think Sehun would have done something like that. He wouldn't force her… or would he, Irene?" Taeyeon lifted her hand to .

"Do that? Do what? What are you talking about? I wouldn't let him force me to do anything," Irene tried to knock some sense to them, so they wouldn't misunderstand.

"But you two did kiss, or whatever it was beyond that, even if you deny it and feel ashamed to admit it. So, he must have forced you to do that, and you just couldn't push him away," Taeyeon concluded, her eyes twinkling.

"He can't order nor force me to do anything. I kissed him," Irene argued, but instead of fixing things, she had created more damage.

Now, devilish smiles crept on Taeyeon's and Tzuyu's lips. Satisfaction was what they felt. They had accomplished their goal. Irene had spilled it. And they were more than happy to welcome the truth.

"You kissed him," Tzuyu repeated the sentence, her heart screaming in victory. No wonder her brother had been so happy this morning.

"You remember him." Taeyeon smiled.

"No, I didn't. I saw him as someone else," Irene denied, storming toward one of the horses. How she hated herself for spilling the truth.

Tzuyu and Taeyeon shook their heads. Could she just stop acting stubborn?

Irene pulled the rein of a black hor