Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 196

Riftan wrapped his arm around her shoulders like he was gripping the reins of a foal.

“I’ll show you the room where we’ll be staying in.”

Max followed him down the stairs and glanced up at him.

“Will it be fine for you not to make sure the h-horses...entered the stables?”

“The knights will handle that.”

He replied reassuringly as they walked down the hallway which was glistening with wax like it was polished with oil and opened the most secluded room.

Max peeked curiously inside the cabin from Riftan’s side and observed the dimly lit room. The room cannot be compared to their room at Calypse Castle, but it was spacious and luxurious enough.

She hurried in and plopped on the fluffy bed while Riftan lowered their luggage from his shoulder to the side of the bed with a sound of a thud.

“All the sailors here are men. There are no female servants around to serve you, so if you will be needing anything, tell me.”

He said as he opened the small porthole next to the table, the sunlight seeping through it casted a glow on his face.

“Don’t wander around alone either. No one would dare to do anything to you knowing that you are my wife, but it is better to be cautious regardless.”

Even without his undue concern, Max doubted anyone would pay attention to her, but she just nodded without saying a word.

After a while, they climbed back to the deck when the ship began moving away from the dock. The sailors were busy running around the deck, fulfilling their designated tasks. As the ship moved away from land, the sailors pulled the ropes that hung from the mast, letting dozens of sails unravel.

Max stood by the railing and watched the enormous ship sail into the rough seas. Whenever a strong wave hits the hull, a subtle rocking motion could be felt beneath. Then, the winds began to pick up and the sails inflated like the clouds, the wind blew hard enough to feel like someone was pushing their backs.

Max clung to Riftan’s side as she tried to adjust to the strange sensation of sailing on water. And as if he wanted to reassure her that everything was fine, he gently stroked her back.

“This is your first time on a boat, it is possible for you to feel dizzy. Avoid looking down at the waters until you’ve adjusted. Don’t focus on the rocking motion either as you might get seasick.”

Max was already feeling a bit dizzy, so she took his advice and stepped away from the railings.

She looked over the stern and watched as the city grew farther away from them. Soon, it became a mere hazy dot and they floated lonesome in the middle of the sea. After feeling the sea breeze for a little more while with Riftan, she went back to their room to retire.

Their first day on the ship has gone by very peacefully.

Although Max did feel nauseous for hours when they sailed, she felt better enough after a nap and was able to eat properly when evening came. She went to the dining room with Riftan, ate, and went to bed early. Despite having a nap, her body was heavy, and her limbs felt languid. Perhaps, all the fatigue that had accumulated were crashing to her at once.

As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep. The next day, she did not get up until the sun was in the middle of the sky.

“How’s your seasickness?”

Riftan approached with a cup of water as she dazedly sat up. Max gulped down the lukewarm water and looked at her husband. Riftan wore a pair of casual cotton pants paired with a simple white tunic. Not donning an armor, Riftan looked much younger and refreshed.

“Do you still feel nauseous?”

“N-no. I think...I’m fine now.”

“Don’t strain yourself, stay here and rest. You don’t have to worry about treating the injured nor ride horses while we’re onboard. Do you want me to bring you some food?”

“I would like to...w-wash my face...and change my clothes first...”

Riftan immediately left to instruct the servants to bring food and water for a wash. Soon, a boy no more than sixteen years old brought the water and Max used that to clean her face then combed her hair, gathering it into a loose braid. As she was rummaging in her bags for a change of clothes, Riftan handed her a box.

“I made a favor to get this.”

Max’s eyes widened when she saw an indigo blue dress revealed inside the velvet box. Riftan looked over her outfit with a disapproving look.

“Now, change from those damn pants.”

“What’s wrong with...p-pants.”

Max muttered with a pout but pulled the dress meekly out of the box. It had been so long since she had felt the velvety smoothness of silk that she couldn’t help but have her face light up from the feeling.

Max spread the dress over her body to see the fit with an excited expression. Riftan went and closed the door to the room tightly, then turned to her and stretched out his hand.

“I’ll dress you, turn around.”

“I-I can put it on myself.”

Max hugged the dress to her chest defensively, and Riftan narrowed his eyes at her reaction.

“I’m not planning to do anything foolish until you’ve completely adjusted on living in a ship. So, don’t worry about anything and hand me your clothes.”

Max narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, but finally relented and handed over the dress. Riftan pulled her tunic over her head and loosened the strings to her trousers, pulling it down to the floor. He paused to stare at her body for a moment with his jaw clenched, then placed the dress over her head.

Max inserted her arms through the long sleeves, gleeful at the feel of cool silk cascading gently over her skin.

With great restraint, Riftan pulled the hem of the dress down to her ankles. Then, he gently pulled on the intricate laces at the back and tied them in a knot.

“Great. It looks good on you.”

He turned her around and ran his eyes over her from head to toe. Max blushed when she felt the subtle heated aura around them, but contrary to her expectations, Riftan took a step back and bluntly turned his head away.

“You seem to be feeling better now so let’s have breakfast at the dining hall. Let’s go, it’s better to leave the room before my mind changes.”

Max followed him silently out of the room without asking what he meant. They went a level down and entered the dining hall where they ate a late breakfast before climbing up to the deck. The sky was clear and blue and not a single cloud was in sight.

Max ran to the railing and gazed out at the deep blue sea with linings of white waves. Riftan walked over to her and leaned his elbows against the railing.

“If the weather stays like this, we can get to Levan in a week.”

“How far is the b-battle... from Levan?”

“About three to four days away. When we arrive in Levan, we shall first pass through the central temple. If our timing is correct, we can join the Holy Knights sent from Osiria and leave with them for battle.”

Suddenly, tension spread across his face. “You shall stay at the temple. I will arrange for you to stay at the monastery.”

Max stiffened. When she didn’t reply at once to his statement, he stood up and anxiously placed his hands on her to face him.

“If you don’t want to stay in the monastery, I can speak to the Livadon royal family and they can provide you with a place to stay in the palace.”

“I... I don’t want to be left alone... in an unfamiliar place. If I come along with you, Riftan...”

Max quickly closed her mouth when she saw her husband’s face distort into a chilling frown. Riftan then spoke calmly but it was scarier that way.

“It was already an incredibly difficult decision to bring you along all this way, so enough with that.”

“B-but... the knights need a healer...”

“There are plenty of arch mages and high priests in Livadon, so there is no reason for you to go into further risks.”

Max’s head dropped depressingly. She learned from time that the calmer Riftan is when he argues with her, the more dangerous it is than when he raised his voice. She swallowed dryly then replied in a dejected tone.

“I understand. Then...I’ll stay at the m-monastery.”

Riftan’s shoulders visibly relaxed at her consent. Then, he gently stroked her cheek as if to soothe her.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll make sure your stay there will be as comfortable as possible. Levan Monastery is massive and luxurious, it wouldn’t be a bad place to stay at.”

Max let out a sigh. Did he sincerely believe that she would be able to live comfortably knowing that he was going to be in the face of danger?

If staying by his side meant she had to ride horses all day until her hips broke, or sleep every night on lumpy dirt grounds, then she will sign up without hesitation. She came so far, struggling and undergoing many hardships, but she never regretted a single second of it.

She was truly upset, but she turned and looked out to the sea to hide it. Riftan embraced her silently from behind. When she felt his warm and strong body against her back, she felt even more helpless.

Once the ship docked again, she would have to see him off. She felt a gloomy wind blow against her heart, thinking that she would have to stay in the monastery alone until the battle is over.

Max leaned her head back weakly against his chest.

***

Their voyage continued without a hitch. The ship’s hull would rock violently while sailing through strong winds and large waves but held steady on course.

Max was very nervous at first, now she didn’t even blink at the ship’s slight rocking. However, Max would pretend to be afraid because every time the ship swayed, Riftan would hold her tight and assure her that everything would be alright.

Life at sea was monotonous, but she didn’t feel bored at all. Riftan was almost always with her except when he would go to the ship’s controls. Max was more content than ever, she would beg Riftan to teach her how to use the dagger he had gifted her or learn to play a game of dice that the knights most enjoyed.

No matter how much she bothered him, Riftan never showed a hint of irritation or annoyance. And although she won the dice game against Riftan a lot of times, he would only smile genuinely at her and rip off the gold buttons on his clothes and give it to her as the prize. Then when night came, he would wash her and brush her hair, like a loyal servant.

Sometimes Max even read books to him. When she was too sore for any love activity, they would sit together on the bed and she would read aloud tales of epic ancient heroes or romantic poetry written by bards. He would rest his head on her lap and close his eyes as if he was listening to a sweet music. No matter how bad her stuttering was, she never felt pathetic or foolish when it was around him.

Their time together was so precious that Max even wished the ship would be lost at sea forever. But every time she thought about that, she would be racked with guilt at the thought of Ruth and the other knights with their lives hanging by a thread.

Of course, she was worried about them, but her heart felt like she was being engulfed In flames just thinking that Riftan would leave for such a dangerous place.

Max clung passionately to his arms to ward off anxiety every night and Riftan would reciprocate by lovingly caressing every inch of her body.

He would only take her when he couldn’t hold it back anymore, and Max reacted more intimately at the sensation of their connected bodies. However, after their intense passion, all she could hear were the lonely waves amidst a gloomy silence.

Note – LF: Once again, my standards for men went higher because of Riftan. HE’S THE BLUEPRINT.