The flickering embers cast dancing shadows across the cave walls as Noori remained immersed in her spellcasting. Her voice, barely audible above the dying crackle of the flames, wove through the ancient incantations passed down through generations.
Dastan's eyes remained fixed on Noori, observing the subtle movements of her chest as she channeled her powers. A peculiar warmth enveloped him, accompanied by a dizzying sensation that blurred the boundaries of the cave around him.
Unaware of Dastan's growing discomfort, Noori's brow furrowed in concentration as she continued her chant, her focus unyielding.
As the spell approached its crescendo, Dastan felt a tightness grip his chest, his vision swimming with ethereal light. He reached out instinctively for support, but found only empty air as the world spun around him. Noori, consumed by her spellcasting, remained oblivious to his distress.
Dastan's breathing became shallow and erratic, tremors coursing through his body as he teetered on the edge of collapse. With a sudden gasp, Noori's attention snapped to Dastan's faltering form, her heart racing with alarm.
"Did you pass out?" Noori's confusion was palpable as she struggled to support Dastan's weakening frame. Cold sweat beaded on his brow, his ragged breaths brushing against her neck.
With a sense of urgency, Noori searched for a suitable place to lay Dastan down, her mind racing with uncertainty. As his cold breath tickled the nape of her neck, Noori's skin prickled with unease, a sensation she had never experienced before.
Suddenly, her gaze snapped towards the mouth of the cave, a defensive instinct kicking in. "Someone is here!" she declared, her hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at her belt.
The cave fell into an eerie silence as Noori's words hung in the air, her senses heightened by the presence of an intruder. Dastan lay unconscious in her arms, his breathing shallow and labored, as she scanned the darkness beyond the mouth of the cave.
A chill ran down Noori's spine as she strained to listen for any sign of movement outside. The distant sound of hoofbeats grew louder, echoing off the walls of the cave, as she braced herself for whatever danger lay ahead.
Noori's senses heightened as she heard the sound of someone dismounting outside the cave. With Dastan's weight still pressing against her, she slowly lifted herself up, one hand tightly gripping him while the other reached out cautiously.
The man outside was clearly determined to gain entry, his voice commanding his companions to break through. Before his words could even finish echoing through the cavern, the thick icy layer sealing the cave entrance shattered with a deafening crash, sending a cascade of snow and ice tumbling inside.
Shielding her eyes from the onslaught, Noori braced herself against the force of the debris, her focus unwavering. As the chaos settled, she carefully set Dastan down on the ground, her movements swift yet deliberate.
With a steely determination, she rose to her feet, her eyes blazing with defiance. "If you dare take one more step," her voice reverberated through the cavern, each word dripping with authority, "I swear upon my title that I will burn you alive!"
Her threat hung in the air, thick enough to breathe. Each echoing step in the cave struck like a countdown. Noori's hand stayed wrapped around her dagger, her muscles pulled tight as bowstrings. The blinding white light at the mouth of the cave made it impossible to see who approached—only a tall silhouette cutting through the glare.
Then a voice broke through."Princess?"
The word hit her like a slap. She knew that voice. Even buried under snow and echo, she would've known it anywhere. Farris.
Her grip faltered, and for the second time that day, she had drawn steel on someone she shouldn't have. The dagger slid back into its sheath with a soft rasp.
Farris stepped closer, the light outlining his figure, his face still hidden in shadow. "Princess, what are you doing here?" His tone was urgent, tinged with something she couldn't name—concern, maybe, or disbelief.
Noori instinctively moved a step back, guarding the unconscious Dastan behind her. Farris stopped, his hands half raised as if torn between touching her and keeping his distance. The air between them thickened, heavy with things left unsaid.
His voice softened, just a fraction. "Is the prince alright?"
"He should be," she replied curtly, her words clipped and dry.
He exhaled through his nose, the tension in his jaw betraying what his words didn't say. "Guards!"
The shout cracked through the cave, and three Solyrian knights rushed in, snow crusted on their armor. Their gazes flicked between Noori and Farris, confusion and fear mixing on their faces.
"Take the prince back to the palace," Farris ordered, his voice sharp.
"Yes, Your Highness." They moved quickly, their eyes lingering on the cloak draped around Dastan—hers. Farris noticed but said nothing, his silence pressing heavier than words as they carried the prince away.
When the last of them vanished into the snow, only Farris and Noori remained.
The silence between them stretched. She refused to look at him, but he couldn't stop looking at her. The question left his mouth before he could stop it.
"Why did you marry him?"
Her head snapped up. The bitterness in her laugh cut through the cold like a blade. "What right do you have to ask me that?" she said, her voice low and trembling with restrained anger. "Don't pretend you know me, Duke Not after what you did."
Her jaw locked, fists curling at her sides. A single tear shimmered in her eye, stubborn and unshed.