I Will Protect You This Time

Episode 18

(The Portal)

It's warm inside the carriage. I wonder why? Even with the fireplace, my room in the Royal Palace was never this warm.

Is it some kind of spell…? No way. If that was the case, this carriage would cost thousands of gold. Does everyone in Fellmirr use this kind of carriage? They sure are wealthy.

Rattle* Rattle*

The carriage was moving through the pine forest. As the carriage window was made of glass, one can see everything outside clearly. The snow wasn't so intense that it could freeze the window.

Looking through the window, it seemed like the trees were running backwards. Huge trees covered with a cloak of snow. But I didn't see a single living creature there. Is it because of the Beastmen? Are they afraid to come out? I wonder...

After an hour or so, the carriage reached a strange place. In a beautiful place in the middle of the pine forest. Although there was not a single pine tree!

It was a round-shaped place. Bushes of Red Roses made the round shape. The whole area was surrounded by thorny vines which had beautiful red flowers. And in one corner of the area, there was a ruined architect covered with thorny vines. It's probably really old.

The Knights and the Carriage stopped at the centre.

How strange! I've never been to this place before. But it seemed strangely familiar.

[

An elder man with long white hair and a child were talking.

"Isn't it be….l?"

"Yes!"

"Hahaha"

"Let's…"

]

Aghh!

My head hurts! It aches so much!

What is happening to me? Who was that? I can't remember his face.

Aghh!

My head! It feels like someone is hitting it with nails.

Huff* Huff*

I lay on the carriage while holding my head with both hands. Suddenly-

"Princess!"

"What's wrong?"

"Does your head hurt?"

Leonus got into the carriage. He then sat on the carriage and took me in his arms.

Huff* Huff*

"Calm down, Princess."

In a minute, my headache stopped as if it wasn't aching to begin with. How strange! This happened the other day too. What's happening to me?

"Are you okay now, Princess?"

Aghh! I totally forgot! He was hugging me!

I hurriedly got up and sat on another seat.

"I apologize! I am causing so much trouble!"

"Princess! Don't!"

"I-I apolo-"

"Don't apologize! Do you think I will kill you if you don't apologize?"

Leonus held my hand and said.

"No…"

"It was painful, wasn't it?"

"..."

Sigh~

"I can't leave you alone for a moment."

Leonus then sat beside me.

"Anyways Princess, we have reached the portal."

"Huh?"

"There."

Leonus opened the window and pointed at the ruined architect.

Vice-Captain Blain was doing something in front of that architecture.

And the other Knights were lighting fire torches and lamps. I wonder why? It's daytime. Even with snowfall, it's not that dark. Is it because of the cold? It's not even that cold here. I read that Winter in Fellmirr is nothing compared to that of Loire. Strange...

Suddenly-

Ching-

Rumble~

The empty wall was glowing bluish light. And in a minute, it turned into a cloudy thing with thunder inside it.

"That's the portal, Princess."

Neigh~

Blaine got on his horse. Along with two other people Blaine went through the portal and disappeared.

Rustle*

Neigh~

After a while, the Knights went through the portal one by one. And in a minute, it was time for the carriage to enter the portal.

Rattle* Rattle*

The carriage started moving towards the portal.

Rumble*

The portal was like a round-shaped door made of cloud and thunder.

Swoosh~

When the carriage entered the portal, it was glowing brightly. I closed my eyes tightly because of the light.

"Princess. Open your eyes. We are in Fellmirr."

I slowly opened my eyes.

Whoosh~

Everything was dark. I couldn't see anything. Probably because it was too bright a few moments ago. But I could hear the sound of heavy snowfall.

"It's evening here, Princess. Welcome to the Fellmirr Empire."

After a minute, I started to see things little by little. It was really dark. And because of the heavy snowfall, I couldn't even see the nearby trees clearly. And the horses in front of me-

Wait, the horses…?! When I saw those on the Loire, they looked like any ordinary horse.

But now, all of them are beautiful pitch-black coloured. Their eyes, heels and mane were on fire. Wherever they put their feet, the snow of that place melted down. And because of that fire, the place around them lit up.

"They are called Speranza, Princess. They reveal their original form only in Fellmirr."

Speranza… I read about them in a book. In Loire, they are called 'The Hell Horse'. But in Fellmirr, they are called 'Hope'. I didn't understand why. But now I understand why they are called that.

In a while, all the Knights passed the portal.

Rumble~

Then the portal closed with a loud rumbling sound. Then it turned back to an old ruined wall.

The Knights then took the lamp they lit before passing the portal and hung it on the corners of the carriage.

"Princess, I will be back in a minute."

Leonus then kissed my hand and got out of the carriage.

Knock* Knock*

"Greetings, Princess. May I come in?"

"Yes."

I wonder who it is.

Creak~

It was Ella. She came in with a beautiful light coloured dress and shawls.

"Princess, is the temperature warm enough for you?"

"Yes."

"His Highness, the Crown Prince used fire stones in this carriage."

Fire Stones?! They are extremely hard to find and cost thousands of gold. And here I thought it would be some kind of spell.

"Princess, you need to change clothes."

"Ah. Okay."

She then helped me change my dress. It was both beautiful and comfortable to wear.

"Here, Princess."

Ella wrapped a furry shawl around me. She tried to wrap another one.

"Wait. I don't need another one. You take that one, Ella."

"But Princess-"

"It's okay. It's warm inside the carriage. You can use this shawl instead."

"Thank you, Princess."

Ella said in a crying tone.

After a while, Ella got out of the carriage and Leonus came in. He was wearing formal clothes.

"Princess, we will go to an inn now. And you can't call me, 'Your Highness' there."

"What? But there will be a lot of people."

"Yes. So that they cannot recognise us, Princess."

"Ah, I see. Then what should I call you?"

"Leon."

"What? But…"

"I will call you 'Bell'."

Bell… My Grandfather called me that.

"Princess! Are you okay?"

"Ah- Yes."

"Okay. Then it's decided. You will call me Leon."

"Bu-"

Rattle*

Suddenly the carriage started moving. Leonus then put his head on my shoulder.

"Don't say anything now, Princess. I'm tired."

Aghh! What am I supposed to do! I screamed silently.