The royal hunting party thundered through the dense forest, hounds barking as they chased the scent of deer. Laughter and shouts echoed among the trees as nobles loosed arrows or urged their steeds forward.
Rudhra rode ahead, her bow in hand, her posture calm and commanding. Akg trailed close behind, his sharp eyes sweeping the forest shadows.
That was when the hairs on his neck prickled.
There.
A faint rustle — not of deer, but of men hiding where no hunter should be. He tightened his grip on the reins.
"Prince," he said low but firm, "stay near me."
Before she could reply, it happened.
Whistling sounds cut through the air.
Thwip! Thwip!
Arrows rained down from the trees.
"AMBUSH!" a soldier shouted. Chaos erupted as hidden figures in dark cloth sprang from the undergrowth, blades gleaming. Horses neighed in panic, soldiers scrambled to defend themselves.
One assassin lunged straight for Rudhra's unprotected back—
But steel flashed first.
Clang!
Akg's sword intercepted the strike, sparks flying. His eyes blazed with calm ferocity as he shoved the attacker back, kicking him off his feet.
"Stay behind me!" he barked, voice like iron.
Rudhra, momentarily startled, obeyed without argument — something she rarely did.
Another bandit rushed in. Akg pivoted, blade slicing in a clean arc that knocked the man's weapon aside before the pommel of his sword cracked against the attacker's jaw, dropping him cold.
Three more surrounded him.
Akg's movements became a blur — sharp, fluid, and devastating. Every strike was deliberate; every parry redirected force with effortless precision. It was swordsmanship far beyond anything these assassins had seen.
"W-What is this monster—?!" one cried before Akg's blade disarmed him with a single twist.
Meanwhile, Rudhra loosed arrows at those who dared circle from the rear. But her gaze kept darting to Akg — the way he fought was unlike any warrior she'd known.
Not reckless, not boastful… but unshakably controlled. Unyielding.
The last assassin tried a desperate charge, aiming at Rudhra. Akg's eyes narrowed.
He surged forward, faster than the man expected, and with a single sweeping strike, he sent the enemy's sword flying and drove the flat of his blade into the man's chest, knocking him unconscious.
Silence followed, broken only by the ragged breaths of soldiers and the groans of defeated attackers scattered across the forest floor.
Akg lowered his blade slowly, scanning for any stragglers. Then he turned to Rudhra.
"Are you hurt?" His voice softened as his eyes searched her face.
Rudhra shook her head, still holding her bow — but her heart pounded not from fear, but from something else entirely.
She had seen many warriors in her life. But none like him.
For the first time, she felt a flicker of unease… not from the ambush, but from the realization that she was beginning to depend on this man.
"…No," she whispered. Then louder, "Thanks to you."
Her eyes lingered on him a moment too long, before she quickly looked away, hiding the heat in her cheeks.
But in her heart, one truth was certain.
If he had not been here… I might not have survived today.
And with that, Rudhra's trust — and unspoken reliance — on Akg grew deeper than before.
---
The forest had fallen silent again, save for the distant calls of startled birds and the faint rustle of leaves in the wind. The hunting party regrouped, soldiers tying up unconscious assassins and tending to the wounded.
But Akg and Rudhra had stepped away from the crowd, deeper into the shade of an ancient banyan tree.
Rudhra sat on a low rock, her bow resting limply against her knees. Her disguise as "Prince" still clung to her like armor, but her face… her face was bare with emotion.
"You knew," she said quietly, breaking the silence. "Didn't you? You sensed this would happen."
Akg leaned against the tree trunk a few steps away, arms crossed loosely. "The forest felt wrong from the beginning. Too quiet, too still. And…" he tapped his temple, "my instincts never lie."
Her eyes lingered on him. Not just a guard. Not just a swordsman. Something about him felt different, stronger… more unshakable than anyone she had known.
Slowly, her gaze dropped, and she clenched her fists. "If you hadn't been here…" Her voice faltered. She looked away, lips pressed tight. "…I might not be alive right now."
Akg pushed off the tree and walked closer. His shadow fell over her, steady and unyielding.
"You are alive," he said firmly, tilting his head until her eyes met his. "That's what matters. And as long as I'm here… no one will take that from you."
Rudhra's chest tightened at his words. She tried to mask it with a smirk, to play the part of the brave "prince," but the mask cracked. Her voice softened into something more vulnerable:
"…Why do you care so much?"
For a moment, Akg was silent. Then he crouched in front of her, close enough that the warmth of his presence brushed against her skin.
"Because you deserve more than a crown weighed down by enemies in the shadows," he said, his tone low and unwavering. "You deserve someone who sees you — not just as a ruler, but as you."
Her breath caught.
For the briefest instant, she forgot she was dressed as a prince. Forgot the soldiers nearby, forgot the blood still fresh in the leaves. All she saw was the sincerity in his eyes.
Her fingers tightened on her bowstring, the only thing keeping her hands from trembling. She wanted to speak, to say something — but words tangled in her throat.
Instead, she whispered, "…Then don't ever leave my side."
Akg's lips curved into a faint smile. "I wasn't planning to."
The moment lingered, fragile and electric, before the sound of soldiers approaching broke it. Rudhra quickly straightened, pulling her disguise back around her like armor.
But in her heart, the wall she had built over eighteen years had cracked a little more. And Akg was the one slipping through.