The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

The third time Wilder met the strange girl, Richard hadn't been there when it happened. It was a year after they met her the second time. He had chased after her at that time but didn't see even her shadow. The only thing he had found was the dog, which had run for its life.

They had received information about a man who knew some details about the witches' hideout. Richard had led some people to find them, while Wilder had taken a different route with some other men.

When Richard met them again later that night, he noticed the tension in the air and the fact that one of the men was gone.

After inquiring from the others about what had happened, they fearfully whispered to Richard about what had happened. First, the men they had met had no idea about witches and thought they could extort money from the one trying to gather information about them. Unfortunately, that person was Prince Wilder. However, it was too late before they could even regret their actions.

Secondly, they had met a strange girl that had no smell on her. Not only that, she had spied on them and even threatened their friend, who had died, but Prince Wilder did nothing to her. In fact, he had covered her with his cloak and given her some advice before he walked away. He had done nothing!

They could not understand why, nor could they ask him. So they implored Richard to do so and ask Wilder instead.

That evening, Richard did. He met Wilder in his tent. The burning torches properly illuminated his face and how deep in thought he was.

Immediately Wilder looked up and saw Richard's face; he said slowly, "Get rid of all of them."

Richard furrowed his brows, wondering who he was referring to, but he had been with Wilder long enough to know.

He was talking about the three other men who had been with him tonight.

"My... Prince..."

"Should I instead?" Wilder asked.

Richard hesitated, but shook his head and bowed before leaving the tent to do as he had been instructed to.

For the following days, Wilder didn't say anything about that night, and Richard didn't ask either, even though he was dying of curiosity.

It wasn't until after a month had passed that Richard saw her again. It was the third time he was seeing her in close to three years, and whenever he saw her, she looked different--taller, prettier, and more reckless.

Just like right now.

She stood directly in front of the two of them just as they were about to reach the gate of the courtesan's house, where they were supposed to meet with someone.

Richard was about to draw his sword before he recognized her.

Her excitement made Richard confused because the last time he saw her, she was being chased by a dog. How come she was suddenly looking at Wilder as though they were acquainted?

"I waited for you for 38 days," she said while looking at Wilder with sparkling eyes.

Wilder raised a brow at her before he looked around them, and then he looked at her again.

Richard looked back and forth at the two. She hadn't even taken note of his presence.

She waited for 38 days?

Richard's eyes rounded in surprise as he realized they had met and guessed she was most likely the one they had met that night. He also noticed she had a calmer scent around her too, which meant she changed her scent often, so there was only one explanation for that.

"I... wanted to return your cloak, but I forgot it." She said, and when Wilder still didn't say a word, she spoke again, "My name is Anne."

Wilder took an intimidating step toward her, and unlike what they expected, she didn't step back or look scared. In fact, she took one forward too while smiling, confusing the two men.

So it was Wilder who awkwardly stopped and stepped back instead.

"Seize coming here. You look too weak for what may happen to you." His voice was cold, and that made the smile slowly disappear from her face.

"I... can take care of myself just fine."

"Can you?" He asked, raising a brow even higher as though taunting her.

She nodded confidently, not breaking eye contact with him.

A smirk formed on his lips, and he immediately grabbed her by the hand. She let out a small startled squeak, but before she knew what was happening, he was already pulling her with him and walking out of that vicinity.

Richard wasn't sure what he was supposed to do since he still could not understand what was happening between them, but he quickly ran after them and kept a safe distance between them.

"You are hurting me!" Anne cried as she tried to pull her hand away.

Richard looked at where Wilder was holding her around her wrist, wondering what was hurting her there when he wasn't putting in any effort, but to his utter surprise, Wilder let go of her and simply ordered her, "Follow me."

He thought Anne was going to take the chance to run away, and it seemed Wilder thought so too because when Anne indeed followed him, he stopped walking and turned to look at her.

Now, they were in the woods, with barely enough light to guide their paths, but at least they could still see each other.

"Why are you following me?" Wilder asked her slowly, frowning.

"You... asked me to follow you," Anne replied in confusion.

"You were supposed to run away." He said to her, looking annoyed now. "Do you follow everyone who asks you to follow them?"

Anne shook her head. "I don't."

"Then why did you follow me?"

"Because you asked me to follow you!"

"That is not what I am asking!" Wilder snapped, almost making Richard burst into laughter, but he was too intrigued to laugh. It was a sight he had never seen before--a frustrated Wilder.

"Why... did you follow me?" Wilder asked her again. This time, he counted his words and said them carefully.

It was surprising how his intimidation didn't have any effect on the tiny girl.

"Because... I wish to marry you!" Anne blurted out, her face bright red.

"W-WHAT?" Wilder asked, startled.

Even Richard had almost shouted the same thing. He watched with wide eyes.

"Do you... even know who I am?" Wilder asked her in disbelief.

Richard doubted she knew. If she did, she would have already built a temple to worship the goddess that she had survived their first bump those many months ago. And even survived a second one.

"Wilder." She said his name, shocking Richard.

Wilder didn't seem surprised. She had heard them call him that night.

"How old are you?" Wilder asked her.

"I'm 16. But do not worry, I'll be 17 soon."

"I don't wish to marry you." He said blandly, turning down her proposal flatly.

"Why?" She asked with a heartbroken look on her face.

Wilder eyed her as he said, "You are too fragile."

"What... do I do then?" She asked with genuine curiosity and held the hem of his shirt when he was about to walk away.

Wilder slowly turned his head to look at her.

"Learn to protect yourself. With weapons. You will need it." He said dismissively before he walked away from her.

Richard was still trying to process all he had just seen when he heard her loud voice call after Wilder, "I will find you again, my future husband!"

Richard thought he saw a smirk on Wilder's face. But by the time Wilder was closer to him, his face was straight.

The two headed back into town quietly before Richard asked, "She... is one, isn't she?" He asked Wilder hesitantly.

Wilder didn't respond immediately. After a while, he answered, "She isn't."

Richard doubted that.

And for some reason, he wondered if Wilder was thinking the same thing he was.

Were the witches planning to use Anne to get to the Moon Kingdom through Wilder?

If that were the case, he would have to do something and report this to the elders.