Villainess Becomes The Knight

William pov

"How do you know that?'' I could not help but ask her. I did not know that she had so much knowledge about herbs and medicines. It never felt to me in the first place that she was so knowledgeable, as if she had spent fair share of her life in the woods. But it still could have been a coincidence, as she said she had read about it in her free time. 

But knowing about the path was absolutely impossible unless you have been here before.

"I just remembered it when I rode here." she replied nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders and i frowned.

The speed of the horse was too high to notice the path.

"Are you sure? Because i did not notice the path.'' I replied and she smirked.

"You did not notice the path because your whole eyes were on me.'' Alright, I could not refuse her words. I was too worried. For a moment I felt that I had lost her again. And it was such a terrifying moment that I shuddered just by remembering them.

"It is alright. You can trust me." she replied in a soft voice.

'Sigh, little bird! If only I could explain to you, you are the only one whom I trust.'

I nodded as I held her tightly in my arms and then started walking towards the direction she said. It was the first time I have held a woman too close, and that was also her! I was afraid that I would go crazy just by this little intimacy.

I took deep breaths as I started walking but soon I felt the shaking of land and my steps halted. I knew this vibration well.

"Little birds, they are close." i informed her but it looks like she already knew since her face was already grave.

"We need to hide" she shook her head, but I was sure we would not be able to outnumber them or run before they could reach here.

"They will smell our blood. Hiding on the tree would be like serving ourselves to them on a golden platter." she replied, shaking her head.

"But we will not be able to run fast in this condition too.'' I sighed as I looked around. Though there were very tall trees where they would not be able to reach, if they shook the tree together, it would break in no time and we would be on the ground.

"What is in your mind, little bird?" I asked as it looked like she had a plan.

"Have you ever played dead, your highness?" she asked with a smirk.

"Well, I can die for you any moment you want." I replied honestly and she shook her head.

I was always honest to her, but she did not believe me at all.

"There is a plant called Bolligainia. It has a very foul smell that even herbivores did not touch that plant. If we hide ourselves in it. The bear would not be able to smell us or blood. And would not come near us. But for that we have to control our breaths and movements if they come too close." she replied seriously as she pointed towards a tree that was not tall enough but too dense. If we try we could hide in its branches.

"Alright, it is not like we have many choices." I replied as I held her tightly in my arm and moved towards the plants she pointed.

True to her words. The tree had an awful smell, and I felt like vomiting.

"You have to control your highness. If you vomit or sneeze again and again, it will only take a second for the beasts to know about us." she was looking like she was not affected at all by the smell that had already affected my whole nervous system.

"Sigh, bring me close to your body." she said with a frustrated sigh but my eyes widened listening to her words and my face turned red.

"I mean, hug me closer and try to take a breath closer to my body so that you do not feel the smell of the plant but my body." she replied and i turned stiffer than before.

Smelling her! Would I be able to control myself and hold myself together if I smell her for such a long time? When she would be embraced in my arms. Only thinking about it was increasing my heartbeat as if i was running a marathon or fighting with the bears.

"Look, it is not like I want you to smell me this close, that is the only option we have to survive." she replied in an annoyed tone bringing me back to my senses.

'Of course, what was I even thinking! She already has a lover and she never looked at me the way I look at her. In this life she was not mine!' a bitter taste filled my mouth with that thought and I long forgot the awful smell of the tree. But if I could only get a hug from her, even that was sufficient to live my desire to have her.

"Hurry up," she replied as I heard the footsteps coming closer. The sound was clear and distinct now.

"Alright, come here." I moved behind the branches and laid her there gently, then I broke a few upper branches so that we could cover ourselves completely.

When I was satisfied that we could not be seen from any corner. I looked at her awkwardly but then walked closer and sat beside her.

She moved closer to my lap and wrapped her arms around my body and hid her head in my chest. My chin was on the crook of her neck and her sweet honey smell filled my nostrils.

It was a euphoric feeling to be this close to her and I closed my eyes to let myself get engulfed in it.

"They are here." she murmured as the land started shaking further.

  "They must be around a dozen." I replied as I felt the footsteps of theirs.