Freya ran as fast as her legs could carry her until she was outside the gates. She didn’t dare to look back or even check if Rowan was behind her. First, he was proudly declaring he could fight them all, and her undoing was believing him.

"I’ll kill him myself," Freya gritted her teeth, breathing heavily as she continued to run. She ran aimlessly, unsure of where she was going, but she wanted to be anywhere but there. Those people weren’t smiling, and they looked dead serious, they were out for blood. And not just any blood, hers and Rowan’s.

"Not my blood!" Freya shouted, still running without direction. With her gown ripped and her hair tied to the side, she was able to see clearly where she was going, and her movement was swift.

"Freya!"

Freya heard Rowan’s voice. He was calling her, but she didn’t stop to answer. If they had caught him, then they were his people. He could reach a bargain with them, but not her. As for herself, she was running back to the palace. It had been one adventurous night, but all good things must come to an end, she thought to herself as she continued to run, though her legs were getting weaker.

Finally, she stopped running when she found herself near a river. On the other side was a forest, and Freya knew she had lost her way because they hadn’t passed any river on their way.

"Rowan?" She called, looking around. Maybe she had overreacted by not stopping to answer him when he called. When Freya heard soft footsteps behind her, she slowly turned, only to see a shadow walking toward her.

Instinctively, she bolted again. She didn’t care if she was lost; she could still run away from danger. And if anything happened to her, she was already cursing Rowan in her mind. The steps grew heavier behind her, making Freya realize that the stranger was now chasing her.

"Stay away from me!" Freya screamed into the dark night, flailing her hands in the air as she continued to run. Two strong hands suddenly gripped her by the waist, and they both fell onto the sandy ground, rolling almost to the calm river.

Freya struggled, kicking the figure away from her body with her eyes closed. She wasn’t going down that easily, she thought, ready to put up a fight.

"Leave me alone!" Freya shouted, but her body was pinned to the ground, and she couldn’t move.

"Stop moving, it’s me... silly girl," Rowan said, pinning her hands to both sides and using his legs to wedge hers. "I told you to stop running."

Freya finally stopped moving when she recognized the familiar deep voice of Rowan. She slowly opened her eyes. When she confirmed it was Rowan, she started bawling. "Why did you do that?"

Rowan let go of her hands and helped her up. They both sat on the sand-filled ground. He tried to suppress his laughter; her face looked really funny as she cried with her mouth open.

"You’re laughing! I’m going to kill you." Freya started hitting him again. "You said you could beat them all!"

Rowan chuckled, dodging her hits. "Do you not have a conscience? After all that beating, you want me to still fight? Maybe it was a mistake thinking of taking you as a wife."

Freya’s hand paused mid-air. She now stared at Rowan calmly, thinking about what he had just said. "Mistake?" she asked in a small voice.

"No... what I mean is, Freya, think about it," Rowan said, moving back as the girl started hitting him again.

Freya folded her small hands into tiny fists. "Mistake? So you want to marry the princess of Eridor, right? Come here and let me kill you myself... I can’t give you my first time, and you—" She stopped talking, folding her arms across her chest and looking away.

Rowan noticed the small frown on her face and leaned closer, touching her cheek. "I’m really sorry about that night... It wasn’t my intention not to keep my promise. Those shameless people from Eridor, especially the foolish Queen," Rowan’s jaw tightened when he remembered the shameless woman.

"It’s not something your beautiful ears should hear, but I’m really sorry. You must have waited for me." He had been waiting for this moment to apologize to the girl, and there was no better time than now when they were both vulnerable.

Freya turned her face to the side. "Promise me that even if the world is ending, your first thought will be to stay by my side. And even if you’re about to die, you must come back and hold me first."

"Hmm," Rowan hummed thoughtfully. "That’s very greedy of you." When he saw Freya’s glare, he waved his hand, laughing.

"I promise, I’ll always stay beside you. And I don’t know why I’d go to a place where I’d meet death when I have the most beautiful woman as mine." Rowan twitched his lips, shaking his head slowly.

Freya smiled, covering her face with her hands at Rowan’s declarations that melted her heart. As she was enjoying the beautiful moment, a strong wave passed, moving the waters in a way that scared Freya.

Thinking the water was going to crash to shore and touch them, Freya tried to move back and dodge it, but she fell, and at the same time, Rowan reached out to catch her. He fell on top of her but kept his hands on either side so his weight wouldn’t crush her.

Freya blinked, now looking at Rowan’s beautiful black eyes staring back at her. She moved up her face and kissed his lips.

Rowan brought down his face, kissing her slowly. He used his tongue to part her lips, sucking and caressing her tongue with his. When a soft moan escaped Freya’s lips, Rowan groaned. His hand moved to her thighs, where her gown had risen, exposing her legs.

Rowan felt his shaft tighten against his trousers, bulging out as though it were threatening to escape. He moved his hips, grinding roughly against Freya’s core, though their clothes separated them. He could swear he felt her wetness.

Freya moaned sharply when she felt the hardness of Rowan throbbing on her inner thighs. As he moved his hips, rubbing his hardened member, she closed her eyes, desperately arching toward Rowan, wanting him to rip her dress apart and let them give each other release. She hadn’t realized until now how much she’d missed this feeling.

The feeling of Rowan’s lips on her nipples, his fingers inside her, and finally, all of him buried within her. As Rowan’s grinding intensified, more moans and sighs escaped Freya’s lips, and the passion of their kiss grew more intense.

"Pull it off," Freya whispered, begging for Rowan to undress her.

Rowan brought his face close to her neck, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply before pushing himself back. "We should head back to the palace."

"What?!" Freya shouted, both frustrated and desperate, now mixed with anger. She stood up from the ground and jumped on Rowan, pushing him back and lying on top of him. "Why did you stop?"

Rowan chuckled, raising his hand to touch her face. "I want to do it right this time," he said calmly.

"What are you talking about?! You’ve been doing it right! I don’t think anyone can do it as right as you!" Freya stopped when she noticed Rowan laughing at her.

Rowan’s laughter died down. "I’m so glad you enjoy it too... And trust me, I’d never think I’d hold back, but I just have to... I need to get your father’s approval and treat you like a woman... not just take you anywhere without control."

"I’m not complaining! That’s what I love about you!" Freya cried. "And my Pa, we can still do it, and you’ll get his approval."

Rowan smiled gently. "I won’t be able to control myself if I go in again. I only intend to fill you with my seed, and by that, I mean making you have my children." When he said this, he noticed Freya’s eyes softened, though there was still a hint of anger.

"Let’s go back to the palace, get your father’s approval, and I’ll make sure to lose control inside of you... But I can’t do that without properly making you mine." Rowan touched her face, unable to contain his excitement. She had seen all his dark sides but still wanted him. She was the woman made for him, they were made for each other. Freya was the one who could complete him, and he her. He no longer wanted to keep it hidden; he wanted to scream to the world that she was his.

Freya looked down at his chest, where her hand rested, and stood up quietly. Dusting the sand off her dress and hair, she started walking without looking back. "Let’s go."

Rowan stood up immediately, running after her. "Are you angry? We just have to wait until after our wedding, and—" He tried to touch her, but Freya glared at him.

"Don’t touch me," Freya warned. "If you won’t do what I want, then don’t touch me." She continued walking.

Rowan sighed, ruffling his hair with his fingers. "Freya, please... I just want to be the right man for you." He exhaled, now whispering to himself. "Was it a wrong decision to take her as my wife? She looks scary."

"What did you just say?" Freya turned, glaring daggers at him.

Rowan bowed gently, "Nothing love, nothing at all. I just said the local carriage should be that way... please watch your steps," his voice softened as he followed his woman closely behind but not touching her as she had clearly warned.