Under the Oak Tree



Chapter 47: Chapter 47

Riftan smiled playfully. “‘Rem’ because she’s white? I see that my wife’s imagination is wanting.”

“I-It has a n-nice ring to it.” Maxi did not mention that the inspiration for the name had come from the order of knights under his command.

Just then, a groom came to saddle the horses, and Riftan helped her onto her horse. Still unused to being on horseback, her body stiffened reflexively. She clutched the reins nervously. Riftan, on the other hand, looked perfectly at ease on Talon.

Riftan stared at her awkward posture. “You’re not used to riding, are you?”

Maxi nodded, embarrassed. “I never l-left Croyso Castle. Th-There wasn’t much ch-chance for me to ride.”

“I know. I heard the rumors. It was said that the Duke of Croyso’s eldest daughter avoided the outside world because of her delicate disposition.”

Something in his voice made Maxi nervous.

“I-I didn’t know th-that was how p-people perceived me.”

“The Duke of Croyso is one of the most powerful men in the Western Continent. It’s only natural for people to take an interest in his daughter. And unlike your sister, you never made any public appearances, which only served to inflate their curiosity. I know of a knight who sneaked into Croyso Castle just to catch a glimpse of you.”

Maxi avoided his gaze. She had been entirely unaware of such curiosity. How had Riftan pictured her after he had heard those rumors? Had he imagined a frail woman, delicate as a flower? She knew that there was nothing elegant about her short, thin frame. Tenderhearted and easily frightened, she also knew that such traits failed to make her endearing.

“H-He m-must have been d-disappointed,” Maxi said brightly, trying to mask her self-doubt.

“How so?” Riftan turned to look at her, frowning.

“He w-went through all that t-trouble just to s-see an ordinary-looking w-woman.”

Maxi tightened her grip on the reins as she tried to feign nonchalance. Calling her looks ordinary was generous, but she did not want to go so far as to admit that to Riftan. Her ears turned red.

Riftan slowed down to ride by her side as they made their way toward the back gate. “I have to disagree. I find you charming.”

Maxi smiled awkwardly, certain that he was only being polite. “Th-Thank you.”

Riftan frowned. “It’s not my habit to say things that I don’t mean. If I didn’t find you alluring, you wouldn’t drive me into a frenzy when we’re alone together. Or had you forgotten because we had one peaceful night yesterday?”

Maxi’s whole body flushed with embarrassment. At a loss for words, she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. Riftan leaned in closer and cupped her chin with his hand. Her heart began to pound when she saw the desire in his eyes.

“Perhaps riding was a foolish suggestion. Shall we turn back?”

Maxi shook her head, and Riftan straightened his back with an inscrutable expression. She could not tell whether he was smiling or frowning.

“Then let us hurry. We don’t want the sun to set before we’ve even left the castle.”

Maxi trailed after him, trying to calm her racing heart.

***

They rode through a narrow forest path that led out of the back gate. The only sounds were the rustling and crunching of leaves and the chirping of the birds in the sky. It seemed as if the whole world were asleep.

Maxi observed Riftan as they rode in peaceful silence. He looked gracefully at ease atop his horse. She, on the other hand, had to bend forward and clumsily grip the reins to keep herself from falling. Riftan looked back at her and smiled wryly.

“I didn’t know my wife was such an unpracticed rider.”

“A-As I m-mentioned… I h-had few opportunities t-to ride.”

“Relax your shoulders. Horses get nervous when they sense their riders are tense.”

Blushing, Maxi took deep breaths and tried to loosen her shoulders. But each time the horse moved, her hips bounced, and she felt her body constrict once more. After observing her for a few moments, Riftan brought his horse closer to hers.

“Relax your upper body. Squeeze your thighs to the rhythm of the horse’s movement for balance. Just like when you were on top of m-”

“R-Riftan! Y-You mustn’t say such th-things out loud!”

“Why? It’s just us here.”

“S-Still! I-It’s improper!”

Riftan burst into laughter. “Heavens. I haven’t the least idea why you’re getting so upset. In bed, you were so-”

“R-Riftan!”

Maxi lost her balance as she attempted to cover his mouth, but Riftan swiftly caught her as if he had anticipated her fall.

“All right, all right. Calm down.”

Maxi glared at Riftan, who looked back at her mischievously before leaning down to kiss her forehead. Maxi lost her balance a second time, prompting Riftan to steady her again.

“Looks like I’ll have to teach you the foundations, starting with how to sit on a horse.” Riftan laughed.

“I-I’d be able to r-ride better if you’d just s-stop distracting me,” Maxi muttered.

Riftan’s grin only grew wider. Maxi tried to maintain her haughty demeanor, but she found it difficult to look indignant when she saw his mischievous charm. Each time he smiled, her cheeks went red, and her heart began to beat faster.

“Is that so? So be it then.”

Riftan galloped ahead, steering the powerful stallion with ease with his long, muscular legs. Before long, Maxi realized that he was riding at a pace slow enough that she could catch up. She knew that he was capable of riding like the wind as he had done on his return from Drachium, so this small gesture made her heart swell. No one in her life had cared for her as he had done; she could almost believe that he really did see her as attractive and a good wife.

“You’re not accustomed to riding, but you like animals, don’t you?”

Maxi blinked. “H-How did you kn-know?”

“I once saw you sitting in the garden of Croyso Castle during one of my visits. You were petting a cat you had on your lap.”

Maxi was startled. It had never occurred to her that someone might have been watching her. She tried to recall if she had ever seen Riftan in the garden.

“He was purring away blissfully. I remember it well because everything was so soft and serene.”

“I-It was p-probably the k-kitchen cat that was k-kept for catching mice. H-He was often s-starved because he wasn’t a g-good hunter, s-so I’d feed him in s-secret.”

“So he was trying to repay the favor.”

Riftan looked deep in thought for a moment. Suddenly, he glanced over his shoulder to look at her.

“What else do you like?” Seeing the puzzled look on her face, he smiled bitterly. “I’ve said it before, but you’re veiled in mystery. It’s rare that you reveal anything about yourself. Why are you so reluctant to show me who you are?”

Maxi felt her heart drop. Did he not know the answer to his question? Was he truly blind to her impediment? The way Riftan treated her was so starkly different from her father’s cruelty that she was no longer sure of how she should perceive herself.

“I-I’ve never been r-reluctant…”

“Then tell me about what you like, what you don’t, and what you think about every day.”

“Why d-don’t you g-go first? Y-You don’t t-talk much about y-yourself either.”

“I’m certain I’ve said more about myself than you have.”

He knitted his brows as if he were combing through his memories, then shrugged.

“Very well. Allow me to show you some chivalry. I like horses, wine, and rich food. As a matter of fact, I like anything that fills the belly and pleases the tongue. Other than that, it’s gold, jewels, honor, and powerful weapons. Nothing that an ordinary man wouldn’t like.”

“W-What do you d-detest?”

Riftan snapped off a branch blocking their path with a dagger. “Liars and incompetent fools. I’ve seen too much pompous scum in this world who flaunt their unmerited stations. They’re outnumbered only by riffraff who deceive others for profit.”

Though she knew his words were not directed at her, Maxi felt a chill run through her body.