Married To Darkness-Chapter 405: Thalia & Heappal

Meanwhile,

The forest canopy filtered the sunlight into thin threads of gold and green, and the horse’s hooves thudded softly over mossy ground. Thalia sat in front of Heappal on the saddle, her back pressed against his armored chest, his arms firm around her as he guided the reins.

It had been five days since they fled the castle. Two days since the pirates attacked, and chaos tore their group apart. Emma, Sarah, Jaefel, and Samion had been dragged aboard the pirates’ ship. Thalia and Heappal had barely escaped into the woods through a side tunnel.

Now, they rode alone, no maps, no sure destination, just the fading hope that they could somehow find Prince Alaric and Lady Salviana before the bounty hunters did.

"How much farther?" Thalia asked, breaking the silence after endless hours of silence.

Heappal grunted, not bothering to answer immediately. "We need to find higher ground," he said finally. "If I can get a vantage point, I might spot the city line or at least the river trail."

Thalia sighed and leaned back slightly, trying to ease the ache in her back. "You’re not much of a talker, are you?"

"Talking wastes energy."

She smirked. "That’s what makes life interesting though. Energy well-spent on a charming conversation, maybe a compliment or two?"

Heappal didn’t respond.

She rolled her eyes. "You know, you could at least pretend to enjoy my company. I’ve been told I’m rather delightful."

"You’re tolerable," he said flatly.

Thalia’s mouth fell open in exaggerated shock. "Tolerable? That’s the highest praise I’ve ever gotten from a knight in armor. I might swoon."

Heappal kept his gaze ahead, jaw tight.

It wasn’t that he was cruel—just...distant. Stern. All business. Thalia had spent the past two days trying to charm him with everything from soft smiles to playfully brushing her hand against his. Nothing landed. In fact she had been trying since from the castle. He is her first love.

She had once thought maybe he liked her. Or could. But now, the silence between them was heavy with the truth: He didn’t.

They stopped in a clearing near a crumbled ruin. Heappal dismounted first and helped her down. She wobbled slightly—riding for hours in a tight corseted maid’s gown was no easy feat.

Heappal tied the reins to a low branch. "We’ll rest here. I’ll look for water. Stay hidden."

Thalia sat on a stone, brushing dirt from her skirts. She watched him disappear into the trees, his hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes scanning the woods.

She was alone again.

Minutes passed. A bird chirped somewhere above. Thalia dug into the saddlebag and found some stale bread and dried meat. She nibbled, lost in thought.

"They must think we’re dead," she whispered to herself. "Emma, Sarah... Jess... even lady Salviana. Gods, I hope she’s safe."

Her stomach tightened. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold.

Heappal returned shortly after with a small flask of water. He handed it to her, then sat a few feet away, sharpening his blade.

"You don’t think they’ve been caught, do you?" she asked.

He didn’t answer immediately. "I think Prince Alaric is smarter and stronger than that."

"But they don’t know they’re being hunted and this hunters can be brutal," she whispered.

"If you’ve seen Miss goliath’s personal guard you’ll know they are going tp survive," he talked long this time.

"And what about Salviana?"

He looked up at her, his expression unreadable. "She has our lord. That’s enough."

Thalia nodded slowly. Then she looked away, gathering her courage.

"You know, Heappal... I used to think you were kind underneath all that armor. Just... shy, maybe."

He paused in his sharpening.

"But you’re not. Are you? You’re just... closed. Locked away."

He looked at her. "This isn’t the time to talk about feelings, Thalia."

Her heart sank. "Of course not. It never is with you."

She stood and walked to the edge of the clearing, arms folded.

Behind her, Heappal sheathed his sword.

"I don’t dislike you," he said quietly.

She turned to face him, eyes searching his.

"You just don’t like me."

He didn’t confirm or deny. Just stood, tall and guarded.

A breeze stirred the leaves. In the distance, they heard the sound of hooves. Not their own.

Heappal moved instantly. He pulled her down behind the stone, crouching with one hand on her shoulder and the other gripping his sword.

"Bounty hunters?"

He nodded.

Thalia’s heart pounded.

They stayed still, breath shallow, until the hoofbeats faded.

When it was safe, he rose and helped her up again.

"We need to keep moving, and oh– i just don’t like you the way you want to be liked" he said.

"I want to be loved," she whispered.

"Let’s move," he grumbled.

She nodded, face unreadable now.

They mounted the horse again, silence thick between them. But this time, Thalia didn’t try to flirt or joke.

This time, she simply held on and stared ahead, hoping—just hoping—that they found the others soon.

Because the woods were closing in.

And hope was starting to run thin.

The forest had been oddly quiet for an hour now. Every bird seemed to hold its breath. The rustling of leaves was soft, gentle like whispers between ghosts. Thalia shifted on the horse behind Heappal, her arms loosely wrapped around his waist. He was tense, as always, as if carved from iron.

"We can’t keep riding forever," she murmured, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "We need to stop soon."

"We stop when it’s safe," Heappal replied, voice clipped. "Not when you get tired."

She pouted at his back. "You’re really no fun, you know. Most men would appreciate having a pretty woman clinging to them for hours."

Heappal didn’t even grunt a response.

Thalia sighed heavily and suddenly leaned to the side, eyes catching the pale light between the trees. She jumped off the horse and stormed toward a large oak tree, boots crunching into dead leaves.

"Thalia!" Heappal barked. "Don’t wander!"