Rowan's POV:

My eyes open when I hear muffled crying. I jump up, terrified that someone caught up to us, and if Ciaran is already captured, that's a shame for him, but I'm leaving.

When I turn toward his cries, I find his calf caught in one of my barbed wire traps, his limb bleeding as he tries to keep from crying too loud.

"What happened?" I ask, rushing over to him and trying to remove the wire from him without leaving injuries. "Ciaran?"

He looks up at me with teary eyes, and I surprise myself by actually being worried for him. Genuine worry, not just because I'm a decent person who shows compassion.

"I had to use the restroom, so I tried to get away from this space to do so and I forgot about the traps!" he explains, crying as I remove the barbs from his skin. "I didn't mean to wake you!"

I finish getting the wire from his skin and wrap it in the extra bandages I brought for myself, in case of injury.

Ciaran is just a mess, to be honest. If he hadn't freed me, I would never have considered taking him with me at all. However, I still feel as though I owe him, and he clearly needs some help. The boy has not spent much time out in nature, not like I have.

"It is alright that you awoke me," I tell him. "Now we can depart and get to my kingdom."

He looks so stressed and nervous, so I pat his back reassuringly. Ciaran tenses but doesn't push me away, so I take that as his okay to touch him and lift him onto my horse.

I climb on behind him today, just so I can keep an eye on his leg in case he bleeds through the bandage. I know that Ciaran will not say a word unless he is in immense pain or discomfort, so I need to keep an eye on him.

We ride all day long, and since we are a bit anxious that someone is following us, we really pick up the pace and reach one of the small villages that is a few hours outside my kingdom.

"Good evening," I say as we arrive in the town, and many of the people recognize me.

They bow, but I ask them to stand up when the do so. Technically, they are not my subjects because they are not part of the villages that belong to my kingdom, so they do not owe me a bow.

"I was wondering if you have a home available where we can gain shelter for the night?" I ask, before looking Ciaran up and down. "And maybe some clothing?"

Someone looks at the bellybutton ring on Ciaran and wrinkles their nose in disgust.

"I thought Arlian did not keep sex slaves?" she asks, pointing at Ciaran. "We do not do that here."

I raise an eyebrow. "He is not my sex slave," I say, highly offended that they'd think I'm a slave holder.

"He saved me from an evil Master in Vayl," Ciaran says, sounding confident and I'm grateful he is being bold and saying this, though I'm sure he'd prefer not to speak at all.
He points at his jewel on his belly button. "He did not do this to me."

The woman nods. "We will get you clothing," she tells us, before pointing at a house. "That home is empty and saved for visitors. You may use it."

I walk toward the small house, Ciaran following me closely. There are two rooms, but it is probably going to be cold tonight since a fire has not been lit yet and it will not warm up fast enough, so I will not be surprised if Ciaran climbs into bed with me.

He is a very clingy sleeper, if last night has anything to say about his sleeping habits.

"Sir?" Ciaran asks me once we've entered the small home.

"Rowan," I correct, because even if I want him to follow my lead for the time being, I don't like sounding like a slave holder.

"Rowan..." he says slowly, as if practicing using my name.

Gods know how long it has been since he has called someone by a name as opposed to a title.

I nod. "Did you have a question?"

"Yes," he says, sitting down on the floor in front of the empty fireplace, and I assume it is because he is tired and needs to rest his legs. "Why did they bow to you?"

Well, it was nice knowing you as a normal person, Ciaran.

"I am the prince of Arlian," I tell him, and to my shock, he doesn't even look too shocked. "Are you not surprised?"

He shakes his head. "I have served royalty most of my life," he says, looking up at me with his knees pulled to his chest. "It will not be a difficult adjustment for me."

"You are not returning to serve me, Ciaran," I tell him, rolling my eyes at his obliviousness. "I brought you with me because you helped me to escape, not because I want a servant. We do not tolerate slavery where I am from."

Ciaran perks up. "You are not lying?"

"No."

His face brightens up, and my heart flutters when he grins.

I choose to tell myself that it is only because that is the first true smile I've seen from him. There is a knock at the door and I walk over to open in, and the woman who greeted us is on the other side, holding clothes and a basket.

"There is food in the basket and supplies near the fireplace for a fire if you are cold. Here are clothes for you both, and you may keep them when you leave. I also brought shoes because I noticed the boy with you did not have any."

"Thank you for your hospitality. I will send someone to pay you for your assistance after I have returned home," I insist, though I know she wants to reject it.

Taking the supplies, I set them down on the floor and begin to make a fire, because even if the home will not be that warm, it will be enough.

"There is food in the basket," I tell Ciaran as I work, and I almost laugh when I hear his feet padding across the floor as he goes to rummage through the basket. "Clothes as well."

He grabs the clothes and runs off into one of the rooms, and he returns later with a jacket, comfortable pants, and thick socks that he seems to admire.

Ciaran pulls out the food, as well as two plates that were inside the basket, but instead of digging in, because I know he is starving, he equally separates the food and waits until I've built the fire to start eating, so that we can eat together. It is very admirable of him, because I can tell he is not selfish and he is very appreciative of me.

"Do you not enjoy fruit?" I ask him, nothing he has not touched any of the chopped fruits on his plate.

He wrinkles his nose. "I do not recognize these fruits," he says, narrowing his eyes at the little pile of chopped fruit.

"They are sweet, like apple."

That catches his attention and he begins to spoon the fruit in his mouth, almost shaking in excitement when he tastes the sweetness.

Once he gets over that hurdle, he begins to quickly eat everything on his plate, licking his lips when he finishes.

I hand him the pouch of water I brought with me, and he takes a few small sips, thanking me as he hands it back.

It is getting dark out, the fire keeping the room illuminated, so I strip my weapon harnesses off and lay them on the beside table in one of the bedrooms. I also take off my heavy hunting pants and climb into the bed, only to hear Ciaran rummaging around the cabin and I listen to the door open.

That's strange, as it is cold out, so I follow my traveling partner and find him throwing up on the side of the house in a small patch of grass.

Of course he is vomiting! He hasn't ever gotten to eat so much in one sitting, so of course he would throw up! I grab my water pouch and pat his back as he pukes, tears falling down his face as he does so.

"Water," I tell him, and he takes a large drink, not holding back this time. "It is okay, you will be fine."

He sniffles, coughing and spitting out the rest of what he managed to eat.

"Come along, you should sleep," I order him, lifting him up and carrying him to the bedroom. "And I would like to check your leg."

He winces when I unwrap it, but thankfully it does not look infected, so wrap it up with a new bandage and pull the blankets over him, before I lay next to him.

"There are two bedrooms, S- uh, Rowan."

I nod, noticing how he curls into my side even though he was the one who mentioned there was another room.

"Yes, but it is rather cold in here," I point out, and watch as Ciaran lays his head on my chest.

He falls asleep quickly, and I try to push away how comfortable and right it feels to have this young man laying against me. It is just because I miss feeling safe at home and he brings a feeling of comfort.

That's the reason I feel good with him at my side. It has nothing to do with him.