All I Need ✔️

Chapter 61

Safania's POV

The next day we woke up early, packed up, and began travelling before the sun had even risen. I could tell Cassius was anxious to get to the fort.

We trudged onwards, up and down large hills. The temperature had gotten noticeably warmer as we got further West, closer to the sea. We could still see our breath in the cold, but the snow was entirely gone.

After a long day of travelling, we finally made it to the fort. The rocky wall surrounding the fort was perched atop a cliff, the last rays of sunset streaking the sky purple behind it. Waves from the sea below crashed against the rocks providing a beautiful accent for the imposing structure above.

"What do you think?" Cassius asked.

"It's beautiful," I told him truthfully. I breathed in the salty air, thinking of my old home. It would never have gotten this cold in Eir, but the smell and the sounds still brought back memories.

We rode up a winding path to the fort's entrance. Cassius spoke to some guards who came out to greet him, and they opened up the large entrance for our group to come inside. I looked at Emalina, who seemed just as nervous as I was. We slowly rode into the fort together, following Cassius's lead.

Inside was very quiet, with identical little huts as far as the eye could see. It didn't take long for someone to notice us though. A young man filling up his canteen turned his attention to us almost immediately once we stepped inside.

"It's the prince!" the soldier exclaimed. "The prince is here!"

Almost immediately, soldiers started pouring out of their huts. Cheering, they pulled Cassius off of his horse and lifted him up on their shoulders.

"They really love him, huh?" I said to Emalina, amused.

She nodded. "I've never been here, but I've heard stories. They would do pretty much anything for him."

I watched as Cassius tried batting them away while they cheered him. To someone who didn't know him very well, he would have looked like he was barely tolerating the whole ordeal. But I could tell he secretly enjoyed the admiration of his soldiers and how much they cared for him.

"Ay! Isn't that his lady?" one of them shouted, pointing to me.

"The one who won Oske?" another asked.

"That has to be her! They said she was from Eir. She sure looks it."

"Is that your woman, Prince Cassius?" they started asking. Once he confirmed it, I found myself being dragged off my horse and lifted into the air as well.

"The prince has met his match!" one announced, and the others cheered in agreement.

The crowd carried both of us to the middle of the fort, finally dropping us off at an elevated platform.

"Is it always like this?" I asked Cassius once we had both been set down.

"No," he told me. "I think they're on their best behavior because of you. It's usually much wilder."

"This isn't them being wild?" I asked in surprise.

Cassius smiled. "Not as wild as usual. But they're still incredible soldiers. Watch this."

"Soldiers!" Cassius called out firmly. The cheering stopped immediately, and the men stood at full attention. "At ease." The men shifted slightly, but still watched Cassius attentively.

"I've brought you a number of supplies in response to your commanders' requests," he told them. "I'm also here to run a diplomatic mission to Abree with my fiancée Safania," he said.