For those who still don't know what Fredric looks like, that is what I imagine him to look like, like Sebastian FUCKING Stan (minus the metal arm).

ALSO important A/N

Harry has every right to be angry but not be a dick and treat Reina like shit and call her a whore. Remember that guys. He can be really cruel when he's angry because when he's angry he only thinks about himself and never consider other people's stories/sides.

Y'all would be bash Reina if the situation was reversed and Reina treated Harry like shit. I'm not saying sympathize with Reina more, but like understand that it isn't right the way Harry acts. 

If any of y'all think him calling her a whore, then ya no I wouldn't be okay with it and neither would Reina because it's not like he said it by accident. He said it SPECIFICALLY to hurt her because he knew he would gain a reaction from her by doing it.

ANYWAYS! Hope y'all enjoy this long awaited chapter, and pls excuse errors x !!

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"Why is she crying?"

"I believe," Fredric began to say with a deep frown, disliking Harry's careless and irritated tone. "She was forced to lock Vaera up. Myles told me it upset her greatly as she felt like she was locking up her own child."

"Oh," Harry muttered with a softer expression, green eyes lingering on Reina whose eyes were bloodshot from vigorous crying.

"You should go comfort her," Fredric tried to suggest, wishing desperately that they'd apologize to each other and move on from what happened. But Harry's face scrunched up at Fredric's words.

"I'd rather not," Harry muttered with his gaze averted to the floor, adjusting his leather gloves on his hands.

He was trying to put on a façade where he was harsh and cold, and just bitter overall. But on the inside, he was hurting terribly and seeing Reina upset over locking up Vaera couldn't help but soften his hard exterior. They were currently getting ready to leave Vardomos that evening. They had an early dinner, and packed all their things so they could travel by carriage this time.

Harry spent his day practicing some sword fighting and riding with Fredric and Myles to distract himself from the pain his wounded heart suffered from. Reina on the other hand allocated different timings of the day to spending it with the ones she loved. Aella, Reyes, Genevieve, Nira and lastly Vaera. Saying goodbye to Vaera was heartbreaking for Reina to do so because it was pretty much the first time she's done such a thing.

She didn't say goodbye the day she left Vardomos to Siremeth to discuss an alliance because she didn't know she was going to be married off and living in a completely new kingdom. She thought she'd return. So, locking up her dragon and hearing it cry out for her desolately when she began to leave shattered her already broken heart and caused her more pain than she could handle.

Nonetheless, she remained strong and refused to break down completely, only letting a few tears to slip out before she proceeded to join Harry on their way back to Siremeth. Now, she was hugging her stepmother goodbye, swallowing her tears as she wished her well with all her love. She moved into Aella whom was standing there with a sad expression, taking Aella's old, withered hands in her soft, smooth ones.

"I will miss you terribly, my dear," Aella said sadly, wrinkled hand touching Reina's mottled cheek. Reina's face contorted with sadness, reaching forwards to hug her grandmother firmly.

"I do not want to leave," she whispered with a sniffle, trying her hardest not to fry. She didn't know when she'd be able to return to Vardomos again. "I do not want to go back to that wretched kingdom again."

"Now, now, that's not what a future Queen would say," Aella scolded her playfully. "You will win those peoples' hearts one day, my dear."

"At this moment, there is only one heart I care about winning," Reina couldn't help but say softly in a longing voice, casting a quick glance at Harry who was talking to Fredric.

Aella found Reina's words very uncharacteristic. She wouldn't have even said such a thing if it were Jon instead of Harry. She realized Reina's words just showed how much Harry meant to her, to a point where Reina cared about Harry forgiving her for what she did before him apologizing to her for calling her a whore. Of course she was hurt by the fact he would say such a thing out of spite, but her guilt and pain she felt for lying to him and moaning out Jon overcame the hurt she felt for Harry calling her a whore.

"Oh darling, trust my words when I say that you have already won his heart. You've had it in your hands the day the two of you met," Aella told her with a smile. "You've just damaged it a little."

"A little isn't really the way to describe-"

"Excuse me, do not interrupt your grandmother," Aella scolded her in a playful tone. "Sure, you stabbed it accidentally, and so on. You know I am not good with these metaphors."

"What do you mean to say, Grandmother?" Reina asked with a light chuckle, wondering what her point was.

"What I mean to say is that, you mustn't worry too much about his heart not being able to heal. It will. All you worry your intelligent mind about is helping it heal."

"Alright, grandmother," Reina said with a smile. "You are always so wise with your words."

"I am Aella Rahraenos. Of course I am."

Reina said her final goodbyes to her grandmother before moving onto Nira and lastly Reyes. Reyes told her firmly to write to her if Harry upsets her again. He was slightly biased with the whole situation, but he couldn't help but be biased because he's never seen his sister so greatly upset. Even then, he felt guilty and just awful overall because he was the one who made her lock up Vaera. He just knew that she'd cause havoc when Reina leaves so he had to have her locked up until it was time for her babies to be born.

"Even if you can't come visit Vardomos, I will make sure to try and visit or at least send Aella and Genevieve to Siremeth to stay with you for some time," Reyes promised her, making Reina smile gratefully.

"Thank you, brother. That would mean everything to me," Reina told him sincerely, before engulfing her best friend in a warm hug.

Harry huffed a little impatiently, and Fredric couldn't help but frown inwards at his immature behavior and how inconsiderate and insensitive he was being. He then figured it's because Harry was slightly jealous while watching Reina bid her family and friends goodbye. He has never had such a strong relationship with any of his family members. He was only close to Declan, his cousin but even then they didn't have a brotherly relationship like Harry did with Fredric. Fredric was Harry's only real family.

"I'll be waiting in the carriage," Harry finally said, stomping off to settle down in the carriage.

Fredric waited outside for Reina to escort her. She pulled away from her loved ones eventually and headed over to walk with Fredric down the path that lead to the main entrance gates of the castle. They walked side by side in silence, Reina's crystal eyes gazing around slowly with her gloved hands fiddling with one another, teeth chewing on her lower lip. She was taking a good look of her home because she had a feeling she wasn't going to be returning any sooner.

"Do you think Harry would listen to me if I try to apologize now?" Reina asked quietly after a few minutes. Her hopeful tone making Fredric's heart sigh with pity.

"He's being a little bit stubborn at the moment so...it would be difficult," Fredric told her. "He's always stubborn and immature when he's hurting."

"I wish we never went to that stupid spring pool," Reina said bitterly. "I could've told him instead of having him find out the way he did. It would've hurt less."

"You took him there because that place was special to you. In all honesty, he should feel honored for having you care and trust him to such an extent where you'd take him to a place that you hold close to your heart. Do not feel bad for doing that," Fredric rambled a little. "However, what happened to him...anyone would find it heartbreaking and shocking. I truly sympathize with him for that."

"Of course," Reina agreed as she thought about being in Harry's shoes, hearing him moan out Rosalie instead of her name. She would've had Harry groveling for a month, because she was just petty like that. "I hurt him to an extent where he felt the urge to hurt me back."

"This whole situation is chaotic and a mess and I want nothing more than to get over it," Reina said firmly with a shake of her head.

They eventually reached the main gates, where a crowd of commoners were standing around the carriage, behind the guards. The people called out to their princess, upset that she was leaving again. Reina felt each cry jab at her damaged heart sharply, and she was forced to look away and quickly rush into the carriage. She sat opposite Harry and avoided eye contact with him.

The carriage started moving but there was difficulty in leaving the city quickly due to crowd of confused and sad people, protesting against their princess leaving their kingdom.

"Why the fuck is it taking so long to leave this damned kingdom?" Harry muttered under his breath with closed eyes, wanting to take a nap but can't because of all the noise.

Reina didn't say anything, but she disliked the way he spoke. So bitter and irritated with just being in her kingdom. It pissed her off to no end. But she knew he was just being bitter overall due to what happened, because he actually quite liked her kingdom for the past week. She continued to stay quiet as they eventually exited the kingdom and were deep into the woods. Luckily, the route to Siremeth was on one straight path, with no turns or other paths to take.

"Harry," Reina murmured softly once the silence became overbearing. "I'm sorry."

Harry didn't say anything, but he was listening, gaze averted to his lap as he fiddled with his fingers.

"I am sorry for lying to you in the first place, and-and dragging it on and worsening it because I was afraid of your reaction. I should have told you as soon as I could, and I apologize for not doing so," Reina rambles a bit nervously, but her words were genuine and desperate.

"I am sorry I hurt you, Harry," she whispered, wanting to reach forwards and hold his hand but she knew he would wrench it out of her grip. "It was never my intention to, and you should know that I deeply, truly, honestly and wholeheartedly care and feel for you, and I promise you I will do everything to prove that. I've realized that more now after the fight we had because it pains me to see you in pain and to hear you speak so harshly to me because of it. "

She wanted to add that it pained her when he called her a whore, but she stopped there when she realized he hadn't really said anything. He didn't seem like he was going to either. He just sat there, looking straight at her now with an emotionless, hard expression on his face. Once he assumed that she was fine with her apology, he folded his arms over his chest and tried to take a nap so that he could wake up by the time they reached Siremeth.

"Harry," Reina uttered in irritation. "Are you even listening to me?"

"I heard you," Harry responded with closed eyes. "And I understand why you had to lie to me. Any noble family would do the same if their daughter was impure."

Reina swallowed thickly at the use of the word impure. Outside the carriage, the sun had gone to sleep and the moon was awake. The night was alive and so were the creatures of the darkness. The creatures with the golden masks with the engraved foreign symbols.

"Are you trying to subtly imply that I am impure just because I lost my virginity before marriage? Truly, Harry?" Reina questioned sharply through gritted teeth, making his eyes fly open and eyebrows lower.

"I am sorry you fail to still understand how this world works-"

"No, I do understand how this world works, Harry. However, I fail to understand why it works this way. I fail to understand why exactly is a woman considered impure if she loses her virginity before marriage. I fail to understand why it isn't the same for a man. The concept of virginity was created by men who thought their cocks were so fucking powerful they change a woman, which is utter bullshit."

"Reina, please, I did not ask for this rant about your beliefs," Harry scowled a little, while ironically being reminded of Aella's words about learning from Reina and her ideals.

"You will listen to it when it is a part of this chaotic situation we are in at the moment," Reina said firmly, fists clenching when Harry gazed at her with an unbothered look. Her tone switched then, to a much softer and sadder one. "I do not understand. I was much more accepting of your previous relationship with Rosalie. Why can't you be like that?"

"I apologize for the difficulty in being like that because I still cannot even begin to comprehend the fact that you moaned his name while I was having sex with you," Harry seethed, jaw clenching, eyes gleaming angrily. "You are being inconsiderate of my feelings, and it is irritating the fuck out of me."

"I just apologized to you for hurting you, Harry, please enlighten me on how exactly I am being inconsiderate of your feelings," Reina sighed in exasperation, wanting to add that he was being inconsiderate of how she was feeling.

She was hurting too, for hurting and lying to him, and for being yelled at so harshly and called a whore. But she didn't call him out on that. She just wanted to sort this part of the situation out before reminding him to apologize to her for being so spiteful.

"I-" Harry began to say before he stopped, realizing that Reina was right. "You are being inconsiderate of the fact that I am hurt because you loved another before me. A man you would want married to you, loving you, and fucking you, instead of me. And-And I have to live with that for the rest of our marriage, with-with my feelings unreciprocated."

"Harry, please stop assuming that I do not want you-"

"How can I not? You fucking moaned his name out loud, Reina!" Harry snapped loudly and harshly all of a sudden. "Stop the fucking carriage. I feel as if I am suffocating, having this argument with you."

Reina's jaw slackened at his words, unable to believe how ignorant and dramatic he was. The carriage stopped on Harry's command and he stormed out into the fresh, cold air of the night. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes with a scowl on his face because he heard Reina get out as well.

She wasn't done having this conversation, even though it was driving her insane that Harry was being so stubborn and ignorant. She just couldn't understand why he couldn't try being understanding, despite how he was raised to think women who weren't virgins were impure. She understood that he was hurt, but if their situations were reversed, she'd still understand him and be upset at the same time.

"I know it hurts you to know that I was in love with another before you," Reina spoke quietly, and slowly, standing next to him. "But-"

"Before you bring up my relationship with Rosalie, may I remind you that what I felt for her was infatuated love," Harry responded immediately, in a low, bitter tone with a hint of sadness. "It wasn't real; it wasn't heartfelt or sincere. I was desperate to feel love for another, but with her I wasn't successful. But with you, oh Reina."

"With you, I feel everything. I feel my heart pound so wildly like never before every time I am with you. I feel an intense need to have you in my arms every single second, kissing you, holding you, and just feeling your flawless body against mine. So warm and soft. I feel my cheeks ache unnaturally from smiling so much just by seeing your smile. My lungs cry for air from tasting your lips and tongue, again and again because they're so addictive. Fuck Reina, you drive me to madness and insanity just by the little things you do."

"Though that may sound like infatuation, it is not," Harry said firmly, while Reina felt her heart falling apart by every sentence he spoke. "Those are the signs of a man falling in love: me falling in love with you. Fuck, I probably am already in love with you. How can I not be?"

Harry looked at her as he spoke, and Reina could clearly see the pain written in his beautiful, jade eyes. For the first time she could really see how hurt he was by what happened, and how much it affected him. She could see how deeply he believed that Jon was the one Reina was still in love with, and will be in love with for the rest of her life. She was overwhelmed just by hearing his words, because she couldn't believe the effect he had on her with his words, whether they'd be words of love and comfort, or hateful words with the intention to hurt her.

"Harry, please believe me when I say that I-"

Reina's words were quickly halted when something whizzed past her face, right in front of her eyes and buried itself deep into the side of the carriage. It was an arrow.

"Ambush!" Sebastian was the first to yell out loudly when more arrows and knives began flying towards them.

Harry grabbed Reina in panic, and pulled her down with him, miraculously managing to doge the incoming arrows that hit the side of the carriage. His eyes widened when he saw strange figures emerging from the woods. Reina's jaw slackened when she saw they had golden, eerie masks on with knives, scythes and bows in their hands.

"Harry, Reina, get in the carriage!" Fredric shouted at the two, causing Harry to hurry back into the carriage, with his hand wrapped around Reina's wrist.

Once they were inside, Fredric and Sebastian ordered the other guards who had come along with them to stand around the carriage and defend. Fredric drew his long sword, gripping the hilt firmly as his eyes squinted in the dark, trying to make out the figures in the dim lighting of the moon and the lamps that were hung on the carriage. His frown deepened when he came up with an approximate amount of the strange men, counting about twelve to five of Fredric and the guards who were there to protect Reina and Harry.

Reina felt her heart drop to her stomach when she heard the clash of swords and cries of men in pain filling the tense silence as soon as the fight began. Harry had his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist, jade eyes wide and alert with lowered brows. His mind was chaotic, wild with confusion and worry for Fredric, Sebastian and the Rahraenos guards whom were fighting for him and Reina out there. His gaze flickered momentarily to Reina, whom in his eyes seemed more calm and composed than he had expected. He thought she'd be sobbing in fear.

"I need to help them," Harry uttered when he heard a loud cry of pain, making him lean forwards to pull back the curtain and stare out of the patterned window with small holes. He caught a glimpse of Fredric, but also the huge amount of the ambushers.

"I shall accompany you, I just need a sword-"

"Absolutely not! Are you mental? You cannot fight," Harry immediately shot her down with a firm frown, making her lips part in shock.

"Yes, I can! Do not just assume such things-"

"No, Reina, you will stay here," Harry snapped at her a little aggressively. "I won't have you getting hurt because you think you could fight those men."

"You are unbelievable-"

"Stay here," Harry firmly instructed as he took off his coat quickly, and grabbed his sword, unsheathing it. "Take this."

He handed her his knife, which he carried around with him all the time. It had a golden hilt, bottom carved into a lion head.

"If anyone comes in here, slice their throat, stab their neck or go for the head," Harry told her, pressing the blade into her hand while looking at her frantic eyes. "Do whatever you need to defend yourself."

He turned to leave, but Reina's hand quickly darted out to grab his pulling him back. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek and quickly whispered into his ear before he could protest.

"Stay safe, Harry."

Her actions caught him off-guard, and when she was done he pulled back and didn't say anything, only shooting her a look with emotions that were hard to decipher before he exited the carriage. Harry entered the battle, eyes widening when one of the ambushers immediately came for him, swinging his scythe sharply and quickly at his head.

Harry's lightning quick reflexes kicked in and he ducked down, while curving his sword and dragging the blade along the man's abdomen. The sharp blade sliced through his clothes and skin, causing the man to let out a muffled cry, stumbling back with blood spurting out of the large cut Harry had created, bloody intestines and guts visible.

Harry stood up straight and held his sword firmly in hand, making sure to stay right in front of the door to the carriage to protect Reina. He tried not to get distracted by seeing his guards getting slaughtered by the over-powering men with gold masks. He spotted a guard close by whose sword was just knocked out of his hands by one of the ambushers.

Harry rushed to his aid, quickly moving forwards and grabbing the man's shoulder from the back, swiftly thrusting his sword into the man's spine. The tip of the sword emerged from the middle of the man's abdomen, blade glistening with blood before Harry pulled it back sharply and let the man drop to the floor.

"I need you to guard the carriage. Reina is in there," Harry told the guard sharply and quickly, who nodded curtly and picked up his sword.

He gathered two more men to help him guard the door of the carriage while Harry ran forwards to where Fredric had moved the fight a little away from the carriage, down the wide path they were on. Fredric and Sebastian were standing back to back with swords in hand, facing five of the ambushers.

Fredric's narrowed gaze flickered to Harry, inwardly panicking to see the Prince standing out there instead of inside the carriage safe and sound. One of the ambushers noticed Fredric's gaze and turned to look at Harry, before Fredric immediately stepped forwards and swung his foot towards the man's crotch. The man whipped his head back along with his body folding inwards, hands cupping his crotch.

As soon as Fredric's foot touched the floor again, and swung his sword forwards with both hands on the hilt, piercing the man's throat as the sword drove itself under the man's chin. The blade emerged from the top of the man's head, glittering crimson with liquid dripping and spurting out of the two wounds before Fredric sharply tugged his sword back and pulled it out. The fighting commenced again as soon as Fredric made his move; Sebastian taking on two men, while the other two went after Harry.

As blades flashed and clashed, Reina sat inside the carriage with a worried heart, knuckles white from clutching the dagger Harry gave her, in hand. She twisted her body to peek through the small holes in the window. She spotted Harry's unruly curls swaying in the air as he ducked and twirled with his heavy sword in hands, slicing and jabbing at the ambushers skillfully with grunts and yells escaping his lips.

She gasped when one of the ambushers swung his dagger at Harry, slicing his cheek, causing Harry to jerk back with a loud yell. Reina watched Harry touch his cheek, crimson coating his fingertips when he drew his hand back, the sight making his eyes grow dark and lips curl into a snarl.

Reina pulled away from the window when he managed to tackle the man to the ground, and used the ambusher's dagger to drive the blade under his head from under the chin. She swallowed thickly, praying for Harry, Fredric, Sebastian and her guards' safety. She wanted to help them with the fighting, knowing that she could very well take down two men with just a dagger. However, she knew if she tried to leave, the guards Harry left in front of the door of the carriage would force her back in. However, just as she thought about the guards right outside her carriage, she heard loud cries of pain and the slicing of flesh.

Her alert gaze snapped towards the door, leaning towards the window on her left and peeking through it. Her jaw slackened when she saw that the three guards whom were stood in front of the door were now dead on the ground with abdomens slit open, blood spilling out. Suddenly, the door of the carriage swung open with a bang, and one of the ambushes with the golden mask appeared at the doorway.

Reina clutched the knife as her body tensed up, bright eyes studying the ambushed with the strange, eerie mask. She got distracted momentarily when she recognized the symbols on the mask as foreign symbols from Khidos. But her thoughts quickly disappeared when the man lurched forwards with a knife in hand, reaching for her throat. Reina ducked down quickly, and his knife sliced thin air instead of her. She used her elbow and shoved him back by powerfully jabbing him in the stomach with it.

He stumbled back with a grunt near the door where he grabbed the corners of the doorway to prevent himself from falling back. But Reina quickly stood up to the best of her ability and managed to thrust her foot forwards, kicking him in the stomach causing him to let go and fall out of the carriage. She jumped out of the carriage just as he got back onto his feet quickly. They eyed each other menacingly, knives in hand before the man dove forwards to attack her.

She inhaled sharply and ducked down quickly just as he swung his knife at her in a curve, looking to slit her throat in one sharp movement. Reina quickly popped back up and copied his previous movements, managing to nick his bicep, cutting him. He let out a sharp grunt at the movement, swinging his arm forwards once again just as Reina lifted her knife up, blades colliding as Reina defended herself and pushed his blade away with hers. They continued to fight, Reina managing to deflect every strike with her blade just as the man's movements became more and more aggressive due to his frustration.

Harry on the other hand had just taken down the second ambusher whom was fighting him, sighing heavily as he stood up straight. His gaze fell upon Sebastian and Fredric whom were fighting a man each. Harry was about to head over to the two of them and help them out, but he heard a loud cry from his right, making his heart drop to his stomach due to how feminine it sounded. He rushed over to the left side of the carriage where the door was situated, eyes widening when he found Reina fighting one of the ambushers.

"Reina!" he called out to her, making her glance at him for one split second before that was enough of a distraction for the ambusher to attack her.

He knocked her knife to the ground, before shoving her against the side of the carriage, heavy body pinning her smaller one against the wood. Harry bolted forwards but was suddenly pulled back by a pair of hands and was shoved against a tree; fist flying and punching him square in the jaw. His vision blurred and his jaw ached terribly while the man continued to throw punches at him.

Reina on the other hand was trapped between the carriage and the ambusher. With both of the ambusher's hands wrapped around the hilt of his dagger, he brought it down on Reina's face before her hands darted up and wrapped around the blade, forcing it away from her face. The sharp blade dug into the palms of her hands, piercing her skin and causing blood to drip down the palms of her hands. Her face contorted with pain, wide green eyes flickering from the blade to the face of the man that was covered with a mask.

"All must die," the man uttered with a sharp hiss in the foreign tongue, making Reina's eyes widen significantly because she understood every single word he spoke.

He applied more pressure, causing Reina to cry out loudly, blade slicing her palms and slipping. She quickly moved her head out of the way as soon as she let go of the blade, causing it to drive into the carriage wall next to her. The man got distracted with his knife, moving to wrench it out of the carriage wall while Reina managed to get away, looking for her knife. Once she found it, wincing in pain when she gripped it to the best of her ability with her injured hands, she felt his presence behind her. She quickly spun around and pulled her hand up to drive the blade into his throat.

But she was caught completely off-guard when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, skin tearing and muscles being gouged as the man drove his blade into her. A guttural choke was emitted from her throat when the hilt met the material of her dress. But the stabbing didn't stop Reina from crying out loud and grabbing the side of the man's face with one hand, while the other flew up with the knife, impaling the side of his neck with her knife causing blood to spurt out. The man dropped to his knees after she pulled it out sharply with all her strength, collapsing to the ground dead.

Harry finally broke free from the man whom attacked him, who was now lying on the floor with his guts spilling out. He found her, a look of relief etching onto his face when his gaze met hers, but then he frowned when he saw her face contort with pain.

His eyes flickered to the knife that was buried inside of her, crimson spreading across her blue dress. Harry's blood turning ice cold when Reina staggered back, bloody hands hovering over the hilt of the knife where a huge patch of blood surrounded it, growing like a disease. She convulsed and trembled, and Harry shouted in shock when her knees buckle and she fell to the floor.

"Reina!"

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❈ AH what do you guys think !!!!!!

❈ Predictions for the next chapter? How do you think Harry and Reina will react to each other?

❈ Any thoughts on those mysterious, gold mask ambushers?

Until we meet again...

thiø