By dawn, the rain had finally stopped, leaving behind cold air that seeped into their skin. Inside the small cave, the fire continued to burn, though it had started to fade.
Viana slowly opened her eyes, feeling the warmth despite the lingering exhaustion. As she moved, she realized her head had been resting on Joel’s lap the entire night. She quickly sat up, her face slightly flushed.
Joel, already awake, looked at her with an amused smile. "Did you sleep well, Your Highness?"
Viana shot him an irritated look. "Don’t get too comfortable with this, Joel."
Joel shrugged without a hint of guilt. "I didn’t do anything. You fell asleep on your own."
Reyes, who had been sitting further away, finally approached with a serious expression. "Your Highness, we need to return before the palace starts panicking."
Viana looked ath him and then nodded, knowing that her absence had likely caused a stir. "How do we get up? The cliff is too steep."
Reyes scanned the area, looking for a safe path. "I’ll climb first and secure a rope so you both can climb more easily."
Joel shook his head. "I can climb on my own, Reyes. Focus on helping the princess."
Reyes narrowed his eyes. "With your injured arm? Don’t underestimate your condition."
Joel chuckled. "I’m not the type to break easily over a small wound."
Reyes let out a long sigh but stuck to the plan. He carefully climbed the cliff, using tree roots and rocks for support. After a difficult ascent, he reached the top, informed the palace guards of the situation, then returned with a rope and secured it around a sturdy tree.
From below, Joel helped Viana secure the rope around her waist before Reyes slowly pulled her up. Viana tried to keep her balance, though she slipped once.
Once she reached the top, Reyes immediately assisted her. "Are you alright?"
Viana nodded, though she was slightly out of breath. "Yes, I’m fine."
Joel followed soon after, using his own strength to climb. Despite his injury, he managed without much trouble.
As soon as the three of them stood at the top, they saw a group of knights running toward them, their faces filled with worry.
"Your Highness!" One of the knights called, visibly relieved to see Viana safe.
Viana gave them a small smile. "I’m fine, just a little tired."
Reyes turned to the knights with a firm tone. "We’re heading back to the palace now."
***
Back at the palace, Viana was immediately surrounded by maids and royal physicians. They checked her condition carefully to ensure she had no serious injuries.
Meanwhile, Joel sat in the corner of the room, letting the healer tend to his wound. Reyes stood nearby, clearly dissatisfied.
"You should have been more careful," Reyes told Joel.
Joel smirked slightly. "And you should stop worrying too much."
Reyes sighed, frustrated. "I wasn’t worried, I was making sure Princess Viana was safe."
Viana, overhearing their conversation, interrupted with a calm tone. "I appreciate your efforts. Without Joel, I would have fallen off my horse. Without Reyes, I would have been stuck in that ravine much longer."
Reyes finally exhaled, admitting the princess had a point. "Fine. As long as you’re safe."
Joel grinned. "So I can return to my duties without another lecture?"
Viana glanced at him. "Don’t get too confident, Joel. I’m not done talking to you yet."
Joel chuckled. "Alright, I’ll wait."
***
After the incident in the forest, Viana and Joel finally returned to the palace safely. However, news of what had happened spread quickly among the royal court, causing concern, especially for the King and Queen.
Inside her private chambers, Viana sat calmly on her bed while the royal physician examined her condition. In the corner of the room, Joel stood casually, though his arm was still bandaged.
Suddenly, the doors swung open, and King Clive and Queen Issabella entered. They were dressed in elegant royal attire, but their faces clearly showed their worry.
"Viana!" The Queen called out, her voice filled with concern as she hurried to her daughter. The King followed closely behind with a serious expression.
"Mother, Father," Viana tried to smile to reassure them. "I’m fine."
The Queen held her daughter’s hand, her eyes clouded with worry. "We heard you fell from a cliff! What exactly happened?"
The King turned his sharp gaze to Joel. "And you, how could you let this happen?"
Joel, usually relaxed, straightened slightly, showing a rare seriousness. "Your Majesty, I did everything I could to ensure Princess Viana’s safety. But the forest conditions were unpredictable. The ground suddenly gave way beneath us, and we had no choice but to fall."
The King let out a long sigh, still seeming unsatisfied. However, before he could say more, Viana interrupted, "Joel saved me, Father. If not for him, I might have suffered far worse injuries."
The Queen looked at her daughter sympathetically. "You must have been terrified."
Viana nodded slowly. "At first, yes. But we managed to get through the night in the cave until the rain stopped."
The King finally sat down in a chair near Viana’s bed, his expression thoughtful. "We cannot allow incidents like this to happen again."
Joel remained silent, knowing the King would decide what to do next. Reyes, standing nearby, finally spoke, "Your Majesty, I am responsible for the Princess’s safety. This was my failure."
The King studied Reyes for a moment before shaking his head. "This is not just one person’s mistake. We need stricter security measures for the Princess’s future travels."
The Queen sighed, calming herself before gently touching Viana’s cheek. "What matters now is that you rest and recover."
Viana gave a small smile. "I’m really fine, Mother."
The Queen finally turned to Joel, her gaze softer now. "We appreciate that you protected our daughter."
Joel nodded respectfully. "Keeping the Princess safe is my duty, Your Majesty."
With that, the tense atmosphere gradually eased, and the King and Queen finally left the room after confirming that Viana was unharmed. However, what had happened in the cave, the moment shared between Viana and Joel, lingered in both their minds.
Viana glanced at Joel briefly before whispering, "You were too relaxed, even in front of my father."
Joel chuckled. "I only said what needed to be said."
Viana sighed, but deep down, she was beginning to find something intriguing about Joel’s carefree nature.