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"A-and?" Iyana prompted, her cheeks heating up.

"And we found them after searching for a few hours, that\'s it," Vyan concluded.

"I thought you said it was a long story," she pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

He let out a strained laugh and took a sip of his champagne. "Did I now? I guess I just have a natural talent for saving time."

Iyana shook her head hopelessly, and soon, an awkward silence settled between them, as comfortable as a bed of nails.

They quickly finished their drinks and went inside the room, only to get caught up in more awkwardness. They both froze, staring at the single bed in the middle of the room as if it were an alien artifact.

"Um, you take the bed," Vyan offered, starting to head for the couch.

"But you must be very tired after spending your entire day in the forest," Iyana remarked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"It\'s all your fault," he shot. "You seem to have the delusion that I am a gentleman, so now, I feel pressured to maintain the facade. That\'s why it doesn\'t sit right with me to hog the bed while a lady sleeps on the couch," he expressed, sounding full of regrets.

"Who said anything about me sleeping on the couch?" Iyana looked at him, feigning innocently.

"Huh?" He looked at her, baffled. "You are not seriously suggesting we both sleep on the same bed?"

"I am," she nodded with a casual confidence that left him momentarily speechless. "The bed is big enough for each of us, and it\'s not like anything is going to happen between us."

"That\'s true, but—"

"Besides, like I claimed, you are a gentleman. I am also pretty sure you will keep your hands off an engaged young lady, or perhaps you have doubts?" she said, a hint of tease in her tone.

"Of course not," he scoffed and strode over to the bed confidently. "If it\'s fine by you, then it\'s also fine by me."

"Oh, it\'s fine by me too," she said with a smirk. "Just try not to snore too loudly, alright?"

"Snore? Me? Never," Vyan retorted. "Just keep your midnight martial arts moves to yourself."

"Deal," she laughed, turning off the lights. As they prepared to settle into bed, Vyan muttered, "This is going to be the longest night ever."

"For you or me?" Iyana teased, making him roll his eyes in the dark.

"Both," he grumbled. "And if I wake up with your elbow in my face, I am demanding hazard pay."

"Same goes for you," she shot back.

As Iyana and Vyan finally lay quietly side by side on the bed and the lights were off, the coarse woolen blankets between them cast a chasm filled with unspoken words and electrifying tension. The light-hearted banter from a few minutes ago was gone.

The flickering light from the oil lamp cast dancing shadows on the rough stone walls of the inn room, the night outside silent save for the distant hoot of an owl and the rustling of the wind through the trees.

Vyan shifted uncomfortably, trying to find a position that didn\'t make him hyper-aware of Iyana\'s presence.

He turned onto his back, staring at the wooden beams of the ceiling as if they held answers to his uneasiness. His heart pounded in his chest, a relentless drum beat that matched the racing thoughts in his mind.

"Are you comfortable?" The question seemed to hang in the air, too heavy and too light all at once.

Iyana turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his in the dim light. "Yes, I am fine," she replied, her voice steady but soft. "Just... not used to this—sharing a bed."

"Same here," he admitted. "Oh, but didn\'t you go to war? How did you sleep there?"

"Surprisingly, it wasn\'t too bad. I was given a comfortable tent with a single bed, and you can guess why."

"I see there are at least some perks to being the crown prince\'s betrothed," he chuckled lightly.

"True," she nodded in agreement.

They fell silent again, the awkwardness between them almost strangling.

Vyan could feel the heat radiating from Iyana, the subtle rise and fall of her breath. Every movement, every sigh seemed amplified in the stillness of the room.

He rolled onto his side, facing away from her, hoping the distance would help calm his racing heart.

Iyana, on the other hand, couldn\'t stop herself from glancing at Vyan. She watched the way his shoulders tensed, the way his hand clenched the pillow. Her own heart was beating a frantic rhythm, and she wondered if he could hear it.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours.

Vyan could feel his eyelids growing heavy, but sleep eluded him. He tried counting sheep, replaying old memories, anything to distract himself from the awareness of Iyana lying so close yet so impossibly far away.

"Vyan?" Iyana\'s voice broke the silence, startling him.

"Yes?" he replied, turning his head slightly.

"Thank you," she said softly. "For celebrating with me today."

"Anytime," he murmured, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite the tension. "I am good at holding my liquor, so summon me whenever you need a partner to celebrate with."

"Thank you for your offer," she laughed lightly. "I will keep that in mind."

"Okay, goodnight now, Iyana."

"Goodnight, Vyan."

They both turned away, facing opposite directions, but the awareness of each other\'s presence lingered.

It was a long time before either of them fell asleep, their hearts beating in tandem, separated by inches but bound by a growing connection that neither of them dared to acknowledge, forcing themselves to turn a blind eye.

———

The first rays of dawn filtered through the small window, casting a soft, golden glow over the room. Outside, the inn was beginning to stir with life, but inside, it was still and quiet.

Iyana, a light sleeper by nature, was the first to be roused by a soft knock on the door.

Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light, and she blinked in confusion at the warmth and weight of something around her waist.

She glanced down and found herself tangled in Vyan\'s arms, their legs intertwined beneath the blankets. Her heart skipped a beat as the realization set in.

Vyan\'s face was peaceful in sleep, his breath soft and steady.

Iyana\'s mind raced as she tried to figure out how they had ended up like this.

Her pulse quickened, and she felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. She gently tried to extricate herself, but his grip tightened instinctively, pulling her closer.

Before she could attempt another escape, the knock came again, louder this time.

Iyana\'s heart leapt into her throat. She nudged Vyan urgently, whispering, "Vyan, wake up!"

Vyan\'s eyes snapped open, and it took him a moment to register the situation. His face turned a deep shade of red as he hastily untangled himself from Iyana, both of them scrambling to sit up.

"Someone is at the door," she whispered, pointing at the source of noise.

"Who is it?" Vyan called out, his voice still groggy from sleep.

"It\'s Clyde," came the cheerful reply from the other side of the door, and Vyan\'s eyes widened. "Come on, Vyan, open up! We have got breakfast waiting and we need to leave for the main town soon!"

Panic flashed across Vyan\'s face as he looked at Iyana. "You need to hide," he mouthed, motioning frantically towards the bed.

"Why?" she frowned in confusion.

"Clyde will never let us live this down," he reasoned, and Iyana\'s mouth formed into a perfect O. "Now, will you get moving or do you want me to carry you?"

"I don\'t really mind the second option," she grinned mischievously.

"This is not the time to joke," he hissed. "My life is on the line here." NovelFire-reader

"Exaggeration much?" she arched an eyebrow.

"You won\'t understand. Just hide," he barked.

"Fine," she whined.

Without hesitation, Iyana slid off the bed and scrambled underneath it, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

Vyan straightened his clothes and took a deep breath before opening the door, trying to appear as casual as he could.

Clyde, with his trademark grin and unmatched energy, bounded into the room. "Good morning, my dear sleepyheaded friend!" he chirped, clapping Vyan on the back. "Are you ready to face the day?"

"Yeah, yeah," Vyan replied, forcing a smile. "Just, uh, give me a minute to get dressed."

Clyde\'s eyes twinkled with mischief. "You know, I am surprised you were in the room. I thought you were going to spend the night at the medical facility once again."

"Please, even my back needs rest. I can\'t be sleeping on the chair for three consecutive days," he laughed, sounding strained. "Now, will you leave?"

"Why the urgency? If I didn\'t know any better, I would think you were hiding something." He leaned in closer, inspecting Vyan\'s face. "Or someone."

Vyan\'s heart pounded in his chest. "Don\'t be ridiculous, Clyde. It\'s just that I find you unbearable. What\'s new about that?" he said, trying to sound convincing.

Clyde laughed, the sound light and infectious. "Alright, alright. I can believe that. But hurry up, or all the good food will be gone."

As Clyde turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He paused, squinting towards the bed. "What\'s that?"