Married To Darkness-Chapter 363: The Carriage, Rain and Breakfast

Morning arrived with the scent of damp earth and the crisp bite of fresh air. The storm from the previous night had left its mark—puddles dotted the roads, and the sky still held a lingering gloom, though the first rays of the sun were beginning to push through.

Lucius, ever the early riser, stood by the carriage with his arms crossed, surveying their traveling party. Alaric was double-checking the supplies, while Salviana tightened the cloak around her shoulders. Jean, on the other hand, was still grumbling as she climbed into the carriage.

"This is cruel," she muttered dramatically. "I barely got any sleep, and now we’re off again?"

"You slept like a baby," Lucius teased, smirking as he leaned against the carriage door.

Jean shot him a glare. "I had to keep one eye open in case you tried to stuff more food down my throat."

"I only do that because I care," Lucius said with mock sincerity.

Jean huffed, but Alaric interrupted their bickering with a sharp whistle. "We need to move. The roads are worse than expected, and if we delay any longer, we’ll be stuck traveling at night."

Jaefel and Samion, their knights, climbed onto their horses, ever watchful. They had spent the night guarding the lord and lady, ensuring their safety while barely resting themselves. Manni, the coachman, had stayed at the castle with the other servants, readying the carriage.

The group set off, the wheels of the carriage splashing through the muddy road. The journey would take time, but they had no choice—Wyfhaven awaited.

Jean, still half-asleep, sighed dramatically. "Can we at least stop for breakfast somewhere?"

Lucius grinned. "No breaks, pumpkin." freёnovelkiss.com

Jean groaned. "I knew traveling with you would be a nightmare."

Salviana chuckled, shaking her head. "Come on, Jean. Think of this as an adventure."

Jean crossed her arms. "An adventure? I prefer my adventures with warm baths and food breaks."

Alaric, sitting beside Salviana, gave her hand a brief squeeze. "We’ll stop when necessary, but we can’t waste time."

Jean mumbled something under her breath, but eventually leaned against the carriage window, watching the rain-drenched landscape pass them by.

As they traveled, the road ahead stretched long and uncertain—but for the first time in a while, the weight of war was no longer pressing on them.

Now, they had a new goal.

And a new journey had begun.

As they went on, The steady rhythm of the carriage wheels rolling over damp soil was suddenly interrupted by a harsh jolt. The horses neighed, the carriage lurched, and then—nothing.

A deep, sinking nothing.

"What is happening?" Salviana asked, gripping the edge of her seat as the carriage refused to move forward.

Jaefel, who had been riding ahead, turned his horse around. "My Lord, we’re stuck."

Jean groaned. "Stuck? What do you mean stuck?" She peeked out of the window, only to see a thick pool of mud swallowing the carriage wheels. "Oh, that’s just great. We haven’t even been on the road for half a day!"

Lucius sighed, already stepping out. "This rain has softened the ground more than we thought. We’ll have to push it out manually."

Salviana, still seated inside, glanced at Alaric. "Is this fixable?"

Alaric rubbed the back of his neck. "It’s either fix it or wait for the ground to dry."

Jean gasped. "Wait for the ground to dry? That could take hours!"

"We don’t have hours," Lucius muttered as he rolled up his sleeves and hopped off the carriage. "Everyone get to work."

Jean hesitated. "Uh, by everyone, you mean...?"

Lucius shot her a pointed look. "Everyone."

Jean groaned but climbed down, only to frown at the sticky mud threatening to ruin her boots. "I take it back. I wasn’t made for this life."

Samion and Jaefel were already digging around the wheels, trying to clear the thick, clumpy earth. Alaric rolled up his trousers slightly and braced himself, his strong hands gripping the wooden frame of the carriage.

"On three," he commanded. "One... two... three!"

The men pushed, straining against the weight. The carriage groaned in response but barely budged. Jean stood back, fanning herself dramatically.

"Any progress?" she called.

Lucius shot her an exasperated look. "Pumpkin, either push or stay quiet."

"I am supporting from a safe distance," Jean defended.

Then, as if the gods themselves were laughing at their predicament—

A fat raindrop plopped onto Lucius’s nose.

Another followed. Then another.

Within seconds, the sky opened up, and rain came pouring down in thick sheets.

Jean shrieked and immediately threw her hands over her head. "No, no, no! We just left a storm, why is it happening again?"

Lucius let out a deep breath, dragging a wet hand down his face. Without hesitation, he pulled his umbrella from his coat, popped it open, and wordlessly handed it to Jean.

Jean blinked in surprise. "Wait, what about you?"

Lucius simply turned back to the carriage, stepping into the rain like it didn’t bother him at all. His dark hair was soon slicked back, his coat soaking as he joined the knights in the struggle.

Jean frowned, gripping the umbrella handle. Something about that made her chest feel weird.

Alaric, standing beside Lucius, noticed her staring. He smirked and muttered under his breath, "You’re looking at him like he just did something noble."

Jean snapped out of it. "I-I’m just making sure he doesn’t drown in all that rain."

Meanwhile, Salviana remained in the carriage, watching from the window, warmth settling in her chest. Alaric was drenched, his white shirt clinging to his frame, yet he kept pushing.

She suddenly wanted to be out there with him, but something held her back.

Alaric was doing this without complaint, without frustration. She could tell that, despite everything, he was still the man she had fallen for.

Jean, still gripping the umbrella, huffed before stepping closer to Lucius. "Here," she grumbled, holding it over his head.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t you want to stay dry?"

"Shut up and push," Jean muttered, gripping his sleeve slightly as she tried to shield him from the rain.

Lucius’s lips twitched, but he said nothing.

The rain kept falling. The road remained muddy. The carriage was still stuck.

But something between them had shifted.

After a moment,

The carriage gave a sudden jolt—then, with a great squelching sound, it finally came free.

Everyone stumbled slightly as it rocked back into motion. The rain had slowed, leaving only a cool mist in the air and the sound of mud dripping from the wheels.

Jean wiped her forehead dramatically. "Finally! I was beginning to think we’d have to build a house here."

Alaric frowned at the deep grooves in the mud where the carriage had been stuck. "That shouldn’t have taken so long," he murmured.

Lucius glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

Alaric gestured at the now-empty rut. "Between the two of us, we should’ve been able to pull it out. But something was resisting us—like the earth itself was holding on."

Manni, the coachman, who was also a wizard, stepped forward, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Magic," he muttered.

Jean, who had just been about to wipe her boots, froze. "I beg your pardon?"

Manni pointed at the spot where the carriage had been. "There’s something buried here—something old. Dark magic, perhaps. That’s why even two vampires struggled."

Lucius and Alaric exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious.

Jean, on the other hand, groaned. "Are you telling me we were wrestling with some ancient cursed mud? No wonder my arms feel sore."

Lucius smirked. "You weren’t wrestling with anything."

Jean shot him a look. "I was mentally wrestling with it."

Alaric glanced around the clearing. "We’ll remember this place. We might need to return later."

Jean waved her hands. "Or never return. Let’s just get away from the creepy mud before it decides to eat us next."

Lucius chuckled. "Agreed."

As they climbed back into the carriage, Jean’s stomach gave an audible growl.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Hungry already?"

Jean placed a hand over her stomach. "Excuse you, we just fought an entire swamp."

Manni nodded sagely. "She has a point."

Salviana, seated beside Alaric, seconded the idea. "We should stop for brunch. No point in traveling on empty stomachs."

Alaric sighed but relented. "Fine. Where’s the nearest place?"

Manni pulled out a small map, squinting at it. "There’s an inn not far from here. The Rusty Stag."

Jean’s face lit up. "Sounds promising!"

Lucius smirked. "Sounds dirty."

"Rustic," Jean corrected. "Big difference."

With that, they set off.

The Rusty Stag Inn

The moment they stepped inside, they were hit with a wave of noise, heat, and the thick scent of roasted meat and ale.

The inn was bustling with people—loud men, music, and the overwhelming smell of spiced food and sweat. A bard in the corner strummed a lively tune, and tavern maids weaved between tables, balancing heavy trays of drinks.

Jean inhaled deeply. "Ahhh. Smells like adventure."

Lucius wrinkled his nose. "Smells like unwashed adventure."

Alaric glared at him, "Shut up, Lucius. I’m the prince and I’m not even complaining,"