Foreboding Storm - Chapter 112

Princess Qamari’s ears perked upon hearing the dull footsteps entering the cave. She straightened her posture and tightened her grip on the sword, her golden eyes fixed firmly on the entrance.

“It’s me.”

The familiar voice released the tension from her body, and Princess Qamari relaxed her grip, the golden sword restraining its glow as it faintly pulsed by her side.

“I brought some wild berries and fruits. I already washed them at the stream, so you can go ahead and help yourself.” Placing a green bundle a few inches from her, he unhurriedly unfolded the layers of leaves and displayed an assortment of berries and wild fruits.

Princess Qamari’s eyes glowed at the variety, many of the fruits, like wild purple grapes and pink pears being one of her favorites.

“Where did you find all of these?”

She hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday evening. The ache in her empty stomach turned numb and disappeared once it failed to receive the attention it sought. The rich and lustrous textures of the fruits and berries reawakened the silent hunger, causing her mouth to water.

“The woods here are not as barren as they seem. Aside from the wild beasts, there are also ordinary little animals like this hare. However, those regions of the woods are rarely visited because of the ominous and desolate vibe in the air.”

“It is understandable. The villagers here are poorly skilled with no knowledge of martial arts or literary ability.”

Letting go of her sword, Princess Qamari moved to the pile of delicacies when the man stepped away. Unceremoniously, she grabbed a bunch of her favorites and most of the appetizing fruits, leaving only the wrinkled and bruised ones behind.

This earned her a peculiar gaze from her companion.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just, are you going to eat all of that?”

“Yes, I am. Why? Do you have a problem with that?” She asked with a narrowed gaze.

“No, of course not. I was just curious, that’s all.”

“Hmm…don’t worry. I left some for you.”

With a dark frown, his gaze shifted back to the meager pile of wrinkled and bruised fruits.

“Go ahead and have them. I caught a hare. It will be more than enough to fill me.” He stiffly declined.

“Oh? You don’t want them? I know you are young and strong, but too much protein isn’t good for your health. You should not dismiss the fruits.”

‘Who’s fault is that?’

“It isn’t every day that I skip on fruits. Not having them for a day won’t harm me.” He inwardly thought with a cold sneer, but outwardly replied nonchalantly.

“That’s true. Well, thank you for the fruits.” Princess Qamari kneeled and grabbed the rest of the abandoned fruits with joy.

Crown Prince Lail watched the scene with amusement. The woman’s various sides filled him with thrill and wonder that raised an intense desire to know her. At one time, she could be so cold and ruthless that others’ skins would rise in goosebumps.

The next moment, she could decisively and unyieldingly cut off the roots of evil without hesitation.

And at another time, she would kindly step forward to bring an end to a deeply ingrained cruel practice and then innocently bicker over fruits.

“Are you going to cook that with feather and all?” Princess Qamari, unaware of her partner’s mental assessment, asked out of curiosity while she munched on her fruits.

“I was just about to take it out for cleaning.” Flapping his sleeves, Crown Prince Lail turned and left with the hare.

A while later, he returned with logs and branches on one shoulder and his skinned and cleaned game dangling from his other hand. Placing the logs in the center, he started a quickfire that soon turned into a blazing inferno.

“I wanted to cook the hare inside the cave. That way the cave will warm up from the heat of the flame. Is that okay with you?”

“I have no problem with that.” Still focused on her feast, Princess Qamari shrugged casually as she replied.

Crown Prince Lail tore off a piece of flesh from the hare’s thigh, inserted a stick, and hung it over the flames. Moments passed and the damp cave was soon filled with warmth, the sizzling sound of dripping oil and aromatic scent of roast meat permeated the air.

He tore a piece of the cooked meat and handed it over to Princess Qamari, who obediently accepted it. A bit later, she spat the meat out with disgust.

“What in the realms is this? Do you call this roasted meat? It has neither flavor nor taste. How can I chew this let alone swallow?” Wide-eyed, she asked in disbelief.

“You! What do you mean by that? I personally roasted the meat before your eyes. If it isn’t roasted meat, then what else will it be? If you can’t it, then don’t eat it!”

Crown Prince Lail felt offended. Even though he couldn’t claim to be talented in the culinary arts, due to his extreme germaphobia, on the borders and in the military, he never allowed anyone else to cook his meals and crafted them personally.

He was proud to declare that the many years of practice had honed his skills. Yet, this woman claimed that his roasted meat was so hard that she couldn’t even chew it?

“Move aside. I will show you what roasted meat really is.”

She neatly wrapped her pile of fruits and got to her feet. Folding her sleeves and securing the ends of her flapping robes, she walked over to the blazing fire.

“Cut me a portion.” She demanded without any niceties.

Crown Prince Lail immediately cut off a piece of the skinned hare and brought it to her on a thick leaf, all the while wondering why he was following her rude commands.

Princess Qamari took the leaflet of meat from him and sat it down. Grabbing her silver medicinal herbs pouch, she took out salt, cumin, garlic, green chili, dried lemongrass, and other unfamiliar dried spices.

“You carry things like that with you?” Crown Prince Lail was astonished by the assortment of condiments.

“Of course. Do you know, most of the herbs used in food, when done correctly, can actually cure hidden ailments. Like this garlic, for example. When boiled at the right temperature, or roasted with meat at the correct time, it can prevent a person from falling ill due to infections, cold, fever, or cough among others.”

“Sadly, not many know about this. And those that do know are too caught up in personal affairs and striving for survival to waste time in caring for their health.”

Chopping the fresh herbs, she mixed them with the dried ones and sprinkled them on the meat with a pinch of salt. Using a black herb, she swapped in on a thick branch.

“What is that?” Crown Prince Lail’s interest piqued on seeing the thick, black foliage. He couldn’t define the plant from its appearance.

“This is a Repellant Grass. It acts in the same way as a disinfectant and cleanses off any germ on the surface of an object within a few breaths. On most occasions, it is used to repel and keep the insects away from sprouting herbs and plants.”

“Oh, I never saw it before.”

“That’s because it only grows in places with an abundance of water.” She herself had discovered the plant growing on the coast of the Sealand Academy under the vast sea.

Sticking the meat on the cleaned branch, Princess Qamari hung it over the blazing flame with glittering eyes.

When she was young and used to travel with her parents, her father often taught her how to grill and roast meat using her mother’s condiments. At that time, she wasn’t aware of how precious and little the time spent with her parents was.

However, she still lived those times as if they were her last moments, with abandon and carefree, showering in the loving care of her parents.

Soon, the cave was covered in a rich and aromatic fragrance that caused Crown Prince Lail’s eyes to widen in shock. The golden color and sizzling oil made his mouth water.

“Why don’t you have a taste?”

Princess Qamari ripped off a slice of the meat and handed it over to the practically drooling man. The chunk disappeared out of her hand before she could even say anything.

Crown Prince Lail engulfed the meat in two giant chunks, the soft tenderness and rich flavors overwhelming his senses.

“Sigh!”

Closing his eyes, the man sighed in wonder as he savored the taste, his body warming and heart relaxing in bliss. A brief moment later, his eyes snapped open and greedily fixed onto the other chunk of meat still hanging over the flame.

He had to admit. The meat she grilled and the one he made had nothing to compare. The difference between the two was like the difference between heaven and earth, vast and unfillable.

While his wasn’t bad, very well and evenly cooked, the flavor was dull and bland without a trace of salt to stimulate the tongue. Hers, on the other hand, was as if it had been grilled by a master chef, well and evenly cooked with all the right flavors and fragrance to stimulate the senses and overwhelm the tongue.

Just smelling it made one feel like they had ascended to paradise. With such a drastic comparison, he would be a fool to pass out on such a wonderful treat and great enjoyment.

“Heh…I haven’t eaten any of the fruits. How about you let me finish that piece as well? We still have more meat you can grill.” He shamelessly suggested with a flattering tone.

His glowing red eyes and sickly sweet tone made Princess Qamari’s skin crawl.