Fortunately, nothing bad happened.
The White Hart drew closer and closer. Rhaegar's hands and feet trembled slightly as he cautiously edged forward, raising one hand high above his head.
"Yoo-hoo~"
Beneath the setting sun, the shadows of the boy and the deer overlapped.
The White Hart stopped in front of Rhaegar, lowered its head to sniff the red grapes resting in his palm, then curled its tongue around one and popped it into its mouth.
The sweet, juicy flesh burst between its teeth, filling its mouth with a fresh, fragrant taste.
It swallowed the first one, then quickly devoured the rest.
Rhaegar eagerly studied the White Hart. With his heart failing to pump enough blood, his face gradually turned deathly pale. Cold sweat poured from his body, soaking through his light, luxurious clothes.
"Good fellow, you've eaten my stash. Now you have to let me pet you, right?"
As soon as he spoke, Rhaegar began panting heavily. He reached out with his little hand beneath the White Hart's clear gaze.
His fingers brushed the long fur on its slender neck.
"Yoo-hoo?"
The White Hart didn't shy away. It let the human cub stroke it, then nudged his waist pouch with its nose.
Rhaegar grinned brightly. "You little glutton. Did you smell that I still had some left?"
Wrapping one arm around the White Hart's neck, Rhaegar pressed his cheek against its snowy white coat and gently rubbed it.
With his other hand, he opened the little pouch and dumped all the remaining food onto the ground.
A few red grapes, a slice of apple, half an orange...
The White Hart ate everything without hesitation, lowering its head to gobble it all up.
Watching this scene, Illyric was utterly astonished. His lips moved slightly. "Your Highness..."
Rhaegar turned to look at Illyric, who was standing there in bewilderment. A hint of color rose in his pale face as he said bashfully, "I didn't finish all that fruit. It would've been such a waste to throw it away."
"No, that's not what I mean. I mean... I mean..."
At that moment, there were no words to describe how Illyric felt.
He had faced down assassin ambushes without so much as blinking, but now he was deeply shaken.
A White Hart had willingly approached them.
Throughout the recorded history of the Continent of Westeros, nothing so astonishing had ever happened.
If the poets and singers spread the tale, it would become a legend remembered for generations.
Whatever thoughts the White Knight might have had, Rhaegar had no mind to think about them just then.
His heartbeat grew heavier with each beat. His ears rang, and his head spun as his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
"Ser, don't hurt my friend..."
After uttering those weak final words, Rhaegar's arm loosened around the White Hart's neck, and his body collapsed limply.
Thud—
After a day of traveling, Rhaegar couldn't withstand the excitement and fainted.
"Your Highness... Your Highness..."
Just before losing consciousness, Rhaegar seemed to hear Illyric frantically calling his name and shaking him.
"Rare creature detected. Contains trace amounts of magical elements. Initiating scan..."
"Scan successful. A pure-hearted White Hart. Begin exploration?"
"..."
"Since the Explorer has fallen unconscious, exploration will begin automatically. Please look forward to the results..."
Rhaegar seemed to hear the System prompt, but he could no longer think and had completely lost consciousness.
Elsewhere.
In a clearing somewhere in the Kingswood.
Rhaenyra, who had left the camp in distress, was no longer sad. She sat calmly on a dead tree.
Before her, the handsome knight in silver armor and white robes set down his longsword and deftly lit a campfire.
"Cole, I didn't know you were so capable at things other than fighting."
Rhaenyra propped her chin in both hands, her tone teasing.
Cole, his black curls framing his face, smiled as he prepared the wild rabbit he'd hunted. "I come from an ordinary background. Before I became a knight, I had to do all the chores myself."
There was no denying that Criston Cole was excellent.
Not only was he a White Knight of renown, but he was also handsome enough to win any girl's heart.
His gentle manner and clear eyes were even more irresistible.
Rhaenyra, starved for affection, was completely smitten with him.
She gazed at her very own White Knight with longing.
She watched him carefully prepare their dinner.
If Rhaegar had been there, he would have sworn before the Seven:
Even if Cole brought her a piece of charcoal in a moment, Rhaenyra would have swallowed it without a second thought.
Rustle, rustle...
The rabbit had only just begun roasting when a noise came from nearby, putting them both on alert.
Cole drew his longsword, ready to face the enemy lurking in the dark.
"Snort, snort~"
As the seconds passed, a black wild boar charged out of the dark forest, charging wildly.
Faced with an adult boar's charge, Cole's eyes widened, and he hurriedly dodged.
As he pivoted, his longsword slashed across the boar's body, leaving a wound.
"Snort, snort~"
The boar's hide was thick. After its first charge failed, it turned and charged wildly again.
This time, it aimed straight for the distracted Rhaenyra.
"Look out!"
Cole shouted, warning Rhaenyra to dodge.
In the blink of an eye, the boar leaped over the blazing campfire and raced toward the girl, who looked like the easier target.
The fire was knocked apart, scattering burning logs and sending flames into the night sky.
It was like a shower of blazing fireworks.
In the firelight, the boar bore down on the girl.
Its sharp tusks were less than a fist's width from her soft belly.
The threat of death pressed closer with every moment.
"No!"
A scream rang through the moonlit night, shrill and anguished.
Rhaegar's eyes flew open. He sat bolt upright, his face and eyes filled with terror.
"You're awake, Your Highness!"
The next second, Illyric's delighted voice reached his ears.
Rhaegar turned his head on instinct and saw a campfire.
"The fire... The campfire wasn't knocked over?"
Seeing the flames roaring, Rhaegar swallowed, but his mouth still felt parched.
Footsteps sounded behind him. Rhaegar turned and saw Illyric striding over, looking excited.
In his hand was a pheasant with a grass-rope noose around its neck.
"Ser, where are we? Where's my sister?"
Rhaegar hadn't quite collected himself yet. His young face was filled with worry.
Illyric dropped his catch and went to the startled little prince. Placing both hands on Rhaegar's shoulders, he said solemnly,
"Don't be afraid. It was just a nightmare."
"A nightmare?"
Rhaegar wiped his forehead. It was slick with cold sweat from the fright.
Illyric gently patted his back and patiently recounted everything that had happened during the day.
At last, Rhaegar remembered what had really happened.
"Whew..."
He let out a long breath. Relief flashed in his eyes, and the fear faded from his face.
"So it was just a nightmare."
Although the dream had felt incredibly real, Rhaegar was already used to being plagued by nightmares.
"Ser, that dream really scared me."
His pounding heart finally calmed. Rhaegar managed a smile to hide his embarrassment at losing his composure.
Illyric shook his head. "Everyone has bad dreams. Just forget about it."
Rhaegar thanked him quietly.
Then, as if remembering something, he looked around.
Not seeing the figure he remembered, Rhaegar asked in confusion, "Where's the White Hart? Where did it go?"
Illyric told him honestly, "After you fainted, the White Hart stayed by your side. It even brought you a red fruit in its mouth."
"Before I went to check the traps, the White Hart had you resting on its belly."
"Maybe it realized you were about to wake up, so it left on its own."
Rhaegar looked disappointed. "It left? I wanted to take it back and let Father see it."
Illyric tried to console him. "The White Hart doesn't belong in the human world. It came from the forest, and now it's returned to the forest. You should be happy for your new friend."
"That's right. I called it my friend."
Rhaegar murmured softly, still reluctant to let it go.
The author doesn't have many chapters saved up, so for now, I can only guarantee two updates a day.
When this book is officially signed, I'll release an extra chapter.
Going forward, every 300, 500, 1,000 collections...
And every 1, 30, or 100 monthly votes...
Will earn an extra chapter as a small celebration.
Before you continue