The Devil's Cursed Witch

As they came farther and farther away from the palace, soon the view around them captured Ember's attention and she forgot the fear she was feeling while riding a horse.

The city of the White Tiger Clan.

On one side of the palace where Draven resides was the Forest of the Elves, where the nearest city was Ronan, the city of the Wood Elf Clan. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the palace was the territory of the shapeshifters. The city of Nimer was the city nearest the border.

The way towards Nimer was not covered by tall trees but vast greenery made up of meadows and small hills covered with grass. There was a river flowing along the way they were moving.  With the bright sky and peaceful grassland, many adorable groups of small animals paying homage whenever they pass, it looked really pleasant.

Ember suddenly felt like she had come to heaven. Ever since she left behind that hellish dead mountain, the sights that she had seen were all much more beautiful than she could ever imagine.

Coming to this kingdom was the best thing that happened in her life. It was more than she could ever have dreamed of--to live in such a peaceful place where everything was filled with beauty and vitality.

She looked at Draven who was riding next to her and could not help but feel thankful towards him for saving her and bringing her here to his kingdom.

Draven noticed her gaze on him and said without looking back at her, "We will be there in less than half an hour."

Ember simply nodded and returned her attention to the scenery around. There were many plants and animals whose names eluded her, and she became curious and fascinated with them.

After a while, Ember's attention was snatched away by the noise coming from a distance. No, it wasn't noise but music. She realized they were near their destination, as she could see what seemed like a walled city after they crossed another hill.

Soon, an arched gateway made of gray stones came into their sight. It was the entrance to the city.

Below the gateway, Ember saw a familiar man, the same white-haired man she had seen in the morning. He was there with other well-dressed people to welcome the King and his mate.

"The White Tiger Clan welcomes the King of Agartha and Miss Ember to the City of Nimer."

The man and his companions bowed before them. After a couple more remarks, the welcome entourage led them inside the city. The man called Etorn walked beside Draven and Ember.

"Your Majesty, glad to see you here with your mate. You can keep your horses in my manor so they can rest while your group freely roams the streets. I believe Your Majesty and his mate will enjoy the festival."

Draven offered him a light nod and they rode slowly inside. As soon as they passed the gateway, Ember saw what seemed like a human town filled with cottages and cabins made of stones and wood, their roofs made with clay. It was so different from the houses in Ronan, where the Wood Elves lived within trees and barely made visible changes within the forest.

'Not only the houses, but even the people are also different.'

Shapeshifters.

Given that the city was governed by the White Tigers, the majority of its residents were shapeshifters, particularly beastmen. There were a couple of elves, fairies and witches here and there, but they were rare. The tiger shapeshifters look like humans except for their prominent features that gave away their identity like trademark clothes, white hair and culture.

There were few white tigers in their beast form. Ember could not help but feel goosebumps on her arms.

'But their fur looks soft...'

The entire city was decorated with flowers and lanterns. After some time, they were guided through the marketplace which was crowded. Around the plaza, Ember could even see people dancing while others were playing musical instruments.

Of course, along the way, the residents all noticed their king and didn't fail to show their respect to him by bowing their heads. However, a lot of them could be seen gawking at them as soon as their group passed by. Most of them were curious about Ember, the human girl and the King's mate.

Ember felt a little awkward under their gazes but pretended to be calm. It was easier than expected since she was concentrating on keeping her balance. It would be extremely humiliating if she fell on horseback in front of the King's subjects.

Fortunately, Etorn told their group that they had arrived in his manor.

"Everyone, you may leave your horses here."

Draven climbed down his horse and approached Ember. Without her saying a word, he held her at her waist. Instinctively, she put her hands on his shoulder as he lifted her down the white horse.

Her entire body shivered as relief flooded her veins. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

She was smiling brightly, as if she had just finished a great ordeal.

Draven simply nodded and said, "Go ahead with your servants."

Ember subtly stretched, unable to complain that her legs had grown numb. Fortunately, her two servants approached her to fix her clothes and hair, allowing her to discreetly get rid of the numbness in her muscles.

White Tiger Etorn used that chance to strike up a short conversation with the King.

"Do you need a guide, Your Majesty?"

"No need."

"Please let the city guards know if you need anything else. Again, I and the elders of my clan hope you and the Miss enjoy your time together in Nimer, Your Majesty."

Soon enough, Draven, Ember and the three elves were back at the centre of the marketplace. The three ladies were at the lead while Draven followed them at a distance along with Erlos.

It was the first time Ember had ever attended a festival. Before, she could only read about them in books. Her gaze could not stay at a single place as it wandered around to take note of each and everything.

"Miss, look at this bracelet!"

"How about this clay teapot?"

"Oh, this skirt looks nice but I don't think Miss will wear this..."

The females went through the stalls and they bought a few simple accessories. However, they were unable to buy clothes. A greater majority of those offered were the kind that were heavily favoured by the females of the White Tiger Clan--a simple short top which is fixed with one knot at the back of the neck and the back of the torso, and knee-length skirts.

'Too revealing!'

Ember could not imagine herself wearing those clothes and immediately looked away. It wasn't that the fashion of tiger beast clan did not have much variation. One could say this kind of clothing was specially tailored to celebrate the night of the full moon...

As their group chose to skip the clothing shops, they focused more on other stalls. Ember would always touch something in admiration and curiosity, from bead accessories, to wood sculptures or clay crafts, any random things she would find attractive to her eyes.

Draven, who was walking behind them, ordered Erlos. "Get everything she has touched."

Without a question, Erlos started to buy each and every item Ember touched.