Chapter 175: Chapter 175
"..."
’Perhaps... Is she asleep?’
The sun had ceased to light the sky.
Only the dark blue of a navy sky with a round white navigating it was covering their scenery illuminating the place he intently watched while the smooth whispers of the wind grazed his waiting profile.
Although he hadn’t quit to surveil the platform below, Zeleskiaz had decided to use the heightened senses he had been blessed and trained with in desperation, as the supposition of not seeing her appeared to become plausible.
To no avail, his ears could not hear clearly, and his aura also could not reach her space to ascertain her whereabouts...
Solely his nose could feel some of her lovely scent, which was being disrupted by two foreign ones.
’May them be her servants?’ — He contemplated.
"..."
’Sigh... Bloody beast... I am part of the house you protect... Why do you hinder my perceptions of her?
The Lady may be your Protege...’
* But only until I make her mine. *
The voice of his true desire trembled in a translated sensation on his chest. Bulging with impatience, Zeleskiaz’s muscles tensed in agonizing eagerness.
Thus, unable to control the restless sensation, he stood from the window’s edge he had seated on for hours to walk away from it as the impulse to rush over to her side was to overwhelm him if he continued to stay at that blessed spot.
"... D*mn it..."
—...m.Ore... Haah...—
Gulp.
".... Lady... Fuuuhhh....." — His expression distorted in painful lust recalling her spontaneous whisper... Clenching his fists as he was forced to halt his steps from the force of the dreamy memory.
Then... Continuing to remember... The feel when a graze of her mound’s side emerged and his clenched fists loosened to let its fingers touch its skin... Bringing it upwards, he placed the burning hand before his countenance and secretly wished for opportunities to come where the round shape...
"Haaa... This is madness... To hold such depraved thoughts over her..... No woman has ever done this to me."
His experiences had never been passionate between sheets.
Yet only by the graze of her hand... Solely by the flutter of her beauteous strands...
"D*mn woman... Torturing me like this with her mere existence... Madness...She’s the authentic culprit if any madness is found in me." — Arriving at his bed’s side, Zeleskiaz complained.
Staring at the meticulously spreadsheets, he recalled one thing from his past tanglings done in foreign mattresses.
Dullness.
The women offered to satisfy his body’s needs... Yet the noisy moans... The unsightly reactions and attitude... Their filthy wish to get their hands on him...
"..."
Shameful. Unpleasant..... Regretful.
Nevertheless... The man... The mix of his mature physic and desire; brought to thought the cause of the latter.
The strict yet lovely woman...
’She... I would ask for her touch instead... Her expressions.....’
Shutting his eyes in pain at the vision, he exhaled restlessly.
"Gods..... So this is perdition..."
The image of her flushed cheeks and drowsy eyes as they kissed, turned his features to grimace at how the unimaginable illusion could be in reality.
The curves she hid under the cloth covering her, how rosy would it turn... How warm and soft it would feel as his hands greedily travelled her every nook...
Would his kisses leave a trace behind?... Would her skin exude more of the entrancing scent she possessed to drown him in its addictive sweetness?
"..."
’Her hair...’
Would it stay placed in a pacific stream... Or become chaotic in a flood... For he certainly wouldn’t hold her slowly every time...
Swallows...
"I’m crazy." — He mumbled, combing his hair back with his hand in disbelief at his ideas. — "I’ve turned to disrespect her in my luscious head instead. She would... Despise me if she knew."
’... Yet...’
"Sigh... Pardon me, My Lady... This is a delusion of mine but... Let me keep it for now..... Imagining the ways I would touch you... Is my only solace for the prohibition to do so I have in reality."
’... How pathetic... Yet how odd that I don’t mind it... A fool at your mercy I am, Lady Marianne... I hope you are aware.’
Seating by the bed’s edge, his hand drifted over the soft cloth he wished to lay her on.
"Would these... Become soaked in your scent..... Mould to your shape... Bring rest after exhaustion I provoked... Haaahhh, this heat shall stay like this. Unsolved. Unslaked... That ought to be my punishment for the brazen insolence I am crafting in my head."
His hand clutched strongly the sheet, feeling the arousal become larger...
’... Maybe tomorrow... Distance should be placed on my part too... Those five chances... Could become none at this rate.’
*******
"Isn’t she interesting, Mother?"
"... Indeed... The girl is delightful to look at. What amazes me is how comfortable Dioclecià appeared by her side, fufu... The child didn’t stutter much and his smile reigned over the meal... I am elated for the Emperor had good judgement closing their distance this morning."
"That is also true... However, I was referring to her achievement on the Gracious Title as the Ninth. She ought to be outstanding for Fenrir to choose her."
"... Ah... That. She may be, I suppose. It is certainly a skill she has; to get our House’s members’ attention and acceptance this easily."
"Mother... You cannot find fault at her yet... However, you are reluctant to admit you like her presence?"
"It is a must to be cautious, dear. Fenrir would not choose anyone purely because of how lovely they are."
"... And Mother believes I do not know that?"
"... Hmph... Jasmine, your interest is always picked by puzzling beings. Have you already decided on her being one you want to be near?"
"If you mean to say I will follow her around like His Majesty, the Crown Prince and The Third Prince, you are mistaken."
"My... So what is my daughter planning to do? I believe you have no friends anymore. Your bluntness in showing them wrong made them cry and leave your side, remember? Those poor ladies... I am struggling to find new Ladies in waiting for you, dear..."
"Sigh... Mother... It is unpleasant to have them around when all they are eager to discuss is the men that could want their hands in marriage. I have no such problem, hence I despise it."
"... How is it that you do not have such a problem? Are you engaged without my knowledge?" — The Empress answered, raising her brow in wonder at her daughter’s conceptions.
"... Is this a jest, Mother?"
"What do you mean? I am asking for I do not know–"
"Mother! Wasn’t I promised to the Latrishk Kingdom’s Prince??"
"... You ought to pardon me, darling... Yet this is the First I’ve heard such notice."
"... There is... There must be a mistake?"
"Who told you such a thing in the first place, dear? The Princess of an Empire like your Father’s cannot be promised so thoughtlessly. The man is to earn your hand, not buy it. And Latrishk’s Prince has done none in that sense."
"..... That... Sigh..... Who was it that told me so?... I’ve thought so for years and...! That jerk!!"
"Jasmine!"
"Mother! That bloody man you gave birth to! It was Zeleskiaz who must have sent the letter!!"
"..... It was from a mere letter? How old were you to believe such a dubious proposal with your intellect, dear?"
"..... It was at the time Zeleskiaz kept destroying my every pet... The shock of their corpses did drive me into a tad of stupidity in my mourning."
"Mmhmm. Nonetheless, my beautiful child... Zeleskiaz is not one to play such a prank to deceive you. He has no need for that and he would not enjoy it either."
"..... Are you implying..."
"Yes. That was most likely Sverre. And I do not think he meant it as a mere prank since you know his character. You must have done something truly aggravating to him to make him calculate a misleading thought in you... Otherwise..."
"He wants fewer opponents."
"..." — The Empress softly smiled, giving a sip of her teacup, satisfied by her daughter’s quick thinking.
"That means he believed I was interested in the Throne and could attain it?... Sigh... Even though I’ve said I do not want it?... He truly likes to have no loose ends."
"There is no other way for him, dear. Sverre is a pure tactician for he lacks physical power. And when going against your older brother..."
"... A Ruthless Hero and Tactician... True. I would also erase other hindrances. However..."
"Do not tell me. As a woman, I understand your rage, yet as the Empress, mother of you two... Hence hush your plans. I am to turn a blind eye until you teach him the lesson I failed to teach him."
"Hm... Much appreciated, Your Graced Majesty. Then, shall we return to the previous matter we were discussing?"
"The Ninth? Are you still eager to converse about our unusual Guest?"
"Of course, Mother... Have you not noticed? That woman... It has been made clear in my dreams..... She’s special. I know for sure that Lady Marianne will become the friend I won’t ever lose for my bluntness."