Chapter 141: Nightmare
As he kissed her, Eve melted into his arms. A soft moan escaped her as he expertly slid his tongue inside her mouth, tasting her, caressing every nook and cranny within. The kiss was slow yet deep, filled with unspoken emotions. Every movement carried the weight of what Ivan couldn’t say aloud. Warmth spread through her entire being as she opened herself to receive everything he was wordlessly giving her.
They didn’t know who moved first, but soon Eve found her back pressed against the soft mattress, caged beneath Ivan’s arms as his hands roamed possessively along her back. She couldn’t keep her own hands still and ran them over his strong back, feeling him tremble slightly under her touch.
When they finally pulled away, both were breathless as their gazes locked. Ivan brushed his fingers across her cheek and whispered, "You’re so lovely." Eve only continued to stare at him tenderly.
Ivan then shifted to the side, gathering her in his arms as he pulled the blanket over them. Eve instinctively snuggled closer, her hands moving as if with a will of their own, tracing the taut muscles of his semi-exposed chest through his navy-blue robe before her fingers brushed against the brooch that hung loosely around his neck. His arms tightened around her, one hand drawing soft circles on her back while the other idly played with her silken hair.
They remained in peaceful silence in each other’s company until Eve spoke softly, "I’m surprised I’m the first one to ever gift you anything." She tilted her head to peer at his beautiful face in the dim light of the room, "Why is that?"
Ivan looked down thoughtfully, "I’m not sure. Maybe because of who I am. Some thought it’s better not to cross that line, while others assumed that since I’m the crown prince, I must already have everything. Besides," his voice grew quieter, "I never celebrated any occasions that would give them the chance to gift me anything."
"Oh..." Eve murmured, finding his reasons oddly sad. After a moment, she asked gently, "What about your...parents?"
"My father knows I don’t care for gifts, so he’s never insisted. When my mother was alive..." he paused, his expression darkened slightly, "she kept a few things for me...things I never got to see." His tone carried a quiet ache that made Eve’s heart tighten.
A slight frown settled on her forehead, and she wondered if she should ask further. Deciding to test the waters, she asked softly, "Why didn’t you... get to see them?"
Something dark flashed in his eyes, and his hand stilled mid-motion. When he finally spoke, his voice was flat, stripped of emotion, "They were burned in a fire."
Eve pressed her lips together, noticing the change in him. She reached out to cup his cheek and stroked it gently, "Difficult subject?" she asked softly.
Ivan closed her eyes, savouring the warmth of her tender touch that seemed to soothe him, easing the heaviness that had settled in his chest. Before he took a deep, heavy breath and replied quietly, "Yes..."
Eve could sense the profound sadness in him, so she didn’t push him any further. Instead, she shifted closer and buried her face in his chest, placing a lingering kiss there as she circled her arms around his waist, "It’s alright...let’s talk about something else."
"Hm," Ivan replied softly, his hold tightened on her.
"So... where else have you traveled using your powers?" she asked, her eyes shimmering with the reflection of fire burning in the fireplace. Ivan began tracing slow, gentle circles on her waist again, his molten red eyes drifting down to her when she peeked at him from his chest.
His lips twitched faintly as he watched her wait expectantly for his answer. "Let’s see," he mused. "I have been to really high places, like the one I took you to today, and also to lower places....like an island in the middle of the sea."
"An island?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Did you build something there as well?"
Ivan let out a soft chuckle, "No. not there. I couldn’t find anyone living there to assist me in building one, so I didn’t." Then a thought crossed his mind, something old Ivan would never have said, but the words had already left his lips. "We could build something together, if you’d like?"
Surprise flickered in her eyes before she responded, "Yes! I would love to!" Then she paused, pursing her lips in thought. "But...I’m not very good with manual labor. Still, I can always learn!" she added quickly.
Ivan chuckled again, which sounded so enticing to Evelyn’s ears. "Yes," he said, "I’ll teach you." He pulled her closer and pressed a soft kiss on her nose before rubbing it affectionately with his own.
"And since you’re the only one I can take with me," Ivan added, caressing her cheek, "maybe we can discover more new places?"
A faint blush rose to her cheeks, and she beamed at him, "I look forward to it!"
A small yawn escaped her soon after, and Ivan understood that she must be exhausted from the day’s events. Gently tugging her under his chin, he whispered, "Sleep, baby, it’s late and you must be tired."
"Okay..." she murmured, snuggling closer and inhaling his scent, which always had a calming effect on her. "You smell so good," she whispered sleepily.
A smile tugged at his lips as he pressed a kiss on her head, "You smell so good," he echoed.
Eve smiled faintly, and slowly, she was lulled to sleep in Ivan’s warm embrace. This was her safe haven. Him. With that comforting thought, they both drifted into peaceful sleep.
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[Music Recommendation: Eternal Eclipse - Dawn of Faith]
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In the middle of the night, Ivan’s brows furrowed in his sleep. A thin layer of sweat formed on his forehead, and his free hand clutched the bedsheet as if he were reliving an unsavory memory.
A boy not more than five lay on his bed in a dark room. A mysterious woman appeared with her face half-covered and whispered, "Shhh...don’t be scared, Your Highness." She raised her hand, brushing it over his head as soft purple light emitted from her palm. "Forget about...her," she murmured.
Then suddenly, the vision changed. He was now in the protective embrace of his mother.
"Mother!" he called out in a worried tone.
"Hush, my child. Don’t worry, Ivan. You are your mother’s strong child, aren’t you? Promise me you’ll listen to your mother?!" she spoke to him in a hurried, urgent voice in a dark room.
"I will, Mother.." The five-year-old replied in a quivering voice.
"My brave child," she caressed his head lovingly.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the door. Violent thuds were heard, and Irene’s eyes widened."Hide! Hide now! And don’t come out until I say so!" Her face looked pale yet fierce under the soft moonlight, her crimson eyes burning with both anxiousness and determination. As the footsteps drew nearer, she whispered sharply, "Now, Ivan!"
Ivan ran and hid inside the cupboard, which was loosely shut, allowing him to see through the small crack. From there, he saw his mother standing tall, poised, and unyielding.
She whirled around just as the doors burst open, pulling out a dagger. Facing the intruders, she demanded in a commanding voice, "How dare you barge into my home! Who are you?!"
Through the narrow crack, Ivan’s molten red eyes tried to glimpse who his mother was talking to, but all he could see were sinister hooded figures surrounding her.
One of them hissed, "Where is your child, Queen Irene?"
Queen Irene’s eyes glowed red as anger surged within her. "You will never have him!" she spat.
One of them let out a low, sinister laugh,"Well then, I guess you’ll have to go first..."
"He must be hidden somewhere here," another hissed.
They raised their hands and something dark pulsed from their palms before striking Irene in immense force. Her body was thrown across the floor, making her cough up blood. She trembled as she tried to stand; it was when her eyes flickered towards the cupboard, meeting Ivan’s terrified ones through the crack.
Ivan was about to step out when she slowly shook her head, giving him a small, reassuring smile, as if to say she was fine.
His small frame trembled, but before she could rise again, one of the hooded figures approached her, raised his sword, and plunged it into her back.
Ivan watched his mother collapse on the ground. And a scream tore from his throat, "Mother!!!"
The hooded figure’s head snapped towards the sound, but before any of them could rush to get him, something erupted inside Ivan. For the very first time, his powers truly awakened. His eyes blazed like fire as he stared at his mother, withering in pain, lying in her pool of her own blood.
Then the ground began to shake violently.
With tears streaking down his face, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at the shadowy figure who still held the sword that pierced his dear mother, the five-year-old Ivan screamed, "I will kill you all!"
