Chapter 31: Under The Moonlight Of The Lover God's

'Open'

Adlaricus's mouth unconsciously opened.

He had never seen someone so gentle and beautiful as her before entering the demon underworld and back on his way out.

But he could not falter for such a beauty, he was stained in blood.

He was a man who did the dirty work, how dare he touch the Emperor and Empress's only daughter.

The Jewel of The Heavens itself.

A goddess who heals while he kills.

"The lady looked familiar to me, it turns out you were a royal" (Adlaricus, said)

"You must know who I am, so stay away from me" (Adlaricus, said)

'Pass'

He passed her with words that cut her from getting any closer to him.

All her body could do was look at his silhouette that disappeared off into the distance.

"...." (Althea)

-Inside of Emperor's study room-

Emperor Of Heavens Rulias 47,000 years old.

A tall man that looked to be in his early forties with long white hair and purple eyes.

A white soft skin that matched his pretty but mature face.

He too was extremely handsome, no wonder Althea had inherited his beauty although her mother was just as equally as beautiful a great match of genetics to create the perfect her.

And so on the Emperor was looking at some scrolls however he could not concentrate as his eyes kept glancing at his daughter who seemed to be sad in the corner bed seated round window watching outside towards the back gardens.

It was almost as if she was lovesick.

She had felt his stares a couple of times but his stares became more intense.

"Father when you first met mother it was love at first sight right?" (Althea, asked)

'SUSPICIOUS'

"Yes..." (Emperor Rulias, said)

"But why did you suddenly ask?" (Emperor Rulias, asked)

He asked with a clear suspicious face yet on high alert.

It was a gut feeling he felt.

'Smile'

She smiled bitterly.

"I think I have fallen in love" (Althea, said)

"!" ('Emperor Rulias)

'SLAM!'

Immediately he slammed the top of his desk with a yell.

"What?! Who the?! Who is it?! Who dares to seduce my one and only baby daughter?! Does he think he's courting death?!" (Emperor Rulias, yelled)

'Unless my daughter finally gave the chance to Hellier or there is no way there would be another man-' (Emperor's Rulias inner thoughts)

"It's Aldaricous" (Althea, said)

'Crack'

But his expectations broke as if he turned into a stone-cracked statue.

'Turn'

'Get up'

Althea turned around and got up to check on her dad seeing him.

"Dad are you okay?" (Althea, asked)

'Shake, Shake'

She shook him concerned but he did not move.

'Does he not like that I like Adlaricus?' (Althea's inner thoughts)

"Dad...you don't have to worry. He doesn't even like me" (Althea, said)

She said as she looked at the faraway circular window as she had come from with a heartbroken face.

"...." (Emperor Rulias)

The Emeoper glanced at her expression.

'Creak'

"Sighed" (Emperor Rulias, sighed)

"Although he's a terrifying man, the complete opposite of you" (Emperor Rulias, said)

He said as if he gave up looking straight to the door.

'Turn'

Then turned to look at Althea.

"I hate to give the man an opportunity to swoop my daughter... but if he didn't care he wouldn't have looked so panicked when he arrived nor would he have asked to stay at the palace inventing a ridiculous excuse...it was clear he wanted to see my daughter wake up after days" (Emperor Rulias, said)

'Widen'

'He...really did that?' (Althea's inner thoughts)

Her eyes widened in surprise but his father did not stop them.

"Althea you had never given up on anything, if you think that is where your heart belongs then this father won't restrict you" (Emperor Rulias, said)

'Hug'

"Father..." (Althea, said)

She said with a sentimental face hugging her father with appreciation and love for the great father he had always been to her.

It was as if he was telling her to not give up and telling her it was alright even if others were terrified.

If his daughter was happy he was happy to.

.......

'Step, Step, Step'

Walking

Althea had decided to take a walk around the clouded pillars as Roxy walked alongside her clothed up and with her little cat slippers.

It was a windy cold night but Althea wanted to take a walk to gather her thoughts.

She wanted to talk to Marcyin but Marcyin was summoned back to her job she was only able to come asking permission from her job and she couldn't ask Hellier he had gone inside the dream of a dying person who wished to see the god of Happiness to ask to him for a dying wish. There was no way any notice that she had fainted for so long would get to him since time flows there differently.

She wanted to know what could she do to make Adlaricus stay.

Tomorrow he was leaving for a faraway realm full of blood and conflict as her father mentioned.

Adlaricus felt as if he had no other purpose so he did the dirty work.

After all those titles he must stick to them, to stay firm in his role.

'What can I say...I don't want him to think I'm creepy but then -Adlaricus!' (Althea, said)

Suddenly her step halted.

Because Adlaricus was sitting at the ends of some stepping stones looking at the bright round white moon holding a fushia pink flower just like back from the garden as if he was admiring its beauty.

"Meow" (Roxy the cat, meowing)

'Turn'

'Widen'

Adlaricus turned around alerted by a cat's sound but as he turned his eyes widened to look at Althea who was surprised to see him.

'Close'

'Hide'

'Sand up'

Adlaricus closed his eyes, got up, and hid the fushia pink flower acting as if he didn't have it in the first place.

"Lady Princess you shouldn't be walking out so late what if-" (Adlaricus, said)

"Aren't you here?" (Althea, asked)

'Open'

"What?" (Adlaricus, asked)

Adlaricus asked confused and taken aback.

"You are also the god of protection, why should I be afraid?" (Althea, asked)

'Step, Step, Step'

Walking.

'Halt'

Stop walking.

Althea did not answer him.

She simply walked towards him in silence and stared at him as her night gown fluttered along her soft straight white hair from the wind.

'Shalala'

Especially under this moonlighting her.

She was beautiful, too beautiful to describe.

She was like a glass fragment that could easily break if he wasn't careful.

Something so beautiful his heartfelt hot.

'Drop, Drop'

Never in the battlefield had his nose bled and yet in front of his women... Why?

'Wipe'

'Widen'

Althea had stopped in front of him and continued to say nothing however she gently raised her white night gown sleeves looking at him gently as if her eyes were filled with love and kindness.

She wiped his blood as his red eyes widened.

'Touch'

As she finished wiping his blood nose she had let go of her bloodied sleeve and touched his right cheek placing her soft warm hand.

"It's greedy to ask you to say...especially when we know nothing of each other...and yet it hurts to let you go" (Althea, said)

"I wish you'd stay, but I know that there is nothing that will make you stay ...so before you leave please listen" (Althea, said)

She said softly.

'Although I am not one to give up...I can't ask to be loved back...I don't want to force someone to love me because they feel prone to' (Althea's inner thoughts)

She knew that her father would somehow tell him to give his daughter an opportunity but she did not want that.

She did not want to force someone who did not feel the same way for her and she didn't want him to feel obligated because of her father's command.

"I was not scared of who you were and I am not scared of who you are even now knowing that you are Adlaricus the good of war a man who is stained with blood as you say "(Althea, said)

"I don't care about any of that, I judged the person by their character and my heart tells me that I shouldn't be scared, that my heart still wants to beat for you...I have fallen in love with you" (Althea, said)

'Release'

She released him with a warm smile however her eyes were saddened as if she was saying goodbye.

"Love at first sight huh....don't mind my words I no longer will intrude your night" (Althea, said)

'Turn'

She turned.

"Meow" (Roxy the cat meowed)

Even Roxy meowed sadly with her tail down.

'Step'

Althea took a step forward.

"Goodbye Ad-" (Althea, said)

'Grab'

But was interrupted by a large hand that had wrapped around her wrist.

'Turn'

"?" (Althea)

"Meow?" (Roxy the cat, meowed)

"Lady how can you walk away without hearing what I have to say? How could you walk away after that confession?" (Adlaricus, asked)

He said as if he was hurt she'd just leave without hearing what he had to say.

"What? What do you mean weren't you going to reject me?" (Althea, asked)

She asked confused.

'Smile'

His lips rose into a sly smile.

'Pull'

'Wrap'

'Badump, Badump, Badump'

He pulled her wrist gently and wrapped his larger hand around her waist as her heartbeat at his actions.

"I thought I was crazy for liking a woman at first sight" (Adlaricus, said)

One thing was her beauty that he had been enchanted with but the other was the way she did not look at him with disgust or terrified just like any other.

It was the feeling he never felt like some comfort he got a taste and could no longer live without it.

She really had seen his blood after the enchantment but was more scared of the surroundings than him.

He did not believe in first-sight love and yet here he was as if he became intoxicated by her beauty, by her kindness, her gentleness, and her warmth.

"But it appears the Lady's feelings and I are mutual" (Adlaricus, said)

He said at her with love passionate eyes.

'Open'

Her lips opened again.

"Does that mean you'll stay?" (Althea, asked)

She asked as she stared at him a certain way.

He could feel it because he himself too.

"Make of this your answer" (Adlaricus, said)

'Lean'

'Touch'

Adlaricus leaned down as he gripped her waist more and his other hand held her.

His mouth touched her soft lips finally becoming one.

"Mmmm" (Althea)

Althea's lips burned at his passionately hot lips and her mouth that had a warmth of their overlapping mouths.

"Mmmm" (Althea)

Althea's whole body trembled, it was good that he held her on so tightly if not she might have collapsed from the dranage of this hot passionate kiss.

Yet at the same time, the kiss was sweet and warm.

Both of them, just in the moonlight kissing just like lovers who had not seen each other in a long time and a man who had watched the scene with a crumpled expression.

A man who had loved her all his life.

Hellier watched from the distance as they exchanged a passionate kiss that could have lasted centuries.

A kiss that he'd wished for the longest, an affection and love that would never be reciprocated because the man in front of him had stolen it all.

"Haahh!" (Aurora, breathed)

And at that moment Aurora opened her eyes as if she had woken from a long dream.

While one man's head lay on the corner of the bed as his right hand was placed above her hand.

This man was no other than her Husanad Dorian.

With a very close resemblance to the god of war and protection Adlaricus.