Chapter 4 Melancholic

[Demesne Empire, 456 Century, Winter]

"So, you are saying that we are supposed to believe that?"

One of the dukes stood up from his chair.

"I thought so, you would not believe me, even though I had my mouth bound. So, I brought him here..."

Suddenly, the torches lining the walls flickered, and a swirl of cold air sent shivers through the dukes' spines. He entered the room, creating an unsettling intensity. Step by step, he walked towards Ophelia with his presence haunting the entire room.

"Shall I introduce, Damien Lynx"

*slam

"What kind of nonsense is this, Ophelia?!" Duke Alamos slammed the table with his hand. All the dukes whispered in the presence of Damien.

"Disagreement, right?" Ophelia stood up, facing Alamos. "I barely knew that you mocked me behind my back, you greedy pig!"

"Wha- Selfish?! You witch-..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Alamos choked. Damien's hand was up in the air as he cast a spell to choke the man's fatty neck.

"Nobody mocked my lady..." He said.

Along with his suffocation, Alamos begged Ophelia for mercy. The woman tapped Damien's shoulder as he released the unseen grip from the duke.

The old man fell onto the ground, gasping for air and all the people inside the room stopped talking upon seeing the terrifying event in front of their eyes.

"Anybody considered reporting us or anything?" Ophelia asked.

No one dared to answer.

"So, I will announce my comeback to our people. Tomorrow, I will be heading to the capital. Please, inform me of my arrival..."

Ophelia, alongside Damien, walked outside the room. The meeting ended just like that. Everybody went home without saying a single word. The night fell quietly.

. . .

*pant *pant

In the dark, deep woods, Ophelia ran barefoot. Her heart pounded like a drum with each fearful step she took.

As she fled, she encountered a massive tree root that caused her to stumble and fall to the ground. She attempted to stand, but her feet were already covered in wounds.

Suddenly, a towering figure of a masked man materialized from the shadows, casting a fiery spell directly at Ophelia. In an instant, the world turned red.

. . .

*gasp

Ophelia gasped, awakening from her slumber. Her eyes darted wildly, and her body trembled as the world seemed to blur around her.

"Damien!" she shouted.

Damien entered the room with a glass of wine in hand. "Yes?" he asked, clearly a mix of annoyance and amusement.

The sight of Damien immediately eased her tension, and her trembling hands subsided. A graceful smile graced her lips as she leaned against the wall.

"What is it?" Damien inquired, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Realization dawned on him. "Was it a bad dream?" he asked again.

Ophelia nodded.

"That dream again?" Damien smiled at the woman and reached for her hands. She nodded once more. Damien offered her a glass of wine he took from the basement.

"No, thank you," Ophelia declined as she glanced around the bedroom. She could hardly believe she was already home.

The walls were adorned with rich, deep-hued tapestries featuring intricate patterns. The wooden canopy bed was draped with sumptuous white silk. Candle sconces cast a warm, flickering glow, lending a romantic ambiance to the room.

Plush rugs covered the floor, a large stone fireplace provided both warmth and grandeur, a high-backed chair occupied one corner. A vanity table adorned with a silver mirror reflected the wealth and power of the Abellones during that era.

"This is weird..." Ophelia said softly.

"Was this room always like this?" Damien asked.

As she could remember, it was not. Some furniture and wall patterns were replaced, unlike the one in the past. Ophelia shook her head, saying "This was my parent's bedroom, of course, because of the fire, they reconstructed it..."

She moved next to Damien, lowering her head, "I don't even know why they rebuilt this house". Ophelia's voice expressed her longing, knowing those moments could never be reclaimed.

"My lady-..."

"Please, call me Ophelia..." She said with eyes already glistened with unshed tears.

"Ophelia..." Damien pulled her to his embrace.

His hand approached her as he was holding a fragile, wounded bird. Slowly, Damien stroked the woman's hair, providing her shelter from the storm of melancholic and sad memories.

Ophelia lifted her face. Damien wiped the woman's tears, coming out from her red and puffy eyes. Slowly, he leaned towards her, his eyes locked onto her eyes.

Then, with a tender and gentle touch, his lips touched her. Ophelia did not resist, as their breaths intertwined.

Their mouths melded together with an intensity that left no room for restraint. A heat rose as Damien's tongue danced, exploring every inch of her mouth.

"I want you..." He said softly.

Out of the sudden, Ophelia pulled away, "We shouldn't do this" she said. Damien smiled, and with a reassuring tone, he answered "I understand...Now, shall we sleep?"

Ophelia nodded. Damien laid the woman's head onto the pillow gently. He stroked her hair, Ophelia slowly closed her eyes as she fell into her slumber.

"You passed, this time..." Damien whispered as he kissed the woman's forehead. He blew out the candles inside the bedroom as he walked outside, leaving Ophelia to sleep soundly.

----

to be continued.