Ceti was greeted with the sensation of warmth as she roused, pulling her from the depths of her troubled sleep. The dull ache of her injuries was a distant sensation, replaced with comfort and a relaxed sensation.
For a second, she wondered if she was dreaming since the last thing she remembered was being this close to dying.
But as her senses returned, the scent of a familiar man, the musky aroma of his body, filled her nose.
Her eyes fluttered open to be met with the sight of his well-built chest, the color of dove gray, right in front of her.
Her arm was draped over his torso, and the realization hit her like a lightning bolt.
"Ha...!" With a sharp gasp, she attempted to push herself away from him.
But the sudden movement brought on a wave of pain, and she grimaced, falling back onto the bed, her limbs numb and sore.
Asher, roused from his sleep, turned to look at her, a teasing smirk playing on his lips, "The sleepy cat finally woke up, huh?" His voice was lazy, his eyes holding a trace of amusement.
Ceti blushed crimson, her eyes wide as she realized she was stark naked.
She snatched the bedsheet, wrapping it around her body with a huff. She glared at him, her dark blue eyes shimmering with confusion, anger, and embarrassment.
"D-Did you..." Her voice was barely above a whisper, her words trailed off as she failed to express her thoughts. The overwhelming realization and a bombardment of emotions kept her stammering.
"Did I what? Sleep with you?" Asher leaned back against the bedpost, looking at her with a teasing grin, clearly enjoying her discomfort.
"We did sleep together, yes. But nothing happened, at least not what your naughty mind might be imagining," Asher chuckled, his voice filled with amusement.
Ceti's eyes narrowed into slits, a hiss escaping her lips, "I wasn't imagining anything naughty! A-And...how could you take advantage of me in such a helpless state..."
Asher blinked, looking genuinely surprised, "Take advantage?" He scoffed, his laughter filling the cave, "Oh Ceti, you were the one who was already naked when we got saved. Maybe the people or the one who saved us wanted your underwear," He chuckled as he started explaining everything that happened while she was unconscious.
As he spoke, the anger in Ceti's eyes softened and faded. Her lips pressed together, forming a thin line as she lowered her gaze, her mind filled with mixed emotions. Why was she always misunderstanding his intentions? But why would anybody even steal her underwear after saving their lives? It just seemed weird and strange.
She also had no idea she woke up like this because of her own actions. She could vaguely remember the same dream she had countless times where she was lying in the freezing ground, close to death.
But this time she felt a warm and comforting energy enveloping her and before she knew it, she was trying to embrace this energy for safety and stop hurting.
But who knew she ended up hugging him while she was naked. Her cheeks turned scarlet thinking about it again.
Why would she do something so embarrassing? And then to sleep like a baby in his arms? She could feel the heat spreading across her face, her cheeks probably resembling ripe tomatoes now.
Still, despite not liking what happened, she knew she was still breathing only because of him.
Asher rose from the bed, stretching his weary muscles, "I will heat some soup for you. It should help with your healing process. You seem stable now, but your body is still weak. Try not to move around too much for the next few days."
Ceti silently nodded, clutching the blanket around her body. Her mind was filled with thoughts, her heart pounding in her chest. As she watched him move around the cave, she couldn't help but feel a strange warmth spreading across her body, one that had nothing to do with her physical condition.
She wondered how long she was hugging his body to cause this side-effect.
She peeked through the blanket to take a look at her own body and saw that her bruises and even the previously gruesome injury on her shoulder were looking way better than before.
Yet, seeing how her body was clean without any blood or dirt, she winced, feeling she might die from shame and embarrassment, imagining how his hands must have caressed all over her body to clean her body.
She wasn't even married and now he probably knew every nook and cranny of her body like the back of his hand.
And worst of all, she couldn't even say anything, especially after knowing why he did it.
However, the fact that he truly didn't do anything to her despite the helpless state she was in was enough to make her realize a lot of things about him.
She then secretly tried to peek at him by turning her head subtly.
But seeing Asher walk toward her with a bowl of hot soup, Ceti quickly averted her gaze.
He extended the bowl towards her, and with a soft nod of thanks, she tried to take it. But her hands were trembling, making it difficult to grip the bowl securely.
"No," he shook his head, "Keep your hands in there," He moved to sit next to her, the bowl of soup in his hand, "I will feed you."
Ceti's cheeks reddened as she stammered, "I... I can feed myself. You don't have to..."
He cut her off with a serious look, "Really? This soup is limited in quantity, and you'll delay your healing if you spill it. Do you really want to risk that? We can't stay here forever."
Sighing in defeat, she reluctantly put her hands back inside the blanket and nodded, her eyes closing.
Asher offered her a spoonful of the hot soup. She swallowed it, and slowly, her eyes fluttered open. Quick as a flash, her eyes scanned his body, "You should eat too. Your wounds..."
He shrugged, his gaze meeting hers, "I only need some rest in the pool. But if you insist, I'll have some," He lifted a spoonful of the soup to his mouth, swallowing it quickly.
Ceti's eyes fluttered, and she parted her lips, as if about to say something. But instead, she averted her gaze, choosing to stay silent.
Why would he eat from the same bowl? She wondered inwardly, her heart drumming a little faster in her chest.
"I heard you talking in your sleep," Asher said, his voice gentle, yet serious. Ceti's eyes widened, and she turned to face him, anxiety clear in her voice, "What...what did I say?"
"You mentioned your father and it seems like you had a nightmare," Asher replied, studying her reaction closely. Her face fell, her gaze dropping to her hands in her lap.
"My father…" she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. Ceti sighed inwardly, thinking about the same bad dream she has from time to time.
"Did he really...abandon you?" Asher asked softly, making Ceti furrow her brows, wondering what all she mumbled while sleeping. She had never told anyone else about this, not even her mother since she didn't want to burden anyone else with all this nor make herself appear weak.
Asher continued, his voice low, "As far as I know, he died as a loyal warrior, trying to protect the Moonsayer, the Chief of the Moonbinder Clan where you and your family used to live in. Or am I wrong?"
Ceti jerked her head up, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger, sadness, and disappointment, "No…" she spat out, her hands clenched into fists in her lap, "He was loyal and strong once, and that was something I always admired about him after hearing people talk about his past achievements. But...he wasn't the same after and what really got him killed was of his own doing and foolishness I still can't understand."
Asher was taken aback, "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his brows furrowed.
Ceti's eyes glazed over with a faraway look. She began, her voice carrying a tone of resignation, "Around the time I was born, my father was gravely injured during one of his quests. His bloodforce was somehow drained, leaving him bedridden, in a state that was like a coma. He was aware of his surroundings, he could even speak... but his body was just... broken."
A pained look crossed her face, "Everyone pitied him. He was a formidable warrior, and to see him reduced to such a state...It was hard. His future and his life was gone. I still remember how I started helping my mother take care of him as a small child."
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her fingers clenching the blanket tightly, "There were possible remedies, treatments that had a sliver of chance of him regaining at least some of his strength, enough for him to stand on his feet. But he refused every single one of them. All he said was he was no longer fit to be a warrior and that he had fulfilled his purpose."
Ceti took a deep breath, her gaze dropping to her hands in her lap, "This continued until I turned 15, and things became very bad when the Moonsayer was revealed to be a traitor. We had to flee, but my father...he refused to leave. He said he was not capable of protecting us, or himself, and that he can't let the Moonsayer die alone."
She gritted her teeth as her eyes shimmered with a mix of anger, sadness, and resentment, "He wouldn't have chose to remain helpless if he was really loyal to at least the Moonsayer. But he chose to be a burden. For fifteen years, I watched him purposefully make himself useless. I watched him give up...I watched him abandon us even when we needed him the most. If only he didn't give up, so many good people wouldn't have died. He wasn't a strong man as I thought...I have never felt more ashamed of someone."
Her voice was shaky as she finished, "He always said he loved me and was always kind to me. But even after his death, I cannot bring myself to forgive him for what he did," Her words echoed in the air, heavy with the weight of her pain and disappointment.
Asher nodded in understanding as he posed his question, his voice gentle, "Is that why seeing me in a soulless state reminded you of your father?"
Ceti lifted her gaze to meet his. There was a look of guilt on her face as she gave a small nod of affirmation, "I know I...unconsciously projected my father onto you," she admitted softly, "Even if I didn't intend to. And seeing the queen so troubled after the announcement of her marriage with you... it just reminded me of how my father caused pain to those around him, even without doing anything."
A single tear slipped down her cheek as she quietly posed her own question, her voice barely above a whisper, "So…why did you still save me even after…"
A warm smile crossed Asher's face as he responded, his tone sincere, "You stuck by me, despite the bounty on my head. You probably did it out of duty, but nonetheless, you didn't try to save your own skin," He gazed ardently into her eyes as he added, "And I...I didn't want to lose someone who was as loyal, as fearless, and as beautiful as you."
His words and his fervid gaze caused her heart to flutter, an unexpected warmth blossoming within her, never expecting such intense words to escape his lips.
His voice was steady and soothing as he slowly reached out to wipe the tear from her cheek, his face closing in on hers, "And unlike your father, you never have to worry about me abandoning you."
His lips slowly moved closer to hers, his eyes never leaving her face as time seemed to slow down.
There was a pause, a breathless moment of anticipation before his lips finally met hers, making her eyelashes tremble.
It was a soft, slow kiss, a promise sealed between them.
The warmth of his lips seared into her, a balm to her long-held hurts and fears.
Her thoughts froze as she got swept away by the moment, her world narrowing down to the feel of his lips on hers. His kiss was warm, tender, a silent reassurance of the words he just said.
And before she knew it, she found herself entwined in his warmth, her lips reverberating with his, as they existed in a breathless moment, encapsulated by a sphere where time itself dared not intrude.
