466 Her Dreams
"What is it?" Asher asked, his furrowed brows mirroring the weight of his question.
Ceti, her gaze distant as if peering into the mists of her own recollections, responded with a hesitance born of uncertainty, "After and before you woke up from your soulless state, I had strange dreams... most of which I can't remember now…"
Her voice trailed off, a whisper in the solemn air, "But there were details... vivid and terrifying. You, in your Hellbringer Form, atop a pile of broken and charred skeletons, surrounded by death and destruction. It felt terrifying…as if I was standing in Tartarus," she confessed, the remnants of fear still clinging to the edges of her words, and then added with a guilty look, "That is why I was wary of you. I thought it would be better if you didn't get close to the queen. Your unknown origins only made me think worse."
Asher's reaction was immediate, his surprise evident, "Is this why you went the extra mile to show such animosity to me? Why didn't you tell me this before?" Memories of Ceti's wary glances and guarded demeanor flashed through his mind, pieces of a puzzle falling into place.
The notion that these dreams might have been glimpses of the future seen by Luna unsettled him, a disquieting thought that filled his mind.
Ceti averted her gaze as she said with a apologetic look, "I-I didn't want to unnerve you or make you think that I am a weird woman who had all these...strange dreams about you. I know it's just stupid dreams but...I didn't like thinking or talking about it. I just felt glad that I don't remember most of them."
Asher felt it now made even more sense why Ceti was really so guarded against him before. These dreams must have unconsciously made her feel distrustful towards him.
He felt his heart briefly pound against her chest, wondering if she saw anything that could compromise him or if she might see anything in the future. Seeking to distract himself before Ceti notices anything, Asher jested, "I had no idea you saw nightmares involving me. I feel hurt."
Ceti, caught between embarrassment and the remnants of her earlier fears, managed a response, her cheeks blossoming with a flush, "This was long ago. Once I... you know... came to appreciate that you are not really that much of a bad guy, I stopped caring about these dreams nor did I have any recently," she admitted.
Asher felt relieved to hear that and wondered if his relationship with Ceti had anything to do with it.
Seizing the opportunity to further dispel the remnants of tension between them, Asher leaned in, his presence an undeniable force, "Not that much of a bad guy, huh?" His charming smirk and proximity made Ceti react, resulting in embarrassment manifesting as the warmth that colored her cheeks, "I-I mean... yes, you are bad but not too bad," she stammered, trying to regain her composure.
Asher's mischievous smirk only intensified, "So I am bad enough to do this?" Without warning, he closed the gap between them, capturing her lips in a heated kiss. "Mmmn!~"
Surprised, her eyes widened, but the longer the kiss lasted, the more her defenses crumbled.
His taste, his touch – it all felt so intoxicating enough to flush away her embarrassment and not push him away. She found herself reciprocating, craving more as his hot tongue slipped between her lips, exploring her mouth while making her feel giddy.
Asher was as bad as she expected, and before she knew it, his hands found their way to her generous assets, squeezing her breasts through the white fabric of her tunic. A muffled moan escaped her lips, her body shivering under his insistent touch. Her toes curled in pleasure, the sensations sending shockwaves throughout her body.
Reluctantly, Ceti pulled away, her face redder than a ripened tomato, "Stop... you... you cannot bully me when I'm... sick," she panted, her voice breathless. She placed a trembling hand on his chest, both pushing him away and pulling him closer at the same time. The tug of war between her indignation and desire was etched on her flushed countenance.
Asher grinned, only a flicker of desire and amusement, "Sick? Even if I believe that a healthy woman like you is feeling sick, you're not the only one who's sick here," he teased, his voice dripping with innuendo as he leaned in closer, his words warm against her ear, "But I'm willing to power through it," Asher finished with a smirk, "For you, of course. What about you?" he added with a wink. His hand gently brushed a stray strand of her red hair from her face, the motion sending shivers down her spine.
Ceti huffed in exasperation, but the corners of her lips betrayed her amusement despite her attempts to look cross, "You're impossible, you know that?" she muttered.
Asher's grin widened. "Impossible to resist, you mean?"
Ceti rolled her eyes playfully, but she couldn't help the small smile that escaped her lips, "In more ways than one, I suppose," she relented.
"That's the spirit," he crowed, "Admit it, you love this bad king of yours," His fingers playfully traced intricate patterns on her arm, sending shivers up and down her spine.
"Hmph," Ceti feigned indifference, but her blushing cheeks gave her away, "Well, don't let it go to your head," she warned with pursed lips.
"I won't if you are willing to pamper me with your breasts," Asher said as his fingers began to tip-toe up from her stomach and towards her breasts.
"M-My b-breasts? Y-You have no shame!" Ceti fumbled as she caught hold of his naughty fingers and wondered what he exactly meant by pampering him with her breasts.
Just as her nervousness and embarrassment were about to hit sky-high,
*growl*
Asher raised one of his eyebrows as he looked at a tomato-faced Ceti, "I didn't realize you were that hungry. Makes sense for someone who is sick, right?"
Ceti felt half relieved and half embarrassed that her stomach had to come to her rescue and said, "Didn't I tell you. You weren't even listening, hmph."
Asher chuckled as he got up and raised his hands, "Fine. I won't stoop low enough to bully a sick woman. So I will let you off easy this time."
Ceti harrumphed as she shot him a side glance while her heart pounded in anticipation, wondering what he might try to pull on her next time.
Asher walked towards the door to leave and took another look at Ceti. "The others will come to check up on you soon, including your mother and brother. You can decide whether you want to tell them what happened or not."
Ceti nodded softly, her expression becoming thoughtful as Asher left.
As Asher emerged from the dimly lit confines of Ceti's recovery room, the silent corridor greeted him with the sight of Igrid and Isola, engaged in quiet conversation.
The moment Igrid caught sight of his king, he bowed deeply while Isola warmly smiled.
"Thank you, Igrid. She looks as healthy as ever," Asher remarked, his smile a reflection of the relief that flooded him upon seeing Ceti's recovery.
Igrid, ever humble in his service, responded with a gracious smile, his hands raised in a polite refusal of thanks, "Please don't thank me, Your Majesty. This old one was just doing his duty," he demurred, then turned his attention to Consort Isola, "Consort Isola just arrived, waiting to check on the Battlemaster. Since it seems my work is done here, I shall take my leave," he announced, offering a final bow before making his departure, leaving Asher and Isola in a brief bubble of privacy.
"So she is really fine?" Isola inquired, her concern for Ceti apparent in her furrowed brow as she reached out to clasp Asher's hands.
Asher's response was gentle, his touch reassuring as he held her hands, "Of course, she is. But I do want you to see if she is really okay mentally. Only you can make sure of that. I feel that this 'Luna' woman is not an enemy to us. But we don't really know her, and we don't know how her presence could affect Ceti. So I am just worried for Ceti," His eyes then filled with a complicated light as he added, "I am also worried about...you know..."
Isola's gaze softened, her grip tightening in a silent vow of support, "Don't worry, husband. I will see to it that Ceti is fine on that end. But you have worried about everyone enough. Now, it's time for you to take a deep breath and relax for a while. You deserve it after everything you went through in that tower. I wish I could have been there for you," she confessed, the regret in her voice underscored by the weight of her words.
Asher, his heart touched by her concern, brought her hands to his lips in a tender kiss, "Don't feel sad about it. Look at the bright side. I came back stronger because of it. You also became strong because of what you went through. Sometimes, we have to suffer through trials and tribulations to become better," he mused, echoing the words Drakaris had told him.
Isola's smile, tinged with affection and amusement, lightened the mood, "It seems like you have grown wiser as well," she teased.
Chuckling softly, Asher agreed, "Absolutely. Speaking of growth, I believe certain aspects of mine may require your attention sooner rather than later..." He trailed off suggestively, raising an eyebrow as he shot Isola a knowing glance, "I can let you find out later in your room," he quipped, his wink eliciting a blush from Isola, her cheeks warming with the flush of anticipation and embarrassment.
"Your teasing can wait until I am done taking care of Ceti," Isola managed, her voice a mix of playful sternness and affection.
"Very well. Even though patience is not one of my virtues, I shall put up with it for Ceti's sake," Asher acquiesced with a smile before planting a brief kiss on her soft blue lips and exchanging a warm glance before the two walked away in opposite directions.
However, as he walked away, Asher had this lingering desire to bask in the warmth of his women at the same time.
But the question was…will they agree to it, especially Rowena? He could already imagine how each of them would react, though if his wish came true, it would truly be the most beautiful and heartwarming thing to ever happen to him.
However, for now, he knew these dreams would have to wait as he had a lot on his plate to deal with.
Is he dreaming too much?
