Survive As The Brute's Wife

'I have a duty as your husband to protect you…'

She remembered those words that came out of his pretty mouth. It is not a novel idea that he enounced. She's heard those words a lot. That might be true or not.

But she didn't agree with those words when it comes from Max's mouth. She didn't understand why.

[Protect me..? If he wants to protect me, that's not wrong. I don't feel that is wrong. But.. Duty… Ah, that's what I don't like… Duty… I don't want him to protect me because of his duty and whatnot.

But… what do I need? Why do I even bother when he's not even…

As a husband…

Is he even my husband? Or is he Wispy's? The bond that formed by that stone… With whose soul did that bond form?]

She retracted her hand and lied on her side.

That day the spell on that stone got triggered by their blood. Usually, spells that involve blood don't involve just the body. But it would involve the soul too.

[Blood… Did my blood create the monsters? And can my blood destroy them? Is that what Maximus did when he squeezed my wound?]

Her mood got sour thinking about these issues.

She closed her eyes. The dilapidated home that once belonged to her came to her mind and so did the man she met there.

'Alexandra…'

Felixa closed her eyes and rehashed the short interaction she had with Tubby. She was happy to see him appearing in front of her like that. She who was flapping around with no holding found the one whom she trusted with her everything.

[Arioch... the guy who leads the resistance against the Brute Emperor… He looks exactly like Tubby… And he called me by my real name… Real name only Tubby knew…]

With various thoughts, she closed her eyes. She felt the bed sink near her and she didn't mind it this time. But when she felt a warmth grazing her waist, she opened her eyes only to meet with the eyes that were filled with darkness looking at her. 

"You can touch me if you want to. You don't have to feel shy," he said and a corner of his lips raised to meet his eyes almost.

"I am all yours…"

Maximus was awake the whole time. He was wondering if he should ask about her meeting with Arioch and her thoughts about him. He worried if she'd leave with him.

When she got closer to him, he expected her to touch his face but she didn't. He waited until he lost patience, which didn't take long and he is now on top of her.

"You are?" Felixa reached to his cheek. "mine..?"

She looked at his eyes that were calm like the deep sea and the moment her hand reached the warmth of his soft skin, he closed his eyes as if he enjoyed her touch.

The more she remembered the past, the more she could see how closely Maximus resembles Luke. It was as if Luke is born again just for her soul to meet him.

But she sees the difference in the eyes. They are the same but the way Maximus looks at her differs greatly from how Luke looked at her. The way Maximus looks at her holds greater feelings and emotions that make her heart skip a beat. And she could sense that he is trying to help her and not hurt her even though he shuts down at times.

'Everyone loves at least for selfish reasons…' Flavia's words came to her mind and a lot of thoughts washed over her.  She was confused with everything happening around her. For someone who wants to live a simple life without any complications, she found her life too complicated to decipher.

"Do you love me..?"

She remembered asking this to Luke once. And without any hesitation, he agreed. He promised her a place beside him on his throne and the title of his "Queen".

But… all she wanted was him. She wanted to be his wife. She didn't want the throne or the title. He didn't understand her. He focused on getting the throne more than trying to give her what she wanted.

"Yes…"

Maximus' trembling voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she observed a layer of wetness forming over his eyes.

"Isn't that a given? As sure as the sky is, and as unyielding are the foundations of the Golom mountains are, I do love you," he added and his lips started to tremble.

[Ah, I asked it out loud? And how fast he could reply… Just like him… Isn't he the…]

"True heir of Adonis Lukyan…"

Her thought slipped out as a whisper which she regretted immediately when the small smile struggling to stay at the corner of his lips vanished like a fog getting cleared by sunlight. She vainly hoped for the sound of the insects to drown her whisper. 

"Ha!" he scoffed and pushed himself up, farther from her face. "Is it that important?"

He always knew his appearance and his lineage would be a stumbling block for getting her heart along with everything that happened between them in the past. But to hear it directly from her, broke his heart.

«Can't you see my heart?»

"Is it not?" Felixa asked.

With twitching brows, he looked hurt and it made her wonder why asking him if he loves her offends him this much.

[Isn't love important?]

Maximus looked at her and Felixa didn't break her eye contact this time. If he has the guts to say that he loves her while considering love as unimportant, she can call him out on it. 

Maximus pressed his lips not knowing what to say. Her eyes showed distance and that hurt him as much as the fear she often shows for him. He would beg for her love, but will that convince her?

Words are powerful and they hurt. So wise people advise using words sparingly and carefully. But sometimes unspoken words and measured words that don't express the true heart of the speaker cause severe damage than spoken words that are not meant to be spoken.

Sometimes more words are needed to express one's heart.

But there is hope. As they say, time is a great healer. And feelings cannot be hidden in the bottom of the heart for long. It would burst out like a volcano and will see the light.

Not knowing what to say to her, he bent and pressed his lips on hers. "I do love you, Lexa…" he said and pressed his lips once more pinning her hands above her head.

Felixa felt the softness of his lips on hers and closed her eyes. The gentle way he kissed her, the tender way he whispered his love in her ears, the warmth of his hands that trailed over her face, and his overwhelming scent…

Slowly his kisses trailed to her chin and then to her neck. Peppering kisses on her neck he reached her earlobe and nibbled on them.

She let out a moan and threw up her knee as he positioned himself between her legs. His hold on her hands loosened and she didn't feel the need to push him away.

During the commingling process, she'd feel something similar. She'd feel a white-colored warmth rising from him and inside her, there would be a golden warmth. As his body comes in contact with hers, those two energies join together to spread the warmth all around her through her nerves making her feel rejuvenated and relaxed.

But the way he is kissing her now is different and the feeling she is getting is different.

Every place his lips grazed on her skin tingles. And there forms a warmth that reaches her chest, passes through her spine, and spreads to her toes while forming a hollowness in her abdomen. Every breath of his, every little touch of his fringes, and little glides of his fingers send a warm shiver through her nerves making her want more of his touch.

[What is this feeling…]

Still, with her eyes closed, she lifted her head as his lips left hers. She opened her eyes and clicked her tongue not hiding her disappointment.

Her watery eyes that were like a pool of sapphire met with the molten gold eyes of Maximus. And through the image reflected in his eyes, she saw herself in a different light. An odd feeling rose from the pit of her stomach seeing his eyes that were filled with warmth and gentleness.

[He's expressing his love through his eyes…]

Concentrating on his eyes, she saw the surroundings blurring. Through her clouded eyes, all she could see were those eyes that were filled with a warm expression.

"Max…" she whispered and tears rolled from the corners of her eyes.

His lips came crashing on hers and she reciprocated the kiss by sucking on his soft lips, closing her eyes. Another jolt of warm shiver passed through her spine as his tongue traced over her lips. As if it was a cue, she parted her lips and his velvety tongue slipped inside her oral cavity, gently teasing and prodding her tongue.

She got immersed in these novel sensations but through the warmth emerging from the tongue she felt something familiar as if it happened before.

Suddenly she felt like she was yanked away from where she was.. And she felt cold all of a sudden.