BXBX NOVEL Chapter 922 Warm
"Only if a woman offers herself," said the woman with a clear, crisp voice as she lay on the bed. "I am one of your knights, my lord. I have seen your battles in Helios and Kera and could not help but fall in love with you."
"This does not scream love," said Arthur as he turned away from her and walked toward his desk. He began to take off his robe before throwing them on the chair. "Please get dressed and leave. I will forgive your actions if you do."
"What is there to forgive?" asked the woman as she brought her hands to caress her naked body. "I am showing you my gratitude, too, in a way. Does this offend you, boy?"
Arthur raised a brow at how she addressed him, seeing to desire to provoke something in him. The woman had a seductive, playful smile as she spread her legs.
"Are you a boy, or are you a man?"
"Another word and this gratitude of yours will cost you your neck," said Arthur with a cold expression. The woman flinched and began to stutter her apologies. Arthur sighed as he witnessed how her act broke down. "Tell me, why are you doing this?"
Arthur pulled the chair and sat in front of the bed. Then, he leaned forward and stared at the woman with cold, apathetic eyes, forcing her to pull the sheets to cover her body.
"I did mean to offend you, my lord," said the woman while shaking. "I did not lie about how I feel. Your strength has captured my heart and filled me with nothing but yearning. I joined the army for this purpose, too."
"Strength?" muttered Arthur as he leaned back in his chair. It was no surprise that strength would be the most attractive quality in an age where dungeons threatened humanity. Humans did not realize this, but their choices increased their survival odds.
"Am I not desirable, my lord?" said the woman with sadness. Arthur did not answer her question because there was no correct answer.
Answer one: you are desirable, but not to me.
Answer two: I desire no one but the woman I love.
Answer three: let me gift you a mirror.
In truth, Arthur could not deny her beauty. Her skin was clear and unblemished, reminding him of Ai. Although she did not have the same pure face, this woman had a seductiveness laced with coy.
"You are desirable. However, my heart belongs to someone else, and I intend to sleep with no one until I meet them again. I appreciate this gesture, but I will have to refuse. Please, get dressed and leave."
"It is the first time I see an awakener who dedicates themselves to just one person," said the knight with surprise as she smiled and began dressing. "I will be outside your tent in the morning, my lord. Let me accompany you during the day if not during the night."
After those words, the woman left his tent. Arthur remained in his chair, waiting for his lust to subside. It brought him guilt that he would feel such a thing even though he had Diana.
"This is a natural reaction," muttered Arthur with a sigh as he rose and started undressing. As he took his heavier clothes and prepared to sleep, he heard the footsteps of someone entering his tent. "…am I not sleeping tonight?"
"I would be happy to keep your company," said Rain as she walked into his tent. "I expected things to change a bit, but not to find my target about to be snatched by a newbie. You almost fell for that trap?"
"…it might be the reason I have my guard around you," said Arthur with a smirk. "I know sexual acts are like drinking and eating for you, so I don\'t allow myself to be dragged into your pace. After all, you did say that you want to have my child."
"Something I regret revealing, now that I think about it," said Rain with a smile as she strolled toward the bed and lay beside Arthur. "Are we sleeping here tonight?"
"…what are you here for, Rain?" Arthur sighed as he could no longer sleep in peace with this lustful woman around. "I thought that you had some business to attend to in Sourna. I did not expect to see you during this war."
"I would not miss our little picnic for the world," said Rain as she patted his forearm. "I encountered a friend along the way to Sourna who told me what I wanted to know. You will be stuck with me until you bridge the sea like you promised."
"It might take a while," said Arthur after a brief silence. He sounded apologetic before exposing Rain. "Another war has begun in Sourna, right? I heard about it from Julia. I must ask this: what makes a calamity incarnation care so much about a civil war?"
"Would you rather that I charm men instead and steal their life?" asked Rain as she stretched her body and threw herself on the bed. "I care about my hometown too. I lived all of my life there, and every citizen is somehow in my heart, even the ones I beat and ones I screwed."
"…but you do charm men and steal their life," said Arthur with a speechless face at her self-righteous attitude. Rain glared at him with a pout before hmphing away. "I\'m kidding; I know that your identity does not define you, but your actions."
"You are the one who understands it most," said Rain as she rolled her body to stare at him. Her silvery hair looked gray in the dim light of the tent. It spread on the mattress beneath her face. "Let me sleep here."
"I refuse."
"Please?"
Her voice was so genuine and desperate. Arthur stared at her while thinking it through. Then, he realized it. Rain was not lustful for the first time since he met her, but she seemed lost. He saw the desire to be anchored to this world in her eyes.
Arthur did not refuse anymore and lay down in bed with her. His eyes were on the same level as hers, letting the two stare into each other. Then, she gave a grin.
"You are the kindest man I have ever met. I feel so glad we never slept with each other because it\'s the first time I feel like someone treats me well, not to gain favor and bed me. This feeling is… warm."
Arthur stared at her without responding and then interlocked her hand with hers. It was the first rare gesture where he showed her affection, making her stare at him wide-eyed. Rain was frozen in place, not even holding his hand back.
"You are so in shock," said Arthur with a sigh before he used his other hand to make her fingers hold his hand. "You don\'t need to say a thing. Just rest."
Rain looked at him with big, blinking eyes. Arthur did not look away, and she smiled. Then, she closed her eyes with a small smile. Arthur thought she had fallen asleep but was surprised to see tears trickling down her eyes into the mattress.
The duo remained in bed without a word, and Arthur watched her cry without letting out a sound. At first, it was a bizarre sight, but then he understood what she was feeling. Rain might have never cried before, and she did not want to show him. Thus, she pretended to sleep.
Arthur obliged and did not mention it, allowing her to drift into actual sleep. Her breathing grew deeper, and her smile disappeared, letting Arthur know she was no longer awake. However, even then, he did not let go of her hand.
It was a few hours before dawn, and Arthur was tired from the previous night when he tried to control Eragon. Thus, against what he desired, he fell asleep too. It was a rare occurrence since he never fell asleep without knowing ever since he returned from Alka.
Arthur opened his eyes as soon as the horn blew to wake up the soldiers. He found Rain awake already but staring at him with an expressionless face. Arthur tried to pull his hand away and rise, but she held tight to it.
"Are we going to stay here forever?" asked Arthur with a smile when he realized she did not want to let go. Rain did not answer and stared at him with the same curious eyes.
"You are beautiful when you sleep," said Rain, looking at him with the sincerest face. Arthur was taken aback since the calamity had never been affectionate before.