Icarus felt light inside. The abnormal throbbing in his head and the voices that had whispered maliciously in his ears have completely dispersed. He felt at ease now. His desire to draw blood was no more as he looked over to Ophelia. The two had been left alone in the Duke's private lobby.
'...Ophelia...'
(Throb)
His chest begun to throb rapidly as his thoughts entered into enlightenment. As the pain became unbearable for Icarus, he knelt down as if to sustain himself. There were pictures in his head. Memories had come flooding in, he couldn't tell which hurts more –his chest or mind. As if things had suddenly aligned themselves, he felt his nerves painfully extracted until he was finally lying down the carpeted floor, almost unconscious.
"My lord! What's the matter?!"
Ophelia rushed unto Icarus' body. Something had happened to him and Ophelia felt helpless and wondered if it was the Duke's doing.
"Please! Wake up! Icarus!"
She called out to Icarus desperately.
-
"-elia.....Ophelia"
His eyes were half-opened, and he could barely hear his own voice. But at the sound of her name escaping the young lord's lips. Her emotions were whelming in and had escape through her eyes in a form of tears. She felt relieve and nervous and scared as a dark aura that came from behind absorbed her thoughts.
"..h-hey...what's wrong?" He attempted to focus his eyes on Ophelia. She was a fragile site and Icarus felt the need to comfort her. Why was she crying? Did the Duke do something to her?
"It's alright now…did something happen with the Duke?"
Like a sick puppy who was missing its mother embrace, Ophelia hugged Icarus in response to this. Ophelia felt feverish and at the same time light at their sudden embrace. The heavy aura around her had been lifted by the young lord's touch, and Ophelia noticed that this wasn't the first time she had felt the same light like a sort of magic every time she was with the young lord. Despite the darkness that was caused by the curse, Icarus had the same lightness that had reminded Ophelia of their granny Roselia.
As the lightness embraced Ophelia in Icarus' arms, she felt comfort and warmth that made her fall into sleep. That night, Ophelia had fell asleep in Icarus' arms, and without much choice and after resting up a little bit, he carried her back to her room as he regained his strength.
-
The early sun rose again in its cloudy throne, and Ophelia's room were lightened by the sun rays that slipped through her curtains. The blue-eyed female lead was in a messy state and when she had woken up, her chest had begun to burn abruptly as if something had been released in her. She quickly grabbed unto the dark sheets that have surrounded her.
~ (grab) (Hngg) Ophelia grunts at the sudden pain that emanated from her chest. She tried to ignore the pain and was eager to start the day. Tidying herself up, she hurriedly slid unto one of her laced woven dresses and makes her to the door.
"Now this is a sight..."
Ophelia, in awe of her surroundings, as she flutters her eyes, had her mouth open wide at the sight in front. The halls and the dark corners were spooky white and sparkling gold. As if the mansion had changed its interior in one night. And the maids she bumped into greeted her with much respect.
'...is this all because of his curse being lifted?'
She was impressed at the progress Icarus had made, but still she had her doubts and thought that that shouldn't be enough to suddenly change the mansion's interior and she had noticed that nobody seemed to notice this change.
As she glanced through this change she couldn't thinking that she hadn't helped him at all. In fact, she felt useless. She had sworn to protect and see through his future. But it seems that he didn't need her help at all.
'...I should talk with the Duke...'
Ophelia remembered last night's incidents and headed for the hall, still exploring the mansion's interior.
~
"Dear me, have they forgotten about my existence?" The duchess let out a cold shrug.
She had been gone since yesterday since she was stuck in the cathedral when it rained so hard. And now she was home early at dawn and like what Ophelia saw, she was aghast by the sight of the bright interior and hid back into her dark gothic room.
Everything suddenly seemed to be bright and peaceful in the estate with her gone. What in Marcias had happened? A day with her away had made the Mansion into a complete haven.
"Ophelia~ dear, where are youuu..."
She came out of her room –wearing a classy shade of dark glasses.
'JAYSUS WHY'S EVERYTHING TOO DARK?'
The Duchess, had seemed to draw out more of her imbecile side, not realizing that it was her shades. But nevertheless, the new interior from her point of view seemed to be her taste. Dark and gloomy but sparkly.
"Ah, my darling~ have you seen pretty Ophelia?? hmm?"
She asked devilishly and flashed her upper breast to the Duke who had appeared before her. She felt her naughty hormones spike up as if she were horny at the sight of the Duke.
"..Wife…where have you been last night?" The duke asked in curiosity.
"M-me??....My, you miss me already? I'm sorry I had some errand, last night-"
The Duchess cheeks flushed a red color when the Duke had asked her. This had peaked the duchess' arousal since anything about the duke had always drove her nuts.
'Ah...his lips were so cute when they mentioned the word "wife"...but it's too dark to see'
The duchess felt she was on top of her world. A maid passed by them and bowed with utter respect.
"YOU. Turn on the lights..."
The maid flushed a confused look at the Duke while the duke felt awkward. It was his first time discovering his wife's stupidity.
"Y-yes madam" the maid smiled gently and went her way.
"DEAR DID YOU SEE THAT? She smiled at me....are the servant's acting bright today too? Is this their doing?" the duchess added bluntly, her voice cold and sexy.
The Duke's legs were tired out, he had been standing for a matter of 30 minutes. He clearly remembered now why he had kept avoiding bumping unto the Duchess for she would tell him many indecent things and past events that heaven knows what. This could go on for hours and the Duke wasn't going to last long.
"Ophelia! May I talk to you for a moment?" The duke called out which sounded more like a plea to Ophelia who had just arrived from the corner of the hall.
"Oh, Ophelia...~I've been looking for you" The duchess added and batted her eyelashes at her. Ophelia could only watch the scene at disbelief, this was not how the Duchess would act.
'Come to think of it, I've never seen them together…is this just how she is with her husband?'
Ophelia continued to glance at them awkwardly, she didn't know what to say nor to react.
"May I borrow her for a moment then?" The duke added and hurriedly escaped while escorting Ophelia to his lobby and didn't wait for the Duchess' response.
"Wife, you should visit the garden by now. I'll see you later on." The Duke added, making sure the Duchess would not stick her nose in their business.
~ (smile)
He showed the Duchess his fine smile and with that, the duchess had her world upside down for the Duke. He had made her day and she felt her love for him soar at the skies.
"AHHH~ dear, not here please...stop it...I'LL SEE YOU LATER, HMMM..."
The duchess left and hummed her way through the garden, it was almost impossible to imagine that she had a sinister look on her face as soon as she had turned her back on them. Her luscious lips had spread across her porcelain face as she scowled at her own malicious thoughts.
'Just a little bit longer…'