In the empty hall stood two females; One was the queen of the country, Aveline, the other was the daughter of the Duke Glaid, Laila.
The queen was still wearing the same dress she had earlier in the banquet and so did the other woman.
"His majesty is mine!" Laila stated between her teeth in anger. She hated the sight of this blonde woman who had stolen the love of her life from her!
Aveline's heart stung hearing that but she tried to keep her calm and cold expression.
"Heh?" Ave chuckled sarcastically, enjoying Laila's face that had turned pink, almost red. It was a good way to let out the frustration she had for a while. "Too bad his majesty only sleeps in my bedroom and doesn't even spare a glance at you."
"How dare you!.. He doesn't love you!" Laila shouted. "He will never call for you!"
"AVI!" Jack yelled Ave's name so loudly it could be heard from the bedroom to the banquet hall.
'Just in time, husband.' Ave thought with a soft sneer at the corner of her lips.
A few seconds later, a servant came running towards Aveline.
"Your highness, his majesty is calling for you." the man hurriedly spoke as the king was shouting her name loudly.
Ave smirked as she glanced at Laila who was leaving, ashamed of her statements.
"Wait, Laila Glaid." Ave walked towards her.
The other woman looked behind her, fuming.
"Don't humiliate yourself like that again, alright?" Ave chuckled as she left the ballroom to go to her bedroom.
***
Jack was waiting for Aveline to return soon.
'Will she leave me?' That was the first thought that possessed his mind. 'Is she preparing to leave now?!' His heart stung.
"AVI!" The young man yelled with all his might as he couldn't see anything near him because of the cloth wrapping his eyes.
A servant who was near, hurried towards the ballroom to call the queen or else all the servants would die tonight. He knew how his frustration could take a lot of people's lives.
***
Ave reached out to her half-open bedroom door. She took a wide breathe and slowly pushed it. Strangely, the door didn't make any noise. From where she came, her other world, the doors would often creak and make loud noises.
"Avi?" Jack spoke with a soft yet deep voice. He couldn't see but he could sense her presence.
"Yes, it's me," Ave replied as she walked towards him and sat on the bed, beside him.
Jack hugged her tightly, almost choking her. Once again.
"Wh-what?" Ave shivered. She wasn't used to physical contact. If she ever had one in her past life, it was when she was getting beaten up.
"I thought you were going to leave me..." The strong man she met was now trembling.
"Why would I?.." She tried to slowly push him off her to catch up some air.
"Because of this." Jack pointed to his eyes that were wrapped with a bandage.
"It's okay. It would be stupid. And I have nowhere else to go." She said as she looked away.
She felt Jack's sharp gaze on her although he had his eyes covered.
"It's getting late, why not sleep?" Ave said with a faint grin.
"Alright," Jack replied as he was getting off the bed.
"Where are you going?" Ave asked as she followed Jack's actions.
"In my room." He said like it was obvious
"Sleep here."
"C-can I?" He asked, as his face softly pushed and as he was unsure if he heard right.
"Yes. Now sleep." Ave pulled him back on the bed as she laid down.
"Someone turn off the light," Jack ordered the servants as he wrapped his arms around Ave.
The woman felt a chill going down her spine as his arms rested on her.
"C-can you let go?" She asked with an uneasy tone.
"Oh. Sorry." Jack slowly removed his hands as he turned at the other side.
***
It was around 2 am. Jack couldn't sleep anymore. His insomnia was acting up. He slowly removed his bandage. The blood didn't stop, but it was less than earlier. He glanced at Ave who was sleeping peacefully.
He got up from the bed and reached towards the window. He started at the moon. The moon was still high up in the sky. It was clear from Ave's room somehow, although it was rare for the moon to be seen from any room of the palace.
"This is so weird..." he mumbled. "The moon was hardly visible from the palace before, now it's so clear. It is because the curse started acting up?" He wondered.
***
The sun was shining high on the sky. The palace was peaceful like any other day. No one knew what happened to the king yesterday night apart from his three most trusted knights.
Jack woke up rubbing his eyes. To his surprise, the blood had disappeared and his eyes had returned like they used to be. He slowly touched his eyes as he hurriedly took off the blanket on him and went towards the mirror in the room.
His red eyes had become yellow once again. He was relieved! He rushed to wake up Aveline. He took off the cover, just to find it empty!
"Avi?.." he mumbled. His happy face soon turned dark.
"Is there anyone here?!" he shouted as two guards opened the door quickly.
"Yes, your Majesty?" One of the two guards asked.
"Wheres the queen?!"
"S-she went in the library," the other spoke with a trembling tone.
"Ok. Leave." He ordered.
Jack took some time to calm down and went to the washroom to fresh up.
***
Ave was searching for something on the bookshelves. She looked through all the books carefully. Strangely, she understood all of the things written in the books.
'Hmm. Did God gift me some special power in this world?' She sarcastically thought.
"What are you doing?" Jack asked as he stepped closer to Aveline.
The blonde woman turned her head for a few seconds and looked back at the books placed on the shelves. "Just searching for interesting books to read." She spoke looking up at the books that were placed higher than the others.
"Which book?" Jack approached her as he stood beside her. He glanced at her, wondering if she even noticed that his eyes had become normal again.
"Hmm. Romance novels." She glanced at him for another half second and walked further to search more.
"We don't have that," Jack spoke raising an eyebrow. "Also, since when do you know how to read?"
'Huh?! This woman didn't know how to read?!' She screamed interiorly.
"I-I learned by myself." She averted his eyes from his gaze so he won't catch her lie.
"That's good. I'll tell somebody to buy you romance novels then." He smiled softly as he pats her hair.
Ave subconsciously closed her eyes tightly as if she was going to get hit. It was an instant reaction, which she couldn't control...
"Avi?.." Jack was shocked by her reaction. He held her into his warms gently. "I won't ever hit you. Don't react like this... please." He spoke with a pained voice as if it was him who was being hurt.
"I-I didn't mean to." She slowly mumbled.
'Why is he acting like this? Does he care so much for her??' She asked without getting an answer but deep inside her, she knew the response to her question.
Jack slowly let loose his arms, letting go of her.
"I also want to read some history." Ave looked up into Jack's eyes, realizing his eyes had turned back normal.
"Jack, your eyes..." She couldn't finish her sentence, as she got cut off midway by the black-haired man.
"Yes, they turned back to normal. You don't need to be scared anymore." The young man smiled happily just like a child.
'He's so cute now. Like a puppy.' Ave imagined puppy ears and a tail appearing causing her to burst into laughter.
"Why are you laughing?" Jack asked as his face had returned to normal.
"You're so cute." She spoke as she caressed his cheeks with both of her hands.
"I love you so much, Avi." Jack slowly held her hands and kissed the back of her hands.
Ave couldn't respond to his feelings. She didn't know him much and she could barely trust him yet.
"Your majesty, Duke Glaid has come to meet you." A servant announced.
Ave sighed in relief, she was saved! She didn't need to reply to Jack, for now.
"Alright. I'm coming." Jack's face darkened as he hear the man's name.
"I'll be back soon," Jack spoke as he headed towards to guest room where the guests waits for the king to come and meet them.