10 Chapter 10 - In her dreams

"Erhm....huh?"

Ophelia had woken up, where was she? No, she wasn't completely awake.

Her neck felt painful at the moment. She remembered encountering the masked man.

Blinking her eyes, everything was hollow white in her dreams.

' Am I back?....'

"Granny Mar.....Roselia Marcias..."

She called out at the familiar sensation, but in just a flash everything within her sight had turned dark and murderous. Young Ophelia felt weak in her knees and had stumbled down.

'W-what is this?'

Something eerie and dark had graced unto her dreams, like a nightmare -it showed her of spiteful things. Flashes of bloody scenes as Icarus bled to his death. Ophelia felt helpless and her heart was slowly filled with utter grief and darkness as the thought of losing Icarus flashed unto her mind.

"NO!"

'Anything but him...'

She yelled, hot tears dripped down her face, her mind had sunk. She had never felt this way towards Icarus. She did regard him important for the future of the Marcias, but this feeling was different. It felt as if she was dependent on Icarus -that losing him was also losing A part of herself. Why is this?

And like a curse, Ophelia was slowly wrapped unto the darkness, owning her up like she had always been a part of it.

"H-help me! Help-"

Ophelia reached out as a light appeared like a sun -reaching out her hand before she was completely drowned in the dark.

(Blink, blink)

Ophelia was back in her consciousness, and she was lying down, panting on the lap of the handsome young heir. Her sweat dripped down to her neck.

'Kal Icarus Devon.'

She stared at him. The rightful heir of the Eastern Empire. The first and only son of Marcus Devon (Eastern King) who coveted Katerina, daughter of low-class count and is now currently the Marcias' Duchess.

Taking a deep breath, Ophelia let herself feel alive again. For now, one thing stayed clear in her mind-

She lifted her small hand and caressed the young lord's cheek in tenderness. Icarus had fallen asleep and he wasn't budging at all.

"I won't let you die again..."

She whispered unto the cool air.

'Two years from now, Icarus as a psychotic son would attempt to kill Katerina Marcias.'

She registered in her mind the bloody scenes she had watched before waking up. Katerina had no intention of killing her son, she accidentally did as a form of defense. But the struggle Icarus showed in the flashes of her dreams also told her that he did not want to kill anyone. Ophelia had noticed the radiating dark aura from Icarus and compared it to the dark aura from her dream.

'Is he perhaps cursed?'

Ophelia felt pity and spite for the dark household she and the young lord was raised in.

"Hey..."

Icarus' sleepy voice cut through Ophelia's mind.

"Grow up fast and save me..."

He whispered very low that it was almost impossible to hear for Ophelia.

Icarus leaned his face close to hers. He took his palm and covered her eyes. He gently pecked unto her forehead. It was a short endearment from Icarus.

But it had knocked the air from Ophelia's lungs and she couldn't stop blushing at the strange sensation. She felt grateful for Icarus' hand which covered half of her face.

'What is he saying?' Ophelia felt flustered and confused. What were they doing?

"I won't last long like this now..." Icarus stated, his inner beast had slowly awoken, like a curse it was.

'I should let her stay alive for now...'

Icarus' unstable self had echoed in his mind. He couldn't tell who he was anymore but the dark voice inside would always whisper him things he should do and should be.

Ophelia and Icarus' went back their separate ways, it was somehow clear to them though they have not spoken together -that Icarus had been cursed with something that made him lose his sanity from time to time.

Icarus went straight to his bedroom and met the villainous Duchess along his way.

"..A pleasant evening, mother..."

Icarus bowed with a mocking smile plastered on his face, though he was a bit surprised at the Duchess' sudden appearance.

"You reek! Have you been drinking?" The Duchess whisperingly yelled at him. Her son smelled a little weirder than usual.

'Something really smells so bad...'

"..Kal, dear... would you do the honor of escorting moma?"

"Please pardon me if I can't....I was just about to retire for the night"

Icarus walked out, not sparing the Duchess a second glance who was now coiling in anger.

'...That insolent brat! How dare he refuse me...?'

The Duchess glared at the disappearing figure of her son in the hallway. Something was off about him, her keen senses told her so.

'...Hmm...interesting'

The Duchess stormed her way back to the main hall eager to soak herself in alcohol.