The wider, The better

"So, your true nature emerges at last? Is this how you repay the very saviour who selflessly came to your aid? And just so you know, I have found an escape from this labyrinth forest. Since you harbour intentions to kill me, it is only prudent that I seize my chance to flee instead of bringing you out of that pond, wouldn't you agree?" Arazhan replied.

"No! I_I was just pulling your leg." Naimshi quickly apologized, fearing he would run away, leaving her alone as a feast for the ghoul King. "I swear I wouldn't even harm a mosquito, let alone someone so selfless, generous, unselfish, kind, considerate_"

"Hold your excessive praises. My stomach struggles to digest your compliments." He deadpanned. Naimishi's lips pressed tightly together in annoyance at his back-to-back taunts.

Arazhan couldn't quite fathom his amusement in teasing her, but he derived an undeniable thrill. Perhaps it stemmed from the fact that he couldn't see her facial expressions, which betrayed whether she, like other lecherous women in Vrinastha, swooned over his status. Another reason was that she didn't harbour any fear towards him because she was unaware of his cursed blued skin that haunted his existence.

"Did you find any hints in that skeleton's words during your conversation?" Arazhan asked as his gaze roamed across the surroundings of the mulberry tree, scanning for any clue. It puzzled him why a ghoul, if indeed it was one, would wander in the land. Their home is the Twilight Zone, feasting on corpses in the graveyards.

Naimishi let out an exasperated sigh, her frustration evident. That ghoul king was too preoccupied with flaunting his beauty to stick around and answer her probing questions. "He mentioned that consuming mulberry fruit would free me from this pond." However, getting the fruit was far from simple. Someone had to tear through the veil and feed her because her hands remained mercilessly trapped within these waters.

Although Arazhan didnot believe the ghoul's words, he plucked a fruit for the safer side in case the tree would disappear once the veil was lifted. He scoured the entire tree but found no clue, yet, it was only when his eyes landed upon the centre of the tree trunk that he discovered something puzzling. Engraved into the wood were small markings in the shape of mulberry seeds arranged in a circular pattern akin to a halved fruit. With a swift motion, he sliced a mulberry fruit with a small blade and attempted to attach its half to the engravings. However, the uneven seeds didnot fit seamlessly and repulsed.

Did he find the clue? Naimishi pondered, her thoughts consuming her as she nervously chewed on her dry lower lip. Her body was turning cold inside the water, leaving her trembling. She didn't know how long she would survive in the waters before she fall sick or, worse, die. The ghoul king would return soon. If they don't escape, he will trap both of them in the pond, and she will have to lose hope that at least someone was there helping her.

Arazhan's gaze swept over the myriad of fruits adorning the tree. There should be one fruit that should match this pattern, yet, to his dismay, they all appeared strikingly similar, except for one fruit that stood among the others perched on the top of the tree. Seizing it, his blade sliced through its flesh, and in that precise moment, her soft murmur echoed into his ears. "Did you find it? How long will it take?"

"Are you so desperate to see my face?"

This self-centred peacock! Naimishi grumbled under her breath. "I would prefer to gouge my eyes out than let my eyes see your ugly face."

"How amusing?" Arazhan placed the precise pieces in their spots. "The feeling is mutual_" The tree dissolved before his eyes, revealing instead a serene pond. His words 'ugly face' about to spew caught in his throat, for there she was—a breathtaking sight amidst the shimmering waters. Bathed in the ethereal glow of the moonlight, her face resembled a canvas illuminated by the celestial brushstrokes, captivating his gaze and leaving him momentarily speechless.

Naimishi's gaze locked onto the towering figure before her, refusing to blink even for a moment. Tall, handsome, bronzed skin, sharp jawline forming a symphony of rugged masculinity. Despite his commoner clothes, she could not ignore the palpable power radiating from those protruding nerves akin to a raging river carving its path. His aura exuded a haunting familiarity, yet she struggled to the point where she had seen him.

"Mulberry."

"What?" Arazhan muttered, his eyes locked onto her face, drawn to her innocent allure and subtle shyness. Her face was the only part visible to him, her naked body remained immersed in the pond. He turned his gaze away from her eyes, not wanting to wander his eyes an inch down her chin.

Naimishi's gaze fell on his hand. "The mulberry fruit you are holding. I must take a bite of it. Can..can you feed me?" The words slipped out before she could restrain herself. She felt embarrassed for asking such a dumb question. She knew she was in the centre of the pond, and the distance between them was impossible for him to feed her unless his hands were to stretch like talons. "Ignore my__"

"Open your mouth." He whispered just loud enough to reach her ears.

"What?" Came an exclamation from Naimishi.

"Open! I will throw the fruit into your mouth."

"What if it falls into the water?" She questioned.

Arazhan's voice dripped with audacious confidence as he leisurely drawled. "My aims always hit straight into the target."

Naimishi grumbled under her breath at his inflated ego as she parted her lips. Yet, in a moment of realization, her mouth snapped shut. Her gaze locked onto him, and Arazhan raised his brows, questioning her what's wrong. "I am not wearing any clothes. Once I take the bite of the mulberry tree, the pond will release the trap. I_I am not coming out of the water naked." The mere thought of standing naked before a stranger sent chills down her spine. Her gaze flickered towards his cloak, her eyelashes fluttering with innocence and a silent plea.

Realizing the direction of her eyes wandering, he uttered. "Absolutely no! Don't even entertain the thought. For all that matter, stay in the water. I have already done enough help for you."

But when his gaze fell upon her pale face, he couldn't turn a blind eye to the pain she was suffering. Her lips had turned bluish, realizing how harsh and fast the cold water was hitting her. He has already wasted his time helping her, and sacrificing his cloak would cost him nothing significant. "Fine! I will lend you once the trap is broken. Now, don't waste my time, and quickly open your mouth."

Naimishi's face lit up. She opened her mouth wide and closed her eyes.

"Wider," Arazhan commanded.

How much wider does he want? Without complaining, she stretched beyond, torturing her jaw.

"Not enough! Wider."

"How much wider must I open for such a small fruit?" Naimishi scowled at him. "I have already stretched my mouth wider enough to accommodate an oversized banana." She wondered if he was aiming the fruit into her mouth or secretly studying her teeth arrangement.

"The wider your mouth," Arazhan lips lazily drawled, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "The better the chance of accommodating right on the target where your taste buds are yearning."

Arazhan played with Naimishi's tongue, commanding her to part it wide and then immediately ordering her to narrow it when it grew too lasciviously open, only to command her to spread wider once more. His torture continued until he reached a satisfying position for his aim.

Just as he delivered the fruit into her mouth, and before the fruit could make contact with her tongue, a swirling force appeared. With a swift and audacious swoop, it snatched the mulberry fruit, leaving them both stunned.