Chapter 96 - Scales And Fins...?

Esme sat up on the bed as she panted, body convulsing with aftershocks of the attack. The memories of the dream were still vivid in her mind and she quickly glanced at her body. 

Her gown was still intact. She removed the sheets from her body and slowly raised her gown to her knees. There were no scales on her body. 

A relieved sigh escaped her mouth. 

It was only then that Esme noticed that she was sleeping on the bed. She remembered dozing off on the armchair. 

Before she could contemplate further, the sound of approaching footsteps attracted her attention.

Her lips parted when she saw Aleister walking out of the bath. Water dripped down his dark hair which was still damp and he was wearing a satin robe, his broad chest visible through it. She could see his muscles,  shining under the dim glow of the fireplace. 

Her gaze slowly travelled to his neck where she saw a water droplet rolling down to his chest. The thoughts of her biazarre dream flew out of her mind for a moment as all Esme could focus on was the man in front of her eyes. Glorious and domineering with every step he took towards her. 

She looked at his lips, thin and pursed. They reminded her of the time they were right against her lips.  And as they parted slightly when he was about to speak, she averted her gaze, looking straight into his ice blue eyes, ''Did you move me to the bed?" she asked him. 

''You looked uncomfortable sleeping in the chair.'' 

Esme stiffened when she felt his cold palm on her forehead, ''What…'' 

''You don't seem to be sick. Why is your face red?" Aleister sat beside her. He tucked the lose strands of her hair behind her ear, ''Are you feeling stuffy?" 

Esme averted her eyes, feeling slightly hot under his gaze. She still remembered what happened between them and how he kissed her the day before. After that, she tried to keep her mind off that incident but now that he was right in front of her, she found it difficult to forget how his lips felt against hers. 

She looked at his lips, taking her bottom lips in between her teeth. 

''Are you insinuating something?" the corner of his lips tugged up. 

''What do you think?" the words left her mouth before she could comprehend them. 

''I believe my Princess is curious,'' Aleister cupped the side of her face, his thumb slowly grazed on her bottom lips. 

Esme held her breath while the pad of his thumb grazed on her lips. Rough and calloused. That's what his touch felt like against her soft lips. Like he might bruise her if his touch was a bit more intense, more reckless and she could not lie about the way she thought how it would feel if that happened. 

The direction of her thoughts were dangerous and they ruffled her, ''Al, I had a dream,'' the movement of his thumb paused at her sudden words. 

He looked at her, waiting for her to continue. His thumb slowly caressed her bottom lips twice before his palm shifted to her hair. He stroked her unruly tresses which had turned messy while she was sleeping. 

''I-I had scales… and fins,'' Esme gulped just at the memory of that, ''I couldn't feel my legs. I think I…'' 

''Yes?" Aleister glanced at her. 

She looked at him hesitantly, for any possible change of expression on his face after she mentioned everything but there were none. He was looking at her like he usually did and that lessened her anxiety. 

He gently arranged her hair before putting his hand down. 

Esme thought about the dream once again before she said, ''And I think I had a tail,'' her palm barely touched her body down the waist before she woke up. But she remembered it well, the lack of her legs, the horror she felt at the moment when her dress fell and the roughness of those shiny scales. 

''How do you feel now?" Aleister asked after a few moments of silence, ''Any pain?" 

Esme shook her head. She opened her mouth but then hesitated to speak. 

''What?" 

''You… '' Esme turned her face to the side, her cheeks having suspicious tints of red, ''Do you find me strange now?" 

Aleister chuckled, ''Are you embarrassed?" 

Esme clutched the sheets. She turned to look at him, her eyes narrowed slightly, ''Answer me,'' her voice was domineering as usual. 

And somewhere, both of them knew that only she would talk to him that way. Not that he minded it though. 

She glanced at him hopefully. The situation was tense. Even though it was a dream, it shook her heart because of how vivid it was. But she did not know why at a time like this, she was worried about how he viewed, about what he thought of her. 

''I don't find you strange,'' Aleister raised an eyebrow. To him, she was always the little princess who shielded his body with hers just because she found the assassination unfair. According to her, he was weak and helpless boy against all those assasins. 

''Why are you laughing?" Esme asked, a little annoyance in her voice. 

''Well, Princess, you have always been a naïve one,'' Aleister played with the tip of her hair, ''It doesn't bothers me what you are. You are Esme and that's all that matters.'' 

And with that, the suffocating feeling in her heart disappeared. She did not want him to see her differently. 

''Esme…'' 

''Mmm?" She tilted her head. 

''What about you? Do you find me strange?" 

''For what?" Esme frowned for a moment before she realized that he must be talking about his powers. Unlike the magic that royals possessed, Aleister's powers were completely different.. The golden magic, the teleportation, everything was different but… ''How about you tell me more about it?" It has been a long time since she wanted to know more about it.