Chapter 89 - Accidental Affair

The lack of oxygen had forced their brains to rest. Not only Raphael, Ivanka also collapsed when her body hadn't even completely separated from the belly of the big snake. The carcass of the huge snake had protected them. Other predators did not dare to approach because it was its territory.

Ivanka got up first. She suddenly felt pain all over her body.

"Aww ouch," she massaged her head, and was once again feeling sick to her surroundings at the moment. A snake's stomach with a hole with its contents spilled out, a pool of blood and clothes full of mucus— made Ivanka want to quickly escape from this place and lock herself in a comfortable room.

She also looked at Raphael. Her disgust had turned into peace. To her, Raphael slept like an angel. He closed his eyes quietly as if not in the scary wilderness. How could a knight be careless like that?

However, there was something else Ivanka realized at this time. Even just by looking at him and being close to him, her heart was pounding violently. Ivanka couldn't resist as she presumptuously touched the knight's hair and stroked it. He could have run away leaving Ivanka. No one will blame him. But the man sacrificed his life and jumped into the snake's mouth to rescue her.

Ivanka swallowed her saliva. She must be out of her mind. How could a man covered in the guts and blood of a monster snake like Raphael look so attractive to her? Ivanka felt her legs improve. She was grateful that there didn't seem to be any crooked or misplaced bones from her injury. It was because Raphael kept reminding her to treat her injury correctly.

It still hurts quite a bit but Ivanka could walk well. She slipped because she stepped on the yellowish gastric fluid of the snake. But she had gotten used to it and no longer felt like throwing up at the situation. Ivanka grabbed Raphael's shoulders and dragged him away. She then made the knight's body lean against a large shady tree.

There was quite a lot of light coming in. It may still be evening. But she had to get out of the abyss before nightfall. Because more dangerous monsters would appear at that time.

Ivanka pondered. Did she just go away leaving Raphael? But it wasn't until a few seconds later that Ivanka rejected the idea. Somehow, she needed Raphael. She couldn't imagine that Raphael would be harmed because of her. She had twice owed the knight her life.

The girl thought to make Raphael more comfortable. With slightly trembling fingers, she unbuttoned his collar. Now Ivanka saw the commander's masculine curves that she would never forget. The girl noticed a blush spreading across her face. But that didn't stop her from continuing to undress.

Ivanka felt her body heat up suddenly. The desire to touch the man became an irresistible temptation. She's still a girl, she shouldn't have done this. But Ivanka was too enamored with Raphael. That's embarrassing. He felt like a pervert. Yet she hated people like that. But now she couldn't hold her hand as she unbuttoned his clothes, touched his face and hair and rested her pretty head against the commander's broad chest.

Ivanka thought she must have gone mad.

The girl raised her head. Swallowed his saliva and brought his face closer to the commander. His handsome looks are her taste, as well as his body and personality. Ivanka looked at him wistfully, feeling intoxicated by something she couldn't explain. The girl gave him her first kiss which started with a soft kiss. It was cold but pleasant. Like drowning in a deep and silent lake, that was how Ivanka felt now. Even though she was caught up in something dangerous, she didn't want to end it.

Innocent kiss, full of curiosity. Awkward, as well as provoke adrenaline. Ivanka was harassing someone right now. She might be imprisoned, but Ivanka didn't care. All she knows, she admits that she was attracted to the commander and wants to have him.

The kiss suddenly turned more serious. When Raphael's strong hand grabbed her waist and the man also licked her beautiful lips. His eyes were still closed. Ivanka was surprised. He didn't think that Raphael would also like what she was doing. Then, his fingers slipped under her clothes. The commander's warmth touched her skin. Making her moan, her breathing became heavier. She wanted him to touch her further. Until Raphael mumbled something from his mouth.

"Valerie," he sighed. Ivanka gasped, her eyes opened and she instantly felt disgusted with herself. Ivanka wanted to dodge, and that's when Raphael came to his senses.

"Huh! What? What have I done?!" Raphael frantically turned his face away. He didn't look blushed. He didn't think the interaction was romantic.

"I— I just wanted to help you breathe better because, you— you didn't wake up, so I—" Ivanka was very embarrassed at this point. She was lying. Earlier she was just stuck with her own desires and forced it on the unconscious Raphael.

"What? Are you crazy?" Raphael looks shaken and wipes his mouth.

"Y— if you don't know how to give artificial respiration, don't do it! Especially for a man like me! I could have done worse things to you," Raphael scolded her. This time he was aware enough and knew how bad what he just did.

"No— it's okay, we didn't mean to do it," Ivanka lowered her face. She hoped this conversation would end soon. Her heart was sad now. She received a painful rejection. She remembered the way he kissed and touched her. Raphael was not a man without experience. He had someone to share his kisses and warmth with. Someone named Valerie.

The girl regretted why she didn't notice in the first place. Maybe because her brain always thought that Raphael was a single man. Even though the commander wore a wedding ring on his finger.

Ivanka was gloomy, as if she hadn't been unlucky enough to fall into the abyss. Now Raphael seemed to push her down a deeper hole. Nothing could be worse than falling in love with a married man.

"Sorry for doing that to you, no matter if I was unconscious or something..I won't do it again," After Raphael fully regained his senses, he became more rational and treated the incident less emotionally.

Ivanka smiled awkwardly. She wouldn't be able to interact with Raphael like she normally would. Ivanka had fallen in love with him less than the day they met. Even though she knew Raphael was married, strangely she didn't mind if he touched her again.

After all, wasn't polygamy something that noble men used to do?

Ivanka slapped herself after thinking that.

"Lady Ivanka? Why did you hit yourself?" Raphael looked worried. He thought what she had just experienced may be very traumatic for the woman. In his dream Raphael felt he was touching his own wife. He himself still couldn't completely shake off his desire. It's been more than a month since he was separated and he misses Valerie too much. But Raphael would find it hard to forgive himself this time, he had touched another woman. It didn't matter if it was intentional or not.

Ivanka would not allow herself to lose just because of a sudden feeling of love. She lived for twenty-two years rejecting marriage offers from the most powerful mens in Avalon. But why should she fall in love with a Florentian knight? Worse yet, a married man.

"We have to find a way out of here soon," Ivanka said nervously before taking a step.

Raphael couldn't ignore Ivanka's sad expression. The haughty but cheerful girl seemed to have lost half of herself. Raphael was feeling really bad right now. It was different if the woman he touches was a prostitute or something. Ivanka was a respectable woman with high self-esteem. That must have really hurt her.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make you better, lady Ivanka..I know, even though I didn't mean to but—" Raphael mumbled, his attitude changed towards Ivanka. He no longer treated her like a spoiled and arrogant girl. This time, he saw Ivanka as an innocent girl and a victim of unintentional abuse.

Ivanka looked at Raphael, staring into his eyes which were black as clear and deep as the Balkans. Ivanka knew that the real victim in this situation was Raphael. Ivanka unbuttoned and kissed him without permission. But Raphael didn't see it that way. He felt like a criminal who snatched a woman's chastity.

But Ivanka no longer cared. So what? She had already fallen in love and made this misunderstanding. Why couldn't she just carry on? Ivanka wrapped her arms around the commander's neck and brought her face closer.

"You want to make it up? All right, then. You have to kiss me one more time.. This time, do it without thinking about other women in your head," Ivanka said earnestly.