Chapter 35: The snow is so beautiful... like you

They began to walk through the snow, while tiny flakes fell upon their heads. At every moment, Strax and Samira held hands to avoid stumbling and getting hurt, despite the woman's body being very resilient...

"Being protected... is it really that good?" She questioned herself as she watched the man in front of her holding her hand firmly while leading the way. "This feeling... is so comforting..."

Her thoughts were already starting to drift away. Honestly, she really didn't know what to do with her feelings anymore.

"It's been a few hours but... they've completely changed my heart... How?" Strax's back seemed gigantic compared to the boy she had met days before the journey. She already knew he was different. Well, how would a weak person treat a strong cultivator like Samira with such disrespect? Just that behavior alone had really piqued her interest in the man, but...

"Loving... respectful... when he wants to be... and... kind," she thought, feeling the warm hand of the man leading her forward while being her shield in case something happened.

"I should be doing this, but... it feels so good to be protected that I don't want to leave his side." Her mind was really a mess, and it led her to a state of reminiscence, of her old life when she still lived in her cozy home, before running away and leading an adventurous life.

"Samira! Come here! It's training time!" The stern voice of the older man sounded, and a young Samira, ten years old, appeared holding a wooden sword. She trembled in fear at the man's voice.

"Let's go! Hurry up, raise that sword!" His voice grated on her ears and she was forced to do something she didn't want. Fight.

Raising her sword, she waited for him to attack, but her fighting stance was flawed and at the old man's first strike, Samira lost her sword and her balance, falling to the ground and twisting her ankle, her hand holding the sword broken.

"AAAA," she screamed in pain, an agonizing scream, but the old man just looked at her and commented, "Pathetic and weak." He said with a hateful scowl.

"Father...", Samira murmured, as she was still guided by Strax along the sad and lonely path of the snow. The weather... was not something Samira liked very much. "Issues with your father?" Strax questioned after hearing Samira murmur.

"It's... complicated," Samira said, trying not to delve deeper or confront her thoughts, while Strax continued to try to explore his new partner. After all, he had already decreed Samira's future.

"You're mine." It was his only goal now, screw his damn scary sister, he just wanted Samira now.

"I also have a complicated family," Strax said with a smile to her as he put her by his side, instead of staying in front, now both walked side by side without looking at each other while the snowy mountains were their sight, something really beautiful.

"I'm going back to the Duchy because my sister Xenovia called me," Strax said and Samira turned white. "X-Xenovia? That XxXenovia?" She stuttered, even Samira who was reasonably strong compared to the cultivators on this side of Thallasia, was nothing compared to this woman.

"Hey, calm down, she's not a monster," Strax said, lying. "Damn, she's a Supreme Monster indeed!"

"I'm not an object! Stop treating me like an object you can have!" She said quickly, clearly bothered by this. "Hm? I'm treating you as I please, if I said you'll be mine it's forever, what kind of object lasts forever?" Strax questioned, and Samira was left speechless.

'This man... is he crazy? I mean, we all are but...'

"Are you questioning these things now? We spent a whole night kissing while you were naked on top of me, if we weren't wearing underwear, we probably would've had s-" before he could finish

Splat!

He received another snowball directly in his face... And that left him... quite irritated. "Stop talking about that! It was a slip-up! I just succumbed to temptation!" She roared preparing another snowball.

"Oh, really? So, I'm a temptation to you? That's very good information..." Strax commented and Samira shouted again "You're not a temptation!" Throwing another snowball, which this time Strax quickly dodged.

"Oh, she's angry," he said laughing and crouched, preparing a snowball just like her. "Do you really want to start this?" He questioned. "Bring it on!" She said throwing another snowball ahead.

A snowball war began, something that if anyone saw would think it was a newlywed couple enjoying a snowy day... despite being in a really complicated situation, these two, nothing was really happening and they could already find a way out of this big problem they got themselves into.

"Come on!" Samira said throwing a snowball that was quickly dodged, while Strax prepared to run towards her with a snowball in each hand. "Come here, Little Flame!" He said as Samira started running.

"Stop it! Hahaha" She laughed while throwing more poorly made snowballs at Strax to try to keep him away, but Strax managed to get closer to her and hold her by the waist.

"You're not getting away from me." He said holding her firmly, but she was mischievous and used her strength to pull him down, knocking him over!

"Ouch!" He hit his head and closed his eyes, when he opened them, he saw the beautiful woman on top of him, with the white dress having its straps slightly loose, he stared into her eyes.

"You're so complicated, you know that?" She questioned, preventing him from making any move. "Is that so?"

The moment he felt the woman's hands loosen, he quickly changed positions "Kyaa!" she screamed in surprise and now he was on top of her.

She felt embarrassed and turned her face, feeling her wrists being held. "If you want, I'll stop." He said, but Samira didn't say anything, slowly he started to get closer to her neck and lightly kissed it.

"Mmmm" She moaned. Soon, he reached her ear and lightly bit it, making her shiver all over. "Str-" She was going to speak but was completely silenced by his lips.