"RI YI WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"
The first thing she saw when she opens her eyes is Zhao Li Xin uptight expression, he clenched her shoulder she confuses why he looks so worried, Lory was still on a daze when Zhao Li Xin pulls her on his embrace.
"What happened? I hear someone screaming….who is it?" her voice a little bit horse.
Zhao Li Xin let out a long sigh, he let her go after he sure she was fine then he pours water on the cup for her "Drink first" he said
Lory drinks without question, the freshwater moist her throat makes her feel better, he helps her to put the water cup back on the table, Lory rubs her forehead "Who's screaming, is it Ming Yue Yin? Is she alright?" Lory wants to get up from the bed immediately but Zhao Li Xin stops her.
"No, it's not her…." He calmed her down, Lory's face become more relaxed but then she looks at him with a question, Zhao Li Xin tug her hair behind her ear then he said softly "It's you…"
Lory looks confused, he smiles but there's a hint of sadness in his eyes that he hides it from her
"You have a bad dream" he wiped the tears remarks on her cheeks, Lory look at him with puzzled looks, she does not even realize she's crying, "I ask someone to prepare your bath"
"Thank you" Lory smiles at him like she uses to, Zhao Li Xin smiles bitterly before he left.
Lory feels there's something wrong with Zhao Li Xin, she wonders if he in a bad mood or something. Suddenly Girsha barged in then hit her head with his wings.
[Stupid GIRL!!]
[Aow!!] Lory covers her head.
[What are you doing, why is your mana decreased almost to nothing] Girsha berated her [Do you want to die!!] he hit her head again angrily, when he saw her condition he got so panic, mana decreasing is dangerous it can lead to losing one life is like someone die because too much running.
In this world there is no potion to restore decreasing mana, when that happened she can only hibernate to restore before her mana empty and how long she has to sleep it all depends on her and the environment around her.
[Okay, Okay, I'm sorry! Stop hitting me birdie!!] she just awake and this is what she got, How mean….
[You are this close…..this close…] Girsha hadn't enough vent his anger.
[I see a blood rune, okay!] Lory defends herself [The blood rune protecting the ancestor crystal] Lory massage her neck.
[Blood rune? In here?] Girsha gasped.
[ I know right…] Lory raised her eyebrows [ And it's all in 'Ethion' language] in Lory words Ethion language is the language of God no one understands this language except Lucient descendant, and it was taught verbally they not allowed to make a note or talk about it with outsider including the arch knight, it's very secretive and no one except her Father, Lucas and Lory who knew about it.
Girsha perch on the table, he looks deathly serious now [You trace the source, don't you? Who is it?] now he understands why she lost so much mana, in a normal situation in meant nothing for her but with only ten percent power she got, doing that almost killed her.
[Arthea…] Lory takes a long exhales.
[Her again?] Girsha dumbfounded [What is she doing, bring magic to this world, the tree might have a connection with you but why she helped this Ming ancestor so much?]
Lory leans her bottom on the table, her arms cross on her chest [She is a seeress, maybe it got something to do with prophecy?]
Girsha grumbles [I don't like where this going..]
[Me neither…] Lory can agree more.
[By the way, what are you dreaming about, you scared out of sh*t of everyone?]
[Huh?] Lory right hand hold her cheeks, her expression turns gloomy [I don't remember much….but there's a man he talks something…I don't remember but he looks sad, and then I see darkness…] Lory contemplating her own thought, then she takes a deep breath
[I don't remember anything else after that…]
Girsha didn't say anything, he glides the grapes toward him nonchalantly with his beak, suddenly the door is knocked.
"Come in," Lory said.
Ming Yue Yin peek from behind the door, Lory only sees her head and her finger clenching the door, her eyes are red and moist she looks like she's been crying, Lory eyebrows furrow she wonders what happened with her.
"What happened, are you okay?" Lory tilted her head confusedly.
Ming Yue Yin suddenly pounces at her, she hold lory tightly "You make me scared aunty, I thought you are going to die" Ming Yue Yin sobbing getting louder her cheeks damp with tears, Lory feels perplexed she stroke her back to comfort her.
"I'm fine, nothing is going to happen to me silly…" Lory comforts her.
Ming Yue Yin release her from her hug, she wipes the tears on her cheeks "But you sleep for three days and then….then you scream, I thought someone wants to kill you but I see uncle embrace you to calm you down but you keep on screaming, I thought….I thought…" more tears fall on her cheeks.
Lory startled she doesn't know what happened after she loses her conscious, is that why Zhao Li Xin looks so weird. She feel guilty to scared him like that, the girl in front of her didn't look better either she look like achild who got bullied in playground, Lory patted her head softly.
"There, there…do not cry, what if you're subordinated see you like this, should you be a cool leader?"
"I'm cool" Ming Yue Yin snort while wiping her cheeks who show no sign as a dignified leader at all.
"Not now" Lory teasing her.
"I am!!" Ming Yue Yin stomps her feet exasperatedly.
Lory giggles "Okay, I want to take a bath, you play outside" she shoos her, Ming Yue Yin supposed to be angry, treated like two years old but because it was Lory who told her, she didn't have an ounce to feel angry, she left the room with big smile plastered on her face.
Lory sighs when Ming Yue Yin, she really feels she gained a naughty niece, she shakes her head helplessly she went to the bathroom to take a long nice bath. The maid smiled at her when she enters the bathroom then they left before Lory takes off her robes, her habit taking bath alone is rare in an influential family household but the maid inside the Manor already used to her.
After a long nice bath, she changes to deep purple hanfu with white small bluebell flower embroidery on it, seems likes he order custom made dress for her, Lory's mouth curved he feel touch with how much he pampering her even her Father is no match for Zhao Li Xin level for spoiling her.
In the pavilion garden, Zhao Li Xin lay on the couch with a wine cup on his hand, his beautiful face looks down his expression somber but it's not hinder his charmed, his hand twists the wine cup slowly his eyes are in a dazed he was lost in deep thought. Her earth-shattering screaming shaken him, he doesn't know how to help her he can only hold her until she calmed down, he feels so helpless, a faint scent suddenly tickles his nose, he smiles faintly he looks up.
A beautiful woman with purple hanfu and fur shawl lean on the pavilion pole, she smiles back at him "I thought you sleep?"
"I'm not.." he put down his wine cup on the small table near him then he raises his hand at her "Come," he asked her to take his hand. Of course, she accepted his hand without hesitation, he pulls her to lay with him then he wrapped her wrist while her back against his chest, holding her like this is the only thing that can make him calmed.
"Did I scared you?" she stroke Zhao Li Xin's hand on her wrist.
"A little bit…" he answers shortly, his chin rest on the top of her head, he can easily smell her sweet scent.
"Nothing to be sorry about, you have a nightmare…I can't help you"
"But you are…" she intertwined their finger together "You've been helping me so much"
"I wish I could do more" He kissed her head gently.
Lory turn her back, she looks at him face to face "You 've been done more than you could have thought" she caress his strong jawline "I'm glad I met you, Zhao Li Xin"
"I'm glad I met you too…whoever your real name is" he stroked her hair with a gentle smile on his face.
Her face feels hot, their face only an inch from each other she raised her head slightly then she kisses him, Zhao Li Xin feel her soft lips touch his brain suddenly shutdown and everything become automatic from here on, he pull her head closer the small kiss become long and deep, he didn't know how to do it but now he just goes by instinct.
Zhao Li Xin change his position, now he's on top of her their chest pressed together, Lory hands wrapped around his neck she doesn't know where she learned it she slips her tongue into him and somehow he can respond it like a pro, well Lory didn't know how a 'professional' kiss each other but judging by her malfunction brain and how much she enjoyed it, he really did well.
Because the lack of air she push him slightly, he reluctantly let her go both of them panting while looking each other in a daze Lory face is red like ripe tomato her eyes are in haze her heartbeat move so fast she thought it would leap from her chest, Zhao Li Xin star at her with fiery eyes, his breathing become heavy he still wanting more.
"It's still daylight…" Lory still panting when she said it.
"It is…" he replied shortly, his desire still not subside.
"Someone might see us" her brain start to function again then she remembers they were outside.
"No, they won't" Zhao Li Xin refuted her like anyone dare disturbed him in this situation, and his right the shadow guards are long gone the moment they see their Lord kissing their woman.
"Oh.." she relief, she glances at her who still on top of him without showing a sign to move "Uhm… and.. uhm.. you can call me Lory, if you want…"
"Hm?"