An Easter to Remember Together

Disclaimer: The Trinity Blood characters featured in this story do not belong to me. This is merely for entertainment purposes, and to reinforce how much Esther and Ion are meant to be (in my personal opinion) XP.

This is the third instalment to the Easter series and will (maybe) be the last. Please read the first two instalments before this one. They are called – 'An Easter to Remember' and 'An Easter to Remember Always'. Thank you and enjoy :-D

­Part 1

Early one morning, where the sun was beginning to climb over a row of buildings surrounding the kingdom of Albion, Esther was sleeping soundly in her private chamber, having no intention of waking up any time soon. She went to bed late last night as she had a lot of paperwork to get through and made it clear to her lady-in-waiting and servants that she didn't want to be bothered. She knew it was their duty to get her up bright and early for what the day had to bring but not today. Knowing she finally had time to relax; Esther wanted to make the most of it by catching up on long awaited sleep.

She was having such a pleasant dream. She was in a fairy tale land where she played the role of a Princess and Ion was her Prince. She had been locked away in a tower by a witch who made her do nothing but paperwork all day, while the witch took her place as Princess by disguising herself as Esther. Prince Ion was in love with Esther and saw through the witch's disguise instantly. They fought which resulted in Prince Ion slaying her and freeing Princess Esther from her prison within the tower. The kingdom celebrated Esther's return which made the young Princess very happy, especially when that meant being free from work and being with Ion again. What surprised her though was when Prince Ion had guided her outside to their royal garden as he had something very important to tell her.

Esther continued sleeping as her dream played itself like a movie. Meanwhile, someone dressed in a dark cape suddenly jumped onto the balcony outside her bedroom. They made the jump from the surrounding walls of the kingdom. Normally such a jump wouldn't be possible with the vast distance between both points but they covered it with ease. Esther's chamber was on the highest floor of the kingdom and would be the most difficult to access with the amount of security she had on patrol. Guards surrounded both the inside and outside of the kingdom, along with the floor to her room itself. No one could enter this floor without special permission or authority from Esther yet look at him now. It seems he didn't need either.

The caped figure found it surprising that this area lacked in security. With the royal garden on the same side of the kingdom to Esther's chambers, this area should have more men on patrol as it was easier access for anyone breaking in. Sure, Esther's room was the highest floor, meaning it was several storeys off the ground where no human could possibly access it without going through from the inside or climbing the walls but had no one ever expected a Methuselah breaking in? It would be a breeze for them to sneak in without being detected, especially if it was an assassination attempt. 'Seems I'll need to have a word with her about that,' Ion thought to himself as he removed the hood from his face, allowing the morning air to blow through his platinum blonde hair.

Walking up to the glass doors of Esther's room, Ion brought his gloved hand to one of the handles and began inspecting it carefully. He didn't want to trigger any unexpected alarms or security systems which may be in place. It would explain why there weren't many guards in the area if Esther was protected by technology instead of man-power. Although seconds later, Ion slid the door open with ease and sighed to himself as he walked in, 'Really now Esther, you could at least lock the door for some form of security.'

Closing the door after himself, Ion contemplated scolding Esther over her negligence for her safety but as soon as his gaze rested on her sleeping form, his frustration washed out of him instantly. How could he be angry with her, especially when she looked so cute in her sleep? The Methuselah walked to her bed then, moving so quietly that it didn't seem his feet even touched the carpet. He didn't want to disturb her but thought one quick look wouldn't hurt. Once he stood at the foot of her bed, he looked down at her and at first sight she took his breath away.

Esther was sleeping on her side with one arm resting by her face while the other was draped over her stomach. She wore a satin pink night gown which went down to mid-thigh in length. It had thin shoulder straps while the neck line went down in the shape of a 'V' over her chest. One of her straps had slid down her shoulder, resulting in her dress showing off more cleavage than it was supposed to. Her dress had also slid up her legs while she slept that night as part of it now rested by her hip, meaning her bare legs and underwear were out for anyone's viewing pleasure.

Ion's eyes were locked on her like a homing device. He couldn't risk blinking in case it was all a dream. He was on the verge of drooling but Ion closed his eyes and shook his head in order to get some self control. 'Okay Ion, calm down. It's just Esther sleeping, sleeping as though she was expecting me, no, no she wasn't. This has to be normal for her; perhaps she got a bit restless last night...' Ion slowly opened his eyes and looked down at her again. She was still in the same position, so it wasn't his eyes playing games with him.

Ion's heart started beating faster and faster the more he stared at her. He had a strong urge to jump her but he held himself back. He knew he'd get into a lot of trouble if he got caught in here, especially by Esther's head maid but the risk was worth it, although there were issues with security which he wasn't too happy about. It was all well and good for him to enter unexpectedly but what if it was someone who wanted to assassinate Esther? Worst still, take advantage of her like this? The thought made Ion's blood boil. Esther most definitely needed better security set up around her room, A LOT better security. He'd be willing to stand guard himself if he didn't have other duties to attend to. But he had a feeling Esther wouldn't let him anyway.

It was then that he heard her murmur something in her sleep, causing him to snap out of his thoughts as he stared at her cute innocent face. He walked up the side of the bed and sat himself gently beside her sleeping body. He watched her for a while, finding he'd never get tired of staring at her like this, especially with the way she was positioned right now. His gaze wandered from her face down her throat, then even lower still until it rested at her cleavage. He realised what he was doing after a moment and couldn't help but shake his head at his actions. Was it indecent of him to be staring at her like this? He knew it would only be polite to leave her now and see her when she was properly dressed, like a true gentleman, but if he didn't decide to sneak in he wouldn't have had the opportunity to see her in such a way. He couldn't regret it, there was no way.

As his gaze travelled down Esther's body more, he took note of how much she had developed since he first met her six or so years ago. At the time, Esther was only fifteen so she was still expected to grow, like himself really as he gave the impression of a twelve year old boy when in actual reality he was older. Ion was glad that his body finally did grow and develop into a well defined one as there were no mistakes about him being an adult or a male, as many did mistaken him as a girl back then. He was taller than Esther now and he had a build he was quite proud of as he made it a habit to work out frequently. Deep down, his intention was to impress her so she would see nothing but the best of him. He wanted her to love him both on the inside and out and be proud that he belonged to her. Like now, Ion was very proud to have a girlfriend as beautiful as she, both in looks and personality. He didn't see her as that little girl she once was as she was now a full grown woman, with very nice curves to add. Esther's hair looked to be growing out as well. She used to have it short at the back with longer bangs at the front but now her hair went past her shoulders. It suited her he thought; he hoped she'd grow it even longer still.

He removed the glove he had over his right hand and cupped Esther's cheek gently, feeling over the softness of her creamy skin. He liked being able to touch her like this, to know he had a right to as she was his and he was hers. Ion wanted this to be a regular thing. He hated the moments he had to go away on business or return to the Empire for long periods of time. He always did what he could to see Esther as often as possible but it was so hard at times, especially if she was busy and couldn't turn away from her duties. He understood this and knew being Queen was a heavy responsibility but it couldn't be good for her working like a robot. He would catch her many times working till dawn without any sleep and no matter how much he'd scold her, she'd never listen. He admired her dedication but she needed to take care of herself too. It was more reason why he hated leaving her.

"Well, I think it's about time you woke up," Ion decided as he slipped his hand from her cheek and cupped it behind her head so he could turn her towards him, "If you get upset, remember you brought this upon yourself." And she did too. He could bet on his noble status that she was working till late last night. So as punishment, he should be allowed to do whatever he wants. If he was wrong, then he'd simply blame her for being too enticing. He wanted to touch her, he had to touch her and felt he better before he drove himself insane.

Ion brought his free hand over Esther's thigh gently, finding it as smooth as velvet as he caressed it up her leg more. He lowered his face towards her own so he could admire her beautiful features up close. He stared over her long dark eye lashes, her little nose and her luscious pink lips. Esther shifted a bit in her sleep, feeling the warmth of Ion's hand seep through her exposed thigh. Being unaware of his presence, she turned over so she was on her back and shifted her leg a little in hopes it would shake off whatever was heating her thigh. All it did was give Ion more access to explore her body, which he had no complaints about. His gloved hand was dangerously close to her inner thigh which sent chills through Esther's body but Ion diverted the trail of his hand so it slid up to her lower stomach. He wasn't going to touch her anywhere too inappropriate, yet, especially not without her consent. He simply wanted to enjoy the feel of her, as the opportunity to be close to her like this didn't come often.

Ion brushed his lips against her cheek softly, the slight touch sending a jolt of electricity through Esther's body. He skimmed his lips across her cheek like a soft caress of silk until he reached the corner of her mouth. He wanted more than anything to taste her full rosy coloured lips right now. The last kiss he shared with her was a couple of weeks ago when he last visited Albion, which was too long ago in his opinion. It was then that Esther suddenly murmured in her sleep, "Ion..." Her voice was faint, but Ion heard with his sharp hearing. He looked at her in confusion at first, wondering if he had woke her up without realising it.

"I..." Esther smiled a bit then, "I accept... I'll be happy to..."

Ion was even more confused now. What was she talking about?

"Ion..." She murmured again, "I... love you..."

Ion was stunned; was she dreaming? Dreaming about him? Ion couldn't believe it. His cheeks turned a light shade of pink then, unable to hide his embarrassment and overwhelming happiness he felt at this moment. Lucky she was asleep so she wouldn't notice but he didn't expect to witness such a thing. It was nice, knowing she was constantly thinking about him, even in her sleep. He was touched; it filled his heart with warmth. This was yet another memory he would have burned into his mind for the rest of his days.

"I love you too Esther..." Ion smiled lovingly as he closed the distance between them and locked his lips on hers, kissing her gently as to not startle her but at the same time wake her as though she was Sleeping Beauty.

Esther stirred a bit when she felt a hot tingly sensation run through her body from her lips. Her body shivered with pleasure while her skin started getting goose bumps all over. She was getting warmer and warmer by the second while she found herself unable to breathe. Was she drowning in a pool of lava? The young Queen stirred again as she tried getting out of her dreamy state while wondering what was happening to her body.

Ion would have been more than happy to continue but his senses alerted him to another presence nearing Esther's room. He pulled his lips away slowly as he closed his eyes to sharpen his hearing. He could hear a woman's voice greet some guards as she started making her way up a flight of stairs, heading towards Esther's room. He recognised the voice so there was no cause for alarm; however it would be good for both Esther's and himself that he leave now before he was noticed. Shame though, he was having so much fun too.

'She's still asleep,' Ion shook his head but smiled all the same, "Come on Esther, your lady-in-waiting is coming to deliver some news." The Methuselah leaned down and pressed kisses over Esther's eye-lids before resting his forehead against her own. "Esther." Ion said with more command in his tone, "Wake up."

No matter how sleepy Esther may have been, Ion's compelling voice jolted something inside her to obey no matter what. Her eyes slowly opened as though they had a will of their own, causing her to groan a bit in displeasure. Esther could have easily slept through the morning, knowing she had nothing scheduled for today yet looking at the clock on the wall, it read nine thirty in the morning. She groaned again, that meant four hours sleep. What made her wake up? She looked around the room, inspecting every corner and object in case someone might have been in here. There would be no reason why, no one could access her room without causing some commotion down stairs where her guards were. Yet why did she feel as though someone had been here? Esther brought her fingers to her lips in question. They slid over the soft puff of flesh, causing something stir inside her at the touch. Esther was very warm, yet the room was at a comfortable temperature. Her blankets weren't draped over her either so there was no reason why she should feel like this. Perhaps her dream...

"Good morning Your Majesty!" A lady's voice rang from outside her door, "Sorry to disturb you but I have some urgent news!" The double doors opened to Esther's lady-in-waiting, Lucy. The middle aged woman walked in without hesitation and smiled cheerfully, "I know you advised you didn't wish to be disturbed but..." Lucy blinked then blinked again. "Um, Your Majesty..."

Esther was rubbing her eyes free of any sleep still lingering in them and looked at Lucy with annoyance. Not that she had a problem with Lucy but she was irritated due to lack of sleep. The distaste in Lucy's gaze wasn't helping anything either. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh, no reason. I'm just glad no one but myself and a couple of maids attend to your room." Lucy looked Esther over which made the young Queen look down at herself with curiosity. The thin straps of her gown had fallen from her shoulders, leaving a lot of her chest exposed while the lower part of her nightwear had bunched up at around her hips. She might as well have been naked with the amount of skin she was showing off. Esther quickly grabbed her blanket and threw it over herself with her face bright pink as a result. Thank god it was just Lucy seeing her in such a state.

"Your Majesty, you have nothing to hide from me. I help dress you remember?" Lucy couldn't help but laugh, "I apologise if I embarrassed you, I'm assuming you didn't sleep too well last night?"

"I'm not sure..." Esther didn't think she had any problems sleeping. She didn't have enough to be restless as she went to bed at five in the morning. She practically passed out the moment she laid her head on the pillow. But there was still that matter about how warm she was, not to mention she woke up feeling flustered in some way. "Lucy, did you or anyone else come into my room earlier?"

Lucy had closed the doors to Esther's room and was at her long vastly sized wardrobe preparing her outfit for the day, "No Your Majesty, you gave specific instructions to not be disturbed this morning so no one entered. If anyone had tried, your guards would've stopped them."

"I see. So how did you manage to get by them then?"

"Because I have some exciting news for you. When I told the guards down stairs about it they let me pass without a moment's hesitation." Lucy had a dress ready for Esther which was the colour of violet. The material turned to different shades of blue and purple depending on the angle of the light. It was an off the shoulder dress with long sleeves that fanned out past the elbows. The body of the dress lowed in the same way where it was snug around the upper body and hips then the lower half flowed outwards so it was comfortable to walk in.

Esther looked at the dress and recognised it instantly. It was a dress Ion had given her for her birthday which she had yet to wear. Not that she didn't like it, she loved it in fact, she just wanted to be sure to wear it for the right occasion. "Um, Lucy, I'm not wearing that dress."

"Why not? It's lovely and I'm so eager to see you wear it."

"I'll wear it in due time, just not now."

"Oh but I insist. Someone specifically requested you wear it."

Esther was about to further her protests but stopped herself when she realised what Lucy was saying. Her blue eyes widened with realisation, "Lucy, this news you were referring to..."

Lucy smiled, "You catch on fast Your Majesty. The Count of Memphis is here." Esther's heart skipped a beat. It had been a few weeks since she last saw Ion and had been eager for his next visit. Usually he informed her of his visits ahead of time so she could work better around it, if things went her way but knowing he was already here in her kingdom sent her into a state of panic. How long had he been waiting? Why the sudden visit?

"Lucy! Please help me get ready!" Esther jumped out of bed, not wanting to make him wait any longer. Lucy laughed to herself and was glad this time Esther wasn't going to run out without getting ready, unlike last year.

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The moment Lucy had Esther dressed with her hair and makeup done, the young Queen rushed out of her room as soon as Lucy allowed it. She suspected Ion would be in the audience chamber as he usually met up with her there whenever he visited. Lucy had tried calling out to Esther to calm down as she didn't need to be in such a hurry but Esther didn't listen. She was rushing down a flight of stairs which lead from her chamber; she greeted her guards before rushing around a corner to another flight of stairs. As annoying as stairs were at times, they helped keep Esther fit as she wasn't as active as she used to be, not like how it was at the Vatican. Father Wordsworth suggested at one point to install elevators, he seemed quite eager to do something like that for her but Esther didn't think it was suitable for a kingdom, her home wasn't a hotel after all.

Reaching the last flight of stairs, Esther rushed down as quickly as possible. She was about half way down before she lost her footing with the heels she was wearing. She gasped as she tried regaining her balance but it didn't work. She felt herself falling forward, knowing she couldn't prevent the fall so she closed her eyes and braced herself for impact. Expecting herself to fall awkwardly on hard uneven around, she instead fell against the firm wall of someone's chest. Their body was warm against her own while their cologne was irresistibly good to breathe in. She felt their arms wrap around her back to hold her in place while they chuckled a little at her display, "Esther, are you alright?" Esther recognised the voice instantly.

"I-Ion," Esther couldn't help but blush as she kept her head down nervously.

The Methuselah looked down at her with his bright ruby eyes and gave her a warm charming smile, "How are you this morning?"

"A-Alright," Esther stuttered as she struggled thinking of words to say. Ion was so good looking and sexy that it was hard keeping her composure around him. He shouldn't have been born with such looks; he was a threat to girls everywhere. Upon inspection, Ion looked to be wearing a navy blue suit with a black turtle neck shirt underneath. The sight of him left her breathless while she felt ready to pass out; lucky he was holding onto her to prevent another fall.

"Only alright?" Ion questioned as he brought one of his hands under Esther's chin so he could tilt her head up to his. The moment Esther's eyes locked with Ion's she fell completely under his spell. She wasn't in her kingdom filled with loyal servants and guards anymore; she was in a world where no one but Ion and herself existed. She felt Ion's hand caress over her cheek while he brought his face closer to her own. There was the slightest touch of his forehead against hers before Ion looked deeply into her eyes as though hypnotising her further, "Your eyes are a little bloodshot. You didn't get much sleep did you?" Esther merely shook her head while she continued staring into the pools of his eyes.

"What have I told you about staying up too late?"

"I'm sorry..." Esther murmured, feeling a little guilty.

"I guess I'll have to do something to ensure you sleep at night." Ion gave her a wicked smile while Esther's face went bright red at the thought.

"I-I-Ion! W-We can't do that! Not yet! I-I mean, not saying I don't, I do, but not yet!"

Ion raised an eyebrow at her, "You can't take sleeping pills?"

Esther blinked, "H-Huh?"

"Sleeping pills, I was thinking of getting you some. They will guarantee you sleep at night."

"O-Oh," Esther felt like an idiot now. With Ion's earlier response, she thought he was implying something else, something a lot more intimate and involving than taking sleeping pills. With the amusement written on Ion's face, Esther suspected he did that on her on purpose just to tease her. She turned her head away from him then; trying to look hurt at such would play such a joke.

Ion could barely contain his amusement. The look on her face was priceless. "Did you have something else in mind?" Ion suddenly said which caught Esther off guard, "If you do, I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts." The Methuselah gave her that sexy smile of his which sent waves of warmth through Esther's body. Ion leaned in and grazed his soft lips against her cheek while his hand stroked Esther's back possessively, "I'm still waiting for your response..." How could she answer with Ion's hands distracting her like that? He was doing things to her body that left her speechless. Deep down though, Esther had a feeling Ion didn't need an answer. He had a knack for reading her mind and this was no exception.

It was then that the young couple heard someone clearing their throat behind them. Esther looked over Ion's shoulder and found it was Lucy. She gave the two of them a bright but strained smile and gestured towards the dining room, "Breakfast is ready your Majesty, Count, please come this way." Even though she was smiling, her tone had a bit of bite to it which she didn't hide very well. She started walking ahead as though guiding them to where they had to go. Esther sighed with disappointment when Ion had to let go of her. She suddenly felt cold without Ion's warmth.

Ion watched Lucy disappear down the hallway and looked back at Esther when he knew it was safe to talk, "I think I upset your lady-in-waiting."

"Huh? Upset how?" Esther questioned.

Ion smiled at her naivety and simply shook his head, "Never mind, you didn't notice." He took Esther's hand and held it protectively as he guided her down the rest of the staircase. Once the young Queen was on firm ground, Ion started leading her down the hallway Lucy walked through moments ago. Esther watched him from the corner of her eye and couldn't help but love how protective he was of her. She could tell he didn't want her falling and hurting herself like she almost did so he felt it was his duty to prevent any such thing from happening again. He was so considerate, it made Esther love him all the more. She rested her head against Ion's arm then, unable to contain the happiness she felt with having him by her side.

Ion didn't notice her small gesture, as he was deep in thought. Tomorrow was going to be a big day as it was going to be Easter, and for that special occasion he had a big surprise in store for Esther. He hoped everything would go according to plan as it wasn't just Easter he was concerned with. It was something else, something much more. The thought made Ion glance down at the pocket of his jacket. His hand rested protectively over the small box hiding inside, just needing the reassurance that it was still there waiting.

Knowing 'that' moment was coming faster than he expected, Ion started doubting if he could really go through with it. He kept thinking about all the bad things that could happen, especially the negative response Esther could give that he didn't want to hear. He had nightmares over it which would take him a day to get over. He hoped it wasn't a premonition of what could happen, he really, really hoped.

"Ion, are you okay?" Esther squeezed his hand with concern as she looked at him with worried eyes, "Your hands are shaking."

"Huh?" Ion snapped out of his thoughts then as he stopped walking. Ion felt a cold chill running through his body which could have been the cause of his shaking. His fears seemed to be affecting not only his mind but his body as well. Ion forced those thoughts away, hoping to replace them with more positive ones. He needed to have hope, he needed to be strong. If any hardships were to come to pass with his actions, then he would face them with everything he had. He had to stay focused. There could be no doubt. He had been preparing too long for this; he couldn't throw it away now. He needed this, he needed her, he needed Esther and he was going to make it happen no matter what.

"Esther, I'm sorry," Ion looked down at her, "I'm fine. Sorry to make you worry." He smiled at her with reassurance.

"Are you sure?"

His smile grew with Esther's concern for him. He lowered his head to hers and brushed his lips ever so softly against her own. The kiss only lasted a moment but it was enough to make Esther's head swim with delight. When he pulled back, Ion's smile remained as he began stroking through Esther's bright red hair, "Thank you, for worrying about me. I always thought myself fortunate to have someone as caring as you. I wonder at times, if I even deserve it..." It was then that he closed his eyes thoughtfully, "I love you. I will always love you. You know that right?" Ion looked at her again, this time with his eyes full of emotion. He needed her reassurance, he needed her to confirm that his doubts and concerns were all in his head.

"Of course Ion, I never doubted your love. I love you just as much." Esther took both his hands then and smiled at him with pure love and happiness.

Ion was good at reading Esther's thoughts and emotions, it was no exception in this case either. He could see the love she had for him. He felt it when she expressed it in words and when she took his hands. The warmth from her fingers spread through his own and continued to consume his body. That was all he needed, just a little reassurance. He could tell Esther was still concerned about him, but she didn't try questioning any further which he was thankful for. He couldn't tell her about it right now, although she will find out about it soon enough.

"We better hurry, or else your lady-in-waiting will think I took you into a dark corner to take advantage of you."

"Hehe, oh we can't have her think that."

Both Ion and Esther laughed as they made their way to the dining room hand in hand.

Author's Note: Happy New Year's everyone! I know it's not the time of year for Easter but meh, it's a series what can you do? I know it doesn't have any Eastery themes yet but that will all be coming in the next chapter so don't worry. :D I just thought it would be nice to add some special Ion and Esther moments before their big Easter day. :) How was the bedroom scene? I hope it was enjoyed as I had fun writing it; hopefully it wasn't too over the top lol. I know Ion seems a bit forward now in comparison to his shy nature from the series, but he's matured a lot since then. Six years have passed after all. That and he has been with Esther for nearly a year so that's my excuse :P I personally think Ion is very sexy when he's forward with his emotions lol. Thanks for reading, I'll update as soon as I can.