I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry! ;-;
I didn't mean to be late with the update but my school schedule switched around so I go to one school for half the day and a different one for the other and I don't get home till about 5:30 everyday. Then after that I have to do my homework and it piled up lately and I honestly barely have time to blink let alone write new chapters.
Anyway. This story is coming to an end only one more chapter and it's done. Then I will be working on Desert Flower which I have neglecting a lot lately and I feel awful for doing it. I will also be trying to update Sweet Moon and Undercover Princess if I can but like I said I barely have freetime besides on the weekends.
Enough about my problems.
Enjoy the story!
Ryou stirs awake and feeling warm and her pillow move. 'Wait pillows don't move." she frowns with her eyes still closed. 'They don't have heartbeats either.' Her emerald eyes crack open and through her hazy gaze the face of her sleeping husband. She carefully raises her head and his lips go into a frown as he mumbles and pulls her tighter against him.
She suddenly notices his nude chest and body as well as her own. Her cheeks heat up at the memories from last night flood back into her mind. 'Oh gosh we really … We really did it last night!' Her lips twitch into a small smile. 'He was so gentle with me. I'm so lucky to have him as my husband.'
She rests her chin back on his chest as one of her delicate hands goes and brushes a lock of silvery white hair from his handsome chiseled face, She smiles softly at him and lifts herself up a bit so her face hovers right above his. She leans down and gives him a soft, gentle kiss.
She squeals as she's held down after her husband's eyes fluttered open. His lips begin to sleepily move against hers for a few moments before she pulls away. When they separate Ryou falls back to his chest and pulls the blankets over her head so only her orbs show as she shyly looks up at him.
He chuckles at his wife's antics causing his chest to vibrate as he sits up bringing Ryou with him. "Hmm, I could get use waking up like that," he says giving her another lazy and sleepy smile. Ryou blushes as he leans forward and gives her a peck.
"Are you sore from last night?" Akefia mumbles softly against her lips. Ryou tilts her head in confusion. Akefia looks downwards gesturing. After a few moments of processing what he meant, she goes red again. She avoids his eyes as she shakes her head a bit. "N-no, only a little bit." He kisses her cheek as his hands gently run over her sides tickling them slightly.
Ryou chokes on a giggle and squirms trying to run but can't. Akefia raises a brow and smirks as one of his arms tighten around her waist while the other's hand begins to tickle every patch of skin it can reach.
"A-Akefia," she giggles lightly,"Please s-stop it!" He just smirks and shifts her around so she's in his lap with her back to his chest and his hands roaming and tickling any part of the naked flesh it can reach. He also decides to nip and kiss her back as he tickles her.
"You said something last night and I want to hear you say it again."
Ryou tries to remember what she said last night. Nothing comes up out of the pleasure filled memories that she'd think he'd want to hear outside of that. Akefia seeing her having trouble remembering continues to tickle her but eases up a bit as he leans forward and nibbles her earlobe.
"Three words Ryou~" he says into her ear. Ryou laughter fills the air as he picks up on the tickling. Ryou finally registers what he wants to hear.
"I love you!" she squeals out. The tickling halts and the arms tighten around her waist. Akefia hums pleasantly in her ear.
"I love you too, Ryou," Ryou smiles brightly at the words. The smile seems to be plastered on because it refuses to fade no matter what she tries. She hums and twists her head to see his face and gives him a kiss.
Akefia pulls her down and kisses her eyebrow, then his lips ghost over to the bridge of her nose, giving it a peck and then to the very tip of her nose, coaxing a giggle from the girl. He gives her a small kiss and the click of the door handle turning causes Akefia, at a speed that would break the sound barrier, to cover them in the many plush blankets to hide their nudity.
Akefia's mother walks into the room and once she takes in the skewed about clothing and the naked couple in bed together, a smirk covers her lips. "Well, you two certainly were busy last night weren't you," she winks, "You both startled the maids last night with how noisy you were."
Ryou's cheeks go bright red as she shrinks beneath the blankets more in order to hid herself better. Akefia coughs to draw attention away from the creeping red hidden lightly by the tanned skin. "Mother," he grumbles.
She chuckles lightly and her face goes serious, "Anyway, I didn't come here to tease you," her gaze goes to Ryou who shyly looks back. "Ryou, your father informed me last night he'll be leaving the estate today in order to get back to yours. He wanted to talk to you first in the living room in about half an hour before he leaves."
Ryou perks up and confusion washes over her. 'Why exactly is he leaving?' She doesn't voice her question and only nods dumbly.
"Well, I'll leave you two alone and see you later." And with that Amunet slips out of the room, shutting the door behind her. When she's gone, Ryou shoots up and stumbles out of the bed, yelping when she slips and her sore bottom hits the ground.
Akefia watches her in amusement as she frantically begins to search for clothing to wear out of her chest that was brought over from her estate. She pulls out a stardust silver and white dress and pair of the same hue heels.
She begins to mumble to herself about a bath and upon realizing she doesn't know where it is she looks over shyly at Akefia with a small blush. "Um, Akefia, could I trouble you for a bath?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Do you even need to ask?" He swings himself out of the bed in all his naked glory. "Let's go," he says swinging his arm around his equally naked wife.
~
Ryou's heels click on the tiled floors as a small frown places itself on Ryou's lips. Even after a relaxing bath with her husband (well relaxing after she fended off his wandering hands), she still can't seem to keep her nerves from fraying. After all whenever her father wants to talk to her it usually ends with her earning new bruises. She can't help but worry ever since the gnawing feeling that something bad is about to happen formed deep in her stomach and grows with each step she takes.
She sighs as she comes up to the living room doors and pushes them open. Her father is there, right by the fire place his back to her. She looks around at the red and gold seats and the dark brown polished wooden tables curiously and quickly before turning her attention back over to her father who still hasn't looked at her.
"Father..?" she hesitantly calls out. Her father still doesn't look at her but his stance becomes tenser. Ryou shuts the door behind her and quickly regrets it from the feeling in her gut increasing tenfold. He begins to hum softly before he speaks after moments of silence.
"You know Ryou, I've always thought that if I broke you and gave you off to some man I wouldn't have to worry about you're ugly mistake any longer," he hisses out. Ryou opens her mouth to speak but doesn't as he goes to speak again. "I beat you so many time hoping one day that I'd hit you just right so you would die off like the leech you are," he cackles. "But no! You went and found a new host to leech off of and that host threatened me last night. You were a mistake form the moment you came from your mother's womb!"
Ryou raise an eyebrow. 'What is he talking about? Akefia was with me the entire night.' Her thoughts cut off when her father turns to face her with a maniacal grin on his face. She gasps and fear races through her at the sight of a glimmering silver dagger in his hand.
"And it's time to fix that mistake!" He rushes towards her and before Ryou can scream one hand covers her mouth as he knocks her to the floor. She begins to struggle and try to knock him off her but he's much heavier than her and more experience in hand to hand than she is. The dagger comes closer and it plunges downwards near her face but Ryou dodges it by a hair and it slices a thin in on her cheek. Her eyes widen as he brings it up again putting it to her throat as Ryou struggles harder.
"And once I'm finished you off, I'm going to kill your worthless man of a husband very slowly! Then I'll kill his bitch of a mother! I have to get rid of everyone here so you won't taint the Silivock name any longer!" He cackles out with insanity clearly showing on his face. Ryou freezes at the statement and her heart pounds as images of Akefia's dead body flash through her mind, then images of Amane and her mother come into her mind.
'No! I can't let another person die because of me! Especially someone I love!' she screams in her mind. And for the first time in her life,
She fights back.
~
Akefia frowns as he makes his to the living room. It's been a while since he's last seen Ryou and he's gotten a bit worried about her. His instincts are telling him something is very off ever since he discovered her father wished to speak to her.
Nothing good ever comes from that man especially since it's towards Ryou. As he approaches the living room doors, he inhales and the slightest smell of blood makes it's way into his nose. He quickly puts his hand on his blade before he quickly pushes open the doors, not before saying a quick prayer hoping Ryou's okay.
But what he saw couldn't be any less horrid.
Blood coated just about very thing in the room, in thick coppery pools of crimson. Akefia swallows to keep from vomiting at the sight of the mangle body of James Silivock. His face is ever etched in surprise while his glasses are hardly still on his face. His blue tinted hair is dyed red with his own blood. His chest and stomach have multiple stab wounds that leak out heavy amounts of blood and show just about every inside organ he has with his intestines threatening to spill over his sides.
Akefia puts up a serious face as he looks over Ryou, who has her back to him. Blood is splattered all over her white mane as she sits beside his body with a silver dagger poised at the corpse like it will jump and become alive at any moment if she looks away. Her silver and white dress has blood seeped into the ends as the crimson liquid crawls upwards. Her skin is splatter staining the pale softness.
He carefully steps forward not know what mental state Ryou is in right now. "Ryou?" he calls out softly. She doesn't respond. Slowly, not making any sudden movements, he steps behind her and leans down touching her shoulder lightly. She jumps and her head slowly turns to face his. Her eyes are glazed over with emptiness as blood comes in drips on her cheeks besides for the small river on one of them.
Slowly Akefia reaches forward and grips the bloodied handle of the dagger from Ryou's bloodstained hands. He tosses it to the side and gathers Ryou up into his arms. "It's okay sweetheart, it's okay, you're okay now." He coos softly as he strokes her hair softly, not minding that the blood streaks his hands.
Ryou's eyes go back to normal and horror fills them as she tries to turn her head to see what she's done. Akefia catches it in his tan hands and keeps her head facing him. "I-I, oh gods, I!" she stammers only to be cut off by Akefia shushing her.
Akefia remains stoic as he hugs her. "It's okay Ryou," he coos. "You're free."
She clutches onto him as she trembles. She just killed her own father. She should feel regret or at least something along the lines of her begin a monster for what she's done. Through all her thoughts of trying to feel remorse over her death she can't. He deserved everything he got.
Through the haze of her thoughts Ryou realizes Akefia was right though.
She's free.