"Don't be so tense." Stella's murmur caused Brandon to flinch and turn towards her. He had been so lost in thought that he had forgotten his girlfriend was even there, and he was already dreading the upcoming conversation with Radius. Family matters were always complicated, but at that moment, Brandon just wanted to focus on Stella's big problem and support her as much as he could. But his mind was so tangled, so burdened, that he couldn't help but drift away.
Stella swallowed and moved a little closer to Brandon on the seat. They had set off for Nyxoria on a sudden impulse, and for some reason, Stella was extremely tense. Part of it might have been because of Brandon. His sullen face and sighs of tension were making Stella extremely uncomfortable. They weren't an overly affectionate couple, really. Yes, Stella was more expressive with her love, unlike Brandon. The young man would often spend his days so focused on Stella that he barely noticed anything else in the room. Her friends had often warned Stella, expressing their concern that she might get hurt by Brandon's cold and rude demeanor, but Stella knew something they didn't. Brandon's love was deeper and greater than anything she had ever seen before. It was too much, even for Stella.
Brandon turned his gaze to his girlfriend and tried to smile. "This is my face, sunshine, my usual self." Stella shook her head and touched Brandon's warm cheek with her cold palm, gently caressing his skin. "Never towards me, though." Brandon nodded and looked around. Radius and Luna were sitting side by side, talking about something. The journey was long, and Brandon already felt his eyes starting to close. There were enough private rooms for everyone on the aircraft. "I think I should get some sleep." Stella couldn't hide her disappointment and nodded as she watched her boyfriend leave. Her fingers tightly clutched her dress, unsure of what to do. As the moonlight streamed into the room, causing her heart to race, Stella suddenly jumped up and pressed her hands to her stomach. Neither Radius nor Luna were aware of their daughter's strange behavior.
Unable to stop her cheeks from blushing, Stella quickly headed towards the corridor where Brandon had gone, stopping just before the door. The hunger and desire she felt for her boyfriend were driving her crazy. She wanted to touch him, feel him, have her skin meld with his. As her arms tingled, her heart pounded wildly, frightening her. Although Faragonda had sternly warned them, Stella couldn't take those warnings seriously, not with this desire and hunger. She reached out to the button beside the door; just a touch would bring her directly to Brandon, but she couldn't do it. What was stopping her? Was it Brandon being so distressed? Did he really want to be alone right now? Or was it because he had last stopped Stella and said it couldn't be for her own good? Yes, yes, that was why. Brandon had stepped back as a responsible person, stopping both of them, which had perhaps saved them from more complications.
Stella couldn't help but feel like a little girl. Why couldn't she, like Brandon, recognize the danger and avoid taking things to that level? Stepping back, she bit her lip. She wanted him madly, but it couldn't happen. Her parents had already driven the situation to this point by making a huge mistake. The dark mana within Brandon had awakened the moonlight within Stella. Instead of being exhausted, the suppressed moon power had grown stronger, enveloping Stella's body when solar energy was at its weakest. Both powers were hers, though. Stella sighed and walked towards her own room, opening the door and stepping inside. She should be able to control both powers, not just be ruled by one but manage all the powers she possessed in her hands. The moonlight streaming through the small round window seemed to affirm her thoughts. Stella slowly took off her dress and walked towards the round window in her nightgown, thinking; And that's exactly what I'll do. I won't leave either the moon or the sun unprotected. They will never be defenseless!
Just then, she heard a knock at the door and, without turning around, still facing the moon, she murmured, "Who is it?" Her fingers reached out and rested on the window. "It's me, Stell," Brandon's voice fanned the flames of her burning desire, making her swallow hard. "Come in, love." The door creaked open, and Brandon, head down, entered, barely noticing the door closing behind him. When his eyes fell on the dress on the floor, he couldn't help but swallow, then carefully turned his gaze to Stella. In her satin nightgown, it seemed as if they were competing with the moon in brightness. Swallowing hard, he slowly walked towards his girlfriend, noticing that his hands were trembling.
He didn't know why, but his body was losing control, and given his current status, this shouldn't have been happening. Brandon was a highly successful expert and soon to be knighted. Yet, in Stella's presence, none of that seemed to matter—it all evaporated. Because he found himself trapped, lost in Stella's eyes and her touch. She turned to look at him, and it was obvious that his gaze mirrored hers. As her heart raced with excitement, Stella bit her lip, and Brandon took a deep breath at the same time. You take all the control, princess, once again. His hand roamed over Stella's pale, glowing skin while his eyes devoured her, as if trying to absorb her completely.
"I'm sorry for just walking away, princess. My mind is too full." As Stella shook her head, she moved closer to Brandon and wrapped her arms around his neck. The fact that Brandon's shirt was half open, revealing his bare chest, was just as dizzying as the sight of her cleavage exposed by her nightgown meeting his bare chest. "Seeing you sad or distracted makes me very upset. What's wrong? Did I tire you out?" Unsure of what to say or how to say it, Brandon just looked at the woman who filled both his dreams and his fantasies. How had he become so lucky? How had he won her, her heart? Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his arms around Stella's slender waist and pulled their already close bodies even tighter together.
"You only bring me peace, Stella. Nothing else is imaginable." As desire and hunger gave way to affection, Stella could hear her heart racing. "Then why aren't you at peace?" Her murmur echoed like a blow to the walls as Brandon began to kiss her cheeks. Unaware, his hands had already started to explore the young fairy's body. His lips, barely brushing against hers, moved closer to her mouth. "Your unease makes me uneasy too." As Stella felt dizzy, trying to find something to focus on, she struggled to stay balanced, but it wasn't necessary; Brandon was holding her so tightly that no one could take her from his arms right now.
"Brandon," her suppressed moan disoriented Stella, and suddenly the young man pressed his girlfriend hard against the wall, his body pinning hers between him and the wall.
As their lips brushed together, Stella moaned and suddenly took the first step, capturing Brandon's lips and kissing him with the hunger that had been growing all day. Although the her urgency was evident, Brandon was just as consumed by the same hunger to notice. His lips moved along Stella's skin without delay, burying into her neck, inhaling deeply the scent he adored. Stella bit her lips madly to stifle her moans, clinging to the man she loved and pulling Brandon closer by his shoulders, as if trying to press their bodies together even more, though it seemed impossible.
In a swift motion, Brandon grasped Stella's hips, lifting her off the ground to wrap her legs around his waist. The close contact was driving them both to the brink of madness. Just in time, Brandon pulled back to catch his breath, looking at his girlfriend. She was so beautiful, in every way. Her disheveled hair fell across her face, lifted by her rapid breaths. Her lips were red and swollen; though even Brandon's smallest kisses could do this to her, especially lately, as her skin seemed incredibly sensitive. She seemed to have a porcelain-like, moonlit quality, Brandon thought. He began kneading Stella's hips, pressing her body against his own. His head was spinning; this hunger and passion were consuming him, but giving up was out of the question. Even breathing air without Stella felt like torture.
Stepping back, he first locked Stella's door and then sat down on her bed, placing her on his lap. He continued to knead her hips and plant small kisses on her skin. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his head and suddenly said, "King Radius thinks my parents are the king and queen of Nyxoria."
Stella blinked and stared blankly at her boyfriend for a moment. "What?" was all she could manage to say.
Taking a deep breath, Brandon buried his face back into the curve of Stella's neck, kissing her, but Stella cupped his face in her hands and turned him towards her. "What?" she asked again, not understanding her boyfriend's evasiveness. As his throbbing arousal strained beneath her, he lifted his eyes to the low ceiling and muttered in a hoarse voice, "The mana I possess is only the type that belongs to those of royal blood, according to your father." When Stella shifted in his lap to get comfortable, Brandon groaned through his teeth, gripping her waist tightly and pulling her closer. Stella bit her lip, trying to focus on the seriousness of the situation, but Brandon was making it incredibly difficult. "Brandon! How can you think of this when there's such an issue at hand..." she couldn't finish her sentence because Brandon was guiding her hips to move over his, creating a maddening friction that had them both gasping with pleasure.
Understanding what he was trying to do, Stella let him. He needs to relax first. He's too tense; he needs to let go. Pressing her hands against his shoulders for support, she increased the rhythm of her movements. Now, with their rocking movements driving them both to the brink, she moaned with pleasure. Brandon reached up and pressed his thumb to her lips, silencing her. "Shh, baby, calm down." She nodded, her hair damp with sweat sticking to her neck, which only added to the satisfying feeling inside her. She had missed Brandon. Despite the critical situation, they couldn't be together physically, but this didn't mean they couldn't comfort each other. Stella's fingers roamed over Brandon's bare chest as he caressed her skin with one hand, while the other kept her quiet.
As Stella's head tipped back, eyes closed with pleasure, she moved faster, pressing her hips harder against him. Sensing her need, Brandon grabbed her waist and pulled her body sharply against his own, a guttural growl escaping him as he found his release. Stella felt like a giant weight had lifted off her shoulders as she collapsed against Brandon, trying to steady her breathing. Brandon's hands combed through her hair, realizing he felt at peace for the first time all week. No matter what, people had tried to keep them apart, even if Brandon hadn't noticed the subtle manipulations. While he thought he was protecting Stella, he realized too late that he had only suffocated them both unnecessarily.
The truth he had learned about himself didn't bother him as much as the realization that he had been deceived, using Stella as a pawn against him. Angry at his own naivety, he pushed his frustration aside when Stella lifted her head from his chest, her cheeks and lips flushed. Seeing her, his anger melted away, replaced with love. "You mean so much to me that if the universe burned to ashes, I'd lose my mind over a single lock of your hair."
Stella felt breathless at his words, but as she recalled what Brandon had said earlier; she sat up and looked into his eyes. "What did you say earlier?" Brandon sighed, sat up, and leaned against the wall, pulling Stella to his side despite her protests. "Just that; we already knew I came from a noble family, and I had my suspicions, but your father was certain. And I think he might be right." Stella stared at Brandon, disbelief in her eyes. "Don't you realize how serious this is, love? Why are you so calm?" Brandon shrugged. "What can I do, baby? So many years have passed; they can't suddenly accept me as their son, nor can I see them as my parents. They're strangers, just like me."
Stella gently took Brandon's chin, turning his face towards her. "That's not true. No matter what, they'll accept you as their blood, and I have no doubt you'll do the same. But that's not the point! We need to be sure first; just because my father is certain doesn't mean it's definite." Brandon nodded. "I know. That's why I'm not excited. I'm just hopeful that an uncertainty will finally be resolved." Stella felt her heart ache and hugged him tightly, pressing him to her body. "No matter what, I'm with you, love." Brandon smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back onto his lap.
This time, Stella giggled and looked dreamily into the distance. "So you're a prince now? Wow, the King of Eraklyon doesn't stand a chance this time. You'll save me from that man's wrath as both a knight and a prince!" She clapped her hands in delight while Brandon forced a smile. Every time that despicable king's name was mentioned, his anger surged, accompanied by a violent urge. The king's desire to make Stella his daughter-in-law was one of the greatest trials Brandon had faced. And that idiot Sky was doing nothing about it.
Brandon gently laid Stella down on her bed and lay beside her, wrapping her in his arms. What they were doing was risky; they were both in the same room on a much smaller aircraft compared to the palace. Hiding here was not like hiding in the palace; they could easily be caught, and this situation would not be met with approval. But at the moment, neither of them cared. As Stella ran her fingers over Brandon's bare chest, the young man felt something stir within him. If he truly had royal blood, it would mean he could marry Stella more easily than before. Although this hope was perhaps too optimistic for now, he couldn't help but want it. After all, without Stella, there wasn't much reason for him to go on with his life. But being able to take Stella's hand in marriage without anyone's scornful looks was more important to him than many things he could wish for in life.
As his gaze shifted to Stella, he sighed. "Let's not get our hopes up too much, okay, princess? Disappointment could be just around the corner." Stella shrugged and turned her eyes to the handsome man lying next to her. "Hoping keeps us going. This is the only good thing that's happened to us recently, so let's hold on to it for now, alright?" Brandon nodded, gently stroking Stella's arm. He couldn't help but think to himself, her skin is so cold. Normally, Stella always had a warm skin. Now her new powers had caused this change, and it was all because of him.
"Are you angry with me?" Stella frowned, lifting her head to look at Brandon with a puzzled expression. "For what?" Her sleepy voice sounded a bit suspicious. "You lost your powers because of me." Stella shook her head and buried her face in Brandon's neck. "I lost the sun. That was my fault. If you hadn't awakened my moon powers, I would have died by now." Brandon shuddered and swallowed at her last words. "You saved me, my love. I'm just lucky to have you; you're my guardian dark angel." She chuckled and closed her eyes, and once again, Brandon felt his body relax with a sense of peace.