*** The 2nd Chapter!! Another will come again today ***

|| RECOMMENDED SONG:

The Other Side By Ruelle ||

Ayra returned to Dixon Palace safely without being recognized by local people. She was grateful that Jessie bought the hoodie for both them as some people were shooting her strange looks when she hurried her pace through the crowd.

Arriving at the doorstep of Dixon, Ayra was shocked to see the group of soldiers who were preparing to go out. As Frenchies spotted her face under the hoodie, relief flashed across his expression. He hopped down from his horse, marching over to Ayra to ask her worryingly,

" Thank God, you are back, My Lady. Where did you two? I was just planning to go and find you two. What happened to the coachman really scared the hell out of me."

Ayra's brows rose up into a tight frown. She didn't know what happened with the coachman as Jessie promised to take care of that man. She spoke sighing out heavily,

" What happened to the coachman? We..we just went for a walk!"

Ayra lied for the sake of Jessie as she couldn't tell that Jessie brought her to Inn. Frenchies exhaled rubbing his forehead to release his stress,

" Nothing serious! His mouth and hands were tied with ropes when one of our guard found him on the street."

Frenchies didn't need any answer to know that who did this to the coachman. Apparently Jessie was famous for doing every mishaps and it wasn't happening for the first time. Ayra cleared her throat awkwardly and skipped the topic wisely,

" Has your Lord returned? Is he still inside?"

Frenchies nodded before answering,

" Yes, I guess, he is waiting for you upstairs. He had been asking about your arrival lately."

Fear formed on her expression and she opened her mouth nervously to inquire but Frenchies spoke before her assuringly,historical

" He.. doesn't know anything about this guard. All you have to do is just coaxing him a little. You both took a long time."

Frenchies ended his words with a smirk and gestured her to walk in first. He pretty much understood that Cedric couldn't be angry on her until she does something serious. Following his instructions, Ayra made her way inside and found the hallway empty. Crossing the empty space, she walked upstairs directly for their bedroom.

Darkness lurked out through the little space underneath the door. Relaxation spreaded through her expression when she assumed that Cedric had fell asleep already. Her composure turned calm as she passed through the door, closing it behind to lock it off gently.

" Were you praying for my dead, love?", came a sudden voice from her back. Ayra was startled before turning around in a whirl. Her mind subconsciously thought that Cedric had gone to sleep.

The room was full of darkeness with a bare of faint light which was glistening from the fireplace barely. Such light wasn't enough to notice his dark presence inside the room.

Ayra's eyes found him over the arm chair. The few buttons of his coat were left open, revealing the firm chest underneath it. The faint light of fireplace highlighted his facial features more profoundly. With a glass of wine in his left hand, the man was looking nothing less than a perfect sculpture.

Ayra's eyes drunk his appearance hungrily and she had to look away to avoid his obvious eyes. Her reply came out suturing,

" .. Sister Jessie.. wanted to visit nearby places.. Besides, I don't wish to become a widow so soon."

A dark chuckle passed through his lips as he took a sip from his glass, standing up to walk over to her. Ayra reflexively walked over a corner and put off her hoodie from her clothes.

She could feel his eyes on her as if he could see through the emotions that she was hiding from him. Cedric came to stand by her side lazily. His eyes examined her from head to toe as he spoke bringing the glass between his lips,

" Tell me more about your prayers. How did it go? Did you visit anywhere else?"

Ayra understood that Cedric didn't mean anything else but her own guilt was ripping her apart. She shook her head denying and explained nervously,

" It's just the near by places..Ah"

The next action came without her expectation. Instead of listening to her, Cedric gripped her jaw hard, pushing back to press her against the wall. It happened so fast that she couldn't even register with her thoughts.

Today, his touch felt rough not like those times when he touched or teased her. Now their skins were connected, she could feel his skin heating up. Her face turned pale in a moment when the anger in his eyes came in her attention. His eyes were missing the playfulness that she saw before for him. Instead it was glistening with dangerous aura which wasn't in his character.

Despite his sudden violent action, Ayra didn't protest back as she learned from her mother that one needs to stay calm down when both of them are in rage. She was doing the same. Cedric took a sip from his wine, released his grip her chin slowly. His long slender fingers crawled up to brush on her lips gently. Then she heard him saying in husky voice,

" I hate one thing from my favourite people. You know what is it?"

Ayra swallowed hard and breathing through her nose hardly, she shook her head in denial slightly. His lips quirked up into a smirk as his thumb brushed on her trembling lips, murmuring,

" Lies!"

Ayra turned numb after he spoke and scratched her head hard to find a way to comfort him. Cedric smiled down at her smugly, reached out to play with the strap of her gown lazily. He blowed a hot air on her face, his air mixed with alcohol as he asked looking down at her body,

" Tell me, sweetheart! What is the queen of Basarisk doing in a maid's clothe?"