Elys’ mouth hung open as she followed Aleksander strode towards the sofa. What was he trying to do here? Surely the proud and arrogant royal vampire in him wouldn’t let himself sleep on such a tiny sofa?
The sofa’s length and width wouldn’t even fit his entire body should he lie down!
"What are you doing, husband?" Elys demanded, "Don’t tell me..." she trailed off.
She still was unable to process the thought of Aleksander actually volunteering himself to sleep on the sofa so she could be comfortable alone on the bed.
The young king sat on the Elys’ spot. He turned and their eyes met, his molten silvers seemingly sparkling in the slightly dim light the lamp provided them.
"Go to sleep," Aleksander said.
"And you?" Elys asked. "Aleksander, don’t guilt me into this. I did suggest I could stay within the Queen’s bedchambers. Cordelia will keep me company."
"No," Aleksander said, his voice adamant. "You will stay here where I can keep you safe myself."
Elys pouted, "Why do you insist when I myself am powerful enough to defend myself?"
Aleksander paused for a minute, mulling over what he should counter. Elys watched him walk over to his desk and grab several documents before heading back to the sofa. He perused over one paper, and then spoke his mind.
"You are important for the success of our main goal," he said, his eyes steady on the document in his hands, but then glanced at her momentarily, "Wife, I will not take my chances. Your little walk was an exception, but this will be how we do it until I can secure you reliable knights."
Elysianne was taken aback by how calm Aleksander argued with her. He had always been the one to burst in anger when things didn’t go his way, or even the slightest bit of inconvenience.
"Fine, suit yourself then," Elys frowned.
She buried herself under soft blankets, and then tucked a hand under her pillow. After a while, Elys heard footsteps getting near her.
The sound of air blowing was heard, and Elys noticed the bedside turn dim.
"Stop thinking and rest," Aleksander said, and then went back to the sofa so her could pore over his reading materials again.
Elys’ mind was racing a hundred miles per minute that she swore her brain was about to overheat.
Ever since that moment she revealed herself back at the Eastern Kingdom, Aleksander had drastically changed his attitude. His choices were much sounder, his anger significantly controlled.
But most importantly, his confidence skyrocketed, even to the point he tries to somewhat ’flirt’ with her.
The new queen of the vampires twisted and turned in bed for hours.
Elys’ thoughts of Aleksander eventually turned to worries of her enslaved people. Guilt ate her as she chewed her nails in apprehension.
What would they think when they would know she turned to become the queen of the same creatures that oppressed them? The thought made her body shiver with dread.
On the other side of the room, Aleksander couldn’t disregard Elys’ unease. He could hear the bedsheets rustle with every movement she made, and all the more were the sighs she huffed.
’Should I use my magic to make her calm down?’ Aleksander asked himself.
He mulled over such choice for a very long time.
’No, she was furious when I did that back then. It’s best not to repeat the same mistakes,’ he finally concluded.
The moon shone brightly outside their open balcony. An owl hooted while crickets chirped loudly as the night progressed steadily, disregarding the fact that Aleksander and Elys had been attacked hours ago.
A soft wind blew, and Aleksander stood up from the sofa to close the balcony doors. The crystal glass panes still offered him a beautiful view of his kingdom, and the warm glow of the lamps were somewhat calming.
Aleksander returned to his reading, and about quarter of an hour before dawn, decided it was time to call it a night. Making one final rundown of his notes, the young king looked over the side of the bed where Elys was.
He noted a single blade from Lady Catalina’s attack had stuck on the floor beside her, and Aleksander felt his blood suddenly boil with anger. He swore to himself that he wouldn’t let such a thing happen again.
He strode over to get rid of the blade, thinking it was a relief they didn’t step on it as the sharp edges had protruded from the floor. Aleksander knelt and pulled the blade out, and then turned to look at Elys.
Somehow, his wife had finally calmed down on her own after hours of turning and fell asleep.
Aleksander left the blade on top of a bedside table, and padded over silently to edge of the bed. He brushed away the canopies that shrouded his queen.
Elys’ breathing was normal, but Aleksander could sense her troubled subconscious. Sweat had covered her forehead. Her face was scrunched, and her closed eyes made rapid movements as if she worried even in her sleep.
Or was she actually dreaming something? Was she having a nightmare?
"Father... I am sorry," Elys unexpectedly whispered in her sleep, a single tear escaping her eye.
’A nightmare so it seems,’ he thought to himself.
Several locks of damp hair covered her face as she slept on her side. Curiosity overcame the vampire and Aleksander couldn’t help but to lean closer. Gently, he swiped her scarlet locks away from her face.
All of a sudden, Aleksander could hear Henry’s words repeating in his head right at that moment.
’Do you like the princess only for her birthright and powers, your highness? Or do you like her as she is?’
The young king didn’t know for sure.
Sure, he was enamored by the sheer power and potential the Northern Warrior Princess had, but was he really feeling something more than that?
Was his concern for her safety because he cared for her?
Aleksander’s heart suddenly started to drum in a steady crescendo. He looked down and saw Elys’ hair still in his hand, but the moment he set his eyes towards her face, Aleksander suddenly felt his heart jump to his throat.