"Mmm. I don't really need to answer you, do I? And I don't want to~~. Sooo~ will you crawl back to your office now?"
The hooded man continued to mock Casimir while languidly swinging his sword around. Trying to provoke the man into action or mess up his focus. There was a sure way to that but he liked to play around with this almighty demon.
The Great Demon Lord thought that this clown greatly needed to be put in his place and he rushed at him before swinging his sword. He was confident that it should've cut this bastard in half but the latter was able to block it.
As if he could see his moves.
"You know, you show too many mistakes when you're in a hurry. Is it the Lady Sylveris perhaps?"
The man asked and Casimir visibly stiffened before leaping away to create some distance between them. He knew that it was just an attack on his psyche—to distract him and destroy his concentration—but damn was it hard to ignore.
He can't help but be affected especially if it's Adira.
"Bingo." The man whispered and smirked at the visible effect of the Sylveris' woman's name on the prince's stance, form and pattern. He was too open.
When you think about her, you have too many openings.
He thought and, this time, rushed forward to deliver an attack of his own. Casimir, although was able to defend against it, he just barely made it and so he still suffered a heavy blow to his torso.
The hooded man retreated a few steps back and whistled in amusement at this prince's fast reflexes and sturdiness even when distracted.
Shall I push you more? You can still dance, right?
...
Adira and her group were still walking further north and it was starting to grow cold. Since Heise was an unforeseen addition, there was not enough coat to spread around.
"It's okay. Give mine to Heise."
"But Mommy!"
"Adira!"
Both Triton and Heise complained at the same time. To the people around, it was just like a beautiful picture of a warm family—with the father and son both worrying about the mother.
But to the three of them—especially to Triton and Heise—the other was just an annoying bug buzzing vexingly around this pretty lady.
"Triton, it's okay. I'm a fire attribute, remember? I can handle the cold. Besides, I particularly love it."
...Cold water. Ice. You...
...He seemed very happy talking with an ice block like you...
...The cold and dangerous glint in his eyes...
"—dira? Adira!" Triton snapped her out of her brief stupor as she jolted at his hold on her arm and retracted it harshly, as if his touch burns her.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Oh.. umm... Yes." She replied before turning to the child whose clear and bright sapphire eyes stared at her. "A-Anyway, I'll be fine. But if you really worry, then I'll share it with Heise."
She suggested to which brightened the beautiful boy's world. It was the perfect idea! Now, he can sleep with his mommy again!
And his happiness was obviously etched in those shining sapphire orbs and the cheer that he was desperately trying to hold in but could not—when he jumped onto her arms and hugged her as much as he could.
Adira giggled at this little one's liveliness despite the dropping temperature as they went further north. While Triton just eyed the pair and thought back to Adira's answer to his question,
...
"He said his name was Heise. He calls himself in third person. Did you not notice that, my love?"
He pursed his lips into a thin line as he started to panic whether Adira had regained her proper memories or if she was still under the influence of that dark spell.
Adira, studying her husband's profile, wondered why he seemed listless and uneasy. She gingerly reached out and cupped his cheeks.
He jolted lightly after feeling her soft and warm palms caressing his face, his focus returning into his ocean blue eyes.
"Are you okay, dear?"
"Yes, my love. Everything's fine as long as you are near."
He answered and peppered light and loving kisses over her hands and her cheeks to her luscious red lips. Oh how soft they felt against his.
It was fine. Things were good. Adira still loves him. She is still his.
...
Adira slept next to Heise, her arms wrapped protectively around the child, and breathed peacefully.
They were camping outside, amidst the woods, and Triton was one of the few men that kept watch for this shift. He periodically casted glances towards the mother and son.
Silently debating with himself whether he should get rid of this child before he creates an ever bigger problem for him.
However, he knew that once he did that, he'll definitely lose Adira. Even now, when she doesn't have any memories of the boy, she was already too attached to him that she was practically back to herself as the boy's mother.
He snapped the wood he held in his hands—an outlet for his irritation before feeding it to the fire—and decided to distract himself from his thoughts about Heise.
The boy, unnoticed by anyone, suddenly sat up before raising his gaze up to the dark night sky—the moon was hidden by some dark clouds before it came out almost as if on cue.
His sapphire orbs glowed dimly before looking down to his mother and held her head.
"Come back to us, Mommy. I swear, I'll protect you properly this time. Please come back to us. Heise needs you. Daddy needs you."
The child whispered while encasing her in his darkness—cause as they say, fight fire with fire and poison with poison. Now, he fights darkness with darkness.
And with the bright moonlight, on the night of the first month since Adira's been brainwashed, a thin coating of dark mist slowly encased her slumbering figure—carefully casing her in to negate the dark spell casted on her.
I am the last divine dragon of darkness. No dark arts can stand in my way as I protect my mother.
Heise thought while waiting and looking out for prying eyes. It was fortunate that they were a little ways away from the bunch so no one noticed him yet—especially Triton.
How dare you take my mother away from us? How dare you ruin my family!
The child thought while trying real hard to keep his hatred for the man in check. He must not jeopardize his mother. They must not notice him.
I'm taking my mother back now.
Notes:
And our baby rises up to protect his mother! Hoho~ never take what belongs to this dragon lest you feel his might!!
Anywaaaay~ I'm looking forward for more comments ❤️ Banzaaaaiii~ 🎉🎉🎉