Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

Drayce was away from the palace as he had important matters to attend to outside and had visited the territory outside the capital city. When he finished the work and returned to the palace, it was already late evening.

'She must be asleep by now,' Drayce thought as he entered the palace and extended his hearing senses, but he could hear nothing. 'I shall freshen up quickly and accompany her to sleep. I am sure she must have missed my presence the entire day.'

Drayce went straight to his quarters where his personal aide, Orien, welcomed him. "Was there any inquiry about me from the Queen's palace?" Drayce asked.

"No, Your Majesty," Orien answered, which surprised Drayce. 'Did I upset her by staying away the entire day?' he wondered while letting Orien remove his robe.

"The bath is ready, Your Majesty."

Drayce nodded and entered the bath where the pool was filled with hot water for him to soak. Shedding all his clothes, he stepped into the pool and sat down, resting comfortably, but thoughts of going to Seren continued to play in his mind.

'When she is deep in sleep, I can surprise her with a warm cuddle and might please her nicely. I am sure she won't be upset anymore. A nice bath is a good start.'

After a refreshing soak, Drayce donned a fresh set of night clothes and quietly set off for the Queen's palace, opting to keep his arrival a surprise. As he crossed the bridge leading to the Queen's residence and walked down the corridor towards her chamber, he noticed an unusual calm. The floor was devoid of servants, wrapped in an unsettling silence.

Upon reaching the chamber door, Drayce was greeted by Eva and Marie, and Xena, who stood guard outside. They bowed respectfully as Xena announced, "Greetings, Your Majesty. Her Majesty has been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Drayce was taken aback. 'Waiting for me? At this hour? Shouldn't she be asleep?' he thought, puzzled.

Eva and Marie opened the door for him, allowing him to enter the chamber and closed the door behind him.

The scene inside the chamber took Drayce by surprise—it was decorated as it had been on their wedding night.

The curtains around the bed had been transformed; now, a gauzy red fabric draped elegantly over the mattress. Red and white flower petals were scattered atop the bedspread, adding a touch of whimsy and romance. The vases throughout the room overflowed with freshly-plucked flowers, their vivid colors and sweet scents enriching the air.

Instead of the usual lamps, numerous scented candles cast a gentle glow, illuminating the chamber. This soft lighting created an ambiance distinct from the usual cozy warmth, steering the atmosphere towards a romantic, almost magical realm, perfectly curated for a special night.

Drayce's eyes scanned the room for Seren, but she was nowhere to be seen. He knew instinctively where to find her. Approaching the balcony, he saw Seren standing by the railing, her gaze fixed on the night sky, her back to him. She was clad in the red night dress she had worn on their wedding night. Her long hair fluttered softly in the cool breeze, the thin fabric of her dress swaying gracefully.

She looked serene, embodying the tranquility of the evening.

"Isn't she cold?" Drayce worried as he moved toward her.

"Wait! Stay there."

Drayce, having taken only a couple of steps forward, halted immediately. His wife was just a few strides ahead, yet he couldn't approach her.

"I have something important to discuss," Seren's voice was solemn, her back still facing him. "And I need you to stay there and listen until I'm finished."

"I will do as you wish," Drayce replied, standing still, his expression mirroring the seriousness of her tone.

"Dray, I've been thinking for days, and after much consideration, I've made a decision for us both," she continued. "I might be wrong, selfish, or scared, but I had to make it. Knowing you, I believe you will understand and support my decision."

"I will," he assured, he was willing to do whatever she wished him to.

Facing the sky, she continued, "That day you were injured, I was terrified of losing you. Though I've always known how important you are to me, it was in that moment, seeing you hurt, that I truly understood the depth of my feelings for you. In an instant, I grasped all the things I would regret. But now that you're back to me, I've decided I won't live with regrets any longer.

I'm not sure what the future holds, but right now, all I want is for us to be together, to live in the moment without fears, even if it means facing death afterwards. I'm prepared to accept death, but I cannot accept that what I feel for you is not love. I can't bear the thought that my husband, who loves me and sees me as his everything, might believe his love is unrequited."

She turned to face him, her beautiful eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Drayce ached to close the distance and embrace her, but restrained himself out of respect for her request. How much that single incident had affected her, it was impossible for him to understand. He somewhere knew she was changed since then, and now it was the moment to understand what was going on in her mind since then.

"Dray, I want us to start over from where we left off—our wedding night. I want to go back to that night where I don't tell you to not remove my veil and never see my face, where you don't have hold back out of consideration for me. I want us to consummate our marriage and truly be husband and wife, in every sense of the word."

Her gaze held a fierce determination as she continued, her heart pounding audibly even through her resolve. "Drayce Ivanov, what I need to tell you is that I love you, deeply and truly, and I know it in my heart. I don't care if it costs us our lives. I am selfish enough to risk your life, but I can't live with any regrets.

You are mine, and we will live together and die together, even if that means dying right now."

As to prove her words, with a graceful movement, she removed her veil, leaving Drayce utterly stunned. He remained rooted to the spot, honouring her wish for him not to move, his eyes captivated by her unveiled face. Myrid of emotions in his heart because of her words and actions. He was not prepared for it at all.

"Dray, let's not let our love be dictated and defeated by that wicked curse. To face it without fear and to die without regrets is as good as winning. Let's live this moment as we are meant to, and let's die with no regrets in our hearts. Will you? Will you accept dying with me?"