Chapter 186 - His Love & His Life

"Are you alright?"

Ryuu asked again, his voice laced with concern as he searched her face.

"Y-yes," Ara answered weakly, forcing the words from her mouth as she smiled.

However, since she was still much shaken from seeing someone who looked exactly like her, her voice came out small and shaky. This, of course, didn't escape her husband's notice. Ryuu frowned at her before unceremoniously lifted her up in his arms bridal style, surprising everyone including his wife.

"Hey! People are watching!"

Ara shrieked as she was carried off, but if only, the crowd just giggled at her predicament.

Because, of course, this sudden romantic gesture made the onlookers cheer all the more. They were unknowing of the scare the bride had just gone through and so the celebrations were not disrupted – well at least until they saw Homura Ryuu walked past the luncheon hall towards the private quarters where his bedroom was.

This left everyone looking totally puzzled as it was the Koutaishidenka who had ordered for them to have the festive meal. But of course, they were not able to do anything but watch the husband and wife disappear from their sights.

"Er…Is it just I or the Young Master couldn't wait for the wedding night?" one servant asked and everyone turned to look at her.

It hadn't been a while since the couple disappeared, but everyone suddenly felt a wave of divine power emanating from the private quarters where the Young Master and his bride disappeared into. All members of the Homura House could recognize the oozing energy in the atmosphere and couldn't help but let their lips twitch into knowing smiles. 

"Probably, yes," Kazehaya Gin then answered making everyone laugh.

He had no idea what had gotten into Ryuu for suddenly leaving with Ara like that. But, whatever it was, it shouldn't be as bad as the Koutaishidenka releasing his divine charms meant he was in full lover boy mode. Although too bad, his wife was his fated partner and was immune to them.

"Oh well, since those two are hungry for other things, let's just go and eat," the chestnut prince called out, dispersing the crowd as they all went to the banquet hall where everyone including the servants was invited to start eating.

At the residential area, Ryuu continued to stalk off carrying his bride towards his room. He had on a serious expression and was unresponsive regardless of how many times Ara asked him to stop and put her down.

"Kou! I'm really okay," Ara assured him numerous times, but her husband seemed to have deaf ears.

"You're not," he answered after a while as soon as they reached the interior of his sleeping quarters just across Ara's room and placed her gently on the futon.

"I was not, but I'm really okay now," Ara countered.

She shouldn't really have told him a white lie earlier considering Ryuu could easily detect that it was such. So now she found herself not at her wedding luncheon with friends and family but alone with her new husband in his room after being carried here like a blushing bride that she was.

Ara cupped her face in embarrassment, trying to figure out what the others were thinking right now after seeing Ryuu carry her off.

"What's wrong?"Ryuu asked again.

"I'm embarrassed – that's what's wrong," Ara muttered unhappily, her voice a bit muffled by her hands. "Everyone will wonder why we went here instead of the hall."

Her complaint came out as if she wanted to cry, and the worry on Ryuu's face vanished replaced by a huge grin. The smile on his face made him appear totally more handsome in Ara's eyes and she sighed, lost in her admiration of him.

"Oh, what are you worried about? Isn't being alone with you normal? We just got married after all?"

Ryuu's words came out too flirty, and Ara swore she could see divine power seeping out of him. That ethereal charm she could recognize instantly if it weren't for the fact that she's on earth and she's totally confused. Then again her husband said he's a deity as well, and so…

"Kou? Are you really a god?"

Ara's voice came out barely a whisper, and her husband laughed at her momentary mystification.

"Haven't I been telling you that?"Ryuu responded as amusement danced in his blue eyes.

"Okay…"

Ara could finally believe – somehow.

She wanted to ask more questions but they have tons of people waiting for them, and it seemed as if her husband had something else he wanted to ask her. She was right.

"What happened earlier? You looked like you've seen a ghost," he inquired, and she was ready to tell him what transpired this time.

Being open and totally honest was a tough thing to do, most especially since she was conscious of the otherworldly secret, but she really wanted to learn to trust, and thus she told him this time.

"A doppelganger?"

Ara laughed as she waved her hand. "Well, it might just be fatigue on my part. Sometimes when I'm hungry I see things. Maybe the light and the people played tricks with my eyes."

She tried hard to convince Ryuu that it must be an illusion on her part, but something told her that it wasn't. Illusions were not as clear as mirrors after all and at broad daylight.

"We'll try to check it out," Ryuu said with finality.

The way he looked told Ara that he completely believed in her and she felt glad.

"Kou, you don't have to worry about me so much. As I've told you, I'm also a deity – well part deity."

She was just a demigod who inherited the diluted blood of Perun. Although she was strong and could miraculously command lightning, she's still more human than celestial, and thus, she couldn't claim she's a goddess.

"I know you are," Ryuu told her with a smile. "But you still can't stop me from worrying about you – most especially now."

Ara couldn't understand. If he knew that she's strong then why? It was not as if normal people could hurt her.

She must have shown her confusion on her visage again, as Ryuu reached out to cup her face, and gently tilted it up so they could look at each other eye to eye.

"Don't ask me why. Don't be confused. You are my love and my life – of course, I would always worry about you…"

Ara had never heard anything more wonderful, reassuring, and overwhelming as his words just now. How blessed was she to end up with someone so wonderful as this?