Chapter 318 - Alinea, A New Beginning

Heavy lids fluttered as the owner started to be awake. Wisps of long, dark hair escaped from behind her ear and fell on her cheeks, tickling her nose and she scrunched her face. The itchy feeling made her open her eyes.

At first, the world was blurry, but as her vision focused, the low light cast from the single lamp at the far side of the room welcomed her. The soft glow illuminated the room and she frowned at the unfamiliar surroundings.

Where…

She lay on her side facing the wall, her body bent like a fetus in the mother's womb.

"Are you alright?"

The soft baritone suddenly spoke, making her eyes wide and she stiffened, only to have the back of her head hit something solid. The voice felt like a caress against her ear as the chest she was leaning her back against rumbled.

Huh?

"Is there something wrong?" the voice asked again, this time at a more worried tone and Suzuki Ara who finally realized where she was and who she was with turned scarlet as memories of their lovemaking flooded her. It was a good thing that it was not bright enough for her flushed skin to show.

Ryuu was spooning her; ergo she could feel his body heat on her back. Well, now that she's more aware, the weight on her waist was also his arm wrapped around her as she slept.

She relaxed. She even shifted so that the contours of her back would be directly in contact with his front, and his arms tightened around her as he moved closer. Technically, their lovemaking was her first in this lifetime. But she'd been with him far longer than that to feel at ease with her nakedness with him.

"Nothing's wrong. I was just startled by the unfamiliar room."

A soft chuckle escaped Ryuu's lips. "Well, our room's currently under repair," he reminded her amusedly.

Remembering the destruction she caused, Ara pouted. Thinking about it now, she felt so foolish doing something like that for it never really achieved the satisfaction she was expecting to attain upon wreaking havoc.

Ah, but wait…

She did learn something from it.

When Ryuu got injured, she realized that by trying to hurt him, she only hurt herself more. She couldn't live without him.

The knowledge turned her eyes into warm silver pools. She tilted her head and met Ryuu's intense eyes on her. Even in semi-darkness, his pair of blue-orbs was clearly visible and she reached out a hand to caress his cheek.

He kissed her inner wrist before shifting his weight so she'd lie on her back once more with him on top of her. Desire smoldered in his eyes as the part of him that was connected with her just a couple of hours ago came to life again.

Sensing his need, her breath hitched as she too started to crave his touch. However, when she was about to pull him down on her, Ryuu sat up and she frowned in confusion. She watched as her husband reached out for a glass of water from the table nearby, and handed it to her for her to drink.

Ara sat up as well as she took the glass from him. Her eyes, however, were still trying to catch his evading ones, wondering why he suddenly stopped with his ministrations. It was funny, but she felt frustrated at the moment.

"Do you want more?"Ryuu asked as he took the glass back from her and Ara grinned at him.

"Oh yes," she answered glibly with mischief dancing in her eyes.

Ryuu misunderstood, however, so he turned to get more water for her.

"I don't mean that," Ara grumbled as he took the glass from him and placed it back on the table herself.

She then pulled the surprised Ryuu back on the bed with her and kissed him. At first, he returned her kisses, but then she rolled her eyes when the Koutaishidenka appeared to hesitate again.

"Homura Ryuu, are you going to make love to me or not?"

Never in her wildest dream had she ever imagined herself asking this question. Yet, here she was, asking just that because her husband was being so shy like a maiden in her first time.

"I-I am b-but," Ryuu stuttered, panicking somewhat when Ara cupped him 'there' and he inhaled sharply.

"But what?" Ara was frustrated. "Is it because of Empress Samara again? I swear I'd hit you if it is."

Ryuu shook his head adamantly. "No!"

Huh?

"Then?" Ara prompted.

If it's not about his guilt over marrying another woman, then she wanted to know what it was. The Kresnik she knew would never hesitate to take any chance to make love to her. But then…

Ara realized that there was one time when he did exactly as he was doing now, and she smiled.

"Because it's your first time. I don't want to do it again when you were hurt earlier," he told her the answer that she already guessed he would say.

Ara's smile widened. True enough it was the reason for his reluctance. She did feel sore but it was a satisfying kind of soreness in her body. If ever, she felt great, felt so complete now that she had become one with him again after so many years.

But yes, she would listen to him and wouldn't push it.

"Just hold me then," she demanded jokingly with teasing pout, and Ryuu didn't hesitate to oblige this time.

He pulled her up from the bed so he could turn her, and they both lay down with him scooping her against his body once more. They remained that way for a while, just basking at their closeness. He caressed her hair as they cuddled while she remained satisfied just listening to his steady heartbeat.

"Ara, did you know that your father descended as a Returner to Ancestry?" Ryuu asked after a while.

"Yeah…" Ara answered with a soft smile. "He's my brother, Alistair, isn't he?"

"Yes…"Ryuu was not surprised that she knew.

After all, Gin and Alistair looked alike. Gin was Stribog, and so, definitely, Alistair who looked exactly like him was Perun. It was not difficult to connect the dots. She now clearly knew that her and her vassals' deaths were not the king's doing. They were set up by someone else.

"Are you still…"Ryuu's voice trailed off as if he's afraid to complete his question.

Nonetheless, Ara understood what he wanted to ask and shook her head. "I'm not angry with my father anymore. There's only one enemy, and that is Czernobog. Besides…"

Ara shifted so she could face him. "Gods give blessings when they give names, right?"

"Yes…"Ryuu nodded.

Normally, when deities were present at anyone's birth, they could bless the child by giving him a name.  If it's a human, they gave it by going through the mother's dream or the father's.

"Alinea," Ara continued. "You said that Alinea means a new beginning," she reminded him of what he said when they talked at the wedding.

Ryuu nodded and Ara's smile softened as a fondness for the brother she had totally misunderstood filled her heart – and he's her father too!

"Then I now feel my father's greatest love by giving me my name in this lifetime," she said. Alistair was the one who gave her her name, a name that echoed his prayer for the beloved child he was so desperately trying to save.

Alinea, a blessing for a new beginning.