Chapter 247
Seeing her eyes clouding with sadness, Riftans eyebrows furrowed deeply. He cupped her cheek in his palm and gently swept her puffy eyes with his thumb. Max then took his hand and placed it against her lips.
Th-then what can I do for you?
Riftans face, half buried in the pillow, suddenly hardened with longing. His eyes were appealing for something, and Max couldnt figure out what it was. A distant voice tickled her ears.
Nothing you just have to stay by my side.
The corner of Maxs eyes drooped down as her heart broke: it was the first time she realized that having someone who doesnt want anything from you can be painful. Perhaps displeased with her sorrowful expression, Riftan frowned and pulled her towards his body. The second time they made love started slow and soft, enough to melt all her anxieties in her heart. His mouth caressed her rosy breasts for a long time, he moved inside her vigorously until her eyes became hazy from her petals opening once again and she melted into pleasure. Finally, Max fell asleep, laying over Riftans tight waist.
She slept for so long that at a certain point she felt a suffocating heat and opened her eyes slowly. The furnace had so much firewood that it kept the flame alight until the dawn set, making her body sweat from the warmth emanated by it as well as the temperature that radiated from Riftans body. Max got out of bed, draped a robe over her shoulders, and walked to the front of the window. She opened the window a little to let in the cool breeze. Suddenly, she saw something glowing in the dark. Max then lifted her head and noticed little white snowflakes falling down from the dark sky, that was the color of gray and indigo.
Max poked her head out the window, letting the small, soft, icy snowflake fall on her face. Her sweaty body quickly cooled down in the night breeze. However, she didnt feel like going back to bed. As she watched the snow flutter in the wind amusingly, she felt a blanket being wrapped around her back. She turned around and Riftan embraced her from behind, kissing the back of her head.
You might catch a cold.
I was feeling t-too warm.
His hair was decadently disheveled, and his eyes were unusually languorous. Seeing him this relaxed and laid back, her displeased emotions melted away like snow. Max stared at him half-stunned and couldnt prevent a smile from forming on her lips.
Look at th-this. The first snow of the year is falling.
Riftan breathed a little sigh of relief and rubbed his hot, moist lips against her nape.
We watched the first snowfall together last year. Should we visit the lake again when the sun comes up?
R-really? I can go out of the castle?
It doesnt matter if you go out when youre with me. If you want, Ill even take you to town.
The fact that he made such a proposal in a simple way successfully cut her attention from the plan that the Duke Croix was hatching and Max turned around and embraced him tightly. The first snow fell for a while and soon stopped. The day was bright, but the temperature dropped in such a way that white frost settled all over the land. She was very happy that winter came a little early since now her fathers plan had to wait for the time being. Max stopped interrogating Riftan about it. His words made sense too, just because she knew what her father was doing didnt mean she could do something: it was obvious that it would only cause restlessness to her heart. She consciously eliminated her worries and decided to fully enjoy the moment when Riftan clung most to her.
He took her to the winter lake as he had promised. On days when it was not too cold, they would leave the castle to see the town. Max toured the new four-story upper building and wandered through the marketplace filled with stone buildings. In the square, merchants from the south sold all kinds of rare items, and despite the cold, the streets were swarming with people. She looked at all kinds of things to her hearts content. Belts of southern silk and snakeskin, pieces of carved ivory in the form of animals, colorful patterned furs, all kinds of spices and rare herbs He bought her everything that interested her and promised to take her to the port soon. Max drew in her mind the scene of walking along the shore with him in the spring breeze. The imagination was so sweet that she really wanted to believe Riftans words that nothing grave would happen.
Right, what can my father do now?
He would only hurt the familys prestige and embarrass himself if he openly revealed that he was attacked by Riftan at Croix Castle. Her proud father was unlikely to try to retaliate when it could involve taking even the slightest disgrace on him. If the attempt to isolate Anatol failed, he would soon surrender, so Max decided to be optimistic and, as expected, a time of peace passed. Thanks to the Knights who roamed the Anatol mountain range and subdued the monsters, there was not a single minor accident within the territory, and the day when the Duke of Croix brought