The Crown's Seduction

Chapter 25: Future Intimate Exercises

"You're here…" Mineah weakly hummed to Nikolai. 

The moment she opened her eyes, she was immediately greeted by her husband's handsome face, his brows drawn together as he gingerly held her wrist.

"Thank heavens your pulse is back to normal," Nikolai gratefully breathed out. "I guess your handmaidens knew perfectly well what to do in times like these." 

Against her better judgment, Mineah's lips stretch themselves into a beautiful smile. She liked seeing him getting worried over her like this. It meant that he actually harbored some feelings for her.

"Why are you smiling?" he quickly scolded with a dark expression. "There is nothing funny about this, Mine."

"It's not funny, but can you blame me for being happy?" she pointed out with a smirk as she moved her body to sit up on the bed. "Seeing you get worried over me like this feels refreshing." 

Usually, enough rest would replenish her energy back to normal, but there were a few instances where she'd be bedridden for at least a day. Thankfully, the latter wasn't the case this time.

"You…"

"Why the glum face?" Mineah chuckled. "I'm feeling good now, so there's no need to worry. Also, how long have I been unconscious? Did you stay with me all the way through?"

"It's midnight now, Mine, and yes I stayed with you, waiting for you to open your eyes," Nikolai blankly stated. "I will have the physician and healer to look after you…" 

"Please, there's no need for that. This is normal," Mineah explained. "I just over-exhausted myself. I will not make the same mistake again."

"Over exhaustion?" he dubiously pointed out. "But we've only traveled for a day so far, not to mention how you were inside a comfortable carriage this whole time."

Mineah felt a lump blocking her throat. She couldn't help but wonder if she could even trust Nikolai enough to tell him about her eyes' special abilities… Then again, surely she had no plans on disclosing things to him this early.

Quickly thinking up an alibi, she said, "I've read too many books in one go earlier. In fact, almost finished the books that Gregory gave me." 

She put a hand on her chest as she sincerely stated, "I may not be physically exhausted, but mentally exhaustion can have the same effect, don't you think?" 

Keenly, she watched as Nikolai shrugged at her answer in seeming resignation. But just when she thought she had gotten away with things, he suddenly leaned in close to her face. She held her breath as Nikolai eyed her, hoping that her beating heart wouldn't be loud enough for him to hear.

"I must say, it's rather frustrating thinking about how weak your body is," Nikolai replied with a serious face.

Bowing her head to escape his piercing gaze, Mineah hummed, "I'm sorry."

Not letting her get away, however, Nikolai held her by the chin and tilted her head up so that her eyes wouldn't be able to escape him.

"You should be. I mean, isn't it already enough that you want me to wait for a season before we consummate our marriage, Mine?" he hushedly pointed out, his warm breath hitting her nose as he spoke. 

"Tell me, how will you be able to keep up with me in our future intimate exercises? Do you know how much I've been holding myself back from ravishing you already?"

Mineah gulped at Nikolai's unblinking eyes. In contrast to her rapidly blinking eyes, his burning gaze almost made it impossible for her to look away. Was it really desire that she was seeing in his eyes? Did he really desire her that much? She felt weird, confused…

"Or do you want me to turn you into a vampire?" he suddenly suggested. "That will make you much stronger, Mine. Strong enough to handle me."

Mineah's blushing face quickly dimmed as she firmly answered, "No, I want to remain as who I am right now. I will die as a human, the kind of being the Almighty created me as."

On top of that, there could be potential consequences should she turn into a vampire. She was so cursed that getting turned could make things worse with how unpredictable her afflictions might become. 

Her kind was complicated enough already, and the least she should do was not offend the Heavens more with her existence.

"Alright, I understand. I suppose there are other ways anyway," Nikolai slightly shrugged. "Make no mistake, I will make sure that you can keep up with me in the future."

Mineah didn't know how to react to the king's blunt words in regard to their intimacy. Still, the thick atmosphere between them had to go. 

Trying to lower the brewing tension that was making her feel weird, Mineah managed to utter, "Ah right, please have someone inform my handmaidens about my return to consciousness. I don't want them to be worried about me for too long."

Feeling Nikolai let go of her chin, Mineah suppressed a smile from forming on her face as he sighed in retreat. He stood up, but she unconsciously stopped him by suddenly grabbing and tugging at his sleeve.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To the main deck," he blankly answered. "I need to show myself for the feast. I'll be quick and return back to you shortly…"

"I shall go with you," Mineah quickly replied as she promptly got up on her feet. "It's only proper of me as your wife."

"Shouldn't you be resting more?" Nikolai rebutted with a frown even as he assisted her.  @@novelbin@@

"But I'm hungry," Mineah murmured.

"Right, my apologies for not thinking about your human appetite. You did skip dinner if I recall," Nikolai hummed. "How about you eat your meals here in this room? I will ask the cook to prepare something good for you."

Mineah frowned. 'Why? So that Rosela can flirt with you?' she inwardly fumed. 'There's no way I can let that happen!'

Noticing her frown, he asked, "You don't want to?"

"No, I want some fresh air after all of the resting I've done. I also want to go out and see the night sea," she reasoned with a pout. 

"And besides, it's better that they see their Queen with their King during the feast. I'm sure they've already gossiped enough about how weak of a human I am, so I want them to see that I'm perfectly fine now. I'm sure they're all there waiting for the celebration to truly begin. After all, vampires are nocturnal."

There was a pause as Nikolai simply stared at her. She could see the hesitation in his eyes.

"Are you sure you're feeling better, Mine?" he asked once more.

"Yes," she scoffed with a roll of her eyes. "I'm perfectly fine, but if you keep wasting my time asking, I might just pass out again from hunger."

Nikolai chuckled. Unexpectedly, she pinched her nose as he said, "Alright then. Come with me and I'll feed you, my dear wife."

"I don't mind you doing it in front of everyone," Mineah off-handedly added. 

Still, despite her current state, she would have to make sure not to read more minds for the rest of the evening. She needed to replenish more of her inner energy, which meant that she'll have to make do with her social skills for now.

"Shall we go then?" she hummed as she immediately clung to her husband's arm, hugging it possessively as she headed with him to the door.