Arlan continued to kiss her, and when he finally let her go, both were breathless. She spoke, "We are outside."
"No one is here," he assured her. "Once you ordered, all of them already disappeared, leaving their liege to be beaten by his wife."
Oriana felt like laughing at his words but guilt of hurting him overwheld her. "Umm, let see if you are hurt," her hands went to unbutton his shirt. He held them before she could proceed, "If you do it here, soone might think after beating , you are trying to take advantage of my weakened state."
She retreated her hands. "I was just trying to check..."
"I am alright, trust . I am a Dragon, and those few attacking spells can’t hurt . Moreover, I know you were holding back from using powerful attacks."
Seeing him not giving up, she simply nodded and didn’t press the matter.
"You left the palace during afternoon alti. You must have missed it. How about we talk properly over a al? After using so much power, you must be starving by now."
Oriana’s hands moved to her stomach. "I am indeed starving."
He offered her a knowing smile and took her inside the manor. He instructed the butler to prepare a al for them and guided Oriana to the dining room.
"Wait for here. I will change my clothes and return."
Seeing his unkempt clothes caused by her attacks, she nodded.
Arlan went straight to his chamber. The mont the door behind him closed, the tough front he had been maintaining lted away. His face was covered in painful expressions, and his hands moved to his chest as he stood there, taking support of the closed door, his eyes closed and brows knitted together.
’Damn, that hurts,’ Arlan groaned inwardly. Inhaling deeply to bear the pain, he went to get clothes.
Standing in front of the mirror, he looked at his discolored torso. ’If she sees it, she might feel worse. It shall heal soon.’
He put on new clothes and returned to the dining area, but Oriana was not there.
"Where is Her Highness?" Arlan asked.
"Her Highness is in the kitchen," the butler replied.
"Huh?" Surprised, he walked towards the kitchen where the servants stepped out of his way. Oriana was standing in front of a burner, making sothing in a pot. Various herbs were kept on the platform next to her.
He walked inside and stood next to her. A strong bitter sll engulfed his nose. "I thought you were cooking sothing delicious, but you are..."
"You will find this delicious as well," she said, observing the dark-colored liquid in the pan. "It’s done."
She poured it into a bowl and then looked at Arlan. "I made this potion for you. It will heal you in no ti."
"I am already fine."
"I know. I want you to be better than just fine," she said, carrying the bowl with her. "Co with ."
Arlan followed her, thinking, ’Does she know I am hurt? But I did not show it at all.’
They sat at the dining table. Oriana used her power to cool off the hot potion and pushed it towards him. "Drink it."
Having no choice, Arlan held it. Its strong bitter sll suggested that one might die if they drank it. But he trusted he wouldn’t die, as he was a Dragon.
Oriana sat with her face resting on her palm, her elbow on the table. She offered him a pleasant smile. "Go ahead."
Not daring to go against her, Arlan held his breath and drank the potion in one gulp. The mont he tasted it, he felt like puking his guts out, but he held back and composed himself. He comforted his senses, reminding himself that it was just sothing bitter, nothing else.
"It’s delicious, isn’t it?" she asked, observing him intently.
"Yes, it is, as long as you are the one to make it."
But he knew it well—if soone else had given it to him, he would have made that person drink a tub of it until they choked on their own breath. But this was his wife, the one he loved dearly, and he could never get angry at her for anything.
"There was no need for this potion to be bitter. But I added sothing to it to make it especially bitter for you," Oriana added.
Arlan looked at her in disbelief. What did he do now to get punished like this?
"Wondering what wrong you did?" she asked.
Arlan nodded, unable to open his mouth as the bitterness was killing his tongue and throat with each passing mont.
"It will heal you from all the hurt I caused your body, but the bitterness in it will remind you not to lie to ever again," she replied, her expression changing from smiling to serious. "You are clearly hurt but you are trying to act tough. Who are you trying to impress? ? I am already impressed and in love with you. There is no need to do anything more."
Arlan sighed inwardly. So she knew all along. If this was going to happen, he would have cried in her arms, asking her to heal him, rather than putting on a tough front and then being tortured with unbearable bitterness.
Oriana used a magic spell, and sothing appeared in her hand. "Have this. Its sweetness will help you get rid of that bitterness." She held it in front of his mouth.
Instead of eating it, Arlan held her hand and pulled her closer, only to kiss her. Oriana tasted the bitterness from his mouth and frowned. He was doing it on purpose. She knew that potion was hellishly bitter.
When he let go, she wiped her mouth. "You..."
His fingers caressing the back of her neck, he spoke in a raspy voice, "You are the sweetest thing I have. Instead of this thing in your hand, you should offer yourself to . I will make sure to get rid of this bitterness from my mouth thoroughly."
She cald down. "Fine, you don’t want it? I will have it." She put the small sweet thing in her own mouth.
Arlan pulled her face closer and sealed her mouth with his once more, eventually drawing the sweet thing from her mouth into his.
As he chewed it, he humd, "Tasty, indeed."
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