Beyond The Sands of Time

Chapter 19: Promises in the Night

I held my breath, Ivan's finger still placed on my lips as I waited for his next move. "I hope we have cleared the misunderstandings," he spoke with a gentle and soft voice. I nodded and averted my eyes.

He removed his finger from my lips, and his lips brushed against mine as he continued, "Then tomorrow, allow me to take you to the garden you wanted to visit." Shivers ran through my entire body with just the brush of our lips. After speaking, he moved back and walked to the bed. I stayed frozen, trying to process what had just happened, my heart racing faster than ever.

"Will you keep standing there the whole night?" he asked with a knowing smile. Darn it, he knows he has an effect on me.

"Uh, you go back to sleep, and I will just go and check up on Eliza once," I said, with a slight stammer. I was about to leave when I felt a hand grip mine, stopping me.

"Lady Eliza must be asleep; let her rest. You need rest as well, as you haven't slept properly since I fell ill," he said with concern taking over.

"I... okay," I sighed and walked towards the bed.

"Are you perhaps feeling shy about the moment we had?" he teased me again.

"Uhm, no," I replied, laying in bed and turning my back on him.

I lay in bed, facing away from Ivan, my mind racing with a whirlwind of emotions. It was impossible to deny the intensity of what had just transpired between us. His soft touch, the brush of our lips, and the promise of tomorrow's excursion to the garden had left me both exhilarated and apprehensive.

After a few minutes, I heard Ivan's breathing slow down, and I turned towards him, making sure he was comfortably sleeping. I couldn't resist the urge to check his temperature once again to ensure it had subsided.

"I was aware you wouldn't rest without verifying my condition," he uttered with his eyes sealed shut, the flickering candlelight casting shadows upon the chamber's tapestry.

I sighed, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. "I... I can't help it, okay? Do you realize how scared I was seeing you so weak and burning with such a high fever? No, how would you, because all you did was work, work, and work. You didn't even care either about your food or about your rest," I huffed in one breath, my worry pouring out.

I couldn't contain my frustration any longer. "Ugh, you make me want to punch you in your face for pulling something like this on me. If you do it again, I swear I will kill you with my bare hands." My words came out more heatedly than I intended, but the fear and concern had built up for too long.

Ivan finally opened his eyes and looked at me, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement. "Well, I wouldn't want you to resort to violence, my dear Raven. I promise to take better care of myself in the future, especially if it means avoiding your wrath."

"You better take proper care of yourself, or else-" I started to say, but before I could complete my sentence, Ivan interrupted me by pulling me closer to him.

"I give you my word, sweetheart," he said, his tone gentle and reassuring.

I sighed, feeling a mixture of exasperation and affection. "I didn't know you cared this much about me," he added, mischief glinting in his voice.

I tried to pull away, but he held me firmly, refusing to let me go. "Don't," I huffed, but there was a hint of a smile on my lips.

"Sleep, love, sleep," he whispered, and the warmth radiating from his body and the sound of his soothing voice made me realize how much I needed rest. Without saying much more, I snuggled even closer to him and drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and content in his arms.

Author's Note:

In this chapter we witness the growing connection between Cassandra and Ivan. Their tender moments and playful banter reveal the depth of their feelings for each other. As always, emotions run high when it comes to matters of the heart, and their love story is just beginning to unfold.

With appreciation,
Ivory