asra x fem! reader • apprentice

three - count

-(Y/N)'s POV-

I almost immediately spiraled into a dream. I was glad it wasn't a nightmare for once. Surrounding me was vast, comforting blueness.
I immediately felt a familiar aura wrap around me like a warm blanket.
"Master?" I called out, turning around. There was nothing there but the subtle blue color of the atmosphere.
But then, after a few heartbeats, I could feel a presence behind me.
"Asra?" I whispered, and when I turned around, there he was. It obviously wasn't the real Asra, just a dream version of him, but it was him nonetheless.
"(Y/N)." He responded, his voice calm.
It's weird knowing he's here but he's not here. That it's just a dream, even if it feels this real. The lingering feeling at the back of my brain that reminded me that I could do or say anything here, and Asra wouldn't be conscious of it, I thought.
"Hi." I greeted awkwardly, and he gave me a light smile, "Hi."
He blinked, his light eyelashes fluttering like they always did when he did so.
I drank in his appearance, noticing every detail about him. His fluffy white hair that was always messy and ruffled up that he ran his fingers through when he was stressed. His subtle purple eyes that contrasted so well with his well-tanned skin. How perfectly his soft-looking, inviting lips that were set in a small grin. His cute nose that was ever so slightly turned upward. His dimples that showed whenever he grinned or laughed.
The faint light that shone from the atmosphere lit his features, as if encouraging me to realize how lucky I am to have him with me.
The bones in his neck, all the way down to his chest, and in his arms were well-defined, especially under the faint lighting.
I looked up, meeting Asra's eyes once again. The way he smirked at me, knowing full well how closely I had been studying him. I felt my heart flutter, but then I shook it off. Why am I-? No... I can't fall for him, I mean, he's my master!
That was what my brain said, but my heart obviously couldn't care less.
I felt myself drift closer to his warmth, suddenly aware of how cold it was in the dreamy location.
I raised my hands up to his cheeks, my thumbs trailing across his cheekbones.
He pulled me closer to him, his arms wrapping around my waist.
My face was so close to his. I felt his hot, comforting breath tickling my face.
I leaned farther towards him.
My lips were only less than an inch from his when I was suddenly paralyzed.
I

t was as if I could no longer control my body. In fact, I was sure I couldn't. I felt... someone... or something... watching me. I was suddenly in full control, and I clung onto Asra, wrapping one hand around his waist and letting the other travel up to his head, my fingers tangling into his hair.
I glanced up at the magician's face. His expression was dark, as he stared into the distance. He was glaring at something... the being from before? The watcher?
He wrapped his arms around me, covering me and burying me in his chest, almost as if he were... protecting me.
Suddenly, everything in my vision blurred and then turned red.
Everything faded away, and I fell onto my rear on the floor. I looked around, examining my surroundings. I dauntingly realized where I was. My shoulders tensed as I sat powerlessly on the floor, ready for what was to come, but it didn't come.
Then I felt my vision blur a bit again, and my eyes opened. I woke up. I felt a strong sensation in my head. My magic was calling out to me, wanting to lead me somewhere in the palace halls.
I stood up, walking to the bedroom door and opening it, following my magic to a lonely hall that was lined with doors on either side.
In the middle of the hall, I spotted two large, white dogs.
The two dogs looked very similar, almost identical. They both had fluffy, well-groomed white coats of fur, red eyes, very long, pointed ears and golden collars with rubies at the ends.
The only distinctive difference between the two canines was that one of them had a chip at the end of one of its ears.
The one with the chip in it's ear had it's chin over the other dog's elegant neck.
As I approached, the dogs both whined, batting their tails against the palace floor almost in unison.
I carefully held out my hand towards the one without the chip, and it extended its head toward me, sniffing at my palm. Then it started panting, sticking it's tongue out as if in approval.
The other dog did the same, and I gently scratched them both behind the ears, before letting their fluffy necks, smoothing out their fur all the way down to their curved backs.
They both stood up, barking and licking at me, accepting my affection.
They both licked at my face with their long, wet tongues and I giggled, gently rubbing the saliva off of my skin.
Suddenly, the lights went out, leaving me in pure darkness.
"I see you're making yourself at home." I heard a masculine voice boom, the words echoing in the otherwise silent hall.
The dogs rolled on their sides on my lap as I continued to pet them.
I glanced over my shoulder, but there was nothing there.
I flipped around, and in front of me stood a tall figure.
His voice was so hauntingly familiar.
"Those are my dogs, y'know." The man added when I looked at him quizzically.
"Who are you?" I asked, glaring at him.
"You don't know who I am? That's sort of troubling. I'm rather famous. And infamous. Both." He rambled.
"Then who are you?" I asked, and he responded plainly, "Count Lucio."
There was a gentle snapping noise, and the light returned.
I could now see the man clearly. He had messy, blonde hair that fluffed out towards the back of his head, the irises of his eyes were white, while the whites were red. He had a muscular build, and one artificial golden arm. He looked sort of faded, almost like a ghost.
He studied you, his eyes shining in the light.
"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." He flirted, winking at you, but then his face returned into it's previous serious expression.
"Look, I was the guy in your nightmares, but hear me out." Lucio said, snapping the fingers of his golden hand.
My eyes narrowed. I had thought there was something strange about him, but I hadn't been sure. I was now.
The two dogs stayed in my lap, nuzzling my hands as I glared at Lucio.
"You... you bastard." I growled.
"Say all you want, (Y/N). I don't care." He shot back, taking a few steps closer to me.
"Not only did I get nightmares, but so did Julian and Nadia. But I assume you already knew that." I lowered my voice a bit, knowing we were in public.
"Queen Nadia and Ilya Devorak." Lucio said, smirking at me.
"Why did you do this?" I asked him, studying his calm face.
"I needed someone's help. So I chose three people to intimidate." The blonde man said, his eyes shining in the dimly lit light of the hallway.
"Your wife, a plague doctor and.. why me?" I pondered this.
"You're a magician. Not only that, but you're Asra's apprentice. Asra helped me once before, so I wondered if perhaps the apple didn't fall far from the tree." The count explained, smirking.
"Asra... what?" I whispered, my mouth agape. Suddenly, Lucio disappeared and I heard frantic footsteps approach me.
"(Y/N)! Thank God. I panicked when I didn't see you in the bedroom." It was Julian. My face was still in the same shocked position. I grabbed a hold of Julian's shoulders.
"Julian, I just saw Count Lucio. He said he was intimidating us in order to make us feel weak, in order to use us to help him." I said, searching Julian's eyes, as if to check to see if he knew anything.
"Help him with what, exactly?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I don't know." I admitted. I felt my face flush at how close Julian was to me. I removed my hands from his shoulders.
The dogs brushed against my legs, and I looked down at them.
One of them woofed at me and then cocked its head towards the intersecting hallway at the other side of the room.
Nadia was making her way down the hallway elegantly, with her servant Portia at her side.
Portia's eyes widened, focused on Julian.
"I-Ilya...?"