Under the Oak Tree

347 Chapter 108

Maxi began to tremble, and her breaths came in sharp gasps as though she were drowning. Riftan's hand glided up her waist to cup her breast, where his thumb rubbed her taut nipple. She was on the precipice of a crumbling dam. His passion swallowed her like a tidal wave, sweeping away all her thoughts.

"R-Rif-"

When she finally managed to tear away for a gulp of air, his mouth was on hers again. She tried rapping on his back to knock some semblance of rationality into him, but to no avail. His hand slid beneath her chemise as he hungrily sucked on her tongue. 

She had to cling to his neck to remain standing. When his long, hard finger stroked the sensitive bud within her wet bush, it was as if lightning struck, and her body spasmed. 

Good God. 

He was driving her to climax all too quickly. She reflexively squeezed her thighs, then raised her hips to guide his finger even deeper. 

Soon, an unbearable tingling began to spread from her lower abdomen. Though she tried to cling to her self-control, her efforts were futile. Before long, she was imploring against his lips, "P- Please, Riftan. Please."

She heard him swear under his breath, followed by tearing fabric. Maxi's eyes widened. Riftan threw her ripped chemise on the floor and swooped her up into his arms. 

"You don't have to ask," he muttered gruffly before rubbing his lips on the crook of her neck. "I'm the one who should be begging. Goddammit, do you have any idea how much I-" 

He was unable to finish, for she had taken his face in her hands so she could drive her tongue into his mouth as he had done earlier. A choked moan gushed from him. 

Maxi eagerly inhaled his breath as she stroked his nape, damp with sweat. Shuddering, Riftan lowered her onto the rack next to the tub and pressed himself between her legs. 

The thrilling sensation made Maxi squeeze her eyes shut. She was close to losing her mind. The heat of his member pressed against her damp undergarment. Pulling on his tunic, she undulated her hips against him.

"T-Take off your clothes." 

Riftan quivered as he gazed down at her. 

"N-Now!" she said feverishly. 

She did not catch whatever he mumbled next, but he threw off his tunic. Her chest tightened. Even though he had lost weight in the harsh campaign, he was still breathtakingly beautiful.

She caressed his muscular chest with trembling fingers before peppering his broad, golden shoulder with kisses. A sharp moan escaped Riftan's lips. He had been impatiently tugging at the straps of his trousers, but he stopped to pull her up and smother her with his mouth once more.

The lightest touch of her fingers, a feather-brush of her lips, seemed to be all it took to inflame him with desire. His responsiveness made her shudder as she buried her fingers in his satin-black hair.

It was impossible to tell how long they spent engrossed in each other's bodies before an impatient rap at the door snapped her awake. 

"Piss off!" Riftan growled. 

He tried to resume their kiss, but the unwelcome caller would not be swayed. Riftan's face crumpled into a ferocious scowl when the pounding grew louder. He shot a murderous glare in their direction and straightened himself. Picking up the fallen blanket, he wrapped it around her before striding toward the door. 

"What half-crazed bastard dares to-"

Riftan flung the door open, then froze. Curious, Maxi cautiously walked up behind him. A svelte man stood dauntlessly in the corridor.

"S-Sir Ursuline?"

The knight pulled his glare away from Riftan to look at her, and a hint of relief flashed across his cold features.

"It has been a while, my lady," he said dryly before returning his gaze to Riftan. "It brings me great joy to see you both safe and well." 

Riftan moved subtly to shield Maxi from sight and snarled, "I thought I left you in charge of Anatol. What are you doing here?" 6 "Is that all you have to say to an adjutant you have not seen for half a year?" Ursuline retorted, his voice rising in exasperation. He grew heated as he added, "Did you think that lone message would be enough to keep me in Anatol like a retired soldier in his eighties, praying for your safe return? I have entrusted the tiresome task of looking after Anatol to Sir Obaron and Sir Sebrique, so you need not worry about that!" 

"It appears you have come all this way to voice your dissatisfaction," Riftan replied. He took a deep breath as if to muster all his patience before saying measuredly, "I will listen tomorrow, so away with you." 

He grabbed the door handle, but Ursuline was ahead of him. The knight slid his foot between the door and the frame, then used his shoulder to force himself through. 

"You cannot be serious," Ursuline protested, veins bulging in his neck. "I have been waiting for a month in this wretched castle for your return!" 

"Would it kill you to wait another day?" Riftan snarled, callously pushing the knight back out the door. 

Ursuline refused to budge, standing rigid like a man who had reached the end of his tether. His words spilled forth in rapid, heated succession, "Damn it! Stop this nonsense! I have much to report! Have you forgotten the task you gave me?" 

Riftan's arms froze at his words. Maxi looked up at him in puzzlement. What had he personally entrusted Ursuline with? She was about to ask when Riftan, who had been furiously glaring at his subordinate, released the door handle with a long sigh.

"Fine. I will join you shortly, so wait outside." 

Maxi stiffened. She had not thought for a moment that he would choose to follow Ursuline. There was no way to tell from how he calmly pulled on his tunic whether or not he was aware of her bewilderment. 

"You heard that, didn't you?" he said, taking his sword from the table. "I will have to hear what he has to say, so rest here." 

He left the room without waiting for her reply. Maxi vacantly stared at the door as it clicked shut. She suddenly felt chilled as though doused with ice water. She pulled the blanket close, biting her lip. Though a part of her was concerned that something serious must have happened for Ursuline to be so adamant, she could not help but feel resentful that he had refused to wait even a day longer. 

And here I thought we would finally be able to close the distance between us. 

After rubbing her forehead irritably, Maxi composed herself and strode to the bath. She would not be the only one tormented by unsated desires. He would surely end the conversation as soon as he could and return to her. 

Intending to make herself presentable before he came back, Maxi immersed herself in the steaming hot water. She used a rough towel to scrub herself clean and meticulously applied perfumed oil to her coarse skin. 

When she was finished, she slipped into the garments prepared by the servants and carefully examined herself in the mirror. Though she could hardly describe herself as dazzlingly beautiful, her rosy skin and her damp hair, sleek and free of frizz, were certainly appealing. She stared into her gray eyes, gleaming with determination, then pinched her cheeks to add more color to them. 

A knock came at the door. "I have your supper, Lady Calypse." 

"C-Come in."

A maidservant strode into the room with a large tray in hand. "You must be famished, my lady. The cook has been working hard since dawn after receiving word that the army would be arriving today. I hope the food is to your taste."

The maidservant prattled cheerfully as she placed plate after plate of sumptuous food on the table. Maxi looked on in delight at the crisply roasted ham, bass soup, a slice of golden pie, and honey- pickled fruits with mashed peas.

Her expression suddenly changed to one of confusion. Though it was more than enough food for one person, it was hardly sufficient to fill the stomach of a brawny knight.

"I-Is there no more? My husband will be joining me shortly."

"Sir Riftan has informed us that he will be dining with the knights. He instructed us to bring you your supper as he would be returning late..." the cheerful maidservant trailed off when she noticed Maxi's face hardening. 

Maxi quickly adjusted her expression. "Y-Yes, there seem to be many reports for him to hear... since he has been away so long." Reassured, the maidservant's brightness returned, and she began chattering once more. "Many things happened here as well, my lady. Reinforcements from the Remdragon Knights and troops from Osiriya and Balto arrived a month ago. I heard from the soldiers that they were prepared to set out to the Pamela Plateau if they continued to hear nothing from the coalition army. Everyone was terribly anxious for news." 

"I-I see."

Had Ursuline arrived as part of the reinforcement? It was certainly not surprising. The pope, along with the monarchs who had funded this war, would have suffered substantial financial losses had such a large-scale campaign ended in failure. For the Council of the Seven Kingdoms, waiting patiently for the army to return was simply not an option.

"Oh, look at me. I've been babbling again," the maidservant said apologetically when she saw Maxi's face clouding. "I shall excuse myself now. Please ring the bell if you require anything."

When the maidservant left the room with the empty tray, Maxi sat down at the table and began to eat. Even though she was famished, she had so much on her mind that she could hardly register the clacking and scraping of her cutlery. After nibbling on bits of bread dipped in soup, Maxi soon lost her appetite and got up.

She could not simply sit and wait. It would be better to go look for Riftan herself. Still, she hesitated when the thought cropped up that he would not be pleased. 

After hovering by the door for some time, she eventually made up her mind to remain in her quarters. She took out some of the records she had found inside the monster city, intending to pass the time with study, before she realized that her accumulated fatigue and full stomach had made her sluggish. The complex codes and ancient texts became a jumble in her mind.

Sleep prevailed as she continued staring at the text crowding the parchment, and she fell into a deep slumber.