The Royal Mark-Chapter 54: Scream My Name
Elsa and Chris were both startled when they heard a loud slam on the table.
"Are you truly delusional, Milda?" Prince Andrius inquired. "The werewolf prince has already found his mate. He will never spare you a glance. The sole reason he agreed to marry Hera is because he hadn’t found his mate at that time."
"But doesn’t he require a powerful queen by his side?" Milda countered. "That woman possesses neither power nor royal lineage. Her father’s identity is shrouded in mystery; she’s likely a bastard. Father will never grant her a title."
"Forget it, Milda," Prince Andrius declared, shaking his head. "I won’t assist you. This alliance isn’t about you, Hera, or any of us. It’s about Zemaria and its people. Moreover, even if I were to assist you, Christopher will never forsake his mate for you."
As Prince Andrius walked away, the sound of Princess Milda’s sobbing filled the air for a few moments before she too left.
"Phew, I thought she’d never leave. I’m so hungry," Elsa remarked as they emerged from the utility room. She immediately began searching for something to eat. However, she was taken aback by the antiquated kitchen equipment and tools.
The kitchen was filled with items from the past compared to her world, so outdated that she couldn’t even figure out how to use most of them.
Chris, noticing her dilemma, offered, "I’ll cook for you. What would you like to eat?"
Elsa’s face lit up with excitement, knowing that she would finally get a meal. She scanned the kitchen and spotted a tray of eggs. Picking up two, she said, "Eggs will do since they’re the quickest and easiest to cook. Would you like some?"
"It’s fine. I already had a meal with the King earlier," Chris replied. He took the eggs from Elsa and began cooking.
Elsa fetched a plate and spoon, placing them on the table near Chris as she observed him preparing the meal. "This is the second time you’ve cooked for me. I can’t help but wonder how you know your way around my kitchen," she remarked.
Chris, tending to the cooking, replied, "I learned it from the memories of Ambros. I intentionally looked for knowledge that could be of use to me during that time. I had lost my stone portal, so I expected to be in Novus for a while. I even considered the possibility of making it my permanent home if I couldn’t find a way back. Returning so soon was unexpected."
As Chris cooked, he occasionally glanced at Elsa, who had grown quiet. Concerned, he inquired, "Is something bothering you, princess?" Her face had shifted to a gloomy one, and it felt as if he had a touch of empathy, sensing her sadness, which affected him too.
"My father... He also possessed powers. What if he’s still alive?" Elsa shared her worry.
"Elsa, we both witnessed what happened. He was impaled with a spear in the back and then besieged by demons. Even a true alpha like me wouldn’t have survived that, especially considering he used his power to open a portal," Chris explained as he transferred the scrambled eggs onto Elsa’s plate.
He then grabbed an apple, sliced it, and placed the slices on the same plate as the eggs before handing it to Elsa. A smile spread across Chris’ face as he watched Elsa start eating with such enthusiasm as if he had given her a delicacy.
Seeing some lemons and honey, Chris decided to prepare a glass of lemon juice for Elsa while she ate heartily. When he handed her the lemon juice, she resumed her questioning.
"What did you mean when you mentioned my dad using his power to open a portal? Isn’t that something mages can do easily?" Elsa inquired.
Chris clarified, "It is relatively easy for powerful mages, but it comes at a cost. It demands an immense amount of energy and takes a toll on the summoner’s life. Ambros was already injured when he had to summon that portal and use his power to fend off some of the demons. He managed to do all that even when magic was suppressed in that world.
He knew that opening the portal would be fatal, just like what happened to Hera’s grandmother. She created a portal for Hera and kept it open for me until her last breath. So, I don’t believe your father is still alive. It seems highly impossible."
Elsa’s expression grew dim, and her eyes welled with unshed tears. They had been in Vectus for a week, but the reality of her father’s death hadn’t fully sunk in yet. She had clung to hope that he might still be alive in some way.
"My mother used to tell me that my father was a strong man who wouldn’t die easily. She shared many stories about him before she erased my memories. Or perhaps I interpreted it wrong. My younger self imagined my dad as a superhero, just like the ones in movies," Elsa sighed.
"Let’s change the subject; talking about this is only making you sad. Ambros might rise from the dead just to scold me for making you cry," Chris quipped, trying to bring a smile to Elsa’s face.
Her smile did appear, though faintly, as she grasped Chris’ intention. "Alright, thank you. I appreciate it. I’ll keep in mind the sacrifices my parents made and do my best to be happy, just as they’d want me to be."
The two of them returned to Chris’ original room. However, as Chris was about to leave, Elsa stopped him once more.
"Don’t go, please. Stay here. I... I don’t think I can sleep in this place without my dogs. They’re probably sleeping peacefully, and I don’t want to disturb them," Elsa implored.
Chris let out a sigh and rested his hands on his hips. "But you want to bother me," he mumbled to himself, then shook his head. He proceeded to grab a chair, positioned it in front of Elsa, and took a seat. "It’s not that I don’t want to accompany you here, but you’re my mate, and my instincts just keep on screaming to jump and mate with you every time you are by my side. I am really trying hard to not pin you down on that bed right now.
You have no idea how much I want to be inside you, feel how soft and wet you are, and hear you scream my name over and over until you can’t take it anymore. Are you getting the picture of what I want to do with you, princess?" Chris licked his lower lip and smirked as he stared at Elsa’s stunned face.
