Chapter 12 – Drowning

Icarus had been acting up again. His perfectly-aligned teeth were clenched in sheer force, and his piercing amethyst eyes were murky as he glared at the sight of his adopted sister –drowning her mercilessly. It had been quiet unexpected for things to turn up this way.

He wasn't going to stay any longer with Ophelia, he promised that to himself. But as he began to enjoy the very moment he rode on the boat with Ophelia –he had let himself forget about the dangers. As he swallowed himself in enjoyment, the darkness crept its way the moment he had let himself down.

'f*k, f*k, f*k...Run Ophelia!'

But before he could spit out his words to warn the incoming danger to Ophelia, his body had been acting up in reflex as if to fulfill his wicked thirst –to kill.

Ophelia was crying out in tears as she struggled and her voice had been muffled by the sound of water crashing her face over and over.

"..Icarus!! S-stopp!!"

She tried to reach him through her voice. But her muffled screams had only made her even more breathless. So she stopped screaming and tried to gather air in her lungs. Finally, the tired Ophelia stopped struggling under Icarus' firm grip, and he slowly let his grip loosen when he noticed her submit.

'...I don't want to hurt you Ophelia...so please...just disappear...'

Is what his conflicting thoughts gathered on as he tried to muster himself again –but it was too strong for him, this episode had made him rather intent on making Ophelia disappear. As a final blow, he yanked Ophelia unto the deep cliff of the lake. There he watched her body slowly disappear before turning his back and paddling back to the shore.

~

'Not yet! I can't die...'

Ophelia had been a fool, she had allowed herself to trust the young lord whom she had already known was cursed to have schizophrenic thoughts and possessed by a dark force, he must have been triggered.

'Please! I want to live…'

She should have been more careful, but here she was, slowly drowning into the darkness. She had managed to catch a glimpse of the young lord's disappearing back before she completely lost her consciousness.

~

Irises –blue irises that symbolized hope had been on her sight when the drowsy Ophelia opened her eyes…

'...where am I?'

Ophelia completely remembered what had happened earlier, but she couldn't see how she ended up lying in a bed with her body covered in white sheets. Looking around, she was back in her room and it was already pass dinner time as she looked unto the opened curtain.

'...Who saved me?''

~ (ah!)

Ophelia let out a cracked voice filled with surprise. Under the bedside sat a curled up Icarus who was asleep with his head resting on top of the bed sheets.

'What is he doing here?'

Ophelia could only conclude with uncertainty that Icarus had brought her here. Icarus who had dunked her into the lake could only be the one to save her. After all, nobody besides them could have been in the area.

"...how odd..."

Icarus blinked his eyes a few times. He had heard someone's hoarse voice had yelped in surprised and that was enough to awaken him. Wet and tattered -his clothes were completely soak and he felt cold.

Back at the lake when he had left Ophelia to drown. At the last minute he had recovered himself in a snap and without any hesitation, he went back for her. It was cold dark at that lake, but the unconscious girl who wore a white dress had somehow reflected some of the sun rays that reached down –made it easy for Icarus to save her. He had to give her his breath in order to revive the young lady. He felt regret doing this and he couldn't forgive himself for the carelessness he had invited Ophelia into. How could he harm and at the same time be the hero that saved her?

"How-how are you feeling..." His breath hot and soft, he looked at Ophelia in the eye, accepting and swallowing the disheveled state she was in because of him.

Her eyes were tired, her hair was all over her face and shoulders, but her sweet lips that Icarus breathed unto had turned supple and pink as she regained her complexion. As he observed her wholly, he couldn't help but remembered her taste and at the same time felt greatly displease at their skin-ship that had come from his mutinous side.

"My lord...I-"

Ophelia began as she assessed the situation she was in. The young psycho had pushed and saved her. Now she was aware of the endless possibilities that could happen to her alone with Icarus, he could be the young lord right now but at any given moment he could turn into the murderous brother to Ophelia. She was in another dangerous situation despite being saved. What if he acted up again?

"...if you're okay then I'll head out."

Icarus, in an instant, had gone cold. He wanted Ophelia out of his sight, he felt mad. The thought of her drove him mad and it made his desires impure as if his instincts were made to immediately kill her. He didn't want that. But his blood started to coil again. It was the curse acting up. Any second now and he could have made use of the vase filled with irises on Ophelia's head. Why is this happening now whenever he is alone with her?

If he had not fallen asleep immediately as soon as he brought her back, then he could have ended up finishing Ophelia for real. He abruptly went outside Ophelia's room, not allowing her to speak any longer.

-

As he walked his way out with Ophelia no longer in his sight, countless thoughts began to drown Icarus out of his sanity.

'...Stop! Get a grip...enough!'

Icarus fought off the undying threat towards Ophelia.

'…if not Ophelia, then who?'

His cursed half hissed in impatience. Someone, someone had to suffice this thirst. Someone close enough to be Ophelia's substitute. The night had grown darker for Icarus and this was his fate. But things have escalated faster than he thought it would, he felt the eagerness and the unyielding possession swallow him. He couldn't see any light no matter where he looked. Who would suffice this dark craving?

'....the Duchess...'