Cure?

Her body was burning hot. The ritual did not end as she expected. She still trembled recalling the hideous sight she witnessed in his memories. She felt like she was being watched by that forbidden existence. The ritual ended after the heart was cleansed and put back in its place. Jafar and Blake suffered burns from heat. Luciana's divine energy depleted leading her to become unconscious for two days. Only a handful of servants were asked to tend to them under Blake's supervision. Mina stayed by her side nursing her under Derran's instructions. Derran worried that he never diagnosed such a condition in a pregnant woman. This concerned them greatly.

"Brother will they be fine?" Mina glanced at her.

He put his hands on her shoulders and reassured her that they'll wake up without any trouble.

The night passed by and the servants' began to leave the room leaving only Blake to wait outside the chambers waiting for his master to wake up.

Erebus regained his conscience and was able to wake up. He felt his hand.

-"I feel lighter in my chest...and relieved..." He wondered how long had it been since he last felt so relaxed.

His head didn't hurt and the pain he felt in his chest had completely subsided. He felt his throat parched.

He looked at Luciana with surprise. He frantically rang the bell beside his bed and Blake hastily entered the chambers.

He stood tearfully at the door nearly collapsing.

"M-master... Thank goodness...this is the miracle the young lady performed." He sobbed.

"Blake why is Aphrodite in my bed?"

The butler stood wide eyed in disbelief.

"Eh? What?" He didn't understand why Erebus behaved strangely.

"Didn't you hear me?" He said annoyed.

"Master.... you're mistaken. She's not Aphrodite as you call her. She's lady Luciana of Amanécer whom you took as your lawful wife and now her ladyship is pregnant with your child." He corrected her.

"Me? Getting married? No way!"

"Master?Are you in your right mind?" He was biased by the pitiful sight of his master who turned into another person in one day.

-"He's more expressive than before. Is it that the cure is taking affect?" He glanced at Luciana who still remained unconscious.

"Try to remember it my Lord." Blake begged him repeatedly.

"Bring me some water." He ordered him to leave after being served.

He put down the wooden cup and looked at her.

He recalled slowly but not everything.

He got out of the bed and into the bath. Blake made sure that there was warm water this time. He was grateful that Luciana pointed out Erebus' habit of bathing with cold water instead of ordering the servants' to warm it for him.

Fresh clothes were put beside the hot bath and new cotton bandage rolls were neatly placed on a wooden shelf with towel rolls. The candles still burned. He bathed himself while lost in another thought.

He recalled bits and fragments of memories that rushed in his mind suddenly. His head ached slightly but the pain quickly subsided.

He remembered the brief wedding ceremony, the time he caught her attempting an escape and the night he was intimate with her. He remembered her face when he consummated her. He slightly flushed.

He got out of the warm bath and dried himself, later putting on a pair of black woolen trousers, grabbed the shirt and got out of the room.

He sat near the hearth to dry off his hair that had grown till his shoulders. He winced when the heat poked at his scars on the abdomen.

He put on his shirt and looked at her sleeping face for a brief moment and grabbed his axe leaving the chambers.

He found Jafar in the training grounds practicing archery by himself.

"Training all by yourself?" He called out to him making his aide lose his focus.

He turned over and saw Erebus with his axe resting on his right shoulder.

"Master! You're awake! How are you feeling? No most of all how's milady doing? Did she also wake up?"

He was overwhelmed by the load of his questions.

"Slow down a little." He raised his hands to halt him.

"She's still asleep." He said grimly.

"Oh... It's understandable." He said looking down at the muddy ground.

"What're you saying?" He raised his brow resting his left hand on his hip.

"Milady took the toll as a result for curing you." He told him about the ritual and Zavaikal's visit and how he screamed his name distressed in his slumber after they briefly sparred together.

"Luciana...she got rid of that curse for me?" He repeated his words twice to convince himself.

Jafar nodded and told that that it was his selfish request.

"And now she's there lying on the bed in that state?" He growled.

"Jafar I never expected something like this from you." He gave him a blow on his face.

It sent him flying over the other end of the training grounds.

He staggered up on his knees but didn't dare stand up.

"Why did you resort to use a feeble pregnant woman for your selfish request?" He inquired him.

Jafar remained silent.

-"He's finally started to express his emotions freely. What a relief." He smiled.

"Answer me before you get to taste another one of my fists." He cracked his knuckles preparing for another blow.

"To save your endangered life. That's all I wished for." He responded. He stopped midway and let him loose.

"Tell Blake to bring breakfast to the the chambers. I'll take care of things myself."

He said no more and left his aide still on his knees in the training grounds.

"Atleast you'll be able to live a better life from now on."