Return of the Female Knight

“I won’t look at you if you don’t want me to. Don’t worry. You can take off your wet clothes. Otherwise, you might catch a cold.”

The air had started to feel chilly from the rain. It was true that she could catch a cold, and at this moment, it was imperative that they recover their physical condition as soon as possible.

Elena bit her lip. It wasn’t easy to put his advice into practice. Even though Carlisle wouldn’t look at her, she felt awkward taking off her clothes in the same space as him. He seemed to sense her hesitation, and he spoke reassuringly to her again.

“I will keep my promise. Do not worry.”

Elena hesitated for a moment, but she didn’t have any other options. She slowly peeled off her soaking dress with a trembling hand. The cave echoed with the sound of the fabric shifting. Elena spoke, trying to replace the awkward atmosphere with some conversation.

“When I first signed the contract, I didn’t know you had such chivalry.”

“…I do my best. I have no intention of losing my wife, so I will wait.”

Elena glanced towards Carlisle, his back firmly towards her. She was only in her underwear now, but it was possible that he was even more embarrassed than her.

After a moment of internal agony, Elena finally spoke.

“…I don’t mind if you look at me.”

“You see me as a saint. This is a limit of my patience. I’m not sure I can hold back if I look at you.”

Carlisle had been constantly striving to keep his promise while in the same bedroom as Elena. She understood his struggle better than anyone else.

“I don’t think you understand what I mean.”

Carlisle’s back flinched, but he didn’t say anything else. However, Elena had already given her all his heart. They had been bound by their contract, but now…

Everything seemed perfect. The only difference would be the time anyway.

Carlisle spoke in a subdued voice.

“Do you truly understand what you’re saying? If you tempt me just once…you may regret it.”

“I won’t regret it. When I fell off the cliff…I could only think how unfortunate it was to have never been held close by you.”

Elena and Carlisle were not strangers in facing death. Carlisle’s path to the throne was highly dangerous. Anything they wanted could not afford to be put off later. Before she died, Elena wanted to have a proper bond with Carlisle.

Despite the distance between the two, she could see the tense muscles of his neck. When Carlisle spoke again, his voice was tighter than before.

“…I will ask one last time. Will you regret it?”

They were only in a cave. There was no soft bed, and there were no maids to attend to them. Having their first time together here would be uncomfortable in many ways. Carlisle didn’t care where it happened, but he wanted to give Elena a better place.

“I regret nothing I have done with you. It has been the same in the past, and will be so in the future.”

After hearing her answer, Carlisle couldn’t hold himself back any longer.

Hwiig, Carlisle’s head turned towards Elena. As his heated blue gaze fell on her wet body, the air started to spark with tension. He stood up from his sitting position and strode towards her, then, without warning, he fiercely crushed their lips together.

“Mm!”

Carlisle’s mouth sucked in Elena’s soft lips, and he pulled her body towards his solid, muscled torso. They kissed like it would be their last time together, but it was only the beginning. When Carlisle pulled away, his voice was hoarse as he spoke.

“I’m sorry, but I might not be able to control myself.”

“Isn’t this already showing self control?”

Carlisle gave a frown.

“Don’t encourage me. I really think I might break you.”

Carlisle cupped her face with both hands and hungrily devoured Elena’s lips again. Then, he lay her down where she had placed her clothes. He wasn’t wearing much, and he shrugged of his jacket, while Elena pulled off her remaining undergarments.

Before she knew it, Carlisle busied himself sucking red marks on her newly exposed skin. Everywhere his lips touched seemed to burn her flesh. He paused to stroked her reddened cheeks and spoke.

“I heard it hurts at first. I may not be able to hold back, so tell me if you are in pain.”

“Somehow, I’m nervous.”

“…It’s not just you. I’ve never experienced this before.”

“You were never with another woman?”

“I told you, I fell in love with you from the start. Once there’s a woman I love, I don’t want to touch anyone else.”

There was a note of surprise in Elena’s red eyes. Carlisle appeared far too smooth to have no experience with a woman. Perhaps he had read her mind, and he gave a wry chuckle.

“Have you seen me? You are my first everything.”

“…Caril.”

“You are the only one in the world that can monopolize me…”

He gazed at her with an expression of deep love.

“…and only I can have you, my wife.”

His confession seemed to melt her body, and she looked up at him and smiled. Carlisle’s intense love for her never scared her anymore, and her body was eager for him. She lifted her upper body and kissed his lips. It broke his tenuous hold on reason, and they traded passionate kisses.

When their lips parted to allow them to catch their breath, Elena confessed the deepest emotions of her heart.

“I love you, Caril.”

“I don’t know if you know—”

Elena looked up at him confusedly, but his gaze was tender.

“I always love you more than you do.”

Carlisle’s lips touched Elena’s forehead, then went downward to trace the shape of her nose, before finally settling on her lips again. Every touch was an act of love.

“And I promise. I will love you more than you until I die.”

Elena couldn’t contain a broad smile. Unsurprisingly, Carlisle had said that Elena did not know how much her loved her. Yet, she knew. He would love her without any condition, and it was enough to make her heart tremble at the fact that something in the world could be so certain.

The first time Carlisle entered her, she felt like the whole world was burning around her from his heat. He moved more slowly, and, tears slipped out of Elena’s eyes, unbidden. Over time, however, her cries took on a different tone. Carlisle gazed remained steady on hers as her body trembled. From his face, his every touch, love seemed to overflow like waves. Although they didn’t speak, their bodies told each other what their hearts held dear.

Outside, the downpour persisted, but the sound did not reach their ears. The only thing they knew of in the world was each other.