The Serpent's Enigma

47 | Brave

- Warning! Depictions of PTSD and gaslighting! -

(Italics are parts of a flashback/dream.)

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

Cal squinted his eyes as the light pierced through the windows, hitting him behind his lids. As he tried to make his way through the drowsiness, his mind gradually gathered the bits and pieces of memories from last night.

After that much euphoric lovemaking, one shouldn't be expected to return to their normal state so quickly.

'I only wished to spend a bit more time together before I go,' he recalled her saying. Poor darling, she must've been too embarrassed to tell him what she really meant in the showroom; afraid of being perceived unladylike. But who would judge her for seeking comfort in his arms when there was so much craziness going on around them? If only she could just tell him... Women had needs too, right?

He hoped he did right by her last night. It was her first time, after all.

His lips arched into a smile as he felt soft breathing against his skin. The apparent presence in his arms brought back all the excitements from last night.

"Darling..." he purred, earning a giggle from her as his arm slowly coiled around her figure. But why did she sound a little... different? He rose up, blinking his eyes open. "Olivia?"

"My Prince, you are awake."

A chilling sensation jolted through his body. It wasn't Olivia's bright, sky-coloured eyes that he saw. Not her brilliant smile that greeted him with joy. It was cold, dusty metal blue eyes that zapped his body with horror.

As soon as he came back to his senses, he flinched from her touch. "What the fuck are you doing here? Where is Olivia?"

"Olivia?" Isleen giggled like it was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. "There is no Olivia, my lovely Prince. There is only me... and you, all night long. Do you not remember?"

"Bollocks. I was here with Olivia last night." He jumped off the bed, wrapping the sheets around himself. And only then did he finally notice that she was also naked, under the sheets, with him. "Where is she? What have you done to her?"

Isleen's face crinkled with vexation. "Such a dreadful thing to accuse a lady... Particularly after what you did with me last night! I gave you what's considered most valuable to a woman—"

"No, I made love to Olivia in this bed. Not you!"

"Your girlfriend was never here! Have you been imagining things?"

"But that's impossible, I was with her!" Cal barked, ignoring her accusations. "I saw her! I touched her!"

"You were drunk! I smelled liquor in your mouth the moment you followed me into this room. But I love you, that's why I gave myself to you!" She reached out for him, grabbing his arm. Cal yanked it away from her.

"You're mad," he shot her a boiling glare.

"You are making things up," Isleen clutched her face, tearing up.

Cal stood at the bedside, still clutching the sheets around himself. Cold sweat trickled down the side of his head as he gulped more air, trying to make sense between the two conflicting things from his memory, and what he saw before his very eyes.

"Then you..." he heaved, "...pretended to be her."

"How could I pretend to be her when we're nothing alike? She has blonde hair, does she not?" She picked up a cloak that was carelessly discarded on the floor. "These accusations you made are painful."