Kissing Hellfire: Marry Me, Evil Lord
Chapter 193: A Symbol of Love

Chapter 193: A Symbol of Love

The night was cold yet Lauren felt very warm in Alec’s arms. It was one of the moments she wished she could stop time.

"This morning you said you had a strange dream. So what is it all about?" He asked after a long minute of silence.

She removed herself from his lap and sat beside him, but she kept their distance close and his one arm hooked around her shoulders. After pulling the quilt up to her waist, she looked at him as she said, "It was about the priestess I met in a church a few months back. The one who told me I am dying."

"Yes. What about her?"

Then Lauren went on with the details, explaining everything to Alec in no rush. From the story of the great priestess, to the spellbound ship he had discovered, everything there was to tell. It surprised him that the ship was actually made by the great priestess from a thousand years ago, breaking their assumptions that it was made by a highly skilled mage.

"My portal brought me to the ship that brought you to it. We are fated to be each other after all," Alec said smugly. But besides that, he was relieved that Eleanor, whoever she was, was trying to help Lauren. As long as it would increase Lauren’s chance of surviving her bloodline’s curse, he would accept every bit of help he could get.

"I suppose," Lauren smiled, indulging herself to think the same. It was believable. Eleanor saw her in her visions years ago—a premonition that really happened. So she assumed that for those visions to come to life, a catalyst was needed, which was Alec.

They couldn’t explain what kind of phenomenon it was that pulled Alec to that ship, but they believed it had something to do with the power of his portal getting sucked by the spell the ship was made of, and it was the reason why she was able to step foot in a magical ship never seen for centuries.

"We will go there by tomorrow then. For now, you should get some sleep," he said before urging her to lie on the bed.

The next morning, Lauren woke up with Alec by her side, wide awake. She didn’t have to ask if he stayed up all night while she was asleep because she could tell that he did. He waited for her to finish dressing up and they went downstairs together. But they stopped in the main hall when they noticed the commotion.

A bunch of maids seemed so engrossed in something so interesting that they couldn’t help their little giggles. It didn’t take Lauren long to realize it was the new addition to the people in the castle—the baby Edith brought when she and Julian came back yesterday.

She smiled unconsciously as she stopped a few feet behind the bunch of maids but before she could speak, Alec’s fake cough came out first, which automatically sent the ladies turning toward them. When they saw it was the king, their eyes widened in horror as if they were caught doing a grave crime and would be severely punished.

"You Majesties!" They lowered their heads right away.

"Pardon us for the commotion, my king and queen," said Isobel who was holding the little girl in her arms whose innocent eyes were wide awake.

Lauren couldn’t help but smile. The baby looked so cute and soft with her small limbs. She never had a chance to take care of a baby before but every time she saw one, she always adored their innocence.

"It’s okay," she said before Alec could say something that would scare the maids more. "We were just wondering what was garnering so much attention so we came to look. I see that Edith has already given you the baby. Do you have a name for her?" Though she would love to give the child a name, she would not mind if Isobel and Edith had already given her one.

"Yes, Queen Lauren. We named her Lily."

"Oh, what a sweet name. It suits her."

"I was the one who came up with that name, Your Majesty," Julian said proudly who had just gotten into the hall. "Sweet and innocent as lilies, that is what she is so I thought Lily would be a perfect name."

Isobel told the maids to continue with their work and also excused herself. Lauren asked Julian to find Edith so they could join their breakfast, as well as Colton and Matthias if they were in the castle. The dining table felt so empty if it was just her and Alec, so she thought they could ask the others to join. Alec seemed nonchalant about it so she believed he had no problem with having more people at the dining table.

After breakfast, Alec spoke with Matthias and Colton. He told them he’d leave for the day and left Matthias the responsibility to decide on behalf of the king; meanwhile, Colton was tasked with tracing Simon Lancelot’s whereabouts before he disappeared to find leads to where he was hiding.

"Don’t you have a court meeting today?" Lauren asked when she and Alec returned to their room so they could leave the castle through Alec’s portal.

"I had it canceled. I can have it when we return, don’t worry."

She wanted to tell him that she’d be okay if she went alone, but she knew Alec would strongly disagree so she didn’t bother.

Lauren had gone to the spellbound ship only a couple of times, and those occasions happened during the night. It was the first time she went there during the day.

Standing on the deck of the ship, she gazed out at the vast expanse of the sea and a world of wonder unveiled before her eyes. The sea stretched as far as her sight could reach, its shimmering surface reflecting the sunlight in a dazzling display of colors. The absence of waves created a sense of stillness and tranquility that was both calming and soothing. It was a deep shade of blue, reflecting the clear sky above. The air was fresh and crisp, with a slight salty scent.

The place was so serene and beautiful, she thought, but when she was reminded of the tragic love the great priestess had, Lauren’s smile faded. The great priestess must have loved her husband so much that she gifted him a spellbound ship in the middle of the sea. If she were in her place, Lauren wasn’t sure if she would stay sane. She knew the feeling of being left behind by a loved one and it was certainly not a nice experience. She’d probably do the same—find every possible way to bring back the love of her life.

"Who knew that such a beautiful place has a tragic story? Now I no longer think that this ship is a symbol of a sweet love but rather a heartbreaking one," Lauren said while Alec stood beside her.

"I think it still symbolizes the great priestess and her husband’s colorful love no matter what happened to them. After all, she made it out of love for her husband and they must have shared a lot of beautiful memories in here. So you shouldn’t think of it that way."

"Only if the great priestess’ husband didn’t die..." she muttered under her breath. It was a wishful thinking. Maybe she wouldn’t be suffering from a curse right now. Maybe her mother did not have to die.

"It was the catalyst but it wasn’t the husband’s fault for dying. The priestess chose to summon a demon even if she knew it was wrong. She must have been in great despair back then. I don’t blame her though. I would do the same," he said while looking far ahead of the ship.

"I’d do everything in my power to be with the person I love. I won’t care what happens with the world." He chuckled softly at the end as if it was something humorous.

Then he turned to her and his chuckle died down, his lips pursed in a grim line.

"But I’m sure I won’t be given that choice because there won’t be a decision to be made in the first place. There is nothing in this world that can stop me from being with you," he said like a promise. Like an oath he had carved into a stone. Something he was very sure of. Something he would give his life for.

Lauren smiled wryly. "Don’t worry. I have no plans on leaving you."

"Is it because you are afraid that I might wreak havoc in the world?" Alec raised a brow.

She grinned. "I cannot say that is not one of the reasons, but it is not just that. Of course, why would I rather leave my husband’s side?" She rolled her eyes, knowing well the answer he wanted.

"Please, let’s just go inside and search for clues so we can get over with this," she said, holding Alec’s hand as she pulled him away from the deck.