Summary: Being the High Queen of Elfhame isn't easy, not when you are a mortal ruling over the Folk.
Warnings: None
Masterlist
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, its flowery edges chalked with a beautiful dull gold. She looked the same as she had a few minutes ago; her hair were still a dark chestnut brown, her smooth, sun-kissed face still the same creamy tanned shade, though it had been a more pale colour a week ago. She gazed into her own eyes, disgusted by their warm, deep brown iris.
She was still young, still reckless and yet in a few years...
Fury raged through her as she slammed her fist into the mirror, shattering it into possibly a million pieces.
The caramel coloured, tiled floor was laiden with the silver shards, some of them partially covered in a thick, crimson red liquid.
The sound of the glass shattering must have alerted the folk outside for in a matter of seconds, guards were banging on the door, calling out for Her Majesty whilst trying to burst the door open.
But it was not their banging or loud yet muffled voices that had her hands trembling.
It was the vines snaking around the door, their thorns growing each second, crushing the door open just before Cardan sprinted inside, a dozen guards following him into the room.
"Nothing's happened. You may leave", Jude ordered and it only took a wave of her hand before the guards were marching out, leaving only Cardan behind.
He stood as still as a figurine, not moving a muscle. Maybe he hadn't noticed Jude's bleeding hand hidden behind her back as she prayed he didn't smell her dripping blood.
But Cardan simply walked towards her, one step at a time, and cupped her face, his fingers sliding under her round ears.
Her mortal ears.
"Jude", was the only thing he said before he carefully brought her arm forward, revealing her hand, still bleeding from the glass piercing her skin and flesh.
He remained quiet, gazing into her eyes while his coal black ones were filled with fear and sorrow; a silent question.
Why?
Jude felt her throat swell up as her eyes started swimming in tears and she fought the urge to hug him tight.
She could never be like him.
" Do you love me, Cardan?", she asked, her voice barely a whisper, " Even if I am a mortal?". She yearned for an answer and didn't have to wait long before he replied, " Of course, I do. I love to the depths of the oceans, to the stars above. My heart is yours and it shall forever remain yours. Forever, Jude."
Jude simply nodded, scoffing as she snatched her injured hand from his gentle touch, no matter how much it hurt.
"Well, you may love me now but... but you won't in a few years. Not when my hair turns white and I become a burden on you", every word of her was coated with poison- disgust- and Cardan could've sworn he saw pain lingering in those gorgeous eyes of hers.
Before he could say anything, Jude walked out, not stopping to look back at him even once as if she didn't want him to witness her tears, not even when the only sound Cardan could hear were her receding footsteps.
Let me know if you wanna be tagged! Also, I will now on follow a policy of following back those who follow me, just to spread a bit of kindness!!
#jude#jude duarte#jurdan fanfic#jurdan#cardan#jude x cardan#cardan greenbriar#high king cardan#cardans tail#cardan's letters#jude greenbriar#judecardan#cardan x jude#high king of elfhame#high queen of elfhame#high queen jude#cardan and jude#the cruel prince#the wicked king#the queen of nothing#the folk of the air…
Secret relationship/I called you at 2am because I needed you for Jurdan
Thank you for the prompt! You're awesome! Sorry for the late, I finished it a week ago but it's been stewing in my drafts for some reason. Part - 2
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𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐌𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 [𝟏]
Cardan wished he was home.
After his elder brother Balekin had been arrested, the mantle of Elfhame corporations fell onto Cardan's shoulders. He couldn't remember the last time he had done something for the sake of entertainment or even had a well-rested sleep.
Even though it was well past midnight, Cardan had a lifetime worth of paperwork to take care of, a thousand fires to put out before he could retire for the day. He wished Jude was here. His personal assistant had been marvelous at what she did. Had it not been for their secret relationship and the breakup that followed soon after, she'd have still been working here, everything would have been under control.
He breathed out loud, eyes skimming over the paperwork. It was no good dwelling on those miserable facts.
His phone rang.
Cardan ignored it, was about to switch it off entirely to get the work done when he saw the number that flashed on the screen. Jude.
Jude had called—
"Hello?" Cardan's voice sounded all wrong to his own ears, heart beating loud enough inside his chest, Jude might hear it herself.
He froze when he heard the sob on the other side, a broken sound. "Cardan."
"Jude? Are you alright?" The pause on the other side was long enough that Cardan left his office, car keys in one hand and waved towards on of the employees to inform he was leaving. "Where are you, Jude?"
"I am—I didn't—I am hurt. I didn't know who to call," she said, voice breaking.
Something ached inside Cardan's heart, all his thoughts directed towards the brunette who had walked away from him seven months ago. Seven months and he still loved her as much.
"Where are you, Jude?" he asked softly.
She went quiet again, then there was some shuffling around before she said, "I don't know—there's this bar here, real sketchy place downtown, I am bleeding but I can't-I can't call ambulance."
He cursed under his breath even as he slid into his car and revved the engine, every instinct on edge. If she was where he thought she was, Jude had gotten herself into some big trouble. She had told him about the bar downtown where she used to do underground fighting.
He couldn't call an ambulance for her. It would raise too many questions. Gods.
One hand on the steering wheel, Cardan dialled a familiar number, adding her to a conference call with him and Jude. It rang thrice before she picked up, her voice sleepy and uncertain. "Cardan?"
He had never been more relieved to hear someone's voice. "Lilliver? How fast can you get to my apartment?" Jude groaned on her side of the line and Cardan stepped on the gas, speeding up all while the image of Jude bleeding out in some dark alley haunted his mind.
Lilliver didn't bother with questions, had likely figured it out by Jude's groaning. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
Then she hung up and it was him and Jude again. He had been waiting for a phone call from her from the day she had handed him her resignation letter but if this was the price of getting her back in his life, Cardan decided he'd rather not have her at all.
Jude's panicked sobs had morphed into heavy breathing by the time he reached her. She was slumped against the back wall of the bar, half naked with her cotton shirt staunching the blood from a wound in her abdomen. All coherent thoughts flew out of his head when he saw the amount of blood, the ashen look on her face.
Oh gods, this was bad—
"Cardan?" The voice was quiet but firm, spurring him into action.
He scooped her in his arms, careful not to put pressure on the bleeding wound and helped her into the backseat of his car. Jude looked at him, exhaustion weighing her eyelids down but managed to croak out a thank you.
He tried to calm his own breathing as he started the car. "Jude, what happened?"
"I was-I fought this dude a few days ago, beat him and won a good eight hundred bucks. He cornered me in the alley today—had a knife and everything," her voice wavered and he considered telling her to remain quiet instead but she seemed glad to be distracted from her pain. "Son of a bitch got me good, right in the stomach. He brought friends, cheating bastard."
Cardan was speechless but he tried to keep the conversation going, if only for her sake. "You told me you were done with all this. You promised, Jude."
"I needed the money after I quit my job." Because of you, he heard the unspoken words hanging in the air.
Jude squirmed when he helped her out again, scooping her up in his arms. He tried to be gentle as he could. This was his fault. All she had asked him was to spend time with her, be a good boyfriend and he had prioritized his company over her, had almost taken her for granted. If he hadn't screwed it up, she would have her job right now.
He could have married her.
Instead, here she was on the verge of death all because he was too selfish, too ambitious to treat her like she deserved. Cardan wished he could go back in time and fix that mistake of his life, wished he could turn back time, change what had happened.
She winced. "I'm sorry," he blurted out, not sure what he was apologising for.
"It's not your fault." But it was. It was his fault and he was going to fix it. His girlfriend or not, never again would she have to risk her life in order to earn money. Jude was stubborn, would never accept his help but he would find a way.
Besides, she had always been better at his job than he could ever hope to be.
The guards outside his house were already scrambling to open the doors, offering to carry his Jude over to a guest room. Cardan refused to let anyone near her, barking out commands at them for things they would need. "Is Liliver here?" He could have cried from relief when one of the guards nodded.
Fand was making her way towards him already. Among his security detail, Jude had managed to befriend the outspoken female who looked at him in concern. "What happened to her?"
He pushed past her, not in the mood to answer questions. Jude had lost too much blood already, he would have to do something about that and soon. Liliver rose from her seat in the living room, following the two of them to Cardan's bedroom where he lay her gently on the bed. "Do whatever you need, my resources are yours but you need to save her. I don't—please."
She grimaced at the sight of the passed out, still bleeding Jude and sprang into action. Cardan didn't know how long he stood there for, mind numbed as he followed every instruction his friend barked at him. Jude couldn't die, she couldn't get hurt, he needed her to live.
He'd accept her anger or her indifference or whatever punishment she saw fit for this. Cardan needed her to wake up, to know she was alive.
This was one punishment he won't accept. Not her. Never her.
He didn't sleep even after Liliver told him she had done all she could and Jude would probably come back to consciousness by the morning. I didn't know who else to call, she had told him. She would have never called him if she had a choice, likely felt like she had no other option.
Cardan stayed awake all night keeping an eye on her, his hand gripping hers as if she would disappear if he released his grip. She would hate him in the morning, would shout fowl words at him for as long as her voice would allow, would probably go red faced in the face and then go back to giving him the cold shoulder for the rest of his life. She would remind him of all he had lost, the chance he had wasted away. She would break his heart all over again and it would hurt.
And when she did, Cardan decided he would let her ruin everything he was.
AU: Jude decided to take Cardan in small doses during The Wicked King. Lovers AU
Summary: Jude was a fool for try to best Cardan here. She may be a cunning spy and a swords master but the bedroom and lovemaking was his domain.
~~~
“Shall we continue?” he asked in a voice of innocence that certainly seemed akin to lying with how far innocence was from his intentions.
~~
Jude had underestimated Cardan. She got her prize, she had won the battle, but he was going to win the war. With that miserable thought in mind and her pride boiling with anger she spat out her response, “fuck you.”
Cardan’s chuckle was dark and dangerous as he said, “with pleasure.”
Rating: M is for mature and mad filthy (but ends sweetly) (I try to trick ya in the beginning bare with it)
AN: This is my first ever fic!!!! And of course, it's Jurdan and of course, it's smut. No one is surprised. Shout out to Amber and Hannah for being my beta readers and convincing me to post this. And shout out to @slightlyrebelliouswriter23 who's beautiful writing made me go fuck it and sit down and write something myself which I've always wanted to do, so thank you keep being wonderful.
Please let me know what y'all think! I have ideas for a whole fic for this so if you want that tell me.
Inspired by these sketches and this
set during the Wicked King
warnings: hair pulling, spanking, and light bondage
AO3
As she lay sprawled out on her hands and knees, dirty, sweaty, and out of breath, it was clear to Jude Duerte that pride was her hamartia. She could have everything that she needed if she would only concede but stubbornly she refused to. Her pride wouldn't allow it, no matter how desperate she was.
Instead of the glory, she assumed she would achieve that night she lay there pathetically at his mercy. Something she deeply detested. She detested it almost as much as the smirk she could practically hear on his full lips as an infuriatingly cocky laugh rumbled out from deep in his throat. A laugh that had her toes curling and her seeing red and seething. Just as most things that came from his lips did.
Jude gritted her teeth together as she futilely attempted once more to get him to relent but the ironclad grip on her hair did not loosen and she was met with another rumble of laughter followed by a resonating smack of skin against skin. Her cheek stung from the impact and the slap made her burn red hot. The blow would surely bruise.
She hated him for this. Absolutely loathed him for it. She could easily beat him in a fight, have him on his back with a knife to his throat in less than ten seconds if she wanted. He knew that as much as she did. He probably relished in the knowledge of it, of having her here like this when she could easily best him. But she couldn’t now. Not if she wanted what she came for. Tonight her only option of getting what she needed would be to play nice. Something she was not fond of nor good at. Something that she absolutely did not want to do. Jude wanted nothing more than to make him see red as she did at that moment.
In her anger and frustration, Jude let his name snarled from her lips, “Enough of your stupid games Cardan” she nearly spat the last syllable out.
She was met with another slap, its impact sent her reeling with a groan slipping from her mouth. She hated to give away that his blow affected her at all; that groan was a loss for her. He hummed at the sound she made. Satisfied that her patience was running thin. Happy that he was getting to her. He knew he was winning. He gripped her hair tighter, tugging her head back and her lips pulled into a sneer. She could hear that fucking smirk again as he murmured into her ear with the buttery voice of a lover, “What games do you speak of my darling Jude?”
She struggled again but to no avail. The ‘my darling’ getting to her just like he knew it would. Oh, it made her burn. “You know what I’m speaking of!”
All that he smugly replied with was “Do I?” a small quip from his devastating lips.
She knew he was toying with her. Responding with questions to avoid having to speak in truths. A common trick of the fae used to deceive those around them. But Jude was having none of it.
“Give me what I want, Cardan!” it was a vicious snarl from her lips. He stilled completely at it and she knew it had been a mistake to let her temper fly. She knew he would only give her what she craved if she played by his rules and losing this prize was not an option for her. She couldn’t afford it. Jude was absolutely desperate.
He leaned in close to her ear once more and in a hushed whisper that sent a shiver, not unlike a premonition, down her spine and said, “all you have to do is ask Jude. But make it pretty, befitting of the king of fairy,” his words were an infuriating echo of what he had said to her not so long ago at the summer tournament after she had bested him in the war games. He had gripped her hair like this then too. But Jude doubted she would best him tonight.
She hated it. She hated him for this.
“Go fuck yourself,” she spat at him. He gripped her hair painfully tight this time and slapped her ass harder than he had before. The combination left a series of moans spilling out of her.
He drank up her cries like it was the fine wine they had drunk from the bottle which sat empty next to their dinner on the discarded tray situated on his bed next to them. The gaudy fabric of the comforter cushioned both of their knees, his tucked under and between hers, forcing her legs to be spread wide for him.
“But then I’d have to stop fucking you, my sweet nightmare. And I know neither one of us would want that” he looked down to where he was buried to the hilt in her, still and unmoving. His free hand massaging her red and sore butt cheeks that were bruising from his earlier abuse.
“Especially not after you were dressed up so divinely for me tonight. That dress was just begging to come off wasn’t it?” He hummed as his free hand went from massaging her sore bum to teasing her right above the nub between her thighs. So close to where she desperately needed him to be but giving her no reprieve and only making her more desperate. Jude bit her lip, refusing to respond, her stubbornness digging its heels in, so Cardan continued on.
“I could tell how wound up you were when you showed up here. With a pretty blush already on your breasts and the sweet scent of your arousal coming from your skirts with every step you took towards me.” The dress in question laid discarded on the floor beside his own clothes. It had been raven-black to match his hair, hugged her curves and muscles like a second skin, and was dangerously low cut. Definitely not her usual attire, definitely wasn't subtle Jude realized with embarrassment. Both of their wardrobes had been removed in haste not far into their dinner. The buttons of Cardan’s ridiculous blouse scattered the tiles beneath the bed, having been ripped from the fabric as Jude rushed to undress him in her lustful frenzy.
“So unusually kind of you to bring dinner and wine for me, to ask to eat in my company. I know it was all just an act to get me to fuck you, Jude. The least you could do for me is beg for it,” he whispered dangerously, his voice thick with his arousal.
Jude flushed again, this time in shame from his words. That he truly thought it out of her character to be kind. It was true of course. Jude wasn’t a very kind person, not after what she had lived through. But for some reason that was beyond her, she wanted him to think highly of her. She wanted him to think she was kind. And most bizarre of all, she wanted to be kind to him. Perhaps fairyland was driving her mortal mind mad after all.
“It wasn’t just to get you to bed me Cardan,” Jude answered ashamed of how breathy it came out, ashamed of what she was about to say, “I did want to enjoy your company tonight. I brought you dinner and wine because I thought it would make you happy.”
Jude would be damned before she begged him or anyone for anything. But if he wanted sweet words from her she would give it to him at this point. His free hands had moved upwards from tracing around her clit and had gone to circle her breasts. From time to time he would give them a brutal squeeze. More taunting but no release. Jude was a bundle of nerves wound up painfully tight. She needed her prize and she would be getting it if it was the last thing she did. She just wouldn’t beg for it.
To her surprise, he landed another searing smack to her backside sending her sliding forward and had him pulling her back onto his cock by her hair. Jude’s toes curled on the mattress, more moans spilling from her lips. She was beyond keeping them in at this point, the wine they had drunk making her dizzy, or perhaps it was just him doing that. The lust fogged her brain more than the alcohol did. She tried to slide forward again so she could push back onto his delicious length, rock hard and throbbing within her, but he held her hair tight, keeping her in place. Still no release in sight.
“Dirty mortal liar” Cardan spat at her, not believing her wishes to make him happy. Landing another brutal blow on her bum. Cardan had confessed to Jude in the court of shadows that he was no killer, but that didn’t take away from his cruel nature. He wasn't being gentle with her. Jude didn’t want him to be.
The spanking was a mercy compared to the torture he had been forcing her to endure. The sharp slaps gave her friction and reprieve from his cold refusal to please her in the ways she craved. And now because of her earlier outbursts, he remained buried in her gut unmoving and wouldn't move an inch till she begged him to. Before at least he had been in motion albeit it being painfully slow. Sliding in and out of her aching core, still slick and throbbing from his earlier ministrations with his mouth. He had spent longer feasting on her than he had on his meal, now cold and forgotten. He had tortured her with his tongue, bringing her to the edge of precipice but never allowing her to tumble over the peak into blissful oblivion.
She thought he would finally give her release when he slid his gloriously thick length inside of her but still he only taunted her. Slowly he would slide in and out of her, mocking her with what she was desperate for. He would pull out to his tip, her hair locked in his ringed hand keeping her in place while he eased back into her wetness at a punishingly slow pace. All the while knowing she was desperate for more. Each strike to her ass had been a godsend, pumping red hot arousal to her system while his little endearments, ‘my Jude’, ‘my sweet nightmare’ spurred her on. Cardan knew she secretly loved to hear them. Knew she loved hearing him call her ‘his’. Knew it made her think of all the things he could do to claim her as his; with his hands, mouth, and cock.
But they were far too alike the two of them, Cardan as prideful and stubborn as she. Jude could feel him pulsing inside her. A pounding throb in time with his heartbeat. She knew it had to be painful at this point, he was torturing himself as much as he was her. But that was part of the thrill for him. He loved the powerplay, loved toying. He wanted to come out on top; Jude couldn’t let him.
“I may be a liar Cardan but I didn’t just then. I want to make you happy.” Jude was panting as she spoke. She would never live this down. She couldn’t bring herself to care though. It was the truth. She wanted it as much as she wanted him at that moment. She hadn’t been able to rid herself of the guilt of tricking him into the crown and chaining him to the throne as well as her command. She wanted to see a smile on his face rather than the sneer that lived there most days, as breathtaking as he was with either. Jude wanted Cardan to be happy and she wanted to be the one to make him feel that way. Especially after she was the source of his misery. Although it wasn’t as though he hadn’t been the source for much of hers in the past. That alone was the only thing that kept her from begging him to give her what she so desired. That she was horny enough to even consider begging him, if he was deserving of it, was something she didn't want to think too much about.
“If you wanted to make me happy Jude,” he said her name like a curse, his frustration with her stubbornness evident, ”you would beg for me.”
She felt a ghost of a touch tickle against her arm then flee away an instant later. She peeked down as much as she could with Cardan pulling her head back like he was. Below, his tail was coiling and uncoiling. Whipping back and forth sporadically. Like a cat’s would while it attacked its prey. Before, he had the laziness of a cat who had caught a mouse; a cat that was toying its food before devouring it. Now he was agitated and ready to strike. Jude could use that.
At her refusal to respond to him Cardan tisked and lamented “well if you have nothing to ask of me, my goddess of death, then I suppose we are done here.”
He started to pull out of her as though he meant to leave her there as a panting, aching, mess with no release in sight. Her prize to be lost. She felt his tail whisper next to her arm again, just as he slid his tip out, and with the desperation of a mouse fleeing its captor, Jude latched onto his tail and ripped him back, slamming his raging length deep into her. Hard. The cross between a groan and a whimper that escaped from his lips, and the toe-curling feeling of him slamming into her made her mad with desperation and giddy with power. Jude wasn't the mouse anymore. She was a lioness; she was going to feed.
“You’ll do well to remember who put that crown on your head, My King. Begging is out of the question and will be until you are worthy of it,” she purred at him. “As your sechel, I’d advise you to please me and do it well. But, and more importantly,” she said as sweet as the fruit of the everapple tree, “As the Queen of Shadows and master of your fate I demand you do it,” she finished with a smirk, using the word ‘demand’ instead of ‘command’, so there was no true magical power over him to do so.
“And Cardan,” She said glancing over her shoulder, his grip on her hair had gone slack enough for her to do so from his shock at her actions and words, “Do make it worthy of a Queen.”
Her bravo started to wear off as the giddiness faded. It was in that moment, staring into the Achingly beautiful face of the High King, whose midnight black orbs burned like fire threatening to consume her that Jude realized her mistake. From the look of the wickedly sinister grin on his sinful lips, Jude knew would be getting her prize after all… and then some. Cardan had been playing nice until now, in hopes she would be nice in turn to him. Now that he knew there would be no such thing he was more than willing to unleash himself on her relentlessly.
What a fool she had been to forget one of the first rules of fairyland: Be careful what you wish for.
Jude would be lucky to be able to sit down or move for the next week without being sore if their last row together was any indication of how the rest of the evening would play out.
Cardan’s grip on her hair tightened again and used his free hand to trace a single finger up the curve of her spine, sending goosebumps flying in its wake. He pulled her up against his chest by her hair. Her head resting on his shoulder now, breasts pushed out to the world and peeking from the chill in the room brought on by his change in mood. Being the High King gave Cardan control over the weather and such things; no more nice Cardan who gave her sweet endearment, this was the Cardan she was most familiar with, his face the picture of icy rage.
Her breath plumed in clouds from the frigid temperature and ruffled the raven black hair sticking to the sweat on his brow. She shivered from the cold. He was so devastatingly beautiful like this it made her head spin. The sneer on his face made her toes curl knowing she was the one who had put it there.
His voice was murderous as he murmured, “Give me back my tail.”
Her grip on the thing tightened as it tried to lash out of her grip. His tone only stoked the fire burning in her gut, the heat fighting the chill of the room.
She felt the giddiness bubble up in her again, the same feeling of fear mixed with excitement that she got when she taunted him at school. The feeling of taking a dare.
“Fuck me like you were told princeling and perhaps I will,” she referred to him by the same mocking title his late siblings would call him by, all of them being more than a hundred years his senior and already have established roles in the kingdom, while he was hardly 19 and had still been in school with no real power. She was deliberately placing him beneath her by calling herself a queen and him only a boy prince, despite him being two years her senior. She felt the smugness tugging her lips when she heard his breath come out ragged and slow. He was going to great lengths to keep his temper in check, still not wanting to let her win. But Jude could taste her victory, her toes curled and her gut tingled with sharp electricity boiling there. An almost hysterical laugh bubbled up her throat, knowing that her next words would send him over the edge.
“Or perhaps you don’t know how to please a woman, hmmm?? Were all those ballads about you being a good lover just pixie dust in the breeze? Maybe the musicians of the court were just flattering you so that the fine people of fairy would think that you were actually good for something.”
It was an obvious lie and they both knew it, Cardan has had her screaming his name, soaking the sheets, and has made her a blubbering mess, nothing more than putty in his arms, much to her own shame. But the lie was an insult to his manhood nonetheless. He would have to fuck her senseless now, his honor and pride would demand it.
His grip on her hair tightened as the room rapidly started to heat back up, getting hotter by the second. Cardan was pissed now. He used his free hand to trace the curves of her body following his hand with his deadly stare. He took in every inch of her, from the blush on her cheeks that burned so bright it went straight down her neck and chest and spotted across her full breasts which were heavy and aching from her arousal. He took in Jude’s toned stomach and muscular thighs appraising them as though they were one of the powders he frequently took as though he hadn't had a dose in far too long and was itching for it. There was a furious hunger in that gaze. The stare of a recovering alcoholic glaring at the bottle before he dived to the bottom of it. Furious for even wanting it, furious for going back to it, furious for having said no to it for so long when it felt so right. He was going to give into Jude even if she didn’t beg him for it. He was pissed about it.
His tracing hand slowly inched towards the numb of nerves between Jude’s thighs, her hair tugged back on his shoulder allowed him to hear the airy sigh that befell her lips, tickling his hair. Her airy moan sounded like one someone would heave when they stepped into a steaming bath after a long day of hard work, easing their aching muscles. That wouldn't do at all. There would be no easing for her. If she wanted to step in that tub then Cardan was going to shove her in and force her head under the water and keep it there till she was thrashing for air. If she wouldn't beg him to start, then she would have to beg him to stop.
Cardan leaned in and whispered to her ear, using all of his willpower to keep his temper in check, “Fitting for a Queen you said hmm,” the words sent shivers running down her spine, had her walls clenching around his cock that was still buried in her, to her great dismay still not in motion.
Cardan paused to take a breath and for a moment the whole room stilled as though his magic had quieted the very air around them, as if the whole kingdom was tingling in anticipation, silently waiting to see what happened next. Even the roaring fire that was crackling in its hearth just seconds prior didn’t dare to make a sound, lest it invokes the wrath of the wicked king. The only noise was Jude’s ragged breathing in eerie contrast.
Cardan’s words eased out in his exhale, resembling the sickening woop in the stomach one gets when falling from large heights, “How's this for fitting?”
Jude’s eyes were blown wide and then forced tightly shut as he unleashed himself onto her. The sounds of the room roaring back to life around them were completely lost to her as the brutally aching bliss filled her to the brim. The sensations were overpowering her, overwhelming her senses after being denied it for so long. The feeling of his length filling her to the brim combined with his sinful hands, one tugging her hair the other rubbing her nub; It was too much. Cardan’s hand was brutal in its attack on her clit, rubbing her relentlessly right where she wanted it, just the way she liked it.
The act alone was more than enough and already toying her towards the edge of release. Cardan knew Jude’s body far too well. He had spent plenty of time tracking all her tells, tracking every breath she took while she lay beneath him from the first moment she welcomed him into her bed. His dark hungry eyes always locked on her taking everything in. Cardan was a fantastic lover not just because he knew how to please any woman who passed his way, but because he went to lengths to perfect his craft for those who stayed.
Jude realized with no little shame that he had been saying something to her but she had missed it because of the roaring in her ear. Her cheeks went impossibly pinker when she realized it hadn't been roaring, but her own moaning. She hadn't even realized she was doing it so overcome by her arousal after being denied all night. She glanced up at him and all she could stupidly say was, “huh?”
He barked a laugh, his head thrown back; he loved making her like this. Knocking Ms. Know-it-all off her pedestal, making her dumb-founded and drooling. Such a sharp contrast to her usual stoic demeanor. He leaned down close to her face, slowly licked up the dribble of spit hanging from the corner of her mouth. Then with a wicked smirk on his sinful face, one that promised nothing but trouble, he went to her ear and snickered, “you’re as soaked for me as you were when I shoved you into that river mortal.”
As he said it he rubbed her just so, sending her shuddering relentlessly into an orgasm around his unmoving cock. The orgasm shattered her mind and made her see white, then instantly red from the fury his word sent her into. She hated that he made her come while he said that. Knew he had done it on purpose to piss her off. Knew it was the damning truth since no lie could fall from his fairy lips. Bliss, anger, and shame all swelled within her swirling together and muddling her mind in ways fairy fruit never could. Jude felt as though she might fade into the very magic of fairyland at that moment for surely if one could be magic itself, this would be how they always felt.
Jude couldn’t even get a word in back at him for what he said because he slammed his mouth against hers before she could recover enough to form a coherent sentence; licking and drinking up her moans like it was his only purpose in life. His other hand moved from restraining her hair and wrapped around her middle, pinning the arm holding his tail to her side in an ironclad hold and pinning her body against chest; his hand reaching up to attack her breasts. Switching back and forth between one and the other, he would alternate massaging and pinching her nipples with painful precision. His other hand was still working her clit sending her rolling from one orgasm into the next. The combination of it all was so overwhelming she cried out into his mouth as she squirted all over his hands, soaking their legs and the sheets beneath them. Jude was awash with shame and bliss, leaning her full weight on him to remain upright. He hadn’t even begun to fuck her properly yet, Cardan was still buried within her throbbing painfully from denying himself and she was already a stupid mess in his arms. The shit-eating smirk on his face told her that he was thinking the same thing.
Jude was a fool for try to best Cardan here. She may be a cunning spy and a swords master but the bedroom and lovemaking was his domain. Her legs quivered beneath her, hands limp at her side. Cardan released his hold on her, sending her falling ungracefully forward onto her chest and face. He laughed at her mockingly, “and now the sheets are nearly as soaked as your clothes were that day.”
Jude’s blood boiled and she wanted to turn around and slap him. But as she went to move she found herself unable to. While she hadn’t been looking, brain hazy from her orgasms, the roots from the tree atop the hill had curled their way down the bedposts and snaked their way across the sheets wrapping around her wrists binding her in place. Another display of his kingly magic. Jude tried to figure where she went wrong, one moment she was the one with power and now here she was again, completely at his mercy and more so than before. The answer to her question flicked back and forth in the periphery of her vision, his tail moving again like a lazy cat playing a game it knew it was going to win. He had made her come so hard she completely lost her senses and touched the stars and managed to release her one and only advantage.
“Thank you for returning my tail to me sweet Jude,” he said, noting her coming to this realization. His hand returned to her hair pulling her head back as much as he could while her hands were bound. He shifted, leaning forward shifting his body causing his cock to finally move within her once more; it was enough to make her lose a breathy moan. Oh! The frustration she felt with herself! She was a fool for him and it was humiliating. His other hand went back to massaging her bruised bum as he chuckled darkly behind her.
“Shall we continue?” he asked in a voice of innocence that certainly seemed akin to lying with how far innocence was from his intentions. Jude was still miserably horny, and not even the two earth-shattering orgasms he had given her were able to satiate her need after all the torture he had put her through earlier. She craved him desperately but her wounded pride couldn't bear to ask him to go on. She tried to shift her bum against his length again, the same attempts she had earlier, knowing it was just as futile now as it had been before. He laughed at her, slamming his palm hard against her ass just as he had done each time before.
“Excuse me, your majesty,” he purred, mocking her for calling herself a queen while pumping into her once, twice. Teasing her, making her nails dig into the bound palms of her hands in ecstasy, “I believe I asked you a question, my queen.”
Another endearment. Him calling her his. His queen. She squirmed again, willing him to please her but he held fast.
“Last chance Jude,” he murmured in her ear, leaning all the way forward so his cocked filled her completely, “Beg for mercy and I’ll give it to you,” the smirk was as present as ever in his infuriatingly sexy voice.
Jude had underestimated Cardan. She got her prize, she had won the battle, but he was going to win the war. With that miserable thought in mind and her pride boiling with anger she spat out her response, “fuck you.”
Cardan’s chuckle was dark and dangerous as he said, “with pleasure.”
He slammed into her unrelenting: brutal and hard. Jude was going to have to skip training tomorrow because of this, her body would be too sore. She hated missing training and it made her furious at him. Perhaps she just liked being made at him, she thought as he hit her spot over and over again making her see spots. She went to bury her moans and cries in the covers, still damp beneath them from when she squirted, but he pulled her hair back forcing her to cry out into the room for him to hear.
“Moan for me Queen Jude,” he gruffed out viciously, riled up and ravenous after having to wait so long himself to have her, “let me hear how worthy this fucking is of you hmm.. this is what you wanted wasn't it? A good fucking? It's what you came here for.”
He was relentless, Jude was biting her lip trying hard to not give him what he wanted. The wet sloppy sound of their bodies joining together echoed in the room in time with the slapping of his pelvis against her ass. It was debauched to hear how sinfully wet she was for him, the wet slapping making it painfully evident just how ‘worthy’ his fucking was. She groaned through her teeth and he yanked her hair hard forcing her mouth open. Her moans came spilling out, pitching each time he thrust his body into hers.
Cardan was groaning with her now. He was getting close if his sporadic thrusts were any indicator. The knowledge that he was getting off to her made her walls clench around him and her toes curl in pleasure, forcing a groan from deep in his throat to spill out. It was otherworldly, doing this with him, so many emotions, sensations, and feelings all swirling together in a messy lustful haze that left them rutting like savage dogs by the end of the night. They hated each other, didn't they? How could they keep coming back to each other like this? Why did this feel so right?
He pulled her hair back hard making her back bend almost painfully towards him, her wrists straining against the vines that bound her; training was definitely out of the question this week. She could see his face now, brows pinched, eyes dark, sweat dripping off of him while his mouth hung open. He was devastatingly gorgeous like this. He leaned down and kissed her as he landed three sharp blows to her ass with his other hand as he pounded into her relentlessly. She squirted again seeing stars as another orgasm ran through her. He smiled a brilliant smile down at her for it. So beautiful that she all but forgot her pride existed as she said breathily, “I didn’t come here just to fuck you Cardan, I swear it,” blush burning her cheeks at her confession, “I wanted to make you happy.”
She felt emotions shining on her face, ones she always buried but she didn’t mind it. Jude was mad with pleasure, drunk on his kiss, his scent, and sensations. Jude was drunk on him. Caution was lost to her.
Cardan’s eyes went wide at her words and he released her hair suddenly. A swear was a serious thing in Fairy especially one made to the high king. The vines receded from restraining her and he unsheathed himself from her aching core. She was met with a jolt of horror at what she had done, what she had said, in fear that she had upset him.
The panic was quickly replaced by confusion as he rolled her onto her back with tender hands and then leaned above her positioning himself between her legs with one arm bracing beside her head while his other hand came up to tenderly caressing her cheek. His cock was positioned right before her entrance, leaking with precum. He clearly had stopped right before his climax. What on earth compelled him to do such a thing?
“Is that the truth?” he said in a breathy whisper, chest still heaving from their wild fuckings, still trying to catch his breath.
All Jude could manage was a small nod.
His eyes searched hers, looking for something. Jude didn’t know if he found what he was looking for but after a moment he slowly slid into her again staring into her eyes. She wanted to look away, his gaze was too much as he slowly and sweetly slid their bodies together, again and again. He was being tender with not a rush in the world. A different kind of fire started building within her. Instead of a burning inferno like earlier, this one was the slow-burning of water set to boil. His dark gaze was searching, consuming. His beautiful face slack in awe as he looked at her.
“Beautiful,” he murmured like wonder spilling out of him. Jude snapped her eyes shut to it, to what she felt. She felt naked for the first time today despite having been freed of her clothing for the better part of two hours now. The way he was holding her, the way their bodies slid together, it terrified her, the emotions it stirred up. He cooed at her then, fingers caressing her cheek, “Jude,” he said sweetly, “look at me Jude, it's okay.”
She scrunched her eyes shut further at his words. He stilled, pulling away from her. He heaved a sigh, that sounded so much like hurt and disappointment. Quickly, shyly her hand reached out to the ringed one on her cheek just as it went to pull away. Softly Jude said, “Please-- Please don’t stop.”
Jude mustered all the courage she had, reached into the well of fearlessness she had obtained from living in fairyland, and opened her eyes. Dark pools the color of midnight stared back at her, full of swimming emotion. It was overwhelming, confusing. She wished she knew what he was thinking, wished she knew if this meant something. There was so much fear in her and she knew he could see it all on her face. She was so scared of this, “Please Cardan, keep going. Please. I-- I beg you.”
The smile that graced his shocked face was beautiful and hesitant like the one someone might make if they thought something was too good to be true. She shocked herself with the plea, she had never thought she could long for someone the way that she did at that moment. She wished she knew what he was thinking. She peeked to his tail in hope of gaining some insight, but it was wrapped around her calf, the furred tip seemed to be caressing her. She looked back up at him. Cardan was smirking, but it wasn't mocking, it seemed… endearing almost. But that couldn’t be. He clearly knew why Jude looked at his tail, knowing she liked keeping an eye on it because it made him easier to read. The crinkles beneath his eyes gave away happiness and his smirk tugged into a dazzling smile.
Jude’s heart was pounding so hard it almost hurt. He ran his hand down from her cheek to her chest, feeling how fast it was pounding. His smile only grew, as he leaned down and nuzzled his nose against hers. Jude let loose a breath she didn't know she had been holding, it came spilling out of her like an airy laugh, her lashes fluttering at his closeness. He was being so sweet, it threw her off guard. She peeked into his eyes once more, she didn't really know what she was looking for in them. But she knew what she did not find there: his arrogance, his cruelty, and his wickedness.
There in his dark eyes, she saw something she didn't understand yet. Saw something shining there that she knew reflected back in her own. Confusion mingled with an emotion she had never known before. She realized she didn't understand a lot of things, about life, fairyland, and him. From the look in his eyes, she realized she didn't need to understand everything. And with that realization, she wasn't afraid anymore. She peered into his eyes unabashedly now, Belkin’s words from in the Isle of the Forgotten rang in her head:
“to mortals, the feeling of falling in love is similar to the feeling of fear.”
But what do mortals feel when they stop falling. What happens when they were wholly in love.
Jude didn’t know, and she didn’t care to know. She didn’t need to understand everything, she didn’t need to understand what she felt. She needed to just feel it.
If nothing else, Jude felt safe here in Cardan’s arms. A feeling that she had long grown unaccustomed to thanks to the cruelty of her life. She looked at the man before her, so similar to yet so strikingly different from the boy he was under Belkin’s thumb. This was a man who she wanted to make happy. And despite his uncanny ability to frustrate her, he had the uncanny ability to make her happy as well. He made her forget her pride and she made him forget his own. Neither caring who came out on top anymore. Maybe it was just the sex, maybe it was something more. She didn’t know and somehow that was fine.
With those thoughts singing in her head, Jude Duerte leaned up and kissed Cardan Greenbriar soft and slow, allowing all the things she kept buried within her to come pouring out. Allowing all the things she didn’t understand to pour out with it because perhaps Cardan didn’t understand it either. Perhaps they could learn to understand it together.
So that night, Jude waved the white flag and she made love to the King of Fairy.
oh, nonnie you came at just the right time 😏 i'm working on it now. here's a little taste:
NSFW CONTENT BELOW
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The only thing I can think about is skull fucking her until she has tears streaming down those pretty pink fucked out cheeks. I'm sure I'd even settle for a taste of her sweet heat.
But fuck me if that wouldn't be the farthest thing from settling. I'm positive there's something really wrong with me, because I thought I'd be over it by now. I thought I'd take a sip and decide I'm sated. But I am nowhere near sated.
Ever since I licked her off my fingers, I've craved the taste of her like the next high.
"Tell me a lie, Cardan," she says now, and I feel raw at the sound of my name on her lips. "Just one tiny lie?"
hey like i’ve recently become very extremely obsessed with your writing and like could you maybe write (it could be so so short i’m desperate) a high school or college au where taryn drags jude to a party and jude and cardan (enemies ofc) get paired for seven minutes in heaven and they kiss a lot and cardan reveals that he has a massive crush on jude
My sister is belting the current playing song at the top of her lungs, hand over her chest and using her – no, I’m sure it’s mine – red cup as a mic. If she weren’t mumbling the wrong words every so often, I’d say she’d make the perfect lead singer of a cover band. Her cheeks are red and I can’t tell if it’s because she’s holding her breath too long for a run she can’t keep up with, or she’s genuinely feeling the lyrics of a song, clearly telling the listener not to fall in love with the singer.
I’m kind of awed, even though I know she’ll be embarrassed later especially after she pauses to take a drink from the cup then looks over to her boyfriend to address him as she comments, “I want to fuck you to this song.”
“Damn,” I say, taking the cup from her hands and downing the last of it. Her boyfriend laughs, but reaches a hand out for her which Taryn takes happily before tossing her free hand around his neck.
“I’ll add it to the playlist,” he smirks before kissing her cheek hard, a loud smooch emanating from them. Taryn turns in his arms, probably only finding a steady balance by leaning on him. Her cheeks are still rosy, but her wild gaze is on me now. We stare at each other for a beat. Then we break into fits of giggles I couldn’t possibly recall the humor for. I wipe at my cheeks and take her outstretched hands as she pulls me closer to her and Larkin.
I nearly trip to get to them, but before either of them can react, strong arms catch me just in time and sets me straight. My smile is already dopey when I look up to see that it’s Cardan. I’m not as sober as I should be, but I’m not drunk enough to keep the grin plastered on to my face. I shrug him off and he narrows his eyes at me, “Wouldn’t want a lawsuit, now, Jude” he mumbles, an eyebrow arched.
I scowl at him, like I would even know how to file a lawsuit for falling in his house or something. My mood instantly deflates. “Like that’ll be a dent in your trust fund,” I mutter, even more annoyed that when I take a drink from my cup, it’s still empty. “Shoot,” I pout.
Cardan rolls his eyes and reaches behind him to grab bottled water from the kitchen island the four of us are crowded around. Of course, there’s a huge gathering around us, mostly because of Taryn’s singing, but definitely sticking around because of Cardan and Larkin.
Cardan holds out the bottle to me and I frown, but still take it when he looks at me expectantly.
Taryn sighs, making me break my stare-off with Cardan, even though I was totally winning. “So romantic,” she says whimsically, leaning her head back to look up at her boyfriend. She then places a kiss against his chin.
A hand moves my hair to one shoulder before circling around my waist and resting a chin on my newly freed shoulder. “What’s romantic?” Locke’s breath smells like the inside of a brewery and that makes me laugh.
I shrug at his question, glancing at Cardan who’s now leaned against the island counter, watching me with pretty lips tilted down. I don’t get to verbally tell Locke I have no idea what’s going on because Liliver is tugging a very tipsy Van and a mostly annoyed Nicasia towards us. It’s not weird to see the three of them together, our circles have intermingled quite a lot over the past few semesters, but it’s definitely a sight to see a very small girl pulling a big guy and an Amazonian supermodel by their hands – and while they have the strength to stop her, they both let her tug them, although seemingly begrudgingly.
“Nicasia says she can drink Van under the table, so I'm calling bets right now,” Liliver announces. “Also I would like a jell-o shot from the fridge.”
I perk up immediately at this. “I want one!” My sister and I say at once, then laugh and say, “Jinx!” we laugh harder, “Twinsies!”
“My bet’s on the big guy,” Locke says. “Can I get a cherry one,” he adds.
Larkin sways from side to side like he’s dancing, taking my sister with him, “Hmm,” he says thoughtfully, “I say a hundred on Nicasia.”
“Noted,” Liliver hands us each a red jello shot then grabs a few of beers from the cooler and lines them up besides Cardan. Nicasia rolls her eyes and takes a seat by the island, Van following her, keeping Cardan between them, still leaned back. They take their first beer on Liliver’s mark and we watch with bated breaths.
“Help me up,” I say to Locke, nodding my head to the kitchen counter on a spot right beside the sink. He does, then leans an elbow on the spot next to me while I take my shot. A piece of jello sticks to my finger. I giggle a little and suck the mess off, crossing my legs at the ankles, swinging them lightly from my new perch.
Everyone’s watching, cheers from the group surrounding us, chanting for one or the other, but my skin prickles with heat as I find Cardan’s eyes again. He’s directly in front of me with my new arrangement, a conflicted emotion crosses his face when his gaze flick between Locke and I.
His stare seems to run bone deep because suddenly, I’m squirming in my spot, tugging at my too tight shirt and the lazy smile that slowly grows on his face seems to tell me he knows exactly what kind of effect he’s got on me. I glare at him – how could I forget the reason I had not wanted to come to the first party of the semester? First party is always held in the biggest house – belonging to the frat that for the past two years after the departure of his older brother Dain, has been run by Cardan and his clique – the clique who just so happen to each be in the circle we’ve unconsciously formed away from the rest of the party and yet still at the center of it.
Van finally breaks our intense stare off, and I hate to say this, but I think this round, Cardan had been winning. Relieved, I turn to Van who’s shaking his head and shoving the five empty beer bottles away from him. Nicasia calmly finishes her sixth. “No more,” he groans.
“Damn,” Locke says the same time Larkin hoots, “I won!”
“No baby,” Taryn slurs, “we won.” I turn to her to see her eyes getting a glazed over look. She places a hand to her chest, “In Greek mythology the Titans were greater even than the gods. They ruled their universe with absolute power. Well… that football field out there tonight, that's our uni –”
“Babe,” Larkin says, more awed and stunned than anything, “Are you quoting a football movie right now? That doesn’t even make sense in context but holy shit…that’s incredible.”
Nicasia says, “Are you crying?” And it takes me a few seconds to realize she’s talking to me.
I wipe at my face, startled. “That was beautiful.”
“Jesus,” Cardan mutters from across the room. When I look at him, I see he’s fighting a grin. He catches my eyes and winks at me. I tell myself it’s the copious amount of alcohol in my system that has me feeling warm on the inside.
“It really was,” Liliver says, quietly.
Locke laughs, “Anyone gonna point out that none of us play football here?”
Taryn scowls, “What kind of jocks are you?”
“Babe, you know we play lacrosse here.”
My sister perks up with a smile, “God, I love Lacrosse. Number 32 is so dreamy.”
Larkin laughs, “Thank you.”
“Well,” Liliver says as she reaches for my half drunken bottled water and tosses it to Van, “now we have all these empty bottles…” she grins all Cheshire, too big for her small body, “Let’s play!”
The group of us and the group around us – because now we’re in a bubble and somehow we’ve made ourselves the main attraction that everyone wants to see how it all plays out – begin calling out games to play and a weird moment of clarity has me wary over the fact that this group we’ve been integrated in, either because of dating or friends of people dating, they’re always being watched. It almost rubs me wrong that these other peers of ours think they have a say. For a moment, I can see why sometimes the guys seem jaded around newcomers.
My face must say a lot of what’s on my mind because Cardan tilts his head in question and I have to shake my head to clear it. I smile at him, forgetting my disdain for a while.
“Truth or dare isn’t as fun when half of us already did something stupid an hour ago,” Valerian arrives, late to the powwow as usual, hotdog in hand and points this out when someone had shouted the suggestion upon his arrival – rather, he absently points a finger at my general direction. He stands besides Nicasia, wrapping an arm around her shoulder which she very quickly shoves off.
I blush and Locke laughs beside me, “This is true,” he turns slightly and pokes at my rib where I had stupidly gotten a stick n poke done just past my third drink that seems like quite sometime ago.
“That’s going to get infected,” I frown, batting his hand away.
Taryn gasps, “Does that mean I’m going to get infected, too?”
“No, dummy,” Taryn rolls her eyes, “Because we shared the needle,” she tells him exasperated.
“Oh my god,” Cardan groans, “Who invited the wonder twins again?”
Liliver reaches over to pinch his arm. She really only gets away with it because everyone’s got a soft spot for her. That and her boyfriend is massive. Cardan laughs and moves his arm away from her. How can he be so easy with her but with me it’s like burning napalms? Even if his bites are at Taryn, it’s only ever in regard to me, and then most of the time, he’s generally nice to her. She swore up and down he helped fix her flat tire just the other day. If it were me, I’m sure he would have pulled over, but just to watch me struggle.
I glare at him now, silently telling him I know damn well how to change a flat, thank you very much. He raises his brows.
“Don’t be a dick,” Van tells him, holding his hand out for his girlfriend and Liliver goes to settle between his legs, reaching up to caress the side of his face as if consoling him for his loss.
“Spin the bottle,” someone else shouts.
“That’s cute and all,” Locke says with an eye roll, “But how about Seven Minutes?” He shoots a wink to Nicasia, then says, “Or less.”
“That quick, huh,” she says dryly.
Locke splutters, “I meant I could get you off – not me!”
Valerian rolls his eyes and grabs one of the empty bottles, setting it on the floor. “Me first,” he says before they can further take this argument. He twists his wrist and the bottle spins until the nozzle halts and lands surprisingly on Nicasia. He grins and she scowls. Still, she gets up and grabs his arm, ushering him into the closest closet, the pantry on the other side of the kitchen.
“Ten bucks,” Locke says, turning to me, lips close to my ears as he addresses the room, “He comes out with a black eye.”
I glance in front of me, only to see Cardan’s gaze hard and on Locke for a moment then he shifts just slightly to gaze at me. I bring the plastic shot cup to my lips only to scowl when I find it empty. Damnit, I forgot I had taken the shot already. Is this why I still taste cherry flavoring in my mouth? I hand the empty cup to Locke who looks at me confused. I shrug, eyes never leaving Cardan. His lips tilt up and his brows shoot up just the slightest. He mouths the word, “Cute,” almost to himself and it does something weird to the pit of my stomach.
The group breaks off among each other until seven minutes are up and a grumpy looking Valerian walks out with a smug Nicasia. “Does this mean you owe each of us ten dollars,” I ask, “Or do we have to split it between the five of us?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Jude,” Locke says, head falling against my shoulder as if to hide from the rest of our friends. I pat his head.
“No way,” Larkin says, “I want my two dollars at the least. Pay up, I know you have the money.”
It goes on like this: Taryn and Van, Larkin and Locke, Cardan and Liliver, Nicasia and I, then Cardan spins the bottle once more and we all hold our breaths until it lands... on me. And not just off to the side where I could have easily disputed that it landed on my sister or Locke, but directly to the center of me. I think I stare at it for too long because Locke shoves at my shoulders to get me to move. Cardan pushes off the island and holds a hand out to me. I frown, but still, I take it, surprised to find it warm in my grasp. He leads us to the closet, holding the door for me. Just before he closes it, I hear Locke say, “kiss or slap, who’s betting what?”
“Slap, definitely,” Van says warily.
My sister surprises me, “Kiss. I bet my car on it.”
I grimace. Taryn’s gonna lose her car.
“We can’t let Taryn lose her car,” Cardan says as he locks the door and pulls the string between us for the lone light bulb to flash on.
“We can’t?” I ask. I’ve never been close enough to Cardan Greenbriar to realize just how much space he takes, how much he can crowd a person. My lips feel dry and I don’t miss the way he stares when my tongue darts out to lick at them. “Why not?”
It takes a moment for him to tear his gaze from my mouth. “She loves that car,” and he’s so serious, too.
“She shouldn’t have offered it,” my brows furrow. “Are you trying to imply something?”
He licks his lips now and I suddenly get the appeal. I stumble back a bit, pressing against the wall, cursing inwardly at my body’s reaction to such a simple thing. “Only that I want to kiss you.”
I’m stunned. Did I hear him right? “Uh… are you drunk, Cardan?”
“I haven’t even had a drink, Jude.” He smirks, explaining, “Designated driver.”
“You live here,” I point out.
He shrugs, “Someone’s gonna need a ride.” I must misinterpret the look he gives me because my cheeks heat up and I have to close my eyes to center myself. My body jolts in surprise when I feel Cardan’s knuckles graze the warm skin of my cheeks. My eyes shoot open, but I don’t move. “Jude?”
“I… but, you hate me,” I remind him.
“Maybe.” His eyebrows knit. He moves closer to me. His dark eyes seem impossibly darker. Blown out, dilated. “But I want you, more.” he murmurs. His thumb slides over my bottom lip, tugging it down. “I definitely hate that I do.”
My breath hitches. I’m too focused on the way his finger strokes my skin that it takes me too long to understand what he’s just said. “That doesn’t make sense. What have I ever done to you?”
He leans down, his free hand at the side of my face, palm against the wall. Not touching me, but I can feel the heat of his skin all the same. “Nothing,” he admits. His jaw ticks. I want to drag my tongue along the sharpness. “I’m selfish and don’t know how to act when I can’t have what I want.”
“You can’t?” I didn’t mean to say that, but I’m a little cautious of why Cardan thinks he can’t have me. I know I’ve been nothing but nice to him until it was clear early on that he wanted nothing to do with me. I might have started biting back then, no longer holding back snark.
“You’re dating my best friend,” he says. “As much as I want you, there’s no way I’d try to take you. But here, right now,” he shrugs and glances at the watch on his hand by my face. I turn slightly too, watching the small second hand tick away from my peripheral. “In the next five and a half minutes, I’ve decided I don’t give a fuck.”
“You don’t?” my breathing is deep and the closet seems much smaller than it did two minutes ago - and damn, is it hot in here? It takes me a moment, when his lips are so close to mine, skin tingling at the proximity that’s barely there, that I realize what he’s said. “But I’m not dating anyone,” I confess. “Who exactly is your best friend and why do you think I’m dating him?”
He blinks. “Locke.”
“Whoa,” I say. Then I snort. I have to shove him away so when I laugh, I’m not doing it in his face. I press a hand to my stomach, trying to ease the sudden burst of humor I can’t let go of. Tears prick at my eyes, because I’m laughing so hard. Later, when I let out a deep sigh and slump back against the wall, I see through blurred vision that Cardan’s got his arms crossed, almost exasperated.
“Done?”
I grin. It’s so bright, I think it stuns him because he looks stupefied for a moment. “I am so not dating Locke.”
“You two are always touching,” he tells me. He scrunches his nose in what seems like contempt. Something in his voice is serious, intense even. Like he’s willing me to understand him. “Just minutes ago you were practically on him, his lips against your skin, your cheeks all flushed.”
Instead of telling Cardan that it’s just how we’ve been since we met, I instead surprise myself and say quietly, “I’ll stop it if you want.”
He gently takes hold of my face, fingers spanning down to my neck, and pulls me closer, “I think you already know what I want, Jude.” His lips are against my own when he speaks.
I pull him closer by the collar of his shirt. Before he can kiss me properly, I say, “Just so you know, I can change my own tire.”
He doesn’t miss a beat, doesn’t question my train of thought. He gets it. “Doesn’t mean I won’t help you if you need it.”
“Thought you’d watch me struggle,” I admit.
“You don’t even have a car, baby.”
My lips twitch, “Guess I need a ride tonight.”
“Jude,” he groans at my implication, then his lips are on mine, hands in my hair while mine trail up to his neck, locking together at his nape. His body presses to mine, a thigh slots between my legs, my breath hitches, lips part, he tastes me like a starved man. He shifts, finds my thighs and hikes them over his hips, centering himself against me as he pins me to the wall. He sucks on my tongue then nips at my lip, right before he presses a chaste kiss where the hurt is.
My ankles hook behind his back, begging him deeper into my skin and my fingers slide into the soft curls of his hair, nails scraping, gripping, tugging. His lips only leaving mine to kiss wetly down my throat, giving me a moment to breathe when my hips undulate and he can somehow tell I’m dizzy with want.
His hand fumbles down to to my hips, one hand holding me still against the wall, the other reaching to undo the button of my pants. His fingers are quick and nimble, reaching into the waistband of my panties. “Cardan,” I groan, arching my neck and pulling his head harder against my skin.
The door knob fumbles and I take sharp breath, wild eyes turning to the door as someone knocks on it. I tug at Cardan’s hair, slightly panicked but he’s leisure, pulling away slowly, lips wet and pink, eyes half mast on me, a hand holding me tight against him, the other hand still between my thighs. “Times up,” someone says, amusement in their voice.
Summary: Cardan accidentally stays at Jude's and now, he is sick. Jude takes care of him while he fights his own feelings.
Warnings: None
Masterlist
Prologue» Part 1» Part 2
Cardan POV (Dream)
Her warm, soft lips are against mine, her lashes tickling my cheeks as I caress her back, bringing her closer to me. She lets out a whimper, which might have been my name, and I continue to savour this feeling,
Until...
I fall to the ground, head spinning as Jude walks toward me, her expression unreadable.
"Weak", her voice echoes in the room, her hand now at the nape of my neck and slowly sliding into my hair, grasping it hard enough to make me wince.
"Weak", she says again, but this time the voice isn't hers. It's...
Balekin.
"I am not weak", my throat is dry as I repeat, "I am not weak, I AM NOT WEAK!!!"
Jude POV
"What the... CARDAN GREENBRIAR WAKE UP!!!!", I scream into his ear whilst shaking him hard.
He wakes up with a jerk, falling off from the chair in the process.
That's gotta hurt.
I hadn't known he had slept outside, in the same balcony where I had punched him. I had gone to sleep shortly after cleaning up the kitchen since I had to make myself dinner after what happened yesterday; Cardan had been there but I thought he had gone by the time I went to sleep.
That is, until this morning when I found him sleeping peacefully on the wooden chair placed in the center of the balcony, oblivious of all the problems of this world and the fact that I was watching him sleep.
"What was that for?", he shouts but his voice sounds different; it isn't like his usual wicked one and I choose to ignore that fact but when he sneezes...
Almost instinctively, I reach out and gently touch his forehead.
"Cardan, you are burning up. You shouldn't have slept outside, you idiot. Now, you're sick", I say as he tries to stand up but fails to do so and I grab him as fast as I can, placing his arm over my shoulder, making sure he doesn't fall.
Cardan POV
Her scent fills my nostrils as I nuzzle my face in her neck, leaning onto her.
She lays me down on a soft mattress, her hair falling over me for just a second before she opens the curtains, the morning light turning her chestnut brown hair into a more caramel colour.
How can she be so beautiful?
I had always been taught, no, forced to believe that orphans were no where near to us Greenbriars, that they weren't even close to dirt. That if we wanted, we could destroy them.
But looking at Jude...
I would never be able to touch her, let alone destroy her. And even if I tried to, I would never succeed; she never breaks. In spite of being an orphan, in spite of the problems she has with her family, in spite of not having someone to pour her heart out to, she knows how to defend herself and is well-versed in attack, at least better than me, regardless of verbal or physical.
She has a gift, a gift of getting under people's skin and she knows it. She knows that and uses it as a weapon, her weapon.
And that is why I hate her.
She can destroy me in a matter of seconds if she wanted to; and I have tried every possible way to undermine her and yet, she never yields. I hate the fact that she is an orphan and still better than me. I hate that I think about her all the time. I hate that I dream of her every night.
I hate her.
Jude POV
Cardan keeps shivering despite the two blankets I have given him, even though he has covered himself up to the neck.
I start to worry more with every passing minute, for he is getting worse and only one question keeps repeating in my mind as I sit beside him.
Will he be okay?
Cardan POV
My vision starts to blur, the image of Jude slowly turning into a silhouette as my eyes start to close, but I am interrupted by her when she says, "No, Cardan. You have to stay awake".
Beads of sweat trickle down my face to my neck, turning the blue of the blanket a shade darker.
"I can't", I say.
I feel as if I cannot breathe, as if I am swallowing bile each time she gives me water, or soup, or whatever she is giving me.
"I can't"
Jude POV
My heart comes up to my throat as he gets worse.
The only sounds in the room are of his uneven breathing and of the water dripping from the maroon towel I have placed on his forehead.
The only thing I can do is sigh.
It has been almost an hour since I brought him inside and so far, no luck. I know I shouldn't be worried, I know I shouldn't be this restless but I just... can't help it.
His breath becomes increasingly ragged, his raven black hair now damp with sweat, yet he feels cold. He closes his eyes shut as if from pain, a thousand creases forming on his eyelids.
"Hey, hey", I say softly, trying to console him as I cradle his head in my lap and I can feel his hot breath against my legs even through the thick, fluffy socks I am wearing.
"Jude", he whispers, his voice barely audible.
"Shhh", is the only thing I say before I give him some medicine.
My parents used to take care of me like this; they would kiss my wounds when I would fall down, they would read my sisters and I stories all the time, of princes saving their princesses from witches and beasts. Taryn had always loved such stories and though I enjoyed listening to them, it always felt stupid: waiting for a prince to come and save me.
Cardan POV
I open my coal black eyes, only to see Jude sitting on the blue chair beside the bed I lay upon, her hair sprawled across her shoulders.
"How long have I been here?", I ask.
"Two nights. One when you slept outside and the second when you were...well", she gestures toward me, her voice breaking slightly as she stands up, towering over me.
All of a sudden, I have this strong urge to take her into my arms. She took care of me, even when I am her greatest enemy.
No.
"I have to go", I say and make the grave mistake of pushing her when she tries to stop me. Ashamed of what I have done, I rush out of the room without any thank you's or apologies.
Jude POV
My blood is boiling with rage as I follow him to the living room.
"What do you want, huh?!", I can only see red as I push him, harder than he had pushed me.
"Don't mess with me, Duarte. You have defied me more than once. I can destroy you in a matter of seconds. This taunting is just the beginning. That push was nothing! Believe me, Jude, this is the least of what I can do".
"You are the one that shouldn't be messing with me, Cardan. You think you can humiliate me, control me? Let me tell you this: I am going to keep on defying you. I am going to shame you with my defiance. You remind me that I am a mere orphan and you are a Greenbriar. Well, let me remind you that means you have much to lose and I have nothing. You may win in the end, you may ensorcell me and hurt me and humiliate me, but I will make sure you lose everything I can take from you on the way down. I promise you this"-I throw his words back at him-" this is the least of what I can do"
Cardan looks at me as if he has never seen me this livid before. And maybe he hasn't.
I expect him to shout or laugh at me at best but...
Nothing.
He just stares at me, a fire burning in his eyes, a fire of fury, one that I started. He doesn't utter a word as he turns on his heel and storms out.
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Let me know if you wanna be tagged! Also, I will now on follow a policy of following back those who follow me, just to spread a bit of kindness!!
Jude has just returned from the mortal world and feels as if Cardan isn't giving her much attention so she tries to mess with him. Cardan doesn't like it.
🥰💖, 🌹
Nightmares:
Jude is back in Faerieland and is the High Queen but everyone has their own fears...
🥰💖, 🌹
∞∞∞∞∞∞
A Mortal Heart:-
Part 1:
Being the High Queen of Elfhame isn't as easy as Jude thought, not when she is a mortal ruling over the folk.
🥰💖, 🌹
∞∞∞∞∞∞
Highschool AU:-
Prologue:
Stupid alarm clock. Jude is late to class, only to witness her worst nightmare come true: Cardan, the person for whom she only feels hatred, is now her new partner in a school project.
🌹
Part 1:
Much to Jude’s annoyance and surprise, she and Cardan have been paired for a school project. Cardan’s feelings, on the other hand, continue to blossom when he arrives at Jude’s apartment only to witness something beyond his comprehension.
🥰😊, 🥰💖, 🌹
Part 2:
Attending a family dinner at Madoc's is the last thing Jude wants to do, not after she found out his little secret. Yet when she is forced to by Vivi, she is met with a surprise that makes her ponder over her feelings - especially those for Cardan.
🥰😊, 🥰💖, 🌹
Part 3:
Cardan is sick and as Jude takes care of him, he fights his feelings for her though he knows that even if he wins the battle, he may very well lose the war.
🥰💖 , 🌹
Part 4:
You may think the life of a Greenbriar is easy. That is, until you get a sneak peek at Cardan's point of view.
Summary: This part is more focused on Jude and her terms with her family. Now, she has to attend dinner with her family just cuz Vivienne forced her to. Cardan, on the other hand, hehehehe.
Warnings: Language
Masterlist
Prologue» Part 1» Part 3
Jude POV
I wake up to my buzzing phone as the sunlight peeks through the windows, making my eyes hurt.
I take a look at my phone, one eye slightly open, and am shocked to see about a hundred texts from Vivi. Without thinking, I open them.
Vivi: well today is the big day
Are u ready
I dont think ur considering your...
um...
history
btw i heard
u must feel sorry for urself
i mean Cardan isnt that bad but u guys working together
now that is smth worth watching
Jude?
u there?
Jude????????????????
hellooooooooooo earth to jude
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Her texts continue like this, from crazy spellings to wierd emojis. That is, until I reply.
Jude: ready for what?
Vivi: thank god u replied i thought u were dead or smth
Jude: no i am alive unfortunately
and again, ready for what?
Vivi: dont u remember
Oriana invited us to dinner and u cant say no cuz u already have thrice plus i cant cover up for u or make excuses for u
any longer
either u come or i am gonna drag u there
I groan into my pillows as I read Vivi's text.
Madoc's is the last place I want to go to. Not after I found out his secret. The only sane people left there are Oak and Vivi but if they found out what he had done, I am sure they wouldn't give him a chance either.
I still remember my mother's listless dead body covered in blood as it was being carried away. Her fingers had turned pale and her once beautiful warm eyes were now robbed of their colour and soul. All the life in her seem to have vanished into thin air.
I didn't get to see my father that day; his body had already been buried by the murderer, the one who was responsible for ruining my childhood. I didn't even remember their faces anymore.
Madoc and Oriana had been kind enough to take us into their care and I was thankful for that; I truly was but I hadn't known it was because of his guilt.
A I get ready for the horrible night ahead of me, my thoughts drift to Cardan and when he had me in his arms. I can still feel his gaze on mine and his warm hands caressing my back.
No. Stop.
This was Cardan fucking Greenbriar, the most popular jerk in school, the person who has been creating problems for me since day one. He would only take advantage of my weakness. I had to build myself a wall, not of brick but of iron. I had to protect myself. I just had to or else--
I would burn up like a match. Like the whole matchbook...
---------------
I get into Vivi's car and I notice a slight shadow of disappointment on her face.
" Heather can't make it, can she?", I say.
" No. it's not that"
"Then, what happened?"
" We kind of had a fight"
"Kind of?", I ask suspiciously.
"It was a stupid fight", she starts the engine as her amber eyes shift to me, "what the HELL?", her eyes bulge out as she yells, " you are wearing that?"
"Yes, I am. And you can't stop me", I say defensively, raising both hands and she starts driving.
No response.
Maybe she is too stressed to even talk.
The ride to Madoc's is silent. Neither of us say a word.
-------------------
The red brown door opens to reveal a masculine figure, one of his hands holding a cup of coffee--my foster father.
He is still the same, his amber eyes enough to make a man tremble. And I hate him.
I still remember Oriana's shrill voice filling the room as she had said, "why do you keep those children? They are a burden on us!". I was never Oriana's favourite child but...
Nothing could've prepared me for what Madoc said next, his tone filled with rage and guilt as he confessed, "Because I was the one who killed their parents!"
"I was the murderer", he repeated, his voice barely a whisper as he fisted his hair and closed his eyes as if refusing to accept the truth.
That was the last straw; I hadn't waited much longer before moving out.
None of my sisters were aware of the truth for it was enough to break them, enough to leave them completely shattered and I wouldn't ever accept such a thing. No. I wouldn't let my sisters pay the price for a crime someone else committed and I would go to whatever lengths to protect them, even if they didn't need protection, even if we had our differences.
I step into the house and before I can process what is going on, Oak is atop me, his hair tickling my cheeks. I pick him up, his arms around my neck as he giggles, dropping a kiss to my cheek.
For a brief moment, I feel as if all my worries have washed away, as if I was truly... happy.
But that is interrupted by Oriana as I close my eyes shut, fighting the boiling anger inside me.
"Oak, stay away. Don't jump like that. You'll get hurt and I wouldn't like my son to get hurt", she shouted from afar, running towards Oak, pulling him away from me.
Unable to keep my mouth shut, I snap at her, "He is my brother too, you know", before walking towards the kitchen to calm myself down before I throw another tantrum.
---------------------
My hand rests against the cool black marble of the kitchen slab as I say, "Don't even think about it."
I turn on my heel to lay my eyes upon his wicked face.
"I just wanted to say thank you", every word of his was a deceit as I walked towards him, one step at a time.
" I came here only for Oak and Vivi. So don't get ahead of yourself"
"Jude..."
"Don't bother asking. What you did was unforgiveable"
I strut out of the room, not once turning back to hear what Madoc had to say.
Enough. Let's get this dinner over with.
Just as I take my place on the dinner table, thinking this day couldn't get any worse, Taryn walks in and she is not alone.
Her arm is locked in with Locke's, their fingers entwined but it wasn't them who had left me perplexed: it was the figure behind them.
"Sorry I am late. I brought some friends too", she locks her gaze with mine as she gestures towards Cardan with one hand, "is that okay?"
Unable to contain myself, I throw my utensils on the wooden table and storm out of the house, not caring about the huge thud I make when the door slams behind me.
-----------------
Cardan POV
I leave dinner soon after Jude does. I shouldn't have listened to Locke; I know better than to trust him.
I find Jude standing outside on her terrace as she stares into the night sky and I can see the moon shining in the mirror of her gorgeous eyes. But it isn't the moon I am captivated by.
It's her.
Her hair is now a light brown and her features enhance as she stands in the moonlight, eyes closed against the wind.
I know it isn't right to follow her to her house, I know it isn't right to be staring at her like that but I just... can't stop.
Gosh.
------------------
Jude POV
I am standing on the balcony, breathing in the chill mists, digging them deep into my lungs as I hear footsteps behind me and before I know it, my fist is against Cardan's jaw.
Funny. I don't remember deciding to punch him.
"Aah", he groans in pain, his jaw now turning red, "what the hell is wrong with you? I mean, you are generally a psychopath but... aah...", he exclaims, grabbing his jaw as he turns to look at me.
I should feel sorry. I punched him without reason but...
"Are you laughing?"
"You... you", I try to catch my breath as he comes to stand beside me.
"Quit it, Jude."
I laugh and I laugh and I laugh. I can't stop.
It had been so long, so long since I had laughed like this, since I had actually, genuinely laughed. And it felt amazing. It was euphoria, something that hadn't been in my life for quite some time now.
My hand coils around the cool black railing as I finally stop, though I can't stop smiling.
"Bitch."
"Suck my dick, you asshole."
"Oh, so you have a dick too", he mocks
"Yep. Much bigger than yours", I return with a vulgar gesture.
There's a short pause, a peaceful pause filled with the chirping of birds and the crickets singing their with their euphonious voices until I say, a smile plastered on my face, " I hit you pretty hard, didn't I?"
"Hard? You broke my face!"
"Oh, stop whining."
"That is the third one this week!"
"The first one was because you pushed me into a pool. The second one was because you asked, no, tried to force me into backing down from the fencing competition, in which you failed miserably by the way, and the third..."
"You punched me without reason this time, Jude", he argues, raising one finger.
"You were standing behind me like a creep!"
To that, he shakes his head in question as if trying to prove me wrong.
"Self defense, Cardan", I explain to him, taking a sip of my coffee whilst clutching onto my black cardigan. "By the way, how did you get in?"
"I will not tell you."
Idiot.
------------------------
Cardan POV
Stars above...
It was the first time I had seen her laugh. And that laugh...
I swear I felt my heart skip a beat when she started laughing. If it was possible to play that moment on repeat, I would've.
But love desire is a dangerous thing. It makes one weak.
I am not weak.
She hated me and I hated her. And that would never change. She had left dinner because of me and I, too, because of her.
She struggled with the water, black azure waves closing up to her waist. Her chestnut brown hair was now drenched in cold sweat as she panted and gasped for air, heavily exhausted with her bodily strength.
Her vision was now starting to betray her as a figure approached her. An enigmatic woman with blue hair wearing a sun-dipped dress decorated with pure white pearls all over her skirt appeared before her; the Princess of the Undersea herself.
But something wasn't right, something was off. Jude's vision started to blur as she noticed something twirling around Nicasia's neck.
"He was always mine. You're just... well", she chuckled, " you're just an entertainment"
Before Jude could make out something, the Undersea melted away to give shape a battlefield, or better yet a memory, the same memory that had been haunting Jude since the day it was created.
Her breath hitched with every passing second as she watched herself swing Nightfell through the serpent's neck. She waited for him, she waited for Cardan to come back, the same way he had before on that very same day, but nothing happened.
The sky was no longer a calming blue but was now blood red. There was no sign of life anywhere; no lush green lands, no soothing waves of the crystal blue sea.
Only death...
Her hazel brown eyes shifted to the dead serpent, its head swimming in a pool of its own blood, a pool made by Jude herself with no sign of Cardan anywhere.
She screamed on top of her lungs as she sank to her knees, not finding enough strength within her to face the music.
Her heart raced with time as she finally found the courage within her to finally open her eyes only to find herself draped in Cardan's arms, holding her tight.
" I'm sorry for waking you up. I am sorry I worried you", she said, her voice barely a whisper against his skin.
" Jude. I am your husband. Worrying comes with that title", he whispered as he kissed away the tears on her cheeks and added, "Now, tell me. What's bothering you?"
"You...you did not come back", she choked out as a sob rose in her voice.
It was the truth. She was never worried about Nicasia and her history with Cardan. She knew he never loved her, she knew he would never choose her, she knew that no matter what traps she would lay for him Cardan would always find a way out.
But this...
The fear of losing him never diminished.
She had just got him back. What ever would she do if she lost him again?
She hugged him as hard as she possibly could, her fingers digging into his back, perhaps to make sure this wasn't a cruel dream.
He stroked his fingers through her chestnut brown curls as he continued to kiss her, sweet and soft.
"Oh Jude", he pulled away just the slightest to look at her in the eye, to get lost in those big brown eyes of hers.
He loved her so much and watching her cry in her sleep like that just shattered his heart into a million pieces. Never had his wife looked so... broken.
This was Jude. This was Jude Duarte. She never broke. And yet, for the first time when she did, it was from the pain of losing him.
"The important thing is that I am here and I will always be here. You won't be able to get rid of me that easily"
To that, she nodded and Cardan could feel her smile against his bare shoulder as she snuggled up to him, her head buried in his neck and her hands pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat as she wished and prayed to whatever gods to stay in her husband's arms forever till the day she died.
The thought made her smile once again as she forgot about her nightmares and went into a deep slumber. He would never get tired of her smile. Never.
Let me know if you wanna be tagged! Also, I will now on follow a policy of following back those who follow me, just to spread a bit of kindness!!
She struggled with the water, black azure waves closing up to her waist. Her chestnut brown hair was now drenched in cold sweat as she panted and gasped for air, heavily exhausted with her bodily strength.
Her vision was now starting to betray her as a figure approached her. An enigmatic woman with blue hair wearing a sun-dipped dress decorated with pure white pearls all over her skirt appeared before her; the Princess of the Undersea herself.
But something wasn't right, something was off. Jude's vision started to blur as she noticed something twirling around Nicasia's neck.
"He was always mine. You're just... well", she chuckled, " you're just an entertainment"
Before Jude could make out something, the Undersea melted away to give shape a battlefield, or better yet a memory, the same memory that had been haunting Jude since the day it was created.
Her breath hitched with every passing second as she watched herself swing Nightfell through the serpent's neck. She waited for him, she waited for Cardan to come back, the same way he had before on that very same day, but nothing happened.
The sky was no longer a calming blue but was now blood red. There was no sign of life anywhere; no lush green lands, no soothing waves of the crystal blue sea.
Only death...
Her hazel brown eyes shifted to the dead serpent, its head swimming in a pool of its own blood, a pool made by Jude herself with no sign of Cardan anywhere.
She screamed on top of her lungs as she sank to her knees, not finding enough strength within her to face the music.
Her heart raced with time as she finally found the courage within her to finally open her eyes only to find herself draped in Cardan's arms, holding her tight.
" I'm sorry for waking you up. I am sorry I worried you", she said, her voice barely a whisper against his skin.
" Jude. I am your husband. Worrying comes with that title", he whispered as he kissed away the tears on her cheeks and added, "Now, tell me. What's bothering you?"
"You...you did not come back", she choked out as a sob rose in her voice.
It was the truth. She was never worried about Nicasia and her history with Cardan. She knew he never loved her, she knew he would never choose her, she knew that no matter what traps she would lay for him Cardan would always find a way out.
But this...
The fear of losing him never diminished.
She had just got him back. What ever would she do if she lost him again?
She hugged him as hard as she possibly could, her fingers digging into his back, perhaps to make sure this wasn't a cruel dream.
He stroked his fingers through her chestnut brown curls as he continued to kiss her, sweet and soft.
"Oh Jude", he pulled away just the slightest to look at her in the eye, to get lost in those big brown eyes of hers.
He loved her so much and watching her cry in her sleep like that just shattered his heart into a million pieces. Never had his wife looked so... broken.
This was Jude. This was Jude Duarte. She never broke. And yet, for the first time when she did, it was from the pain of losing him.
"The important thing is that I am here and I will always be here. You won't be able to get rid of me that easily"
To that, she nodded and Cardan could feel her smile against his bare shoulder as she snuggled up to him, her head buried in his neck and her hands pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat as she wished and prayed to whatever gods to stay in her husband's arms forever till the day she died.
The thought made her smile once again as she forgot about her nightmares and went into a deep slumber. He would never get tired of her smile. Never.
Let me know if you wanna be tagged! Also, I will now on follow a policy of following back those who follow me, just to spread a bit of kindness!!
She struggled with the water, black azure waves closing up to her waist. Her chestnut brown hair was now drenched in cold sweat as she panted and gasped for air, heavily exhausted with her bodily strength.
Her vision was now starting to betray her as a figure approached her. An enigmatic woman with blue hair wearing a sun-dipped dress decorated with pure white pearls all over her skirt appeared before her; the Princess of the Undersea herself.
But something wasn't right, something was off. Jude's vision started to blur as she noticed something twirling around Nicasia's neck.
"He was always mine. You're just... well", she chuckled, " you're just an entertainment"
Before Jude could make out something, the Undersea melted away to give shape a battlefield, or better yet a memory, the same memory that had been haunting Jude since the day it was created.
Her breath hitched with every passing second as she watched herself swing Nightfell through the serpent's neck. She waited for him, she waited for Cardan to come back, the same way he had before on that very same day, but nothing happened.
The sky was no longer a calming blue but was now blood red. There was no sign of life anywhere; no lush green lands, no soothing waves of the crystal blue sea.
Only death...
Her hazel brown eyes shifted to the dead serpent, its head swimming in a pool of its own blood, a pool made by Jude herself with no sign of Cardan anywhere.
She screamed on top of her lungs as she sank to her knees, not finding enough strength within her to face the music.
Her heart raced with time as she finally found the courage within her to finally open her eyes only to find herself draped in Cardan's arms, holding her tight.
" I'm sorry for waking you up. I am sorry I worried you", she said, her voice barely a whisper against his skin.
" Jude. I am your husband. Worrying comes with that title", he whispered as he kissed away the tears on her cheeks and added, "Now, tell me. What's bothering you?"
"You...you did not come back", she choked out as a sob rose in her voice.
It was the truth. She was never worried about Nicasia and her history with Cardan. She knew he never loved her, she knew he would never choose her, she knew that no matter what traps she would lay for him Cardan would always find a way out.
But this...
The fear of losing him never diminished.
She had just got him back. What ever would she do if she lost him again?
She hugged him as hard as she possibly could, her fingers digging into his back, perhaps to make sure this wasn't a cruel dream.
He stroked his fingers through her chestnut brown curls as he continued to kiss her, sweet and soft.
"Oh Jude", he pulled away just the slightest to look at her in the eye, to get lost in those big brown eyes of hers.
He loved her so much and watching her cry in her sleep like that just shattered his heart into a million pieces. Never had his wife looked so... broken.
This was Jude. This was Jude Duarte. She never broke. And yet, for the first time when she did, it was from the pain of losing him.
"The important thing is that I am here and I will always be here. You won't be able to get rid of me that easily"
To that, she nodded and Cardan could feel her smile against his bare shoulder as she snuggled up to him, her head buried in his neck and her hands pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat as she wished and prayed to whatever gods to stay in her husband's arms forever till the day she died.
The thought made her smile once again as she forgot about her nightmares and went into a deep slumber. He would never get tired of her smile. Never.
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