Yes, My Alpha: Mother of an Empire

Chapter 24

The afternoon sun hung over them with burning fury, sweat trickled down Ophelia and Darius's faces. The humidity from the air alone made them feel like they were being baked alive. After spending several months up north, both of them had gotten used to the cooler temperatures. This sudden heat wave made it seem like it was much hotter than it truly was.

Not walking along the roads for safety, Ophelia and Darius manage to locate part of the river that the current imperial camp was settled near. While the end they were on was more of a stream. The New Castle River was hard to mistake for others due to its darkly colored green riverbed and its clear waters.

"So all we have to do now is just follow this back?" Ophelia was impressed when they stumbled upon it. "Yeah," Darius responded still holding on to her as she carried him. "That's amazing." Ophelia complimented honestly, "I told you, I have an excellent sense of direction Reeds." Darius was smug as he climbed off her back. The weather was still good and the ground was nice and solid. The two of them settled down next to the river deciding to make a temporary camp to rest. A small fire was made and a pot of water boiled.

Ophelia sat behind Darius taking his tunic off to check his bandages. She sighed in relief when she saw that despite the clear irritation everything still looked fine. It was leaking fluids a bit but... While gross it was normal. Taking a cloth and dipping it into the water she carefully wiped around Darius's side. He sat there allowing Ophelia to treat him quietly.

"Am I pressing too hard?" Ophelia questioned, "No." Darius replied, "I'll let you know." Darius added after a moment. Once he was clean, she opened her bag pulled out her roll of bandages, and rebandaged Darius's side. "You haven't talked about your past Reeds." Darius spoke up, "What do you want to know?" Ophelia replied, "Everything." Darius stated once again, Ophelia looked at him curious if he really did want to know everything about her.

"I suppose it's only right to start at what I can first remember then." Ophelia let out a soft sigh, "I can't remember anything before washing up on the river banks of the church." Ophelia confessed, Darius turned to look at her. "Sister Diana said I was covered in wounds clinging to life with reeds in my hands desperate to not be swept away by the current." Ophelia explained, "I'm not even sure how old I am. Sister Diana always said I looked thirteen but I could be younger or older." Ophelia shrugged.

She finished bandaging Darius and he turned to face her, "How many years did you live there?" Darius asked, "Twelve I want to say? The days seemed to blur together. It could be a little less or more than that. I know I worked as a woodsman for ten years, the church stopped supporting me around the time I was fifteen or sixteen." Ophelia explained, Darius stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. "Who was Sister Diana?" Darius seemed to pick up on the past tense language Ophelia used.

Ophelia went silent thinking of the old woman, and a small smile appeared on her lips. "She was an old hag." Ophelia said affectionately, "I was with her until the end." Ophelia said softly. Darius placed a hand on Ophelia's cheek. "I can't even remember what she looked like now." Ophelia remarked casually as if talking about the weather. "But... I don't think I'll forget her yelling at me." Ophelia chuckled, "I was always Miss Reeds never Ophelia." She said softly. "I gave her hell for so many years." Ophelia chuckled to herself.

"Did something happen to Sister Diana?" Darius asked it seemed he suspected foul play, not that Ophelia could blame him. All she ever did was talk terribly about the church. "No, she was just old, she got sick and just never got better. I was the only one willing to take care of her, I didn't see much of a reason to talk after she passed." Darius smiled slightly, "You had no one to argue with." He teased. Ophelia leaned down pressing her forehead against his, she didn't even fight against the accusation. In a lot of ways Darius was right, Ophelia had no one to argue with...

"I do now." She spoke softly, Darius smiled sweetly at her, an endearing smile was on his lips. "Anytime Reeds." He spoke challengingly, Ophelia chuckled kissing his forehead. Darius went to kiss her on the lips when his stomach growled. Rather than being embarrassed Darius looked down at himself and then at Ophelia. "I'm hungry Reeds," he said teasingly. His voice was purposely whiny, Ophelia winced hating the noise but didn't say anything as she pulled away.

She stood up dusting herself off before walking over to the stream, kicking off her boots she rolled up her pant legs and waded into the water. "What are you doing?" Darius asked sitting on the bank of the stream. "Getting food," Ophelia replied, getting an idea. She slipped off her tunic throwing it at Darius before putting her hair up in a bun. She glanced over at Darius who pulled the tunic off his head looking angry before she saw a pink tint on his cheeks.

"How about dinner and a show?" Ophelia teased, "Reeds don't do this to me." Darius begged helplessly, Ophelia laughed in response. "I just didn't want to get my tunic wet," Ophelia told Darius as she looked down at the water. Seeing movement she jabbed her hand into the water pulling out a fish. "What the hell?!" Darius exclaimed as Ophelia held the fish by the tail. "What?" Ophelia asked cluelessly, "Did they teach you that at the church?" Darius looked exasperated. "No." Ophelia furrowed her brows. "Lionel taught me." Ophelia looked over at the flopping fish in her hand.

Darius pinched the bridge of his nose, "Of course he did." Darius sighed, Ophelia deciding the fish was big enough for both of them trudged out of the water before smacking it against a nearby rock. A crack was heard and Ophelia was satisfied that it was dead. She looked over at Darius who had a stunned expression on his face. "What?" Ophelia questioned, Darius looked away and she spotted his ears were bright red.

Sputtering a bit Ophelia laughed unable to help herself, picking up her boots she walked back over to Darius who was sitting on her coat. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. His cheeks were red, Ophelia felt her gaze soften. He was cute... "It's alright commander." She said softly. "It's not fair that I'm injured." Darius huffed looking furious, Ophelia sighed shaking her head.

"Keep that up and you'll end up with an heir before the first stone of empire is laid." Ophelia joked, Darius looked over at her raising his eyebrows. "Is that a challenge?" He asked with a playful tone. "A warning commander." Ophelia felt her cheeks burning. Darius smirked at her, "I don't respond well to threats Reeds." he teased, "Commander." Ophelia scolded. "I'm kidding!" Darius held his hands up in front of him, "I've been taking care of that." Darius waved her off, and Ophelia sighed in relief. "Don't worry Reeds, the battlefield is no place for a child," Darius spoke in a relaxed tone.

Ophelia watched in real time a dangerous expression form on Darius's face as he stared off into the distance he then snapped his eyes in her direction. Without thinking Ophelia flinched feeling instinctively she might be in trouble. "Commander?" She asked, "You don't have any children do you?" he asked suddenly, Ophelia sat there stunned by the sudden question. "No." She replied, Darius's furious expression relaxed almost instantly. "Good." He replied looking pleased, Ophelia relaxed and turned to the fire focusing on cooking the fish.

Suddenly feeling murderous intent she froze, "Commander...?" Ophelia asked as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have anyone waiting on you back in Flat Trench right? A boyfriend? A girlfriend? A spouse?" Darius asked lowly, Ophelia was surprised he bothered remembering her village's name. "No, Sister Diana was the only one I cared about back there," Ophelia spoke carefully slowly turning her head. She looked at Darius who seemed pleased with her response.

He then sat back down looking a bit more pleased. Ophelia let out a soft breath of relief, turning back to the fish. "Reeds." Darius called her name, Ophelia flinched again, "Yeah?" She asked turning around. "Is the fish done?" Darius asked with a smile on his lips. Ophelia glared, the little snake just loved to mess with her.