The Third Prince Of Darkness

Luciana's astonishment only grew as she stared into my eyes. She had never expected my kiss and was utterly unprepared. To be fair, no mother could ever be ready for such a situation. Realizing the intense fire in my gaze, her surprise deepened, and she swallowed involuntarily.

"Ethan… What do you think you're doing? I'm your mother," she said, but her voice was softer this time.

I ran my hands through her silver hair, but I noticed how even the smallest of my movements elicited a reaction from her. "I know. You are my mother… and the woman I love in this world."

Her eyes widened further at my confession, her shock evident. "No, that's not true… You're only saying this because you're hurt… You're not in your right mind," she said, shaking her head vigorously, as if trying to convince herself more than me.

"Mother, I love you. I've kept this hidden from you for so long, but I can't anymore. Since I returned from the academy, my life has been in danger several times. In those moments, one realizes who truly matters in life..."

Luciana's expression grew more desperate as my words sank in. She raised her hands to my mouth, covering it with her small palms. "Please stop, Ethan. Just shut up... I don't want to lose you," she said, her eyes filling with tears.

While incestuous relationships weren't entirely taboo in this world, they weren't widely accepted either. Especially a relationship between a mother and son—it was both more unique and more tolerable in some circles. Luciana hadn't been born into a wealthy family. Her childhood had likely been spent among ordinary people who criticized the nobles' immoral relationships.

I gently took her delicate hands in mine and continued speaking. "Lucy... Holding your lifeless body in my arms, with tears streaming down my face after so many years... It was then that I truly understood my feelings for you and don't want to lose you. I want to keep you by my side. I want to wake up to your scent and fall asleep in your warmth. I don't care how immoral or perverse it might seem—I love you."

Tears began to roll down Luciana's cheeks. Her trembling lips betrayed the storm within her. Yet in her eyes, there was both condemnation and a deep affection. These conflicting emotions only grew more intense with every second she looked at me helplessly.

"Ethan, what you're saying cannot be true," she said, her voice shaky and weak. "This is just confusion. You mustn't think about it again..."

I stepped closer, placing my hands on her fragile shoulders, locking eyes with her. "Confusion? Mother, every moment I think of you, my heart clings tighter to these feelings. This isn't confusion. These emotions have grown inside me for years. Instead of suppressing them, now I've chosen to embrace them."

Luciana tried to slip away from under my hands, but it was a feeble effort. Even she didn't seem certain of what she wanted. I cupped her face in my hands, gently lifting her head to meet my gaze once more.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Ethan, this relationship would destroy both of us," Luciana whispered, her words barely audible, her eyes still fixed on mine. "As a mother, I have duties to protect you. These feelings are wrong. I can't let you lose your way."

"Mom, from now on, our relationship will never be the same, and we will no longer be a normal mother and son. It's time to decide: either we grow closer than ever, or we become colder toward each other than ever before. If you choose the first option, I promise everything will get better. But if you choose the second, every time you see me, you'll remember my intense confession. And I'll remember this hurtful day when you rejected me. We'll never treat each other the same way again."

Luciana averted her gaze, taking a deep breath. Her inner turmoil was tearing her apart; every line on her face told the story of the battle raging within her mind. She placed her hands on my chest, gently pushing me, though there was no real strength behind it. When she looked back at me, tears streamed down her face.

"Ethan, I never wanted things to go this far," she said, her voice trembling. "But you're right. Nothing will ever be the same again. I'll remember what you said today every time I see you. But that doesn't mean I won't do what's right."

"What is right, Mother?" I asked, my voice a mixture of impatience and desperation. "In this world, everyone creates their own sense of right. We don't have to follow the rules imposed on us. We can choose our own lives, our own happiness."

Luciana stepped back, clasping her trembling hands together and lowering her head. She remained silent for a moment before slowly raising her head to look at me with a sorrowful yet resolute expression.

"Ethan, I love you. More than anything and anyone. But this love must remain that of a mother for her child. I have to reject you because it's the best thing for both of us," she said, her voice cracking.

Her words struck my heart like a dagger. Yet I maintained the resolve in my gaze as I took a step closer to her. "Is that truly what you want, Mother? Is suppressing something that deeply affects your heart the right thing to do?" I asked.

Luciana's lips quivered, more tears falling from her eyes. For a moment, I saw hesitation in her gaze. But then she took a deep breath, regaining her composure.

"No, Ethan. I don't think it's the right thing," she said, her voice slightly rising. "But I have to do it. To protect you. To protect myself. And most importantly, to preserve the bond we share."

Her words created a deep emptiness inside me. Yet when I saw her determination, I knew pressing further was pointless. I remained silent for a moment, then bowed my head slightly and stepped back.

"Alright, Mother," I said, my voice heavy with exhaustion. "I'll accept your decision. But know this: I will always love you, and my feelings will never change."

Luciana took a shaky breath, wiping her tears. Then she quickly left the room. As I stared after her, complex emotions consumed me. This battle was not over, it had only been postponed. But I knew that a seed of doubt had been planted in Luciana's heart, a seed that would grow over time and perhaps one day lead her to accept the true nature of the forbidden bond between us.

After Luciana left the room, I sat in silence for a long time. In the deep stillness of the room, the only sound was the frantic beating of my heart. But the fire in my eyes hadn't faded; I had seen the indecision, and a hidden passion within her. Luciana's words tried to deny her feelings, but her eyes and trembling hands couldn't conceal the truth.

The next morning, my desire to see Luciana had become unbearable. The sun had just risen, and the cool morning air filled my room. Before setting out to see her again, I formulated my plan in my mind. This couldn't just be a confession. I had to stir the doubt in her heart, reach the depths of her emotions.

I found Luciana in the garden. Her silver hair shimmered in the morning sun, casting everything around her into shadow with her elegance. Yet there was unease in her gaze. As I approached, she quickly turned her head, freezing in place when she saw me.

"Ethan, you shouldn't be here," she said, her voice trying to sound firm, but the unease was unmistakable.

"Do you not want to see me anymore? Do you hate me that much?" I said, the slight hurt in my voice evident.

The stern expression on Luciana's face softened almost instantly. Her gaze seemed to probe the depth of my words. The familiar glint of affection returned to her eyes, but this time it was intertwined with a mix of guilt and sorrow. Her lips parted, but as she tried to speak, no sound came out. For a moment, she stood still, as if she didn't know what to say or do.

"Ethan... No... I couldn't possibly not want to see you," she finally said, her voice low and shaky. "Hating you... That's impossible. But..."

At the word "but," her eyes filled with tears, and her voice began to tremble. Folding her hands over her chest, she struggled to contend with her inner turmoil.

"You are my son. My everything. I love you more than anything in this world," she said, letting a few tears fall unchecked. "But this love... it mustn't be misunderstood. My love for you was always meant to be the pure love of a mother for her child. It always should have been. But now... I feel something changing in my heart, and it scares me."

The despair in Luciana's voice echoed heavily in my heart. I took a step closer to her, locking my eyes onto her tear-filled gaze. "Mother, don't let these feelings frighten you. In this world, people do all sorts of things to get what they want. Our feelings are just as pure and real as anyone else's... And trying to suppress them will only hurt us more. Try to release your emotions for once, just a jez"

Luciana remained silent for a while, but the silence betrayed the storm raging in her mind. Finally, with trembling hands, she placed them around my neck and slightly lowered her head. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to stifle her sobs.

"Ethan... I'm so afraid of losing you. If I give in to these feelings, we could ruin everything." After those words she hugged me gently and at that moment I felt as if there was almost no strength left in her arms.

Placing my hands gently on her delicate waist, I moved even closer to her. "Ruin everything? No. I promise you, together we can make everything better. Just trust me, Mom. Believe in yourself and in us."

Luciana's lips quivered, but her eyes locked onto mine for a moment. She looked so fragile, unable to hide her indecision and emotions. At that moment, I realized her love was overcoming her restraint. Slowly lowering her head, and put her soft head on my chest. she whispered softly,

"Ethan... I love you more than anything.... more than everything and everyone, but... but I don't know if this is right. Yet I'm so tired of denying these feelings, and my heart can never reject you."

I could hear her sobbing when she said those words and soon my shirt was soaked with her tears.