FLAMMA
Author:© WebNovel
1.
Grey-emerald eyes stare blankly out the window of the moving carriage. Said eyes are trained on the visible, but dim, moons up in the luminous blue sky. For what feels like the one hundredth time, she sighs under her breath again.
Getting betrothed, at the age of fifteen no less, was never on her to do list. Today of all days; on her parents’ death anniversary no less.
‘Betrothal… what a fancy word for slave trade.’ The teen snorts under her breath, rolling her eyes internally. Her parents just had to die and leave her with her gold digging family. How splendid. ‘By the Goddess, I wish I was born a magi like Liliane. I would have placed them six feet under a long time ago. Honestly, I wish they died that day.’
“Eaelra!”
Leona snaps out of her dark thoughts, coming back to the present due to how shrill her grandmother’s annoying voice is. Goddess below, how she loathes the old hag.
“Yes, grandmother?” She drawls in a monotonous voice, her lips tilted in a faux, disarmingly smile. Her face is blank and stoic as usual, and her grey-green eyes as luminescent as ever; blank, cold sharp and filled with intelligence. Eyes that were currently boring into the two before her, making them shiver slightly.
“Did you listen to any word I just said?” Lady Marbethta asks with a silky tone, eyes narrowed in irritation at her granddaughter.
“Forgive me grandmother. I was… distracted.” With the thoughts of you two’s long overdue demise. “One tends to be distracted when someone drones on and on about something unimportant. And it’s Leona, grandmother. If that isn’t fancy enough for you, you can use my other name, given to me by my parents. It’s frankly too early for you to go senile.”
“I will call you whatever I please child. No grandchild of mine will bear such distasteful names as Leona or Adreana. It doesn’t suit the heir of the Vermillion family. And to make matters worse, both names are linked to the accursed Zodoren Empire and that just won’t do.” The Vermillion matriarch sneers out, tone sharp and authoritative, leaving no room for argument. But sadly, her granddaughter isn’t one to be easily intimated. Leona just cocks an unimpressed brow at her, facial expression blank.
“For the one hundredth time, Lady Marbethta, my names have zero links to the Zodoren Empire. Leona is a name gotten from ‘Leo’, which is an astrological sign connected to the son of the Gods. Adreana is a Mithraian name simply meaning ‘dark’. And seeing as the color of my hair is pitch black, I would say that suits me to the dot.”
The teen flaps her waist length hair backwards, making sure that her disobedient front strands don’t obstruct her view.
“It’s only the weak minded and gullible ones that will eat up whatever the Church of Zaelri throws them, without even finding out if it’s true or not. It’s honestly moronic that a glorious name like mine linked to that Empire.” She scoffs. “And even if it were so, my mother was a direct descendant from a Zodoren family, and so am I. Still, mother dislike the empire. I mean, who wouldn’t?”
She raises a questioning hand, giving a light shrug before bringing it down.
“The empire brought a four hundred years period of war, suffering, death and destruction upon Vaelera. But fortunately, that was a thousand plus years ago. It’s bound to get tiring to have them on your hate list.” She gives a dismissive wave. “Anyway, you can’t change my name or do anything about them. They were given to me by my parents and they will remain the way they are: unchanged by anyone.” She finishes, tone indifferent.
“Gu- gullible?!” Her grandmother sputters out.
With the long statement she made, that is the only thing the hag caught on? Seriously?
“Did I perchance stutter, grandmother?” Leona asks with casual boredom, making an emphasis on the ‘grand’.
Marbethta grits her teeth in irritation, the grip on her handkerchief tightening. It takes all of her will power not to slap the cheekiness and audacity out of the teen before her. But knowing her granddaughter, it will only make the girl more unpredictable, and she really, really didn’t want any drama to befall them while they were dining with their, hopefully, in-laws.
The matriarch blames her late son for the way his daughter currently behaves. He and that daemonitch he called a wife. They encouraged the girl to think like an adult at an early stage; home schooled her themselves, allowed her to have access to every book found in their library – books not meant for children. They were the ones who gave her free reign and allowed her to grow wings at an early age. The child even had the audacity to say that she wasn’t interested in marriage. Oh, the matriarch still remembers that day.
The extended family were gathered together for Zalrar’s Day, as usual. It was the first time – since he got married to the Zodorenian – that Cadmus decided to accept their invitation. He came with his wife and daughter, as well with his wife’s new ward. Marie, her daughter-in-law and her second son’s wife, asked the parents if they have found someone they wanted to betrothed their daughter to.
The child – age five then – spoke up, without permission from the adults, and loudly proclaimed that she wasn’t interested in marriage; not now, not ever. She proudly stated that she was going to be single forever and become a scholar. She haughtily said that a husband will only slow her down, and she would rather go back into her mother’s womb than marrying some stupid man, made of an incestuous copulation no less.
Everyone – except for her parents, the Ward, and a young Raemon – looked at the child in shock. A deep silence came upon them and the child just went back to eating. Marbethta, face red in indignation, opened her mouth to scold the child, but was interrupted by Adriane, who praised the girl for such decision. Her son even joined in and said he would make her dream come true.
It was then that Marbethta really knew that Adriane had casted a spell on Cadmus, because the Cadmus she knew, her real son, would be the first person to admonish his daughter.
Marbethta heaved a sigh of relief when the couple died. She was, and still is, happy that Adriane was dead. But that happiness was contrasted with the sorrow and anguish she remembers that Cadmus, and 95% of the Vermillion family, died that day. Her son died a slave, and she couldn’t do anything about it. But she can and will do something about her granddaughter. There was no way in hell that she will turn out to be like her mother.
Marbethta inhales and exhales slowly, mentally asking Zaelri for patience. At the same time, she curses her son for putting her in this position. If only his bloody will didn’t state that Leona will inherit everything after his death, her second son, Caelum, would have been the new Vermilion Lord after his demise.
Cadmus changed the family will completely, and now the line of succession was only meant for the Lord’s child, irrespective of their sex. This made Leona the first female to become the head of the Vermilion family when she comes of age.
Oh, Marbethta could see all the previous family heads rolling in their graves all over again.
The woman and the rest of the family got the shock of their lives when the family lawyer informed them about the will. And to add insult to injury, they couldn’t access the main family vault without the permission of Leona, and they wouldn’t be given their share of what Cadmus owned until Leona was of age or married.
Marbethta was beyond enraged – and still is – by the statement of the will. Not only did her son went behind their backs in making such decisions without consulting her or his brother, he also left everything into the hand of his child, to do whatever she please when she comes of age. And by the Zaelri did she rub that in their faces. She makes it well known to them with a monotonous voice when their hands get twitchy or they angered her. The girl has certain attributes of her mother – that was pretty clear, even to a blind man.
But Marbethta was glad that the couple weren’t able to complete the will. If they had did, things would have been worse by now. Their inability to complete it created some loopholes. And Marbethta sure as hell made use of them.
The will didn’t state which age the brat had to get married. And so, the matriarch decided to look for a suitable betroth for her grandchild. One that came from family of wealth and prestige and will be easy to control. And lucky, she found one. And nothing, absolutely nothing, will spoil her plans. Not even them.
Marbethta exhales once more before regaining her composure. Her face becomes stoic, much like her granddaughter’s, and she stares coldly at the girl.
Leona pouts internally when her grandmother didn’t fall for her trap. Oh well, she will try again later.
‘I see we have arrived.’ Leona huffs mentally as she saw the beginning of a flower part road.
“Apologize to mother, Eaelra.”
She peers over at her uncle, raising a questioning eyebrow at him.
“I beg your pardon?” And for the last time, her name is Leona, for Helma’s sake.
“You just insulted mother; your grandmother.”
“Did I now?” She sits up straight, no longer leaning against the inner wall of the carriage. She turns to face them fully.
“You just clearly called her senile!”
“Pray tell, did I truly?” Leona cocks up a perfectly plucked black brow, eyes alit with undetected mischief, and lips tilted in a mocking smirk. “All I did was ask if she was by chance losing touch of her memory, seeing as she called me by a totally different name.”
The teen lets out an amused huff whilst batting the air. “But wait, you two are the only ones who call me by the name Eaelra. Does that mean the senility is hereditary? Does that mean I’ll go senile at a young age? Hmm, I wonder.” She holds her chin and puts on a thinking posture.
“Now listen here girl.” Caelum grits out, a heavy sneer on his face. “You will talk to us and address us with respect. Remember that we own you and we can take everything from you.”
“Then why haven’t you?” Leona immediately asks. “Oh I know, because you can’t. You two can’t do anything and you know it. You are bloody powerless against my father’s will. You all are afraid of it. How pathetic.”
Leona snorts out, a cruel smirk on her lips.
“And respect? You’re talking about respect? You, the one who turns his wife into a painting of black and purple, like an untalented artist. Uncle, the day I start respecting you is the day someone might have placed a curse on me to look respectfully at a disgusting, wife beating, degenerate pig like you.”
Leona suddenly finds herself facing sideways, cheek stinging and hot. She gently places a hand on it, before using her tongue to poke at it internally.
“Caelum you idiot!” Lady Marbethta grabs her son’s shirt and drags him back down onto his seat. “You moron! How dare you hit her?! Are you out of your mind?! Do you want those two to rip you to pieces?!” She hisses at him.
Caelum freezes at that, his eyes becoming fearful. He gulps when he saw the smile on Leona’s lips. “Fuck...”
“How gentle of you, uncle. I’m sure that Liliane and Raemon will be quite pleased about this.” Leona lets out a deep chuckle, her smirk deadly and eyes sharpened.
To the dread of the other two, the rider announces that they have arrived at their destination; the carriage circling and then touching down on the ground moments later.
Before Marbethta could utter a word, Leona hurriedly opens the door and steps out. She seems to gild as she got out of the carriage, walking towards their awaiting hosts.
The two hurriedly gets out and rushes, albeit subtle, over to the teen. All the way, Leona bore an amused smirk and oozed smugness, which melts away for her usual stoic mask when the three of them got to the hearing vicinity of their hosts.
“Hello, and welcome to the Blackwater Manor.” A woman with skin tone a fine almond splashed with an eerily ethereal appearance and a regal aura addresses them.
She was dressed in a black and red high collared dress. From the chest to the waist of the dress was tight – making her well-endowed breasts to shoot out – and black, having rose and rose thorns embroidery.
From her shoulders to her wrists were clad with black net long and wide sleeves, which also had rose thorns embroidered on it. The skirt of the gown was equally black, with rose and rose thorns embroidery and covered her entire leg and feet.
The gown allowed the wearer to move freely. Her hair – which seems to be originally black but was turning a sharp sliver from the roots and had reached the middle of it – flowed on her back.
The near bottom of her hair was tied with a red ribbon; free tips of her hair almost kissing the tiled ground. She has some strands of hair fanning both sides of her face.
She wore a beautiful and elegant circlet, which has an emerald jewel centered in the middle of her forehead, bringing out the emerald green in her gold eyes.
“My name is Arkona Leora Blackwater. I am the Mistress of this house, and the current head of the Blackwater family. I thank you for accepting my invitation.” She inclines her head, her lips tilted in a faint smile.
“And we thank you for inviting us, Lady Blackwater.” Lady Marbethta replies with an incline of her own, while Caelum laid a hand on his chest and gave a small bow.
Arkona nods again, before turning to the man besides her. “Darling, why don’t you introduce yourself.”
The man gives an exasperated sigh before stepping forward. “Hello and welcome. My name is Aeron Zalix Blackwater; the heir to the Blackwater family. It’s nice to meet your acquaintances.” The man says in a bored and sullen tone, giving a small bow at the end of his introduction.
So, this is the heir of the Blackwater family. Leona couldn’t stop her eyes from going wide in awe and her breath hitching in her throat.
By the Gods, the teen is handsome. Hell, calling him handsome is downright insulting. The man is beautiful. And not only is his face attractive, his body is well built. Everything about him is just so… perfect.
Aeron stands at what Leona guess is 6’4, towering over everyone, including his mother – who’s an inches taller than her uncle. He has an androgynous face, making Leona feel as if she isn’t trying in the beauty department, and quite frankly, making her feel as if she was ugly.
His eyes are outwardly, being a dark brown – almost looking like a dark shade of red - with specks of his mother’s green. His hair is ash white in color, with a hint of blue mixed in. His skin tone is a warm mocha, outrivaling her own heavenly honey complexion.
When he spoke, by the Goddess, his voice, it made a shiver of want crawl down Leona’s spine. His body is clearly toned, and Leona could clearly see it through his clothing. But Leona wonders why his chest seems slightly bigger though. Oh well, it might just be that his pecs are well muscular.
Aeron has a regal air surrounding him like his mother, and his face is in a perfect stoic and emotionless mask.
Well, looks they are the same in the emotion aspect.
“We thank you for inviting us once again.” Marbethta says, a speck a blush on her cheeks. Looks like she wasn’t the only one affected by the Blackwater heir’s charms.
Eww. Just gross.
The thought of her cold and heartless grandmother giggling and blushing like a young maiden over a man younger than her makes Leona’s face to pinch slightly in disgust, her lips curling a little. She quickly composes her blank, stoic mask when she notices that the heir took notice of her reaction.
“It’s finally a pleasure to meet you both in person. I am Marbethta Grace Vermilion. This is my son Caelum Viktor Vermilion,” she gestures at her son, who inclines, before gesturing at Leona. “And this is my granddaughter Eae-“
“My names are Leona Adreana Vermilion - Redfyre.” Leona cuts her grandmother off, making the hag to turn red in indignation. “I am the heiress of the Vermilion family, and also the heiress of the extinct clan of the Redfyres. It is a pleasure to meet you both.” She gives a small curtsy at the two before her.
“Leona, you say?” Arkona queries with a faint smile. “I see you were named after Leo.”
“As were you.” Leona immediately retorts, not skipping a beat. Her grandmother and uncle just look on with horrified eyes.
Arkona lets out a light chuckle. “My, oh my, what fire you have raging in you. You’re the kind of woman I want my son to have as a life partner; one who can keep him on his toes.” She send a wink Leona’s way, making the teen to blink owlishly.
“I thought you wanted an in-law who will nag at me until my ears fall off. Or have you changed your mind, mother?” Aeron aches a questioning brow at his mother.
“Honestly, yes. I realized just in time that you don’t deal well with people who nag continuously. You are my son after all.” The Blackwater head give a light shrug, smile widening a little. She closes her eyes and lightly huffs through her nose. “And to be frank, you are worse than me in most areas.”
“Says the woman who made a family disappear for angering her.” Aeron snorts.
“They were annoying and you know it.”
Aeron snorts again, eyes twinkling dimly in amusement. “Whatever you say mother.” He drawls smoothly, a smirk on his lips.
The atmosphere becomes uncomfortable. Marbethta and Caelum glances at each other with alarmed looks.
“Oh my, how unprofessional of us.” Arkona abruptly speaks up, a hand on her chest and a small apologetic smile aimed at them. “We have made you all stand under this hot sun for long. Our apologies.”
“It’s no problem, my lady.” Caelum says with a light laugh, waving his hands dismissively.
‘Liar.’ Leona sniffs disdainfully at her uncle. If there’s one thing that her uncle hate the most it's women like Arkona being in power. And her being the head of the family make matters worse.
“Please, do come in. We’re currently preparing lunch. We are honored to have you dine with us.”
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone