章節 18: 18- The Past...
"You left your room, why?" Her door opened and a rough voice spoke. The voice had startled Alexandra who had prepared to doze on her bed.
After being caught by Dominic badmouthing him, she immediately apologized and ran into the Mansion with Michael. After conveying courtesies with the rest of the people in Magnus's Mansion, Michael was then given room to rest.
Lexi gulped a little and shifted her gaze to the side.
"Oh…that, I wanted some fresh air- I mean I fell from my window. Gosh…my back would have been crushed if it wasn't for Michael." She nods her head at Dominic as if telling him to accept what she said.
"And the shredded curtains?" He referred to the ripped curtains on the ground. Shit! She had forgotten to conceal them.
"Rats! Yes, rats, I found a few in my room earlier today, and it was horrifying." By the look in his eyes she knows she shouldn't lie anymore, he already knows everything.
"I'm sorry I badmouthed you earlier, trust me it wasn't an intention. And I didn't know when you arrived."
"I wouldn't have known myself if my head was so deep in a man's voice." Alexandra redden. She didn't know he noticed. She didn't know how to defend herself, she just hoped Michael didn't notice.
Dominic peered at Alexandra, he wasn't angry she had badmouthed him earlier, he was just a little angry at her for being close to Michael.
He knew she had a crush on Michael, but she was betrothed.
He didn't move from the door, "Prepare yourself, tomorrow you'll be having an important guest, your betrothed will be stopping by tomorrow." He peeled his gaze from her, "And try to keep those lovesick looks away, getting him insecure and jealous would only quicken the marriage process." He told her, without glancing at her, he left.
Lexi sought relief. She didn't want to marry someone she didn't like, she had set her heart on Michael for a long time and just a few years back she was notified about a betrothed. She would be lying if she said she hadn't thought of eloping, but she didn't know how Michael felt about her, she just hoped it wasn't one-sided.
__________
Inside an active market In Verian kingdom
Mildred glanced down at the money she had left, it wouldn't last her two days. She needed shelter and as well food. The little food she had had to be allotted into two parts for her and her horse.
She scrutinized and contemplated on how the people interacted, she was new here and she had to know a few of their ways.
"Excuse me, Miss, are you lost?" Mildred looked up to see a man standing before her, she had no idea when he got there.
"Huh…no." She shook her head. She observed the man for a moment, with deep blue eyes, black hair, and a brown coat. He looks rich.
"But it seemed so. It'll start pouring in a little while, you should better find yourself a shelter." He said to which she bent her head, she could still feel his eyes on her. "And I know of an inn not far away, and it's also cheap." Mildred weighed the offer, she could use a cheap inn right now. So she nodded at him, and a bright smile appeared on his lips, mystifying her.
"By the way, I'm Simon, Simon Cian." he introduced himself, and he extended his hand towards her for a handshake.
"Mildred," she accepted the handshake. She turned towards her horse and released his rein from where it was tied. She held the reins and followed Simon.
Simon could still feel her soft palm on his, it was so soft that he almost forgot to release her hand. He raised his palm closer to his nose and sniffed, wow, it smelt nice.
"Being with Dominus's puppet for too long has turned you into a pussy," the mocking voice came from Forsyth, he was sitting at the top of an apple tree with an apple in his hand.
He wasn't close to them, the apple tree was distant, but due to their proficiency, they could hear each other.
"Being clogged for hundreds of years has eradicated your brain," Simon mumbled softly, he didn't want Mildred to hear what he was saying.
Forsyth cackled, he jumped down from the apple tree with ease, "You have no idea how ruined my brain is, it's so doomed that killing her wouldn't take a second."
"Leave her alone, Forsyth, she's innocent." Simon asserted, he was slowly becoming angry but he wouldn't let it show, not in front of Mildred.
"Innocent?" He raised his eyebrows, and the smirk on his lips vanished and was replaced with a scowl and hatred. "Was she innocent when she drove a stake Into my chest to try to end me? or was she innocent when she deceived me and my brothers and had us latched?" His eyes vary from red to black, and he quickly shut his eyes and took deep breaths. He didn't want to lose control.
Simon stopped walking.
"Is anything the problem?" Mildred asked, her eyes were clear and innocent.
Simon shook his head, "No, something just came into my mind. Let's go." He said and they waddled away.
_______
[The year 1742] The past…
A lady dressed in a white brownish gown with a tray of food in her hand walked into the crown prince's room, she was sweating and shivering a little since she was scared. She was new but had already heard rumors about the crown prince and the other three other princes.
Since she was afraid she had erroneously neglected to knock.
"What gave you such effrontery?" The sharp voice In the room startled her and the tray almost fell from her grip. Her eyes looked up at who spoke. It was the crown prince.
"I'm sorry, My prince, I didn't mean to enter," Seeing the scared kitten in front of him his anger disappeared. The prince observed the girl a little, waist-length black hair, black eyes with tanned skin. She was pretty.
"I'm not hungry, leave." His fierce voice brought tears to her eyes but she blinked them away. Stooping to him she exited the room. As she left the room the tears she had been holding started pouring. His acerbity wasn't the bringer of tears in her eyes, she was just too scared. What if he had killed her for being disrespectful?
"Marleen, what happened?" Ava, the only friend she had in the palace asked. Ava was nineteen while she was seventeen. She was hired in the palace a few days ago, whereas Ava had been hired for a week now.
"I…I entered without knocking first…" she took in deep breaths to calm herself.
Ava placed her hand on her head and ruffled her hair, "Don't worry, you're lucky your mistake was little, I did far worse when I served the king for the first time." Ava's soothing words made her feel a little better.
[End of flashback]
[Note; Flashbacks would be frequent in the following chapters, this flashback is about Mildred and Forsyth, Alexandra and Dominic.]
_____
"The inn is cold." Mildred pointed out, her hands had slowly found their way to his upper arm as they caressed it. The inn looks deserted with just a young lady living in it.
"That's because of the weather, don't worry you'd get used to it," Simon assured.
"You can stay for as long as you want, it gets tiring and boring living here all by myself." Said the young lady. The lady was the owner of the inn.
"No siblings or children?" Mildred asked, her eyes looking at Simon and the woman as the both of them shared a look.
"None I can say at the moment." Mildred didn't catch the meaning of the word the lady said as she nodded her head.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Cian, you're godsent." She thanked him, but her eyes left Simon too soon and peered at the lady because she had missed seeing his raised eyebrows.
"I should probably go to bed, I feel dizzy," she yawned. She didn't know why but her head suddenly was feeling light. She had been shown to her room earlier so she left Simon and the lady.
Simon stared at her until she was out of sight.
"How much was the dosage?" His eyes snapped at the lady.
"2.5 of the bottle." She replied, "How long is she staying?" She asked.
"A short while, Dominus wants her in the Magnus's Mansion, and Forsyth is set on ending her." Simon dips his hand into his coat, "I can't put this on her but you can," he handed a necklace to her, the necklace had a mini crow statue on the pendant.
The young lady transforms into an elderly woman.
"You're giving her the enchanted necklace, aren't you afraid she'll use it against you?" The lady asked, her hand caressing the necklace, by the look on her face one could tell the necklace held memories.
Simon stayed unbothered about the question, "She would ask about our connection, later on, tell her we're just friends," his voice was cold.
A pained look passed the woman's eyes, but she brushed it away and smiled, "Yeah I know, after all, she wouldn't believe such a young lady could be the mother of a grown man."
Simon stood up from his seat, "I should get going, watch out for Forsyth, he's three times more dangerous than he was decades ago." He said to the woman, without giving her a chance to speak he left.
______
Outside the inn…
Simon takes in deep breaths, he wasn't one to get emotional easily, but it was painful to see his mother and not acknowledge her. After growing up all alone with his father, he learned to be heartless. He knew deep down he wasn't completely heartless because he was determined to find his mother, but the last thread of humanity left in him vanished after he found out his mother had left him for dead after realizing he was physically blind.
Yes, he was blind, but he sees far better than anybody. None of his parents or grandparents, not even his greatgrands had blue eyes. It was declared to be a curse by the gods while some said he was an evil child, this had made his mother ashamed and she left.
"Getting emotional doesn't fit you, Simon, What's it? Mummy issues?" The taunting voice of Forsyth made him snap off his thoughts. From the corner of his eyes, he glared at him.
"It's none of your business." Simon snorted at him, he walked past him and headed for his horse.
"I never knew you rode on a horse, Simon, it must seem foreign to 'ye," Forsyth snickered as he walked closer to him with two apples in his hand, "I got to say, these apples sure do taste delicious, wanna have a taste?" He threw one of the apples at Simon but the apple vanished before it could get to Simon and reappeared behind Forsyth and hit his back.
"Wow, good reflex," he didn't appear angry the apple had hit him, "Let's see if your reflexes are that 'good'" He threw the half-eaten apple at Simon, and again it vanished before it could get to Simon and reappeared at Forsyth's back, but this time it didn't hit Forsyth, it just stayed frozen at his back while three apples appeared out of nowhere and hit Simon.
"Don't be discouraged, you should be practicing rather than being Dominus' loyal puppet." He mocked.
"And what's this thing I'm hearing about, Dominus being a protector of a little birdy, who would have thought that?" He sniggered and walked closer to Simon, "It's the girl, isn't it, Bernard's girl. She's the one that possesses the Ginnak," by the look on Simon's face Forsyth knew he didn't know.
"And here I thought you were his best friend even though you're still his puppet, but guess I was wrong."
"He isn't aware she possesses the Ginnak, if he had known he wouldn't have hidden it." Simon defended.
Forsyth raised his eyebrow at him, he caressed his beardless jaw, "Then you know nothing about Dominus. Do you know why he was given king years ago, even when he wasn't a part of the royal bloodline? It was because of who he is." He looked at his watchless wrist,
"Oh well, I need to run, have a party to attend." He said with a cocky smile on his lips. "Can I borrow your horse for a second, I'm so hungry from talking and my feet are aching," Without waiting for a reply he hopped onto the horse and mounted it away.
-- 收到的禮物