"Come in"
Ophelia had answered in a nervous manner.
"I'm sorry I made you wait outside..." -She managed to speak without tense. This was such a nerve racking situation...why did she have to come in now?
"How are you feeling?"
The Duchess asked her in such a tone that she didn't seemed to be worried about how Ophelia felt, rather she seemed curious to know how Ophelia was handling the situation.
'Why is she asking me this? She isn't this type of woman at all....'
Ophelia couldn't help but wonder. The Duchess was indeed a beauty, she was one that had her own world and capable of getting whatever she wanted. But there was indeed something off about her.
Struggling to answer -Ophelia could only do the one thing she could. And like every ten year old kid should behave-
"Sniff,sniff....I..miss granny Mar...I'm s-sorry...sniff...I"
Tears formed in young Ophelia's eyes.
She had managed to cry in front of her, pretending to scratch her eyes to make them extra teary and her face red. She had to convince the Duchess and somehow suffice her with childish tears so that she wouldn't find her suspicious.
Despite the Duchess' beauty, she is a Marcias. And this made the Duchess' aura so sickly mysterious despite her charming impression.
"My...What a pitiful child you are~"
The Duchess commented upon seeing her reaction, her voice sounded sardonic and high pitched.
"~I hope you can catch some sleep tonight…huhu~ahem"
For a moment, Ophelia could not believe her eyes as they feasted upon the godly sight of the duchess...the Duchess had tried to sympathize with her...but Ophelia who caught the duchess' sniggering smile between her fingers and the way her eyes glimmered in entertainment....
Did the duchess have fun looking down at her pitiful appearance?
Was the duchess sadistic in her own way?
'I need to keep my guard up...I need to be more careful and act like a child...'
That night Ophelia drifted off to sleep, her mind still filled with the young lord –Icarus. She had to stick by his side, and she had to find out about the Duchess before she takes the young lord's life away.
-
Icarus never slept at all. He didn't get any eye bags but his eyes darkened a bit. This made him look pale and vampire-ish. He did look colder than usual and rather dazzling.
He had planned to stay with Ophelia this morning. He wanted to watch her bright morning face slowly fade away-as a Marcias would look. But most importantly, he felt suspicious of the blue-eyed girl.
Now clothed in his noble attire, he headed to the Mansion's garden -their favorite place to hang out with granny Mar. There he sat on the tea-table and waited for Ophelia to come.
-
Ophelia felt restless as she dressed up into a lovely pompom dress. She was tiny and like a princess. Her chocolate curls had turned light and were fuller than ever, her big bright blue eyes were like the sea, always daring to reach the shore. She stood up in front of a Gothic mirror, revering her reflection and at the same time baffled. What was she going to do next?
'Right, I must stick with my brother…but wouldn't it be weird if I tried to act close to him?'
'….but he did seem to act close to me…why can't I remember?' Ophelia, perplexed with the young lord's behavior felt conflicted with her obstructive memories.
'Perhaps, we were close before and maybe an accident had occurred that had my memories affected.'
-Ophelia thought of it this way, there was no other explanation for the young lord to act this way towards her. She had taken enough time and pushed her thoughts away.
'Either way, I'm going to end up protecting Icarus, so why not just take this opportunity and get closer.'
-With that, she went around the Mansion and even paid a visit to the young lord's room hoping she'd find him there or maybe just to observe his room. She didn't take too long for it might arouse suspicion. Ophelia found her way outside wondering where on the Marcias has Icarus went. Later on, she found herself strolling in the garden. White magnolias welcomed her eyes, roses were in buds and daisies had piled up on the ground. This was a peculiar site to see, the garden was the brightest place Ophelia had seen from the estate –and she concluded from the scenery that this was the last place the young lord could be.
'Well, today is just the first…I'm sure there will be more opportunities to spend time with him.'
-Her eyes drifted off to the sky as she thought this. The scenery felt new to her, she couldn't remember any of her days strolling around the mansion and even in the garden. How old was she when the relatives came to get her?
"Did you plan on skipping breakfast with me now?"
The young lord's voice pierced through Ophelia's mind. Surprise for a moment, she composed herself unto a child. –Not that she had any idea how to anyway.
(~Smile) Ophelia smiled shyly at the young lord.
'Gods…what are you doing Ophelia…but breakfast really? He'd eat breakfast with me?'
Icarus, doubting her reaction, stood up and held Ophelia's hand. He didn't expect the girl to smile again.
"I'm alright, just getting use to this change."
Icarus answered while leading Ophelia deeper into the garden.
'Where is he taking me?'
Ophelia wondered, staring at the hand that held hers. She really found it weird and strange for her to have a close relationship with Icarus. But she pretended along and strode with him.
-
"Breakfast, as always."
The twelve year old handsome boy declared as he revealed to Ophelia a planned breakfast tea-set before them. It was what granny Mar was fond of. –and what the three of them always shared.
Ophelia wished this moment would make sense, before her was an Icarus she never thought would treat her in a way. She felt weird being with him like this.
-
The two had a meaningful silent meal together. Ophelia made herself at home before Icarus and acted like the way she had to despite her memory of him being blocked.
'If we can stick like this together, then it would be easier to protect him.'
Ophelia thought as she munched on her bread. This was a very advantageous part for her and she would be able to meet all acquaintances that Icarus would- she just had to stay as his sister.
"You don't play with your food anymore?"
'Why? I can't figure her out at all...She acts normal again...'
Icarus thought, he wasn't eating much and was gulping down on his tea. He kept looking at and observing his adopted sister. He had his doubts she wasn't the same sister he was with and tricked her with that question.
"What do you mean b-brother, pheli doesn't play with her food."
Ophelia nervous at the question he had given her, she didn���t know how to respond to this one. Did she play with her food in front of him?
"You don't?"
'My, how annoying this is...for a moment you seem to be fine, but now you really piqued my interest…what happened to you Ophelia'
Icarus eyed her coldly; she had gotten on his nerves. When he saw her wandering earlier her eyes had showed different emotions again. And here she was sticking to him for breakfast and even with his horrifying look she ate so steadily in front of him.
'Fuck, just focus on your food Ophelia…or should I tell him?
Ophelia left his question hanging, she felt aware that the young lord had eyed her suspiciously with his cold gaze. But now wasn't the right time to feel intimidated.
'Did she awaken? Awaken from what exactly?'
Icarus felt conflicted with his own thoughts. It felt like someone had spoken inside him because these weren't his thoughts. It had spoken to him from another mind in a moment. And in a second he was back in his dark thoughts -worst this time. Now that Ophelia can show more emotions he wondered how she would looked like if she were broken and sobbing in pain.
"Icarus...about granny...I-"
Ophelia broke out the silence between them.
'Oh....there she is...'
Icarus mind were scattered about Ophelia. Finally, she was showing her true colors. How long he waited for this…
"-I don't want to stop hanging out with you."
Ophelia, sounding like a child the best way that she could, she wanted to stay by his side for the sake of the future.
Icarus on the other hand, felt nonchalant, his cold eyes looked down on the blue-eyed brat before him.
(~Sigh) Icarus gave a displeased sigh.
'What? She's just a five year old after all...'
In his mind, his sister was nothing but more than a source of a sanity fuel. He felt entertained that the boring girl who always smiled at him without thought had finally looked unhappy for once. –And he looked forward for more; he had always wanted to tear that smile on her face –he wanted to see her broken, in pain and suffering. Icarus mind isn't sound after all. He had been through torture and hell.
He hated the Dukedom and everyone around it. But his sister was another nut job; He hated those sparkling eyes she gave him ever since she walked in. But his emotions always contradicted with him, there were baffling moments when he felt light-hearted seeing her and even wanting to protect her –but then he'd revert back in his dark desires in a split of second.
He couldn't choose between his battling emotions.
-These were Icarus' mind that roamed about his sister. Sometimes, he wanted to protect her. Sometimes, he wanted to break her at the same time.
He left Ophelia with a nasty scowl on his face.
'Keep it in, Icarus....not now, not now...'
Icarus had managed to calm himself down. He knew he needed to get away from Ophelia right away, he had been holding the table knife for a while now. He was danger to her.
He felt pleased at her words just now when she asked to spend time with him, but it was not enough for Icarus. He couldn't trust Ophelia's words -No one, nobody had asked him for his presence to be felt in this cold estate. And Ophelia, who was supposed to be an empty mutt who smiled all the time, spoke those words....
It was hard to be a sane person inside the Marcias estate. Everyone had their own twisted side inside, and Icarus who knew this well, thought of how Ophelia's words might have meant to him that she wanted to kill him.
Yes, pretending to be close to him was the easiest way to take care of the heir. She must have been a toy for the Duchess too and thought of sugar-coating her words so she could stay close to him and everything would be over if he had showed her his weakness.
-
Ophelia was left paralyzed at her sit.
'Why did he left?'
She was racking her brain as to what happened.
Did she say something awful? But she was sure she chose to be careful this time.
'Something is really off within this household.... Icarus, just what happened to you?'
She baffled around this question. She had lost her appetite and had decided to go back inside the Mansion. She headed back in silence and hand wandered through the halls and unto the library. Thinking it was the best place for Icarus to study.
She made her way in the antiqued-vibe library. Her eyes, roaming the stacks of books, some neatly arranged and others were poorly stacked. The library had a second floor where the walls were all filled with books.
Ophelia pretended to scan some books as she came across two shadows.
Silently, she peeked through the stacked books at a certain distance and saw between two racks before her. -The Duchess, she was conversing with somebody.
"Yes...that needs to be done perfectly as well...we don't have enough time…"
"Madam, taking advantage of the boy should give you more credit, are you sure that getting rid of him would suffice?"
A deep voice had replied back to the Duchess. She couldn't see the man's face but it sure sounded familiar...
'Are they talking about Icarus?'
Why would the Duchess do that? And she wasn't alone in this one. Someone inside the estate had planned the young lord's death ahead.
-
Ophelia who was left after the Duchess and her companion had left, sat by the window view.
Icarus never entered the library, nor was there any tutor at all. It seemed as though he was an abandoned heir.
At full sight, she was observing the outside activities of the Mansion.
Servants and nobles went in and out of the gate, she could see all of this in the library –it was the perfect spot. A man had caught Ophelia's attention -a knight, in his full armor, came with a carriage -a royal carriage.
'That crest! What is it doing here?'
The carriage had a golden crest was designed in gold, it had dawned on Ophelia that this was the Eastern empire's crest. What are they doing in the Marcias estate?
Just then, things had gotten even more perplexing as Icarus had went out the Mansion's gate and was escorted to the carriage.
"What on earth is going on with the Marcias?"
Ophelia blurted in shock. Icarus, young and innocent was taken to the carriage of their empire's rival.
How was Icarus related to this? Did the Duchess sold Icarus to the opposing kingdom?
"-My, look whose here."
Ophelia's shocked demeanor had turned worst at the moment.
Standing before her was the Duchess herself.
'How did she get here?' -Ophelia dumbstruck and stared at the Duchess.
"How are you feeling?"
The duchess asked. Her tone was seductive, like a witch.
"....better, my lady" Ophelia answered meekly and attempted to smile.
"Oh? You...have been spying on us haven't you..."
The Duchess eyes were gleaming again.
'Did she notice me? I can't die here yet.....'
Ophelia held her breath as she stared at the magnificent beauty before her, it was toxic.
Then the Duchess mouth had twisted in an evil smirk, her cheeks puffed lightly and her face glowed brightly. What a sickening sight it was.
"I have a deal for you....do you want to know something interesting?"
The duchess' voice echoed through the empty library.