It was the third and last day of the clan in Petang Asol. The minor houses and subclans were assigned to assist and monitor the progress of the Amesla highway while the clan heads of the major houses cooped themselves in the hall discussing clan affairs. The elders were fully accommodated much to the younger generations delight. They were free to do what they like for the day.
Half a kilometer away from the hall was a hill overlooking the Amesla Highway. A carved stairway up the hill lead to a famous café in the area. Unlike the pine wooded buildings below, the one-story building was made of cement and stone. The business profited from the cool climate of Petang Asol paired with their hot beverages and enriched local desserts.
In one corner of the veranda which had a beautiful scenery of the neighboring mountains, hills and the valley below, sat Emerald and company. Rue nagged her to come with her this time and she could not say no. Even more so as Jade also insisted in joining them. Emy was a bit surprised, as Jade is a person who would rather spend her time in her room or the library. The only outdoor environment Jade would often go to are floral gardens, orchidarium, and parks.
Emy wanted to stay indoors. She wanted to confide with the person she trusts the most. She wanted to tell Jade about what happened last night. But, as it turns out, she had to wait and let Jade have some fun, as it was a rare occasion. As they went out of the villa, Emy and Jade were surprised to see both Dmitry and Luther.
"I invited them" Rue said with a grin in her face. Emy knew that her cousin was teasing her.
"Good morning Emerald, Jade" Luther said with a gentle smile.
Jade replied with a gentle smile and nod while Emy replied back with the same words.
So the five of them ended up going to the café. Rue thought at first that the interaction among the three people would be interesting and funny to witness but later on, she regretted her decision. The atmosphere was cold! Rue obviously noticed that Emy was at first reluctant to join her at the café, but as soon as she walked out the door, Emy blushed from shyness and subtle excitement. On the other hand, Jade who was at first excited turned reluctant and annoyed. It was expected of her cousin Luther to feel irritated but then she found out that the longer that Luther stayed with Dmitry, the more silent he had become. Luther was silently annoyed, Emy was severely shy, Jade was obviously annoyed and Dmitry, who is the center of all of their emotions at the moment, was either ignorant of the atmosphere or he just chose to not care at all.
Rue sighed. With a heavy breath, she was to initiate a conversation to break the ice, thankfully someone bolder did it for her.
"I see you lot are having exceptional fun!" Andrei sarcastically commented.
The young man chuckled. Seeing that there was no one sitting beside Jade, he dragged a chair beside her and comfortably sat down.
"Good morning Jade." Andrei greeted.
Jade smiled. A lot from her clan never liked how Andrei proudly carried himself, but she definitely looked passed through that and see Andrei's sincerity with her.
"Good morning. You're alone?" Jade asked.
"Not any longer. I hope your family doesn't mind me joining you."
Jade doesn't mind. But she knows that most of her companions do. No one answered immediately. Even though Andrei annoys her, Rue decided that it would be better for someone else to be the center of annoyance, unify their group with a common enemy. Rue was about to reply but Dmitry beat her out of it.
"Of course you could join."
"Hmm.. practicing your authority now, are you?" Andrei chuckled. He was picking a fight. He wanted to ever since the first day he met him.
Dmitry grinned, "Forgive me. It was not my place to decide." His statement and eyes directed not towards Andrei, but to Emy who was seated in front of him. "I just assumed that everyone would be quite alright with it, since Jade obviously was happy to see you join us."
Jade shot him a glance, Dmitry replied with a subtle smirk.
"Yes please join us Andrei" Emy insisted. Andrei sarcastically laughed. The waitress from the counter went to them to hand out the menu.
Andrie shared his menu with Jade asking her what she wants. The rest of the group, except for Dmitry, awkwardly looked at the menu on their hands and did the same on their own.
The long silence was luckily broken with the waitress bringing in their orders.
" Jade, you ordered coffee? Isn't that bad for your heart?" Emy commented.
Hearing Emy, Andrei slid the cup away from Jade before she could even touch the handle.
" I wanted to taste it just once though" Jade replied after a gentle sigh.
"And a cake too…a sweet chocolate cake too…" Rue added.
Andrei looked confused. What was wrong with Jade having a piece of cake.
It was rare for Andrei to show a bit of vulnerability. Luther smiled at the thought that Jade brings out this rare human side from Andrei. "It's rare for Jade to like sweets. I remember her telling us that having these types of pastries is like eating sugar."
Andrei chuckled.
"I came to a café. Surely, I just can't sit here without trying something. Besides, life is too precious to miss out these things." Jade commented innocently, not realizing that the group felt a pang on their chests. Yes, life vanishes like a vapor but to Jade life might vanish a bit quicker than theirs.
Andrei slid the cup of coffee towards Jade and began slicing the piece of cake. "Have them then."
Jade nodded, "Thank you."
"How is your training doing Emy? I once heard that you have an excellent trainer." Andre said after taking a sip from his flavored brewed coffee.
"My training is doing fine and I hope yours is doing fine too." Emy replied.
"Well my preparations for the duel are not as tormenting as yours Emy. Moreover, the relationship of the members of the Sagubo might not be pleasant, but it is not as rough as yours. The duels are more relevant within your clan than ours."
This time, Luther spoke. " Andrei, could you stop talking about these matters at the moment. We came here to not think about these things. Besides, it is outright disrespectful for someone from outside of the clan to judge ours."
Andrei sarcastically laughed, " As expected of you to say such words. Only a spineless clan member could ever say that."
"What? What did you say?" Luther calmly confronted.
" It is what it is. I am sure lady heiress here knows as well. The first son of the second brother will participate in the duel or are you volunteering not to? Come on. Let us not make a fool out of ourselves. The great elder Ziron would not put his heir in a position where her inheritance could be in danger. It is expected for the Pakjawan clan to challenge her claim, but is it not expected for Anton's heirs to not participate?"
Rue and Luther glared at Andrie.
"What are you trying to say exactly?!" Rue said with an accumulating annoyance.
" I am saying that you and your house are contented to be licking the great elder Ziron's feet when commanded to."
Luther and Rue stood-up. They hated these, however, they hated the feeling that some of what Andrei said was true. Their grandfather was a good man, but he was too much of a good person thus he is often being taken advantage of, being underestimated most of the time.
Andrei leaned back on his chair. Jade knitted her brows and glared at Andrei. Dmitry took a sip from his cold beverage. Luther and Rue was preparing to save their reputation. But before they could do, they heard a loud, thundering voice echoing from the woman beside them.
"Stop that!" Emy's voice resonated all throughout the café. All the people inside stopped what they were doing and the feeling of dread fell on all of them. Before they could blink and take a breath, they suddenly saw the walls and ceilings lit on fire. How could brick and stone easily catch on fire!
The people panicked. The servers, the store manager called for all to evacuate.
"Emy!" Rue and Luther shouted. They felt the dread too. Emy was glaring at Andrei who suddenly stood as the fire began. Emy was glaring at him with her bright, emerald eyes.
Rue nudged Emy, but she cannot seem to go through. Dmitry smirked took the last sip from his glass and stood. He tapped Luther's shoulder and said, "Take Rue out of here".
Luther was confused. But, for the short time that he has known this young man, Dmitry's calmness in this situation means that he has control of these things.
"Rue let's leave. Jade..you too.."
Luther was about to pull Jade to him but Dmitry shook his hand off. "Go now with Rue."
Luther hesitated. But again, he trusted the young man's calmness.
Dmitry rested his palm against Emy's nape while still looking at Andrei.
"Are you satisfied? Have you seen enough?" Dmitry asked.
Andrei chuckled. Lifting his hands up in surrender, then he replied, "Fine. I must say, she is a rightful claimant of the title and yet…she must learn to reign over it."
Dmitry's palm shifted from Emy's nape to cover her eyes. Jade and Andrei cannot understand how Dmitry did it, but Emy fainted and she was carried. Taking this as a signal to leave, Andrei wanted to pull Jade to run away from the burning establishment. But a forcefield stopped him from holding her. Andrei glared at Dmitry whose eyes, now, turned green.
The young man just gave the other a contemptuous smirk.
" You have to run now." Dmitry calmly and mockingly said.
"Tsk.." Andrei did what he was told.
Dmitry started to walk and Jade tailed behind him. She doesn't understand why, but even if the fire was blazing around them, she felt calm. She sensed the power and dread the resonated from Emy, but she was calm. Maybe she knew that Emy would not hurt her. But the thought did not sit right with what she was feeling.
Jade looked at the back of the man who was walking in front of her.
" Andrei was testing the waters, wasn't he? Why did you not stop him?"
Dmitry stopped walking and turned to face the little girl behind him. He slightly bent to level his eye with Jade as he replied, " Why didn't you stop Andrei then and kept your silence as he mocked your dear, beloved cousins?"
Jade looked away and suddenly realized what she did.
"Let me tell you sweet,"Dmitry said, while still carrying Emy in his arms, raised Jade's head to face her by her chin, " You knew that the provocation would make Emy upset. And when your beloved twin is upset, she goes wild. This display of power is not from wildness though, isn't it? It is a message to let people know who is the true heir of Taray."
Again, Jade looked away. She did not feel right on how Dmitry read her thoughts and feelings before she could even do so herself.
" One thing still confuses me. Emy is your priority. Next time, pay no heed about me. Awhile ago, you should have left me in Luther's care or with Andrei."
Dmitry gave that poker smile once again. "Did you not say that you are Emy's other half?"
Jade suddenly remembered the words she said to him last night. Dmitry once again leaned closer to Jade's face, " By mandate, she is my priority, by choice, you are my priority. Remember that."