"Is there a reason you abandoned your friends to come to escort me?" Lumielle asked, her words were gentle. Her fingers gripping his arm and using him as a support system. His pace was slow and he had to admit that the tightness of her hands was a little surprising. He wondered if there would be a mark where the Princess had touched. Yet, he did not complain in the slightest. In fact, he looked quite amused. He was smiling at her. She turned away feeling slightly chagrined at the attention that the white-haired male was giving her.
Lumielle had never noticed how beautiful Asterias was. She had never seen him before he wore his mask. The scar on his face had become the reason that he didn't attend many social events. The only time that she particularly saw him was when he was with Lyanna. She wondered if the two of them had met. Averting her eyes, she coughed slightly which only made him chuckle.
"Did you know, a month ago, I met a lady with purple hair," Asterias hummed, his words were nefarious. There was an impish smile on his face as his eyes glinted mischievously. She wondered if he was the same boy she saw almost crying a month prior. It was the same young child but he had a completely different aura. The young wounded kitten was no longer in front of her; "It was at the imperial palace but she left without saying her name. I wasn't able to see her face though, it was a shame."
He placed his free hand on his chin; his steps were short to match her as his eyes looked down at her heels. Lumielle spoke up, "Is that so?" She gave him a polite smile as he looked even more amused at her rather composed nature. Indeed, Lumielle didn't even flinch or react. All she did was smile at him.
Steps were small and Asterias despite his rather genial nature looked somewhat troubled. His other hand twitched almost reaching to grab her waist but he controlled himself. A grin spread across his face as he continued to escort her, "So, I asked and I heard that the first Princess had lilac hair."
"I see. So is that why you decided to befriend Aris?" She inquired her eyes narrowing slightly. She finally looked at him; she was the same height as he was. Lumielle had always been quite tall for her age the young boys had yet to hit their growth spurts. Aris constantly complained that he was short and Lumielle promised that he would grow taller, she knew because he had. In the future, he was a couple of centimeters taller than her. Yet, did the future Grand Duke befriend Aris simply due to the fact that they had a singular interaction?
"Perhaps," Asterias said singing the words as Lumielle kept her face composed. "I like Aris, so don't worry. He's like a younger brother," the white-haired boy commented as he touched the center of her forehead with his other hand; it was to unfurrow her brow. She had been almost glaring at him. Surprised by the contact, Lumielle's eyes widened and she felt her cheeks flush.
"Sir. Asterias," she commented, attempting to keep her composure. Romance had never been at the forefront of her mind; in fact, she had only loved one man. The next heir of the other Grand Duke of the Endora Empire, Allard Jasion Salvatore. The man that she had poured her love into and got nothing in return. To be loved by him would make any lady the happiest in the entire Empire—that was what Cosette had uttered to her and Lumielle with her lack of love and affection wanted it. As such, on her fourteenth birthday, she asked to be engaged to him.
He despised her. Dark onyx hair and deep royal blue eyes always turned up in disgust. Allard had never even spared her a glance—he found love in the soft-hearted Cosette. She remembered seeing them kiss in the garden and annul their engagement only to formally get down on one knee for the Duke's daughter. How pathetic. She remembered the laughter that people cast towards her; she had been utterly humiliated, a true Paper Princess.
"She was quite pretty, that young lady."
Lumielle paused, "I thought you said you couldn't see her face," she shot back. Their eyes met again and he couldn't help but laugh at her words. The sound was like honey; she felt her cheeks flush up. She was sharp and quick-witted. Never did she falter when it came to a conversation and Asterias was enjoying it.
"That's true," he responded, his cerulean eyes glittered. They were quite different than Allard's. Asterias's oculars were a bright blue, almost looking like the sky above. Fair and beautiful, they looked like soft sapphires. Meanwhile, Allard had always resembled the dusk of the night—his eyes mimicking the hue of the deep night with its royal blue coat.
"Rue says that you are quite pretty, Princess."
Lumielle's eyes widened; the red-haired individual had complimented her? Indeed, in this life, she had not done anything treasonous. She also hadn't ordered for the execution of his life and his sister's. "Sir. Ruenti? Really?" Lumielle asked as Asterias looked quite surprised at her positive reaction.
"Do you know Rue?"
"…No," Lumielle said giving a smile. She didn't know him in this life. Yet, in the past, Lumielle knew everything about him. He had been a thorn in her side. He had been an absolute pain and thus, she had him killed. Yet, she couldn't exactly tell Asterias that she had ordered his friend's execution simply because he was telling the truth.
There was a pause as Asterias nodded, "I see."
The castle was in front of them as Evangeline came to greet them. Bowing quickly and saying her greetings to Asterias, the white-haired male gave her a smile. "We've arrived. May I kiss your hand?" A gentleman with a smooth tongue, Lumielle wondered if this truly was the boy that she had seen weeping by the tree. He was effortlessly charismatic with an easy-going aura. She could sense his mischief and he seemed to find it amusing when she reacted to his words.
"You may," Lumielle said as he raised her gloved hand to his lips; a soft chaste kiss was placed against her hand.
Smiling, he let go of her hand. "Until we meet again, Princess," he spoke languidly as he bowed to Evangeline who quickly urged her to sit down and relax her feet. Turning back, she took one last look at the fading figure of Asterias Everion.
"Did you have fun Aris?" Lumielle asked closing the book and looking at her brother. The sunlight was waning and the golden hue illuminated her brother; he looked healthier. His cheeks becoming fuller and his figure leaner. He looked like a true Crown Prince and with his swordsmanship training, he would begin to develop. No one would be able to look down on him anymore. She had watched his friends leaving the Ruby Palace, their carriages arriving and as Asterias left—their eyes made contact through the window. He gave her a smile and a wave while she averted her attention back to her book.
Smiling, he nodded, "They'll be back in two weeks."
"What did you ask the Emperor for?" Lumielle inquired, curious as to what her brother had requested for his birthday.
She was lying in bed as Evangeline had forced her to remain off of her feet stating that if she took another step, she would reveal everything that the Countess had done. "I asked to be moved to the Emerald Palace."
Her golden eyes widened, "Aris, you—" she said sitting up quickly and looking at her brother with wide eyes, "Why? You could have asked for things that you wanted."
Aris shook his head, "I asked Eva and she told me that you wanted to move there. I don't want anything. I want to help you." He held her hand, his grip tightening, "And if I can do that little t—" He didn't get to complete his sentence as Lumielle had hugged him. Her grip tightened as she held her younger brother.
"Thank you," Lumielle whispered, "Aristele, I love you."
He responded back, wrapping his arms around her, "I love you as well."
The Emerald Palace was meant for the Crown Prince. The Ruby Palace had been built while renovations happened but after the death of their mother, the two siblings lived in the Ruby Palace until the day that she usurped the crown. The Emerald Palace had been given to Cosette upon her arrival; thus, she had wanted to take it away from her before she came. Yet, she had no opportunities to do so, as such, she had given up on that with a sigh.
Asterias rarely asked for anything; in fact, his father was surprised that the young boy had requested to see his magic teacher, Sebastian, and even more surprised was the mage himself. "Is there a reason you called for me?" The blonde magic-user asked. Bright crimson eyes gazed down at the smaller child.
"Can you teach me something?"
Sebastian chuckled, "You asking me to teach you? You've practically mastered all the elements."
Asterias didn't stop smiling, "Sebastian, you're my teacher. Isn't it the teacher's responsibility to help their students?" The tone of his voice was quite stern showing that he was somewhat annoyed by the blonde's words.
"Fine," Sebastian said, "If Rias is asking, I'm sure it'll be good. What is it you want to learn?" He mused placing a hand below his chin. His single monocle glowing in the fading light.
"Healing magic."