You're the One: Take Two!
Prologue: Chapter 6: A low, sultry voice.
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It was Thursday. Four days until I had to meet with this 'worthy' suitor Nyx's parents— I mean, eh-em, my parents had chose.
There weren't many things to do around the Beauregard Estate, which meant I had to venture out into the high society to escape these bars of boredom.
From my merged memories, it seems like Nyx is quite the Queen Bee. She was center of attention in the novel, especially when she discovered Ilaria... Hm, should I dare to act like her or myself when the time comes? Mmm... My brows purse as I think on the subject, not quite sure what I should do if the situation arises. My dumbass.. I'm all ready out and about. There's no turning back now. Might as well blend with the surrounds. A true wallflower adorned with roses.
Shaking my head, I return my attention back to the small cup of chamomile tea in front of me. Ostana had reluctantly taken the chair parallel to mine, with great encouragement on my part. She lightly sips at her chosen drink. The five guards, three hidden and two standing a few feet from our table, were decorated in the silver and mauve colors of the Beauregard crest. It's the silver armor gleaming that causes the royal purple cape to stand out in a crowd.
My heart stopped when I saw the handsome faces of all my guards. I remember thinking: Fuck, this really is a novel! With faces like that, I wouldn't need to daydream...
I sip at my tea cup ever-so-slowly, not really excited to be in the next part of my day.
Mum had wanted to come shopping with me, but Father had scheduled a surprise date between them and I couldn't take that away from them. I suppose the normal Nyx would have raised hell, then refused shopping with her mother.
After all, I swallow a sip of tea, Nyx hated her parents for their inability to pay sole attention to her for five minutes, yet she respected them enough to pursue Zadkiel for her partner... I suppose she only wanted to make them proud. There's a dark frown gracing my lips.
At the end of our banter, Father offered the five guards to come with Ostana and I, then Mum had interjected a baffling counter: "If she has to take several guards, then Pyrrhos should follow along as well. Doesn't he have business to attend in Arkbate? The two can spend quality sibling time with one another!"
So, in the end, the dreaded first silver haired bastard came with me and the others. If I could have, I would have left his conniving tongue in the side of the mansion, but then Mum would have seen that. His sour mood was enough to mellow out my excitement during the ride to the capital.
Currently, I reside in a petite little shop that sells teas and sweets. It's a quaint eatery, but very playful. There's also a bit more of a variety, yet I adored how tiny the shop is. We only live an hour from Arkbate, so it's easy to come and go as we please more than some. I sit and wait for Pyrrhos to come back from his duties.
He left his dear darling little sister all alone with five guards, a maid, and no one to converse with.
What a catch, Ilaria.
I scowl, stabbing my three-prong fork into the sugar infested two-layer mousse.
Even with a scowl on my face, I still look elegant and sharp. The shop's windows clearly reflect the dismal and spiritless expression donned onto my facial features. I watch myself rather than the passerbyers while sampling the crafted dessert.
A faint glow sparkles behind my golden irises, and I finally realize how Nyx charmed her way into the ITEM to follow the poor alpha around.
I'm definitely coming here often... A smile rose upon my lips as I take a drink of the herbal tea. I wonder if Nyx liked sweets..?
While I thought on the past through her memories, I hadn't noticed someone approaching our little corner. I recall memories of her and her mum taste-testing pastries and cheesecakes at the mansion, most likely when Nyx was in grade school. These precious moments brought a delicate grin to my lips.
It's when the guard speaks that I'm brought back to reality.
"Halt!" He commands, and the two draw swords. They cross between their bodies to create an X, refuting the person through.
"State your business!"
Even I could feel the glare of Father's knights, and I'm behind them.
"I've only come to greet the infamous Lady Nyx Beauregard. As per usual," a low, sultry voice announces in a calm manner. It was before I could counter with a rebuttal that the guards glance at this stranger who seems vaguely familiar.
There wasn't a scene like this in the book, so I guess I'll have to base it off what Nyx and I know together.. Sigh, this is really a lot of work! I wish I had a system or something!
As soon as I whipped my head around, I thought I'd have some kind of whiplash, but I prevailed. Instead, my eyes are greeted by an unusual fellow.
The first thing I notice about this person is their stance. One hand is situated in his front pocket and the other is classically waving around with his speech. His legs are evenly spaced and parallel to his broad shoulders. Long hair wrapped with a thick black band loosely hangs over his left shoulder. Two snake-like eyes flash a quick smile at the armored males threatening him with their swords.
He appears to have no cares in the world.
I noticed the left guard stare back at me with a faint expression of approval. I nod.
He's familiar to Nyx. I should try to at least recognize him as her friend.. maybe I can figure out who he is, my eyes wander over his physique once more.
Just who could he be?
I'm pursuing my lips together in my head. On the outside, I delicately smile and wave towards the stranger.
"Lional, let him pass," I mused.
Ostana immediately stands from her chair and steps behind me with poise.
I wanted to bite my lip, but refused to do so.
I had to act like a lady!
I remind myself without thinking further about it.
The soldier glances back at me again and they both take a step back, withdrawing their swords.
There isn't a lot of buyers in the tiny café, so there won't be much gossip.
I patiently blink at the blond haired fellow who graces me with his presence. As I turn to stand, the black attires man swiftly kneels to one knee and takes my free hand. I'm so surprised by the sudden action that I can't refute.
With his tender lips, a kiss is bestowed upon my hand. Heat splashes against my cheeks in my momentary stare of shock. The graceful, yet mysterious visitor smiles sardonically with those red glowing eyes of his.
Immediately, I took a gulp of saliva.
Lord, gods, muses, deities! Please save me from this auspiciously haunted man!
He's too great! Too handsome! Even with male leads like my brothers, how can I resist such suave grace? This majestic soul!
I blink my eyes like a white lotus in disguise.
If he's so mind-blowing, could he be Zadkiel?
My eyes widen from the shock and my heart begins to race.
Then, reality poured in and ruined my masterpiece I so badly longed for.
I slap my cheeks in my head.
No! No! I shouldn't think like this! Zadkiel is a dark haired fellow, not blond! Just who is this—
"I'm surprised," the stranger laughs. He takes Ostana's seat and she pours a cup of tea in the upturned teacup she refused to use.
"I thought my dear friend was on probation! When I come to speak to the seasoned alpha, I hadn't expected such blessed events."
He plops a sugar into his cup and smiles. The tails of his lips frighteningly show off his superstar features.
I could just look at him all day... Sigh.
A blush blossoms on my face and I struggle to hide it. I cough a few times before returning to my former self.
How would Nyx reply?
A devilish curl sparks on my lips. My eyes stare at the teacup in front of me in disdain.
"Seems as if you've nothing to live for, hm? By some miracle, you've been graced with my lovely spirit for a distasteful shame. I'm afraid I cannot stay long," I admit solemnly. A sigh escapes my lips with I take another sip.
The fellow furrows his eyebrows, leaning forwards now.
"Lady Beauregard, why on earth.." his voice fades from an astounded remark. "Has something happened? Did those brazen nomads declare your status again? Or had they run and tattle-tailed from the last expedition we traveled?"
This man's face twists into a snarl, disapproving of the "brazen nomads" he speaks of.
A twitch breaks my lips for a second.
I lift the fork to the food and sigh sadly. "Does it matter? Those four seem to stick to me like honey to soap, and on top of that, the devils wish for me to find a mate soon! Can you believe that? I've yet to even graduate from ITEM!" My eyes roll, and I couldn't help my unladylike disposition of running a hand through the front of my hair and slumping forwards.
The blond man frowns, slightly better than before.
"Nyx," the man reaches over the table, lacing my fingers through his. "Don't feel so deserted; I'm still here. Our vow means more than a simple marriage. Nothing will tear us apart."
If I thought I couldn't be won I've run words before, it's me faltering at the front lines now!
My heart trembles at these words, and I could feel a sharp turn in my soul. I didn't know what this reaction was, this deep feeling bubbling beneath the surface.
Maybe I have bubble guts?
Blinking, I attempt to keep up with his suave person.
I wrap my other hand around his and gently smile. "Thank you. Your words fill me with hope. Maybe one day I can repay your kindness..."
Those memories and scenes flow through my vision and I attempt to brace myself for the wild rollercoaster ride.
The memories of this person flash through my brain and I see two children playing with flowers on a bright, sunny day. The boy drags the girl through the neatly trimmed hedges and the two explore the few beauties in the courtyard. After a while, the two grow restless and bored of each other when a dog hole is found.
I watch the two escape to the outside world and venture through the town with smiling faces. I could feel the absolute happiness from the two kids who dance and laugh with the commoners. The scene slowly fades back into my memories.
A pair of rubies returns a smile.
Still fainting at those words, I die when he brings out his smile.
"You've repaid me quite enough," his tender loving lips place another kiss between each hand. "As soon as you—"
Then, something totally unexpected happened.
[ ....eat....lag..De...ted! Dea...fl..a....ect...ed! ]
Words appear before my eyes, blaring on a white box as if this was a game screen. The gradually fade into bold letters until its able to be read. There's an X in the top right hand corner and a vague number in a bubble next to a bell. My mind was in a wind, trying to figure out what exactly this is.
I begin to read the troubling invisible letter.
[ Death Flag Detected! Death Flag Detected!
In original plot form, Nyx Beauregard rejected her only male friend. His heart will burn with revenge because of the rejection, thus resulting in her ultimate death. ]
[ Next / Skip ]
Blink. Blink. Blink.
I could hear the crickets in my head laughing at me.
Gulping back a jump of fear, my eyes hesitate to cooperate with my comprehension.
My fingers tremble in my lap, and my eyes look past the white sheen in front of me. I catch the man's red irises, and he tosses me another smile.
Time moves slow, I noticed, because when he grabs his tea cup, it takes about thirty seconds to touch the porcelain. Disregarding the suspicious activity, my mind is dead set on the text before my eyes.
[ Death Flag Detected! Death Flag Detected!
In original plot form, Nyx Beauregard rejected her only male friend. His heart burns with revenge because of the rejection, thus resulting in her ultimate death. ]
[ Next / Skip ]
Unable to bare anymore impatience, I reluctantly press the four letters of "next" to see what would happen.
As soon as I touch the word, the message disappears and reappears with:
[ To survive as Nyx Beauregard, avoid death at all costs! Don't refute his offer unless host wishes for death.
Health — 89% ]
[ Previous / Skip ]
...unless host wishes for death?
What is this? I reel back in horror. What is "host"?
Time continues on very slowly. I don't bother to look around after watching this shady friend of Nyx's grab the tea cup. He still hadn't set it down from taking a drink!
So... to avoid my death, I should accept this man's offer? I raise a confused brow. But he hasn't even offered me anything! What the hell am I suppose to do here? It seems to me, Nyx had more to her life than the author let on.
The more I live life as Nyx Beauregard, the more I discover how tragic her role really is in the novel.