I unfurled my eyes when Anida thrust the drapes aside, whining when the sunlight hit my complexion. I heard her laugh. Opening my eyes slightly, I saw her affixing the tassels. Pulling over the blanket up to my face, I pleaded for "five more minutes"
Geez, the people in this century wake up early than expected. It's killing me. I missed my normal schedule, I love waking up around seven or eight.
"I'm afraid we cannot grant your demand", Cleda said. Glimpsing, I saw her putting down the marble basin on top of the table near the powder table. She carefully set the hankie next to it on a marble tray, an oversized tray with some inconsequential containers.
"Why?" I pulled back the blanket again.
Anida seated at the edge of the bed, looking at me, Ablaze, she screeched. "Count Monvere is downstairs waiting for you!"
It is enough to make me shoot awake, I sat up causing my head to swirl. Cleda tramped next to me and dragged the blanket, she's modest. I say, her skills are tremendous. She tucked it to 90 degrees for me to get off the bed. The orthodox service maids provide to their lady/lord. Even if I want to raise a question about what ensued to them, I don't have the cores too. The siblings looked like they'd been through a lot together.
"You have to straighten up now my lady, the young gentleman is waiting for you downstairs. He's currently talking to your mother" Cleda beamed at me.
Excitement sprung to my senses, I found myself cleansing my face. Sitting in front of the mirror, Anida and Cleda heartily groom me.
After a couple of minutes, I walked down the stairs. There were no words I can define how rapidly my heart is pounding every second, I'm somehow enthusiastic. Thrilled to see his handsome face. Though I still have many queries inside my head which is probably me overthinking, I kept my thoughts aside for now. Dawn told me to not aspire too much, I think I have to live the life I have for now. If I pursue too much, I'd be in jeopardy to everyone around me, I don't dream of that.
As I seize each step, I cannot help but marvel. Why did the old man react like he was in some kind of excruciating pain when Germaine shoved his hand away from my wrist?
His eye color made over...
Sometimes he looks like he's not breathing.
I kept my thoughts to myself when I reach the periphery of the staircase. This is what my grandmother's mansion looks like but it's more sumptuous looking right now. Everything is in its state of the art. I continued striding, pacing, and roaming until I reach the drawing room where Cleda informed me where he is.
There he is, located next to the window with his hands on his rear. Standing elegantly. Chin up, honey eyes concentrated on what's happening outside. His broad shoulders move up and down as he respires. I noticed how fetching he is in his usual beige habiliment. "Good morning, Count Germaine" I welcomed.
He looked over his shoulder before giving me a crooked smile, a smile that brings verve to this turncoat heart of mine. Germaine walked towards me with serenity, then he stopped moving toward me. I couldn't help but look down when I feel the warmth rising on my cheeks.
"A lovely morning, my lady" Germaine's baritone voice sent chills down my spine. It's mellifluous, his sunup voice? Looking up at him, I met his eyes. He's staring right at me with a smooth smile. "Did you snooze well?" he questioned.
It took me a stretch to respond, drawn away by his celestial façade. "I... I did. It is an undoubtedly pleasant morning, have you seen mother?" I cleared my throat. Diverting myself, I looked at the chimney to alleviate this soul of mine. I can no longer goggle at his face if I evoke his feature well... The inevitable thing is, that I'll take it with me in sleep.
"She's in your father's office," Germaine said. "Can you set your eyes on me?" I saw his shoulder slant as well as his arm, stretching out for my chin but wavered. Instead, he put down his hand. I was mistaken, I thought dissuading my gaze from him will help my heart not beat crazily when he was around. What is happening to me?
I raised my face slowly, fixing my eyes on him. How can someone exist beautifully like this? He's good-looking, but his features were... ideological. It looks like I'm watching a movie whenever I glance at him. Never been a fan of romance but whenever I look at him, I can't manipulate my heartbeat.
His smile stretches out his eyes.
"Close your eyes," he spoke out.
All I could do is heed his magnificent voice, I indeed... shut my eyes. A swift air brushed my face, a gentle blow.
"You can open them now"
Opening my eyes, I looked down at what he was carrying. It's a box, a lovely box designed with some kind of swirls and beads in it. Embellished in beige, a diminutive piece of paper stuck to the ribbon. "What is it?" I asked. I put back my sight on him.
"A request to make, you may unfurl it tonight" Germaine grinned. He lifted his hand, pushing the strand of hair across my face onto the back of my ear.
I somehow shivered when I felt his chilly fingertips against my cheeks onto the rear of my ear, to that... my heart beat extremely I could have a heart seizure.
Swallowing, I closed my eyes and incline my cheek slightly against his fingertips. It's cold, a different type of cold. Opening my eyes, we glimpsed at each other. A small question evaded my mouth, almost whispering, "Why?"
"You'll see..." he leaned in. Endearing breath, sweet aroma. Oh dear, it's putting an end to me. I don't have the resilience to push him out, it's like my body is tolerating it. Phase towards him, I found my hands embracing the box tightly when he handed the gift to me. He too, hoofs an inch close to me. Our breath mixed as we stared into each other's eyes.
There was no rationale for why my body is responding this way.
"Should I aim for answers?" I questioned, whispering.
"Seek for what?" He raised a question.
Our voices were truncated, our faces an inch near each other.
It is when he drew his face away from me, that his face was apprehensive. His face looked like he have disrupted breathing. Germaine cleared his throat, glancing at me again. "Your parents are here" he got back his smile.
I licked my lower lip, looking down as I feel how sizzling my cheeks were.
"Good morning Count Germaine" Lord Clark welcomed. "What brought you here?"
I heard Elene giggle, her cordial arms shrouded around mine. She grinned at me, one that is taunting. "I see the count gave you a gift" she prodded my shoulder playfully. Are we this close to each other? I cannot help but beam at her with a small nod.
Clark asked for Germaine who is now a few feet away from me, his honey eyes concentrated on Clark as they conversed with each other. Elene and I sat down across the acacia davenport, dressed up in velvet all pleated in the right places.
"I arrived here on behalf of my brother Dawn, he would like to stir the proposal"
I choked.
Proposal? I thought he called it off.
Elene breathed in, covering her nose and mouth with her free hand. I can see how perplexed and stunned everyone is. "What could be the change of his heart?" Clark inquired of Germaine.
Germaine's face turned profound. "The matter is about..." He tossed a quince at me before returning it to Clark. "About your daughter's health... He said he holds dear her and attends to her. He yearned to look after my friend"
A friend.
I felt a sharp knife jab my heart when he said the word 'friend'. Badly, I want to let go of the gift he has given me. Is he having fun with me? Is it true that he's a womanizer?
Is it true that he favors males?
Favors males like Anida enunciate last night.
A wrench pummeled my heart, I can hear my ears ringing. His voice sounded like it was far away. "Mother," I said, I recognized the tone of it was faint.
"Yes, my dearest?" Elene asked. Glancing at her, I swallowed. I felt the sweat dripping down from my forehead down to my jaw. "Are you alright? You look pasty!" there is fear in her voice that made the two men looked our direction. Somehow, I tended to utter.
I can do this.
"I am fine, I think I need to rehearse better on the piano" I excused myself from them. Having been holding back the tears that are threatening to fall, I nibbled on my lower lip as I ran upstairs. When I reached the music room, the tears poured uncontrollably out of my eyes. My vision getting blurry.
I am a crony?
How can friends dance romantically on the rooftop, too close... too intimate with each other?!
Emotions rose from my chest, and it tautens. I felt like passing out.
I cannot like him.
I cannot like anyone while I'm here
I have to be strong, I need to not care about any men.
If Dawn is the actual partner of my ancestor then so be it.
Inhaling and exhaling, I retrieved my stillness. I sat by the piano and started playing, I tried to get it off my mind. "Greetings" I glanced behind me and saw a white-haired man next to the verdant curtains of the tuning room. How did... Is he here?
Did he see how I reacted?!
Standing up, I gripped tightly on my skirt. I ambled back when Dawn toward me, Breathing turning shallower, I recollected how Rose wept for him. Wept for him because he doesn't yearn for her.
"Why are you here?" were the questions that fled my lips when he halt walking.
"I'm here to apologize, I want to apologize for how I conducted the last time we convened" Dawn bowed, taking my hand and placing a kiss on top of it. Though my heart jumped when his smooth lips touched the back of my hand, it wasn't as wild as it is when Germaine does it.
Why am I drawing a parallel between them?
Seizing my hand away from him, I turned my back against him and embraced myself. "It's alright if you do not forgive me, I might have said those words out of novelty about you got here. I admit I am anxious"
"How did you know it is me and not Rose Wilbur?" I asked, trying to govern the vexation in my voice.
"I knew you would come," Dawn said. "You entered the door your grandmother told you not to enter, the answers... must be hidden... revealed at the right time"|
"Enlighten me" I confronted him.
"The answers you're seeking will be revealed based on your decisions..." Dawn clarified. His crusade was swift that I did not notice he was right next to me, both of us staring at the big window facing east.
Such a cloudy day, for my distasteful morning. I don't incline toward it.
"Based on my decision? What do you mean?" I asked. Dawn faced me, he reached for my cheek softly and teetered my sight to him. His lilac eyes turned to in-depth ochre, delicate.
"Decisions that will help you come back or hang around here perpetuity..." Dawn said. He's focused on me, my heart jerked again. I felt my heart beating fast, I breathe tight. I can feel my shoulders bobbing up and down. For the first time in my life, I felt scared and edgier than I turned to be.
"D-dawn..." I tried my best to regulate myself from wailing again. I need to return. That's why he cautioned me.
"I called the marriage again to guide you and help you, to protect you from what is about to come. I need to save you"
I'm baffled.
Save me? Save me from what?
"Save me from what?" I asked, taking hold of my breath. He put his hands on my shoulders, his sight never taking off mine. Dawn did not respond. Instead, he drew me into a hug and held me tightly. Shutting my eyes, I couldn't help but bawl my eyes out. For the first time in my life, I felt frightened.