I was taken faraway from the dining table. Those conversations were choking my core, cornering me into a pit of my own foolish decisions. I was zoned out, backing away from the moment as to coped with this feeling of helplessness. However, Cercis's words took me back to reality.
"I have fallen for Irene's Briar, and I wished to have her hand in marriage." Cercis said.
"What?!" Fully alerted, I exclaimed out. Not so coincidentally, I was not the only one that was shocked.
Galium looked flustered almost a bit saddened by his words while Hedera on the other hand.. it seemed like color was all drained off of his face, funny enough, a rare sight to see.
"Huh..haha.. good heavens.. Aren't you guys just a bundle of joys." Raven scoffed outs. His eyes were tired of this. In a matter of instant, a wave of dark aura burst out of Raven like an explosions. An excruciating pain of mana was flowing out of him. Everybody in the room felt it, but managed to resist to it. Though, I am the one who's suffocating. His aura was deadly.. I couldn't breathe, every time I took a breath, I felt sharp pains all over my body through my blood vessels.
Galium who was sitting between father and I, grabbed me, shielding off his aura from destroying my body any longer and Carya also grabbed Raven's arm and said- "Calm down, Raven. You're hurting the children."
After hearing Carya's request, Raven stopped. By the look on his face, he was absolutely infuriated. He then burrowed his temple under his finger, and scooted out of his seat.
"Thanks for the meal, your majesty." Raven said then turned the knob and left the room without uttering any other words to anyone.
While father was leaving, Galium hurriedly followed after, leaving me panting and trembled in my seat.
"Miss Ka-" Irene tried to called out to me, but was interrupted with Ficaria who rushed over to asked me first.
"Kanna! Are you alright? Did it hurt anywhere?" Ficaria asked worriedly.
I was drained and just nodded. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Irene was frowning, her pupils dilated as if she was worried while looking at me.
"So.. prince Cercis, you're getting engaged again? Does little girl here agree to this?" Vinca asked with curiosity.
"I intend to ask her today." Cercis replied, and immediately Hedera continued to raised questions towards him.
" so you took this as a surprise to Irene as well? Oh your highness, don't you think you're being a bit too forward? And to top it off, you're doing it in front of your ex-fiancée and her family as well… are you not ashamed? " Hedera said as he leaned in looking at Cercis dead in the eyes.
"That's right, Cercis. What's with this all of sudden? This isn't the right time for a proposal and you were being disrespectful to the Duke of Corvus, you know?" Carya said with a frown on his forehead, and his mother, the queen had a disappointing look on her face too.
"I understand what you all might be thinking, but I just wanted to make my intention straight. All I'm asking is for everyone to know of-" Cercis said, but a troubled Irene stand up and bow her head towards Cercis.
"I'm sorry, your highness. I am extremely overjoyed with your grace proposal, but I can't give my prince the answer that he wants." Irene said without another moment waste, directly at Cercis.
Following her response, Cercis already looked dejected. He bit his lips in frustration, darting his eyes towards me for a second and turned back at her. "Please, consider my offer again, Irene. We don't have to rush this, so please give me you answer later-" Cercis said, almost as if he's a desperate ex or something.
The sight of it looked so petty as Hedera couldn't help but got up and approached them, placing his arm on Cercis's shoulder.
"Your highness, I think you should step back-" Hedera muttered and quickly, Cercis turned around and grabbed Hedera's collar-
"DON'T LAY YOUR FINGERS ON ME!!" Cercis said in anger.
"THAT'S ENOUGH, CERCIS LEO!!" Carya yelled, his voice was like a lion's roar, it was simple words, but would shake you off your boots.
Carya got up from his seat and walked toward to a small door, on the other side from the main entrance, with the queen.
"COME HERE!! RIGHT NOW OR ELSE I'LL LET THE DOGS DRAGGED YOUR ASS HERE." Carya shouted.
Under the king's order, Cercis let go of Hedera's off and followed his parents off the the room next door. It was faint, but you could hear faint noises of argument through the corridor across to the table… this is awkward. Hedera who was across the table, bent down on his knees to look at Irene, another hand on her, consulting if she was alright.
"Excuse me." I said out loud as I scooted out of my seat.
"Oh wait a minute-" Ficaria said, but I bid off out of that place fast, I was exhausted and couldn't stand this anymore.
Following my exit, Irene also excused herself up and rushed out from the room as well, leaving the Ophis and princess Ficaria alone at the diner table.
"Well… this is fun." Vinca said as she smiled brightly, continuing to enjoy her meal.
I ran. I didn't know where I was going, but I just wanted out.. tired.. I'm tired of this. As expected, playing out the story is fun, but to be living in it is horrible, so horrible. I sprinted till I was out my breath, and ended up in another tower, isolated from the main castle.
I entered a small room that had barrels and shelves of books stacking, and packed the room, barely leaving any spaces to stretch. The room was barely lit by the small block of space that's letting light of sun's setting into the room.
In the confined space, surrounded with dust and the smell of alcohol filled to the brim of my cavities.I crotch down, curled up leaning my back against the walls, in a tiny space between the barrel and the shelf, contemplating on everything. I missed home. I missed the comfort of my bed and my parents… I don't know what to do anymore.
After a few mintue, on the other side, I heard footsteps, followed by the door opening and a figure walking around the barrel towards me.
I burrowed my face under my arms, I don't need to see to know who it was. A mixed scents of rose and wine, a cold touch pressing against my knee, I immediately knew.
"Miss Kannavis…" Irene muttered out softly.
"…Tell me Irene.. what am I here for?" I said.
There weren't any answers from her, so I continued.
"All my life, I was told that I am worthless, a misfortune, a mistake and.. a failure. No matter where I go, it's all the same mad words…" I said.
"That's not true. You're not worthless." Irene said.
"Hah.. how am I not? My own family despised me, and even the world cursed me. My one duty was at least to be a queen's consort, and even that, I failed to do so. You always try to stick around me and I always did terrible things towards you. Don't you think I'm a misfortune to your life?… I always said it. You shouldn't be here. Someone who is loved by everyone should not be associated with me who is hated by everybody." I said.
"…That's not true. I love yo-" Irene tried to protest but I lifted my head up to look at her and said-
" Don't say it!! You can not say it!! You belong to them!" I shouted.
Before I could say anything else. She grabbed my shoulder and pushed me against the wall. The other hand cupping my face as she pressed her lips hard against mine.
I was shocked. Out of nowhere, she was handling my face up high to look at her! Her cold lips pressing against my bottom lip sent a chill down my spine. I tried to push her away, but she wouldn't let go. She continued to work her way, then slipping her tongue into mine.
"!!Mm!" I moaned out a bit. Every fibers in my body were twitching. What is this feeling? Her lips were frigid, but her tongue, intertwined with mine was warmth that it slowly melt my worried thoughts away.
We kept going. Both my hand on were on her neck and hers were wrapped around my waist. Irene was leaning forward and my back arches in as we kissed without a second to take a breather. At that moment, I was surely turning blue from the lack of oxygen, emitted to my lungs, but I couldn't care less. I'd rather died while being embraced in her arms than to stop this at any point.
Thankfully that didn't happen as Irene pulled away as she noticed I was about to faint.
*Gasps*
I took in deep breaths, while breaking sweats from that hot sessions of foolish desire. Irene pulled me in closer against her body, her forehead pressing against mine and whispered things I couldn't forget- " You belong to me, miss Kannavis. You are mine.. and I am yours."