Wars of the Heart
Amelia Luna-dynn is a young damsel of unassuming character. However, there is a deadly secret she harbors: that she is the daughter of a forbidden race, a tribe despised by the royals of the Kingdom. She is the sole survivor, discreetly living an unseen life as a commoner. But there are scars on her back that betray her origin, requiring her to cleanse herself in order to stay alive and unrecognised. With such reins attached to her race, it is impossible to find someone who would love her despite the dangers of her origin. But one night, when at the verge of being eaten by beasts, she is saved by a mysterious man from the grasp of death. Curiosity drives the damsel to chase love. Despite being downtrodden, she stumbles upon the opportunity meeting with high society by joining a Book Club run by the beautiful daughter of the Duke, Charlene Walterus. Amelia makes friendships with nobles and soon comes close to a romance with a man she suspects to be her secret rescuer, but is hopeless that his heart is far gone in the arms of the duke’s daughter. Will she win a wedding with the man of her dreams? But most importantly, will her fantasies of a perfect marriage come true? Or will she suffer a strained marital relationship, with unrequited feelings, far from the heart of the one she loves? Excerpt: That night, he was exhilarated to have married the woman of his desires. But Charlene had told him a bothersome fact about the origin of his newly wedded wife that he could not shake off his mind, for he knew she would have told him, had it been true. The tall man stepped into Amelia’s chamber and found her seated at the rim of the bed, blushing. The very sight of her innocent disposition had always brought him the insane urge to sweep her up in his arms and protect her. But before they would make love, there was an important question blaring at the edge of his mind. “Y-you’re here”, her soft voice was almost breathless. She rose to her feet, but rested against the wall, shy and nervous. “Amelia”, he tasted her name, drawing close to her. Tenderly placing a finger under her chin and lifting her face to meet his, he gazed into her eyes and asked, “Is it true that you are of the Celeste Clan?” There was silence in response and fear in her eyes. She did not deny it. A strong feeling of hurt enveloped his chest, when he realised that she was no different. Charlene’s words about her were not simply contemptuous lies of jealousy planted to his attention, but the raw truth. ~ Amelia gasped when he rammed his fist against the wall in the absolute pangs of frustration. It was like it burnt his senses to think that she would deliberately hold something as significant as her origin from him, regardless of all things of his secrets that he had shared with her, while they were yet secret lovers. She knew the fault was hers, but she had been too scared to relay, for she had loved him far too much to lose him. “Why did you hide this from me?” he breathed, voice cold and low and deadly, colored by his unpronounced rage. His face was dangerously close to hers, such that she could hear his very breath, seething. Tears began to pierce her eyes, threatening to fall. She had never meant to deceive him. But in that moment, she was afraid. Heart throbbing loud enough to be heard, her lips were quivering and she shivered. When his gaze swept down at her frightened disposition, there was a flicker of tenderness in his eyes. But it lasted not even as long as a moment’s worth. He was cold. He did not confront her for the secrets she was keeping, but silently withdrew himself. There were many things she wished to say in apology, but she could not find her voice. And by the time she could speak, he had left her chambers. Tears flurried down her face. She could not believe that her fears had ruined the very first day of her marriage. It was the day she had wished to divulge her secret to him, but it seemed like it had already been out.
52. What happened to Madame Mirie?
What happened to Madame Mirie?
~
The porch of Madame Mirie's Flower Shop,
The Town of Crimsonton,
Kingdom of Velicia,
Darkling hours of Nightfall,
The Eighth Day of the Month of November,
Thirty Third Year of the Reign of King Jesse Crestings
After a few minutes longer of talking and walking, the two adoptive siblings had reached the Florist's shop, to find it closed. Amelia frowned, for it was not natural to see Madame Mirie finish business for the day earlier than usual.
After all, most people resorted to buying flowers when they were leaving home after work or going to visit a loved one. "I wonder what's wrong", the damsel mumbled, before knocking hard and loud, but there was no response.
Worry and anxiety began to build in Amelia's chest as she anticipated the woman to open the door, but she did not seen to be coming. She looked over at Jasper, brows knit in panic.
"I'll climb the vines by the side and try to reach her window to see what happened", the young lad said, pushing his sleeves back as he spoke and gauging the building with his eyes. Then, he hurried over to a side, where a tree stood, its branches spreading over the side of the Flower Shop.
In a trice, Jasper was up, climbing carefully till he reached a branch closest the little balcony by the side. Amelia waited beneath, hoping to break his fall should it ever come to that. She knew deep inside that she wouldn't be able to handle the impact if he did land on her, and so she was thankful that he had firm footing when he climbed.
The damsel watched as the lad leapt from the nearest branch on to the railing of the balcony and stepped on the ledge. He looked down to let his sister know that he had landed safely, before knocking on the door.
After a drawn moment, Madame Mirie, opened, standing there with dishevelled hair and wrapped in blankets. Amelia could not see what was happening, but Jasper seemed to make his way indoors quickly.
Within moments, the damsel of long brown hair heard the front door of the Flower Shop open and she went over to see Jasper usher her inside. His face was drawn in a rather serious expression, and he said, "She seems to be terribly sick."
Amelia let out a slight gasp before hastening past the flowers and hurrying up the stairs, frantic. When she had made it to her, she saw the lady sitting upon the bed, fatigued and sick, eyes sunken and apricot coloured hair in disarray.
"Madame Mirie", she said, running over to her side and placing a hand over her forehead to see her temperature rising like an inferno's heat.
The woman sighed helplessly before looking up to the damsel and wheezing, "Thank you for coming."
"You lie down now", Amelia said, before turning to Jasper and saying, "Run to the shop nearby and buy some hot soup. And maybe, also some dinner for all of us."
She drew a few coins out of her apron's pocket and handed them to him. With a quick nod, her young brother scurried out the room, with purpose.
Turning to the dark skinned friend who was in the pangs of a terrible fever, Amelia swiftly took a soft linen and dipped in water. Then, wringing it till it was softly damp, she placed it on the woman's forehead and dabbed the heat off her face.
She laid Madame Mirie to lie down upon the bed and tended to her health. "I shall send for the physician once Jasper is back", she whispered, as she helped the woman.
"No, no, my dear, just that balm I made from my plants should help me sufficiently", the elderly woman said, holding a hand out, gesturing towards a shelf at the side of the bed chamber.
With a nod, Amelia rose from her perch at the edge of the cot and treaded over to where the woman seemed to be shewing and found little bottles of solutions that Madame Mirie seemed to have brewed.
They were labelled with odd names she could not tell, but beneath, the purpose seemed to be written: 'cough', 'cold', headaches', 'fever'.
Once she had found the one that suited the woman's situation, she drew it out and held it up for the ill lady to see.
There was a nod, before Madame Mirie said, "I must ingest it only after taking a meal."
"Jasper won't take long to return", Amelia assured. Just then, she heard the front door closing and she realised that must have left the Flower Shop open in their moment of hurry.
Hoping it was Jasper, the damsel hastened down the spiralling stairway to see who it was. Just then, she noticed a tall man step inside and looking about. When his eyes found her, he gave her a smile.
His countenance was quite similar to that of Alessia and the damsel was left to wonder if he was her father, for his demeanour seemed quite refined, like that of the nobles.
"Hello, there. I assume you are an apprentice of Madame Mirie's?" he asked.
"Only for this eve, Sir", the maiden of brunette hair replied.
"Good day. I am Baron Heartrim, and I had informed the Madame that I will be stopping by", he said, as if hoping to see her.
"The shop is actually closed. But how may I help you?" Amelia asked.
"I had needed a specific bunch of sweet smelling white roses. Are they set apart for me?" he asked, looking around the room.
"One moment please", the dame said, before searching the place for what he had requested. It seemed like Madame Mirie had not fulfilled his request. And so, Amelia took a bunch of roses that seemed similar to the request, sprayed some sweet aroma over it and gave it to him.
It seemed fairly obvious to the noble that the Florist had not bothered to fulfil his order. He huffed his irritation before taking the bouquet from her. "Madame Mirie is actually quite sick at the moment. I believe she would have tended to a superior request as yours quite diligently otherwise", the damsel offered a reasoning to pacify the man's anger.
He did not, however, seem to be entertaining her. "The woman is always like this!" he said, irritably, before leaving.
~