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.
54. Brewing the Rose Essence
Brewing the Rose Essence
~
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 Amelia Luna-dynn had encountered Baron Heartrim at the Flower shop, she had mixed feelings. When the man had stepped inside, bearing an uncanny semblance with Alessia, she had felt nearly excited, for it seemed like he was a loving father, buying them flowers before heading home.
But after his mention of Madame Mirie being slack with his orders, she wondered who the flowers truly were for. It left a sickening feeling in her chest when she thought of the things the dark skinned florist had told her earlier.
Amelia hoped Alessia's family was alright.
Just then, there was a knock on the door and she looked over to see Jasper pushing his way inside.
"Ah, you're finally here", the damsel said, before hurrying over to help him with carry the food up the stairs.
Once the two were at Madame Mirie's bed room, Amelia poured the scalding hot soup into a bowl, seasoned it with peppers and coriander leaves before serving it to the woman. The young damsel used a spoon to gently ladle the drink into the lady's mouth, for she was far too tired to help herself.
After a while of chattering away and eating the supper Jasper had bought, Madame Mirie seemed to have recovered fairly well. But she still needed rest.
Amelia reckoned that it was late into the night. And so, she turned to her younger brother and said, "It is far past bed time. You should return home and head to sleep. Otherwise, you'd be tired tomorrow. I will stay here and tend to the lady and return in a short while."
"I can't leave you to walk alone through the city in the dead of the night", the young lad said.
"You will absolutely not stay here, Jasper. I will be safe. I may even stay with her for the night and return by dawn. You cannot afford to miss the night's rest", she said, injecting a specifically stern tone in her voice.
Reluctantly, Jasper nodded.
"You will be visiting the black smith tomorrow, remember?" she said and the young lad nodded again, before rising to his feet.
"Alright, but be safe. Stay here for the night, don't be about in the streets", he said, before taking some bread and leaving.
Amelia accompanied her brother to the door and saw him off into the night of the streets, before returning to the bed chamber, where Madame Mirie seemed to be resting.
"Why don't you try to get some sleep?" the damsel of curly brown hair said, gently drawing the sheets over the woman's body.
"No, no, dear; I have work to do", the Madame said, seeming disturbed.
"Don't worry, I already finished it!" Amelia said, trying to calm her nerves.
"What did you finish?" the lady asked, confused.
"Baron Heartrim. He asked for some scented white roses and I have him some", she said. "You should resort to resting peacefully."
"No, no", the woman of vermillion coils shook her head. "I have never cared for that man's low level requests. They were always frustrating", she waved it away. "I mean that Sir Grendin had come by to request for some Rose Essence for your Boutique. It is expected for tomorrow, by dawn!"
Amelia had flashes of all the terrible things that had happened that day, due to Sir Grendin's visit to the Florist's shop. Wrenching her thoughts out of the misery, she nodded to the Madame. "I see", she said.
"I have set the most part of the work to finishing. But there is still some more left to do", said woman, as she tried to rise from the bed.
"No, no, don't cumber yourself. I will do the work. You can instruct me", Amelia said, rising to her feet and looking about.
A slight smile bloomed upon the dark skinned woman's face and she nodded, countenance calming down as she reclined. As she began instructing the dame of all that she was needed to do, Amelia scuttled about, fulfilling her directions.
As they waited for the brew to cool, Amelia sat beside the woman to test how much she had recovered. "Why do you not consider Baron Heartrim's request worth doing? Does he not perhaps pay sufficiently?" the damsel of auburn hair asked.
Madame Mirie huffed in response, before saying, "It is not his wife that he buys them for."
A weight of sadness settled in Amelia's chest as she thought of the sweet young Alessia whose family was facing a tempest. She felt the great urge to meet the young damsel and sweep her in an embrace and console her, and hoped greatly that the girl did not know. But it was more probable that she did, if the man was as bold as to buy flowers at the Florist's.
Soon, the brew was ready, poured into a cauldron and Amelia was heating it in the Kitchen's furnace until its colour was right. The room was filled with the sweet aroma of wild roses.
Once it was fulfilled, the damsel went over to the bed room, where Madame Mirie was lying and said, "The Essence is ready. It smells quite fair."
"That is good to hear, my dear. Thank you so very much, it was one of the most important orders", the woman said, seeming like her moods were put to ease.
"Wonderful", Amelia clapped her hands. A part of her mind was worried for Jasper, since he was all alone at the village. She needed to return as soon as she could.
And so she asked Madame Mirie, "Would you like me to take the Rose Essence home so I can take it with me to the Boutique tomorrow? Then you would not have to bother yourself with having to deliver it to Lady Hildeth's and you can rest well in the morning."
"No, dearest. The solution needs to rest untouched and unmoved for a night's time. Let it stay here. Further, taking it all the way to Drift-combe and bringing it back by the morning to Crimsonton for your work day would be terrible work. I would never cumber you so", the woman said, with a weak smile over her face.
"It is no troubles really; but I reckon it would disrupt the process. I will go to the Boutique and have someone deliver it there from here", Amelia smiled. "Rest well for the night, Madame. I hope your speedy recovery", she said, as she rose to her feet and took the novel she had left at the desk.
"Are you leaving so late, my dear? Why don't you stay the night here?" the woman who had taken the fever asked.
"Jasper will be alone, so I have to go and make sure he is safe and asleep", Amelia said. "But I will be sure to visit you", the damsel assured as she bid the woman good bye.
Then, closing the shop behind her, she strode into the dark of the night. Little did she know that there was danger awaiting her behind the wayside, in the shape of the shadow of Sir Grendin.
~