At odds...

Aurora arrived at the rose garden.

She was furious!

She had prepared multiple counters for various kinds of outcomes.

She also had expected this outcome as well.

But she chose to put her trust in her father that he would not enforce anything extreme like this against her and Aaron.

"Fu*k!" Aurora cursed aloud in anger.

"Aurora?" Takashi arriving at the garden called out to her.

"Are you okay?" He asked Aurora with concern in his voice.

Turning around, Aurora faced Takashi.

"No, I'm not. I'm angry!" She replied raising her voice.

"I'm angry at my father, at myself! I hoped that he wouldn't go this far. I trusted him, Kaz!" Aurora said with sorrow in her voice.

"He rejected us once. It's okay, I understand why he rejected us. We are just children to him, children without much experience. He cast us out. It's okay, I understand his fears. All he wants is to protect his family, I get it! But to force Aaron to this extent? He just threw my brother out to the wolves, left to die! By announcing Avalon as his Blood Candidate, my father stripped away all of the advantages and the immunity granted to Aaron as the son of the Patriarch."

Aurora tried to calm her emotions but she was having trouble keeping herself in control.

"Forced to a corner, nowhere to go but to him. Well, now he got his wish! Aaron will become a Blood Candidate."

Aurora took some deep breaths before she sighed.

"But Aaron will never go under him..." Aurora mumbled as she took a seat at the chess table.

Looking towards Takashi, she spoke to him.

"Do you know, Aaron doesn't want anything to do with the Blood family. He hates house politics. As for myself? I will be honest, I don't hate it. I lived in the castle walls and was nurtured to lead. It's the only thing I'm good at!"

"Our original plan was to force our father to make me a Blood Candidate. As he is the Patriarch, he has the power to do so. But the problem is, the Blood family is patriarchal. If he did, it would have caused unrest and would have put our family in more danger but we were confident that we could have taken control of the Blood family and reform it. Our father doesn't believe such fantasies and thinks we are too young! Tsk." Aurora clicked her tongue before she looked down at her hands.

She saw that there are small cuts on her palms caused by herself when she dug her nails on her palms after learning about Avalon becoming the Blood Candidate.

A couple of her nails were also broken.

"With Avalon becoming the Patriarch's Blood Candidate. The only thing protecting Aaron right now is the protection period until his rite of passage. After we enter the Sacred Society, we will no longer have that protection and there will be no support from our father. All the resources will be given to Avalon as he is the Blood Candidate. Aaron, for him... We have to find-" Aurora tried to plan their next courses of actions but she was interrupted by Takashi.

"Stop, stop, stop! Don't try to think about it now." Takashi said walking towards Aurora.

"Listen Aurora, from what I've understood. You're stressing yourself! You're not in the right mind to think about anything right now. Your emotions are heightened, you're not in control of yourself. Just take a breather, don't think about what happened and stop planning ahead for now!"

Aurora looked up towards Takashi's face.

Takashi gave a warm smile to her.

"I-" Aurora was about to reply to him and tell him that she is fine.

But again, she was interrupted by Takashi.

"No!"

Aurora shut her mouth.

Closing her eyes, she took three deep breaths.

Takashi nodded seeing Aurora clearing her mind.

"Good! Are you hungry?" He asked, attempting to cheer her up with food.

Hearing Takashi, Aurora burst out laughing.

"Hahaha!"

After a few moments, she controlled her laughter,

"Really? Food?" Aurora rolled her eyes at Takashi.

Shrugging his shoulders, Takashi replied.

"I am a chef. That's the only thing I'm good at! Now, can you guide me to the kitchen, please? What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you. I'm confident in my cooking skills, I'm telling you!"

Aurora chuckled.

Tilting her head, she smiled at Takashi before extending her right hand towards him.

Takashi taking her hand, helped her stand up.

"Before, when we were dancing, you were flirting with me. Now, you helped me calm myself and also offered me a meal. Your recent behaviours in the past few weeks also have been sweet and caring. Takashi Sakazaki! You're buttering me up, aren't you?"

Takashi nodded smiling at her.

"Yes, I am! Is it working? I'm trying hard to enter your heart, Aurora Blood."

"I don't have any place for you, Mr Sakazaki. Like I said before-" Aurora leaned forward coming face to face with Takashi.

Their noses were almost touching and they were gazing into each other's eyes.

"I'm not interested in love. But I'm available for something else." Aurora seductively whispered.

Takashi bit his lower lips.

"Okay, let's go to the kitchen!" Backing away swiftly, Takashi turned away from Aurora.

Aurora giggled in amusement.

"Damn, she is driving me crazy!" Takashi muttered softly.

With her high sensitive hearing and also the garden being peacefully quiet, Aurora was able to hear Takashi.

"I heard that." She said to Takashi

Takashi almost tripped.

"Please, the kitchen!" Takashi urged Aurora gritting his teeth and feeling embarrassed.

Aurora chuckled before she started walking.

"Follow me, chef!"

Following behind Aurora, Takashi went to the kitchen to make some delicious food for the person in his heart.

~~~

Aaron was in the living room of the misfit gang apartment.

He just learned everything that transpired at the party from Aurora through their telepathic connection.

Feeling stressed, he held his head in his hands.

"Wassup, bro?" Sabastian asked seeing his best friend being distressed over something.

Aaron shook his head before telling Sabastian everything.

5 minutes later,

"Welcome comrade, its called house politics! Now you can understand what I've suffered for 50+ years. I'm used to it, however, I dont like it. Just like you, my current situation at the Heilige family is similar to yours. What do you have in mind? Also, are you going to tell Li Hwa?" Sabastian said after listening to Aaron.

Aaron shook his head.

"I can't tell Li Hwa yet. It's too early to tell her about everything. I have until graduation, so I will probably tell her by then. As for what to do about our situation? Now that things have changed, I must become a Blood Candidate for Aurora! We are on our own. We will not have Aiden's support and his resources, so it will be difficult for us. From now on we just have to be extra careful."

"I'll help you! Ian, Erisviel, Ana and Zulkernyn. They will also help you, so don't worry too much. That Blood Throne is Aurora's and we will get her that damn throne."

Sabastian told Aaron before asking him about the rumoured fiancee of his.

"So what are you gonna do about the Rothschilde girl? In your current situation, she can be a good ally! Currently, Aaron, you need allies. Rothschilde family is a fuc*ed up family. However, they are one of the 23 sacred's and also are on par with the Blood family. Your fiancee won't be ordinary!"

"I don't know." Aaron replied honestly.

He doesn't know what to do, he has been thinking about that as well.

He can't imagine what Li Hwa's reaction will be when she learns that he has a 'fiancee'.

Sabastian made a funny face looking at Aaron.

"You're fuc*ed up, man! I wonder what will be Li Hwa's reaction when she finds out about your 'fiancee'~~" Sabastian teased Aaron before laughing, he could guess what Aaron was thinking just by looking at his expression.

"..." Aaron.

"Really? Fu*k you man!!!" Aaron annoyed cursed at Sabastian.

Suddenly, a childish voice commented.

"My mother will dump you if she finds out about your fiancee."

Turning to their left, both of them saw Yong-Hyeon.

Sabastian hearing Yong-Hyeon started laughing.

Aaron clicked his tongue feeling annoyed by Sabastian's laugh.

He then asked Yong-Hyeon for help.

"Do you have any idea about how can I make it up to your mother?"

Yong-Hyeon sighed before turning away from Aaron and started walking towards Erisviel's room.

"That's not my problem, it's yours! I'm an 8-year-old who has his homework due tomorrow, good luck idiot."

Aaron started sulking, feeling depressed by everything happening to him.

'Oh, Darkness. Help me!!!' Aaron prayed to his goddess/best friend.