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.
43. What are Flowers meant to celebrate?
What are Flowers meant to celebrate?
~
Madame Mirie's Flower Shop,
The Town of Crimsonton,
Kingdom of Velicia,
The hours after Noon,
The Eighth Day of the Month of November,
Thirty Third Year of the Reign of King Jesse Crestings
Usually, Madame Mirie would be outside, at the porch of her Flower Shop, watering the blooms that were arranged there or talking to some lovely passer-by and offering them homemade mint tea, for she nurtured them and her house was situated right overhead the blossoming establishment. But the lady was not about at that hour.
Amelia Luna-dynn stepped into the Florist's shop, seeking the woman in a large frilly gown and laced aprons. The place was full of windows and was warmly sun-kissed, with arrays of many different flowers hanging and arranged all over the walls, smelling like a mix of fantasy.
"Madame Mirie?" the damsel of long curly dark hair called, as she looked around.
"Yes, my love?" a voice that was laced with a very thick accent called back as footsteps sounded from the spiralling stairway at the corner of the room.
Amelia realised that the woman must have gone upstairs to her house for lunch and said, "I hope I am not bothering you at this inconvenient hour."
Madame Mirie was a lovely lady of short orange coiling hair, dark chocolate coloured skin, golden eyes and a heavy dose of freckles painted over her nose and cheeks.
Her aristocratic origin was one she never boasted, and she married no man, but simply moved out of the Estate that her grandparents had owned and opened her own Flower Shop.
She had been Jasper's mother's closest friend and had known of their adopting Amelia when she had first stepped into the family. Of course, she did not know of her grave secret, but once the children had lost their parents, the florist had transformed into a second mother, hoping to fill the place the young ones lacked.
"No, no, dearest! It is always such a fine pleasure to see you come by", the lady said, most gleefully, before drawing a chair out for the guest to take a seat. "Have you had your lunch?" she enquired.
"Well, I had cakes during my visit to the Duke's Estate; I had quite a sufficient share", the damsel said, pushing a lock of hair behind her shoulder.
"Nonsense! That is hardly enough!" the woman of vermillion coiling hair declared, before hitching her skirts high and making her way up the stairs that had ivies growing over the detailed metal railings.
Despite how much Amelia tried to tell her that she had no need for eating, the lady turned deaf ears to her words. She returned to the flower shop with a whole tray of toasted bread and jams neatly and generously spread over them.
"Ah, Madame Mirie, you did not have to", the young guest pleaded, but the woman was entertaining none of her pleads.
"I absolutely did. Did you dare think that I would allow my dear Mel to be leaving this place on an empty stomach?" she roared, tearing the slices of bread and stuffing them into the young girl's mouth, duly preventing her from responding.
Then, when she was overfed, Madame Mirie was satisfied. "Thank you for the meal", Amelia groaned, leaning back like she was far too full to sit up.
"None of that here, my love!" the woman called. Then, the lady took a bouquet of blood roses and began weaving them together into a beautiful wreath.
"Wedding order?" the damsel of long brown hair asked, watching the woman skilfully knit blooms into a lovely make.
"Yes, it is a girl from a nice family that I know who is getting married to a man from some other kingdom. They wished for the colour to be deep red", Madame Mirie responded.
"I see", Amelia nodded. "And how is business going?"
"It is alright, but not as spectacular as I would like", the woman huffed, seeming irritable.
"And how wondrously would you like it to be?" the young dame chuckled.
"As good as having your wedding lined up on my list of orders!" the lady of deep coloured skin lashed. "You are so gorgeous and need to be married away. I need suitors here in my shop lined up to be buying you bouquets and bouquets of lilies. But these men are all wolves; they do not deserve the likes of you", she went on barking passionately.
Amelia laughed at the feverish will of her friend, but did not say anything. She was glad the lady had not spotted her coming there with the knight, for that would immediately have her either speaking like the Luna-dynn damsel had already had children with him, or like he was an unworthy man whom she should never dare see again.
Somewhere in the corner of her mind, a simmering thought of marrying the Head Knight popped up, but the dame dispelled it as fast as she could. No man knew the secret she had about her race and they would certainly not be ready to take her in if they knew.
"But you know! All the orders I get these days are from goons that do not have the right to buy my beautiful flowers!" Madame Mirie was going on endlessly.
"Aw, come now, madame, should you not be grateful for those that bring money to the establishment", Amelia gave the lady a condescending look.
"Not these hooligans, no! There are no more young men coming in like butterflies to buy flowers for their ladies! There are only old men buzzing in like bees and wanting to take my beautiful blooms for their mistresses! I despise them! And to some men, I do not give them good flowers! It breaks my heart!" the woman was rambling her everyday sorrows.
Something about that thought left a sad feeling gripping Amelia's chest. She did not know what to say. After all, flowers were such a lovely gift, meant to be a sign of affection and care shared between two lovers, not an object gifted to someone sealing the breakage of a marriage.
~