The Darkest Hearts

Adeline's stomach grumbled. She was seated before an enormous table that was in the center of the beautiful dining room. Windows were aplenty, allowing sunlight to bask upon the pearl white floors, with gold embezzled within the polish. The table stretched from one half of the room to the other half, revealing bountiful dishes of all sorts of color, aroma, and culture.

There were waffles, pancakes, rice porridge, milk tea, and even more.

Presented before Adeline was a plate of salad and soup. The food was within reach. She glanced down at the salad, which consisted of brown sugar glazed beetroots, freshly harvested corn, spinach, kale and so much more, with a lovely balsamic sauce.

"Is the food not to your liking?"

Adeline raised her head. In his long, slender fingers was a crystal wine glass, with a suspiciously dark red liquid. She prayed it was just red wine.

"T-the good looks great," she said.

He narrowed his eyes that turned bright crimson, revealing he was carefully studying her.

Adeline's hands trembled. It was fine. No one would say anything. She lifted the salad fork and knife, watching as he raised a curious brow. She grabbed more dressing from the table, and poured it upon the salad, watching the leaves get soaked through.

"Or would you prefer to eat something else?" he mused.

Adeline's head shot up. She felt like there was more than one meaning to his words.

"T-this is f-fine…" Adeline began to mix the salad, until the volume of it began to shrink a bit, as the spring mix of leaves became wilted from the sauce.

She lifted the fork to her mouth but then paused. "Aren't you going to eat as well?"

"Right."

Elias quietly lifted the spoon to his mouth, pretending to drink it, when in reality he was watching her the entire time. She had placed down the fork and shifted the food to the other side of the plate.

Then, she lifted another forkful of the salad.

Just as it was about to touch her lips, she spoke again. "B-by the way, w-when will I return to the Marden Estate?"

Elias chose to not comment on the fact that Marden Estate was actually under the Rose family's name. Did she not know that? Viscount Sebastian Marden had borrowed the house from Kaline, who was generous enough to let them reside in it for as long as they wanted.

"There is no need for you to return there," Elias slowly commented. He wiped his mouth and took a sip of his wine. "I've sent a letter to them."

Adeline slowly nodded. She played with her food, moving it from one side of the plate to the other, pushing the salad together. When he began to stare, she lifted the fork again.

"W-what kind of letter?"

"To inform them you are to be my wife."

Her utensils loudly clattered onto the table. It slid off the plate, just as her head shot up in horror.

"Isn't that what we agreed on?" Elias mused. He settled the wine glass down and leaned forward, resting his chin on a propped-up arm.

"—that you are to be the Queen of the Wraith Empire?"

Adeline opened and closed her mouth. She quietly thanked the butlers that rushed forward to replace her utensils.

"I-it's that easy?" she whispered.

Adeline shakily stabbed the salad again.

"To send out a letter? Yes."

Adeline brought the fork to her mouth, but paused. "You know what I meant."

Elias gently chuckled. The twins were going to have a fit once they hear of this engagement. He was going to thoroughly enjoy their bickering.

"The process is much more complicated. I will have to announce to you before the council and the entire Kingdom that you are my fiancee."

Adeline slowly nodded. She settled the fork down and began to play with the food again, shifting it from one side of the plate to the other.

"F-fiancee?" she suddenly realized.

Elias nodded. "I'm giving you a year to prove yourself worthy of change."

Adeline was not surprised. He was already generous with the offer. She just hoped it would pass by smoothly, and give her enough time to escape. But where will she go…?

Maybe Adeline could settle down somewhere, far from the city, and in the middle of nowhere, with a kind husband or something. They could live in seclusion, raise a farm, have children, and she'd never had to worry about her relatives discovering her. Yes… that was a future she dreamt of.

It was something she had also told Asher, who readily agreed he would settle down with her if she just asked him to.

Back then, she had laughed at his eagerness, brushing it off as a joke.

"Aren't you going to eat?" he urged.

Adeline gulped. She stabbed the salad on the right again, noticing the volume had decreased, even though it never touched her lips. She brought the fork to her mouth.

"O-oh, I almost forgot," Adeline quietly whispered. She settled the utensil onto the plate.

"I-I have a loyal b-bodyguard in the Marden Estate… I-if you may be so kind as to invite him—"

"Asher Finnly, right?"

Adeline eagerly nodded. "Y-yes, he's a c-childhood friend too a-and—"

"Your stutter has increased today, my little Adeline. Why are you so nervous?"

Adeline jolted. She nervously idled around with the food, beginning her usual antics. She was relieved to see the portion on the right ad drastically disappeared, leaving the left side full of food. This was what she loved so much about salads. They wilted easily and decreased in volume the more sauce was added to it.

"I-I just don't like to be watched when I eat."

"Hmmm, is that so?" Elias sipped his wine, watching her face over the rimmed glass. The wine was bitter and sweet on his tongue, more the former than the latter. That was strange. He usually enjoyed this brand.

Adeline nodded. She stabbed the remaining portion of the salad toward the right of the plate. Soon, it was empty.

"Soldiers are aplenty in this palace," Elias slowly said. "You won't need Finnly."

Adeline's fork came to a halt. She lifted her head and placed her fork onto the plate.

"Then I won't reside here."

"You're welcome to leave," he instantly said.

Elias smiled. She was glaring at him. Oh dear, was her hidden claws coming out? She was so good at pretending to be weak. What was happening? A decade of discipline and she was already forgetting it? He supposed her temper get the best of her. It was a weakness of hers.

"Fine."

Elias's smile worsened.

The chairs loudly screeched as she pushed out of it. Adeline stood up without hesitation and turned on her heels.

A storm cloud rolled over Elias's face. The temperature dropped as the air thickened. He was in a horrible mood as of right now. If possible, the arctic winds were ushered into the room, despite the bright sunny autumn.

Adeline opened the doors, but it loudly slammed shut with a BANG!

"Elias!" she fiercely bit out, turning around irritably.

But he did not come to play. His expression was thunderous, except for the eerily calm smile on his face.

"What's wrong?" he coldly said. "It sees the wind is particularly strong today."

Adeline let out a shaky breath. She glanced towards the floor, noticing the curtains created a shadow. How strange it was that the shadows were near the door. Was that another one of his powers as a Pure-Bred? To manipulate the darkness?

"Don't be childish."

"I'm not."

Elias brought the wine to his lips and nonchalantly took a drink from it. She was carefully watching him. He silently settled the empty glass back onto the table. The more he drank, the more his patience ran out.

"Don't storm out like a kid, Adeline. You're a grown woman."

A maid politely came forward to refill his glass. He raised a hand and shooed her off. She bowed her head and respectfully took steps backward.

"I'm not the one slamming doors," Adeline deadpanned.

Elias innocently tilted his head. "Oh dear, I don't have the slightest inkling of what you're suggesting."

Adeline's eyes flared. She squared her shoulders and turned towards the door again. She grabbed the handles, seemingly going to pull it open, but didn't. Sure enough, the shadows swirled underneath her feet, just waiting for her to make a move.

"You're being mean," Adeline slowly said. "I don't like it, Elias."

The shadows disappeared. She had blinked and it was gone.

Adeline wordlessly opened the doors with ease, and this time, it didn't randomly close. Except, she couldn't leave, because she was blocked by a pair of striking men.

"Elias!" she sharply said, turning around in aggravation. Was this his doing? Were the men his guards?

"We're not here for you, Princess," an aloof voice deadpanned.

Adeline's head snapped up. She was surprised by how handsome they were. Why was everyone so good looking in the palace? Was it because of the water? She made up her mind to drink more of it.

"If you may step aside, pretty woman," one of them happily chirped out. "We would like a word with our beloved leader."

Adeline wordlessly stepped aside. She noticed the other man glaring at her as if she owed him money or something. His eyes were fierce, as if he was ready to burn the world to ashes.

"Ah, don't mind my twin brother, he's just in a grouchy mood," the same man said. He struck a hand out, only to be shoved aside by his brother.

He pretended it didn't happen. "My name's Easton, pretty woman. What's yours?"

Adeline warily glanced from the man that just shoved his brother aside, to the cheerful boy in front of her.

"Adeline," she finally said.

Easton's eyes twinkled with recognition. His lips tugged into a large smile, just as he struck a hand out.

"A pleasure to meet you, Adeline."

Adeline glanced down at the hand. If there was one thing that her parents taught her, it was first impressions. Thus, she bit on her tongue, and firmly shook his head, noticing his eyes widening a bit in surprise.

She mustered every ounce of courage possible to not stutter.

"A pleasure to meet you as well, Easton."

Easton's lips parted. A second later, an enormous grin split open on his face. He tightened his grip on her hand.

"You honor me, Princess."

Adeline blinked. He was so nice… but the kindest smile hides the darkest hearts.

Soon, Adeline would come to regret this introduction.