Creatures of the Mist

Seventeenth Mist

Seventeenth MistCreatures of the Mist

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##### Seventeenth Mist #####

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It feels like there is this dark void that is eating me from the inside core, and from time to time my branches shriveled to the ground. And that is when I see hope.

“Arsene.” I can hear my name being called by Lulu even from the other end of the hallway. His voice is too wanting, too velvety to not be heard. My feet take shorter steps than usual through the dark tunnel of elegance to answer his call.

“Yes?”

“I just want you to know that I’m very grateful that you came. At first I though you’re not going to come. But all of my thoughts stop when I spotted you in the entrance of the main gate from the castle. So ─ ” I suddenly step back, away from him.

“Lulu, I thought we are close enough to pass this troublesome and overrated courtesy? Besides, no one is here to listen to us,” I say, eyes looking straight into his visceral violets pass my long hair.

Even when I already tied it up to the back, some strands are still trying to slip and hinder my vision.

I am wearing a silvery dress right now, the same one that I wore when I came to the Castle of Royal Wizards before. It has a deep shade of grey’s wrapping on the top with some sprinkles of sparkling transparent beads around the top verge and at my left, flaring wrinkling on the waist, lighter grey lace underneath, and a pale wiping net material that is trailing behind me each time I walk. The gown also comes along with a pendulous set of necklace and earrings, which both are made of crystals. That is one of the reasons that I can’t run on this hallway or any other halls.

“Well, if you say so,” he chuckles. “Then I would like to know who you’re taking as a dance partner.” His curiosity sounds more like a demanding question when he asks.

“No one,” I state simply.

“No one?” He crooks one of his eyebrows. “This is a ball, My Sweet Arsene. You can’t just come alone,” he tells me.

“I know. But I’m not interested in the dance, as you may know. I came just for the courtesy,” I reply him before I can stop myself.

He laughs at me this time. “And I thought we don’t need any courtesy in here,” he manages to say between laughter. It takes him a few more minutes to quiet down the laughing, though.

“Seriously, Arsene, who are you taking as your dance partner?”

“I already told you the answer. Moreover, I know the real meaning to your question ─ who will you choose? I will not choose anyone, for I have decided to be forever alone when it comes to relationship. I don’t desire any marriage, so stop bothering me in this case. But if you simply don’t have any other meaning to your question, then let’s just say that I’m not planning to dance in the ball and thus, I don’t need a dance partner. I will even disappear after all of the guests have gathered so that no one will even notice when I’m missing from the ballroom.”

True like what I have said, I do exactly just as that when the time for the dance comes. I pretend to pay attention on what is going on in the ball, and then slowly drift away from the crowd when the music starts to play. The place where I escape to, the balcony, is much nicer than the elegance of royalty and power-hungry wizards.

It is because the ballroom is already full with those who dream of becoming part of the throne struggle, which I find is very desperating. Those who are unlucky enough to be trapped inside the chain of hunger and thirst of power will surely be doomed. I do not wish to become one of them. So I flee from the suffocating glamour.

Besides, the moon is beautiful even for tonight. Why would I trade such beauty for the struggling and danger that those wizards are putting on themselves?

Raion finds me staring at the moon again after half an hour of searching, judging by the heavy breaths he is taking from behind the door that connect to the balcony I’m currently staying. I have disconnected any form of way that will lead anyone to me. Well, at least through magic. I wouldn’t guess that Raion would search me through the castle using the laborious method.

“So here you are,” he says.

After catching his breath for a while, he then approaches me by joining at my side to stare at the night sky. It then occurred to me that it is the same sky when he kissed me. So if he starts a conversation, I know where it is going immediately.

“What do you think of me?” Raion finally asks the question I can guess whistling through his lips.

And I know that I have to answer him.

No matter how bad my words will hurt him.

“You are a great company to me, Raion.” I then turn to face him, the same time he follows my movement. “But I’m sorry that I have to say this; I don't think of you in a romantic way.”

Something crosses his eyes as soon as I say those words. What is it? Hate? Anger? Sadness? I know that Raion can be childish sometimes, and that giving up is not his forte. I’m afraid that it is something that he inherited from his mother, other than her complexes.

“I love you,” he confesses to me while clenching his fists. Although he sounds rather disappointed with my words, it doesn’t seem to shun him from saying those three words to me.

“I don’t know for how long. Perhaps even at the first time I saw you. You are like an entirely different Dark Angel that I have ever seen, the one that makes me more curious that I have ever been at anything besides studying. Your words pierce my heart every time, and it hurts me. I thought it was because I don’t like you, but it turns out to be the other way around.

“I love you. I finally figured it out when I talk to my mother for the last time, before she was executed. She told me that if I feel a pang in my heart every time I look at someone, and I don’t want to kill her, then that means I feel more than just care for her. Her words are true, you know. Because I don’t think I’m going to be able to just erase my feelings for you, even if I die.

“I know that I’m still way too young for you. But perhaps, if you still want to consider it... if you wait for me long enough for me to grow up... then perhaps we can still have a chance. I can make you ha ─ ”

“No, please stop,” I cut him. “I’m so sorry, Raion. For making you fall in love with me. I should have known better than to let your hopes up. But I already decided since long ago, from the moment that I was born, that I don’t want to bind my future with anyone else for the rest of my life.”

It’s harsh. My words sound like I really want to hurt him. But the truth is, I don’t have a choice. It is either to stop him now, or to give him pain more in the future. I can’t... deal with this. I just want him to know that before his feelings grow too strong towards me. He’s just a child, I don’t want to hurt ─

Raion shocks me by jumping off from the balcony that we are staying out of fury. He uses his own shadows to hold his landing when his body comes near to the ground, and then again and again until he goes on far enough for some fresh air.

My eyes were able to catch a glimpse of the look from his face just before he jumps though.

He looked so crushed that I want to cry for his sadness.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper repeatedly while burying my face into my gloved palms. “All of this intoxicating romance air is making me do all the wrong things. But at least, it is better to be alone than in pain. Trust me on this one.” I say those words even though I know that Raion is already too far to hear them.

After a more desperating incident with Raion, I decide to just get back inside. In the ballroom, it appears to me that everyone has been waiting for my return, at the same time when Lelouch, as the Prince of all Wizards in their eyes, asks me to dance with him. It is not the opening of the dance but it seems to me that he has been saving his first dance for me. And I don’t think rejecting this ‘kindness’ will be very pleasant in the eyes of other guests.

“So, may I have this dance?” I ask, handing his glove-covered hand to me.

Being eyed sharply, I place my hand on his without blinking. And so does for the entire dance. Lulu starts spinning me around the ballroom, letting the others to begin dancing again. He smiles a brilliant smile at me for the entire progress, making me wonder what is keeping him for looking so happy.

It can’t be because of me... can it?

But just before we can start a conversation, a lean hand pulls me away daringly when me and Lulu parts away for a moment. The hand leads me further from Lulu, and let me land on a hard chest of Banri’s.

His presence and closeness kind of surprise me a little, much because of the last scene when he came to me. The bite mark that he left before is now covered perfectly with my necklace, which judging from the look Banri is giving to my neck indicates that he doesn’t like the idea very much.

And I feel uncomfortable already. The Banri standing in front of me right now is not the usual cheerful and carefree him. There is a powerful glint of lust that is coming across his magma eyes, making me feeling intimidated and afraid despite my title.

As if feeling my fear, someone snatches me away from Banri almost like when Banri snatches me away from Lulu. His face comes into my sight soon, at it reveals to be Link.

My, romance just keeps surprising me nonstop lately. More than a war should, I presume. Because it is rather unlikely for Link to save me from anything, unless if he’s still taking this moment as a guard in duty.

More surprisingly, Link only stares at me while we dance. No lust. No rush. We are dancing the longest so far, peacefully and quietly, until Artro asks him whether he can have a dance with me nicely.

“You seem to have a lot of admirers tonight, not underestimating the number at all,” he says when he pulls me toward him on the dance floor.

“Yeah, it seems like everyone just decides to declare their feelings for me,” I mutter, not hiding my annoyance.

“Well, you can ask me for help anytime you want if someone is making you having a hard time,” he offers with a smile.

“I will,” I say, before Raion soon come into view from the corner of my eyes.

He seems to have freshened up and went back again. He might think that he already successfully hides them, but I can still see the redness in his eyes. I then debate with myself whether to dance with him as well or not. I danced with almost everyone so far, so it wouldn’t be fair if I don’t take a stroll around the ballroom with him.

“Go,” Artro encourages me when he sees who I’m looking at. With one lasting look, we break apart and I go to Raion’s side.

“May I have this dance?” I ask him kindly while offering my hand.

Raion raise his head, eyes at my hand for a moment before taking it.

I thought that Raion will be the last warlock I dance with tonight, since dancing is really already out of my plan for tonight. But it seems like there is still one more dance I have to receive as I spot Valline offering his hand to me silently while I’m sitting.

One last dance. So intense.

Valline is a great dancer. I can barely feel his restrained passion for me. Every move is very elegant, deep, and wanting. He throws me back and forward, then twisting and turning me until all I can do is to rely on his shoulders.

"I don't know you have such great talent in dancing," I say to him.

"I've been waiting for years since I took my first dancing class for this moment to arrive."

He gives me the happiest and, at the same time, saddest smile in the world that I have ever seen. It’s so beautiful, yet heartbreaking. Right at that moment I know who I will choose for, if I have the choice for a happy ending.

Valline soon retrieves himself and leaves the dance floor so quickly, I need time to catch up on what’s going on. Once I realize that he’s missing, I tried to chase him. Before I can exit the ballroom though, Lulu stops me from walking away.

And then he surprises me by saying that he will forfeit, because he knows he can't win what Valline feels for me.

"I see the look in his eyes as well. Even though he refuses to look at you for the whole time, and you get irritated by it, he actually loved you enough to hide his love and passion from you. He was afraid that his passion would burn you. That's very noble of him. And I don't think I can win from him," Lulu simply states with a small hint of sadness in his curving lips. “I don’t think any other warlock can win from him,” he says before letting me go.

My black heels is clacking with the hard rock floor as I run through the castle’s garden while trying to adjust with my long and fancy gown at the same time. I have changed into a red grown just before the ball has started. It is off shoulder, just like the grey gown before. It has creases on the top that centers on the white and wild half-moon pendant which is hanging between my breasts, pure white stone’s embroidery that is simply crowning from below my breasts’ line and down to my waist, and then flaring red sea of wrinkles to continue that down to the ground. I have to pull up my gown from the rocky floor. But even then the necklace that’s circling my neck somehow feels heavy enough for me to run. It’s as if it doesn’t want me to be quick.

Truth enough, in the last dance, it wasn’t any of the warlocks that betrayed me, but instead a warlock who is none of them, and a witch. Both I know so well, because they are the ones that created me. I can hear their conversation unfold even from afar. They are lurking in the pond maze, think that I won’t even be near here in the first place.

“How silly of her, thinking that we did this for her. She didn’t even realize that up until this moment, we’re only using her for our own advantages. In turn for setting both of us free, she will forever be tied down to the crown, a slave to the needs of the clan. And finally, after she received that silly crown, we are officially free from the tied to our family. It was a good thing that my parents were desperate enough for an heir, or else it should be us who must take the burden.”

My mother’s voice is echoing through my buzzing, bleeding ears.

“Yes, my wife. Your idea to use our child for our freedom is brilliant. If you haven’t suggested that idea, I’m sure that both of us would have been locked in the castle forever by the duties of becoming leaders. I was bad enough that we have to create Sorcier for her playground. At least the dirty work of making her losing her friends aren’t so bad. I have to admit that I even enjoy torturing her so-called apprentice brat when I released his powers before his time. But my most favorite isn’t about pushing her own family away, but the part when we caused that little prince and she separated.”

My father’s words s***h me to pieces without any mercy.

I can’t believe what they are saying as I drop the red gown full in my hands.

All along, ever since the day I was born, I was already been betrayed....

And that is it.

The seal has been broken.

Betrayal knows my name.

- END OF BOOK THREE -