Our Love is Not A Fairy Tale

Chapter 6 - Journey to the past: Meet the Cast

Standing by the sidelines wasn’t something new for her. She preferred blending in as opposed to making a fool of herself. If people couldn’t see her, they’d have no reason to hate her. Least that’s what she told herself.

It had been a day since her elder sister had come back. She hardly recognised her, having not seen her in ages. However, once the two were left alone, the connection grew again.

The maidens face turned red, upon remembering the horrors that escaped her lips when they were first re-introduced. Words of utter idiocy escaped: Sometimes she scared herself.

“You’re really tall.”

“Do you play? You’re very pretty -- I’m sorry, I thought you were married -- Mom, can we adopt her?”

“She’s your sister.”

She groaned into her pillow, squeezing the stuffed thing as her embarrassment ate away at her. It was a good thing her sister seemed fond of the clear excitement that showed on her face.

To celebrate her coming back, a ball would be held in the Velanova’s mansion, it stood to reason that she too dressed up.

Thus, she willingly submitted herself to the following days' tortures, she allowed herself to get zipped into whatever dress the maids thought worthy, sit patiently while her hair got tugged back, her scalp burning with every pin that wished to follow suit, increasing her pain. She thanked her lucky stars that the dress slid across the floor, raining down on her with its bright vibrant colours: it would save her feet from suffering the same pain as the rest of her body.

“You look absolutely wonderful!” Cheered the maids, the maidens entourage grew as they continued to bestow her with forced, faux compliments of her beauty. Which she accepted with a smile.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she called one of the butlers to bring a bag of coins and hand them over to the maids that helped her get dressed -- telling them to take the next few days off.

‘It’s ok Nova. A few more years and this won’t happen. You can take care of yourself then.’

The carriage ride wasn’t as long as she hoped it would be, the lady of the night seemed to be equally as down, however, upon her entry, her face lit up and she wasted no time in barreling towards her, arms outstretched.

“You made it!”

“Well, it would’ve been completely rude of me not to, don’t you think?”

“Yes, but you still came! That makes me so happy!” She continued to gush, her hold on the petite maiden tightening.

Patting her back, she choked out her reply, “Mel, Oxygen -- Can’t breathe” 

The Lady of the night grinned, pulling away from her, offering a sheepish smile.

“Sorry?”

Nova rolled her eyes and allowed herself to be dragged along the ballroom, her feet once again thanking her for not being caged onto a pair of abnormally long heels that would no doubt have ruined her night (and her feet), and restricted Melody from being able to drag her as she saw fit.

“Nova, you already met Carter, haven’t you?” 

Carter raised his drink up to the two, his lips meeting the exterior of the glass, his dark eyes locked onto the bashful maidens.

“We have,” she noted, colour blossoming on her cheeks at the smirk that pulled on the man's lips as he downed his glass, his tongue snaking out to lick the excess liquor on the corner of his lips.

“Lovely. See Nova, you already have a friend -- Carter!” Melody exclaimed, second before sending a death glare to the man in question, “Carter, be warned I won't hand over my baby to you so easily!”

The man raised his hands in surrender.

***

Carter Windlock was a man of many things: looks, a personality of gold everyone seemed to dote on, hard worker, a man fond of any woman that met him, he didn’t care for the complexities of life. At least...Not externally.

He had one distinct flaw. He cared too much for himself, he wasn't prideful, but rather he put himself in the victim's shoes: refusing to get out. He victimised himself even though the situation clearly pegged that he ought not to.

‘Maybe, that’s why their relationship didn’t last. No matter, it was for the better.’

Melody Wistoria, contrasted against his personality like the sun to the moon. There was no one she didn’t care for. Even in that brightly lit, star-filled ballroom, a cacophony of sounds merging into one: sounds of music, sounds of guests talking, they all sounded the same. Yet Melody cared for each individual speck in that room. Yet there was one person she didn’t care for. You could see it in the way her eyes would darken, her hands painfully curl into fists by her side, at every reflective surface she passed, every time she was forced to speak, her voice reverberating back to her, the cloud of disgust that would blind her: herself. She had nothing to speak for herself, no words filled with praise or love.

‘That’s why I promised myself to love her an even greater deal than she loves me. If she can't love herself, I’d just do it for her.’

Eleanor Velanova. Melody’s closest most trusted friend, who constantly butted heads with that of her sister in terms of loyalty to the girl. The only child of the Velnova family, known for the balls she would have whenever she pleased, balls no one would refuse to come to. If one wished for a good time in the bustling town of Endromiya, this was where they’d venture to. Her door would always be open.

‘I can’t write much about her, considering all our interactions have been nothing but arguments.’ 

***

With that statement, Melody dragged Carter away, assuring Nova she would be back within seconds and for her to just hand around and be safe.

Someone else came by her side: Rose Andromeda, succeeding in raising up her spirits. Such as how Eleanor was close with Melody, Rose had a special place in Nova’s heart.

Stemming from their love of writing, the two grew close. Rose being notorious for the commissions she drew, helping out others to draw out or write theirs. One of them being Nova. She had helped her again, easing her with a few sips of liquid luck, ordering her to not exert herself.

Nova listened and gladly sat herself down on the many sofas, merely lounging about in the Velanova estate.

Her eyes caught another familiar face in the group, slowly trying to hide behind the walls as the sounds of children mingled in trying to find him. Nova would have got up to berate him, but she recounted how his first encounter with the man was as equally embarrassing, if not more so.

“Pink.”

“What?”

“Your hair. Colour it pink.”

Slapping herself, she screamed internally at the stuff she said. She couldn’t decide whether she should cut out her tongue or merely opt for hiding forever, in a dingy old burrow, further than the eye can see.

***

Leo Ambrosia…

“The most handsome one in the room, and he knew it. (I'm just sucking up to him now aren't I?) Eyes shining with bright golden specks, brighter than the lights adorning the ballroom that Eve’, hair softer than snow, tucked back behind his ears as his hand made way to ruffle it up, lips, pursed kissed by the darkest petal of a fallen rose --”

“What are you doing?” The bed creaked, as the owner of the voice stirred from his disturbed slumber, eyes closed, mouth parted, pouting slightly, “Come back to bed.”

“Sorry!” She held up the numerous pages marked in ink, “I got some last-minute inspiration?” She shrugged innocently.

By now, the man had turned around to face her, his eyes still half-closed, smiling discreetly as her hand moved his hair away, playing with the dishevelled locks

“Yeah? ‘Bout what?”

“Us.”

Blinking repeatedly, he grinned, wrapping his arm around her wrist pulling her back into bed with him.

“Don’t steal my lines!”

“I can’t help it!” She laughed, leaning in and connecting her lips with his.

“Now come back to bed,” he said, as their lips parted.

“Yes sir,” she teased, folding the papers up, safely putting them on the nightstand, “and you said you f****d me to sleep.” She teased.

“I did -- Dumbass.”

“You love my ass though.”

Laughter could be heard in the room as the now fully awake couple jumped on one another. The starry evening sky looking down on them, the moons light shining brighter than ever before, casting a shadow over the two joined figures.