My Fiance In Disguise

Chapter 5

In the Morning the maid knocked at her room, her voice soft as the morning light filtering through the window, spoke. "Lady Jasmine, everyone will be gone for a week. The Duchess have a… a… important Business to attend."

Camellia, tracing the intricate pattern of her silver necklace with her fingers, gave a faint smile. “Okay… Don’t bother me. I’ll stay in my room for a week to paint.”

“Yes, young miss.” The maid nodded, her smile comforting.

As soon as the maid left, Camellia locked the door, a shiver of apprehension running down her spine. She couldn’t relax. This new life felt too good to be true.

A soft fluttering at the window caught her attention. It was a messenger bird, its feathers a dark charcoal, its little feet holding a rolled-up parchment. Camellia's heart pounded with a mix of fear and anticipation as she unfurled the message.

"Your Highness, this is Nari... I found out they planned to execute the ones who know the past about what happened to your mother, Princess Lyla…”

Camellia’s fingers trembled as she read. The lines blurred. “They want to execute the retired palace maid with the guards at that time… Everyone… And their target tonight is Glenda, your mother’s personal maid, who lives in the Zodiac Realm, the Forest of Aquarians, in Aquarius Land…”

The paper crinkled in her hand. She couldn't let her answer die. Not now that someone knows the past.

Without a second thought, Camellia burned the message, the flames consuming the parchment to avoid evidence. She wouldn't let this opportunity get away.

With a surge of determination, she channeled her magic, the air shimmering as a portal materialized before her. She had to reach Glenda, warn her, save her, and seek answers.

The portal, a swirling vortex of light, beckoned her forward. She stepped through, the familiar sensation of magic tingling on her skin as the world shifted around her. She found herself in a clearing, a small, humble cottage standing before her.

But it was too late. Celestial guards, their faces grim and their swords gleaming, surrounded the cottage.

Camellia darted behind a massive oak, its gnarled branches offering a sliver of protection. Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched, horrified, as the guards stormed the cottage. A scream, sharp and piercing, tore through the air, a sound that mirrored her own terror. Then, silence. A chilling silence.

“Let’s go,” the leader of the guards commanded, his voice as cold as the winter wind.

They disappeared into the forest, leaving behind a scene of devastation. Camellia ran to the cottage, her heart sinking with despair.

“Miss… Miss… Please wake up,” she whispered, her voice choked with grief.

The old woman lay on the floor, her eyes closed, a single white sheet covering her form. A tear rolled down Celest’s cheek, blurring her vision.

“You… look… like… your mother…” the old woman rasped, her voice a mere whisper. “So kind…”

Then, her eyes closed forever.

Camellia stood up, her body trembling. She covered the old woman with a white sheet, her heart heavy with sorrow. “Life was cruel for an innocent person like you,” she whispered, her voice laced with grief. “I failed to know the truth again... why did my parents abandoned me!!! is that hard thing to seek”

She bowed her head, her despair a heavy weight on her shoulders.

Camellia knew she couldn't stay here, not now. She had to escape, to find a way to stop those who were destroying the trace of the past.

Drawing on her magic, she created a portal, a shimmering gateway to a new hope, a new beginning. But before she could step through, a figure crashed out of the trees, a blur of red hair and desperation.

A young man, his clothes stained with blood, his face pale, ran towards her, his eyes wide with terror. Someone, or something, was chasing him.

From the shadows, a demon emerged, its eyes glowing like embers, its form shimmering with a malevolent energy.

Camellia knew she had to act fast. She grabbed the young man, pulling him behind the trunk of the oak. “Shh… Stay quiet,” she whispered, her voice a hushed command.

He nodded weakly, collapsing onto the ground, his body trembling, his eyes filled with fear.

Camellia watched as the demon circled the oak, its breath a hot, sulfurous wind.

The demon's voice, a rasping growl, echoed through the forest. "He's mine. Hand him over, or face the consequences.”

Camellia felt a surge of defiance, her fear momentarily forgotten. “He's not yours,” she retorted, her voice firm despite the tremor running through her. “You can’t touch him.”

The demon snarled, its eyes blazing with fury. "You dare defy me, little princess? You will pay for your insolence."

Camellia knew they couldn't stay here. She had to get them both out of this dangerous situation. She needed to find a safe haven, a place where she could regroup and figure out what exactly was going on.

Drawing on her remaining strength, she channeled her magic, her hands trembling as she focused. A portal, shimmering and unstable, appeared before them and make a big tsunami.

“Hold on,” she whispered, her voice a mixture of concern and desperation, as she hoisted the young man over her shoulder, his weight pressing against her back.

She stepped through the portal, the world swirling around them, the demon's enraged roar echoing behind them.

They materialized in a clearing, a small cottage bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. Camellia’s heart leaped with a flicker of hope. Perhaps there was help here.

“Hello… Is someone home?” She called out, her voice strained with exhaustion.

The door opened, revealing a couple, a man and a woman, their foreheads adorned with the symbol of the Aquarius Zodiac. Their faces were etched with kindness, their eyes filled with concern.

“Miss... please help us?” Camellia asked, her voice a mere whisper. “My... friend needs help. He's injured.”

The woman, Melissa, had a worried face seeing them“What happened dear. Diego, honey, help them.”

Diego, a strong man with kind eyes, stepped forward. He took the young man from Camellia, his touch gentle.

Camellia followed them into the cottage, the warm scent of baking bread filling her senses, a comforting aroma that eased her tense muscles. She collapsed into a chair, her body aching from the exertion of the portal.

"Little girl," Melissa said, her voice soft, "what happened to your boyfriend? Why is he injured?”

Camellia froze. “Boyfriend?” She echoed, her mind reeling. She hadn't thought about what is boyfriend is it boy friend ... since she was forced into an engagement with the prince of constellation what is boyfriend is it like " boy... friend, yeah maybe that is".

The last thing she wanted to think is how clueless she is. She was focused on escaping her past, on finding a way to save Glenda, on seeking answer from her mother.

“Actually, my boyfriend was attacked by a demon, I don't know why" Camellia said, her voice laced with a hint of fear. "Thank you for taking us in.”

“No problem, dear,” Melissa said, her smile warm and reassuring. "Kindness should be spread. Demons are scattered everywhere this days,"

Camellia, still grappling with the concept of a "boyfriend," nodded gratefully.

Melissa guided her to a cozy bedroom, its walls adorned with delicate flower patterns, a soft, quilted blanket spread over the bed.

"maybe... you should be careful next time dear"

"You should rest," Melissa said, her voice full of kindness. "We'll bring you some blanket later. You can sleep in the room next to your boyfriend."

" yes... thank you..."