My Fiance In Disguise

Chapter 8

Camellia meanwhile was acting like she just came out painting, not telling them where she went. She painted a landscape as the maid finally found her.

"Young miss, I was looking for you everywhere... I was about to deliver a message to your parents, luckily I didn't."

Celest focused on her painting, her brushstrokes quick and determined. "Didn't I tell you I'm painting?" she snapped, a little too sharp, a little too defensive.

The maid, sensing her distress, hesitated. "But miss, you should've told us to come with you... Demons are everywhere now that the Barrier was broken."

"Okay, okay..." Camellia replied, her tone a mix of annoyance and resignation, her brushstrokes faltering.

Then, as she was about to reach for her Amethyst flute, she realized it was gone. It was no longer in her pocket.

"Leave me for a moment," she said to the maid, her voice barely a whisper, her hand reaching for the empty space where the flute should have been.

The maid, sensing her distress, quickly retreated. As soon as the maid was out of sight, Camellia gestured for Jaden to come closer. "What do you need, Your Highness?" he asked, his face etched with concern.

"Jaden... My... My flute, it's gone. I may have left it at the Forest of Aquarian Land," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

"I'll go find it for you, Your Highness," Jaden replied, his loyalty unwavering, his eyes scanning the forest for any sign of danger.

That flute held a special place in her heart, a reminder of a boy who had helped her through a difficult time.

Flashback

The young Camellia, barely five years old, sat curled up in her chamber, her small frame wracked with sobs. She knew her parents were gone, abandoned her. Her grandmother, the Empress, was her only family. "Mom... Dad... I promise I will be good... Please... Don't leave me," she cried, her voice choked with tears.

A boy, his hair a riot of black curls, entered the chamber. He held a flute, its body carved from polished amethyst. He sat beside her, his eyes filled with compassion. He began to play, his fingers dancing over the flute, creating a melody that soothed her tears and calmed her racing heart.

"You know," he said, his voice a gentle whisper, his words a mix of wisdom and innocence, "if the expectations are too much, then don't take it too serious, just be happy. Focus on yourself. Music calms people down. you know."

The boy visited her every day, his flute a constant presence in her life. He filled her days with music, his melodies a shield against the loneliness she felt. He understood her in a way no one else could, and he shared with her a bond that transcended age.

The day he gave her the flute, a gift meant to ease her worries, he never came back.

Back to the Present

Camellia, lost in her memories, barely noticed the painting she had been working on. Her brushstrokes became more frantic, her colors darker, as if mirroring the turmoil inside her.

Suddenly, an arrow came flying toward her. She closed her eyes, bracing for the impact, her body tense with fear. She felt a hand on her shoulder, a gentle but firm grip. Kael.

He had stopped the arrow with his air magic. "Sissy, are you alright? Did something hurt you?" he asked, his voice laced with concern, his eyes searching hers for any sign of injury.

Camellia hugged him tightly, her body shaking slightly. "Brother..." she whispered, her voice filled with relief, her grip on him tightening.

Then a young man with black hair and blue eyes, Zephyr, stepped out of the shadows. He had just shot the arrow to the Demon, his expression unreadable.

"Zephyr," Kael said, his tone low and dangerous, his air magic crackling around him, a subtle warning. "Why did these demons try to kill my sister?"

"you know their targeting noble children's and Royal heir's," Zephyr replied, his voice as calm as the still waters of a lake, but his eyes held a glint of something more, something guarded.

Kael's memory of the day his sister was lost flooded his mind. The trauma, the terror, the helplessness. And now, it was happening again.

Flashback

They were both in the forest. Jasmine/Ela, a five-year-old girl, was playing with the butterflies. Kael was reading in the grass. "Brother, look there... A lot of butty." "It's butterfly, sissy," he replied, a smile playing on his lips.

Suddenly, demons surrounded them, their guards slain. They took Jasmine/Ela, leaving Kael to run. He was helpless.

Camellia shook her brother, bringing him back to the present. "Brother, are you alright?" her voice trembling with worry.

"Ahh... yes... I'm fine, just thinking something," he said, his voice tight, trying to mask the rising panic.

Wait... he's Zephyr, my fiancee, the prince of Constellation Realm. But didn't they say he's ugly?he look like a Greek god Camellia's mind was racing with confusion.

"You okay?" Zephyr asked, his gaze fixed on Camellia, a hint of curiosity in his eyes, as if he was trying to piece together something he couldn't quite grasp. "You look like someone I know."

Camellia's heart skipped a beat. She was caught between a wave of relief and a deep, unsettling fear. "Really... same faces are always everywhere... right?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, her mind desperately trying to find a way out of this increasingly dangerous situation.

Oh God she thought, her inner voice laced with panic. He didn't recognize me, right? I hope he didn't, because if he did… I'm doomed, even if I didn't achieve my goal yet. Why am I so worried? It's not like he truly saw my face before...

Kael then helped his sister go inside. Her parents were also there, sitting in the living room.

"Mom... Dad... brother... I thought you'll be gone for a week," Camellia exclaimed, her voice laced with a hint of playful exasperation.

"All officials are dismissed...Prince Zephyr, you're here too. I didn't see you around these days," her mother, Ariana, said, her smile warm and welcoming.

"I didn't visit these last few days due… to the Demon attacks, Dismissing all Classes this year" Zephyr replied, his tone as smooth as polished marble.

"It's okay... We all know you're busy," Ariana said, her smile unwavering.

"I'm happy for the both of you, Madam Ariana and, Lord Arthur," he said, his gaze sweeping over the room, his smile a little too stiff, a little too controlled. "Lady Jasmine's return is... a welcome event."

Ariana, her eyes shining with happiness, spoke, "Actually... it was an unexpected encounter... Jasmine was hit by our carriage on our way home and we thought we just hit a wild animal at the forest of Leo land, but when we saw her... wearing our family heirloom... it's fate who brought her back to us!"

"Fate really has its plan... of bringing a family back," Arthur added, a deep rumble of satisfaction in his voice.

Then, her father, Duke Arthur, spoke, his voice filled with a somber authority. "Jasmine Dear, we will double the security. The Demons have already entered the Celestial Realm and are targeting to kill the son and daughter of noble and royal families. The son of Sun and Moon has already been killed, so we better be careful. Until the barrier is fixed."

Her mother, Ariana, reached for her hand, her touch comforting. "Your father is right, dear. We just found you... we can't afford losing you for the same reason again."

"Mother... I'll do everything to stay by her side and protect her... I cannot lose my sister again," Kael declared, his voice firm, his gaze fixed on his sister, his determination unshakable.

"I'll just go get something in my room... I'll be back," Camellia murmured, her voice barely audible. She needed a moment to process everything, to gather her thoughts, to try and understand this new, dangerous reality.

" she really look like someone I know... She looks like Camellia"

Zephyr murmured to himself

Then, the maid announced someone's arrival.