Chapter 3
1036 Words
~Wysteria POV~
A voice of a child crying accompanies me in this darkness. I turned and turned, to find nothing only the cry.
A small light lit up a small body crouching at a corner.
My body moved towards the child. His wailing was nonstop and his sobbing was getting deeper and sadder.
"Hi there, are you okay?"
I pleaded and crouched down. I rested my head on my knees, waiting for the child to heed my calling as I caressed his hair which struck me with a resemblance.
"Tell me what's wrong?"
The child hitched his sobbing. Slowly, he raised his head and I forgot how to breathe.
"Lahen?"
"You left me, again. You promised we will go home together but...but you weren't there when I came home,"
My vision lowered to his height.
"I... I... I am sorry. I am here now."
Lahen shook his head. His glare of pain and hurt tore my heart apart.
"She took you away from me. And she said you don't want to come back to me," Lahen's tiny body trembled in rage.
"You liked being with her more than me. You liked being there than at the duchy where... where we..." Lahen sobbed and turned away. His little shoulders moved up and down along with the little cry.
"Lahen, please. Don't say that..." I trailed off when he jolted back.
His eyes which were emerald shifted to ruby. Horns protruded out with dark scales shrouding his skin.
"You left me! You left us!"
My body moved on its own, embracing him in my own tiny arms. His body fought to be released but then... Unconsciously I let out a wail.
"I don't have a choice. I can't have others dying because of me again."
My wailings got louder. His struggle halted as I felt his hand embrace me back. Caressing me gently as we both buried our heads in each other's bodies.
"That's why I chose this path..."
"What?"
I gaze up and butterflies fluttered in my heart. Lahen's mature look fulfilled the yearning I held back.
"I want you to know that I love you. I always do." Lahen caressed my cheeks. His gaze softened and sparks like fireflies floated around me.
"Lahen?"
Lahen's touch grew softer like the wind. His eyes that locked with mine were see-through.
"Where are you going? Lahen?!"
"I love you, Ange."
More sparks flew in the air. Lahen's figure blurred and my hands passed through his silhouette.
"Lahen?! Lahen! Lahen! Lahen!!!"
My eyes snapped open to a wooden ceiling. The bright room didn't stop me from sitting up in a rush as I gasped for air.
My hands trembled and my cheeks were soaked with tears. The shirt I wore was drenched in sweat while my tear droplets soaked the blanket on my lap.
Who was that?
The door to my bedroom was slammed open. A big grumpy lady with red hair stomped in, pulled out the blankets, and threw a towel onto my head.
"God! Are you just waking up?!"
She slid open the curtain and pushed the window. I squinted my eyes at the blinding light.
"Oh, God! Elena! Elena!" She shouted and sat at my side. Her fingers wiped the tears off my cheeks.
"Elena!"
"Coming!" Sounds of foot stomping on the stairs rushed over to the attic. "Tch, she keeps on ordering me around like a slave around the house. Why can't she just order around that good-for-nothing girl?!"
The mumble halted.
"What?"
"Get me a healer! Look at her eyes. She had been crying in her sleep. I can't marry her off looking like this?"
What? I nearly shouted at her remark.
The two ladies gave me a weird look. They averted their gaze and shared a look before bursting out laughing.
"Oh, God! Mom. She must have lost her mind today." The young one slurred. Her eyes became teary after laughing so hard.
"Crazy girl,"
The grumpy lady slapped my shoulder hard. She got up and pulled out a white dress from the wardrobe.
"Get up, Lass!" And get ready yourself."
The dress was thrown onto my leg. Its rough material had hard on my skin and the design... it was ancient.
"Mom! Look!"
The young lass shouted from the window. Her eyes gleamed in excitement as she waved her hand over.
"Oh my!"
I looked down through another window. The village center was decorated with flowers and chairs were neatly arranged.
Amid the crowd, one lad clad in a suit took my eyes away.
What?
His eyes met mine and his cheeks blushed at the sudden confrontation. He waved his hand in all bravery but was soon struck by another person who took him away.
"Kyaah. God! Look how good Izak is in his wedding suit."
Izak? Izak Neil. I sucked in a deep breath trying to reminisce what in the world happened to me that led to this moment.
"The blessing ceremony and then..." My head throbbed painfully. A foreign image flashed in my mind and made me squint my eyes.
"Snow... Lots of them,"
I fisted my hair when the pain become unbearable. A deep growling reverberated in my chest along with a sudden thirst for blood.
"Red moon... and... Mother?"
"Hey hurry!"
The grumpy lady exclaimed. She pulled out more things from the creaking wardrobe and dropped them on the bed.
Her cold hands cupped my face and lifted it to her eyes.
"It's your wedding day."
She chimed gingerly. Her chubby fingers flicked my forehead, sending me back on the wet pillow.
"...Wedding...?"
I softly breathe out. The pain was gone as fast as it came.
Elena brought in a basin of lukewarm water. She pressed a napkin to my face while letting out an incoherent grumbling.
"Big Sis Ser Leen sure is pissed. She come back last night with a lad out of nowhere and guess what?" I winched when her press became harder.
"Ops, sorry."
I waved her off and stared into the village center. "Hey, Elena,"
"Hm?"
Elena popped her head up from the wedding dress. The ancient dress seemed to drown her petite frame in its ruffles.
"What if I don't want to get married?"
- Writer
