White Bloodline

CHAPTER 5: Burgundy Rose

CHAPTER 5: FIFTH EFFLORESCENCE

BURGUNDY ROSE ~ Unconscious Beauty

Meaning: So beautiful without even knowing it, unconscious love, depicts a beauty that is uncontrived and unadorned, simplicity.

At this very moment in time, the scent of love fills the air.

The gem flashing warm and humble.

One heart skips a beat every time she hears his voice whispering her name.

Just the thought of him staring dexterously sends shivers up and down the spine.

On their first rendezvous and arrived with just one single thorn.

To the unconscious beauty, she gives him her soul.

Her heart has taken flight since that time and etched an image of twin animas in the twinkling twilight, representing two souls intertwined as one.

A match made from heaven, the burgundy and him.

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Harmonious like the white periwinkle, pure as the water lily, and breath-takingly cognate to Scarlet Poppy. The back garden of the Cainvarna Mansion does not do justice like the sweet chestnut tree. The sight is lasting, allied with the xeranthemum. I walk bare-footed on the soft grass, the color so green it is close to the living shade of emerald. One particular bush attracts my attention the most. It has the softest shape of sheaths with the softest color around. Its fragility gives off that kind of sweetness ─ none other than the absinth. I care one crown in my fingers carefully, not wanting to ruin it.

The morning is peaceful. After a made up embrace with Julius, he told me that he has to take care of something involving his duty as a Convicus. I do not expect him to tell me much of the detail of his job, considering he is a spy and all, but I do appreciate it that he still considers me important enough to be told the outline for. So when he goes out, I decide to take a morning walk through the garden near his ─ our ─ room. The weather is just so nice today that it will be such a spoil if I do not enjoy it. I make sure not to roam too far, but I do not expect to see him.

He runs toward me in full speed, as if his life is depend on it. His milky blonde hair bounces around lightly on the crown of his skull. Those jade eyes are locked with mine in concern. A fog is formed from the heavy breathing he makes as he sprints to my side.

“Catalia,” his bright skin is the same tone as mine when he catches my wrist, “I have been looking everywhere for you ever since the full moon night. Are you alright? Are you hurt?” He immediately turns me around so that he can check for any injury. “Thank Flora that you are okay. I am sorry that I was not there when it happened. If only I were not sent away, I would have been able to protect you and Genevieve, especially Genevieve. I am so sorry.”

Tears are building when I finally take a good look at him. “Vine,” I whisper his name when my throat chokes, “it’s alright. You are here now.” I rest my head against his as we have the same height. “We can not do anything for Genevieve. I couldn’t do anything when I was supposed to be with her. You were away for your further studies ─ you can’t blame yourself. What was done was done.”

“Oh, sis,” Vine pulls me into an embrace, resting his head on the crock of my neck, “How I wish you had not have to carry this burden alone.”

“It’s okay, Vine. What matters most is that you are back now. I can at least be grateful that you were spared from that horrid night that you were away. Amaranth was there as well, though,” I think bitterly, remembering what we did together after discovering Genevieve’s corpse. I have not seen him since that incident. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know. I ran to look for you the minute I got home. I did not have the opportunity to meet anyone else except searching through the mansion for me. When I heard the news of Genevieve’s death, I rode back home straight away. I could not focus on my study while knowing that you might not be safe as well. I have heard of the tradition, but I did not think that they would actually did something as horrifying as that.”

“Oh, Vine, you have no idea how horrible it was. The brutality! Please give me your word, little brother ─ promise me that you will not be in this mansion at the next full moon. You will not stand the cruelty those men were performing. I am already scared to horror and I have not even seen the entire thing yet. I and our other female cousins were separated when Julius brought me.”

“Yes, sister, I will─ Wait! Julius? As in the Convicus? What was the family’s prime minister doing with you?” Vine pulls away from me immediately, his eyes searching for mine.

I do not have to say anything, though. My expression says it all. Now he also knows.

“He was.... You were.... Oh, Catalia! My poor, poor older sister!” He pulls me into a tighter hug this time. “I can not imagine what you have gone through, but I can assure you one thing. I will get you free. I will pick you, and then I will free you!”

Vine pulls away once more, but not too far this time. His face is only inches from mine. He takes that moment to close the distant between us again. Something cold and sweet hit my nostrils. The same sensation brushes my lips caringly as well. I open my eyes slowly, allowing those soft colors from the garden invade my sight again. This time, though, it is not just the flowers that are in my eyes, but also Vine. His face is so close to mine.

When I realize it, I am already way too late. His lips already connected to mine, sucking and nibbling with no control. I know that my scent will soon that that unstoppable effect on men, but to think that even my sweet innocent Vine will be taken over by his own lust as well. He will have the same urge like Julius’ and Amaranth’s to have s*x with me, but I will not allow that to happen. Not to him.

“No, Vine. You have to stop─” I try to speak against his lips, but he devours me back right away, preventing me from talking further. His brilliant jade green eyes are gazing at mine passionately under those thick eyelashes, I even have a hard time realizing how much he has grown up since the last I saw him.

“No, Vine. Please─”

This time I stop myself from talking and gasp audiblely when I can feel his fingers on my p***y, drawing sensual circles near my core. I can feel myself starting to get wet easily. By now, my fragrance is surely oozing at the air surrounding us, getting thicker by the second. The scent drives Vine even crazier, unable to stop himself from sinking his fingers inside my walls and cares me up and down. I moan with the pleasure that is shooting through my body. Any sense I already have is out of my system the minute he pampers me. I do not even know what will happen later once someone sees us ─ a girl who was already taken by another men, making release with her own little brother.

Sick.

What we are doing is so sick.

But our family is sicker.

I can’t even give a care when Vine starts sliding in and out from me as I lay on the grass, him commenting about how tight I still am. Is that even a good thing.... or a bad thing....?

“Faster,” I demand lowly but authoritively. He does as told and starts picking up the pace. Pleasure shoots through me until we both goes numb and collapse on the ground.

Once my mind is clear enough, I look around to spot our clothes thrown everywhere near. We are both stark naked, sweaty and fresh with heavy amount of fragrance. My body is sore and throbbing everywhere, somehow still feeling the hunger to be embrace carelessly once more. But I fight the urge this time.

I have to, for both of us. Or else there will be no end to this inappropriate act.

“Vine, I have to stop this. I can not let anyone know about what just happened. Vine, come one, we have to leave,” I say, shaking the body lying next to me, but getting no reply.

The bold reddish of poppies bloom just beside him, causing him to fall in a deep slumber easily. I do not think I can even wake him up anymore if I try yanking him back and ford. I still have to do something, though. I can not let us still lying around naked while anyone can see us.

Just when I think that we have been slipshod enough, my eyes spot a figure at the end of the garden where a white pavilion encompasses the land. The man only stares at us, as if seeing people doing things in the garden at stark morning is a common incident to happen. I can feel him staring at me for the longest, racking my nudity appreciatively in silence.

My core becomes wet again because of the act, causing me to get aroused once more. My scent vaporizes to the air. Just when I think that my luck can not get any worse, the wind blows towards me, carrying my scent along to this direction. I can tell that the can smell me, because I can hear a gasp from afar. The man looks like he is in shock or something, before immediately takes off to another opposite direction and catches me in surprise.

Perhaps not everyone can be affected by my scent.

The sun rises and Vine is departing back to continue his study. He asks me to wait until he completes his education and comes back for me. He promises me that he will take me as is wife and then set me free, but I can not accept this sacrifice.

“No, Vine. You deserve to choose the girl you love once you get your turn. You can not throw away that chance for me, especially when I am already chosen. I am not worth it.” I shake my head.

“Of course you are. I love you, Catalia,” he whispers sweetly.

“Julius will kill you if you challenge him,” I tell him.

“I don’t care,” he persists.

“Well, I do. So don’t,” I say through grinned teeth. “I love you. I don’t want you dead. Genevieve already died. I don’t want another of my sibling deceased as well.” I look into his eyes, making sure that he will not do anything reckless. Once I can find peace in those jade orbs, I sigh in relief and say may goodbye to him. “Be safe,” is my last wish for him.

No news of what happened between me and Vine is heard once Julius is back. There is a ball coming as well, with me invited as his dance partner. I will be introduce at the party, the one that the Cadipylth ─ the king ─ throws to celebrate his men new spouses. The night is only three times away, but the mansion seems to be in a rush for preparation.

We spend most days making love, if he is not busy. Other times to just stroll down the garden or the library. Sometimes we even cross another newlywed couples, sparing some time to chat with them about how we adjust our new daily life.

Julius also personally buys me a gown that matches his flower ─ Juniper ─ for the ball. The cold blue gown is just simply wonderful, with ornaments circling the waist and top and petals heaping upside down at the petticoat area. When the night comes, he chooses to make an up-do to my hair, accessorizing the bun with blue beads. The gown also comes with a pair of white short net gloves and glass shoes. As for him, he wears an all black tuxedo with a stern of pinkish blue catalina in his blazer pocket peaking out.

We walk in with arms locking one to another. Since Julius is known to be an important title holder, a lot of people approach us. They know him very well, it seems. But they don’t know me yet. A lot of them are asking about me, both the husbands and the wives. More compliments are thrown at me, admiring the beauty I believe I do not posses.

The chatter continues until one figure stands up from the throne and the ballroom falls in silence. Everyone stops talking and turns their attention to the Cadipylth. It is just so happen that we do not stand too far away from the throne that my eyes allow me to see just actually how young our king is. He looks be to around my age, with hair as dark as the night pit and eyes as violet as an allium. He is wearing his grandeur garments, consisting of an all white attire, with long vestment and tube hat. Purple ornaments are emblazoning his clothing. He spares everyone a look, until he finally decides to settle down on me.

“My great people of the Cainvarna family clan,” his tenor voice echoes clearly through the room, “Tonight, we shall celebrate not only for the marriage of the so many young couples in our family, but we are also going to celebrate one particular founding.” Everyone starts to rise a small chatter again, full of wonder about what it will be before Cadipylth Loyd continues, “I would like to share this wonderful news to you all that I have found my Orynth ─ your Queen.” The chatter rises again, this time even bolder with interest than before.

The Cadipylth has found his Orynth? But it is says that it is very rarely for the Cadipylth to find his queen that early. Most kings even have to wait for decades to find their wives, mostly because there are only two pure hanabitos that are born in the same generation. Who could it be?

As if hearing my thoughts, Cadipylth Loyd smiles at our direction and gestures his hand towards us. “My people, my family, may I present to you, your new Orynth, Catalia Blanch dé Cainvarna!”

My ears become dull upon hearing that announcement as the rest of the family rejoice in the discovery. But I can not be a pure hanabito.... can I? If I really am, surely my parents would have noticed, would have told me at least....? Slowly, I turn my head to Julius, how is looking at the king with an unreadable expression. When he realizes that I am looking at him, he turns his attention to me, his wife, with an apologetic look on his face. But that lineament....

He knows.

After all this time, every since the first night we met in the dungeon, he knows.

And he did not even bother to tell me.

“W-what is the meaning of this?” I ask shakily.

Julius opens his mouth to say something, but the bass voice of Orchdin Gallan beats him up to it from behind.

“It means that he has taken someone who does not belong to him,” he answers for both of us.

Never for a second that I dare to unlock my gaze with Julius’. Not even when the guards start coming towards us. Not even when they try to tear us apart. I keep trying to reach out for him as he does the same.

“Julius!” I scream in name in desperation. “You’ve promised! You’ve promised!” I can not fight the tears that are running down to my cheeks.

All the times we have spent together.... did they mean anything to him? Is this just some kind of a play for him? Why did he do this to me after he has promised to protect and love me?

“Catalia!” He reaches out his hand to grab mine, but another guard appears and blocks him. “Catalia!” he calls out to me.

“Please!” I plead dearly as I reach out my own hand to him, but none of the guards that hold me down will listen to me. They are only following orders ─ the Cadipylth’s order. They will only listen to him.

As they drag me away from the hands of my husband, the memory of the white flowers I found so often in the garden keep playing in my mind. I remember how beautiful they are and how hurtful they mean. And just like to fragile flowers are, they are crushed in my mind. Alone and dark, just like the room those guards are bringing me to.

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