Her fire and His Shadow

It Is Time

The rowdiness that was now etched in her room–her former room now–caused most of the maids to trip or most times, fall to the ground because somehow, there happened to be no space for easy movement.

It was obvious her step–mother had commanded them to clean the room of all her belongings, making sure her existence was wiped out from the surface of the room she grew up in. The maids emptied her drawers, her cupboards and the sacred paintings she kept in her inner room.

Of what use will the drawings be in her husband's house? She wondered watching a young maid open another bag for the paintings. But how rough she handled them!

“Siya.” Aurora called, taking a few steps closer. “Do not worry, I will pack these.”

“Oh no, Lady Aurora, let me do my job accordingly. Your father will have my head if he hears I allowed you to soil your hands.” offering an awkward short laughter. She hastily grabbed the bag with unsteady arms, struggling to re-open them.

Aurora startled but quickly recovered herself and could only let out a long sigh. “Then treat them with care. They are very important to me,” she said, watching the first portrait being buried into the bag.

Siya nodded. “Of course, my lady.” This time, her smile seemed genuine.

The guards were called to haul the six bags that were all tightly secured with red ribbon on each of them. Her heart thugged at the emptiness that filled the room. She stood in the middle of the room, scanning through the room as if trying to remember every experience she had in here.

“Lady Aurora?” someone called from the door, almost coming like a whisper.

She could hear the pace of her heart quicken. The time she dreaded was already so close, she wished she had run away when her sister suggested it. But she turned around with a half-shaped smile. “Yes?”

“Elite Caspian calls for you immediately.” It was one of the young guards that had carried her bags to the waiting room.”

“Thank you. I will be there at once,” she responded, hiding her shaky hands by locking her fingers together.

This morning, she had walked through the same stairs down to the passage leading to the hall with the hope of getting married to the man she loved, with her maids ceremoniously escorting her.

She was glad, it was a thing of joy and pride. Now she is walking on the same route alone, marrying the first man that made her father show a glimmer of fear.

How will Johan feel when he hears his beloved is married to another man? Especially the same stranger that almost brought him to his death. “Oh gods of Efire. Is this your plan for me?’ she cried under her breath, with closed eyes that were building up moist.

She was so consumed with her thoughts she didn't realise she had reached the marriage hall. The sound of the twin iron doors screeching on the floor made her snap back into reality. The guard that held the door nodded subtly, like he was wishing her well but that only broke her heart further.

“Ah.” Caspian called, clearly disturbed by her tardiness. “Here she comes. I told you we do not run away from our responsibilities.”

But the stranger only gruffed. “I will find her by the blink of an eye if she runs.”

Aurora could not explain how she knew, but she was absolutely sure the masked stranger was looking at her intently, like he wanted to see her the secrets buried in her soul. She could not help but wonder why he covered his face.

“It looks like she has already taken a liking to you, Sir Kai.” her father jokes, reducing the tension, but that had no effect whatsoever.

Silence reigned in the hall, even the drop of a needle will be heard. ‘Kai’, Aurora noted in her mind. His name is Kai, such a strange name befitting for the kind of aura that comes from him. His head tilted to the side, from the outline of the mask, she noticed he was smiling. And that unnerved her to her bones.

She could not fathom why she could not remove her eyes from the stranger she had feared hours ago. Suddenly, she noticed his legs moving. He began to draw closer to her, with careful steps, baiting her with anxiety and suspense. By the gods, she did not like how her knees buckled under his intense stare.

He stopped abruptly when she could feel his breath on her face. He was tall! Aurora gulped when she realised her forehead didn't even reach his neck.

He bent a little lower to her level, with his nose on her neck, he took a long sniff. Startled, she took a step back, staring back at him warily.

“Dame Aurora, my wife.” drawing the last two words for everyone to hear. “Mine.”

He turned back instantly, leaving Aurora to drown in her thoughts. A strange face held whispered conversations with Aurora’s father, both of their faces were etched with worry. They abruptly stopped when they noticed the strange man’s approaching figure.

“I will be taking my wife home now.” he adjusted his black flowy jacket, settling his gaze on the other man near Caspian, “But there seems to be a problem. Yes?”

Caspian slightly coughed, nudging the other man to speak. Aurora had never seen her father act so scared in front of another man. It was very unsettling, noting the amount of sweat that covered his forehead. It was of no doubt that his native cap was also drenched.

Kai stayed quiet, flexing his shoulders either to intimidate the men more or just to ease the discomfort of standing for too long.

“We would like to see the face behind the mask. You are typically a stranger marrying our daughter.” Victoria spoke boldly, from the far end of the hall.

Kai chuckled shortly, and the insides of Aurora longed to hear it more. “Caspian, I heard you command armies to obey,” he started. “Yet you let your wife speak like a dog with no leach.”

The whole room gasped. Aurora’s eyes widened, no one has ever spoken to her step-mother that way.

Caspian silently glared at his wife whose face was red with anger. He let out an awkward smile. “I apologise on her behalf, she doesn’t know marriage matters are not for women. She just cares for her daughter.”

Aurora snorted loudly unconsciously, immediately slapping her palm across her lips, which earned a glare from her father.

“Remove your eyes from my wife.” came Kai’s command, which he obeyed instantly. Aurora didn't know how to react to what just happened. “As for my face, that will come later. Your daughter is safe with me, as she will be for the rest of her life.’

He then strolled towards Aurora that had stayed silent watching his every move like a hawk. His arm grabbed hers as he deliberately locked his fingers with hers. Aurora silently gasped, not expecting them to be holding hands. She looked up at his face and felt his intense stare again.

“It is time, Aurora.” his masculine voice flowed like music through her ears.

Where was the fear she felt towards him before?