The night sky remained empty as clouds emerged from nowhere, Ariadne watched the clouds move from one place to another until it left her sight. She waited on the balcony, wondering if she will ever see the stars freely without limits.
"You,"
A deep, manly voice is what she heard. She looked at her back but everything is empty, the voice was not Abel nor Dione's voice but it came from someone far older. Busily looking back at her empty room, she suddenly saw through the reflection of the glass door is there was a man with long, silky silver-white hair with a striking cerulean blue eyes standing behind her. "Don't look, you might get turned into ash."
His voice were cold, emotionless. "who.. are you..?"
For a moment, she thought that she was daydreaming when she felt its slender fingers touch the ends of her hair. "Waiting for something you will never have, that's what you are doing in here. As if clouds were lambs you were counting just to sleep."
"What are you talkin—"
About to turn her head, she was held by the said man. "Sleep, little lady."
The moment his index finger touched her forehead, a glow of star shaped mark colored in blue appeared. Ariadne felt the drowsiness kicking, and before she even knew it—ariadne fell asleep, left herself defenseless infront of the unknown man.
"She look so defenseless, it terrifies me."
I hope my gift reaches you well, lady ariadne.
He carefully placed her back to her bed, tucking her in gently: intending no harm towards the young lady. However, his look that is so cold and aloof does the opposite. "Sleep and find the stars in your dreams."
***
As morning hugged the land of aragon, everyone woke up feeling refreshed. Ariadne stepped her feet at the balcony and saw the hardworking of the Estate, from her view, she can also see Abel and Dione practicing their swordmanship at the training grounds along with the other knights of House Aragon.
The sun has graced the land once again, giving the people of Aragon sunlight and nutrients that they will need for their morning duties. Ariadne found her rhythm the moment Audelie, Leandro stepped up for her, while her father—Grand Duke Enzo made sure she will have the best banquet in the whole empire after suffering the loss of her mother.
But her life wasn't actually full of colors or golden hues, she wasn't the princess everyone admired. Ariadne has secrets too that not everyone know, and it is something she should always keep a secret.
As she walked down the hall that leads toward the dining room where her father was patiently waiting, she suddenly crossed paths with Dione. Towel wrapped around his neck, he probably just got off from abel. "You're going to eat breakfast just now?" She asked calmly.
"Yes. I went straight to the grounds after i woke up during the dawn." He said before shrugging, "where is abel?"
"Upstairs, I guess? He'll come down a bit."
Morning, it was only morning yet she feels getting choked by Dione's beauty that no man can match, even if he was all sweaty, he still looked so graceful. "Oh? You two came earlier as expected." Enzo sat there in the end center of the table, the maid servants were already serving the foods to the table. "You woke up early today too, Ariadne. Did you have a good sleep, my child?" Enzo asked softly, his aura radiates a father affection that doesn't suit him and his title well. "I got a good sleep,"
Those were the words that Ariadne said with happiness, everything around her look so lightweight. "It's good that you slept well, anyhow, what happened to your alchemy lessons?" Those simple words were meant to be anything for her, Dad asked me!
"I did well, I was able to make one ordinary potion last week." It was the secret that she had kept since her younger years, since she was 7 years old: she discovered her talent and skills in alchemy, and by her fathers support, she was able to learn it. "Good morning, Young master Abel."
Abel who's eyes are tired and is about to close its own eyelids entered the dining hall, sweat is clean and no trace of soil is in his clothes anymore.
"Are we going for a hunt today?" Abel asked as he made himself comfortable beside his older brother who sat quietly at the left side of the Grand Duke. "Yes, and we are going to take Dione today."
"Too bad."
Abel's golden hair stood out among the rest this morning, his eyes who were also in the same golden color made him even more glorious and beautiful as if his hands does not slaughter beasts. "Do you have plans today, Ariadne?" For a sudden person, that person also asked her.
"Why ask her all of a sudden?" Dione looked at his brother, wondering what kind of spirit possessed his body to ask question. "Is it bad to ask her? I live in the same roof as her. Her father feeds me." Logically speaking, Abel was right. It was informal to act harshly in front of the girl whose dad feeds him.
"I think i'll be attending my alchemy lessons, i don't have anything to do in particular." Ariadne smiled, this time, her father who doted on her looked at her like she was the art he made years ago.
"Now that i remember, you asked if me and abel can come with you to the temple, right?" Dione said without knowing how the air becomes heavy, ariadne cannot even know what to feel when the air began to thicken as if she was being choked to death or is this the awkwardness?
For a moment, Ariadne wanted to kick Dione who suddenly spoke. "Tha-that doesn't matter, enjoy your expeditions!"
Ariadne know that dione, abel had always been going for expeditions every week with the guidance of the Grand Duke himself despite being an archmage. "In that case.."
"Shall we spend our weekend with you?" The grand duke said with a bright smile, still, the two young lords were silent as though their beautiful mouths were silenced by being knitted together.
"If the schedule goes fine, I am fine with it."
"That's the answer I'm waiting for. Maybe, wait for us a little bit? When the sky has welcomed night, we'll be back home at that time." Enzo assured, but in reality, It does not matter to her if she goes alone always. She does the same prayer and wish every time she was given a chance to enter the temple. "It is fine, I can handle by myself."
Although Enzo doubts her statement, he cannot help but accept. "I'll join when expeditions are over, from now on, you must focus on your alchemy lessons."
"Cillion will come over, he said he wanted to attend my Alchemy Lessons" Ariadne said those words bluntly, fleetingly, Abel thought he misheard it but when his eyes diverted towards the two other male in the hall—he figured out that he heard it right. He can say those were right instantly just by looking at Dione's shocked expression and how he hold the teacup in his fingers.
"Cillion... the brother of the duke, am i right?" Enzo responded innocently, trying to calm the heavy air that surrounds them. "He's duke Deulofeu's brother, father. It's impossible that you don't know him when his brother is your brother-in-law."
Did he forget? She looked at her father who just sat there in shock, Those words were spoken bluntly and not that she meant it. She was just stating facts, "alright, I'm done. My apologies, your highness but I have to get ready for the expedition."
Slowly, the four figures left the dining hall. Ariadne went to her study room where she can focus and learn alchemy lessons while still waiting for Cillion's arrival.
at the same time, The Grand duke and his two adopted sons is outside. "What are you doing?" Abel asked, he was already in his horse. Abel was watching his brother raise his hand in the sky and whispers enchantments. "Were you stepping out of your line?"
The knights has left first, and now there's only the three of them in the grounds near the knights quarters. "I'm protecting the estate from harm, do you think this is stepping out of line from my principles as a god?"
"You are protecting what you ruined,"
Dione just stood there as his enchantments stopped, why is he always right? Dione just stood there frozen in his spot. I hate this life. His hands glowed blue, a sign that his protection is finally complete.
"You're becoming more human, you let emotions take over you." Abel who looked worried just stayed there, he waits for his brother to finish his business—hoping that one morning, his brother will wake up to reality. "You talk too much, aren't you?"
Abel laughed at Dione, he loves it when his older brother gets triggered even if it was just the slightest tease. "I'll pretend that you are not the one who made Ariadne's sleep better."
"So you knew?"
"You cannot fool me, Rigel."