Chapter 52

𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔: 𝕿𝖍𝖆𝖙'𝖘 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 𝕿𝖆𝖞𝖑𝖔𝖗 𝕾𝖜𝖎𝖋𝖙

***

When the colliding warmth gushes through my skin with the cool breezes of the passing landscapes, my eyes that beheld the tomorrow's radiance loomed towards the dimmed light for a few seconds before becoming one.

A few soft giggles escaped my sealed throat and my lips that remained still curled up upon looking at this familiar yet unfamiliar feeling cascading through my skin like embedded diamonds disguised as flames burning my soul.

"Lexus," I paused, while my hands supported my chin as I looked over the nostalgic view, my eyes never turned to his direction even though I could feel how long his gaze lingered on me.

"I thought I would never be able to persuade you," again as if the wind claimed my voice, it passed through the echoing rustling sounds of leaves.

"But you did..." I could sense the tone of his voice became high and when I finally landed my sight on him, I saw his soul shone and for the most part, it was all directed at me.

The edges of his lips lifted slowly and as I watched him across from me, I felt a sudden warmth over my hands. I looked at them and I saw his hands enveloped mine.

Then visions of my friends came behind him with their faces like always, the same as how Lexus expresses his emotions.

"I guess if you never persevere to get me to agree with your ideals, I may be ignoring the bright future of this empire and you know what Vestia...?" he paused and then looked at our hands.

He may be kneeling in front of me while the carriage moves, but the look on his face reminded me of the firmness he had like in the past, where he would never back away from any challenges, even if it meant sacrificing his life.

A fated determination that I wasn't aware of until now.

My hands kept their stance while I felt his warmth. It was overflowing and it's making me feel secure.

"I saw in my vision that you'll become a great ruler of the empire one day, you'll be able to lead it to its new beginnings and it all began the moment I saw that shining endless radiance from your eyes..."

When he said those words, I saw how his figure shone before the carriage halted. My gaze lingered on his radiance before I unknowingly let my hands caress his hair

"Silly, if that's what you think then I guess I still have a lot of things to learn," my voice made its way out of my mouth before I could realize what I was doing and yet, I felt my hands stopped. I gaze to see him holding mine with eyes that look like never before.

"Even then, would you let me stay by your side?"

I held him by the face and squeezed his cheeks, and then I chuckled.

"I would never break any promises once made, Lexus..."

He guided me down the carriage and we went towards my household. The knights were stunned but I just sighed and explained everything to them. Some knights came after and servants followed.

Father and mother were aware that I was gone, and they sent some knights within the market and some parts of the empire. Mother was already crying as she bent down to hug me, while Father looked at me and Lexus.

I saw his eyes become thinner before shaking his head and sighing while trying to massage his temples.

"Vestia, no matter what I tell you, you will always do everything that you want to do," I heard Father's deep tone of voice, his eyes felt like a hawk, and I shivered because that look reminded me of the time I snuck into those secret doors.

It felt dangerous and unfamiliar.

"Sir, if I may, please punish me instead of the young lady," Lexus who was by my side, stepped forward and knelt in front of Father.

I could see how the Duke of this household does his job while fixing his gaze at my friend but then, I shook my head and broke my mother's hug.

"Mother, Father, I have something to tell you so would you give us a moment?"

The knights remained in their formation while the servants were in front of the entrance door. Since Father hadn't yet said for my friend to stand, I immediately grabbed his arm and pulled him closer.

I looked at him and beamed while his eyes stayed on the Duke. I thought he would never dare reach his hands dirty to a noble but his eyes felt like they were on the same level as my father and it felt as if there was some golden mist surrounding him at that time.

"Father, I must say something to you regarding my friend..."

"He's a commoner, right Vestia?" I heard his low tone of voice. It was dark and unheard of before.

"Yes, but he became my friend and I wanted to talk about him in your office, father..." the last words, were enough to make my voice firmer.

The gaze that I had towards him became equal and the only thing I heard was the sounds of air coming from his mouth. I looked at my mother and tried to draw my situation and so I heard her chuckle when she gazes at my friend.

"Come on, Elfein, it's not like she was doing it every day. Besides, if our daughter says so, she has to justify it like she always does. That's why you also want her to be the heir of this household, right?"

"When it comes to you, Diana, and the things that our daughter always does, surprises me the most that I couldn't even disagree..." Father's voice softened when he looked at my mother.

Whenever I looked at the two of them, I would always see how they supported each other as if they were inseparable rays of golden sunshine.

I looked up to them, and even though they were nobles, they were still the same people that I used to love, they were kind, and gentle and had these beautiful souls around them.

That's why even if Lexus is a commoner, that doesn't mean that they would treat him the way other nobles treated poor people.

I know because I'm a part of this family.

"But make sure that the friend you brought along, will be able to handle every question I make with him, Vestia..." Father said those words with a deep voice, but it wasn't the same anymore as earlier. There's a sense of warmth in there and he's losing a bit of his cold aura.

I nodded as I saw his back followed by my mother who smiled at us for a second and clung to my father's arms. Their shadows danced and the edges of their figures shone but when my gaze turned to where Lexus was, my eyes widened.

I didn't even notice that he was already on the ground his knees were shaking while his hands were holding the center of his chest trying to grip tighter on his clothes. I didn't know what to do next but when I landed my eyes on him, I knew that he was still the old friend that I came to know.

He may act tough on the outside, and he may look at someone in the eyes as if he doesn't care if they're nobles, but I knew him damn well, when I helped him in the past I never expected that he would return the favor.

"Are you all right?" I asked as I offered him my hands.

He stared for it for a long while, and I could see how his shivering shoulders slowly moved on their own until they became normal.

After a few seconds, I felt his warmth cascading to mine pulling me closer to his meadow and figure that lightened up with the sun's curvaceous shine.

"Never been better than before..." the tone of his voice changed and it became a whisper like the soft rustling of the leaves. But that doesn't define how much I hold on his shaking hands.

"It's all right, and remember, I would never break a promise that I once made, not when I already made you my friend, Lexus..."

***

"I know you might never consider this but please Father, all I'm asking you is a chance to know my friend and----"

Before I got the chance to continue my words, I heard him sigh and put both of his hands on his desk. His eyes were wary of the young man beside me finally descending on my soul, but they were narrowed.

The sun that once illuminated his room made his figure darkened and while the window behind him radiated with the outside's shine, his aura remained still.

"I know what I said earlier but I never expected you to put him in that position, Vestia. You do know what it meant to be a shadow assassin, right?"

"Yes, Father I know that, and he----"

"Then why didn't you suggest that kind of stuff from Claudius in those years that passed?"

"We were still young by then, Father and it's possible that I wouldn't let him be in harm-----"

"So you're taking consideration for this young boy to be in harm?"

"I trust him, Father," I see his eyes narrowed while he put both of his hands in front of his mouth. As I saw his mouth open again, his words would be harsher than before, and yet we heard some soft chuckles on the supposed closed doors.

"Come on Elfein, you said you'd test Vestia but you being too much of an interrogator is enough," Mother came and went to Father.

As she would always do, her smiles would always charm the duke no wonder father would always sigh.

"Then it's fine," he paused.

"You said your name was Lexus right? How about your family, do they approve this of you?"

"I don't have my parents anymore, my lord but I have siblings and I put them in Lady Vestia's care"

"What does he mean by that Vestia?" Father's eyes went to me

I smiled

"I planned to let them live with Sister Cristine in the Austuria village, for a while..."

I looked at both of my parents' eyes being widened but I just chuckled since Father already got his words.

"So I guess Lexus would start by tomorrow?"

"Before that, I need to talk to Lexus later this evening..."

***

"Thank you, for agreeing to be here"

"Well, I should be the one who would say my thanks besides, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't know how to continue making a living for my siblings..." he laughed it off and I did the same thing.

When I looked at the view in front of us, it was magnificent as the silver rays of the moon shone within the cloak of the night, the sweet and soft rustling of the leaves made a melodic sound, and cold yet warming caresses of the breezes made me feel finally at home.

Even though I've lost count of the friends that went away, at the very least, I found Lexus.

But I never expected that the night that was bathed in soft tranquil would create a blazing flame of curious and yet wavering voice

"Vestia, are you here.... And who is this young man?" a familiar voice that I once loved struck my ears like a piercing needle of the past.