Chapter 18: A Humble Call For Adelina

*** WARNING: This chapter contains foul language and mistreatment.

***Alright Now Continuation Of Chapter 18...

-Rhone Imperial palace, inside the fake empress waiting room-

It was customary for an empress to have a separate palace besides the main palace.

That didn't mean that they were prohibited in the emperors' chambers, that was not the case at all.

The fake empress just tends to pass her carefree life in her empress palace as today's unfortunate occasion.

She sat with a displeased expression looking at Adelina sitting across from her wearing a loose white dress with a golden stole, the saintess uniform.

She knew that Adelina would come looking for her but not this fast.

Adelina had rushed in a request to meet her.

For that reason, the fake empress was more annoyed.

Adelina tried to speak up but she couldn't get words out.

She knew that the fake empress was furious.

Well, except, she was like any other who thought the furious-looking orange-haired woman sitting across from her was the real empress.

"Empres..." (Adelina, said)

She hesitated as she looked at the quiet maid on the fake empress's right side with closed eyes holding a small white plate and a white cup of tea.

"She does not talk" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

"Her tongue has been cut" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

The fake empress knew what Adelina was wondering.

Without looking at the maid she said and grabbed the cup of tea.

'Sip'

She took a sip and closed her eyes.

"I'm losing my power" (Adelina, said)

Adelina finally opened her mouth as she said with a worried tone as the fake empress continued to close her eyes and drink the tea.

'If it wasn't for Aurora's extra stored blood I was saving for emergencies those shadows...' (Adelian's inner thoughts)

'What the hell am I?' (Adelina's inner thoughts)

'Each time I try to ask she gets very aggressive...why was I not born-' (Adelina's inner thoughts)

She thought with jealousy as the fake empress interrupted her thoughts.

"Child both you and I know those aren't your powers" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

She opened her eyes and lowered her teacup.

"Don't forget you only took credit, you are the saintess in name because of your sister's power and my influence" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

The Fake Empress said in a humiliating tone.

'You think I don't know that?!' (Adelina's inner thoughts)

Adelina's pride was hurt.

She tried hard not to clench her teeth in anger.

"But your foolishness has ruined it" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

"Am I wrong?" (Fake Empress Paola, asked)

"Have you not come for my help to get your sister's blood?" (Fake Empress Paola, asked)

The Fake Empress only added on to the fire.

However, Adelina had to suck it up.

No matter how mad she was, if she lost the fake empress support it would have become fatal to her.

"I was foolish" (Adelina, said)

"I didn't think she would accept the marriage" (Adeliana, said)

"He's a monster. How could I have known that she rather choose him over my family" (Adelina, said)

Adelina tried to make excuses.

The fake empress only narrowed her eyes.

'That girl became a problem when I found out her memories did not change just like her son' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

'That is why I paid the higher priest to announce a fake oracle so she could be known as a bad prophesy child, to stain her in darkness' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

'She knows very well that he's the son of that empress and the emperor' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

'They both know who I am...I wanted to get rid of her but he told me not to kill her' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

'I must wait till all his sacrifices turn of age' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

'But if this dumb brat does not get holy power in her system that can ruin his plan' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

'If only this stupid thing hadn't suggested it to the emperor I wouldn't be having this conversation with her' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

She frowned more looking at Adelina.

'By the time I found out it was too late to retract' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

'It's her fault for ruining the plan so...' (Fake Empress Paola's inner thoughts)

The Fake Empress finally parted her red lips.

"Now that things have turned out this way because of your foolish actions you must solve them by yourself" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

"You created the problem so fix it" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

The fake empress said annoyed but Adelina revoked.

'How the hell am I supposed to fix it?!' (Adelina's inner thoughts)

'Spring'

"But how can I do it by my-" (Adelina, said)

She got up from her seat and leaned a little closer to the fake empress.

'Splash'

The fake empress frowned as she interrupted Adelina's words with warm tea.

'Drip, Drip'

She had thrown Adelina her warm cinnamon tea.

The cinnamon tea dripped from her hair strands down to her chin.

Her white loosed saintess uniform dress and golden stole were wet with a light brown color from the cinnamon tea as her eyes widened.

'Creak'

The fake empress got up and stared at her coldly.

"I don't care how you do it but you better not kill her" (Fake Empress Paola, said)

She said coldly leaving Adelina in shock and slamming the door.

'...' (Adelina)

'Creak'

She gently sat down trying to process what just had happened.

'Creak'

She grabbed on the border of the seat clenching it with her hands as she greeted her teeth.

"I hate you Aurora, I hate you with all my might" (Adelina, said)

She said in a low voice of anger.

"Why did you have to be the one to have better things?" (Adelina, asked)

"Why did you have to be more beautiful than me? Why did you have to inherit mother's powers? Why did they love you more?" (Adelina, asked)

Her voice was full of anger and resentment.

'If the empress hadn't turned it in my favor, if she didn't act like a crazy psycho claiming that the empress was fake and that bloody man was the actual prince all that attention would have still remained to you!' (Adelina's inner thoughts)

'I'm the one who looks like mother why couldn't I inherit her powers?' (Adelina's inner thoughts)

'I wished you just root in hell...but disgustingly I need your blood to remain the way I am' (Adelina's inner thoughts)

She gripped onto the chair and greeted her teeth with malice.

"If I must do it that way then there's no other way" (Adelina, said)

Adelina said with a wide psychotic smile.

........

-In front of Zellia's clothing store-

Aurora had finally had time to stop by Zellia's new store.

Of course with the help of Aurora who had not only paid off Zellia's contract with Renata but invested in her with a new building.

A two-story building complex.

It was a medium size, a good width and height, a perfect size for a clothing store.

Its exterior was a beautiful sage green for the first floor with a large window with pink closed curtains.

It had a pink matching door with a white beige almost pearl color sign with temporary golden letters indicating a closed sign.

Next to a green thin baby bush about four and a half feet high planted tree with a white beige brick almost a pearl color vase.

Right above a few feet high up was a long pink ruffled-up tent wide enough for the whole store.

Not far from the touching piece to the store a a golden border outlining long space where a missing title would be placed.

The second floor was obviously connected.

The second floor was made out of white beige brick almost a pearl color and a golden custom-made balcony that was also the width size of the store.

In the middle, it had two double-door glass porched with a sage green outline and a golden wall lamp light on the left and right.

Except the right had a beautiful green-leafed vine full of pink flowers.

The rooftop was made of rustic mixed roof with two outviewing windows with pink borders.

This store was still going under building construction, so there were still things to be built but it was soon to be finished.

Only a few finishing touches remained.

And the obvious finishing touch in the entrance was the title of the store and some mannequins with Zellia's designs in the front window.

'It's looking pretty' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

This store's colors were probably more eye-catching such as a dessert shop with these kinds of colors but it was a perfect way to draw in customers and Zellia's dream shop was exactly like this.

Aurora had stumped upon this fix-up building, it worked out just fine.

Aurora looked at the front entrance with an expressionless face but her dark blue eyes had gained a hint of proudness.

She stood there not alone.

A six-foot knight whom Dorion had assigned him to watch her over.

Xer, age twenty-four.

He had dark brown hair and light grey eyes.

She glanced at Xer who stood there next to her protecting her without taking his eyes off her.

'...' (Aurora)

It wasn't that she was bothered but she didn't like the idea of being guarded.

It hadn't been long since she had finally regained freedom but it was better than having Rex than the twenty knights he wanted to assign her.

Just thinking about all the eyes she would attract if she had twenty knights guarding her.

He was causing a fuss when she refused the twenty guards.

'That man really...' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

A flashback crossed her mind of Dorion yelling at all the knights to make formation picking twenty out of a whole pack.

Aurora grasped onto his biceps to stop this crazy man.

So now she was here she luckily convinced him because Xer was not the only knight present to guard her when she visited Zellia.

'Ding'

'Open'

Aurora's soft pale hand was about to reach for the door nob however the door swung open with the sound of the ringing bell.

"Madam!" (Zellia, yelled)

Zellia opened the door happily with an excited expression just as if she were waiting behind the door to open the door before Aurora could.

'Crash, Crash'

However, behind her excited persona loud noises were heard from inside the store.

"?" (Aurora)

Aurora's eyes reflected a little curiosity and worry at the inside noises.

"Hehe it's just that..." (Zellia, said)

She laughed awkwardly trying her hardest to pretend to show her happy expression but it seemed like she was hiding something from her still blocking the door.

"Zellia let her in quickly!" (Madela, yelled)

An elderly woman yell was heard from the background.

Just like a mother yelling at her daughter excitedly but strictly.

'Turn, Turn'

Zellia turned her head back inside the sore and back to Aurora.

"Sorry it's just that my mother...and the things" (Zellia, said)

Zellia said embarrassed and flustered as she made way for Aurora and Xer to enter.

"Come in, sorry for all this mess it's just that my mother is so stubborn and wanted to come running down the stairs as soon as she heard madam was here" (Zellia, said)

She hinted at her mother who was at the middle steps of the stairs being helped by a six-foot knight with light brown hair and teal-aqua-turquoise eyes giving Zellia's mother an elbow to walk slowly down stairs.

Aurora slightly bowed to greet her as she entered the store along with Xer.

'Smile'

Madela, Zellia's mother wore a loose tied-up bun with dark grey hair and some grey hairs.

She had dark green eyes just like Zellia and carried a shawle.

Madela, age fifty-six.

Because she had just been doing recovery thanks to Aurora it was understandable that she looked very exhausted but her voice was quite cheerful.

"Ah finally I get to meet the madam" (Madela, said)

"Just wait for me madam I will come down for you" (Madela, said)

She raised her voice with joy as she bowed back looking down at Aurora down the stairs.

The light brown-haired knight with teal-aqua-turquoise eyes also bowed down to greet her.

'It seems she's doing better than before' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

'I'm glad' (Auroar's inner thoughts)

It was one less stress was taken off her shoulders.

But the idea of making Zellia's sick mother walk down the stairs.

'Turn'

"There are a lot of stairs" (Aurora, said)

She turned to Zellia.

"It's alright madam, my mother if she does not come down walking she'll try to crawl if I don't let her" (Zellia, said)

Zellia who had seemed to understand Aurora's concern quickly clarified so Aurora wouldn't feel bad making a sick woman come down the stairs, she didn't want her to feel obligated.

"Sigh" (Aurora)

Aurora sighed in giving up however her dark blue eyes had seemed to glance from corner to corner.

"Madam I promise I wasn't been ungrateful it's just that you appeared quickly it didn't give me the time to give you the present that is why I sent the bodyguards knight to retrieve the gifts" (Zellia, said)

Zellia had once misinterpreted Aurora's curious eyes that just scanned the inside of the store just to see how pretty it was coming up to be.

She had thought Aurora was looking for her other two assigned Rainer knights.

"Huh?" (Aurora, asked)

Aurora's dark blue eyes returned and looked at Zellia's dark green eyes.

Just when Aurora was going to part her lips again to ask what Zellia meant by the gift the other two Rainer knights that she had assigned to guard Zellia returned.

"Madam your here" (Rex, said)

Rex a twenty-four-year-old, six foot-two knight with red hair and brown eyes said with a polite face greeting her carrying a large heavy brown polished box in his arms.

"Madam we see you again" (Uno, said)

Uno a twenty-five-year-old, six-foot-one knight with green hair and brown eyes said with a little excitement in his eyes.

He and Rex happened to be brothers.

Uno carried a medium-sized empty canvas on his hands.

"Welcome madam" (Rex and Uno, said)

They finally approached in front of her as they greeted her again in sync.

'....' (Aurora)

Aurora couldn't help to feel a little dumbstruck by their happy expression it felt as if those knights missed her.

They did not indicate that they had a hard time here rather they enjoyed their time guarding Zellia, Zellia's mother, and helping when needed but they had a great admiration for Aurora just like Zellia and her mother.

That was why she was so dumbstruck by such a warm welcome including Zellia who smiled brightly.

"Hello" (Aurora, said)

She greeted them still a little dumbstruck.

'Nod'

and Uno nodded at her hello.

Soon after Zellia's lips finally opened happily as her shine brightened more.

"Madam these are for you" (Zellia, said)

She happily said as Rex and Uno gestured and looked at the large brown polished box and the medium-sized empty canvas.

"For me?" (Aurora, asked)

Her dark blue eyes looked a the items with a little confused expression.

She had still not understood what was going on, in fact, because it had been so long since someone had gifted her something she had forgotten what it meant to her.

"Yes, madam" (Zellia, said)

She nodded gently with an appreciative face.

"I remember you said you like to paint" (Zellia, said)

'Clack'

Rex opened the lid to the large brown polished box.

Aurora's dark blue eyes widen at the sight of various art supplies inside the large brown polished box.

It had different types of paints such as oil paint, acrylic paint, watercolor paint, and chalk paint.

'Clack'

Rex opened the left side of the large brown polished box that contained different types of paint brushes thick and thin finely made.

'Clack'

Rex opened the right side of the large brown polished box that too contained a variety of art pencils of different sizes. It also had different types of pens and different sizes including calligraphy tips and calligraphy feather pens with different color dips.

'Clack'

Rex opened the bottom of another left drawer that had three custom-made airbrush spray paint, a small, medium, and large.

'Clack'

He moved on to the bottom of another right drawer that had a good amount of erasers, three pencil sharpeners, and different sizes of blending stumps.

'Clack'

Finally, the bottom center drawer had a stack of sketch pads.

A large one just the right size to fit inside the large brown polished box and two medium sketch pads.

Three smaller sketch pads and an extra small sketch pad.

'Badump, Badump' (Aurora)

At that moment her heart could not help but beat.

It felt as if she wanted to cry.

But Uno moved up the medium-sized canvas higher so it would catch Aurora's attention to turn and look at it.

'Shake, Shake'

Uno moved the medium-sized canvas as if it were waving gently showcasing the medium-sized canvas.

"Madam" (Zellia, said)

Aurora's heart was beating looking at the medium-sized canvas at the moment when Zellia's voice was heard again calling her gently and grateful.

'Step, Step, Step'

Walking.

'Halt'

Stop walking.

As Aurora turned to look at Zellia, her mother had passed in front of her and grabbed a hold of Zellia's elbow while the light brown-haired knight with teal-aqua-turquoise eyes bowed forward and placed his right across his chest and looked at her again as if greeting her again.

Quenton, age twenty-two.

With swift movements, Rex had moved onto Zellia's left while Uno had moved onto Quenton's right still showing Aurora the art supplies.

Madela smiled at Aurora as if she were watching her as a daughter.

"My mother and I are truly indebted to you" (Zellia, said)

Zellia's lips parted once again.

"All my life I've lived to take care of my sick mother" (Zellia, said)

"I didn't have enough money to pay for my mother's medication as Renata only paid me half of what I was to be given" (Zellia, said)

"I have lived like a slave for Renata to make end-up meat and make sure my mother's health could get better" (Zellia, said)

'Drop, Drop'

"I had lost hope that...till the madam showed up" (Zellia, said)

Zellia said with choked-up words as her tears began to fall still continuing to speak.

"I don't care how everyone speaks of the madam, all those people are cruel and ignorant" (Zellia, said)

"They think that way because they don't know how kind the madam is" (Zellia, said)

"The madam is like a ray of light, a ray of light that came into me and my mother's life" (Zellia, said)

"There will never be enough words to thank you enough for what you have done for us, there will never be enough money that could ever pay so much benevolence because the madam's value is something that could never compare to any other" (Zellia, said)

Her teary eyes had stopped but her eyes were still watery.

"Madam not only have you helped my mother to get the right treatment, paid off my contract with Renata but invested in me" (Zellia, said)

"A building as big as this, somewhere where me and my mother could also live" (Zellia, said)

Her dark green eyes glanced at Quinton who was already looking at her with loving eyes.

"But you provided us with protections to feel safe during this process" (Zellia, said)

Then her eyes moved to her mother.

"Madam, my daughter and I are grateful for everything" (Madela, said)

Zellia's mother's lips finally parted as she looked at Aurora with grateful eyes.

'Drop, Drop'

"I would not be standing here if it wasn't for you, thank you for saving this old lady" (Madela, said)

Zellia's mother began to cry as she whipped her tears with her right hand.

"There is so much to thank madam, even the three gentlemen that you sent to protect my daughter and I are too much kindness" (Madela, said)

"They have been very respectful and helpful" (Madela, said)

Zellia's mother added with a reassuring face to let Aurora know that they had behaved well since Aurora had to come to check if they were behaving respectfully with Zellia and her mother.

Aurora's dark blue eyes returned to look at Zellia who spoke again.

"Madam I want to demonstrate to you that all your kindness..." (Zellia, said)

"I will work very very hard to become the most famous fashion designer in this empire and will make sure that everyone knows that this dream would never be possible without you madam" (Zellia, said)

"My dream has always been to open a fashion shop on my own, so I'm going to work extremely hard to prove that you trusted the right person" (Zellia, said)

At that moment Uno stepped forward with a medium empty canvas.

"I...madam would you please do me the honor of painting the front of our store in this canvas" (Zellia, said)

Zellia said with a red face and red eyes from crying.

When Zellia said our store it meant not only Zellia, her mother but Aurora.

Aurora had invested of course but she never thought that she could hold a place as our store.

Her eyes widened again and eased up with a small gentle smile.

'Blush'

At her beautiful smile, everyone's faces turned pink in blush.

'She's truly a beauty' (Everyone's inner thoughts)

The honor of becoming 'our' in the title and the request to paint the front of 'our' store with a beautiful empty canvas and extravagant art supplies made her heart feel warm.

"They may not be as of a very high quality worthy of you know but I used my savings to thank you for everything you have done for me and my mother, I want to start here" (Zellia, said)

"I want to be able to continue to spoil and make the madam proud" (Zellia, said)

Zellia had said with a genuine expression and a little worried eyes if Aurora wouldn't like that the art supplies were not the highest quality.

Well compared to what a noble would expect.

"So please madam" (Zellia, said)

She bowed down in a way as if she were bowing to the emperor.

'....' (Aurora)

Everyone looked at her with expectant eyes and happy faces that reflected saying 'It's alright madam to accept this kindness'

To her who had never received it, she was afraid to do so again.

But it was different this time.

"Then I will need a frame" (Aurora, said)

Aurora said as she closed her eyes gently with a calm aura.

But somehow if you looked close to her face you could see as if she were a child who had asked for love and unexpectedly was handed out a hand to pull the child from the darkness.

A gentle smile of genuine happiness as she accepted with those few words.

......

'Brush, Brush'

Aurora painted with watercolor paints and her thin brushes painted on her large sketch pad.

She had chosen the sage green color of Zellia's first floor on the sketch pad.

Since Aurora had finished sketching a rough draft of the exterior of Zellia's store she had moved on to painting it.

Her sketchpad was leaning on an artistic trapezoid wooden stand while the bottom middle height of the wooden trapezoid borders of the artistic stand held a few of the green palate colors she had mixed up along a cup of water and different-sized paint brushes dipped or on the side.

While a good fresh shade covers her.

Xer held an umbrella above her head blocking her from the hot sun.

He stood there like a statue holding onto the bottom of the umbrella.

Aurora stood to the left, a small round white table where the large brown glossy box rested and Xer was on the right extending his hand towards the top left for Aurora.

'Glance'

'I told him it was unnecessary...he does not listen' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

She couldn't help to glance at Xer who was standing without shade as he looked straight forward at the curious people who passed by alert for any situation.

She felt bad for him but he was as stubborn as Dorion.

Her dark blue eyes turned to peek to her left where Zellia had pulled out a mannequin with an exquisite summer light dress concentrated stitching up some ruffles together by the short wavy sleeves.

And she too had her shade.

From Quenton who extended his right arm up holding the bottom of an umbrella to give Zellia shade.

A white small round table stood in between them as well, with her sowing materials.

'....' (Aurora)

Aurora couldn't help to notice how lovingly Quenton had looked at Zellia who was concentrated.

Zellia who would turn at times looked at Quenton with a flustered face and then they turned back one getting back to work with the dress and the other staring straight at the curious people who passed by staring at them chatting amongst each other.

'It seems the flowers have blossomed' (Auora's inner thoughts)

She thought as her eyes formed a crescent moon and turned to her sketch painting.

As they all stood outside Rex and Uno were inside of course the door was opened as they too had come and peeked from time to time to make sure there was no danger.

They also had the task of picking which design looked good as Zellia's mother asked for opinion.

Soon two hours had passed as Aurora had finally finished a full-color watercolor sketch paint their store.

So Aurora, Zellia, Xer, and  Quenton went inside quickly Zellia's mother, Rex, and Uno complimented her painted sketch including those who were out with her.

"Wow it's incredible!" (Madela, said)

She said with her voice raised amazed.

"Madam you're really good!" (Zellia, said)

She too raised her voice excitedly.

"Madam it looks identical!" (Uno, said)

"It's so beautiful madam!" (Xer, said)

"The madam truly has great talent, I've never seen of such an art!" (Quenton, said)

"If madam paints anything every painting would get sold!" (Rex, said)

They surrounded her praising her.

They cheerfully conversed with one another as they moved on to the catalog that Zellia's mother, Rex, and Uno had organized.

Into what they believed Aurora would like.

They showed it to her in hopes of getting a good opinion from her.

Soon they said their goodbyes, she would visit them again but now it was time to go back to her husband whom she had promised to eat together.

Xer and the coach driver entertained themselves.

The coach driver who had placed the empty canvas underneath the carriage's red velvet seats while Xer focussed on tying up the large brown polish art box on the back of the carriage.

However, Xer was talking to a man whom he had purchased a good tight rope recommending to him a good one to hold onto the large brown polish art box.

Aurora waited patiently on the side, however, she was out of sight for the few minutes Xer was conversating with the rope man and the coach driver who was kneeling inside the carriage making space.

That peaceful moment soon disappeared for her who was calm.

'Grab'

Someone had grabbed a hold of her while another hand was placed with a white handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose with a strong alcohol smell.

"Mmmm" (Aurora)

Aurora's eyes widened in fright as sweat drops started to drop from her kneck trying to move but the more she struggled the stronger the grip was.

"Mmm" (Aurora)

Her energy was draining, it was as if her eyes were closing.

"Mm" (Aurora)

She never got the chance to think straight all she could do was try to resist but it was too late as her vision became dark and blacked out after her last try to free herself.