Rillaine

This chapter's song is: Lovesick girls by Blackpink!

Rillaine's POV:

I arrive soon at the Kagamine mansion, being greeted by the twins as they run in front of my carriage.

"Alister! Aristella! You are in a world of trouble! How many times have I told you not to run in the road!" I yell as I jump off and run toward them.

"We wanted to greet you!" Alister says as he hugs one of my legs.

"We were really excited when we heard you were visiting!" Says Aristella as she hugs the other.

"Ohhh, I can't be mad at you..." Their eyes lit up. "So I'll be telling mother." And fear soon filled in.

"Sister! Sister! Don't tell mother! She'll be really mad!"

"She'll take away our treats and toys!"

"We'll be careful next time! We-"

"Promise!" They both say in unison. I stop in my tracks and kneel in front of them, taking them both by their hands.

"Do you solemnly swear to never run in the road ever again or I shall not only tell mother but also father," I look into their eyes. They nodded frantically as they pulled me by my hands inside.

"We really did miss you!" Alister smiles.

"Is your fiancé not with you?" Aristella asks.

"Not this time. I just thought that I'd have some family time."

"Without brother Allen?"

"He'll come tomorrow perhaps. He is tremendously busy, you know that," I reply.

"Mother misses you both terribly. She says that she wishes she could have the whole family together," Aristella says.

"She's taken to planning your summer holidays with family vacations and picnics," Alister adds.

"What about Father, has he been faring well?" I ask.

"Well-"

"Rillaine? Is that you?" Father calls from down the hallway. I smile as I run into his arms.

"Father! I've really missed you! So so much!" I say, hugging him tightly.

"Rillaine, I've also missed you. What brings you here so suddenly? Is that annoying brat with you also?"

"No, Lucas is still at school. And don't call him a brat! It's bad to curse others!"

"Had he not been the crown prince of Drogoria, I would have sent his messenger's head back in the same box he sent asking for your hand," Father says.

"Oh, you really shouldn't say that. How are you? How's mother? How's Felix and Lily and Anna and-"

"Calm down, they're all fine. Felix has been extra chatty about his workload but a quick pay rise shut him up."

"Ah, he is a slave to money."

"Come, I'll have the chefs make you all your favourites. Is the other one here as well?"

"No, Allen is still at school."

"I shan't bother summoning him, we see him regularly anyways," he says.

"Father, you joke too much. Life at school was pretty hectic. But Sylvia and the others make it so much fun,"  I say as I walk with him, the young two trailing behind us.

"Daddy, up!" Stella says as she holds out her arms. Father immediately picks her up and carries her all the way to the dining room. Mother was already waiting there.

"Claude! Again?! Aristella, how many times have I told you that you cannot ask your father to pick you up whenever you don't feel like walking?"

"Hmm!" Aristella moans as she hugs Father even tighter.

"I don't see the problem with it, Aristella is still young. She gets tired easily," Father defends.

"No excuses! Alister can walk perfectly fine. You need to stop coddling her or she'll turn lazy! Lazy women are not refined- oh is that you Rillaine?! My darling come here!"

Mother pounces on me and embraces me tightly.

"I've missed you too, Mother, how have you been?"

"Horrible. The arrangements for the Adunatio are far behind and my roses haven't been delivered yet. How am I meant to have an Adunatio without roses?!"

"We have plenty of roses here though, why not send those to the temple?"

"They're not special enough. I ordered roses that change colour in sunlight. How can I have normal roses at my babies' Adunatio?! The humiliation will be too much to bear! Oh look at me rambling, come and sit. You must be so hungry."

"What's an Adunatio?" Alister asks.

"It's when an engaged couple renews their engagement in front of the temple in order for it to be seen as valid. It's more of a chance for couples to back out of being engaged or call it off. Though, many rarely do that," I explain.

"So are you going to have an Adunatio?" Aristella asks.

"Yes. Allen and I will have ours with our partners. And in case you ask, I am not going to be backing down so get that mischievous idea out of your heads," I warn.

"We weren't thinking of anything!" Aristella refutes.

"False accusations!" Alister points.

"No pointing, it's rude," Mother scolds as she picks up a sharp knife. " Uphold your manners always. Because manners are what makes-"

"A refined noble," the twins and I finish. Mother always said that statement. Manners were essential to her. I remember when she refused to eat her salad with anything other than a salad fork when we were on a picnic and forgot to pack them.

"Oh my children are so grown up. It pains me," Mother says.

"Does it really, dear? You've commissioned so many portraits of the children growing up that we had to expand the picture room."

"And I'll continue to commission more until they leave my grasp. Children grow up so fast that if you don't capture the moment then you'll lose it forever," Mother says, stabbing her salad with her fork.

We finish eating dinner and I returned to my room where I was helped by Lily to change. The sun was setting and I had asked for some privacy so I was silently watching the sunset on my bed. Thinking of the night reminded me of Lucas' dark hair. A heartstring pulled in me, reminding me of how I missed him.

I snuggle my pillow, wanting to remember Lucas but also wanting to forget him. Ah, this was all too much. I came here to get away from Lucas and now look at me.

I fiddle with my toes as I reminisce about the time when we shared ice cream. His had fallen over so I shared mine with him. Out of nowhere, he licked the side of my mouth. I think that was the first time I blushed because of him.

Before, I knew we were engaged but I still saw him as a friend. It never truly sank in that I was marrying this person. I guess the fact of me becoming Empress of Drogoria also hasn't sunk in.

Oh yes, the time Lucas and I kissed. It was when I had turned 14, in the library. I had given him a peck on the cheek because he had been teasing me and I asked what it would take for him to be quiet. In the end, I mustered the courage to do it.

After that, Lucas grabbed me by my neck and pulled me in. He was gentle, yet eager. Almost like he was waiting for this, I had truly never experienced anything like that before. I had given kisses before on the cheek and assumed that it would feel the same on the lips.

I didn't know that I was truly something different. And yet, I didn't hate it. If anything, I had been acting shamelessly from then on, complying with Lucas whenever we were alone. If Mother knew, she would faint in shock. If Father knew...

I tried not to think of that horrible outcome. Needless to say, Lucas had given me so many new experiences, taking me into the village, dancing with me, swifting me off in the dead of night to magical mountains and moonlit lakes in nothing but my nightgown and his coat.

I wonder if he ever felt stressed while doing any of that... Like it was a chore or something to be done in order to keep up a facade. I don't think I could handle it if that was the case. Bad thoughts like that flooded my mind until I bury my face in my pillow.

"Still... I wish Lucas was here..."

"Do you mean that?"

A lot of you have been asking me if this story will ever be dropped. No, it won't. At least, not any time soon. I just really have no time to update with my new school schedule as well as the horrible censored wifi where I have to use a VPN all the time. So there will be long periods of time where I won't post, but I'll definitely not drop at least until I give you all a satisfying ending. Hope that eases any of your minds, also, byeee