This story falls into the following categories-
Fantasy Romance
Science Fiction Romance
She sat on the edge of the crescent moon, holding her newborn wrapped in a soft baby blue blanket in her arms. Her dress was long enough to hide her feet. It was a pale sky blue with a dark blue lace around her waist area and translucent white sleeves that flowed freely around her arms. On her forehead was a silver wreath with a white veil that curtained the rest of her face. Her eyes were a silky grey and her hair was shoulder length and a beautiful almond brown. She refocused her view on the sleeping child with a smile on her thin carnation pink lips. With a gentle stroke on the cheek, she whispered, 'Abicah, you will grow up to become a powerful ruler of our planet.'
15 years later.....
Today was the big day that she was waiting for. Well, her mother was more excited than she was. This was the day when Abicah was supposed to meet her future husband. She was informed about this the week before, leaving her completely distressed. The two waited inside the mansion until they heard a knock at the door. 'That must be him,' said Nahnia with an excited grin on her face. By the time she answered the door, she squealed cheerfully and hugged the young man in her bone-crushing grip. 'It's a pleasure to meet you too, madame,' he said with a cough. Realizing that she was hurting him, Nahnia immediately released him from her grip and showed him inside. Abicah turned to the direction of approaching footsteps and she finally saw him.
Her limpid violet blue eyes met with his dark green eyes. She observed his perfectly golden tan skin and his light auburn hair, neatly combed from the back with small spikes in the front that curved to the right. 'Abicah, this is Kairo. He is from our neighboring sun planet and your future husband,' Nahnia informed her possibly blank-minded daughter. Kairo stood in front of Abicah and held out his hand. 'It is an honor to be engaged to the most beautiful girl on this planet,' he said in a voice that made Abicah's face burn a bright red. This guy was more than what she expected. He didn't look like the type that would give her a hard time. Not exactly the type that would rub her the wrong way. Last but not least, he definitely didn't fit the type that would end up using her or even knock her up before the wedding even happens. Kairo took Abicah's hand and kissed it softly while looking her in the eyes. Mother, thank goodness your friends have hot children....literally, she thought with a giggle. 'Abicah, be a dear and show him to the guest room,' Nahnia whispered. Looking back at her mother, she nodded and turned back to Kairo. 'This way please,' she said as started to lead the way.
They went through the long halls of the mansion when Abicah stopped and looked at Kairo. 'Might I ask you a question, Kairo?' she paused and saw him nod. 'Why is marriage arranged?' An awkward silence came about and then Abicah continued on. 'Why am I already engaged? Why is it arranged to some guy I barely know?! Why does this have to happen?! WE'RE ONLY 15!' She was on the verge of screaming until Kairo rushed towards her and placed his hand over her mouth. 'Calm yourself,' he whispered, 'I'll tell you as much as I can once I'm settled in'.
The room was small with a simple bed, various Melavra paintings, and sky blue walls (not so fancy since it's only a guest room). 'Here it is, nothing much,' Abicah said flatly. Kairo placed his suitcase next to the bed and layed down. He smiled at Abicah and patted a spot on the bed next to him. 'Oh, no, I couldn't.' 'Why not? I'm going to tell you all that I know about our arranged marriage,' he replied with a chuckle. Of course, Abicah was curious, but wasn't yet comfortable talking to him. Shrugging it to herself, she sat next to Kairo and listened carefully. 'The month are you were born, which was 2 months after I was born, my parents met with your mother for a week to discuss the big issue in our planets-lack of power. Two people are supposed to rule a planet, but all your mother had was you. She could've lost her power until my mother proposed one of our old ideas. Since we are neighboring planets, it would be better if we combined our powers. So, they agreed that once we were old enough, we could marry and no longer worry about losing power. 7 years from now, we'll be considered the most powerful rulers in the history of both of our planets.' Kairo took Abicah's hand and looked passionately in her eyes. 'Together, we'll take the throne as husband and wife,' he added.
The thought of marriage struck Abicah in the heart. Would she be ready for the sake of her planet as well as Kairo's? One side said she was ready and the other side said she wasn't. Either way, 7 years is plenty of time to prepare. The room fell quiet and both were trying to break it with a conversation. Kairo cleared his throat and pulled Abicah closer to him, causing them to bump hips. They blushed and laughed nervously to break some of the silence. 'Has anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful eyes?' he whispered as he slowly wrapped his arms behind her waist. 'Yes, and has anyone ever told you that you have a gorgeous skin tone?' Abicah replied while smoothing her hand all the way to the back of Kairo's neck. Kairo exhaled and made an expression that said, 'Eh, not so many.' Abicah gasped and asked why that was so. 'Everyone in my planet is tan, so my skin tone is no exception.' Abicah scoffed and playfully hit him on the shoulder. 'What are you talking about? I've seen people on your planet before and they're all deeply tanned. Your tan is medium, but it doesn't matter to me anyway,' she objected. Kairo's face still looked doubtful. Abicah smirked and touched the bottom of his chin. 'Why don't we just cut the chit-chat and practice our marriage kiss?' she asked in her desiring tone. Kairo gained a smile and leaned closer to share a kiss with his future wife.
'So, Kairo, have you settled in yet?' asked Nahnia as she barged into the room just before the kiss even happened. Abicah gently pushed Kairo away and looked away with an innocent whistle. 'You two are getting a little more connected, eh? I was able to tell when you two almost kissed.' Nahnia giggled. 'What kiss? We were only talking about the differences between our planets!' Abicah immediately interjected. Nahnia smirked suspiciously and gave a nod. 'Well, either way, Abicah has to go to sleep. You just finish settling in, Kairo because your parents are coming over tomorrow morning,' she said and walked out of the room with a snicker. Abicah turned to Kairo and bid him good-night. 'Since we didn't have that kiss, I guess I'll just-' She was cut off when Kairo suddenly pulled her towards him and softly kissed her. The feel of his tender lips pressed against hers made her heart beat faster. The sudden adrenaline from the pull made her body give off a small jolt of excitement and experience in her first kiss. When it ended, she giggled and walked towards her room with a sense of daze on the rest of her body. Kairo shook his head in disappointment and muttered, 'Damn, I missed my chance.'
In the middle of the night, someone tiptoed into Abicah's room and eyed her possessions. Dolls, outfits, her collection of books about Melavra's history, and her most prized possession-her diamond gem necklace. It was rested on top of a light purple pillow and surrounded by a glass cover. It was diamond shaped with a crescent moon shaped ocean blue gem inside. On the back, there was an engraving that read, '*Etha Xenta Ationrenega'. The intruder carefully lifted the cover off the necklace and stashed it into her pocket. The lady's most treasured keepsake is surely to impress the master, she thought with a smirk. Before she could leave, she had to make sure that no one would try to come after her. She took out her dust bag and spread some of the dust onto the pillow. 'And now for the finishing touch,' she whispered and placed an auburn hair strand on top of the pillow. Satisfied with her devious plan, the intruder tiptoed out of her room and disappeared without another trace.
Morning came and everyone was awakened by a loud scream from Abicah's room. Nahnia rushed inside and asked what was wrong. 'Mother, this is terrible! Someone stole my necklace!' she cried with tears flooding from her eyes. They looked at the dirtied pillow and noticed the strand of hair. Abicah examined it closely and gasped in horror. She turned to Nahnia and asked her to send in Kairo. He immediately rushed into the room and waited patiently. Abicah sent her mother out of her room and brought Kairo closer into her room. 'What do you make of this?' she hissed and held out the strand of what could've been his hair. Kairo shook his head in disbelief. 'There's no way that is my hair. If you're trying to accuse me of stealing something-' 'MY NECKLACE!' she shrieked. 'YOU TOOK MY NECKLACE! ADMIT IT!' Kairo stepped away and searched for the doorknob. 'Abicah, hear me out. I would never take anything that is precious to you!' Abicah turned away from Kairo and swallowed the lump in her throat. 'I wish I could believe you, but all the clues lead up to you.' She banged her fist against the wall. 'I'm sorry, Kairo,' she croaked.
Outside of the mansion were 2 adults, who were Kairo's parents, Lotan and Raia. Lotan was a tall man with short orange red hair that was perfectly straightened, dark red eyes that felt like pools of blood, and a deep tan. As for Raia, she had candy apple red hair that was bobbed, light hazel eyes, and a golden tan. They seemed pretty young for parents of a 15-year old, but that's how they'll always look like, unless they are "killed". 'I wonder if he has met his future bride yet. Do you think they have already made a connection, Lotan?' Raia asked with a jump of anxiousness. Lotan cleared his throat and answered, 'Don't rush the boy, Raia. It takes time for them to truly fall in love. Why do you think the marriage isn't until 7 years from now?' Raia nodded in agreement and knocked on the door again. A second later, they heard a crash from inside. There were also sounds of glass shattering, loud pounding, and terrible shrieks. 'FINE, WHO NEEDS YOU?! YOUR PLANET MIGHT AS WELL SUFFER LIKE MINE!' The door opened and Kairo was thrown out by Nahnia's strength. 'Good heavens, Melavran sister! What seems to be the problem?' Raia shouted and looked at her son with a frown. Abicah panted heavily and regained her energy to point a finger at Kairo. 'He.....stole my necklace. My special Melavra necklace.....given to me the day I was born!' she said between heavy breaths. Lotan glared at Kairo and saw him shrug with a mentioning that he doesn't know the whereabouts of the necklace. 'Now let's be reasonable about this, shall we?' he began while placing his hands on Raia's shoulders. 'There surely has to be more evidence that-' 'Maybe your daughter is accusing my son because she is a spoiled brat with a horrible mother!' Raia hissed. While Nahnia pulled on her hair, she demanded her to take back the comment. 'OVER MY MORTALIZED BODY!' She kicked Nahnia in the abdomen and grabbed Kairo by the arm. 'If this is our idea of an arranged marriage, than I must've made a huge mistake. Unless you find the REAL culprit who ISN'T my son, the marriage is OFF!'
Before the Solaran family could depart, a police car pulled up near the mansion and sounded a siren. An female officer stepped into the situation wearing her sky blue uniform with the Melavran symbol on her shoulder patch. 'Good morning to you all. I heard from a young lady's loud screaming that there was a robbery here, is that correct?' she asked. Abicah nodded and shot a glare at Kairo who stuck his tongue out in disgust. 'Officer, please tell my so-called friend that there is NO way that Kairo would've stolen this whiner's necklace,' Raia said with her arms crossed. The officer adjusted her glasses and examined Kairo's face with her black nylon gloves. 'Hmmm, and I assume the only evidence you have is......' she touched the top part of Kairo's hair. 'A strand of hair?' Abicah held out the strand of the hair with a proud smirk. 'Alrighty then, I'm just going to take this young man with me for some Q&A and then we'll see where it goes from there,' the officer explained while handcuffing Kairo's hands behind his back. 'But....but officer, can't we come and prove his innocence?' Raia asked in a calmer tone. The back door of the car slammed behind the officer and she shook her head. 'I'm afraid not, madame. He won't be gone for too long though. Just pick him up at the station once we're through with him'. As the car drove away, Raia burst into tears. 'Don't think we wont get him back because we WILL. Count on it, Nahnia because when we find out the truth, Melavra will have to make due with only a mere girl as their new leader,' she growled and stormed away, Lotan following behind her without saying another word (he doesn't say much anyway).
The road became darker and much more difficult to see. 'Officer, are you going the right way?' Kairo asked in concern. The officer didn't answer and continued driving on. By the time they stopped, the officer opened the car door and dragged Kairo out. 'This doesn't look like the-' 'MOVE IT, STUPID!' the officer hissed as she pushed Kairo into the cold, dark cavern. With a snap of her fingers, a path of midnight blue flames lit the way. Kairo squinted his eyes at the sight of someone leaning back on the cavern walls. 'Bring him closer, Zeiva! I want to take a closer look at him!' commanded the voice. As Kairo was pushed closer, the person was easier to see, but not recognize. He had fair translucent skin, short black hair with curved spikes behind his neck, and dark blue eyes. His outfit consisted of only a black robe with a piece of rope tied around his waist. 'So this is my competition? You don't look so tough,' the young man said. Kairo was able to tell by the dark blue tattoo of a crescent moon with an asterisk on his neck that he was a mage. 'Tell me who you are and why you wanted to see me,' he hissed. The young man chuckled and patted Kairo's head. 'Easy there, tiger. I wouldn't get too upset if I were you. Since you mentioned it, I am Gahrvin and this dim-wit who brought you here is my little sister Zeiva.' 'You're only older by 4 minutes,' Zeiva argued. '4 MINUTES!' Ignoring the comment, Gahrvin took out Abicah's necklace from his pocket which made Kairo's eyes widen in shock. 'You mean YOU took Abicah's necklace?' 'Yup, and it was all part of my plan to get rid of you,' Gahrvin answered while waving the necklace in Kairo's face. 'Get rid of me? What did I ever do to you?' 'You stole his girl, that's what!' Zeiva hissed while kicking Kairo to the ground. He only felt but a small pain in his back. Gahrvin laughed triumphantly and looked down at Kairo. 'You see, Abicah is gorgeous and soon to become leader of her planet. She could've been MINE until you came along and ruined everything. It should be ME who is engaged to her, not YOU!' Kairo contained his silence in an event to avoid further arguing. 'Silent treatment, eh? Fine! Zeiva, take him into the isolation cave,' Gahrvin commanded and snapped his fingers. Obediently, Zeiva nodded and grabbed Kairo by the shoulder to lead him into the isolation cave.
Abicah's tears stained her pillows as she cried with only guilt. 'What have I done? It's all my fault that the wedding is off and my former husband-to-be was arrested!' she cried out to herself. She couldn't even breathe easily without thinking about her actions. From the yelling and the accusation, to making a fool of herself in front of Kairo's parents and getting him arrested. Every single detail pinched her heart, making it beat slower until it would stop and possibly mortalize her. 'I have to do something about this or my people will have a weak ruler in 7 years after my mother is done,' she said to herself while sitting up on her bed. Looking around her room, she spotted her book of abilities on her desk. Hoping she has found her answer, she grabbed the book and opened it to the 3rd page. Next thing she knew, everything turned blank..........
Kairo smoothed his cheek against the uneven linings of the cavern. He felt like the humans with tragic fates. At the same time, he couldn't stop thinking about Abicah and how badly he treated her. Despite the fact that she was the one who started the argument, he still felt at fault for making her upset over a necklace. He sighed deeply and looked up at the top of the cavern that allowed him to view the stars. 'What's the point of looking at them if I'm watching them from such a depressing place?' he asked himself. That was when the moon shone on something in the cavern. It looked like a page torn out of a book due to its zig-zag like edges. He layed down on his stomach and used the front of his toes to force himself forward and take a peek. Once his eyes layed on the first word, darkness fogged his mind.......
A dim light brightened into her face and she woke up on an unfamiliar material floor. The air smelled like a mix of lavender and french vanilla. The moment she stood up, she looked down to see something that seemed alien to her-fresh green grass. 'Good heavens! Is this supposed to burn my skin?!' she hissed while brushing off some of the grass that stuck onto her legs. 'Do you miss Kairo?' asked a voice. Abicah turned around but couldn't find a person who said those atrocious words. 'Who needs Kairo? The marriage wouldn't have worked anyway because he's an untrustworthy *ensaka!' The voice giggled and gradually became louder. Abicah covered her ears and demanded the person to show herself. 'Why shooooould I? Just because you're a princess doesn't mean you're all that. Admit it, you want Kairo back. I was able to tell when you started sobbing after he supposedly got arrested,' said the voice as the volume gradually shifted from loud to soft. Abicah screamed in frustration and wanted it to stop. 'By the way, do you want your necklace back?' the voice asked as the necklace appeared right in front of Abicah. It looked untouched and in perfect condition. 'So, if Kairo didn't steal it then this means.....'
The cold stabbed his body like sharp knives. His eyes opened to the surroundings of a dark forest combined with the sounds of something unfamiliar-crows cawing. 'What is that horrible noise?' he wondered. Another thing he noticed was that his handcuffs somehow disappeared, giving him the freedom to move his arms. All of a sudden, he jumped up at the sight of a vulture, which he had never seen before on his planet. 'What does Abicah mean to you?' it asked. Kairo stepped away, which made the vulture move closer to him. As his mouth trembled in fear, he answered, 'S-s-s-she means n-n-n-nothing to me anymore.' 'Nothing? Surely you can't let a silly argument over a necklace ruin your relationship with her. You two are supposed to marry in 7 years. Anger fades and as we speak, she probably wants you back because she feels guilty for accusing you.' Kairo groaned at what could've been true. Even if he wanted Abicah back, their marriage was still no longer until the necklace was retrieved. If he could do so, maybe his innocence could be proven and their planets could be saved. 'Before I let you go, I'll say one more thing.......'
Raia pounded on the door frequently until Nahnia answered. 'Oh, it's you,' she muttered while glaring coldly. 'What do you want now?' Before she got on answer, Raia grabbed her shoulders and sobbed uncontrollably. 'My dear friend, I'm sorry I said such DREADFUL comments about your daughter! If only we could find Kairo, then we could rearrange the wedding!' Nahnia pushed her away and asked what she was talking about. 'Lotan and I went to the police station and it turns out that a person impersonating a cop was the real culprit! She took Kairo and possibly the necklace!' With their eyes in complete shock, they ran upstairs to Abicah's room. There was no sign of Abicah and one of her books was cover down on the floor. Nahnia's knees shook and weighed her down. She placed her hand over her mouth and choked up tears. All she could assume was that Abicah went to find Kairo but was taken as well, leaving her a prisoner as well. The thought gave Nahnia a terrible image of Melavra in 7 years without a ruler.
From her room to a strange field, and now the front of a dark cavern. 'Inside must be the one who is keeping Kairo hostage,' she whispered to herself. Clutching onto her necklace tightly, she stormed into the cavern and stopped at the sight of the flames. There stood Zeiva with Kairo's neck grasped into her glowing light purple hand. 'Take another step and your boy toy will be permanently mortalized,' she warned while grasping tighter. Kairo gasped for breath, not knowing that his ankles were already turning ghastly pale. Abicah bit her lip and brought her right arm to touch her left shoulder. Zeiva raised an eyebrow and scoffed. Whatever she was going to do, it probably wasn't going to help. Abicah then slowly brought up what looked like a dagger. She jerked it to the side and grasped onto the silver handle as if she was holding Kairo's last hope in her hand. The thin 5 inch blade curved to the right in the shape of a crescent moon. 'A sickle? You're going to save your precious with a mere sickle? Fool, that can't even cut the edge of a star!' Zeiva laughed. Abicah smirked as the blade started to glow a dark blue. That was when Zeiva finally realized what it really was-a paralyzation knife! With a small feeling of panic, she took her other hand and grabbed onto Kairo's arm, turning it completely pale. He was already too weak to struggle even a little. Abicah brought one leg forward and moved the knife to the side of her face. She only had one shot at this in order to save Kairo and her planet. 'THIS IS FOR THE FATE OF BOTH OF US!' she shouted before she started running towards Zeiva with more flames of her own in her eyes. The closer she got, the more of a dangerous situation it became. Finally, she got close enough to lift up her knife and throw it as hard as she could. Zeiva dropped Kairo and jumped up to avoid the knife, but she was too slow. It pierced her chest and left a few slashes on her ankles.
Abicah panted frantically and smirked in satisfaction to see the paralyzed Zeiva and blood oozing out of her chest. It looked like a volcano cut open and spreading its lava all over its surrounding lands. She glared at Abicah and opened her mouth to speak, but the pressure from the knife suffocated her even more and caused her to choke on a lump of out coming blood. Abicah started to feel sorry for her, but she didn't care too much since she tried to hurt Kairo. 'Kairo!' she exclaimed the moment she saw his body. She went to her knees and lowered her head in disappointment. He was entirely pale and couldn't move a muscle. Abicah scrubbed her hands over her face and hid her tears. 'I was too late and now both of our planets have to pay the price,' she cried. She fell onto Kairo's chest, sobbing as she did on her pillow when Kairo was taken away.
When she started to lift up her head, a hand gently pushed her back onto Kairo's chest. His heartbeat slowly started to return to normal and his skin was returning to its original tan color. 'Abicah,' he began in a weak voice. Abicah looked up at him with a frown. He didn't have enough energy to speak, which caused him to close his eyes again. All Abicah could think about was Kairo dying because he might've been completely mortalized. The only thing she could do is rest her head on his chest and soak him with her tears. There was no more hope for him and it was all because of a pointless argument over a necklace that he never stole. The guilt went into Abicah's throat and started to restrain her breathing. She didn't care if she suffered because she didn't want Kairo to be the only one that felt like a dying human. 'Kairo, I'm sorry for everything I put you through. I found my necklace and our problems are solved. We can marry in 7 more years,' she paused and brushed the right side of Kairo's hair with a cracked smile. 'That is....if you make it or not. Honestly, you have to pull through. For your planet, your parents, and most importantly, your wife-to-be. I could see us those 7 years from now, a married couple with perhaps a child or two.' She couldn't even hear him breathing. While pounding her fist against his chest, she shouted, 'COME ON, KAIRO! DON'T DIE ON ME!' Unfortunately, there was still no response. Everything turned blank again......
Abicah woke up to find herself laying down on her bed. Feeling that the bad situation was over, she breathed a sigh of relief. All of a sudden, she felt a warm hand wrapped around her waist. Another look and there was Kairo, laying down next to her! However, something about him was very different. For one thing, his hair was an inch longer and he looked much more adult-like. 'Kairo, what happened to you and why the hell are you sleeping on my bed with me?' she whispered sternly. Kairo chuckled and slid his other hand from Abicah's lips to the surface of her chest, a little bit above her somewhat larger breasts. 'Hold on, when were my boobs this large?!' she exclaimed as she sat up and slid her hand down her shirt to feel her breasts. Then she was able to view herself in the mirror next to her bed. She picked it up to find herself more adult-like as well with slightly shorter hair. 'Whoa, is this what-' Abicah was cut off when Kairo set aside the mirror and pinned her on top of him. Her cheeks blushed a bright pink. 'Just to let you know,' Kairo added. 'I'm still alive.' He then leaned his head forward and planted a passionate kiss.
By the time Abicah woke up from her dream, she was still locked in Kairo's deep kiss. He really was still alive after all. Once the kiss ended, Kairo smiled warmly and helped Abicah up. 'B-b-but how did....who....was I really.' Her sentence went off uncompleted and she lowered her head in embarassment. Kairo lifted up her chin and explained how he woke up. 'I wanted to listen to your full apology before I could be able to forgive. As a reminder, I put you under a temporary dream spell until I woke you up with a kiss.' After taking in the explanation, she punched Kairo's arm and replied, 'You should've just told me you were okay before I made a scene!' Still acting optimistic, Kairo took her hand and they both started back to the mansion.
Afterwards.....
'Nice job, genius. Now I can't even move my arm so I can punch you!' Zeiva growled. Gahrvin quietly mimicked her and started to drag her by her leg into her room. 'So far, I tried to lure Abicah away from Kairo by stealing her necklace, taking Kairo hostage, try to use reverse psychology on him using my best dream spell, and what do I get? A one-way ticket back to square 1!' 'Hey, I did all of that, you *astraba!' Zeiva argued. Gahrvin immediately threw her onto her bed and walked towards his room. 'No matter, because there's still plenty of time left before the wedding. I'll find my reasons why I'm the better and sexier husband. Kairo is going DOWN!' He clenched his fist with confidence flowing through his veins. While in his room, he laughed devilishly and slammed the door behind him with his foot.
*1=The Next Generation
*2=Sneak
*3=Bastard
*4=Same as 3
This story falls into the following categories-
General Romance
F.A.C Romance
"Please step forward, my dear*," commanded the voice of the ruler of death. With a nod, the young lady replied, "Yes, master." She stepped forward and looked into his light goldenrod eyes with her plum purple eyes. She smiled and clasped her hands together. Another day, and each time she approached him, she felt nervous.
"Good afternoon, Diedrick. What are your demands?" she asked. Diedrick looked straight forward at the view of the village. Nobody seemed to be sickly, which bothered him since he hasn't had a single job in weeks. Looking back at his slave, he sat up on his chair and placed his index finger underneath her chin. "Adela," he began, "You have been acting quite strange for these past weeks. Is something the matter?" Adela bit her lip and did not respond. Diedrick then stood up and wrapped his arm around her neck. "You can tell me, can't you? I'm sure I shall understand no matter what it is." Turning her head sideways, she closed her eyes and replied, "I can't tell you for it is too personal." She gently nudged Diedrick's arm away and headed back inside the castle to have some alone time in her room.
Within seconds, she heard footsteps that became increasingly louder and faster follow her. All of a sudden, she felt an arm grab her neck and pin her against the cold stone wall. "I'm assuming you don't want to tell me because it has something to do with me." Through her limited oxygen, Adela replied, "This has nothing to do with you." She yelped in pain when the grasp grew tighter and her face was turning ghastly pale. "Don't lie to me, Adela. You made the promise that you'd tell me EVERYTHING no matter what it was." With her free hand, Adela grabbed Diedrick's hand and placed a golden spherical locket inside. Confused, Diedrick released Adela and examined the locket. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you for these past 4 years I've been with you," she said with a frown. She placed her hand over her reddened neck and sighed.
Diedrick looked at the locket and opened it using the pointed fingernail of his thumb. There was nothing inside besides the engraving of a scythe on the left side. "You gave this to me 3 years ago after I had served you for only a year," Adela began to explain. "After that, you kept asking me what I wanted. I never wanted anything from you, Diedrick. Not even your true love for me can fulfill my needs. All I've wanted these past 4 years was marriage and children. Once you took me away to your castle, I thought you were the one that would help me achieve my future, the one I've had for those 4 years."
Diedrick took at least a minute to take in everything Adela had said. If this was true, how come she never said anything before? It didn't make any sense and was hinting disobedience. His face started to read disgust and disbelief. After shaking his head in disappointment, he turned away and replied, "Until I say so, I don't want you anywhere near me. I have heard enough from you. Better yet, this is the LAST thing I want to hear from you." "Diedrick, please, I was only-" "Nein*! That is enough!" Diedrick hissed by the time Adela touched his hand. He immediately left to his room, leaving Adela standing in the middle of the hallway, confused and upset.
By the time nightfall came, Adela was sitting on the balcony and looking up at the bright moon. She always enjoyed the fresh air after being forced to stay inside at all times unless told otherwise. At the same time, she was already used to being ordered around since it has been a while. After 2 years, she started to have secret feelings for Diedrick but never said a word. She kept thinking it would never work out because of their age differences (Adela is 22 and Diedrick is 32). Not to mention she didn't think that he would have the same feelings for a slave. However, she didn't want to give up on hope since she could be stuck with him until the day she dies. That is why she wanted to make the most of her time.
Before she drifted off deeper into her thoughts, Adela heard somebody knock. "Come in," she called out softly but loud enough to be heard. Diedrick walked into the room wearing a white tank top and black pants. This was one of the rare moments when he could be seen without his cloak masking most of his face. He partly turned his face to the side and played with his fingers. "Listen," he said. "I thought about what you said and perhaps you were right all along." He turned his head forward and sat on the edge of Adela's bed. Adela listened but kept her back turned. "After these 4 years we've spent together, I am starting to feel as if I'm treating you horribly." Adela continued to listen without even looking at Diedrick. Then, he proposed something that caught her attention. "If I asked you to mother the child of death, would you accept?" Adela immediately turned to face him, shocked and a little confused. Could she really risk such a decision to birth death's child? She may have had feelings for death himself, but passing on part of himself seemed crazy. He was already hated by the entire village because of his "evil nature of taking away innocent lives". Truthfully, it was his job to take the dying souls to help them die easier*. As for a new generation of that, Adela stood there blank-minded to think of the consequences. Diedrick stood up and gave her a quick nod. "Take your time to think about it." Before he walked out of the room, he smiled and added, "I'm only doing this because there has always been something about you I liked."
The week seemed to pass by quickly and Adela was still pending a decision. Not to mention it was affecting her work. She never spoke a word to Diedrick and when he gave her an order, she would go into her room and lay down in bed. This concerned Diedrick because it gave him the idea that what he said might have offended her. After another disappointment, he somberly walked into Adela's room with his head down. "You haven't said a word in days. Maybe I pushed you too hard and should send you back to your real home. As much as I loved having your company, I can't stand to see you upset." Adela sat up on her bed with her plain bed sheets covering her body. Looking up at Diedrick, she gave him a friendly smile and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, forcing him closer to her. "I'd accept your proposal," she began, "but I fear what could happen if this could mean endangering us." Diedrick returned the smile and replied,"There's no way in hell I'd let any bastard near you or the child. You may have forgotten that part of my job is to be sure that you are satisfied." Adela smirked and pulled him closer until his chest was pressed against hers. "Is that so?" she chuckled. "In that case, I'll do it." With a smirk of his own, Diedrick ripped off his cloak and pinned Adela on top of her bed. "Since you're a virgin, I'll go easy on you," he teased.
The next morning, Adela woke up to find Diedrick with his arm wrapped around her waist. She never thought that after 4 years, she'd end up serving her master in a different way. The previous night felt like a dream, but it finally convinced her decision. She was going to stay until the day she died with her new lover. Her thoughts were disrupted when she heard Diedrick stir and start to slowly open his eyes. All of a sudden, Adela tasted something bitter in her mouth that was coating the inside of her throat. Shit, it's morning sickness! she thought and immediately rushed into the bathroom. Diedrick sat up on Adela's bed and noticed her absence. After hearing the sound of her retching in the bathroom, he carefully went over and knocked softly of the door. "Are you alright, dear?" he asked. "No, I think I'm-" Adela cut herself off and quickly opened the door with a raised eyebrow. "Did you just call me 'dear'?" she asked. Diedrick shrugged and placed his hand on her lower abdomen. Adela placed her hand over his and smiled. "Obviously, my sudden sickness means that I'm-" "Expecting death's child," Diedrick finished for her as he ascended his hand towards her chin. "Hold that thought," Adela said before pushing him away and shut the door to the bathroom.
During the early afternoon, Diedrick found Adela lying down on the living room couch next to an empty gallon of orange juice. "My god, first day and your pregnancy is already noticeable!" he muttered under his breath. Adela looked up at Diedrick and glared. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked. Diedrick didn't say anything which made her furious. "WHY WON'T YOU ANSWER ME?!" she shrieked after she stood on top of the couch and clenched her fists. "Now you're just acting ridiculous! Perhaps I made the wrong decision since you act like a child yourself*," Diedrick hissed. Adela fell back on the couch and covered her face with her hands. "You're right," she replied in a softer tone, "I'm too pathetic by your standards and I'd be better off leaving!" She put her knees against her chest and put her head down. Damn those mood swings, Diedrick thought and looked back at Adela. He sat next to Adela and lifted up her head with one move of his hand. "Listen, I understand that you're going to be like this for a while and I'm sorry for my stupid remark," he explained. "Clearly, I have to keep watch of you even more which means we'll be spending a lot of time together. For yours and the child's sake, I promised to keep you safe and I will NEVER break that promise."
Month 2
One day during the second month, Diedrick was doing his monthly scythe sharpening. It was a delicate procedure that required quiet and plenty of concentration. Just that he heard the door knock and he nearly dropped his scythe. "Who in their right mind would-" he cut himself off to see Adela let herself inside. She had her bed sheets wrapped around her body up to her shoulders. "May I ask you a question?" she asked with a nervous laugh. Clearly, she was up to something, but Diedrick didn't have a single clue. "I guess it wouldn't hurt," he answered with a shrug. Adela's eyes immediately beamed brightly and she slowly removed the bed sheets. Diedrick's immediate reaction was falling off his chair and almost cutting himself with his scythe. He looked up at Adela while placing his hand over his nose, in case it was bleeding. The cause of the reaction was seeing her in what looked like a bikini. Both top and bottom were crimson red and perfectly hugged her every curves. While slowly sliding her hand down to her bare mid-section, she innocently asked," Do I still look pretty when I'm pregnant?" Diedrick slammed his eyelids shut and aggressively grabbed Adela's arm. "Are you honestly asking me this? This is the second god damn time you did this to me!" he hissed. Adela used her free hand to cover her face and hide her visible tears. "I'm sorry," she coughed loudly. Diedrick quickly pulled Adela in front of her and covered her with her bed sheets. "I knew something like this would happen. That is why I had spare time to ask a favor from the council. I had them hire someone to care for you while I'm on duty or busy," he paused to look back at his scythe, "with my monthly scythe sharpening."
When they heard the front door knock, Diedrick immediately sprang to his feet and answered the door. "Thank god, you must be the-" he cut himself off to get a better look at the care taker. So far, the obvious problem was that she looked like a teenager and probably had the brains of one. The girl shook Diedrick's hand and said, "Dani, senior adviser of the council reporting for duty. Thanks again for hiring me." Diedrick shook his head in disbelief. "There's no way they could've hired you. Is Rory getting back at me for something I don't know about? If so, then it's not funny!" Dani lowered her head with a sigh and started playing with her fingers. "Sir, they really did send me," she explained. She turned away and added with another sigh, "If you don't want me because I look like a teenager, then I understand. I always get that same look on clients' faces." Diedrick rubbed his temples and groaned. It was either this girl or putting Adela in greater danger. "If the council sent you, then they must have had a perfectly good reason. I'm sorry if I prejudged you before I got to know what you're really like. I just want Adela safe from harm." "Does that mean I can stay?" Dani asked as she turned back with her eyes gleaming in hope. The moment she saw Diedrick nod, Dani grabbed her suitcase and ran into the castle living room. Looking back at him, she said, "No worries, my newest client. It is my duty to maintain the safety of this place and obey every order given to me!" With a nod of agreement, Diedrick replied, "There is a guest room upstairs. After you settle yourself in, I will talk to you about your job from now until the child is born." Dani clapped her hands rapidly in excitement and rushed upstairs to her new room*.
"DIEDRICK!" Adela screamed at the top of her lungs. Diedrick rushed into Adela's room to find her grasping Dani by the neck. "Who is she and what is she doing here? She came in here and said that I'm her new client or something!" "Well," Diedrick began with a nervous laugh, "She is the one the council hired to help care for you." Adela dropped Dani, who fell to her knees gasping for air, and glared coldly. "She looks like a joke, a teenage joke to be exact, but I guess I'll put here for a test trail." Dani got to her feet and pointed a finger at Adela. "Just to let you know, I stop aging once I'm a teenager! That was actually 50 years ago which means I'm really 65," she explained. Damn whatever species grants her eternal youth, Adela thought. "Thank you and I'm a phoenix eternity*," Dani answered, as if she read her expression. Adela bit her lip and held her bed sheets close.
Dani walked into the hall and spotted the empty guest room. "Here we go," she said as she grabbed her suitcase and entered the room. "Of course you're going to need the list of your duties for the rest of your stay," Diedrick explained as he handed Dani a small folded paper. She unfolded the paper to reveal that the list expanded all the way to where it touched the floor. She squinted her eyes to read the writing, but realized it was written in German. "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask," Diedrick chuckled and headed towards his room. It seemed that Dani thought that this would be easy, but she had no idea about what lied ahead for her.
Month 4
Dani was panting frantically while resting her head against the walls. She had been yet again derived of sleep due to Adela's constant needs. Not to mention she was to the point of dying from exhaustion*. Diedrick was no help because he was too busy sleeping like a baby every single night. "Damn this," she muttered and she hugged her knees. "Next thing I know, I'm going to be left alone with her or something!"
All of a sudden, she heard descending footsteps coming front the stairs. She stood and looked from the stairway to find Diedrick carrying a suitcase in his hand. "Don't leave me here alone!" Dani called out. Diedrick looked up at Dani and motioned a hand gesture that forced her down the stairs. "Of course, I forgot to tell you that I'm going away," he said. Dani felt her right eye twitch in fear. "F-f-f-for how long?" she managed to ask. "5 months, which means the child will already be born by the time I come back," Diedrick began to explain. "As part of the head council and one of Rory's most trusted workers, it is my job to help prepare for a special promotions meeting we have every half a decade. Of course, YOU have to wait 5 more years until you have a chance to being on the head council. Until then, be sure you take care of Adela when I'm gone." His tone suddenly went threatening and he grabbed Dani by the shoulders. "And I mean it when I say that. She is my girl and I love her very much. If I come back to see even ONE thing out of order," He paused and brought his scythe against Dani's neck with his eyes glowing blood red, "You'll bring about the side of me that kills*." Obviously, what he meant was no joke, so Dani nodded slowly in agreement.
"Now I best be on my-" Diedrick cut himself off to find Adela standing in front of him, teary-eyed. She grabbed part of his cloak and started sobbing on his shoulder. "Are you really leaving me?!" she cried. Dani crossed her arms and gave off a "You should've told her first" smirk. Ignoring Dani, Diedrick brushed Adela's hair and said, "Please don't be upset about this. I'll come back by the time you birth the child." "I want you to be there when I birth the child!" she argued while choking on sobs. With a depressing sigh, Diedrick lifted up her chin and added, "I promise by every corpse I have saved that I will return as soon as I can." He tenderly kissed her lips and struck a warning glare at Dani. Within seconds, he was out of the castle and temporarily out of Adela's life. "Look on the bright side, dearie! I'm still here, aren't I?" Dani asked with a bright smile, which caused Adela to fall to her knees and sob even louder. "Well, I'm going to go grocery shopping. Behave yourself while I'm gone," Dani said with a nervous laugh and quickly rushed out of the castle.
Before every place she went to outside the castle, Dani was instructed to wear a disguise and an alias. Her disguise consisted of a blonde wig, pink contacts, a white tank top, dark blue jeans, and tall black heels. The alias she went by was Ima Nnoying*. When she reached the market, the only thing she was stared at for was her eyes. Some assumed she had pink eye or was blind. One person who was most suspicious was someone who worked at the market. Sometimes he tried to approach Ima and ask her name or if she knew somebody he knew of a long time ago. There were also times when he followed her around without her noticing at all. Either way, he was obviously up to something.
He approached Ima for a second time and asked, "Can you help me find my sister?" Ima shrugged and said that she didn't have a clue of what his sister looked like. When the young man held out a picture, Ima's jaw fell to the floor. The girl looked EXACTLY like Adela! "Allow me to explain," he began. "My name is Gunther and my sister, Adela, has been missing for 4 years. The last time I saw her, she was confronted by that bastard, Diedrick. I've been looking for her ever since our mother's life was taken away." Ima pursed her lips and shrugged after the explanation. "The only Adela I know is this whiny pregnant lady who eats like a pig," she said, not realizing how stupid she was for giving it away. Gunther froze for a minute and grabbed Ima by the arms. "Bring me to her and I'll give you the groceries for free," he whispered.
When they entered the castle, Ima removed her wig and set it aside. "She's upstairs if you want to see her," she said quietly. Gunther ran upstairs and knocked on the door to Adela's room. "If it's another attempt to cheer me up, go away," Adela's voice hissed from inside. Gunther slowly opened the door and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his sister. The two remained silent until Adela stood up and walked over to examine Gunther's face. His eyes were forest green and his hair was spiky on the front and golden blonde. He felt Adela's hand smooth across his chin and stopped at the middle of his chest. She lowered part of his shirt to find a red slash across his torso. Her hands shook in shock and she started to whimper softly. "Gun....ther?" she asked between small sobs. "Is that.....really....you?" The moment he nodded, Adela hugged her older brother tightly and started sobbing on his shoulder. "It's good to see you again, little sister," he whispered with a relieved smile.
After Dani entered the room, she said while tugging on Gunther's arm, "Well, it was nice of you to visit here and now you have to go." "No way!" Adela immediately objected. "I want him to stay here!" Dani crossed her arms and chuckled. "I hate to be a person to break such a bittersweet moment," she explained, "but Diedrick specifically told me NOT to allow visitors to stay, even if they ARE related to you in any way." Adela glared furiously and grabbed Dani by the shoulders. "Diedrick never said ANYTHING about disallowing visitors. You just made that up! Besides, even if he did, he would change his mind because he will realise that I will get pissed off at him," she quietly hissed. Looking back at Gunther, she added, "Besides, my brother is well-behaved. What could be better than having a little more company here?" Dani turned away from the siblings to think about it. If she allowed him to stay, Diedrick would surely be upset since he has yet to know Gunther. At the same time, he remembers that he will do ANYTHING to keep Adela happy, even if it means having relatives stay as her company. She feared Adela more than Diedrick because her yelling intimidates her, so she finished thinking about it. She turned back to them and said, "He can stay as long as I don't get in trouble for it." With a squeal of excitement, Adela hugged Gunther and Dani tightly and exclaimed, "No worries, you won't get in trouble as long as I am satisfied!"
A week later
"Sir, we have just received information that the woman's brother has moved into the castle. According to our secret research, we noticed a change in the woman's behavior after he moved in. We still have yet to know the sex of her baby, though. They don't have a clue yet, but we're sure they are just anticipating the birth. We also have photographic evidence that they have decorated the nursery with some rather peculiar decor." The young man opened the folder on the table and took out some of the pictures. As they were examined, he stood in his place quietly and looked around the dark room. "This isn't enough, but it'll have to do. Before the baby is born, I'll require further information. Until then, you're free to go." "Thank you, sir," the young man answered and exited the room with a sigh of relief.
Month 6
"Just when I thought this girl couldn't get any stupider," Adela muttered under her breath and she saw Dani hiding under the couch. It has been a month since she claimed to have been followed by "a ghost of her past".Obviously, neither Adela or Gunther believed her, but they worried that she would take it too far by hiding all of their clothes or something. "I'm not kidding! I swear I saw a ghost! It's coming back to haunt me after I stole it's sandwich!" she cried. Adela rolled her eyes and held out a peanut butter sandwich. Dani squealed and lifted out her arm in attempt to reach for the sandwich. "Get out of there first," Adela said before seeing Dani's arm descend to the floor and return to under the couch. In his own attempt to get her out, Gunther layed down on the couch and stretched out his arms with a yawn. A minute later, Dani crawled out of the couch and ran upstairs to her room with the peanut butter sandwich in her hands. "Works every time," Gunther snickered.
Immediately changing the subject, Adela decided to ask whatever happened to their mother after she left. With his head lowered, Gunther calmly answered, "Diedrick took her life after he took you." Adela's heart began to sink. She couldn't believe that he would do such a thing, even after his promise. "If you become my slave, I will not lay a hand on your precious mother." Those exact words echoed in her mind because it had to be true. Even if Diedrick DID take her life, it was probably because she couldn't be saved. Adela placed both of her hands on her lower abdomen and shook her head in disbelief. "He promised he wouldn't even touch her," she said with a sigh. That was when she knew that when Diedrick would return, he would have a LOT of explaining to do.
Month 8
It seemed as if the time passed by quicker than the past 4 years Adela had spent with Diedrick. She was exhausted and couldn't even move from her bed for the entire morning. Gunther and Dani frequently check on her to see how she was doing. Her answer was either a groan of exhaustion or pain (they couldn't tell). As another hour came, a secret danger came closer to Adela. He stood outside the roof of the castle, just below her room, waiting for the right moment. He took out a small bag from the pocket of his black leather coat. He blew into it and softly chanted a spell in german. Within seconds, he heard Adela cry out in pain and he immediately sprang into action.
"Adela, are you okay?" Dani asked as she ran into the room. "Do I look okay?" Adela replied through her heavy breathing. Dani examined her face and it took her about a minute to realise what was happening-the baby was about to be born. "Okay, nobody panic! I have everything I need for this in my bag!" she exclaimed and rushed to her room to find her stuff. As Dani went to get what she needed, Adela started to wonder where Gunther was. The last time she saw him was when he came to check up on her. It was unlike him to leave without saying anything to anyone. She started to assume that something happened to him. All of a sudden, the door to her room slammed loudly and locked itself shut.
"The brother and teenage girl are out of the way. The woman is locked in her room," the young man reported. Standing in front of him was his master, a tall shadow with a long black leather coat. "All we could do is wait," he said. The young man raised an finger and asked, "But, isn't it a little dangerous to have her give birth on her own? I mean, that teenager was going to-" "I used a spell to make it less painful and quicker," his master replied as he threw the empty bag on the floor. "Besides," he added with a smirk, "She's not alone in there." Looking back at his assistant, he gave him a hand gesture which meant to leave him alone. He leaned back on the wall next to Adela's room, the heels of his black combat boots clicking against the edges.
A single event in Adela's past flashed in her head. Her 18 year old self was watching over her sick mother with her 20 year old brother. Death knocked on their door one day and asked for the dying body. "We'll never hand her over to a monster like you," Gunther hissed. Ignoring the comment, Diedrick approached the woman and set his scythe against the wall next to her bed. He brushed his warm hand against her cold cheek and sighed deeply. He then took his scythe and brought it towards the woman's chest. "Leave our mom alone!" Adela cried. Diedrick turned his attention to the young (and beautiful) Adela and flashed a friendly smile. When Diedrick approached her, he leaned forward to get a closer look of her curly chocolate brown hair, her dark plum purple eyes, and her gorgeous ivory complexion. To him, she looked like a delicate porcelain doll with real feelings. "I'll tell you what, gorgeous," he whispered to her with a snicker. "If you become my slave, I will not lay a hand on your precious mother. Let's see if you can prove how committed you are to giving yourself to me in exchange for someone you love." Diedrick held out his friendly hand to Adela. Gunther could see the blank look on her sister's face and knew that she didn't wanted to accept his offer. At the same time, she has said to him many times that she would sacrifice anything, even her life, to save someone she loved. He was not surprised to see Adela place her hand on top of his and be never seen for 4 years.
The thoughts took an ugly turn when she went further to 2 years after her "disappearance". Her cheeks would glow a bright red whenever Diedrick passed by her or gave her an order. Sometimes, he would see her and say, "I'm starting to suspect that you might have feelings for me." Adela always shook her head and watched him leave to care for his duties for the day.
Of course, she'll never forget the day when Diedrick started to hint back that he had feelings for her, too. He came into her room, minus his cloak, and sat on her bed. She was sitting near the window and was looking out at the village view. "You know," he began, "you have been with me for 2 years and you don't seem like you want to talk to me or anything." Adela remained silent and continued looking at the view. "I thought that when you fulfilled your promise, you would at least want to get to know me," he added. There was still nothing from Adela. Starting to get frustrated, he grabbed her by the arm and exchanged looks with her. "Hey, you can't just keep ignoring me like this-" He was cut off when Adela brushed her hand against his cheek and slowly slid down to his bare chest. "How do you really feel about me?" she asked without looking him in the eye. Diedrick loosened his arms and pulled Adela closer until their chests were touching. Adela blushed when she could hear the sound of his human heart beat, causing her own heart to beat faster than normal. "I feel as if I could be falling for my slave," Diedrick answered while brushing back Adela's hair. "Prove it," she said while looking up at him. He looked at her with a suspicious smirk. "Very well then," he replied and leaned towards Adela to kiss her. The moment his lips locked with hers, she felt her heart burst and slowly return to its normal state once the kiss was over.....
The hours seemed like only minutes when Adela returned to reality. Nightfall had came and the room was silent. In her arms, she noticed her sleeping baby wrapped in a soft white blanket. The first thing that came to her mind was where Gunther and Dani went to. She carefully stepped out of her bed and walked outside of her room to find them. She found them laying down on the floor, trying to regain consciousness. Dani was the first to wake up when she asked, "What just happened?" She looked at Adela and the newborn baby with a smile. "Sorry I couldn't help you out," she said. "I must have suddenly passed out from the stress." Gunther grunted softly and slowly sat up and held his knees together. "Something knocked me out before I could see you, sis," he explained. Looking at the sleeping baby, he smiled warmly and patted its head. "Did you name him yet?" Dani asked. Adela raised an eyebrow and replied, "How do you know it's a boy?" Dani pointed to a small red stripe on his chest. "There's a lot about Diedrick's bloodline that he forgot to mention. All male children in his family have that," she explained. Adela cradled the baby closer to her and whispered, "If that is so, his name shall be Heinrich, in honor of our older brother we lost to violence." When Heinrich stirred, Adela kissed his forehead and smiled with a tear of joy in her eye.
Footnote info will be up tomorrow