Chapter 62

𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔: 𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊 𝕾𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞 𝖇𝖞 𝕿𝖆𝖞𝖑𝖔𝖗 𝕾𝖜𝖎𝖋𝖙

***

His soft caresses felt like a field around a glacier arc where I couldn't keep my grasp and yet, instead of enveloping my hands to freeze, they began to melt in unsuspecting touch.

His move signifies a palatial conundrum of my body's tempo and fills me in with air that I couldn't burst out of my body, and mouth that instead of staying intact, shattered the gaps between and hair that was supposed to be swayed by the intensity of the water, got carried unimaginably by the wind.

Now, with my soul being captured in his caging prism, all I could do was feel as if I was trapped in my past self once again, a self that only sees the one in front rather than see the brighter horizon beyond that person.

"You seemed like you're thinking many things, did I bother you, Lady Festin?" I could sense the way his voice shifted from the warmest weather to the coldest night when he said my name.

This person knew, and yet he was in the game for the theme, because perhaps, he also wanted to enjoy the night ahead, but why suddenly say my alias name as if I've wronged him?

Caliere, did you ever think about me back in the past? Because right now, we were already friends, I managed to secure my future by being friends with him but that doesn't guarantee me of the outside factors that might come.

I couldn't help but feel remorse every time I felt as if betrayal was like silent caresses of the wind, it might never be seen but there's already there right in front of me, as I could feel it and it gives me life to breathe in it.

However, what if one day, that wind takes my breath away? Would I be able to define who was real and not?

Right at that moment, I shook my head and I didn't mean that it was my response to his question but because I felt like my head became heavy the same thing as my chest felt every time Caliere would take my hands.

"I'm glad," he exuded the elegant air staying from his body for a while before finally closing his eyes while bending me as he held my waist firmer than ever.

I could see the rose petals of different colors swaying as if becoming one with our dance, and the only wreath I could land my eyes on was the one above us, captured by the cloak of the night, embedded with jewels that corresponded to the intensity of the misty flicker of flames.

As my hair almost caressed the greenery of the ground, his hand which was previously holding my waist, came to caress my back and pulled me closer to where he was, that's when I felt that the ice between our bodies turned to penetrating warmth.

The way his venomous yet intoxicating breath carried my soul away and the only way to feel alive was to breathe from the same air he was breathing.

As the heat prickled its way surrounding my face, it pained the edges of my jaw as if my mouth was almost touching something that I couldn't touch in the past.

When my face almost closed the gap between, the intensity of his gaze never went away, and it stayed as if observing my soul as if piercing my chest and if not enough, I felt like it was already ripping what was left of me to breathe.

"But I couldn't understand why such a beautiful lady like you is walking alone in those dark hallways," but then I felt as if he had been careful with his words because right now, he didn't only sound soft but like a whisper directly through my ears.

My mind was set on his words, those complimenting words that were once directed at the love of his life, but I knew that he was only doing this to have fun.

Since in the first place, he had already established in his mind, that this was nothing sort of fun way to him because after this night, he would be able to forget a lady that was once named Festin.

"I just get a bit lost, Sir Vrail, and that's all," after my words, I didn't even expect that I would gasp because instead of pulling me again with his magnificently crafted soft hands, I felt his long and slender fingers touched the sides of my face.

As if he had been painting me with his own ink, and the gaze that once crept within my soul was now penetrated on the edges of my face, as if he was looking at how he was brushing me like a portrait he would create.

"You know what Lady Festin?" He asked as his finger halted from moving and yet, his eyes remained to where his hand stopped.

"Sometimes, I wished you were like a portrait that I created, even if I wouldn't be able to marry someone like you, then your image could only look at me as I hang your portrait on my wall," with every word he spoke of, caressed my chest and continued to make it heavier than before.

"Then if we ever meet in the future again, I will permit you to have my portrait," I say while mimicking his actions, and now, it landed on the lower edge of his mask.

I knew his eyes never halted looking at my lips, but that didn't stop me from almost removing his mask if it weren't for his other hand that caressed even my hand that was covered in soft fabric.

"I guess it would be my greatest pleasure but that wouldn't happen because sooner or later, I will claim you for myself..." The moment he said those words, he followed them with sweet chuckles as if right now, he's bathed in honey that I wanted to taste.

And yet, he's also like a puzzle to me, every time he said something, it meant another word and it would always lead me to be confused because, at the end of the day, I always knew he didn't mean everything he said as true.

Perhaps, they were all just some wishful words that he never wanted to utter to begin with but only forced to because of the other person.

"I don't know how to answer you, Sir Vrail but I guess it was a funny joke," I said and yet, the next move he made didn't seem like fun to me at all.

My eyes widened while my lips took a gap of mouthful air from the way his knees parted for the other one to touch the green grasses, while his elegant hand went to touch mine. He lowered his face until his lips caressed the back of my gloved hands.

Everything made me almost lose my breath if it weren't for a very familiar silhouette walking not far from where we were.

But then, the rose petals were no longer swirling at us, as the wind got chillier but Caliere's warmth felt like it overruled me even though I could feel his barrier being destroyed by the wind.

"Lady, are you all right, and who was this man?" Lexus's voice finally reverberated within the winds and it made my chest throb painfully.

His voice was firm, and I could see how his hands clenched on both of his sides while he continued to walk. Upon hearing the words, Caliere stood right in front of me, and I could see how his eyes narrowed while looking at the silhouette's movements.

When Lexus was three steps away from us, I felt this unexpected gust of wind, and in a split second, my eyes widened once more not because he pulled me into his arms but because the young man whom I know all about, surprised me at this time.

He held me on both of my cheeks with his softest touch, I could feel the coldness from it but in a few seconds, it turned out to be warmer than I expected.

My mouth formed a gap in between but all I could manage to do was blink until I felt this wet and yet hot dampness on my forehead.

In that second, I felt like everything moved as if time stopped, then continued to move as if one second felt like an eternity.

Everything aside from his actions was made of vagueness, my ears and eyes focused on this man's figure, and when my mind wanted to push him away and the thoughts that were making me loosened all of my future's hope, a hand that was so tight pulled me away from Caliere's grip.

And now, I could sense the heavy breathing of the one who was in my grip of mine, as he put me behind him, I could see his eyes narrowing and veins started popping on either side of his forehead.

With every second felt like he was claiming the air within our area, he managed to bite his lower lip and close his eyes as if he was losing them in the darkness but when he opened them, he exuded this majestic air from his body.

"I think we should go, and I apologize for earlier, I just had to take care of some things since you wanted to see the scholar that you mentioned before..." my eyes widened when he leaned into my ears, but I nodded afterward.

Acting my way to where I was, I pretended to have an important event to attend and immediately bowed with a luscious smile at Caliere whose alias was Vrail.

"It was such a nice meeting you, Sir Vrail but right now, if you please excuse me," I said and was about to turn but I heard a sound of slapping and when I turned behind, I saw Lexus slap Caliere's hands who tried to grip my hand.

"I guess you have rather an important event to attend to but this young man seemed to be supercilious of my actions. I apologize if I created such an environment but please, until we meet again..."

I never knew back then that he would mean the words he said like they were right from the start and it would cause me to lose my breath away, for the second time, in a different manner.

***

"Vestia, do you truly love him?"