LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAFestive crowds, with vibrant lanterns casting a glow across the scene, the people of Aurum are wearing vibrant colours. I couldn’t think straight, my mind still reeling from the horrors I had just witnessed a moment ago, as I tried to sink in the joyful atmosphere of the festival that surrounded me. I just saw the most terrifying sight a mortal could see, then the second I’m away, it’s a festival I’m in. I felt the cold, hard surface of the concrete ground, each step sending a pang of cold through my legs— I had taken off my heels a while ago to make running a bit easier. Ashes had accumulated on the hems of my nightgown, and my hair had become gritty and dull from the smoke. To others, I appeared as a homeless lady, getting stares every now and then. My gaze wandered absentm
THEO PERSEUS NOVELLIA Did I hear that right? I doubt this lady even knows my name as I haven’t given her a proper introduction. As I was too lost in her eyes, I was taken aback when Aurélie suddenly collapsed. My hand moving in instinct, I had caught her before her body could land on the hard ground. My knees instinctively buckled as her weight pressed against my forearm, She was unexpectedly light for her age. I couldn’t help but notice the ashes on the hems of her gown and the absence of any footwear on her feet. Her hair, too, was a mess, but despite all these imperfections, her natural beauty shone through. I found myself tracing the lines of her face with my eyes, getting lost in her beauty.
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIA I woke up from the sound of distinct chatter that reached my sensitive ear. I blinked rapidly, my eyes barely adjusting to the bright daylight and gave the window a hard glare, the sun’s rays pierced through it, prompting me to shut my eyes even more. I brought my arm to my eyes. I took a large breath through my nose before it came upon me what had happened last night. “I want to marry you.” The voice rang in my head as I gathered my hazy memories together, until it formed right in my head. Each time the phrase reverberated in my head, it seemed to grow more prominent.I furrowed my brows as my decision finally sinked in. I removed my arm from my eye and swiftly sat up, looking down at the unfamiliar bed I’m lying in.
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI was awakened by the sound of the balcony door's window smashing. As the drowsiness wore off of me, I sat up from the adrenaline rush and immediately checked my surroundings; there were shards of glass everywhere and blood spray from the sharp bits. At first, I thought a burglar broke inside and I subconsciously stared at my vanity first before anything else, in hopes of seeing the drawers open, but they weren’t.If the person that broke inside of my room had no intentions of stealing, what does he plan to do? I thought to myself.I was about to get out of my comforter when I felt a cold, sharp blade at my neck. I did not dare to move, I couldn't even swallow the large lump on the back of my throat in fear that this person might slice down my throat. I felt like my heart was about to burst, I couldn’t hear anything else except my own heart, beating loudly. We stayed in that position for God knows how long. “W-who are you? What do you want from me?” I asked
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIA I winced in pain as I felt the blade made its way slowly through my skin, leaving a fresh cut on my arms. My hand balled into a fist as I tried to calm myself down. The sensation made me let out a shaky breath. My whole body was slick with sweat, the moisture beading on my skin from the amount of wounds they had inflicted on my arm—I can’t move them since they tied it to the armrest. I’m drained, so drained out. I felt helpless, I couldn't do anything but hear my blood dripping down the jar. They’ve been collecting it since I was thirteen. They only do it twice or thrice a year with one bottle. But ever since I turned eighteen, they’ve been collecting it like there’s no tomorrow. Five years have passed yet my dad still doesn’t want me to know what these physicians do with it. It's bullshit, honestly. It even disgusts me how many people in this room crave for my blood.“Don’t worry, this will be the last time we’ll be doing this to you.” Myra reassured me,
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI tucked my hair behind my ear, making sure I looked presentable before I nodded to the footmens, signalling that I was ready for them to open the door. The large door creaked open, unveiling my father, who immediately swivelled around as the sound caught his attention.“Aurélie!” My father greeted me, the Marquess, arms wide out for an embrace. It’s been a while since I last saw my father with a big smile. I didn’t expect that a cure would make him this happy—he really cares for me, a lot. That thought made me unconsciously smile.“Father.” I ran towards his warm embrace. He pulled away seconds later and said, “Can you believe it? They’ve finally found the cure for your blessing to go back to the way it was!” He ecstatically said.You heard that right, these aren’t my powers. I originally have been blessed with divine powers like my parents, but when I turned eight, one of our maids secretly put the crushed petals of a flower that can change the power—or be
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI found myself outside the premises, crouching down as I dug the dirt with my bare hands, the soil feeling cool and damp against my skin. By now, the relentless rain had drenched me completely, I wasn’t in the mood to bring Honoria with me as I don’t want to bother her furthermore. I gently placed the corpse on the hole that I had made. I took a last look at the bird, my heart felt strangely numb, before I reached on my side and grabbed a handful of dirt. I then started to slowly fill the hole, the soil raining down onto the bird's lifeless body, gradually burying it.As I did so, I heard footsteps drawing closer, the blades rustling against each other under the weight of each step. A bigger shadow engulfed upon the small spot where I was crouching, now casting a dark silhouette over me. I clenched my jaw, knowing who it was already. “I see that you’re done changing, are you not going to have supper?” Myra asked.“I’d rather spend my precious time burying an
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIA“Can we call it a day? It’s almost 5 o’clock. I’ve been trying on gowns all day.” I let out a groan as I turned away from the mirror in front of me, now facing the figure who’s seated relaxed on the sofa. Augusta leaned forward, she uncrossed her arms and rested her palm onto the edge of the sofa. “Larissa, the debutante ball is three days away. You have to pick wisely on the gown you’ll be wearing, otherwise the nobles will be judging you. Not to mention it’s your first public appearance.” I sighed as my gaze fell on the floor. She was the one who’s more worried as if she’ll be the one who’s going to receive comments about her sudden appearance. But I get where her concern is coming from, afterall, who wouldn’t worry about your friend for five years? I met her when his father, Count Dawn, visited us to talk about the couture he plans on building. The curious kid that I was, eavesdropped at their conversation outside my father’s office and eventually got ca
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIA I woke up from the sound of distinct chatter that reached my sensitive ear. I blinked rapidly, my eyes barely adjusting to the bright daylight and gave the window a hard glare, the sun’s rays pierced through it, prompting me to shut my eyes even more. I brought my arm to my eyes. I took a large breath through my nose before it came upon me what had happened last night. “I want to marry you.” The voice rang in my head as I gathered my hazy memories together, until it formed right in my head. Each time the phrase reverberated in my head, it seemed to grow more prominent.I furrowed my brows as my decision finally sinked in. I removed my arm from my eye and swiftly sat up, looking down at the unfamiliar bed I’m lying in.
THEO PERSEUS NOVELLIA Did I hear that right? I doubt this lady even knows my name as I haven’t given her a proper introduction. As I was too lost in her eyes, I was taken aback when Aurélie suddenly collapsed. My hand moving in instinct, I had caught her before her body could land on the hard ground. My knees instinctively buckled as her weight pressed against my forearm, She was unexpectedly light for her age. I couldn’t help but notice the ashes on the hems of her gown and the absence of any footwear on her feet. Her hair, too, was a mess, but despite all these imperfections, her natural beauty shone through. I found myself tracing the lines of her face with my eyes, getting lost in her beauty.
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAFestive crowds, with vibrant lanterns casting a glow across the scene, the people of Aurum are wearing vibrant colours. I couldn’t think straight, my mind still reeling from the horrors I had just witnessed a moment ago, as I tried to sink in the joyful atmosphere of the festival that surrounded me. I just saw the most terrifying sight a mortal could see, then the second I’m away, it’s a festival I’m in. I felt the cold, hard surface of the concrete ground, each step sending a pang of cold through my legs— I had taken off my heels a while ago to make running a bit easier. Ashes had accumulated on the hems of my nightgown, and my hair had become gritty and dull from the smoke. To others, I appeared as a homeless lady, getting stares every now and then. My gaze wandered absentm
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAThe sound of the leaves rustling against each other soothed me down. I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes, allowing the peace of the moment to wash over me. The warm glow of the sunset cast a pretty brown hue onto my hair, as the gentle wind tousled it softly. Honoria stood quietly by my side, letting me enjoy the moment. As I slowly opened my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of the sun setting on the horizon, its golden rays bathing me in a warm light. Something about nature really calms me—no matter how cruel life gets, it’ll always find a way to calm me down. It never failed to make me happy amidst the chaos in my mind. I still can’t forget how my father finally relented and agreed to renovate our garden for my sweet sixteenth birthday, after begging him a couple of times before he agreed to do so. When you think about it, the garden is almost the same size as our manor. As I got lost in my thoughts reminiscing the past, my feet brought me into a fiel
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIA“You’re getting married?!” Honoria gasped as she stood up from her seat. My brows furrowed as I held my finger up to my lips, gesturing to her to be quiet. Understanding what I meant, she eventually composed herself and sat back down, calming her racing thoughts. “And you only found out from the person you’re getting married to?” She asked again, this time with a low tone. I let out a sigh and shrugged my shoulders. “That’s my point. I don’t know why my father would keep this from me.” I l
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI shivered as a chill ran through my body, caused by the cold wind fluttering in through the carriage window. I took a peek from outside and my gaze was drawn to the trees that lined our route to the venue. The lights of the Aurum Palace were visible, casting a warm and inviting glow against the dark night skyline. “Look, Aurélie, we’re here.” My father, sitting opposite me in the carriage, raised his hand and pointed outside, gesturing for me to lean forward and take a closer look at the scene.I followed my father's prompt and leaned further forward. My heart raced with anticipation as the carriage rolled forward, the last trees giving way to reveal the imposing portcullis that marked the entrance to the palace. As soon as the carriage crossed through the gate, the sounds of classical music became clearer. I peered out of the window, watching intently as guests streamed towards inside, I can even sense their confident auras all the way from the carriage.
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIA“Can we call it a day? It’s almost 5 o’clock. I’ve been trying on gowns all day.” I let out a groan as I turned away from the mirror in front of me, now facing the figure who’s seated relaxed on the sofa. Augusta leaned forward, she uncrossed her arms and rested her palm onto the edge of the sofa. “Larissa, the debutante ball is three days away. You have to pick wisely on the gown you’ll be wearing, otherwise the nobles will be judging you. Not to mention it’s your first public appearance.” I sighed as my gaze fell on the floor. She was the one who’s more worried as if she’ll be the one who’s going to receive comments about her sudden appearance. But I get where her concern is coming from, afterall, who wouldn’t worry about your friend for five years? I met her when his father, Count Dawn, visited us to talk about the couture he plans on building. The curious kid that I was, eavesdropped at their conversation outside my father’s office and eventually got ca
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI found myself outside the premises, crouching down as I dug the dirt with my bare hands, the soil feeling cool and damp against my skin. By now, the relentless rain had drenched me completely, I wasn’t in the mood to bring Honoria with me as I don’t want to bother her furthermore. I gently placed the corpse on the hole that I had made. I took a last look at the bird, my heart felt strangely numb, before I reached on my side and grabbed a handful of dirt. I then started to slowly fill the hole, the soil raining down onto the bird's lifeless body, gradually burying it.As I did so, I heard footsteps drawing closer, the blades rustling against each other under the weight of each step. A bigger shadow engulfed upon the small spot where I was crouching, now casting a dark silhouette over me. I clenched my jaw, knowing who it was already. “I see that you’re done changing, are you not going to have supper?” Myra asked.“I’d rather spend my precious time burying an
LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI tucked my hair behind my ear, making sure I looked presentable before I nodded to the footmens, signalling that I was ready for them to open the door. The large door creaked open, unveiling my father, who immediately swivelled around as the sound caught his attention.“Aurélie!” My father greeted me, the Marquess, arms wide out for an embrace. It’s been a while since I last saw my father with a big smile. I didn’t expect that a cure would make him this happy—he really cares for me, a lot. That thought made me unconsciously smile.“Father.” I ran towards his warm embrace. He pulled away seconds later and said, “Can you believe it? They’ve finally found the cure for your blessing to go back to the way it was!” He ecstatically said.You heard that right, these aren’t my powers. I originally have been blessed with divine powers like my parents, but when I turned eight, one of our maids secretly put the crushed petals of a flower that can change the power—or be