Gazing up at the face hovering over me against the dry grass, Cassius cannot help but feel an indescribable sense of unreality.
From the unexpected gift to the hand clasp that made the rings glow, and then that kiss just now. Today is perhaps the craziest, yet happiest day in the life of Cassius.
—
Eliana gives me little time to analyze the situation. She slowly lowers her head again. Her radiant golden hair cascades down on both sides, creating a perfect curtain that hides our faces from the rest of the world.
As if longing to keep the next moment entirely out of sight.
Eliana closes her eyes. Seeing that, I obediently close mine as well.
Just like the first time, our lips find each other once more. The initial bewilderment is gone, but the clumsiness remains intact. Once again, I lose myself in her sweetness and her warm breath.
'That feeling again...'
A flash of familiarity darts across my mind. Whether during the previous kiss or this one, a strange sensation always stirs deep within me. Like a faint fragment of memory, something predestined, whispering to me that the person before me belongs to me.
Eliana breaks the kiss of her own accord. Her brown eyes flutter open, moist and veiled in mist. Her entire face flushes crimson beneath the moonlight, her chest heaving slightly for air.
Yet she does not pull back.
Eliana slides down slightly. Her soft lips change course, trailing past my jawline to brush lightly against the hollow of my throat.
A numbing current instantly surges down my spine. The ticklish sensation coupled with her hot breath makes me startle. By instinct, I wrap both arms around Eliana's back, holding her waist tight as if reaching for an anchor.
Eliana looks up at me. The hand resting on my shoulder begins to wander. Through the thin fabric of my clothes, her fingers trace down my chest, then slowly glide toward my stomach.
'Wait. What is she trying to do?'
"Eliana..." I whisper softly, my voice trembling to an incredible degree.
Hearing the sheer confusion in my voice, a mischievous smile plays across Eliana's lips. She offers no answer, nor does her hand show any intention of stopping as it continues to glide a little lower.
"MEOW!"
A piercing caterwaul tears through the tranquil night.
Both Eliana and I jump in fright. Every action freezes instantly on the spot. The suggestive atmosphere vanishes completely into thin air in an instant.
'A cat?' I blink in total daze. 'In the middle of the woods at midnight?'
Eliana scrambles to push herself up, clumsily adjusting the hem of her clothes, her face burning red as though about to smoke. I quickly roll over and scramble to my feet as well.
Rustle... rustle...
The sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot comes from right beside the rock behind us. Both of us whip our heads toward the noise.
"Rimi!?" I gasp in shock.
From the dark thicket under the canopy, a plump, pitch-black ball of fur strolls out at an easy pace. It nonchalantly tucks its stubby little legs beneath itself, settles comfortably onto the grass, and twitches its whiskers as it looks at the two of us.
I quickly step forward, reaching out with both hands under its forelegs to hoist the chubby cat to eye level.
Eliana stands behind me with folded arms, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she glares at the black furball wagging its tail in my grip.
"Don't tell me it followed us all the way from home?" Her voice drips with the clear annoyance of someone whose moment was just ruined halfway through.
"I'm not sure either" I shake my head. "The things Rimi does daily never follow any logic whatsoever"
"Meow" Rimi lets out an innocent chirp, rubbing its small head against my hand.
I let out a soft sigh, draw Rimi into my embrace, and turn to look at Eliana.
"Maybe this is a sign telling us to head back" I say, glancing around the area. "It's getting very late anyway. Thomas and Emily are definitely waiting up for us"
Eliana casts a look at the sky, then down at the cat in my arms. Her lips pout slightly as she lets out a reluctant breath.
"Fine then"
Hearing the order to retreat, Rimi seems to understand. It deftly clambers up my arm and perches squarely on my shoulder, draping its black tail across the back of my neck like a fur scarf.
I smile, offering my free hand to Eliana.
She glances at me, the annoyance on her face softening somewhat. Stepping forward, Eliana slips her hand into mine, lacing our fingers together. Instantly, both rune rings flash in harmony with a tender blue glow.
With Rimi perched on his shoulder, Cassius holds Eliana's hand as they walk back down the trail.
—
Two days later.
The front courtyard of the Prisce estate is headache-inducing in its noise. Carriage wheels rattle loudly against cobblestones, accompanied by the frantic footsteps of servants hauling trunks back and forth.
Watching the sixth wooden chest get shoved into the carriage, I cannot help but wonder: is she going off to study, or is she moving out for good?
I stand in a corner of the yard with my arms crossed. Eliana stands right in front of me. She wears a thick, fur-lined coat over her dress, appearing far more mature and noble than when she runs around town in ordinary clothes.
Emily stands beside me, resting her hands lightly on her familiar wooden staff. Her quiet eyes dart back and forth between me and Eliana. It is impossible to read what passes through the girl's mind.
"Remember to write to me once you get there" I break the silence, shoving both hands into my coat pockets for warmth.
"Of course" Eliana smiles, the tip of her nose flushed pink from the morning chill. "I'll tell you everything about the capital"
"And don't stir up any trouble that gets you expelled early."
"Hey!" Eliana scowls, giving my shoulder a playful punch. Yet the smile quickly returns to her lips. "Make sure you take good care of Thomas and Emily at home. I'm going to miss you so much"
"Hard to forget you" I shrug, keeping my tone as light and steady as possible.
Eliana takes a deep breath. She steps backward, turning to head toward the waiting carriage.
She stops by where Lord Leopold and Thomas stand conversing. Throwing her arms around her father, she murmurs a few quiet words. After giving the Marquess a tight hug, she bows respectfully to Thomas.
Lady Genevieve, her mother, is already seated inside the carriage. The door opens, and Eliana climbs aboard.
"I thought you'd cry or break down more"
Emily speaks up unexpectedly. Her voice stays flat, devoid of any rise or fall. The heavy thud of the carriage door slamming shut echoes at that very moment.
I look down at her. "I am sad"
"You don't look sad at all"
"Well, we've talked about this parting so many times already" I smile, reaching over to ruffle Emily's hair. "Everything will be fine"
'Crying now accomplishes nothing' I think to myself. The hollow ache in my chest is real, but I would rather keep it locked away than give Eliana another reason to worry before her departure.
A whip cracks against the air. The carriage begins to roll forward.
Through the clear glass window, I catch sight of Eliana's face. She is looking back toward me, her lips curling into a bright, radiant smile. She raises her hand and waves.
Pulling my hand from my pocket, I wave back. At that precise second, the silver ring on my index finger brushes against the chilly air, casting a faint flicker of pale blue light.
A tiny resonant reaction, yet enough to catch someone's eye.
Standing not far away, Leopold Prisce watches on in silence.
The Marquess's gaze does not linger on the waving smiles of the two youths. His focus locks dead onto the pale blue streak glowing from Cassius's hand. A matching rune ring. An exact twin to the one his daughter proudly brought home to show off a few days ago.
The sight of that ring drags an unpleasant memory rushing back into Leopold's mind.
—
The night right after Eliana stormed boldly into his study to declare her intent to marry Cassius.
Lady Genevieve leaned against the headboard under a thin blanket.
"Honey, shouldn't we consult the Duchess on this matter?" she asked softly.
Leopold let out a sigh. The truth that Cassius is the heir to the Eclipse family had already been secretly disclosed to his wife.
"I think so too. Tomorrow I'll write a letter with my own hand and send it straight to them" Leopold rubbed his temples. "It's best to secure their approval first"
Yet Leopold was wrong. He never even got the chance to touch his inkpot.
By the very next morning, Hela, the head maid of the Eclipse family, already stood tall inside the Prisce estate's guest room
"I come on behalf of the Duchess to discuss the matter of young master Cassius's engagement with you"
In the quiet drawing room, Hela stood rigidly upright across from Leopold, who sat on the sofa.
'They obtained this information far too quickly. Only a single night has passed' A cold sweat broke out inside Leopold.
"We agree to let this arrangement proceed" Hela's voice remained flat, free of any unnecessary emotion. "You may carry out the formalities with his current guardian, Thomas. We will not interfere in this process"
Just as Leopold breathed a silent sigh of relief, Hela immediately added another remark.
"However, we have one condition. This engagement must take place under the strictest secrecy possible"
"Secrecy?" Leopold echoed, furrowing his brows.
"I trust a wise man like yourself understands why this matter requires absolute discretion." Hela's lips curved faintly into a textbook corporate smile. "We do not strictly forbid anyone from knowing. Provided your family treats the event as a small, unostentatious private gathering, that will suffice. Fulfill this condition, and the Eclipse family will gladly allow the engagement to proceed smoothly"
With that, she offered a slight bow and turned on her heel to leave, slipping away as decisively as a phantom.
Leopold was left alone in the room, tangled in a messy knot of thoughts.
'A secret engagement. Surely it's to keep the boy's identity from coming to light'
The logic is simple. If word breaks out that the youngest daughter of the noble Prisce family is betrothed to an orphan named Cassius, the nobility will immediately smell something foul. They will swarm to investigate and gather intelligence. And it would only be a matter of time before those shrewd vipers piece the clues together to realize Cassius is the heir of House Eclipse.
'Yet why go to such lengths to keep it completely hidden?'
He crosses his legs, tapping a finger on the tabletop. Even if Cassius's identity were dragged into the open, who would dare bring harm to that boy?
Only someone tired of living would dare cross Duchess Eclipse.
Besides, the boy is clearly not abandoned as he seems on the surface. There must be an intelligence network or shadow force from the ducal house watching Cassius's every move, second by second. Otherwise, how could Hela have appeared at the Prisce residence with such terrifying speed that very morning?
Leopold covers his face with both hands, letting out a faint groan in his throat. The memory dissolves
'How on earth am I supposed to convince Eliana to agree to this secret engagement?'