-~*~-
~The Xue's Manor~
It was quite well known that any Imperial Trial Level 2 would be broadcasted to the entire empire. It is not mandatory for people to watch but it could really give some insight and chat ingredients for those coffee shop old man.
Although, most noble house would turn on their television just because something big might happen. It might somehow have an affect to their standing so they tune in.
The current time we are talking right now is during the beginning of the trial when the emperor had entered the hall. Precisely the moment Yanyi's face is on the screen two people shouts simultaneously. "Jiejie!!!" Lixian and Qixiao stood froze on their feet.
With fingers trembling, Qixiao turns to their mother, Marchioness Ariani who is holding Jingyao in her laps. "Ma-Mama! That's jiejie, right? We're not blind, right?"
Ariani — "Hmm~ That is jiejie. Oh well, at least she's fine, right?"
Qixiao — "Mama! This is no play thing! Jiejie is out there somewhere! We have to find her!"
Lixian — "No."
Qixiao turns his head to his older twin with a furrowed and confused brow. With a voice filled with disbelief, he said, "I'm sorry? No?" He stands right before his older twins and stare him down. "What do you mean no?"
"I mean that there's no need to bring jiejie back." Lixian white shirt is then pulled up from a force to his chest. He did nothing to struggle and stare down to his younger twin. "You known full well how all of us feel after her disappearance! Everyone is digging all the possible ant mount they could find! And you're saying to not bring her back?!"
Lixian — "Jiejie is unpredictable. The more we pursue the more she will run! The only way for her to return for us to wait!"
Qixiao — "Wait?! Wait until when?! If we use all of the resources we have we can find her! Jiejie wants to return home!"
"And how do you know?!" For once Lixian raise his voice to his twin. In their dynamic, Lixian is most well-known to be the calm one while Qixiao is more to be stern. Its rare to see Lixian raise his voice out of nowhere. To be precise he had only raise his voice three times and that is when he is little.
Lixian — "We all know full well about jiejie's responsibilities! Either as the next heir or as the Holy Maiden! Never once had we seen her done something without a reason! Either a selfish one or not!"
Qixiao — "..."
Lixian — "If you had stop playing around with sword the whole day and stay in the library with her then maybe, just maybe, you'll understand her a little bit."
Qixiao — "You-!"
"Enough, A-Xian, A-Xiao." The small and calm voice of their mother enters their hearing canals. Ultimately, Qixiao let go of Lixian's shirts and take a seat far away from his twin brother.
While their eyes are glued to the screen, Ariani said in a gentle tone. "Your papa had already knew about this matter beforehand. We had a small discussion and Yiyi won't be returning by force." Both male stayed silent. It is not concluded whether one has win or not. After all both care for their jiejie just in a different way.
.
.
.
~Yesterday: Iris Greenhouse~
This greenhouse is one that is build specially for Yanyi on her 10th birthday. Yanyi had ever spend the night after dinner in this enclose giant glass terrarium. She would always disappear in the morning to Auril knows where.
When she went missing 4 months ago, Ariani had been keeping herself busy with caring for the flowers inside. It was planted by both her and Yanyi when she was little. To her this is one way to feel close to her only daughter.
While she is fixated in her own world of writing, the door to the greenhouse was opened. The deep sound from the very familiar military boots tell her who is searching for her. From her little writing book, she look up just as the figure stood before her face. "Good afternoon, my dear!" Her smile is so enchanting that the man in front can't help but respond with a smile of her own.
"Good afternoon, my love." The man is none other than the head of the Xue family, Xue Xenzi, her husband. He take a seat beside her who is leaning against a treetrunk in the center of the garden.
"What could possibly bother you so much for you to come looking for me in here?" Ariani close her writing book and gently place her hands on the side of Xenzi's head to bring it down into her laps. The husband did as his wife bids and relax his muscles the moment he lay down.
"Something you would like to know perhaps, my love?" He holds out his palms with the cover of white gloves. He must have just returned from the base then. Ariani takes the said palm and removes the glove covering it. Slowly she holds onto a bigger hand then her and a tiny electrical shock strive to her mind.
After a few minutes, she released the hands and immediately hugged the man she had called husband for the past 25 years. "Yiyi is okay! Yiyi is okay, dear!!" Her smile could rival the shines of the stars.
Xenzi patted for her to let go of his neck. Though she is a woman and quite frail looking, never underestimate her hug. Wrong position and you could be hug to death. No joke. She had once accidentally cause a fellow friend to faint from hugging.
Ariani let go and continue to play with Xenzi's dark blue locks. Her expectant eyes bore holes into his which indicates how she wish to know more. "I receive a letter from Leon just when I was at the base."
Ariani — "From Leon? Not from Yiyi?"
Xenzi — "No. Unfortunately."
Ariani — "But that handwriting is definitely hers, right? Why would Leon has the let-! Ouh~"
Xenzi — "Rion Siblings can never be separated without any form of communication. That's why I believe that Yiyi is still okay."
Ariani — "To think you still call her like that for the past 2 months is still a surprised to me. You're not the type to call a nickname especially to those who had opposed you."
"Her current behavior all stems from me. I realized to late. I'm a horrible father aren't I?" His condescending smile filled with remorse and guilt. Ariani aren't able to say anything to ease his heart. She had countless time advice him to be more gentle with Yanyi and he refuse to listen.
They sat in silence while Xenzi continue to tell her how the Crown Prince had retold all of their interactions. Eventually he came to a point where the Devian said, "We have our reason. We'll reveal it once we're ready." Although both did not dwell on the sentences made.
"My love, would you agree if I said I want to bring her back?" The hand stroking his hair stop abruptly. Looking back up to Ariani's silver eyes and white braided hair he can feel the answer immediately. He smile in defeat and answered his own question, "I won't then."
"Not until something dangerous occurred." Ariani continue to crease his locks, but something is gnawing at her heart. Its like an instinct of a mother. With a heavy heart she said the following, "But if she wishes to not return, then let her be, okay?" He nodded and continue to rest in her laps until dinner.
.
.
.
"Jiejie is happy there!" The voice from her laps brought her and everyone to a momentarily paused. Yes, paused like real. Ariani think optimisticly and question. "Did you know it from her voice in the television, Yaoyao?"
Jingyao — "Nope! Her heart says so!"
Lixian — "Heart?"
Qixiao — "Speaking?"
Jingyao — "Yeah! And Papa's heart is saying that he is confused? I think?"
Ariani — "Yaoyao, what is mama's heart saying?"
"Hmm... Mama's saying that she is shocked! Why though?" Everyone is in disbelief. This little boy is indeed 10 years old and comparing them to Lixian's and Qixiao's age they have an age gap of nearly 7 years.
After having the twin, Ariani was told that her body is too frail to handle anymore pregnancy. With a miracle though, she conceive once more and that is Jingyao. But the price they have to pay is that she can no longer conceive and Jingyao was born prematurely and becomes quite frail like her.
They had tried to teach him how to fight but it had once caused him to lose his life. Therefore they forbid any form of physical activities to him, thinking that Jingyao is a special case.
Okay, here the thing with Ariani. She is a lumiere bearer, meaning she has the power to use magic as she wishes so. These bearers also possesses something unique to each person in which they have a secret ability that could be said so powerful it could topple down the empire.
For Ariani, she has the ability to read into someone's memories when she holds onto their palm. This may seem nothing at first but if she choose to read into the memories of big individuals then she has the power to blackmail and topple down the empire. Thankfully she didn't choose this route.
Seeing her own son saying such absurd thing is supposed to be normal, but not when she herself is a lumiere bearer. "This phenomenon will be kept a secret among all of us. Even the maids and the butlers can never know about this, understood." Ariani stare directly in front to the screen. Her voice stern and vicious like a tiger.
Lixian and Qixiao nodded solemnly. They had some thought about it and zip their mouth tight. Ariani even eyed her personal head made, Zoe who feign ignorance. Zoe gave no reactions when being stared at and kept her calm composure.
They continue to watch the unfolding case on the television in silence with a few silly words coming from Jingyao. Lixian and Qixiao entertain his amusement. Ariani stayed silent and stare directly to her daughter face. Staring deep into those silver eyes belonging to her makes her feel like the girl in front is somehow a version of her that she can never be. One should feel jealous. But she, she felt proud.
.
.
.
-~*~-
~The Ryuichi's Manor~
The trial had taken half of the day to conduct. Right after their brief meeting, Yanyi went out of the room and straight to her temporary room. She slam herself to the mattress to tried to think about anything else.
The whole case itself had drain the energy from her body. Her eyes close immediately when her head felt the comfort touch of a pillow. The room is filled with the gentle snore from her lips.
The door of her room open slowly and though no sound came in a pair of shoes enter the quiet area. His long legs slowly strode to the bed frame where the girl he saw on the screen sleep with her back to the ceiling. With his hands in his pockets he stand to the side staring at the lady before him with a weirdly gentle eyes.
He poke her shoulder to hopefully bother her enough to change her position properly. She did get bother by him and squint her eyes tightly before changing her sleeping posture, her back facing the inspector.
Luyao smile slowly and take the folded blanket placed on a chair and drape it over her body to her shoulder. Smoothing it out, he brave himself and take a his hand to pat her head slowly.
Imagining that she might be troubled by the touch he is ready to be flick away. Contrary to his thought, Yanyi sink herself deeper into the touch. Her shoulder is less tense than before. Seeing her finally getting a good nap, Luyao strode his long legs back to where he came in. Closing the door gently to assure her sleep in a quality one.
.
.
.
Yanyi only open her eyes when she heard the voice of her best friend. Irene gently shook her shoulder, calling her name gently. "Yanyi, Yanyi. Wake up, dinner is ready." Her eyelids flutter gently before she sat herself up.
"Go wash your face and come downstairs. Everyone is waiting for you." Irene left the girl alone once she knew that she is awake for sure. Around 5 minutes later, Yanyi came down with a clean and fresh face.
When she came down everyone had started to enjoy their meal. Yanyi take a seat beside Eker knowing well that the child is still struggling using basic utensils. She didn't directly fed him as that would make him dependent on her. Instead, she help to clean his face if any food ever fall to the ground.
Everyone is chattering about what they had done while she was sleeping and honestly she felt good about it. At least she can focus on not looking like a haggard lady. Of course, the little man beside her start to speak as well.
Eker — "Oh! I also met with jiejie's other friend! Just after the TV!"
Vaiden — "Really. Who is it?"
Eker — "Hi-. Oh, I forgot to ask his name. But Eker heard jiejie called him Leon."
The utensils in Luyao hands pause for a second before continuing its movement. Yanyi didn't see it and neither does anyone else. "Wow! So you have been keeping your whereabouts a secret except from Dev? Cheeky maiden." Kazuto tease her and stuff a huge chuck of meat into his mouth.
"I kept my whereabouts a secret for the first month. It will have to come out eventually. Sil-lumiere can't live far away for so long anyway." Yanyi said while cleaning Eker's chin which had been covered up with steak sauce. She continue to say, "Beside, my well being is taken care of by this lady right here." Her fork pointed to Irene's seat.
She quickly retaliate with her own sentence. "Yeah, so much so until Dev fu-! yelled at me! It's your plan anyway and I got blame for it." She pouted in dissatisfaction and continue to eat.
Both Ryuichi couple had nothing to say but silence. Ryuichi Izumi had already knew Yanyi's "reason" coming here so he now knew that both her and her friends are colliding in this matter. After all he is a perceptive person. Which brought his attention to Luyao.
Vaiden also noticed the slight changes and had her eyes to her husband. Izumi smiles gently and nodded. Vaiden then said something to hopefully dissuade Luyao's mind. "So, did Devian said anything about Empress Mariane? We haven't meet each other for a while."
"Not really. We didn't really talk much. With Leon position as the Crown Prince, he has a lot on his plate. Luciel's eye bags tells a lot!"
"Forgive me for intruding. Why did you call him Leon while everyone else call him Dev?"
Luyao ask with eyes filled with confusion. Before she could clear it out Kazuto speaks on her behalf. "Because their both Sil-light, duh. Yanyi holds the position of Holy Lunar Maiden while Devian holds the position of Holy Solar Guardian. And with the name, its a sil-name. They both have it and only their family can call each other by it."
Filled with more confusion, Luyao ask what Yanyi's sil-name is. He didn't really pay attention to anything regarding her as he is fixated on her appearance. "Licia. My full name is Xue Licia Yanyi. Licia is a name given by the Imperial family to me the moment me and Leon are proclaimed sil-lumiere. His name is Devian Leon Volerix. Some people who is deem close call him Devian or Dev. Only my family and I can call him Leon and vice versa to me."
"Oh."
"Yeah this is what happen when you refuse to join the national banquet. I bet you don't even know that sil-lumiere are nnot allowed to be romatically into each other." Kazuto mock him knowing deep down that he has something for this new work partner of his. Before Luyao could scold him his next question got asked by the little future desciple of his.
"Why can't sil-lumiere marry each other?" Eker look up to his sister with a fork in his hands. Yanyi clean his cheek before answering. "That is because we are like siblings. Though not by blood we are by avil. Thus, marriage is forbidden." Eker eyes widened in understanding. He continue to play tug of war with the steak in front of him.
Luyao leave a sigh of relief from his heart. At least he still have a chance. This Crown Prince won't be a bother to his love life. Well, he has yet to say but at least he had realized it. The rest of the dinner went smoothly with Eker continuing to flaunt about what his training would be. Luyao never agreed to any of it but stay silent.
.
.
.
As the night grows, everyone starts to head back to their respective bedrooms. Luyao had just taken a bath and is now exiting his bathroom with just a towel around his hips. His eyes then wonder to his work table where a familiar blue locks sat.
"You know it is not appropriate for a lady to be in a man's room, right?" Luyao place his hand towel around his neck before entering his wardrobe and taking a maroon nightgown. Simply to cover himself up.
"Eh, you once entered my tent at midnight. We both are shameless so what's the fuss." Luyao strode slowly to her and look down. She is reading a book before his desk. "A fairytale?"
Yanyi — "Perhaps."
Luyao — "You usually have your reason for doing something. So tell me, why are you here at night?"
Yanyi put away the book and turn to the man behind her, Their distance is so close that sharing breathe is practically normal. Yanyi place her hands on the stack of paper on his desk. Luyao lips start to form a frown.
"You want to steal my work?" Yanyi left out a small chuckle before shaking her head. She smiled innocently where Luyao can hardly buy anymore. "I want to work alone for a chance. You know, instead of both wasting energy maybe we could take turn for a change."
"No. You are my partner and I am your boss. I no way I am letting you handle things that you have no experience with." He cross his arms before getting a roll eyed by the person before him. Sarcastically, Yanyi flaunt her arms around while saying. "Oh wow! It's like my work as Lunar Maiden is not as hard as yours. Oh~"
He stare at her in disbelief to her childish nature. Quitting her play Yanyi tried once more to convince him. "Come on. Just this once. After this I let you have your way. Then we can continue working with each other, alright?" Luyao squint his eyes to her. Yanyi had no choice but to give out the big gun.
She stands from her seats and stood directly in front of him. He smaller stature helps her quite a lot right now. Yanyi stare into his eyes directly with eyes full of plead. "Please Luyao~ I promise just this once." He tried to turn away from that face. Yanyi tug lightly on his sleeves which added more to the charm.
Letting out a loud sigh from giving up, Luyao abide to her will. The lady then smile mischievously and walks towards the door. No ounce of guilt in her eyes. "Well then. Good night General Luyao! Don't bail on your promise~" She close the door.
Luyao slap his butt down on the sofa before covering his face with his palm. The heat from the incident had creep up his body to his face. Hardly had his face turn red from embarrassment. Usually it would only go to his ears but he can't help himself.
"Ugh... I am totally hooked..." He grumbled alone and spent the rest of the night before falling asleep thinking about the scene. When they said that Yanyi's charm is hard to resist, they are not lying. Even the most stoic and cold young man can fall for her.
.
.
.
-~*~-
While reading all the papers in her room, the thundering roar came from the outside. The clashing of rain water against the window pane is so frequent showing how terrible the storm is for the night. It had start raining just after dinner.
Irene and Yanyi was thinking about setting off after dinner but seeing the storm, they were plotted against doing so by the manor's owner. Thus, they spent another night or so until the storm died down.
Eker is sleeping in her room and is currently sprawling across the mattress snoring in comfort. Yanyi thought that it is already time for bed and place the paper back to its designated place. She double checked her door and the windows, making sure that it is shut tight.
After doing so , she slowly lay on the mattress and tuck herself beside Eker. The boy feeling the slight slope in the mattress can't help but scrunch his nose for a while showing his disturbance in sleep. Yanyi paid nothing to this and slowly brought the quilt over the boy's small structure and dive into slumber.
.
.
.
-~*~-
On this cold and raging storm, a tall body is swaying from left and right. It's head looking down from its neck. A chair fell over from the body. The lightning from the outside shows something more.
The beam is tied with a rope.
.
Connected to its neck.
.
The feet is hovering.
.
A dead man at night.
.
.
.
-~*~-