Immanuel has seen many gorgeous places, but he still couldn't help opening his mouth in awe at the duke's castle.
The gorgeous lights and colorful dresses of the attendees dances in the eyes of the young boy.
Immanuel couldn't keep still. He became impatient at how his father is still talking to someone without even going in. How could he choose to engaged in a boring conversation, instead of exploring the beautiful castle?
He grumbles internally.
Grown ups, he couldn't understand. They always do things young Immanuel couldn't understand.
So after so many sighs, Immanuel finally couldn't help it. He glance at his father, 'he wouldn't notice anyway.' We were supposed to go in anyway, right?
Immanuel finally found a chance to slip. He mingled with the arriving guests. No one even noticed anything. Immanuel felt excited, he could do this all day! muahaha
Anyway, the entrance didn't attract him. As much as he liked the desserts and colorful lights, exploring the unknown is much more exciting.
Hey! his mother never allowed him to do this! He can go to the castle later.
Immanuel look left and right, trying his outmost not to run.
If he runs, someone will probably reprimand him! 'and then they will ask where is my parents.'
so even tho he feels like his lungs is about to explode due to his fast beating heart, and even tho he almost feel like peeing. He still walked calmly.
The lights on the walkway through the entrance shines warmly on the gorgeously dressed arriving people. They are chattering happily amongst themselves. Some teenagers found their friends and hugged each other excitedly, walking side by side. Some noblewoman giggle along with their companions, and some men stops and converse for a minute.
Everyone was so engrossed in their own little world.
A child who's age no more than 10 was walking leisurely, but if you would pay more attention you would notice how it was stiff. His skin is thin and white. And under the warm light, the redness of his face & cheeks at this moment wasn't too obvious.
He slowly distance himself to people, and stops at an inconspicuous spot. He looks around, trying to see if someone is looking at him.
As he confirms that it was safe, he slowly; gently, walks in the dark path with no pavements.
As he get faraway and faraway to the entrance, his surroundings became more dark.
As he confirms no one would follow him, he finally let out the breath he was holding. He nearly died of suffocation!
He slightly giggle, the feeling of disobeying was not bad. He act as if he was caressing his beard and nods, as if he was one of those wise philosophers.
He observed his surroundings. The faint moonlight, and the light in the whole manor allowed him to not be in complete darkness.
It was the first time he was out at night. Would he found a ghost there? Monsters found in the dark? Maybe it would be a witch, his mother told him about a thousand times.
The cool breeze dance with the strands of his hair, bringing along the smell of flowers.
He walk and walked, curiously discovering the place.
Finally, he stops and parted the bushes on his side. Peeking if there was a person on the other side.
There's none. And it was quite.
He parted it to allow him to pass. The manor was just a few feet away from him. There was no guards or person outside.
'huh? oh..'
No he was wrong. There was a person outside. A person he accidentally see when he looks up.
Again. For the second time tonight, Immanuel's jaw fell.
He blushed, this time it was not because of holding his breath. The person on the balcony was too beautiful.
He even felt somewhat frustrated that he didn't know how to paint. He wanted to engrave and preserve every details he saw.
The way the light fell on her figure, every creases and pattern on her dress,
The way her tiara was put, or the way the strands in her hair fell and swayed in the winds.
He traced it all with his eyes and hope that his mind would remember.
He wants her expression to be burned inside his mind. Because It would be a pity for something so delicate and beautiful to be forgotten.
what is she thinking about? he wonders.
was she admiring how beautiful is the moon? is that why she's looking up up there?
He also looked up. The sky was clear, with only the full moon hanging. 'she looks more beautiful than that.'
Suddenly, just as he was thinking; a faint sound of rustling of grass, and a shadow has been caught in his peripheral vision.
His heart jumps and he instinctively go back to the bush.
what is it? guards?
Then, he saw a rabbit jumping and staying to his position earlier. It even looks at his direction, looking innocently.
He was baffled. was it just a rabbit?
He waited for a moment and listen carefully to any sounds of footsteps, but there was none. It was utterly quiet except for the rustling of leaves.
His lips twitch and even his eyes twitch. He gets up and pass through the bushes again. The person was not there anymore.
'what a pity..'
He look down just to see the rabbit chomping on grasses. As if feeling a line of sight, the rabbit's beady eyes look back at him. Then it continued it's chomping, not bothering with this person anymore.
"you're so annoying." He grumbled.
Poor Immanuel didn't know any curse word at the moment, and can only swallow his bitter feelings.
"But as a man who has more knowledge & experience. I choose to forget this, and forgive you." He raised his chin haughtily and even had a fist on his chest, as if swearing an oath.
"But if I saw you again, I would let mother cook you."
"you understand?"
He pointed to the rabbit and open his eyes wide. As if by doing so, he would appear more threateningly; scaring the little rabit away.
The little rabit jumps and get close to the finger pointing at it. He smells it curiously then turns and bring back it's attention to the grass.
The young master was speechless.
The rabbit face his butt to him, the cotton tail swaying side by side.
He suddenly remembers his cousin's annoying face. He would stuck out his tongue and annoy him all day.
Tho his mother would come to him and teach him a lesson. Thinking until this point, he snickers.
I should go back
Thinking back to the lady just a moment ago, his face flushed again.
running through the entrance.
He sees that no one was there on the just lively pathway. Then his movement stops--The big door was closed.
what happened?
He knocked. "hello?" he waited for a moment but there was no movement.
why is there no guards here? it was too irresponsible.
He could only walked back to where he just came from.
As he waste time walking, a small firefly passed by him.
He look up, there was several fireflies flying. He follows through them, and as he keeps walking and walking; it leads him to a beautiful lake.
The lake was serene, with many flowers growing on the side. As the wind blew, the smells of flowers grow stronger.
The fireflies glow flicker and twinkle in the dark, like little stars. He even began to wonder if the sky is clear because they are here.
As he got lost in playing in the lake and playing with the fireflies a soft sound came.
He hides before he looks up. 'it wouldn't be another rabbit right?' or would it be a frog this time?
However an unexpected person came out. He open his mouth wide 'It was the girl from earlier!' he almost thought he wouldn't be able to see her again tonight.
"Is someone there?"
His face flushed again she sounds good.
Should he announce his presence? ah ah I can't! The young master gripped his hair mentally why do no one trained him for this? and so, the young master,--who never experience the feeling of being enamored as well the joy of liking someone-- just watch silently behind the tree.
The lady flopped to the ground. Took some flowers, and smell them; smiling subconsciously.
The child watched on 'she was even more beautiful when smiling.'
mother said that a witch would took him if he ever runs in the darkness.
mother was wrong,
'cause he clearly found a fairy.
A fairy found under the moonlight-- a moonlight fairy.
[end of chapter]
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
Upon the balcony stood alone,
the beauty that's newly shown.
Face so fair, and eyes like dawn,
A lady so graceful, in a dress finely sewn.
My heart swells with every breath,
as I marvels her beauty with every step.
She gazes up above,
As I got drawn by her sighs of moonlit love.
<poem not mine.>
note:
I just watched tiktok for a bit, and 20% of my ideas somehow flew away. (+_+)