Okaaaay, so I got interested in writing something for Guertena. He wasn't canonically seen, so I'm going to avoid describing his "features" and simply keep this one-shot in the third person point of view.
The idea came to me when I interacted with the bookshelf in the rope maze in the violet area. I'm only going to use guesswork and the info I got from the game to write all this and somehow pull it off. I hope you enjoy this :3
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Vanity, wealth, power: those are the things Weiss Guertena despise the most.
All he ever wanted was freedom; to immerse himself in the wonders of art and to turn the images in his mind into reality. The stroke of colors; the swipe of a brush; a wooden palette full of colors; and the sight of a canvas set on an easel were all he ever wished for in life.
Not this life filled with grandeur that will leave you dull and empty in mere moments.
He was different from the nobles in his time. Many of them seem to value money like deities, and women like playthings. Manners were a must; wealth is everything in society; power was something necessary to be considered an elite; these are the things taught to him, but he never considered these as such.
He was not, by any means, the type to be pegged by a woman. Actually, he disliked the various women who tried to woo him for his inheritance. The greed in their eyes were sorely visible that Guertena ignored all of them and kept his doors closed for the likes of them, who were always entertained by his family servants and passing on gifts to him.
So why, why is it that a woman captivated him so much?
Weiss, with a book in hand, glanced at the woman gazing at his creations. He did not understand the reason why he let a woman of his father's choosing be invited to his, as he calls it, sacred room of art. The room is his one and only haven from the outside world, the thing he despised with all of his heart and poured all of it in his work.
His numerous paintings, most framed with gold, are hung on the walls that they covered most of them. His statues and other works are haphazardly placed around, accompanying the shelves containing his books of drawings and of interest. In the middle of it all is a red, velvet sofa with elaborate, gold framing where he is currently sitting on to read.
He turned a page with his pallid finger and kept sneaking glances at her, who seems to be pondering over a piece he recently made. It was a painting of the upper half of a brunette lady wearing a red dress, its sleeves long and the shoulders puffed.
"Pardon me," Weiss nearly flinched at the soft voice echoing in the room. He looked up from his book, although his eyes were already on her, and raised an eyebrow as a gesture for her to continue.
"But it seems that her eyes are not..." She trailed off, tracing a slender finger on the frame with a small frown on her face. In a moment, she found the word to describe them, "Sincere."
Ah, she noticed, he thought as he closed his book and stood up. With a graceful stride he had grown accustomed to, he went beside her and chanced a look at the painting before replying, "You are correct in saying so, miss..."
He stopped himself, for he realizes how foolish he was to address a woman without asking for her name. The unnamed maiden realized his mistake and let a small smile slip on her features.
"My name would be _____," she told him in a polite tone, careful not to tread on his pride as a gentleman. "I apologize for not introducing myself when we have already seen each other at first glance."
"It is I who should apologize. It was rude of me not to ask first," his gaze roamed back to her, still regarding the painting with an awed glimmer in her eyes. She was the first to see the smallest detail in one of his creations; something that not even his parents have done.
His luck in the arts was failing him, but he never saw this as a sign to stop what he loves to do. Most of his works were not recognized and were left in the dark. Fame wasn't his goal after all; he only wanted to bring the images in his mind to life and that was more than enough for him.
However, looking at the woman before him, an odd feeling came to him. Guertena longed for her to comment on all of his art; to look at them similar to the way he does; to appreciate art in all its glory and beauty alike.
And so, for once in his life, his view on the world changed just a little bit.
**
____ would visit everyday and Weiss would always be there to invite her to the room. As the days pass by, the two became closer and would always discuss the subject of art and the current times. His longing grew more and more as he spent his time with her surrounded by the things he was passionate about; the very thing which kept him rooted to the world he believed naught.
It was then that, one day, he decided to paint a portrait of her. It was most unusual, for he has rarely painted with a model. Most of his paintings are not still-life art and are solely based on the images formed in his mind.
"You want to... paint a portrait of.... me?" _____ asked, berating herself for sounding dumb and slow. It took her a few moments to understand and let his request sink into her thoughts.
She knew that Guertena seldom painted with a model; let alone a living, breathing individual he has become familiar with. She could only stare at him in curiosity, her interest piqued, as he nodded in confirmation.
"Yes. Is there something wrong?" The corners of his mouth twitched in an amused smile as _____'s face flushed and she shook her head, looking abashed and bewildered. It was a rare sight and he found that he would want to see more of this side to her.
The female usually held a poised and regal upbringing when it comes to the public eye. She would only show this flustered side to him and only him.
And he prefers it that way.
"I-I'm honored that you would ask me, a simple woman, to be your model."
**
A small art gallery is currently holding an exhibition of Guertena's art, which mystified and attracted people of all ages. Weiss Guertena isn't that well-known nor was he merely an artist, but only a small gallery can get away with an exhibition like this.
A couple walked past a painting titled The Lady in Red and came upon a painting of another woman. Framed within an intricate, gold design is a woman wearing the most beautiful and lustrous dress of (color).
The sleeves clung to her arms; lace embroidered the neckline and the cuffs; the skirt touched the non-existent floor with a flowing grace. The dress seemed to scream simple beauty and poise as she wore it. Intertwined red roses made half a ring below her; the roses clear of thorns and the stems speckled with vibrant leaves.
Although the gown she wore is a fine one indeed, the one thing that made the painting so eye-catching is the serene look on her face. Her eyes shone almost life-like and her smile was more prominent than anything else in the painting.
"Is this a painting of a real woman?" The girl whispered, her breath taken away at the complex and minuscule details found in it. The male next to her nodded and said, "Guertena doesn't usually paint with models, so this is really valuable."
"But there has to be something more to this," she turned to him with a knowing smile and pointed at the title: The Alluring Woman. He followed to where she was pointing and his brows furrowed at it.
"Wait... I've read about this painting before."
"Don't keep it to yourself then!" She softly hissed and motioned for him to tell the story. The man rolled his eyes, but they gave off an amused gleam.
"According to the article, the woman was the first and only female he harbored affections for-"
"I knew it!"
"I'm not done yet," he frowned at the interruption and continued. "It was supposed to be the painting that would show his endearment for her. Unfortunately, she died before Guertena can show her the finished product. Something about an accident with the wedding carriage. In his grief, he continued to create twisted themes of imagery and life."
She uttered a faint "Oh," and went back to looking at the portrait. It was silent for the both of them as they continued to observe the beautiful yet saddening painting of a tragic love.
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Ayeee, done with this one! I think this satisfies my insight on Guertena's murderous spirit lol XD This is not, in any way, canon; this is all fiction and written for fun.
Tragic, I know. I still want to keep the unanimous note that Guertena doesn't have any mentioned kids in the game so I made him forever alone here (I'm so horrible.)
Anywaaaay, I'm satisfied with how this came out. I was supposed to give the story more background on how Guertena interacted with the reader, but found that it's already long enough for a one-shot.
Sorry if there wasn't blatant romance involved XD I really am.
I'll see you all soon.
From, HeavenlyAngel761