Ariel
"Ariel..."
"Ariel..."
"Mom? Is that you?"
My vision was shrouded in darkness, and that was the moment I knew that I was in another dream. They say that acknowledging a dream makes you wake up from it, but it never seemed to happen for me. I could always see it, feel it; as if it was all real; as if I had lived it. Was this more than just a dream?
"Ariel..." A gentle female voice echoed from a distance. I turned on my heel, and a bright light blinded my eyes. I saw the silhouette of a woman who held her hand out to me.
"You need to wake up, Ariel..."
I desperately tried reaching out to her, but something held me back- someone- and then her shadow got engulfed by the flames.
I jerked awake with a sudden intake of breath. My old copy of "The Little Mermaid" slipped out of my grasp, and I bent down to pick it up. Instead, another hand grabbed it for me, and I rose my eyes to lock them with his—my dear boyfriend's.
My fiancé's to be precise. I still hadn't gotten used to that term.
His eyes twinkled in delight as he handed me my book. I tried to take it away, but he pulled back at the last minute. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he chuckled.
"I don't understand your obsession with "The Little Mermaid," he remarked as he inspected the title of my book. "The Prince forgets about her, and she just ends up becoming foam."
"My dear husband-to-be," I answered as I snatched the book away and then circled my arms around his neck, "If you haven't forgotten my name already, it's from this exact fairytale."
"Is it?" He asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief, and his hands tightening around my waist, "What was it again? Cinderella? Snow White? Oh I know, Rapunzel!" He gently put a flick of my long crimson hair behind my left ear, his touch lingering and caressing my skin softly.
I pouted and pulled on both his ears, and he cried with pain. "I know you are bad with fairytales, but at least you could have called me "Alice". If not all the letters, at least the first letter would be correct!"
The sudden change in his expression was so evident, but he immediately schooled his emotions behind a teasing smile. He can try to hide it, but it didn't escape my notice. I have been blessed with these gifts. Everything related to emotions, I can sense. I sensed that momentary pain when I took that name.
Why?
Does he have a painful memory attached with that fairytale? He did tell me his mom used to love reciting fairytales to him when he was a kid. Was this one of them?
I rose myself on my toes and pressed my lips to his. It took him a moment to realise it before he took the lead and tightly wrapped me around in his arms. My feet left the touch of the floor as he lifted me in his arms and backed us against the bed, not breaking the kiss. Then he gently lowered me on my back and continued to kiss my throat, and I moaned. His soft silvery strands tickled my neck, and I giggled, lazily running my hands through them. He stopped tormenting my throat as he slowly raised his head and locked eyes with mine.
Will he do it finally?
The sapphire hue of his eyes betrayed the lust in his heart, but like always, he gathered himself, smiled, and then pressed his lips to my forehead.
Yes, we were an engaged couple, but in the last five years, he hadn't touched me even once. As if, he had taken a solid, silent oath of celibacy.
Or maybe not, who knows, perhaps he is enjoying his life outside?
Maybe he's gay...?
But the way he looks at me... I don't know what is cooking up in his mind. Right, he can't read my thoughts, so he definitely loves me. The last I checked, my powers worked on him. Is that the reason he is holding back?
"Why haven't we slept together yet?" I blurted out.
"We haven't? I thought we did that every night?"
I gave him my typical 'are you kidding me' look, and he burst out laughing. We did share a room, but the love we shared was platonic to the core.
"Why, do you want to right now?" He asked as he ran a teasing finger down my collar bone.
"Heh, I don't want to sound too desperate. Especially not to you, mister!" Or I am never going to hear the end of it from this tease.
"Well, Ariel, then all you are going to get is a monk. Because if you want to spend a passionate night with me, you'll have to ask for it," He grinned, and I know that by ask, he meant "beg me". You dirty little trickster!
"May I ask why is it that important? Who asks for it?"
He lifted himself up the bed, his arms still caging me, and he gently caressed my cheek.
"Maybe I am a little old-fashioned.." he smiled at me and I rolled my eyes. Right, if Seydon Cross is old-fashioned, then I am a banana!
"... or perhaps... I want my very own fairytale. Something very similar to what my rival had."
Rival?
"Come on now, time for lunch!" He announced as he clasped his hands together and then ushered me outside our room.
***
"Rihanna was supposed to be here an hour ago!" I glanced at my watch and then checked for any messages on my phone.
"Chillax, Ari!" Sey exclaimed nonchalantly, as he kept pushing random buttons on his game controller. "Don't go all mommy on that young girl. She's got a boyfriend for God's sake!"
Really, Sey?
I picked up the television screen remote from the coffee table and shut his game off.
"What the fuck happened? Ariel! My high score!" He whined like a little kid.
I stuck my tongue out at him as I got up the couch and dialled Rihanna's number.
"Granny, I am gonna be there in five minutes. We are just around the corner," she answered.
"Granny? Really, girl?"
"Well, I am the mama bear, so that makes you granny."
"Get your ass here right now young lady, and tell that boyfriend of yours that I want to meet his parents."
"Her boyfriend is your cousin; you know that, right?" Sey chimed in from behind, and I rolled my eyes.
"I don't care. I want to know for a fact that he is in this for the long term."
"You have your big bro Seydon's permission Rihanna!" Sey sang over my ear on the phone's speaker. "Go party with him late night, have hot sex or a threesome-"
I shoved him away, and he laughed a burst of victorious laughter. I heard Rihanna's disgusted grunt from the other side.
"Gross. Tell me again, how are you guys together, Ariel?"
I glanced at him, and he gave me a playful flying kiss.
"Just the way you are with my cousin."
I hung up and walked out towards the main gate to welcome her home and help her with her luggage. Rihanna had been staying at the hostel on her college campus and was returning for the Christmas holidays. We hadn't really planned anything for Christmas since all of us had been out for missions. I was supposed to be at the Vitelli house for another six months. Kaidon's sudden attack on the family halted that plan in the middle.
What kind of a game was that guy planning? Unbelievable. All alone in that underground world- he was practically on a suicide mission. What could be more precious to him than his own life?
I walked out of the foyer and yanked the door open. There stood the stupid couple. He had Rihanna caged between his arms and his car and was leaning in to kiss her.
I looked around and picked up a small pebble from the potted plant I had placed outside our main door, and then aimed for the back of his head.
One...
Two...
I threw the pebble in his direction on the mental count of three, and it hit home.
Bullseye!
"What the fuck!" Grabbing hold of the back of his head, he turned around and cursed.
"Language, Mr Alexander Reed, you are losing points in my good books."
His expression changed from one of frustration to that of pain. Honestly, since we were distantly blood-related, I had no clue what he was feeling, so it was kind of annoying.
But I had known one thing for sure; the guy hated me. It wasn't a typical brother-sister relationship. He always glared at me, as if I stole his girlfriend. Well, I often did poke my nose between them, but I don't think I ever did anything particularly offensive.
Did I maybe steal his favourite ice cream as a kid? Who knows? Even if I did, I wouldn't remember.
I instinctively raised my hand to feel the slight scar on the side of my head that the stitches couldn't completely heal.
"Ariel," Rihanna eyed me as she crossed her hands over her chest.
"Not under my roof. Nope. Hands off each other."
She kissed him on the cheek and then made a run for the door dragging her luggage along. She softly kissed me on the cheek as well before walking in.
"So, Alex, see you later? I hope you join us for dinner with your father someday."
He kept glaring at me and then turned around and drove away without a word.
Okay, fine! Your loss! I already tried hard at being a playful cousin. If he couldn't warm up to me, then be it.
***
The distant sound of something falling broke my sleep. I had been a light sleeper always. I opened my eyes. Sey was still fast asleep, so my best guess was that our unwanted guest was back.
I rolled my eyes and climbed down the bed.
I had heard about him from Dad. Kaidon Cross. Black Wolf. The Crown Prince. For some reason, I don't like him. I always sensed this pain, this utter hatred from him. At times it was directed at me, and if he wanted to be judgemental about me, I was not going to be a saint either.
That motherfucker didn't take a second bite of the breakfast I made! I am going to-
I stopped on the last step of the staircase. My eyes had adjusted to the dark, and I saw him resting his back against the wall.
"Leftovers are in the refrigerator if you are hungry," I was still trying to be a good host for Sey's sake. He was his cousin after all.
"I am good," his voice came out slurry and he stumbled, and I rushed ahead to help him. I circled my arms around his waist, and he put his weight on me.
"You're drunk," I said it out loud. It wasn't needed. We already knew that.
He tried walking out of my grip but then stumbled again, and I tightened my hold on him.
"Easy there, Thor. You are clearly drunk, and I do not have the strength to carry you to your room if you pass out right now."
"Alice..?" he muttered in a questioning voice as our eyes met. It was dark, but the turquoise colour of his irises gleamed with pain which was difficult to miss.
What is that? This intense emotion he feels?
Pain?
Loss?
..Love..?
My hand raised to touch his cheek of its own free will. Before I could realise what I was doing, he slapped my hand away.
"Leave me alone," he grunted.
"Kaidon, you are in no shape to.."
"Don't. Dare. Come. Close. To. Me. Imposter!" He bit out every single syllable of those words and I froze.
I can't move! What is this?
I struggled against the invisible force holding me back, but I stood there like an immovable statue. Only when he moved away to climb the staircase did I gain back my mobility.
Did I just experience his power of words?
Why did he call me an imposter?
And... Alice?
"... or perhaps... I want my very own fairytale. Something very similar to what my rival had."
My conversation with Sey from this afternoon kept ringing on repeat in my head like a broken tape recorder. Confused by all the questions plaguing my mind, I entered our room. Something forced me to go to my closet before getting back to bed. I slid out a drawer and opened my jewellery box inside. I picked out the piece I was looking for and then brought my palm closer to the window so I could see it clearly in the moonlight.
A bracelet- pretty little diamonds dangling down the intertwined silvery chains.
I hadn't worn it in the last five years since the nurse told me she found it in my clothes. Back then, I thought it was a gift from Sey, but he instead just praised the piece and asked me if I liked such things.
I turned it around in my palm, gently running the fingers of my other hand over the small, almost illegible characters on the clasp.
A. K. Forever
Author Notes: I don't know why, but I got the chills while writing this chapter! And I can't believe I am updating another chapter within a week! I don't know the next chapter will be in whose point of view, sorry, maybe Seydon XD
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