be.
* * *
Rose woke up to the sound of the birds chirping, followed by an angry bellow from Leon out the window.
What is the matter now?
She sat up and stretched, straining her ears to catch a bit of what he’s saying. He seems to be arguing with his sister. Miss Namine, Rose assumed. It sounded like her.
“I see no reason why we can’t run off to the altar now and bond together in holy matrimony,” she heard Leon said.
Was he that desperate to have them wedded?
“No,” countered Namine. “This is the first wedding in the family. We have to make it special. Jack and they has to get home first, and Avange. You can’t have the wedding without them.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Nam. How about I just get a special license so that Rose and I can share a bed without sin?”
“Like that hadn’t happened already,” Miss Namine scoffed.
Rose flushed at the conversation.
Leon is bringing it a little bit too far with his sister.
Perhaps she should go out to stop them before she die of mortification from eavesdropping.
Rose slip off from the bed and walk over to wash her face with the lukewarm water that Miss Namine had put out in the wash basin. She checked her appearance briskly from the dresser mirror and stroll off downstairs, and out of the house.
She still couldn’t believe the sight of it. She didn’t see much yesterday due to the limited amount of light, but this morning…this morning was a delight. She feels as if she’s inside of a conservatory filled with a garden of white blossoms. Jasmine bushes seem to circle the place and white morning glory twined around the marble columns lined on either side of the lawn. An immense water fountain was centered in the front, encircled by tiny little bushes of white crocus.
The Heartily manor was white and pure as the snow with dark iron framed windows all lined up from top to bottom and across. Vines of white morning glory entwined along its bar and dangled beautifully in the breeze. Little intricate designs of floral and nature life was also carved onto its granite wall as well.
It was a paradise so pure and exquisite as the Garden of Eden would have been. Rose had never seen anything like this. It’s almost like seeing the palace of the Kings and Queens of England, or yet better! It changed so much from the wasteland many years ago after they left.
She wondered who came up with the design and architecture. She will have to ask Leon when she has the chance. For now, she has to go save the fighting sibling.
Leon didn’t know whether to strangle his sister or tie her up and throw her in the cellar. She was being such a pain. All he wanted to do was get wedded and be gone with business. Why did Namine have to be so opposed to it? He understands that he should wait for Jack and Edward and them to return but his time is limited.
Hell, his time is always limited!
He has to go back and clear things off with Lansing or things would never end. He thought he could endure it for a while and have his peace, but Lansing sent out his troops to attack them. How many more attack has he got up his sleeves?
Just this morning a flying arrow came by and almost hit Gabriel in the shoulder where his gun wound was. The arrow contained a folded up message. Such a convenient way to deliver mails these days. Viscount Herring was now held captive by Lansing. Leon doesn’t know if this was some kind of a trick, but he has to tell Rose and she’s likely to make him go save her father.
He wouldn’t mind doing so, but he fears it might be a sham and that it would hurt more than Gabe the next time around, if there’s to be another attack. Gabe’s like the target of pain. That is why he’s trying to talk some senses into his marriage-ruiner of a sister so that he will have Rose secured under his care.
It’s ironic how Namine ruins every wedding, yet she wants the best for him. He is her brother, of course, but she should’ve done the same for others. He can marry Rose with just a piece of paper binding them, but come to think of it, she deserves better. But as for now, a paper is their only choice, although they could have