CH 2. After Shocks

 CH. 2 

                Once I turned the corner, I practically collapsed. Soon after, Adrian followed.

“I had a feeling you wouldn’t go straight back especially after that. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“I’m just a bit winded is all. I just need to catch my breath before I can continue on to the party.”

“Take all the time you need. Would you like me to stay?”

“Please. If it’s not too much to ask.”

“I would never deny you anything.” he said smiling softly.

                I took a deep breath and calmed my thumping heart. I had decided that I was not going to let some foolish incident ruin my birthday. Besides, I had made a new friend. At least I wasn’t alone, like I had left Dilan to deal with Clarissa.

“I think I’m ready now.” I stood up brushing off my gown.

Adrian held out his hand as a way to seemingly keep me in balance. As we began to walk I notice something that I had not previously. On his hand was a small rose. Nothing too intricate, but small enough not to be noticed from afar. I found this quite intriguing but I kept it to myself. Suddenly I had a flashback. I knew why I knew I could trust him; I knew why I felt so attracted, I had known him before. My memory flooded back to me and suddenly I was on the beach again as a young girl. There was a boy there, Dilan, known because of his hair, but there was also another one that I had failed to notice. He was sitting nearer to the rocky ledge leading down to the shore. This boy was fair skinned and had midnight hair; it was Adrian. I remembered being extremely curious about who he was. I asked Dilan.

“Oh, that’s just Adrian; he came to live with use recently. Mama says she feels responsible for him being here. She said she made a mistake one night and he came to be. She makes me play with him. She took him in because his father hurt him. All he does is mope around and read. He’s kind of strange don’t you think?” he had said.

They weren’t just old friends, they were half-brothers.

As we neared the entrance, I had forgotten all about my minor revelation, the memory replaced with the promise of dancing, music, idle chit-chat, and champagne. But I couldn’t help but see the same smile on Adrian’s face as Dilan’s, the only characteristic that implied a shared lineage.

                Once we returned, I was flocked with happy relatives and friends wishing to thank me for such a wonderful party.  I found myself continuously pushed and shoved around and away from Adrian, often leaving him for minutes at a time. When I finally got away from the crowd, I found my mother, a beautiful and generally kind-hearted woman. Tonight, she had dressed in a long emerald green ball gown that sparkled as she moved.

“Darling, I haven’t seen you all night, you weren’t with that boy again were you?”

“No, mother, I wasn’t. You don’t have to worry about him any longer. I have a feeling he won’t be around here much longer.” I stifled back a sudden sob.

“Oh, that’s too bad; I was starting too really like him…What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, I’m alright just a bit shook up.”

As she moved in to hug me, something caught my eye. It glinted silver but when I blinked it disappeared. How strange… I quickly pushed the sight out of my mind and tried to salvage the rest of night.

The rest of the evening passed by with no further events, aside from my mother telling me, at the last moment, that Dilan and his family were staying at the estate for a few weeks. Fantastic. What excellent timing…

                Once the party had ended and we had returned to my home, all I wanted to do was flop into bed and visit my dreams. However, to do that, I needed to get out of this uncomfortable dress. As I changed, I began reflecting on the events of the evening. Suddenly, I had the feeling of being watched. I finished dressing and peeked outside my bedroom into the long hallway. Though I did not see anything, I heard voices. Dilan’s and someone else’s.

“It was you wasn’t it? You told her…”

“I did no such thing, I simply cleaned up the effects of your royal mistake, just like I always have.” Adrian. What was he doing here?

“Just wipe her memory. I can’t lose her.”

“Little brother, I don’t think you understand how my powers work. You can’t just expect me to fix all your petty little problems with the snap of my fingers. It doesn’t work the way. Besides this is the third time, one of these days she’s going to remember all of you little screw ups. She’s a lot smarter than you give her credit for and honestly deserves much better than the likes of you. So, that’s a no, keep your money, I’m not wiping her memory, not this time.”

“Since when do you—Oh no, not this time. You are NOT taking her from me. You’ve somehow attracted every single girl I’ve ever cared about. Now how, I have absolutely no clue. And I am not your brother; all you are is a bastard son. Your own father couldn’t even stand you, just look at your face.”

Adrian’s hand drifted toward his scar. Dilan had done it with that last insult; he had struck a nerve and he knew it. Just as he was about to open his mouth again, Adrian’s eyes flared a white hot sterling silver a symbol of his anger. Dilan’s smirk left his face.

Instead of lashing back with another slew of untasteful insults, Adrian simply responded, “I would say that you were right but the people I care about want to stay with me without the use of magic. I may be a marred outcast but at least I know how to show a sense of kindness and compassion. My heart is not chiseled out of cold, hard marble, it’s warm and beating. You might want to try that instead of sorcery.”

Dilan’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Caught up in the moment, I nearly leapt for joy in my hiding place around the corner. Adrian was witty and good-looking, what else does a man need to be desirable. I smiled to myself, but that smile soon turned to a frown as I began thinking of the content of their argument. It didn’t take a scholar to figure out that the “she” they were arguing over, was in fact, me. That meant that I did know Adrian and had for a longer time than 5 hours.  It also meant that Dilan was an even larger ass and coward than I had thought. It certainly did explain the recovering of the lost memory previously in the garden which was triggered by his hand, but why the memory had been removed altogether confused me. I still had one unanswered question; why would they resort to wiping my memory instead of just replacing it. The idea of someone digging through my mind made my stomach churn. My 17^th birthday had gone from being the most special day of my life to the most stomach churning and heart wrenching day of my entire existence.

                I must have dozed off because I was awoken by someone gently nudging my shoulder.

“Luce wake up…It’s me…”

Who was me? I didn’t have a clue who it was. I opened my eyes just enough to make out vague facial features. It was just my brother, Max, well to be specific Maximillian Alvora III, heir to the Alvora fortune and my true best friend. But I thought he was away, what he was doing back at the estate was beyond me. I felt my older brother pick me up and carry me to my room. All I remember after that is the softness of my pillow and coolness of my silk sheets, a very pleasing memory that I would wish to keep and not lose to the hands of meddling magicians.

The next morning when I awoke, I wish I hadn’t. My head was pounding from the champagne and I just wanted to stay curled up in my warm bed forever, that is before I remembered who had carried me there.

“MAX!” I yelled, unable to contain my excitement. I hadn’t seen my older brother in months. He had been away on family affairs.

He jolted up from my overstuffed chair near the corner of my room.

“What!? What’s wrong?” My yell had clearly startled him and I began to giggle uncontrollably. Seeing that I wasn’t actually in danger, he began to laugh as well. I ran over to hug him and ended up knocking the both of us on to the bed.

“I’ve missed you so much, Luce. It’s been so hard being away from the family for so long. I have so much to tell you. But first, you probably should get dressed. I’ll meet you downstairs for breakfast in an hour.” He pecked my cheek, got up, and left. I sat back up and then flopped back on my bed. I couldn’t believe my brother was back. He had been gone so long that I hardly recognized him. On his journey he had gone from boy to man, both physically and mentally.

                I finally got up and moved to my bathing room to take a bath and wash my hair. The bath relaxed me and helped relieve my pounding headache. The pounding only to be replaced with the pulling and tugging of my hand maid styling my hair. After she had finished her incessant tugging, we moved to my closet where she helped me dress in a gorgeous champagne dress that suited my figure well. Pleased with my appearance, I left my room to meet my brother downstairs for breakfast. On my way, I passed Adrian. The sudden sight of him pushed my memories from the night before to the surface of my brain, only making it pound harder than it already was. I needed to talk to my brother as soon as possible.

                I rushed down to the dining area as fast as the dress I was currently wearing would allow. When I arrived, I was met with a sense of dread for all the seats at the table were taken aside from the one in between Max and Dilan. Hoping that with my brother there everything would go smoothly, I sat down without complaint. My mother and father refrained from their conversation in order to great me.

“How nice of you to join us, Luce. I asked Maximillian to reserve a seat for you next to Dilan.” My father said.

Of course he did…he still had no idea of the whole scenario that had happened previously and if he ever found out he would be furious….

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” I said, trying to refrain from vomiting just from the closeness of Dilan’s body to mine.

Pleased with my answer conversation resumed around the table, though there was a cloud of awkwardness hanging between Dilan and me.

“I’m not sure what’s going on between you two, but you didn’t look too pleased when you first walked in…Is everything alright?” Max whispered.

“Um…well…it’ll take a lot of explaining, but we aren’t romantically involved any longer. Mother knows. Father does not.” I whispered back.

“I hate to interrupt, but you’ve never been one to whisper very well, Luce. Why don’t you just tell the whole table our personal business…” Dilan’s voice sounded exasperated and very tired. More tired than I had expected. I wonder what happened after I had fallen asleep last night.

“I hate to tell you this little sister, but you’re going to have to pretend to like him for as long as you can. If Father finds out, he’ll kill you.” Max whispered, totally ignoring Dilan’s comment.

“You’re right…unfortunately…” I sighed.

“I’m sitting right here you know…”

“WE KNOW” Max and I said in unison.

Dilan slumped in his chair. I looked at him directly for the first time since the previous evening. He looked truly exhausted. His eyes were sunken and his eyes had a hollow look as if the life had gone out of them.

“Dilan, are you alright?” I asked, genuinely worried.

“Yes, I’m fine. Are you alright?” He replied more aggressively than needed.

I ignored him and excused myself from the table; my brother did the same and followed me out into the courtyard.

“Wow, something really bad must have happened, that was totally not normal at all. Usually you two are always so mushy towards each other. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you two fight, aside from today.” Max said once he as sure we were alone.

“Do you remember when we were young, when we used to go down to the sea with Dilan?” I was desperate to know if that was a sold memory.

“Of course, we always used to have such fun…Why do you ask?”

“I have reason to believe that my memory has been wiped more than one time. Last night I caught Dilan and Clarissa smushing faces.” It occurred to me that I had not been able to say the word kiss. Still too painful, I suppose.

Max’s brows furrowed together. A flicker of anger shown through his gold eyes.

“You saw what…” he growled.

“They were kissing….” I couldn’t believe I had said the word.

“Max, do you remember Adrian? Do you remember him coming with us to the beach?”

“No…wait yes I do…he was the little black haired boy that never wanted to play with us. At one point he stopped coming with us. I remember his father cut his face and scarred him.” He replied.

“I knew it, my memories have been both blocked and suppressed. After my party ended, when you found me in the hall, I felt like someone as watching me. When I looked out my door, I heard voices. I was curious, so I did some eavesdropping. Adrian and Dilan are brothers, half-brothers to be exact. I think they share a mom. I’m not sure who Adrian’s dad is. But, that’s beside the point.  They were arguing about me, Max. Apparently, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened, but Adrian is always paid to fix it.” It felt nice to finally share the entirety of my odd night with a trustworthy source.

“Fix it…? How?”

“Adrian has magic. I’m not sure how, but it certainly explains his looks.”

“He has magic? Nobody has magic anymore except the royal family…it’s strictly outlawed, unless…that’s highly unlikely, though.”

“Max, what is it?”

“The only way he could possibly have magic is if he has royal blood. You said he was only Dilan’s half-brother?”  Max was on to something and I knew both of us were thinking the same thing.

“Max…I highly doubt the king would estrange his own son…” I said the words but my heart knew they weren’t true. The king was a cold man, unable of feeling sympathetically towards others.

“Maybe not his pure-bred son, but what about a bastard child?”

It had to be true. That was the only way he would be able to even possess the magic possible for wiping my memory. I nodded in agreement. I hugged my brother again for the third time since I had first seen him.

“I’ve missed you so much. I’m so glad you’re back. I can’t imagine having to deal with this alone. It’s too much.” Max’s face darkened for a moment.

“What’s wrong?”

“Luce…I’m getting married.” I felt like I had been punched in the stomach at full force.

“You’re what? Max you’re only 19, why are you getting married? And to who?”

“That’s why I was away. Father arranged a sort of business arrangement between the daughter of one of his very wealthy friends and me. I went to meet her and her family. I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react that way. It’s what’s best for our family.”

My heart was slowly breaking further apart than it was previously. I stood up from our place on the bench.

“I think I need some time to process this.” And then I turned and ran. Again.

“LUCE, stop running you’re going to…” He was probably going to say run into someone, but it was too late. I ran straight into a black and silver overcoat.

“Hm. Honestly, you’ve got to stop crashing into me…”

I backed up my face turning beat red.

“I-I-I’m really sorry, Adrian. I was just leaving.” I continued walking, but this time he grabbed my hand.

“Luce, I know you heard something last night. I need to talk to you.”

“I can’t talk to anyone right now…Just leave me alone.” I tore my hand out of his grip and hustled back to the house. Once inside I ran to my room. I flopped into my overstuffed chair, and cried. It felt like I was there crying for an eternity, until I heard a knock on my door.

“Who is it…”

“Luce, it’s me, Max. I just want to talk to you. Adrian’s here too. I think you need to listen to what he has to say. It’s really important.”

“Fine. Come in.”

Both boys walked in and sat uncomfortably on my bed.  Adrian started speaking first.

“I’m assuming you heard everything last night. I’m really sorry you did. And you definitely deserve an explanation. I can’t explain everything right this moment but I will in time. You’re assumptions were correct, I am the son of the king. I am not a prince by any means. Most don’t know I even exist. Dilan’s mother took me in long ago to hide me from my father. He is a very cruel man, unforgiving of my mother. Obviously he never liked me, especially when I began to grow older and exhibited signs of a black magician, which includes my superior looks. When my father scarred me, my mother became afraid for my life and with the help of some merciful servants hid me away. “

“While this is all very sad…what does this have to do with me and my memory?” Adrian gave me a soft smile.

“Patience, I’m getting to that. As I grew older, my powers began to manifest and grow stronger. They centralized around mind control, mind altering, and illusion magic. Memory altering is actually very simple, but all it does is suppress and block. It doesn’t remove or delete it, which Dilan doesn’t understand. And I know by now that you’ve started to remember. Do not be alarmed if certain things trigger a memory or if you have dreams containing memories. It’s normal.” He pulled off a black glove, exposing the tiny rose. It was pulsing now, with a faint purple glow.

“I know you saw this too. Last night at the party, I saw your gaze shift to it and you blanked for a moment. It triggered a memory, simply because it was connected to me.”

“Is that all?” I was still upset with both of them. My memories were my own and should not be messed with by someone else. My head was no longer private and the thought made me even angrier.

“Luce, don’t get angry with me-”

“I would appreciate it if you’d stay out of my head.”

Adrian took my hand and before I could snatch it away, placed it on his rose. Immediately, I felt calm.

“What just happened? How did you do that?”

“I know how to project emotion onto others. I calmed you so you could just listen to me, without the anger. I know you’re hurt. I’m sorry I touched inside your mind; I never should have, no matter how much I was paid. But you have to listen to me. Things are about to get shaken up and you need to be careful. Did you notice how Dilan looked exhausted this morning? He’s been up all night trying to figure out what to do about you. As your memories come back, so will the memories of him. He’s made a lot of mistakes, large ones at that and you need to be prepared to handle them. He does like you, a lot, but unfortunately he’s a spoiled brat and doesn’t know how to think of others.”

It was a lot to take in at one time, but I was thankful for an explanation.

“Max, is he telling the truth?”

“He is. I knew about this already. Adrian saw you in the hall after their fight and caught me as I first arrived home. That’s how I found you. He thought by suppressing your memories that he was helping you, but every time he did it became harder to suppress the memory which is why he knew you’d start remembering again. There’s something else you need to know. Adrian’s the leader of the Rose Order.”