CH.6 Bleeding Hearts

*Note: So I'm not totally sure if I'll keep Valentine in here but we shall see. 

Ch.6 Bleeding Hearts

                The next morning, I woke up so afraid that the night before had been a figment of my overactive imagination, maybe even a dream, but my worst fear was soon dashed, thankfully, to pieces, by an arm that was definitely not mine wrapped around my waist. My heart swelled with happiness, over spilling with the joy of finally understanding. As I lay there, I reflected on what happened after our kiss, we had stayed outside for a good bit longer, enjoying the winter air and snow accumulating around us and catching up after nearly three years of not really seeing each other. I must have fallen asleep because I don’t remember walking back to my room. I turned to face Adrian, still sleeping. He looked the most at peace I had ever seen him, making my heart swell even more. I rolled back over snuggling closer, only to be met with a gentle kiss on the back of my neck.

“Hey you…”His silky voice making my heart flutter as it had many times before.

I entwined my fingers with his, drawing circles with my thumb along his. I could have stayed like that forever. I murmured in response which was met with a contented sigh.

Our perfect moment was ruined by Max busting into my room, scaring the both of us half to death.

“Damn…Do you ever think of knocking…” I said playfully, too happy to be angry.

“Seems like you two had an…interesting night…” He said, eyebrows fully raised.

“Oh relax…we just spent the night in the garden.” Adrian said, slightly annoyed by the intrusion, which made me giggle.

The answer seemed to satisfy Max because he moved on to his reason for frantically running into my room.

“Never mind that…Luce…Guess whose here?”

I had absolutely no idea who would want to visit through the winter season, due to the difficulties in traveling.

“Who is it?”

“Valentine is back.”

“You have got to be kidding me…Right now?” My plan for the day had been to spend it conversing with Adrian and studying dream meanings and charm-speech per his request, definitely not listening to my younger cousin babble a mile a minute about some boy she had led on and left broken hearted.   

“Yes, right now, she’s in the dining hall right now asking for you…You’d better hurry up.” He said playfully, noting the disdain in my features.

“Just give me a minute okay? I can’t exactly saunter down there in my night gown…” I said grumpily.

“Fine…I’ll let her know you will be down shortly.” He finally turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

“Who’s Valentine?” Adrian asked, pulling on his black coat and boots.

“She’s my cousin, who has a habit of keeping a boy’s heart on a string and then gossiping about it until next year…” Just thinking about the red-head sent chills of impending boredom down my spine.

Adrian began snickering at my description of my annoying little cousin.

“Well, seems like a great way to spend the day...” He said placing a kiss on my nose, making even the most boring day sound fun.

“You should probably go. I need to get ready and my brother probably needs company, especially with Valentine. I’ll be down in a several minutes.”

He pulled me in, placing kisses on my collar bone, up my neck, and finally landing on my mouth, before finally leaving the room.

Once he left, I collapsed onto my bed, not wanting to get ready. I finally managed to get dressed and make my way down to meet my cousin greeting her with a hug and kiss. The 15 year old had grown significantly since I had seen her last, she was certainly a sight in her pale pink dress and with her fiery red hair.

“Cousin, it’s been so long…” She said, beaming.

“It has been. How have you been doing?” I asked as we all sat down at the table preparing ourselves for breakfast.

“I’ve been spectacular! What about you, what’s the new gossip? What about you and Dilan?” Typical Valentine…

“Oh nothing really…life has been kind of bland…” What I had just told my cousin was far from being true, nearly everything in my life had changed since I had seen her last. Valentine had first started visiting when her mother died nearly three years ago, around the time my memory was changed for the first time. She meant well, but her incessant chatter bored nearly everyone to tears. Thankfully, she only normally stayed for one day on her way to the seaside.

“Oh…What about Dilan?” She repeated, most likely wishing he was available.

“He and I are doing…well…” I said, unsure of what to say.

“What about him…what’s he doing here?” Adrian and I shared a fleeting look.  

“Oh…well…this is just a family friend…” I stammered. Adrian was studying her, eyes narrowed slightly. 

“I see…” I knew that look, she saw something she liked and wanted. Thankfully the conversation was interrupted by our breakfasts being brought out. She seemed to forget all about him when faced with the promise of food.

Both Adrian and I ate quickly hoping to get a few moments to talk and spend with each other before I was forced to relieve my brother from his duties of entertaining the guest.

After we finished, we went out the garden under the barren cherry blossom tree, which was conveniently hidden from view.

“She seems to speak very frequently…” Adrian said, laughing at the ridiculousness that was my cousin.

“That is definitely not the worst. She once talked for an hour straight.” I rested my head on Adrian’s shoulder, collecting his warmth to counter act the coldness from the ice and snow. As he kissed my forehead we were met with a voice so high-pitched it just had to be Valentine.

“WELL…this is quite an interesting development…” She said sneering deviously.

Oh no…

“Valentine, you can’t tell anyone. Please.” I felt silly begging to a child but this could ruin everything. 

“Alright…one condition…If I decided I want to be with Dilan you mustn't interfere…” Relief flooded through me, thankful that this was all she wanted.

“That is perfectly fine. You may have him if you really want him.” Pleased with my answer she turned on her heels and rushed back to the warmth of the house

“There is something odd about that girl. I’m not sure I trust her…” Adrian said furrowing his brows.

“Why not? She’s harmless.”

“Her thoughts were not normal, any ordinary person’s thoughts would have been easily heard but hers were quiet, just a faint whisper. Somehow she knew to guard herself against me.” He was still very much hung up on the idea that my innocent little cousin was capable of something awful, though I didn’t agree.

“I’m sure you’re just overreacting, surely, she’s not capable of anything. I’m sure she doesn’t have magic…” When said out loud, I realized that I was in no place to judge for the presence of magic, seeing as I had only just recently come into knowledge of it still being present in our family line. 

“I should probably go in and save my brother from her jabbering. I’ll see you?” I said after a moment of silence.  I was desperate to leave behind the thought that my own family would want to do something potentially harmful to us.

“Oh…right…yes…you’ll see me…” Adrian spoke as if my words had raised him out of some sort of dazed stupor. Without further interaction, I left him sitting alone in the garden with his thoughts.

When I returned to the house I found my brother sitting alone at the table seemingly relieved.

“What happened? Where’s Valentine?” Maybe Adrian was right…

“She left in a hurry saying that she had to meet someone…I’m just so glad she’s gone.” Surely my brother did not just say that…

“What do you mean she left?” I demanded, the sense of dread growing in my stomach with each passing second.

“I mean after she came back inside she walked straight out the door mumbling about meeting someone.” My brother was clearly bewildered and absolutely clueless. I had to find Adrian and we needed to follow that girl.

I ran back out to the garden, thankful that I had decided on trousers and a loose shirt, instead of a dress. I went to our favorite place and nearly screamed out of frustration when he wasn’t there. Before I could even call out to him, a gloved hand pulled me around the corner, into the hedge maze. I tried to scream but it was stifled by the hand over my mouth.

“Shhh…It’s just me.” Only one person had a voice that smooth.

“Are you trying to kill me?” I whispered ferociously, angered at the surprise. Adrian released me, eyes glinting.

“It wasn’t my intention…no…I needed to tell you something, I didn’t want anyone else to hear. It’s about Valentine. She has some sort of mental capabilities that I have yet to understand without further observation.”

“Wait…How can you tell?” 

“The way she built a wall around her thoughts, blocking me from sensing their presence, just wasn’t normal. She sensed my magic someway.”

If what Adrian was saying was true, then that meant…

“Yes we are in very deep trouble...I need to leave immediately…” His urgent tone scared me. The time had come, though I had been attempting to prepare myself for the potential issue of him darting out of my life as fast as he had darted in, the probability that I wouldn’t see him for a long while still hurt, causing me to become desperate, wild with grief.  

“You’re leaving? But what about me…I’m going with you. That was part of the deal.” I was fuming; he wasn’t allowed to just leave me like this, not after I had just found him again.

“Luce, look at me…” Reluctantly, I looked up at him, tears of hurt threatening to stream down my face. He pressed his forehead to mine and I closed my eyes.

“You can’t come with me, I know what I had said, but I didn’t plan on this. I became unfocused and put you in danger.” He said, still holding me tightly.

“I was bound to be in danger. It was only a matter of time, that wasn’t your fault.” I was sobbing now, desperately trying to make him stay. I could have sworn my heart was breaking, cracking with each word, made worse by the thought of being forced into a marriage with Dilan.

“I should have found another way, I never should have come here…” he said, his voice cracking with pain and anguish. He released me from his embrace, and stood to leave. His face was dry and stone cold, void of emotion, leaving him looking numb. I thrust my fists angrily into the ground, hanging my head not wishing to meet his gaze for fear of not being able to let him go. He stalked off, leaving me in the heavily falling snow, alone and heart broken.