░16░ Grey's Elder Brother ~ Lucius

Early at the commoner's village

The rays of the sun strike the whole face of Iris inside her room who was sleeping peacefully. Before the rays hit her face she was sleeping soundly until she felt the heat it brought her. It was making a hot temperature leading her to wake up suddenly. There, she groaned and blinked her eyes many times to adjust to the brightness around the surroundings

Trying to focus her eyesight on her room, she rubbed her eyes. Then she removed some of the morning glory she has on her eyes. Every morning after waking up, she was trying to look fresh even after waking in such a bright room. When she already had a fine sight compared to a blurry one earlier, she immediately moved out of her bed. Then, she proceeded to her window's curtain to open them wider

After doing so, she looked at the outside surrounding and beamed at the sudden brightness it gave her. The scenario is making her feel a little nostalgic, the warm gold rays of the sun towards the trees around, and the simple garden they have. She looked around for a moment while closing her eyes trying to hear the singing of the birds that kept her mood more enlightened because of the melody it brings her

She was about to open her eyes when someone at her door knocked. The knocking on her door diverted her attention from her refreshing gaze on the outside she turned to look at the door of her room. She thought the way the person knocks at her door was differently from the way her parents – and little brother – knock. She tried to think that she could have heard it wrong but after a few minutes the one who knocked never entered the room

That's when it dawned her that there must be ghosts inside their house. It made her feel a sudden shiver that runs down her spines following by goosebumps all over her skin. The way that she looked at the door earlier was now totally different. Now she looked horrified about who the person could be knowing it could be another person who was visited to their house early on or just a ghost

She was confused for a moment. Though, she knew that confusion will bring no good to her. So she stayed brave, breathing hard enough to open the door. When she was about to open it, an unexpected figure came entering her room. A familiar figure, but she couldn’t see the face as she loses her balance the moment the door suddenly opened. She almost fall to the ground if it weren’t for the guy who entered her room.

He immediately caught Iris who was about to fall to the ground – holding her tiny waist then he started pulling her closer to him. Closer enough that she could feel the warm breath of the guy who was holding her

A few seconds later they remained like that. Iris, on the other hand, made an expression as her eyes went wide trying to process everything. She’s trying to understand the scenario, about the guy and focused her vision on him. She knew that the guy was too familiar to her. too familiar that she could remember what had happened but she can’t for the moment, considering their current position. On the other hand the guy – who was Lucius – seriously looked at the young woman that he was holding. Upon looking at her, he knew that she’s also familiar. Then, he didn’t understand why but he suddenly holds his breathe with the way the young woman looked

The young woman that she’s holding now made him see the features of the young master of the – Killford household, Aiden Killford. The young woman exactly looked like him. The way her gorgeous golden blonde hair was appearing in his sight. The way her ocean blue eyes that’s meeting his in the same intensity was magnifying him. He knew that if she wasn’t here he’d be the long lost sister of Aiden – a long lost daughter of the Killford. Though upon focusing his sight to her, he also knew that she looked like Victor a lot, the only difference was the hair.

‘She’s gorgeous like someone – She looked like a noble lady even without makeups but then again, who am I kidding. She’s a commoner who also looked like Victor. I guess she’s the young woman that had bumped to me yesterday as well as the one I’ve saved in the moving carriages’

With his sudden thought, he smiled inwardly but still maintained his serious look. Lucius couldn't help but gulp at the gorgeous lady in his arms. He was feeling the warmth of her tiny waist and the smell of her natural cherry scent. They could've gone in that situation for long hours if it weren't for Grey - Iris' little brother - faking a cough in between them. That’s the cue, making Lucius realize the situation and slowly fixed their position, gently guiding Iris to stand properly

Iris, on the other hand, was still processing the situation she was in. Even if she heard Grey faked a cough, she still can't remember such a guy coming into their house. Though, for a moment she already remembered who the guy was

'That's why he looked that kind of familiar to me. He's the guy who saved me from the carriages yesterday and the guy I saw who was almost breathing hard at the path to my home! I remembered father took care of him into the sofa later on after I aided him' she thought as she was now covering her mouth with both of her hands. Now eyes went wide at the sudden realization

"You!" Iris unconsciously blurted out.But upon focusing her view on the guy, - Lucius - just gulped and averted her gaze. That made her see the well-defined jaw he had, his pale skin, his red thin lips, his deep blue eyes, and dark hair. Everything about the guy seems appealing to her. Making every bit of her attention focus on him and him alone with his indefinable gorgeousness

Every young woman who’ll sees him even in regular clothes may drool over the sight of his gorgeousness. However, Lucius couldn't care less about them because he knew that he was only living for one goal and that is to find the origin of his birth. All his life, he was living in a basement not being recognized by the Maxwell’s – except for Damon - his half-brother. Though, the old times certainly changed and they were never the same before

"Sister she was the one you saved that night. Mother and father told me that he'd be the one to babysit me for the time being. They were having some errands from the market because of father's part-time jobs,"

With that, Iris heard from his little brother's words then she immediately faked a cough. She looked seriously at the guy in front of her and raised one eyebrow to catch his attention from averting his gaze on her earlier. Upon successfully catching his attention, she looked at his unbothered face. Then, she faked a cough again until his eyes meet her for a second time

"T-thank you for saving me from the carriage yesterday and probably taking care of Grey - my little brother - on behalf of our parents,"

At first, she was stuttering upon saying those words of gratefulness but because she was reminded of herself after being saved by him, then she faced him with a good manner and expression compared to earlier

"I'm Iris and this is my little brother, Grey. I hope we could become friends, uhm?" she tried to move past what had happened earlier by introducing herself and her little brother. Upon saying those words, she pulled Grey to her. Then, she portrayed such sudden shy smile compared to her earlier attitude of raising one eyebrow.

Lucius, on the other hand, never bothered to deepen his thinking about what had happened yesterday. The reason is because he just can't avoid seeing someone innocent die in front of him. So he unconsciously saved the lady even if he doesn't want to move to save her in the first place

"No worries about it. Lucius - call me Lucius," he said like he was unbothered by her sincerity. The sudden act of him made Iris's expression turn a bit sour. Though, she was reminded by his injury and how painful it might be to be in his shoes, she calmed herself. She calmed herself from her building emotions and breathed hard enough to smile at the unbothered guy in front of him

"Oh yeah- brother Lucius will be teaching me today, how to cook as we talked earlier after our parents left for the market," Grey said facing his elder sister who was beaming in front of him

"Guess you'll be busy for today little beany! Good thing for you but I also have a part-time job for the day so I hope brother Lucius will take good care of you" Iris said looking at her little brother. But when she said the guy's name, she immediately looked up to Lucius who was seriously looking back at her

'It's the first time someone of my age bothered to say my name – except for Damon'

He thought looking seriously at Iris who was talking to her little brother

"But how come the two of you have been already close? Maybe, because my little beany brother was so cute, right?" Upon hearing his elder sister teasing him again with the words 'little beany brother' he started pouting at her. Though, Iris couldn’t help it, she loves to embarrass her brother most of the time even in front of their family or with his friends in the neighborhood.

Lucius, upon hearing such tease, felt something like laughter that was about to come out of his mouth when he just controlled himself from it. He doesn't know why but the thought of him meeting Iris for the first time made him feel light. Like the emotions that he had sealed a long time ago kept being unsealed from the first moment their eyes met.

He thought that he had miscalculated something out of his plans but it turns out that Iris was the unexpected variable in it

"It's because when I first walked out of my room to see him curiously at the sofa, brother Lucius was already awake looking at the outside from the window with such sad expressions. So, I approached him first until we talked and I became curious about him that's why I wanted to also be his friend, elder sister!"

Grey, his little brother said honestly while still pouting. He was being so adorable that Iris couldn't help but pinch his pinkish cheeks. That made Grey shout at the pain she made him feel for a moment. Then, Grey was now massaging her red cheeks

"Well, what could I say? My little beany brother is a curious little beany cat!" Iris said teasing her little brother again until he lightly hit his sister's legs. Then, he cried while walking away from her and standing at the back of Lucius, holding his other leg while still crying

Lucius was suddenly surprised at the sudden actions of the siblings in front of him. That made him experience something new. It was like a family bond that he never had with anyone in the duchy – except for Damon. Though, that was for a very long time ago. Yet, upon feeling tiny hands grabbed his legs, for a moment he felt warmth through his body like he felt a different person than he was before

Iris looked at the two and was about to laugh at her little brother when he saw how Lucius - the guy in front of her - acted surprise. She saw how surprised his face was. However, the surprise in his face gives off a bit of warm feeling as if he wants to experience such a family-like them bonding with each other

'Why does he had those kinds of expressions?'