Lady Eresia

Serene's face lay bare as pale as the sky aloft. The interchangeable occurring affection both Heiress had been sharing with one another has been halted in stillness. Drawing their warmth away from each other for it was unduly inappropriate to Lady Eresia to have sighted. The unforeseen situation both three were imprisoned in had surprised Serene herself, perceiving the likelihood of her sister Eresia to be upstairs, unwanted to gain disturbance.

However, Eresia could not dare to refrain herself from frowning as she terribly have been sighted both couples mating in their Garden. Eresia was no innocent woman for she was only one year younger than her sister, Serene. Yet, she felt in full terror due to the seen situation of the two.

"L—Lady Eresia... " Jake's voice stuttered due to the shamelessness. Hesitant at first since he is fearing Serene's judgment by both couples, he went towards Eresia and grabbed her soft hand, kissing the back of her palm. "... It is a pleasure to meet you here in your Garden. "

Eresia on the other hand uttered no response for the last ten seconds as she withdraw her hand from the gentleman. She tilted her head only to look at her sister's face, flaring in the tint of red.

"I suppose it occurs entirely my fault as I have thought I was the only one happens to be in the Garden," Eresia uttered to both parties. "However, if you dare not be caught by our parents, you may do it somewhere in private wherein no one may see the both of you. Good'day... " Lady Eresia formally dismisses herself by bending down before departing from the Garden, leaving both couples instilled shamefulness.

Before everything could have been layered in complete awkwardness, Jake had decided to open a subject. "So that was your sister you were telling me about the last month? Lady Eresia? The one who had studied in the North Estate for five years?" Jake asked all of the sudden.

Serene fixed her hair as well as her dress as she decided to draw herself near her lover. "Indeed, she is. She had barely spoken to me since the last day upon her arrival."

"She had not manifested her presence in the Dining Hall earlier, why?" Jake asks once again.

"She is in need of being alone as she said she locked herself inside her room. "

Jake aside from his concerns to Serene's family, he was interested in knowing more about Serene's sister since her behavior earlier was a mystery. No opinions nor emotions did she manifest rather than from frowning.

"Jake... " Serene's voice lingered in his ears as she roamed her hands on his masculine figure.

Serene's voice behaved similarly to an angel deceiving his own thoughts. It was no use since Jake has no control over the betrayal of his own body as it responds to his Fiancé's serenity. He had acknowledged the fact since the day he had encountered her there was something hidden about Serene that he hadn't figured out yet. Everything that Serene performs possesses his own soul like magic. A wild poisonous flower tainted in saccharine lust.

"Jake, could we do this somewhere private? " Serene begs, drawing herself near her Lord.

Jake couldn't resist upon groaning between Serene's faint heavy breaths as he wrapped his hand around her waist once more. The longer Serene kept on sending electricity to Jake's body, the longer he craves for her even more. He was already aroused and hard for Lady Serene and Lady Serene could have no more to ask since she was fascinated upon the pressed solidity of him.

In between the accumulation of their sexual tension, heavy thin footsteps against the marble floor echoed along the hallway, audible to their ears as it paces faster as if in a hurry. Serene was alarmed and did not wish to repeat the performed mistake earlier. She pushed the man away from her body and thankfully, Jake permitted her to distance herself as soon as someone entered the Garden.

"Oh, there you are, Dear." Serene's Mother uttered. She lowered herself in the proclamation of greeting Lord Jake. "Lord Jake... " She called.

The Lord bowed his head in response, allowing a smile on his face as he greeted Serene's mother. "Lady Alice." He formally greeted.

"Mother, what brought you here in the Garden? " Serene asked with a hint of frustration written on her face.

Truly it was a disappointment and a frustrating time for everyone to interrupt both couples in the middle of their affection. Jake and Serene missed each other deeply for they were apart during an entire week. It was only Jake's letter that proposes to end the excruciating longing for each other as it was his plan to visit their mansion with permission of Lord Thior himself.

"Lord Hugh and Lady Ethel will be on their way now. We must go to bid farewell."

Serene's eyes widened in a frown. The touches of her mother's words give more accumulation of her own frustration.

"Yet it is too soon for them to depart from our estate, Mother." She commented, frowning as she steal a glance at the man beside her.

Lady Alice on the other hand only dismisses the stubbornness of her first child as she patted her raven hair.

"I understand your need of being with your Fiancé, My Dear. However, they must depart the Estate in order to have preparation for the upcoming celebration this Wednesday. Please, acknowledge the situation. You may talk with Lord Jake on Wednesday, during the celebration."

Despite Lady Alice's comfort to her daughter, it only frustrated Serene even more. She dislikes the idea of being separated from her lover after being unable to see him for an entire week. Serene felt unhappy by the news yet did not utter anything in return.

"Lady Serene..." Jake calls. "Worry not, I oath not to disappoint you during our celebration this coming Wednesday." He cheers, hoping the lady would lay a smile.

The Lady was forced to smile, nodding her head in uncertainty. She cannot withdraw from the fact that they were no married couple to be inseparable from each other.

"We must go for they all await for our presence in the Grand Entrance Hall."

+++++++++Cut chapter+++++++++

Lady Alice, Lord Jake, and Lady Serene departed from the Garden and to their main destination. The maids who come across their direction bowed their heads in a sign of respect. Serene was unhappy as she kept on gazing at the man who stood walking beside her. They remain in silence until they have seen the figures of their parents, biding their time on the main door of the East's Mansion.

"I apologize for my daughter's inappropriate behavior, Lord Hugh and Lady Ethel. She is having rough circumstances, please do understand." Lord Thior apologized at the Smith's.

"Oh, no need to beg for an apology, Lord Thior. I understand that children do indeed are hard-headed nowadays."

The husband agrees with her wife, laughing in disbelief. "Such eloquence lacking mannerisms, isn't it? "

The subject topic about Lady Eresia's inappropriate behavior to their visitors soon vanished when Lady Alice's arrival including Serene's and Jake's had entered the group.

"There he is. Jake, come here." Jake's father uttered. "We will get going now, Lord Thior, Lady Alice, and Lady Serene." Lord Thior asked in permission upon withdrawing from the Estate.

It was too early for them to depart and Serene had no choice since they were indeed in need of preparation for the oncoming celebration and Jake must be there too. The carriage took the three of them and all Serene could do was to linger her eyes to the departing carriage out of their property.

"Unity with the Smith's Estate could gain us more production and prosperity since their Estate is the trading marks. I am beyond happy upon hearing the news from Lord Hugh himself." The Lord uttered, gently tapping his daughter's shoulders. "We have no more to ask but this. I was right, you my daughter would bring prosperity to our family."

Lord Thior offered a hug to his daughter and the daughter accepted her father's proud action. She did always desire for her family to be happy and proud in the cause of her desirable choices in life. All she wishes was to make her family proud of her.

"We do love how you make us proud every single day, My Dear Serene." Lady Alice caresses Serene's soft curly hair in the midst of the warm weather.

The Lady from the stairs stood in silence as she gazes upon the three people at the Grand Entrance of their Hall. She was unable to suppress the suffocating enviousness and furthermore, the unwanted sight of the three did not aid her from it. Before someone could have caught her, she withdraw from her position as to go back to her own chamber, uttering no words behind.

"What about Eresia, Mother? You must have been so proud of her growth since her return. What's more exquisite was that she stood as the top learner in the academy." Serene opened, lifting her head to gaze upon her Mother.

Serene may not admit it, but she is truly and entirely impressed at Eresia. And she did always envy her little sister upon having to go to North Estate while she must stay to learn from her parents since she was the future heiress, the ruler of their estate.

"Yes, of course, we are too. " Serene's mother uttered in a blithe manner. "Your sister, Eresia, has mulishness not only to the family but to others as well. She'd only rebel despite the things we have done to her. We love her just as we love you, My Daughter. We are proud of her outstanding performance during her studies in the North however, we will not tolerate such displeasing manners."

Serene knew Eresia's lack of respect. She was the rebel between the both of them and yet Serene had no idea why even if she asks.

"Well then, we may discuss about the punishment for Eresia after the celebration." Her mother sighed, easing her own anger away.

"I certainly agree. Now, go to your sister upstairs, Serene. While the sun still shines you may go to the marketplace to buy dresses you and your sister likes. The Dressmaker is ill and could no longer make dresses as of now."

Serene was worried after hearing her father's statement as she anticipated the Dressmaker upon making her the beautiful dress for the upcoming celebration of her and Lord Jake. Although the Dressmaker is ill, she may no longer provide Serene with unique beautiful dresses similar to the dresses she wore every day. Deeply the hand-made dresses were Serene's favorite. She dislikes the dresses that were on the market as it occurs to be made unexclusively for her but for everyone who may wish to buy. Furthermore, the plain sight of the dresses could only create a dull expression and disappointment in her face since no one could do better for her but the ill Dressmaker.

"Well, perhaps we can beg and negotiate to the Dressmaker or force her to make me and Eresia a beautiful dress for the upcoming celebration—"

Lord Thior cuts his daughter off, lending her a humorless expression. "Serene, the Dressmaker is old and is currently ill. We won't force someone who has sickness and who is old. Now don't be so stubborn and go upstairs. I'll ready the carriage for you and your sister."

Before Serene could reply to her father, he turned his back away, departing from their position. Her mother could only smile gently as she pecks a kiss on her daughter's cheek before following her husband from behind.

Serene knew what behavior she had shown to her parents would bring disappointment to their faces. She was being selfish for a moment and she knew that was wrong of her, knowing that being the heiress of the Estate, she must be selfless and prioritize other people primarily.

Disappointed by her own behavior, she sigh in the air. The empty hall made her realize something that she has to do before the sun decides to settle down the horizon.

Her pair of heels created thin noises as it kisses the marble floor, going forward the stairs to meet Eresia at her own chamber. Servants she encounters decided upon lending her their respect by bowing their heads and greeting her a good morning. She responded with a smile and only to be faded once they were out of her sight. Serene was anxious by the time being and perhaps the occurrences of events left her unprepared. Especially, when she acted drastically annoying earlier ago.

A low knock occurred as she was greeted by Eresia's door. The repeated action began to make her impatient and the only thing she wish to do was to trespass inside her sister's chamber. No frail voices responded even if she had knocked once, twice, and thrice at her sister's door.

"Eresia? It's me, Serene." She introduces, anticipating for a reply over the silence inside the door. "Well..." Serene cleared her throat. "...may I come in?"

It was trailed by a long silence and she decided upon departing from her sister's door when she heard her permission echoed from the other side of the room. "You may."

Serene smiled in response as she opened her sister's door, closing it from behind her once she had joined inside her sister's chamber. Eresia was tampering powder on her face as the sunlight brightens her skin. Unlike earlier, today she lays a layer of facial colourettes on her face to visualize the shape and figure of her face even more.

Serene was impressed, walking towards her sister in front of her mirror. "I must say, you had truly grown up such a fine woman, Eresia."

Eresia on the other hand had been disturbed, halting from discharging her following action. She lifted her head and saw her sister from the mirror, stood beside her with astonishment plastered on her face.

Truly it was her first time hearing someone say such fine words to her here in their estate. She couldn't help herself but to smile yet in an embarrassing manner. "T—Thank you." She stutters.

Exposing her teeth due to satisfaction, Serene knew she was delighted for bearing a successful smile on her sister's face which she never saw after her departure from the estate.

"Right. Before I could forget, Mother and Father told us we can go to the marketplace today to choose dresses for the upcoming celebration of my marriage with Lord Jake."

A neutral expression towers Eresia's face as she discontinues layering facial colourettes on her face. "You're getting married? With whom?"

Serene nodded her head in excitement and in anticipation that her little sister was happy for her prosperity too. "We are not in a rush for it is only a celebration for everyone to acknowledge the unity of two estates. Oh, how I longed for being married to Lord Jake." Serene clasped both her hands, delicately swaying herself in awestruck.

The sound of a creaking chair halted her as she saw her sister right from the very front of her face. Serene couldn't dare to guess what thoughts were existing on her mind at the moment with the neutral expression overrunning her facial expression.

"Is there something wrong, Eresia?" Serene asked in a low tone.

Eresia sighed. "Indeed there is. Mother said you only met him a month ago."

Serene was confused by her sister's words and does not know why she must express her thoughts I unorganized that it only puzzles her.

"So?"

"Oh dear heavens! You can't just marry a man you've just met, Sister." Eresia scolded.

"Well, I am the heiress, and our mother and father had already settled the arrangement between us and Lord Jake, Eresia. I know we can't just hop ourselves in someone else's trousers yet as my sister, I hope you acknowledge the fact that I am going to marry him for the prosperity of our estate and our parents' happiness and not just for my selfish reasons. I am the heiress, every heir must marry a man with whom the parents' had the approval of since it can bring prosperity for the sake of all."

Long silence finally began to settle to the air and it only took a minute for Serene to realize she shouldn't have uttered the statement with the tone of anger. Guilt overwhelmed her system as she began to stare at her sister with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Eresia. I shouldn't have raised my tone like that."

Her sister only shook her head in response. "No need to lend an apology. I understand, it was entirely my fault. So, you may continue what you were discussing earlier."

Serene cleared her throat as she stared at the facial colourettes on her sister's table.

"As I was saying, we must get ready for the celebration since it would be held the day after tomorrow. We still have no preparation especially dresses that we wish to wear. Father told us we could go to the marketplace to look for one."

Eresia kept fixing her hair, unsatisfied by the current arrangement of her curly hair. "Well then, I have many new dresses prepared but I supposed you are still in need of buying one."

Both sisters filled the room with laughter yet Serene's gaze fall down towards Eresia's neck. Serene thought she was merely mistaken at first however, as she took another glance at the sighted matter for her to be certain of what it is, Serene turned herself in confusion.

The sight of two scarlet marks on her face made Serene draw closer to Eresia's neck.

"Eresia, where did you get that? Did you get bitten?"