With Rain comes misfortunes

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

 It was raining heavily, and Rain was unable to get the small kiss she shared with Doni out of her mind, it was brief almost brotherly, it could have been considered brotherly if he didn't use his tongue but he did.

Recalling it still made her cheeks flush with a rich rosy pink color that resembled the rosy rose of the vines of her father's estate.

She wasn't happy but she wasn't sad either, even though Doni hadn't said it directly, he had made it clear that he might be unable to love her and she would keep hurting herself if she were to remain attracted to him.

If so then why did he kiss her with such passion? She touched the tip of her lips again, and she flushed once more, Marine had been in the corner studying the girl. Her demeanor had changed since this morning, she was just staring at the window even though the rain was heavy. She couldn't tell what Rain was thinking about.

"Marine, do you know why they say names hold the meanings to our destiny?" She asked curiously, Marine who had been in deep thought, jolted slightly in surprise. "My mother and I didn't have a very good relationship."

"That's heartbreaking to hear." Marine stood up and brought Rain a shawl, she had a very fragile body, and exposing herself to the cold would make her sick. She wrapped the girl in her shawl and walked her away from the window.

She pulled the curtains, shielding them from the frosty wind that blew in wildly.

"But please tell me more," If there was one thing Marine liked about Rain, it's the fact that the girl talked quite a lot to her, about everything, even about the things she isn't supposed to disclose to a maid.

Rain was such a humble child.

"I was always curious about why my mother had named me Rain," She continued as she strolled towards the couch that was close to the fireplace, her green eyes watched Marine intently as she added more firewood to the fireplace. "But I didn't know how to talk to her, I thought about the things she liked, my mother liked flowers, colors, and butterflies."

"She must be very artistic, hence your very natural name." Marine tried to lighten the mood, as she handed Rain a cup filled with hot tea. The girl had sneezed twice, so she thought a cold was probably on its way.

"I thought so until I noticed Mother used to swear a lot in the rain." Rain blew slightly on her drink and sipped from the cup as soundless as possible. "She hated the rain because she believed the rain brought bad luck."

"Ah…" Marine sounded a bit disappointed.

"The other courtesans said it was because I was born in the rain, There was a storm while my mother was having me, and it ruined a lot of things and made them almost homeless for months." Rain raised the tea cups slightly. "She took one look at me and named me Rain, the catastrophe that befell them, Rain to remind her of all the dark clouds and the storms that were in her life."

"Do you always feel like that?" She asked curiously and Rain nodded.

"Yes, that's why when it Rains now, I hope life isn't so hard for her anymore." Rain muttered softly, as she thought about how long it had been, she didn't even remember what her mother looked like anymore. She also wanted to know if once in a while, in times like this, her mother also thought about her. "Maybe she will be reminded of me when it rains."

"Please stand up." Marine urged as she collected the cup of hot tea from Rain and helped her up.

"What is it?" She asked in surprise, as Marine led her back to the window and then opened the curtains. "What are you doing?"

"There is something I want to show you." She answered as she peered outside, she suddenly drew back the curtains and then held Rain's hands. They followed through the other door that led to the balcony, standing on the highest floor of the building, Rain's eyes could now reach even places she couldn't see before.

"Do you see?" Marine pointed at the children playing in the rain, some of them their mothers running after them to get them back inside, there was even a couple dancing in the rain playing with as much as many water as they could. "During rain like this, the servants in the estate can have a break and have a little bit of fun like this. They usually love to play in the rain and get wet while they forget whatever bothers them. They have worked for too long in the sun, so the rain is something they look forward to."

"But they would fall sick." She protested. "Isn't the rain bad for their health?"

"Not everyone is as weak as you, My Lady." She continued. "You have a fragile body compared to everyone else, and that is why you should always stay warm."

"Warm…" She muttered as her eyes followed the landscape, truly they seemed happy as they played and danced in the rain. It's just her that can't stay in the rain, all because she is prone to getting sick.

"Let's go back inside," Marine urged. "The weather is getting too cold."

Rain had sneezed again, and she could feel herself grow weaker, indeed it was just her with such a weak body. She wondered what it would feel like for her to run along the land with this much rain pouring and she also wondered if she would get as much happiness as they were getting.

Her mother had always said.

With rain comes misfortune.

Rain's eyes narrowed as they caught the carriage, which approached her residence, she recognized the heraldry of the carriage too, and it had the symbol of the house of Elderslot. It can't be the Duke, her eyes widened when the carriage stopped and she saw the familiar red hair that runs in the family.

The Young Duke…

Sir Izekiel Roni.

"With rain comes misfortune," Rain muttered unconsciously.

"What is the Young Duke doing here?" Marine gasped lightly. Rain knew everyone feared the young Duke greatly, he was quite witty and wicked. "Please My Lady, come back inside before anyone sees you."

Marine panicked as she tried to pull her away from the mouth of the balcony.

"It's already too late." Rain muttered as she locked eyes with her brother. "The Young Duke is looking at me."

"To what do we owe this visit, brother Izekiel?" Rain asked as she courtesies, acknowledging his presence and his position in the household. A small smirk reached his mouth and he lifted her face with his gloved hands.

"You have grown a lot," He muttered, his green eyes narrowed even more at her face, and he suddenly burst into laughter. "You resemble that man even more right now."

"T-That man?" She whispered back, her voice fading away at the end. "You mean father?"

"Of course, it's almost as though you're twins." He chuckled even more and he slowly let go of her face, Rain's hands unconsciously reached for her jaw and rubbed it slightly. "In all those three years I was away, you didn't even send me a letter once."

Rain remained silent, and she clenched her jaws tightly, the young Duke strolled further into the bedroom, his eyes judged everything in there. It was like an abandoned hut, not a room that befits the daughter of the Duke.

He tsked in disappointment, what was the Duchess thinking when she brought her in here?

"Lily wrote to me every week, and sometimes every three days, she described everything she would like to do in her letters." He muttered stalking towards the window and pulling the curtains shut. "She kept me entertained with the events in her life, but why didn't I receive even a single letter from you? Weren't you curious about how I was doing?"

"Pardon me, brother." She muttered. "I just wasn't so sure, you would want to bore yourself with my nonsense."

"How could I be bored of my sister?" He took off his gloves. "I came running to see you, I haven't even gone into the mansion to see father or mother, I came here to see you first."

Rain gasped lightly when he suddenly grabbed her arms, he tilted her head backward, and his eyes narrowed as they studied her face. Rain pushed him away slightly and she sneezed, she had been trying to keep it but she couldn't hold it in anymore.

"You have a cold?" His eyes twisted in disgust and he turned in the direction of the maid whose head was lowered the whole time.

"You…" He said pointing to her. "What's your job here?"

"I am the serving maid in charge of the lady." She answered with a shake in her voice.

 Izekiel slapped her and she fell to the ground, Rain rushed toward them before her brother could hit the maid again.

"You're in charge of the lady and yet she has a cold?" He roared. "Why was she outside when it was raining so heavily? What are you going to do if she falls sick again?"