A Love Without Reason

The carriage rattled along the cobbled road, taking Cedric and Seraphina towards the distant edge of the Rosewood Estate. The once-majestic estate now lay in ruins, its gardens overgrown, its manor a scorched skeleton of what it once was. Memories of Alistair and Reinhardt echoed in the place, where they used to laugh and play. But now, it was nothing more than a graveyard of a lost era.

Seraphina sat beside Cedric, her expression impassive as she gazed out the window. The news of Evelyn and Sofia's impending execution had been delivered to her, and she had taken it with cold composure. She barely seemed to care, but Cedric knew better. He had seen the subtle flicker of satisfaction in her eyes.

He turned to her, breaking the silence. "You hate them. Alistair, Reinhardt, Evelyn, and Sofia. I can understand your hatred for the kings—they wronged you, manipulated you. But them? I need to know why."

Seraphina didn't immediately respond, her gaze lingering on the darkened silhouette of the forest in the distance. The forest near Rosewood, once beautiful and alive with the laughter of children, now a reminder of something long gone. Something buried.

"You wouldn't understand," she finally said, her voice low.

"Then Make Me Understand." Cedric replied. "If you tell then I will understand Whatever it is, I've been by your side, and I will stay by your side. But if I'm going to help you—truly help you—I need to know what happened. The real reason behind your hatred."

Seraphina looked at him for a long moment, her eyes searching his. For once, she wasn't putting up her walls. She wasn't the ruthless villainess that the world saw. She was just… Seraphina. Wounded. Bitter. And tired of the lies.

She turned back towards the window. "You said something was revealed to you, something about this place."

Cedric nodded. "When I was looking through the grimoire, and when Matilda helped me unlock some of the memories tied to the forest, I saw something. A connection between Reinhardt and Alistair that no one knew about."

Seraphina's grip on her dress tightened slightly. "Go on."

"There was an incident," Cedric continued. "Something that was hidden away. They used to play here, didn't they? Alistair and Reinhardt—this estate belonged to Alistair's family before it was burned. But something happened here that changed everything."

Seraphina's silence stretched out, and Cedric could feel the tension growing between them. He wasn't sure if he was pushing too hard, but he knew he had to continue.

"I think that whatever happened here… it's part of why you hate them. But I don't know the full story."

Seraphina's voice was barely above a whisper. "You're right."

Cedric looked at her, his heart pounding in his chest. "Then tell me."

She finally turned to face him, her expression hard and guarded, but her eyes held a storm of emotions. "You want to know why I hate them? It's not because of some trivial slight or jealousy. It's because they destroyed everything I cared about."

Cedric remained silent, letting her speak. He knew that this was something she had kept buried for years, and it wasn't easy for her to open up.

"Alistair and Reinhardt were like brothers. But they weren't just playing here. They were experimenting." Her voice trembled slightly, but she regained control. "They found something in the forest—an ancient power, something they thought they could control. But it wasn't just a game. They were meddling with forces beyond their understanding."

Cedric's mind raced. This was new. The grimoire hadn't revealed this, but it made sense. "What kind of power?"

Seraphina's eyes darkened. "A curse. They unleashed something that day, something that has haunted me ever since. I was there, Cedric. I saw what they did. They didn't mean to, but it didn't matter. The forest was never the same after that. My family was never the same."

She took a deep breath, her voice shaking with anger. "My mother was one of the few who knew about the old magic tied to this land. She tried to warn them, but they didn't listen. They were too arrogant, too wrapped up in their games of power. And when the curse took hold, it was my family that paid the price."

Cedric's heart sank. "Your mother…"

"She died because of them," Seraphina said, her voice thick with emotion. "And not just her. Everything we had—our standing, our fortune, our future—it all crumbled. My father turned to the kings for help, but they used it as an excuse to strip us of everything. They took everything from me."

Cedric clenched his fists. He had suspected something dark, but this was worse than he imagined. "And the others? Evelyn and Sofia?"

"They were complicit," Seraphina spat. "They were part of the games. They may not have been the ones to unleash the curse, but they benefited from it. They watched as my family fell, and they did nothing to help. They laughed behind their masks of civility, playing the roles of perfect nobles while my world burned."

Cedric's chest tightened. He had known Seraphina's hatred ran deep, but hearing the full story, understanding the pain she had endured, it made everything clear.

"You asked why I hate them," Seraphina continued, her voice a mix of fury and despair. "That's why. They took everything from me, and no one cared. No one even remembers what happened. But I do. And I will never forgive them."

Cedric reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "I understand now."

Seraphina looked at him, her guard lowered for just a moment. "You can't save me, Cedric. Not from this. The prophecy, the curse—it's all tied together. I have to follow it."

"But I can try," Cedric said, his voice firm. "I'm not letting you go through this alone. We can break this cycle, Seraphina. Together."

She didn't pull her hand away, but she didn't respond either. The weight of her past, her pain, and the prophecy loomed over them like a shadow, but Cedric was determined to fight it. No matter what it took.

As they neared the ruins of Rosewood Estate, Cedric glanced at the burned remains of the manor. The truth of the past had come to light, but there were still more questions to answer. And now, with the full scope of Seraphina's pain laid bare before him, he knew that his fight was just beginning.

Whatever forces were at play—whether the devils, the prophecy, or the hidden powers in the forest—Cedric would face them head-on. And this time, he would do everything in his power to save the woman he loved.

No matter the cost.

The carriage halted at the entrance of the ruined Rosewood Estate, the once-grand mansion now nothing more than a decaying memory of its past. Cedric and Seraphina stepped down, the heavy air of the place adding to the gravity of their conversation.

Seraphina turned to him, her voice sharp yet tinged with something more vulnerable. "I have set the date."

Cedric blinked, processing the meaning behind her words. "The date?"

"The wedding," Seraphina clarified, her eyes cold but searching his face. "The day of our marriage... and the day of your death."

He had expected this. After everything they had been through, Cedric had come to terms with it. He nodded slowly, his eyes unwavering as he faced her. "I know. And I'll go through with it, Seraphina."

"Because you love me?" she asked, a hint of bitterness in her tone.

"Yes," he replied softly, the weight of his love for her settling deep within him. "Because I love you, and I'll do anything for you."

Seraphina's gaze hardened, but her fingers trembled as she clasped them tightly together. "Why? Why do you love me, Cedric? After everything—knowing what's coming, knowing who I am—why?"

Cedric opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He wanted to explain, to tell her all the reasons why he was drawn to her—the way she carried her pain, her strength, the vulnerability she hid beneath her mask. But no matter what he thought, nothing felt right. Nothing felt... real.

His hesitation made her smile, but it was a smile laced with bitterness. "You don't know, do you? You can't explain it. That's because it's not real, Cedric."

Cedric's confusion grew, and he furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

Seraphina took a step closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "The reason you love me, the reason you've been so devoted, so willing to throw your life away for me... it's because of a potion. A potion that I gave you."

Cedric stared at her, disbelief flooding through him. "What?"

"Matilda provided it," Seraphina continued, her voice hardening. "I made you drink it the night you passed out. It was subtle—just enough to nudge your feelings, to ensure your loyalty. That's why you love me."

Cedric shook his head, taking a step back. "No. That's not—"

"That's how I knew Matilda, Cedric," she interrupted, her eyes gleaming with cold certainty. "She gave me the potion, and I used it on you. That's why you've been so obsessed with saving me, with protecting me. Your love is not real. It's fabricated."

Cedric's heart pounded in his chest, his thoughts racing. He had always been certain of his feelings for Seraphina. But now, with her revelation, doubt clawed at him. Was it all just a lie? A manipulation?

"I don't believe that," he said, his voice hoarse. "I loved you before any potion."

"Did you?" she challenged, stepping closer. "Then explain it to me, Cedric. Explain why you love me."

Cedric opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. How could he explain something that felt so innate, so deep, yet now seemed tainted by the possibility of manipulation? His mind raced for reasons—her strength, her intelligence, her beauty—but none of them seemed to capture the truth of it.

Seraphina watched him struggle, her eyes narrowing. "You can't, can you?"

"I..." Cedric's voice faltered, frustration and confusion knotting inside him. "I love you because... I just do. I don't need a reason."

"That's not enough," Seraphina said, her voice filled with both triumph and sorrow. "You see? It's not real, Cedric. You can't explain it because it's not yours. It's the potion."

Cedric stood there, torn between the truth he had always believed and the doubt she had planted. He wanted to argue, to tell her that his love was his own, but the more he tried to grasp at his feelings, the more elusive they became.

Seraphina's expression softened as she watched him struggle. "You were always so confident in your feelings, but now... now you see that it was all an illusion. I didn't want to tell you, but I couldn't let you go to your death without knowing the truth."

Cedric clenched his fists, fighting the turmoil inside him. He wanted to deny it, to tell her that his love was real, but how could he be sure? How could he ever know if his feelings were his own or if they were the result of the potion?

Seraphina stepped closer, her voice almost tender. "If you still want to go through with it—if you still want to die for me—then do it. But know that your love was never real. You were just another pawn in this cursed prophecy."

Cedric looked into her eyes, seeing the pain behind her words. He knew she was testing him, pushing him away, but the doubt had already taken root in his heart. Could he really trust his own feelings? Or had he been manipulated all along?

In that moment, Cedric realized something. Whether his love had been born from the potion or not, it didn't matter. The choices he had made, the sacrifices he was willing to endure, were real. His actions had been his own, and he had chosen to protect her. Not because of magic, but because of who she was.

"I don't care about the potion," Cedric said finally, his voice steady. "Maybe it had an effect, maybe it didn't. But everything I've done—everything I've sacrificed—was my choice. I love you, Seraphina. Whether you believe it or not."

Seraphina stared at him, her mask cracking just for a moment. "You're a fool," she whispered.

"Maybe," Cedric replied with a faint smile. "But I'm your fool."

Seraphina's expression hardened once more, and she turned away from him, hiding the tears that threatened to fall. "Then be ready, Cedric. The wedding will happen, and so will your death. There's no changing that."

Cedric watched her walk away, his heart heavy but resolute. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing remained clear to him: no matter what lay ahead, he would face it with her.

Even if it meant his end.