My brows furrowed. It seemed to me that Blair was getting weirder as days passed by. The flower that was cultivated and nourished by Noreen’s blood might lift the curse on him, but sometimes it also seemed to change him into an entirely different person.
We did not have to walk for long before the gate of the palace came into view, and I saw Maya running over from a long distance. As she neared us, she registered Blair’s presence and granted him a surprised look.
“I bumped into him on the way,” I explained.
Maya didn’t say anything in response to my statement. Instead, she greeted Blair before winking at me and coupling it with a mysterious smile. What could have gotten into her head?
Before I could figure out what her expression meant, her hands found my arms, and she pulled me away until we found ourselves treading the path all the way to a small and exquisite palace.
As we closed in on the palace, I could make out a rough estimation of a dozen maids waiting for our arrival. The second I set foot inside, they started to help me dress up without saying anything. They looked like busy bees minus the buzzing, only the working.
I couldn’t have chosen any better way to show how confused I was than to crinkle up my face. Amidst the orchestrated chaos, I grabbed Maya and asked, “What are they doing? Is there a dinner party tonight?”
Maya covered her mouth, but it didn’t stifle her giggles. I didn’t take any offense about her amusement at my unawareness; instead I was just really confused. “Miss Todd, you’ll know, eventually.”
“No. You better give me a heads up, so that I can mentally prepare myself-“
As if I wasn’t dragged around enough for today, I was again yanked and led to the dressing room, in courtesy of the maids. The flashbacks of when I first came to the palace to attend the banquet swamped me.
Probably because I was in the delicate stages of pregnancy, the maids didn’t prepare high heels for me. Even the fancy frock they clad me with was a slightly loose and off the shoulder dress.
I looked down at the sapphire blue dress on me and lost in thought. It was beautiful, but the style was too sweet-almost intimate, in fact, that I imagined it to be worn on a date and a little inappropriate for a serious dinner party. I was getting more curious.
I turned to ask Maya, but I knew my questions were meant to be unhatched as she faced me with a mysterious smile and repeated, “Miss Todd, you’ll know, eventually.”
Well, hearing the exact same words again fall off her lips wasn’t what came to mind when I turned to her. Forget it. I wouldn’t ask. I would know by then anyway, as Maya delightfully emphasized so.
One maid ironed the little ruffle on my dress, while the other made sure that everything was set before Maya hauled me out of the dressing room and ushered me to a place with a neofuturistic architectural style. The layout and decoration there were modern and scientific. The grandness this place held still hadn’t ceased to make me stop on my tracks and take in its marvel as it took my breath away.
I scanned the hall curiously and had only come to my senses as I took in the notion that there was such a place in the royal palace. It was like the enchanting beauty from the middle ages and avant-garde robots from modern society were thrown together in one mix. The place looked harmonious despite the contrast in style, but still creative.
I was still taking in the elaborate details of this newly found location as we made our way to the upper floors. The entire third floor was a movie hall. As if to keep her acting in secrecy in tow, Maya hurriedly drew me to sit down and arranged a lot of delicate desserts and tea for me, out of the delicacies waiting there.
“Prince Rufus is busy, but he’ll be here soon. While waiting, Miss Todd, you can watch a movie first.”
I nodded. Although it was strange-even stranger than how I thought she was behaving-I didn’t ask any more. I appeased my mind on the thought that Rufus must want to have a date. That romantic guy always surprised me, and it put a smile across my face.
It warmed and moved my heart. But when I thought of the curse and the thorn on his back, the sweet smile on my lips gradually turned bitter.
It would be better to just forget it and relax. There must be a way out.
I shifted on my seat as the starting movie grabbed my wandering mind, cutting my train of thoughts short. Maya left without disturbing me.
I just sat there watching the movie while waiting for Rufus. The film seemed to be about someone’s growth, but the plot was relatively boring. It had always been set on the first-person point of view of a military school student, like an ordinary video weblog of his daily life, and there was no conflict between the characters. It was more like a documentary than a movie, and I was becoming unappreciative.
My consciousness was gradually being pulled away from the activity that was supposed to entertain me. I tried as much as I could to keep myself awake, but my eyelids were getting heavier, tempting me to give in. When I was about to fall asleep, a familiar tall figure suddenly appeared in the movie.
My heart beat faster, adrenaline shooting a great amount of dosage into my blood vessels and forcing my lulled mind to be wide awake. At last, as if the man on the screen sensed that I was barely breathing, he turned around. It was Rufus with roses in his arms.
My hands found their way up-not knowing whether to cover my gaped mouth, or to rest them against my pounding chest. What a romantic surprise!
Sylvia’s POV
My eyes widened in shock and my heart palpitated rapidly yet I could hear every individual beat echoing in my head. As the thought of what was about to happen formed in my head, I stood up abruptly, but it was too late. The movie screen slowly went up revealing the stage, and the lights came on.
Rufus, standing gracefully with flowers in his arms, appeared in the center of the stage. His deep-set, affectionate eyes were capable of making people fall in love with him at first sight.
My mind raced and my breathing was in a frantic state. In truth, the surprise Rufus had arranged for me brought only panic and no joy to my heart. I could tell that he was going to propose to me.
I knew that he had been wanting to propose to me for a while now, but he couldn’t find the right time and opportunity.
However, I thought that the proposal would be delayed and I didn’t think he would take action so suddenly.
I couldn’t accept his proposal, and even though I knew it would break his heart, I had to find a way to get out of there as soon as possible.
I racked my brain, searching for ways to stall for time.
While I was panicking internally, Rufus started walking towards me, like a knight in shining armor. I found myself at a complete loss for words and my eyes were fixed on the man in front of me.
No she-wolf could resist a proposal from her beloved, and I was no exception.
If it weren’t for that damned curse, I would have thrown myself on him and kissed him in front of everyone. I wanted to tell him just how much I loved him.
I nervously swallowed to moisten my dry throat as mixed feelings lingered in my heart. I took a step forward and just as I opened my mouth to greet him, I heard the sound of warm applause from behind me.
The lights around us suddenly lit up.
I turned around and looked at the people standing behind me in surprise. Not only Harry and Joanna were here, but also Ethan and Laura were present. Even some of my friends and acquaintances from school and the army were also here.
To add to my bafflement, even Blair, who I had parted with at the gate of the palace hours ago was standing there, but he looked annoyed.
The panoramic glass ceiling above our heads slowly split apart, revealing a breathtaking starry night sky.
With a loud bang, brilliant fireworks arced in the boundless night sky, warmly celebrating this touching scene.
Under the dazzling fireworks, Rufus stepped forward with flowers in his hands. He looked even more charming and handsome than I thought was possible. Everything felt like a beautiful dream to me.
As he smiled radiantly at me from a distance, his eyes shone with happiness.
Two years ago, I couldn’t even dare to imagine that in the future, a man like him would ask for my hand in marriage in such a dream-like experience that he had fabricated for me. I wanted nothing more than to stop time and freeze this moment so I could enjoy it a little longer.
Harry’s cheers and other people’s applause came to my ears, breaking my reverie.
Rufus walked up to me and kissed me gently on the back of my hand. His long and thick eyelashes fluttered and his prominent nose gently rubbed against my skin, like feathers brushing across my heart. It was the most common hand-kissing, but he made it look particularly affectionate and solemn.
Then he knelt down on one knee and my heart skipped a beat.
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