Cicadas buzzed their mourning as heat rippled off the horizon line, never ceasing the continuous unsounding peels of waves. There wasn't anything but a faint humid wind that encircled the small country house, stirring the lavender patches that were brimming violet in the light of day. Amongst the lavender also grew sporadic patches of poppies and acacia that were bold against the simple coloured sea.

From the tiny house located on the shore of this metaphorical sea was a tiny cottage house, which is where Weiss Guertena loved to escape to. The sea in his backyard, the harsh work of even obtaining water, and the quaint life not surrounded in filth and decay like the city was majestic and comforting.

The cottage was Guertena's escape for both recreational and creative purposes. Some nights he would just wander the land, often walking up to the curious faces of children who happened upon his sleeping form, he would then be scolded and invited in for breakfast (most of the time), before asking directions back to his own abode. One of the families had gotten so used to finding him sleeping in their rosebuds that they just threw a blanket over him and let him sleep. Even the two children who lived there called him 'uncle nightwalker.'

Unfounded, as nightwalkers disappear with the first rays of light, but Guertena let them have their fun. But none of this mattered at this particular moment, but it will later, though he was too blind to see the irony of those little buds during his previous visits.

Unbearably bothered by the heat, Weiss Guertena slowly staggered his way down the dirt path with sweat accumulating on his brow. He felt immensely haggard from his long walk back to the cottage, but his thoughts only twittered upon this annoyance for mere seconds before flying back over to his other problem.

Many, many months ago while he had been in the city, he was set up on courting a young heiress who he found very selfish at first glance. Her sisters were even worse when he met them separately, but together...he didn't want to begin to imagine it. He had played the gentleman, bringing flowers such as marigolds, hydrangeas, and even germaniums while mocking her at the same time with their meanings. Ever since he inherited his family's fortune and made a name for himself as an artist, suitors have flocked to him non-stop, fathers and mothers pushing their hungry desires for wealth and power onto their equally avaricious daughters, who would then pursue him with their fake affections. He had had enough by the time she came around to being another suitor for him to secretly hate, and so he had started to take his bitterness on her.

They did nothing but argue, throwing caustic insults at one another, normally with her finding someway to get the final word before storming out of the parlor, her nose held high in smug satisfaction and with some wounds that needed licking. Pride was an issue for both of them, though Guertena was rather lax with women, his grandmother had set him straight from a young age, but this lady was different. She infuriated him like no other! She was selfish, self-absorbed, and fake just like all the others, but his first impression had slowly changed as her father forced them together more often.

He wasn't meant to see it, but he had been making his way across the park to find a suitable spot that would possibly inspire him when he happened to see her walking into a thicket of trees. Normally, he would have kept walking without another glance, but there were many factors that contributed to him following her. For one, no one ever came to this part of the park as it was dense with undergrowth and lacked domestication, and, secondly, it was on a whim that he was curious to what the oh-so heiress was doing this far out of her father's reach.

He had quietly followed her, nearly turning back twice, until finally reaching a stone carving that foreshadowed the ruins beyond it. If memory served him correctly, the carving had been for a large mansion that had once stood on the land, but the family had passed away in some natural disaster that had left only the mansion's skeleton to be overrun with neglect. She had walked towards one of the jagged beams, looking quickly around to make sure there were no prying eyes, before discarding her shoes and stripping down to the last layer of her dress, carefully laying the others down on another beam, and finally began to climb up the skeleton.

Guertena had watched in fascination as she skillfully pulled herself up along the fragile remains, nearly running forwards when she slipped twice, but she regained her balance and continued unawares. At one point, she had pulled on a loose piece of wood which caused rotten wood chips to rain down and the dirt had spotted her face, but she did not wipe it away or even seem to notice. At that moment, he had respected her. Most ladies, especially of her social standing, would have stopped and cried about dirt or being tired. He shook his head, reminding himself that she was still just another annoying suitor that was following her father's orders.

He had stayed long enough to curiously watch her reach the top, grab something he couldn't make out, and make it half way down before leaving her to her own devices. It wasn't any of his business in the first place, but there would be more occasions that he ended up following her, watching her climb trees or ruins in different sections of the city, and his curiosity only grew as he couldn't understand her aim in doing these unlady-like things.

After nearly a month he finally decided to ask one of her sisters. He chose the one always dressed in yellow and gossiped every chance she could. It wasn't hard to bring up her sister's strange actions and the haughty laughter was also expected as she seemed to find some enjoyment in any initiation of criticism

"Oh, that sister of mine. I'm much prettier than she is, don't you agree?" She didn't bother waiting for a reply, sure he would agree with her regardless. "She's so strange and have you seen her clothes lately? Just yesterday she came home with dirt around the hem of her dress, and it was such a nice dress! I bet she's just rolling around with some pauper out there, that's why she is always having to clean her fingernails and change! How disgusting, but everyone just seems to ignore it, but I'm sure father doesn't care either way. Ah, you didn't hear this from me, but their relationship is strained so tautly that it could snap any moment. Oh, but watching father barely register her is just so much fun! My other sisters don't understand this, they're just young and probably too stupid...they also didn't grow up being compared to her-" she tightened her grip on her dress, crinkling it without noticing as she continued, "Oh, but she never liked studying! She's quite messed up in the head as she preferred doing boorish activities like climbing trees and helping with the garden, which she still does now! My other sisters often call her motherly, but I know she's just uncivilized! Her behaviour is atrocious! Why, just the other day, a servant had dropped one of the busts in the hallway, but she took the blame for her...t-the audacity! She has no clear-"

Guertena had zoned out, nodding in the appropriate places as he waited for what he wanted to know to roll out of her big mouth. It took nearly another twenty-five excruciating minutes.

"Geez, and because of mother's declining health she's been going out more and bringing back stupid flowers to plant. Mother loves that garden, used to work out in the disgusting dirt, but father persuaded her otherwise and the servants were left with the task. I'll never understand my mother, the silly woman is living in luxury yet she often complains of wanting to do such trivial things as gardening, just like a peasant. There's a rumor that mother isn't a real heiress, but an adopted one from some extended family that had her marry father for money. She should be more grateful, but at least I don't have to take care of her. I don't know how my sister can stand our mother or dote on her like she does, maybe she just wants the approval of at least one of our parents. How sad."

By this time, Guertena made an excuse to leave, sick of the yellow-clad lady and her inept empathy towards her mother or anyone else's feelings. Of all the sisters, he found her the most obnoxious.

"Are you Guertena?" He turned towards the meek voice unwillingly, not too surprised to see the two youngest sisters peeking out at him from a large pillar.

He had nothing against them as they were still rather young, maybe thirteen or so with another couple of years before they would be eligible to marry. "Yes, can I help you two?"

They gave each other looks, glancing back at him a few times before the smallest stepped forwards and waved for him to lean down, which he complied with. She cupped her small hands over his ears and whispered, "Please don't listen to what my sister said, sissy is really nice when she wants to be. If she gets mad at you, that means you're good friends, right?"

He blinked as she drew away and smiled at him, but he was stuck with how to answer. It was a code for him not to talk trash about older siblings to younger ones that loved them, and this should have been no different...so, why was he actually considering their relationship? Well, it was probably because most of his suitors didn't dare say anything against him, but she wasn't afraid of arguing with him or being too unladylike.

"Quick hide," one of the two said, ushering Weiss to hide as their sister appeared in the parlor.

"What are you both doing still loitering around the corridor? Your piano lessons began a few minutes ago," she accused while coming up to them. Guertena nearly couldn't believe that the two just mumbled apologies and half-heartedly admitting that they hated playing the piano and that the teacher was mean.

Their red dressed sister sighed, "Come on, I'll play you both something today if you can get through the scales properly."

"No knuckle smacking?" They inquired hopefully.

She shook her head while smiling at them, "Alright, but I want you both to eat all your vegetables tonight."

They both made faces, but she rolled her eyes and ushered them along while listing all the vegetables they were going to have that night, continuing to tease them as they protested eating spinach and cabbage or any other green vegetables.

Guertena emerged from his hiding spot in awe, not aware that she could make such a face other than scorn or determination. It was rather strange to see her act so...motherly. Perhaps her little sister had been correct, she could be nice when she wanted to.

With this revelation, Guertena could not stop himself from slowly becoming entranced by her. As her mother's health improved, so did her behaviour towards him. Of course, she still made snide remarks and often found his obsession with incorporating his very essence into art rather strange, but left it well enough alone. In ways of improvement she now talked at lengths with him without arguing about anything and everything, and, sometimes, would speak about her younger sisters lovingly.

After about half a year death suddenly ferried away her mother. It had been sudden and swift, leaving the doctors at a loss as she had made almost a full recovery just months before. The news had reached him when he had stopped by the mansion after she never arrived at their appointed meeting time. One of the younger sisters had told him the horrible news, adding that their eldest sister was refusing to see anyone until further notice.

He had given her space, understanding that the death of a parent was awful and shattering. It was three weeks later that he was spurned into action by the pleading of the youngest sisters whom informed him that their sister wasn't faring well with the sudden loss and was almost like a lifeless shell. This did not bode well with him and so three days later he went to the mansion to see her. Guertena passed through the entrance, ignoring the servants and butler, and walked straight into her room without bothering to knock.

She refused to look at him, yelling at him to go away, but he only dragged her out of the bed, not caring about her appearance as much as her health. She had looked rather defeated; eyes bloodshot and red rimmed from crying, her hair a tangled heap that hadn't been touched by a brush or comb in days, and the sudden realization that she was rather small. It surprised him that such a headstrong woman with a large attitude could be so small. His one hand just about encompassed her whole shoulder, he towered over her by a good foot or two, and her own hands were petite and white.

He dragged her outside and into the garden, remembering that it was briefly mentioned at some point that both she and her mother had loved that garden. He let go and let her adjust to the new surrounding, opting to approach the large rose bushes appraisingly. He admired their colour and picked a small bud before approaching her again. She seemed rather dazed as she just stared at him, and he took this opportunity to hand her the rose.

"Though they have thorns to protect themselves, roses wilt rather quickly. However, though their lifespans are short they continue to bloom without hesitation into something truly beautiful. Their death does not stop them from living, it only makes them more precious." His words seemed to have hit something raw as she started to cry into his shoulder.

Guertena had simply embraced her back, content with being a pillar of comfort for the woman he was slowly falling for.

From then on, their meetings had been friendlier and she even listened to him go off about art. He was thankful that she also never commented on some of his strange moods that would ensnare him into acting almost like a different person. It was difficult to describe, but, sometimes he would get this strange feeling that he had to stop and observe something that wasn't like the rest. Often, this ended up with him in some dark alley with some form of illegal exchange happening further down the narrow space.

However, she suddenly requested some space to sort herself out. He was quite perplexed by this, but opted to let her have this time. He had hoped that this meant she was sincerely considering him, but a month slowly crept by. He had been in his mansion, doing away with some pretense of business when a suitor decided to drop by. He did not love her, barely tolerated her, but she was funny in a flirtatious manner and the way she draped herself over him. Her laugh was high, nothing like the woman he fell in love with.

He had decided to entertain her on a whim, nothing serious as he was just bored. He hadn't expected that day to be the one where she would come back with her decision. Guertena had jumped when she opened the door, and words were not fast enough to convey that this was nothing. She had turned and fled, and he pushed the other woman off and ran after her.

He had been too slow, for when he finally turned the corner there was only a toppled carriage, screams, cries, and a large crowd. He pushed his way through, fear striking his heart as his mind toyed with the worst case scenario. He made it to the front just in time to watch her being taken away on a white cot.

He had followed after them.