A shattered heart

Anis was sitting there trying to comfort Nefeli that was crying her eyes out .She couldn't quite understand how important that flower was to her friend and little did she know about that abrupt turn something so small would bring in her life ( not that it wasn't already complicated enough). She wanted to know more, to find the reason she lied to her, knowing that Anis would have done her best to help her find that rose in the first place.

'Tell me more please.' She asked with a low voice

'The flower wasn't only protected by me. It flourishes only in a place in the pick of the mountain right out of town. A thousand poison thorns prevent all potent enemies from stealing it. That poison is the worst of all; it takes away your ability to love and feel loved and at some cases leads to death. Only the ones with pure intentions of saving the soul of their loved ones can cut it without getting poisoned. Every other person that is malevolent and wants to take the flower for his own purposes to do good to his or herself is doomed to die. The one that cut it is already poisoned. Though he wasn't malevolent he took the rose for his own purposes, I think he was forced to do it…Oh my God!' she burst in tears once more not being able to control her sobbing.

'I can help, tell me I will do whatever is possible to aid you!'

'Didn't tell you there is a catch, the wish can be granted only on full moon…and tonight we are having one. I have zero chances of finding it in time! The one that has it probably is going to wish and the flower will be lost forever.' Her eyes were now red, her tears flowing in her cheeks like little rivulets.

'I'll stay with you; I will help you find it before dusk.' She looked determinated.

'Thank you Anis.' she mumbled wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

They searched everywhere they had gone to the most obscure places of the school, they tried to pinpoint the location with Nefeli's investigation strings, but all in vain, there was something like a cover spell deterring the girl's magic to reach the rose. Time passes fast when you need more of it. The night had come and everything was so dark. Nefeli was now worried sick and thought it would be very dangerous for Anis to be there alone.

'Anis I think it would be best to go get one of your knights, it's dark and something bad might happen.' She said

'Oh okay, I know Kaede was to stay until late at library to help Sensei , there is no need to use my blood, he can walk like thirty meters…'She giggled and moved to where she knew he was. There, he complains he hadn't got to see me in a while; I'll give him the chance to spend quality time with me. She smiled a little.

She passed by the library but her teacher told her he had just left, feeling dizzy. She run fast outside in hopes she would be able to catch up to him. There he was, walking towards the school gate.

'Kaede!' she shouted to get his attention. He turned to look at her with questioning eyes. She got to him, waiting a few seconds to catch her breath before speaking.

'Please come with me.' she said

'Why should I, I have never met you in my whole life?' he frowned and shook his head.

'Kaede cut it out, we need to help Nefeli…'she waved towards her direction

'You cut it out, who are you anyway?' he yelled

'Kaede what are you…' she reached for him but he shoved her hand away.

'Don't touch me! I don't even know your name!' and with that he turned to leave.

Her eyes were glassy, she could feel the tears coming down and she could do nothing to stop them. She ran out of the school, the only thing in her mind: how to get home fast.

She opened the door and slammed it behind her upon getting in her apartment. She fell on the bed crying, curled in a little ball, her hands around her stomach.

What the hell had happened? Hours before he was telling her he loved her and just now he said he didn't even know her name. He told her not to touch him; he told her he had never seen her before. When did he stop caring about her feelings? Maybe it was this way from the beginning; there was nothing left to him to do with her now he had fucked her. At this she grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it to conceal her pained sobs. 'But I love him…' …I know now. He had told me he loved me too but then…she cried more. A loud knock at the door got her out of her thoughts.

'Anis…Anis open up! It's a life or death matter!' yelled Nefeli.

The pinkette rushed to the door and upon opening it she fell in her friend's arms.'

'Anis…Anis…Anis listen to me!' she pushed her away holding her from the shoulders and forcing her to look into her eyes. '…he loves you, he does love you. It's just…that he is under the spell of the rose.'

Realization came slowly as Anise's eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell open.

'What are you talking about? How do you know?' she was confused.

'We stayed outside looking for my flower till it got dark and I told you to go get one of your knights, remember?'

'That's when he told me.' she looked away hiding her tortured expression.

'Exactly, when you left I felt the triantafillon giving its powers to its current owner. After that I run to tell you and I fell on Kaede. I could tell he was enchanted. There is no doubt!' she was dead serious.

'I need to do something!' Now Anis was taken over by panic.

'Stay calm and listen carefully to me. From the moment the wish is granted the flower starts perishing and within thirty days the magic will become permanent. That's why it is called triantafillon, it means the one that has thirty petals. Every day, actually at the end of every day one petal falls, If you haven't dispelled the magic casted upon him during this time span, he will forever forget you and your love, and stay with the flower's owner.'

'And now how am I supposed to stay calm?' she shrugged more tears coming to her eyes.

'I will do whatever it takes to help you, don't worry we will work it out just fine' she gave her a reassuring smile while she led her to the bed.

'How am I going to dispel the magic?' she held back the upcoming tears.

'I…I don't know…but my grandmother, she used to be a guardian herself, talked to me about a lot of things. She was trying to prepare me for this task while my mother's sister was at it. Only the firstborns get to be protectors and since my mother had me first and her sister had no children I was the one to take on the family's burden. Anyway, there is something we can do to find a way to make him remember. You know the Asteroscopeum, the observatory tower out of town?'

Anis nodded positively.

'…Good. There are some files of a team making research on the way full moon had an effect to the blooming of the rose since that occurred only at night. And a scientist named Aurora, if I m not mistaken, was crazy about it and wanted to prove the existence of a magical flower to the whole science community. As expected no one believed her and then we hired her to work for us, she knew too much we had to keep an eye on her. The former pink rose also told me she had a secret chamber where all her documents were kept, and everything about the flower was revealed in a book or something like that. She must have discovered something exceptional about it, something that would help us bring Kaede back to normal. My granny also told me about a myth where the true lover must find a certain map that shows the location of the pieces of the ''puzzle'' he or she has to put together. The items that will make the beloved one come to his or her senses.'

'Let's do it! My knight's love is on the play!' a frown suddenly shadowed her features as she stood up and slowly walked towards the balcony. '...Wait if he doesn't feel love for me anymore then…' she took out her cards, looking for the red one. Its colour had faded away, she took it in her hands carefully, it seemed so fragile all of a sudden. She touched it lightly and it scattered around like ashes of a burnt paper, gray petals flied out of her window travelling on an early April's breeze. Her card was gone, the last connection she had with him was gone. She turned to look at her friend

'Nefeli?...it's quite bright outside since there's a full moon tonight…You think you could get us to that effin tower?' the look in her eyes was full of determination, the one meaning «don't mess with people I love»

'That's Anis I know and respect to the core!' Nefeli gave her an understanding smirk.

So that was it guys, what do you think? Did you like it or not…please let me know by leaving a review ; ).Oh and I have to let you know that I am going on vacation tomorrow so no update next week. But I ll be sure to do it as soon as I get back. Be safe, have fun and see ya next chaptaO.O

Love,

Q.V.O.O.