Amber Memories, Forgotten
-Why Didn't the Fire-crest Leave?-
Perhaps things would have been better,
If I had let you go earlier, and you would have never left me forever.
Are- are you happier there?
Her heart tightened as if someone had clutched his cold fist over it, robbing it of its warmth it was supposed to possess. It was only natural to have a heart- one that it beats and loves. What happens when someone steals it, leaving it hollow and cold?
Tyki, Kaeda mouthed that particular saccharine word to herself, playing with the articulation and how the tongue and lips moved when it was pronounced. Her heart ached as a sudden sensation came over her, leaving her with nothing but chill at the thought that particular name seemed to be fading with every passing moments. That was how fear felt like, gripping you with its skeleton-like fingers, digging into your flesh.
Her finger trembled slightly as it slowly moved down the coarse throat of the small bird, feeling the delicate features under her skin, marveling at its workmanship. It resembled a bird she had seen before, but what? Closing her eyes for that brief moment, she allowed her thoughts to fly like a bird, soaring in the sky so that she never would have to care a heck about this mortal world. The feeling of having clouds seeping through your fingers, playing with rain before it gets polluted by human filth, and seeing the first stream of sunlight. That was freedom; wasn't it?
"My Lady?" asked a gentle voice as it peeped through her door. It was her lady maid, she recognized as she turned her head around after placing the wooden figurine hastily back on the table. "Master would like you to get dress immediately and report to him downstairs as soon as possible."
Kaeda frowned but nodded her head nonetheless. Why would her father, someone who always dreaded the sight of her presence and could not wait to marry her off, want to see her all of the sudden? The two, after her sister had married off to her honey, lived in separate lives even though they stayed in the same mansion. Pondering, she stood up unconsciously and allowed the maid to prepare her dress.
"Father," she greeted reluctantly as she strolled down the stairs to find the latter sitting on the couch with someone else who had his back to her. The smile that played on the old Earl's face made her all the more suspicious. "What did you call for me for?"
"Oh my dear Kaeda," responded Earl Amber as he stood up briefly. Kaeda felt her heart freezing when she recognized the man who had been talking to her father. The same shade of gray which undertone sinister motives, the same hue of gold that sets human lives aflame. "I just had a good little chat with this promising young man here. Seriously, you should have prepared me for such a pleasant surprise by informing me earlier. I'm not young anymore, sweetheart."
The young man smiled politely as he bowed over to greet Kaeda, placing a kiss on her hands which were not gloved. Her skin felt cool and pale under his touch. "His lordship here is certainly humorous here, Kaeda. You have got a good father."
"And you would have a good husband too, my lovely daughter," bemused the old Earl as a chuckle strengthened the pretentious atmosphere. "Now, you too shall have a good chat outside. Lovebirds can't do without each other for too long a time."
Kaeda stared at the two in shock as she felt herself being pushed out to the garden. It was pretty, really, the garden- but much prettier before her father had decided to refurnished the whole design. It was his way to forget the mistake he had done to her mother. She could feel her mind racing and colliding within the boundaries of her skull as she tried to join up the pieces of her father's speech.
"I hope you're young enough to take this surprise, Kaeda," said the debonair as he leaned on one of the statues and looked out into the big opening facing them. "You must be wondering what this was all about."
The young lady glared at the man for a brief moment before pursing her lips together to hold the outrage within her. That rude man had conveniently decided to omit out her status by referring to her name directly, ain't it? "May I know what this all about, Lord Mikk? My father and your lordship seem to be very pleased with something I may not know of."
A smirk crept over Tyki's sharp features as he turned around to face the latter directly. Her hair looked a little auburn under the sunlight, he realized. "It's Tyki, my lady," he mused. "Nothing; really. I've only asked for your hand in marriage."
"What?" exclaimed Kaeda almost immediately before realizing that she too had lost control over her emotions; like a disturbed horse running down the marketplace. Her throat tightened as the horseman tried to hold the reins in. It sickened her to tone down her voice. "You have got to be kidding me, Lord Mikk. We barely know each other."
That's what you think, thought Tyki silently, as he gazed into the pair of brown eyes that burnt like a forest when ignited before shifting his gaze away to observe a particular bird standing motionlessly on a tree- maple.
"Time is not important when it comes to issue like this. By the way, his lordship- your father, has agreed to this proposal."
Proposal; Kaeda grinded the word as she scrutinized it mentally over and over again. He made it sound like it was some sort of plan, accomplishment and hypothesis. The acid in her throat thickened as a thought slowly conjured in her mind. A fire, when uncontrolled, could burn down everything in its path. "But that's my father's mindset. I believe we need more time about this. Unless, of course, it's my father's hand you are really interested in."
Tyki felt his jaws clenching. Nonetheless, he filed his tone smooth before speaking. "To you your father should be as a god," said the man nonchalantly. "Wasn't that what Theseus in A Midsummer Night's Dream had said?"
"And to me the others should be as an opposite," answered Kaeda back. "I'm surprised you were even watching the play, Lord Mikk, but didn't you see what had happened in the end? Nothing comes out when forced, my Lord."
Tyki scowled mentally at the insult the latter had just thrown her. How dare she call him an animal- a dog? "Time will get us there," responded the young man, determined to win this war.
"If I throw a stick, will you leave?" responded the young lady nonchalantly, as if the insult was nothing.
The Noah could almost feel himself snapping. How would it feel like to yank her by her lovely soft hair right up to his face? He glared at Kaeda and was even more annoyed to find her still appearing calm over the whole situation. Then a smile sliced his annoyed face and played over his lips as he took a step closer to her, his face creeping from her back and resting right next to her face. He could feel her muscle tensing under the sudden close proximity. With a sweet, intimate yet demanding tone, he whispered into her ear.
"You have pretty much no choice, you know, but to marry me, Lady Kaeda."
Kaeda immediately stepped back in her attempt to knock him backwards and was annoyed instead when the man was quick enough to hold her back in his arms. She shook the man politely off and took a stride away.
"And why is that so?"
Tyki sneered and turned to leave.
"Because no man will dare to take the girl that Lord Tyki Mikk wants," he said softly and accepted his coat and top hat from the gateman. "Have a good day, my Lady."
Kaeda stared at the diminishing figure in disbelief as her hands tightened into a fist. Just how far would a ball of flame take to travel that distance to hurt and burn all its obstacles?
"I see you have a little dispute with that young son, Kaeda,' said a sudden low voice as it appeared right behind her. It was, of course, her father the magnificent Earl. "I don't see what's wrong with this decision, young lady."
Kaeda cringed in disgust at the sudden change in her father's tone. "Perhaps, Father, but such decisions are too impulsive."
"There is nothing wrong, my young lady. This is perfect. Perfection, I say," said the old Earl, his voice raising a little.
"Sure, there is nothing wrong, Father, it is a perfect match for the youngest daughter of the wealthy Amber family to marry the influential Lord Tyki Mikk whose family chances to control almost the whole country," replied the young lady as her throat tightened. "If your definition of perfection is without the thought of care and happiness, Father, this would have been a perfect match. Was this how it had been when you married Mama too?"
"It's my final decision and you shall heed it," shouted the old man in raw frustration after his youngest daughter as she stormed up into her room, the way her mother would when she was upset. Those set of brown eyes; they might as well gorge out his soul.
Kaeda tried to calm herself down when the headache that probed in the back of her skull made her giddy. While trying to steady herself, she rested on the dressing table and shooed out her lady maid. Her eyes lingered a little on the wooden figurine that stood out on her table, and closed them momentarily to keep that image in her mind longer. As usual, it ceased the fire in her and she opened her eyes again. That was when she noticed the thick stalk of tulip placed on her table.
Grabbing her coat, she steadied herself over the window grill before leaping out.
An unsettling thought told her that she would have agreed to be able to get closer to her targets in this way months ago. She would have been willing to sacrifices what they called eternal happiness at the long aisle scattered with flower petals. However, why was it that her heart cringed at the thought of it now? Was being happy all that important to her now that she had had a taste of it?