Castle Fires

LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIA I winced in pain as I felt the blade made its way slowly through my skin, leaving a fresh cut on my arms. My hand balled into a fist as I tried to calm myself down. The sensation made me let out a shaky breath. My whole body was slick with sweat, the moisture beading on my skin from the amount of wounds they had inflicted on my arm—I can’t move them since they tied it to the armrest. I’m drained, so drained out. I felt helpless, I couldn't do anything but hear my blood dripping down the jar. They’ve been collecting it since I was thirteen. They only do it twice or thrice a year with one bottle. But ever since I turned eighteen, they’ve been collecting it like there’s no tomorrow. Five years have passed yet my dad still doesn’t want me to know what these physicians do with it. It's bullshit, honestly. It even disgusts me how many people in this room crave for my blood.“Don’t worry, this will be the last time we’ll be doing this to you.” Myra reassured me,

LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI found myself outside the premises, crouching down as I dug the dirt with my bare hands, the soil feeling cool and damp against my skin. By now, the relentless rain had drenched me completely, I wasn’t in the mood to bring Honoria with me as I don’t want to bother her furthermore. I gently placed the corpse on the hole that I had made. I took a last look at the bird, my heart felt strangely numb, before I reached on my side and grabbed a handful of dirt. I then started to slowly fill the hole, the soil raining down onto the bird's lifeless body, gradually burying it.As I did so, I heard footsteps drawing closer, the blades rustling against each other under the weight of each step. A bigger shadow engulfed upon the small spot where I was crouching, now casting a dark silhouette over me. I clenched my jaw, knowing who it was already. “I see that you’re done changing, are you not going to have supper?” Myra asked.“I’d rather spend my precious time burying an

LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAI shivered as a chill ran through my body, caused by the cold wind fluttering in through the carriage window. I took a peek from outside and my gaze was drawn to the trees that lined our route to the venue. The lights of the Aurum Palace were visible, casting a warm and inviting glow against the dark night skyline. “Look, Aurélie, we’re here.” My father, sitting opposite me in the carriage, raised his hand and pointed outside, gesturing for me to lean forward and take a closer look at the scene.I followed my father's prompt and leaned further forward. My heart raced with anticipation as the carriage rolled forward, the last trees giving way to reveal the imposing portcullis that marked the entrance to the palace. As soon as the carriage crossed through the gate, the sounds of classical music became clearer. I peered out of the window, watching intently as guests streamed towards inside, I can even sense their confident auras all the way from the carriage.

LARISSA AURÉLIE FARSULEIAThe sound of the leaves rustling against each other soothed me down. I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes, allowing the peace of the moment to wash over me. The warm glow of the sunset cast a pretty brown hue onto my hair, as the gentle wind tousled it softly. Honoria stood quietly by my side, letting me enjoy the moment. As I slowly opened my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of the sun setting on the horizon, its golden rays bathing me in a warm light. Something about nature really calms me—no matter how cruel life gets, it’ll always find a way to calm me down. It never failed to make me happy amidst the chaos in my mind. I still can’t forget how my father finally relented and agreed to renovate our garden for my sweet sixteenth birthday, after begging him a couple of times before he agreed to do so. When you think about it, the garden is almost the same size as our manor. As I got lost in my thoughts reminiscing the past, my feet brought me into a fiel

THEO PERSEUS NOVELLIA Did I hear that right? I doubt this lady even knows my name as I haven’t given her a proper introduction. As I was too lost in her eyes, I was taken aback when Aurélie suddenly collapsed. My hand moving in instinct, I had caught her before her body could land on the hard ground. My knees instinctively buckled as her weight pressed against my forearm, She was unexpectedly light for her age. I couldn’t help but notice the ashes on the hems of her gown and the absence of any footwear on her feet. Her hair, too, was a mess, but despite all these imperfections, her natural beauty shone through. I found myself tracing the lines of her face with my eyes, getting lost in her beauty.