POV: Lianne
One week admission in the hospital was considered a short stay for a man who sustained a gunshot wound in the left upper chest. The cardiologist doctor of Since Hospital said that it was a miracle for Ruen to have a near-miss… only just a couple of millimeters away from his heart. It was a miracle truly. One that I was thankful for.
I was leaning against the railing in the open balcony of Ruen’s rest house. The evening was cold, but I took it upon myself to gaze at the beautiful sea of stars in the blanket of darkness. I really missed this place, and I am happy to be back here again.
I was wearing a peach-pink evening gown with crystal beads on the strap shoulder, neck, and waistline formed into a bouquet of flowers. He bought the gown for me from a well-known designer. The fabric used was a soft chiffon and it had a one-meter trail, enough for me to manage in the Since Mansion grand hall that was expected to have a mountain of guests.
Yes. Ruen and I will be attending a party. A party that was created for him – the new owner of the Since Resort. Or shall I say… the true owner of the Regaleria Mansion.
I met Mr. Gillard Rafael two days after Ruen was admitted and there, he told me everything: on how he and Ruen met on the first day, how he became his personal secret service bodyguard, the extent of the truth he knows about me and the emerald necklace, Ruen’s otherworldly time jump, and how Ruen was incessantly and stubbornly looking for me for years; all his torments and sufferings, and his eternal love for me.
It warmed my heart. It was not like I didn’t know how much Ruen loved me, but to hear it from another person’s mouth, in Mr. Rafael’s point-of-view no less, it gave me a new perspective of how much we felt the same.
Mr. Rafael was a good man. No wonder Ruen trusted him with all his secrets.
‘I’ll see you back there Jen. I miss you guys so much.’
I texted the message to Jen with my new cellphone. Holt, Ruen’s colleague, bought it for me a day after the incident in the Soulisse Mansion. With the mansion’s burned-down state, I expected it already that I wouldn’t find my phone anymore.
‘You better be here, Li. You know I can’t clean your apartment any longer. And also, Mrs. Brellan, your Literature and Classics Major professor wanted to talk to you about your graduation day. She said you made a superb thesis, so you passed! XOXO 😀 kyaaa!’
I smiled reading Jen’s reply. She sure knows how to bomb a surprise.
‘Yes. I will. Thank you for that great news Jen. Take care!’
I replied back.
I already told Ruen that I will return to Fortville City two days from now for I still had my school work to attend to. He didn’t frown or even prohibit me as I actually expected, but he told me he would like to accompany me. Of course, he didn’t offer his private plane as a ride considering it was mainly hijacked by Cain’s men. Instead, he offered me a luxury yacht ride back to Fortville.
I was like… seriously? and of course, I conceded with a big smile on my face. I had never been on a cruise before. The thought of it excited me a lot. Especially that I would be spending that cruise with him.
“Have you got everything?” Ruen asked from behind me.
He was standing at the entrance of the open balcony wearing a soft smile on his lips. One hand was inside his black Cavalli pants pocket, and the other resting on the side. This was his injured side. But even though he was still recuperating from his gunshot wound, he still looked as debonair and handsome as ever.
I felt a blush on my cheeks appearing.
“I am, ” I replied, sending him the same amount of soft smile.
“Hmmm…” I heard him groan. Then he approached me closer. He pulled out something in his pants pocket and when I saw what it was, I gasped in surprise.
“Ruen?! The emerald necklace!”
“One of my colleagues happened to pick it up during their exit of the Soulisse Mansion. He knew it was a vital object for us, but right now, I feel it is no more than just a necklace.”
“What do you mean?” My eyebrows lifted in confusion.
“Your family bloodline died with you in the past, Lianne. You are now reborn, free of that blood curse. The necklace only reacts to the Vhillana blood alone. Only you can make a wish from it. Right now, you do not have that blood anymore, so the power is gone. I don’t know why Cain still thinks otherwise, but he is mistaken. That is a fact I know.”
Hearing it, I felt I was alleviated from a heavy burden. Being a blood sacrifice just doesn’t fit well in this time and age and I am most willing to abdicate that responsibility without hesitation.
He extended his arm and looped the necklace around my neck. Though it didn’t bring forth any powers anymore, it was still a beautiful accessory to wear, so I readily accepted it.
He extended his right hand to me thereafter and said, “Let’s go?”
I gave him a slight nod and smiled.
“Yes.”
***
When we arrived at the Since Mansion gate riding his sleek car, I was astounded. The mansion looked so brilliant from afar and now that we were right at the main entrance of it, it was even more dazzling.
Rows and rows of luminous yellow-colored, flower-shaped lanterns lighted the road to the main portico. When we arrived there, I saw that the large main door of the front foyer was open, welcoming us with a splash of colors. Beautiful pink, red, white, orange, blue, and yellow long-stemmed roses in crystal vases were everywhere! The huge center Victorian chandelier was lit up and all other light fixtures on the walls.
A few of the guests, mainly Ruen’s colleagues and Mr. Rafael with their lady escorts, as well as Madame Brenda d’Abbadie, were standing by at the main foyer, wearing suits and gowns also, and when they noticed us, they nodded in acknowledgment.
“Now, we start the ball!” Mr. Rafael exclaimed in excitement.
The party did commence as soon as we arrived at our reserved seats. We were in a presidential table with Mr. Rafael on the right seat with Madame Brenda d’Abbadie seated next to him, and both of us on the left.
“Lianne, will you give me the honor of dancing with you later?” Ruen asked, squishing my hand under the table.
“Yes, Your Majesty, ” I teasingly said. I didn’t miss a grin form on his lips as he diverted his attention to the surrounding festivity. I too looked at the whole reception and realized that it almost looked like the banquets that Garlow used to host, minus the exceedingly decorated hall and extravagant display of power.
After Mr. Rafael formally announced the transfer of ownership of the Since Resort and Ruen’s rather short but concise speech, the grand hall became alive all the more. There were important and honorary guests who congratulated him. There was even a small group of media asking for an interview with him.
I was at the presidential table the whole time watching the whole spectacle, enjoying myself seeing Ruen get so flustered with the unexpected attention given to him. It seemed even a jump in another timeline couldn’t change that side of him, always the reserved man when it came to gatherings like this. I liked this side of him though.
“Dance with me please?” Ruen, having finally escaped the attention of the media, asked me as he stood right in my front.
I smiled and took his hand. We went straight to a spacious corner and as the mellow music started, I began to feel the romance in the air. The spotlights dimmed into a purple and blue hue and a river of incandescent mini lights covered the entire high ceiling of the grand hall.
He placed a hand on the small of my back and took my right hand with the other. His orbs conceived a warm glow as he stared at me. I was instantly drawn to it.
“What?” In curiosity, I asked.
“Nothing, ” he chuckled. “I just remembered our first and last dance in this same hall centuries ago.”
With him mentioning it, surge of events instantly replayed on my mind. I rolled my eyes towards the ceiling and released a deep sigh.
“I hated you back then.” It was my honest answer.
“Yes, you did, ” he answered quietly. “But it didn’t deter me at all. And like what I told you then, I will tell you now, you look so beautiful tonight, Princess.”
I shifted my eyes down the floor, feeling shy with his compliment. “All thanks to the dress you gave me.”
He pressed his lips against my temple and whispered onto my ear, “The dress adds only a quarter of the beauty you already have, but I am delighted that you are happy.”
He guided me gently across the space we had for ourselves. Dancing wasn’t my forte but with his direction, we glided effortlessly like pros as the music continued its rhythmic beat. Soon it came down to a mellow and before it finally ended, he whispered something on my ear again.
“Come with me.”
I gave him an unsure glance. “To where?”
“To my chamber.”
I didn’t exactly know why we were going there but I nodded anyway. The last time I went to that VIP off-limits room, it gave me an unpleasant experience. But now that Ruen was with me, it didn’t seem foreboding anymore.
***
They excused themselves in front of Mr. Rafael, but not before the old man reminded them of the fireworks display later on. It was his way of extravagantly finishing up a party, as he said so himself with a proud smile.
They headed their way towards the third floor. The hallways were brightly lighted and there were a couple of guests along the way that they ran into on the second floor.
This mansion will never be the same again. From now on, it would be full of lights, full of color, and it would be full of laughter and wonderful memories. Of people from different walks of life and of people who cared for each other — exactly the opposite that Lianne had remembered it to be, her prison in the past and nothing more.
Hand in hand, they both reached in front of the King’s chamber. There weren’t any metal beams placed to separate the room from the entire floor now, unlike before where it stood prohibiting any visitors.
“This isn’t an off-limits VIP room anymore?” Lianne questioned in confusion.
“No, ” Ruen answered and then opened the main door.
Inside, the atmosphere felt warmer with the fireplace already lit, the chandelier already bright and the balcony opened. He guided her immediately there much to Lianne’s confusion.
In the balcony, there was already a prepared table. It had a silver candelabra in the middle with blue candles and a fresh bouquet of blood-red roses on the side. Beside it was a small square-shaped black box. Its color was fading but it still looked sturdy.
“Ruen? What are we doing here?” Lianne managed to bring out the question after seeing the table set-up.
“Calm down, my Love.” He kissed her hands in an effort to soothe his own racing heart. “Look at the moon.”
They both gazed at the full glowing sphere in the dark sky.
“The moon has been our witness all these years. It has seen our suffering. Our pain. Our love.”
Ruen shifted his position so that he would face her. Their eyes met and instantly the longing of passion was rekindled in the depths of their hearts.
“Lianne.” He cupped her face tenderly against his palm and in an unhurried manner he professed the words that had been eating his nerves since a week ago.
“It makes me sad that it took me another lifetime to say this, so I don’t want to wait for another for you to know. I love you, Lianne, with all of my heart, with all of my being, with all of my life.”
He paused for a moment, collected a set of fresh air into his lungs, and then started again:
“I told you once that when I was a child, I used to climb trees thinking that I could touch the stars in the sky. I felt always empty when I couldn’t then. But then you came and you gave me hope and a light for which I could finally grasp in the palm of my hands. You are the only light that I want to hold forever. You are mine alone and I will be yours if you take me.”
“Oh, Ruen…” A tear suddenly broke out from her eyes.
He immediately wiped it away, wanting to see the purity of her soul.
She embraced him tightly and whispered her answer on his ear.
“Of course, I will take you. Two lifetimes with you is more than I could hope for! I love you… so much so that I am willing to die for you.”
“Lianne, ” Ruen’s voice trembled when he uttered. His hands then trailed soft caresses along her bare back.
“Kiss me, Ruen. Kiss me…”
Their lips intertwined a hundred strokes before they managed to break it off. It was hot and steamy, something that could perfectly ignite their flames of desire in seconds.
Before they headed to the bed chamber, Ruen took the box from the table, and before he could unclothe her with the gown, he brought the ring out from its centurial repository.
Lianne gasped as she held its beauty. It was a hexagon-cut diamond ring, set on a gold band embellished with tiny sky-blue sapphire stone.
“It took a lot of years for it to finally make its way to its owner,” Ruen remarked as he slid the ring on her tiny finger.
“Years?” she confirmed. “So this ring… has been with you…”
“Yes, ” Ruen interrupted. “I wanted to give this to you back then, but Cain’s appearance in your bed chamber hindered me from doing so… until the inevitable happened.”
Lianne caught a small glimpse of sadness in his eyes.
So it was that night.
What could have been if she didn’t die? That thought crossed her mind. Then, she would have been the bride of the most powerful King of all kingdoms, King Ruen of Regaleria. They would have led the kingdoms into prosperity, peace, and fruition. She would have given him the welcome of a family — sons and daughters of their own.
Whatever took place, it was all in the past. What mattered now were the present and their future together.
“Thank you,” she replied, and with that, their lips collided again.
He arranged her on the mattress, and in there, their passion collided into soaring heights, whispered sweet nothings, shared heaving breaths, exchanged moaning words of delight and with the moon as the sole witness and a couple of thousand fireworks exploding up in the sky.
The End