Roses of Betrayal

Chapter 3, Do You Even Remember You?

It was Amara's nineteenth birthday in the grand-city walls of Sicilia, two entire weeks before her birthday was celebrated and only happy feelings were accepted, decorations and peace. Peace only happens once in a year when it comes up to Amara's birthday. Every nation of the empire is at peace, no war, no hatred towards one another. But there were always some people who did not obey the rule. Everyone in the nation was always happy when it came to her birthday, getting double pay at work for around three weeks at the minimum and maximum four if you were lucky. Paying for food became easier and having to pay less and less for other stuff as well, everything was happy vibes only coded. At the castle they would prepare a play for her birthday, each year being different and this year making her smile without hesitation but this year? We have to see that smile for sure! The first week was when Amara's birthday finally hit on the 26th of October. Dancers were flying in the air dancing with music playing in the background in a big hall with four people with one empty seat in it watching them intensely in silence waiting for someone to say the first word. But all four men peacefully watch the dancers from left to right, it's like they're observing them waiting for any of the dancers to make a wrong move so they can call them out. But before any of that was able to escalate down a slim female figure walks in the room with a strong set of confidence. She looks down from a balcony view at the four men with a grin on her face. The four people who were sitting down there were known as the four generals of the kingdom. They all looked up at her. "I am here to finally announce, my daughter, Amara, has finally come of age to marry a lucky one. We would be glad to discuss this with any of you any day but for now. Let's have a humongous feast on my daughter's sweet nineteenth birthday like her sweet sixteenth!" The queen of Sicilian Kingdom has said her name is Imani with the head title 'Queen Imani of Sicilian Kingdom'. A man in blue claps after those sentences with a grin on his face as well. The man in blue had congratulated the queen and said: "Congratulations on your daughter's 21th birthday for this year, may she live a long and peaceful life, your highness!" Imani has thanked him for his blessing "Thank you so much Han-Yun, I will tell her your wishes that you've given." she said. "While we are speaking of her highness, where is she even?" A person in red asked in a quite bewildered manner. Imani many could only stare outside and say: "Well uh you see Zhuyin... let's just say she is quite busy holding her closest friends for the time being." While talking she gets interrupted, and he adds "That reminds me is she ever going to marry one of those two since she only is interested in talking to them only instead of others." Another man in said in quite an excited tone: "I can imagine her being in a healthy relationship with Aire in my opinion not only because of how they are always together since kids, it's also because she is literally head over heels for him. Like seriously I can't be the only one who thinks they're cute together!" Han-Yun goes over to him and looks at him while saying in a sly tone: "I know what you're trying to imply Tlanglon! I bet Kyan would even be their best man at the wedding." laughing after he slowly sat down beside Tlanglon "And afterwards he would literally say "I will protect you guys with my life" Tlanglon says shockingly: "You somehow do sound like him... why can you even do that?" Han-yun quickly lowers his tone and he commented "Well you see my dear friend. -" Laguz suddenly cuts off Han-yun before he says some stupid bullshit to Tlanglong "Are you two actually serious right now? Don't any of you have any respect at all or did you two somehow lose it after becoming clan leaders, but not to worry I can still tell the both of you the stories about the times you guys got whipped for not following the rules." Imani also scolded them "Sorry to disappoint you men but they will never be able to have something romantic wise together it's because the feelings are not mutual for each other. Only my daughter loves him, and I can't make them marry each other because it will end up poorly in the end." Tlanglong couldn't believe what he hears and could not help but ask: "Wait, wait, wait... What?! No way! I actually do not believe you, your highness, I simply cannot accept the fact that prince Aire DOESN'T like princess Amara." He widened his eyes. Laguz sighed first before he stated that the issue is that prince Aire isn't interested at all in Amara due to the fact, he just sees her a younger child who craves for attention from anyone. "Tlanglon this whole issue isn't Amara or neither Aire's fault at all Aire just can't seem to love Amara that's all." Tlanglong looked quite sad due to the fact that he was actually interested in the private affairs rumours that were going around in the royal castle and the kingdom itself "How will we tell everyone they're nothing but childhood friends and not sweethearts!" he cried out. Zhuyin looked at him with big annoyance in his face because, how can someone and especially someone who is supposed to be a clan leader, be this completely stupid to think that it will be okay to announce to an ENTIRE KINGDOM that they're not dating?! Everyone in the kingdom will think all we are doing is giving them false hope. Zhuyin just suddenly blurted out "I honestly don't know if you're acting dumb or that you're being serious right now. Who would be that dumb enough to say that shit to an entire kingdom! Do you hear me? AN. ENTIRE. KINGDOM!" Laguz quickly goes over to his side and tries to calm him down for a bit but suddenly Tlanglong argued back "What the hell is that supposed to mean you fucker?" Han-Yun quickly tries to cover Tlanglong's mouth before he will say anything rasher in the moment. Imani sighed before suddenly coughing a lot, making her knees weaken. "Your highness!" All four clan leaders said worriedly, all four of them looked concerned and they were asking if she would be still able to hold it up till Amara's ball. "I'm fine, don't worry about me, I'll make it. I am 57 years old after all so I will be fine." Zhuyin still decided to call someone to escort Imani to her room before she could possibly collapse. And so, the meeting has come to an end. Everyone went to their own rooms to get ready and prepare for tonight's ball meanwhile Amara, Aire and Kyan are outside in the garden having a quiet "peaceful" picnic. "Wow I just can't believe that you're already 19 and still act like some stupid spoiled brat. Are all royalties like this Aire?" Kyan said, pissed off. "Now now, let's stay nice to each other alright Kyan. I'm sure Amara has her reasons for not liking fish for some reason..." Aire snickered softly. "What do you mean 'for some reason'? FISH JUST TASTE TERRIBLE!" Amara said with a hint of annoyance because she has been arguing with Kyan about fish for the past couple of 10 minutes just about fish. "See you would never be able to live in the forest!" Kyan said teasingly, Amara however commented: "Why would I ever be in the forest to begin with? Is that your secret second home?" "I wish it was." Kyan said. "And what is THAT supposed to mean?!" She yelled out. "Guys why are you fighting about fish, do you hear yourselves." Aire simply stated but only to get ignored. "Guys?" He tried to call out with the screaming and yelling between the two, but he still gets ignored by the both of them only for him to yell out "See and this is why both of your feelings don't matter in this argument!" After it being quiet for a few seconds Kyan and Amara felt offended and just yelled back "THAT'S NOT TRUE?" Aire gets annoyed and groans out a sigh "Let's just put this dumb topic on the side and focus on the main focus, okay?" Kyan looked at him quite puzzled and asked, "And that is...?" Aire looked at Amara and gave a soft smile to him saying "Happy birthday Amara, I've gotten you a gift!" Amara's mood quickly lightened up and said: "Oh! ~ What type of gift did you buy for me?" Aire was quite stunned at her asking this question, but her question pleased him a bit and couldn't help to blush a bit at Amara's excitement. And that made him a little bit shy to answer her question. "...I-It's an earring piece just like mine and it's made out of rubies and Auryn." Amara couldn't help but leave out a little giggle after noticing him being shy and blushed at the sight of him looking away from her eyes with the sunlight shining down onto Aire's dark piece of clothing making him look like he's the only person there. But wait, WHY was he the only person where? Where did Kyan go?! As this question came to mind, she noticed Aire staring Amara deeply eye to eye. And it was a sight to behold. She felt like she was staring into an ocean of Ornithogalum, it didn't take long until she snapped out of it and backed away from him before saying: "See Kyan you could Nev..er do this...? Hey where did he go?" Hoping for him to pop up from out of the blue but after a couple of seconds there hasn't been any response. "I didn't see or hear him walk away, that's unusual? Perhaps you should go out and find him!" Aire said in a soft voice. "Do you... want to come with... me?" Amara mumbled before looking away with a face full of vivid blush of embarrassment after asking, saying that hoping he didn't hear that so she can just forget about it. Aire looked at her dumbfounded "Huh, did you say something because I think I heard you say something but I'm not sure," Amara left out a relieved, soft breath and said: "Oh no it was nothing don't worry about it! I'm going to try and find Kyan now, see you at my birthday coronation!" she said while standing up and leaving the picnic with a hurry. After Amara couldn't be seen anymore Aire suddenly dropped his voice "How long are u going to hide away dear Kyan? Jealous much already?" Kyan looked at him with a disgusted face "Well wouldn't you like to know?" he said angrily. "If I were you, you should go and hide somewhere." Aire teased him. "And what if I'm not interested in doing that?" He glared at him with a hint of fury in his eyes. Aire couldn't help but sigh "You know you really shouldn't treat your friends like enemies and especially your best friends." Kyan quickly cut him off "Her highness may see you as one but that doesn't mean I should even have to see your privileged ass as one, now if you don't mind, I have a princess to scare." Aire laughed at his expression and said: "Right, princess or crush, which one is it? I could never tell through all these years." Kyan tried to clear his throat "Oh shut up I know you see something in her as-well." "Well, that's enough chit-chat between us, you should really start hiding somewhere before the princess thinks you've actually hidden in the forest." Aire said to him jokingly. Kyan looked at him quite rather optimistic "Riightt.. She would never dare to entire it, even if she was forced." Kyan then throws the same gift he had prepared for Amara, but Aire somehow had the "same idea" as him on the picnic ground. Then leaves the scene with Aire smirking on his back. "Well, isn't this a very pleasant surprise indeed?" Aire laughed with some jealous laughter. Amara was still looking around for Kyan after 15 minutes and she got to the point she went to her own bedroom to take a break and mumbles loudly to herself "Kyan where did you run off to, you annoying piece of shit." Suddenly she heard a voice coming from behind her. "So why exactly are you a piece of shit again? What did I do wrong this time." It was Kyan! She got happy but then all that happiness turned into anger and yelled out to him "Well suddenly you disappeared out of nowhere and vanished in thin air after Aire has given me his gift!" Kyan looked at her before getting on the bed of Amara and sat down and stretched out a bit before replying with "Oh right, I got hungry, so I've got some food. It's no big deal at all." He said ever so nonchalant "What do you mean 'it isn't a big deal' OF COURSE IT IS! Were you even hungry or were you just jealous of Aire actually giving me a gift this time?" She said jokingly but Kyan looked at her with a hint of disgust for a quick split second before looking away. "Oh, how the time indeed flies, it's almost time for your royal ball, your highness." Amara looked away from him as well "Oh right, I almost forgot about it! Wait... DON'T YOU DARE CHANGE THE SUBJECT?!" Kyan suddenly pushed her and said "You don't want to be late for your OWN birthday party, right? RIGHT???" He said after pushing her finally out of her own room. "If you want to be a good bodyguard, at least bring me over to my make-up place." "I'm right behind you princess." Amara then grabs his arm and then pulls him along with her, so she won't lose him with her this time. Kyan's golden eyes softly widen at the fact that she wants him really to come along, Amara however laughs at the sight of his face because of how "stupid" he looked. As they were walking together hand-in-hand Kyan couldn't but blush at Amara holding his hand in her own. It gave him comfort and warmth, but it got interrupted by Amara saying her goodbyes to him just so she can put on a different dress and make-up. "Man... Is it even okay for me to feel like this...?" He questioned himself before standing on guard duty alone to wait for his favourite princess, Amara to come from the room. He waited a couple hours until he heard the doors unlock because of that he sprung a couple steps back. "Well? How do I look Kyan, cute right?" Kyan looked at her up and down and saw how she was covered with beautiful jewellery from her chest to head, the dress being up to her ankles. He just stared at Amara speechless. He didn't know what would be appropriate to say at the moment, "Hey you're so stunning please, be mine." or either "Amara please, I want you to take it off. Now." So instead of saying one of them he just respectfully looked into her crimson-pink eyes and said: "You look... so perfect. I honestly don't know how to describe it, but I do know the fact that you're beautiful in this dress of yours that got chosen, please give me your hand to lead you to your own ballroom." Amara stood there in shock because she didn't expect that kind of reaction out of him, she felt quite honoured and didn't know either to thank him or push him away. She didn't push him away but actually gave him her hand to hold and when he had her hand, he softly placed a kiss on her hand. Staring down at him kissing her hand she blushed and tried to use one hand to cover her face from embarrassment. "Kyan, thank you for your flattery but let's go before I come late at my own birthday party, okay?" Kyan sighs softly because he wanted to stay at this moment a little longer than just this. "Alright, that's fine. Let's go and Amara..." "yes?" Kyan reveals from his hand a red gift box and hands it to Amara. "Open it to see what's inside." She hesitatingly opens the gift box only to see when she opens up a silver matching promise ring. "It's a promise ring, please keep it safe close to your heart." He silently whispered in her ear before putting it on her left ring finger. "Promise me, you'll never lose it?" Amara silently nodded her head while she was staring into his golden eyes that turned to a light gold due of the fact that the moonlight is shining into his eyes making him seem like the most mystical person alive in the moment, she couldn't keep her eyes out of his, until he fakes clearing his throat. "Let us go now, your highness, don't worry if you trip. I got you." He said with a soft smile.