Everlasting (Volturi Kings)

Ch-47 A Poor Boy And His Innocence

A week after the Barrons' unfortunate visit, and after Calaius decided to court Cera, June decided to clean up most of the rooms in the mansion.

In her words, she thought that the mansion looked like a funeral home for a long time and it had to change.

She forced Allan to clean all the lavatories and the storage rooms while Caius and Cera were assigned to their parents' room.

Cera wanted to ask June that they would rather do it somewhere else like the old library or the music rooms but Caius told her not to and that it was alright.

Cera frequently kept on looking at Caius worried that he would break down or get triggered by his parents' belongings, so that was why she told him to make the beds and dust the rooms to which any other person would've complained but Caius took everything that Cera told him to do as a challenge to prove his worth which made her laugh.

Cera was folding their old clothes and neatly packing them from the chests to hanging it in the wardrobes, she was very careful about not ruining any of the late Lady's beautiful gowns.

Her violet eyes caught sight of a bundle of ivory coloured lace stacked at the very bottom of gilded chest that contained more of the expensive ball gowns, she meticulously pulled it not wanting the lace to get caught in the metal covered chest.

She looked at the breathtakingly ethereal ivory gown, it was covered all the way from neck to the bodice in delicate floral lace patterns and pearl beading about the seams and the high neckline. The skirt was made out of a tulle fabric and that extended all the way to floor and created a decent train.

Cera was in so awe of the dress and she realized that this was Martha Thorne's most beloved dress, and probably every woman's too.

Calaius saw Cera holding up the gown and his quivered into a sad smile, bringing back all sorts of memories.

"That w-was her....wedding dress." He explained, his throat painfully clenched as he swallowed the lump that formed. No. He promised her that he wouldn't cry.

Cera now felt extremely guilty at the heartbreaking sentence that he had to utter, though she didn't know what it was for, she shouldn't have pulled it out in the first place.

The last thing Cera wanted was for Caius to break down and cry once again because his painful memories were brought back to the surface.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized to him before swiftly turning to put the dress back away but Caius rushed over and grabbed her arm to stop her.

"No, wait!"

She looked at him in confusion. "What  is it, Caius?"

He carefully took the gown from her hands and stared, his arms shivering as clenched his fists around the lacy fabric.

"My mother.....frequently pulled me aside and showed this gown to me.... she said that unlike most families of their time, they married for..... love. My father had this gown made for her by the finest seamstresses in Paris, and when she wore it for her wedding, she said she felt....ready to begin a new chapter.... in their lives and it all started with the dress..."

His words became lower and more like painful croaks than the deep and smooth voice that she loved. Cera smiled soothingly and wrapped her arms from behind him as Caius broke out sobbing.

"I'm here for you. It's okay."  She whispered, peppering small kisses on his shoulder rubbing her hands on his arms providing the comfort he needed.

"...I used get really tired of the repetitive story, I even remember the exact words she used....but she always made me promise her that..."

"That what?" She asked peering from his shoulder to the side of his face, staring into his eyes.

"It's silly." He chuckled wiping away his tears by rubbing his eyes.

"Tell me." She urged, looking impatient and poked his side.

"...she made me promise her that...."

"Come on, Caius." She drawed.

"...that the woman I marry should wear this gown." He finished and her jaw dropped and he sighed.

"I told you it was silly." He deadpanned and put the dress away and went back to do his chores, but this time Cera stopped him.

"No...of course it wasn't silly."

Caius raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"No, I thought it was sweet. What did you say?" She asked curiously.

"I didn't believe in love, I rarely ever surrounded myself in the company of women so I just told her I would, it was a halfhearted promise." He scratched the back of his head looking at the wooden floors.

"Not exactly, you didn't believe in love until...." She raised an eyebrow asking him to continue.

"I met you." He smiled, a real happy smile not the melancholic one he had a few minutes ago.

"And?"

"It wasn't exactly half hearted." Caius muttered.

"So that means?" She asked.

"You will wear this when we....get married?" He asked looking sheepish and flustered which Cera never knew he could be.

She bit her lip, curling into an impy grin. "I will."

"You will?" He looked surprised.

"I will."

"When?"

"When we get married."

"And when is that?"

She burst out laughing and he looked at her confused. "What?" Caius whined.

"You just want to know when we get married, huh?" She snickered.

He face flushed red. "No....well yes...I mean...you're already my wife..."

Cera looked at him with a sly smile. "Uh huh?"

"Th-that was what...we told the Barrons. So, in that way we're already married." Caius suddenly felt hot in the room and just wanted to leave and save himself from embarrassment.

Cera pulled his hand and he knelt down on his knees, not allowing him to escape from this conversation.

"But you haven't proposed yet." She said playfully.

"Why do I have to?" He whined.

She rolled her eyes. "You haven't got down on one knee."

"I've got down on both knees!" He exclaimed pointing at the floor.

"Touche, but you don't have a ring." She crossed her arms.

Caius scoffed. "Why do I need one ring when I can give you a hundred kisses, huh?"

He suddenly pounced on Cera and she squealed as he started tickling her neck with kisses knowing she was sensitive in that area.

"Caius!" She yelped thrashing in his arms as he pulled away and silenced her by kissing her lips.

Cera panted as she was gently shoved on the floor with Caius hovering on top of her, his hands stroking all over her legs to her thighs to her waist and she gasped her hands clawing on his back, her fingernails digging deep into his skin.

To ruin the promiscuous moment that would have escalated into something much more and to also ruin the young boy's innocent mind, Allan suddenly barged in.

"Cera! Cal! June told me to-AAHHHH!" He screamed and the couple abruptly pulled away and stared at the boy with wide eyes.

"OH MY INNOCENT EYES!! WHY IN OUR PARENTS ROOM!! OHH MY LORD!! JUUNEE!!" Allan screeched like a banshee and bolted out of the room, his mind scarred forever at the mental picture that just could never be erased.

Cera bit her lip and stared at Caius, he snorted before they both burst out laughing.

Poor Allan....