Lovesick

Lovesick 9

Valentine came to his senses when he heard the man's baritone voice.

He gazed stiffly at his relaxed form, he resembled his Lady Selene's features very much. Marquis Jun Fasci.

Jun propped his elbows above the table and clasped his fingers together.

"And I believe and trust my sister," The corner of Jun's lips lifted up, forming a light smile. Giving the appearance that he was happy. But the calculating gaze on his narrowed eyes made Valentine to stand on his guard. "But believing without seeing and proving it with my own eyes are a different matter. My sister...." He gave a small pause as he fixed his eyeglasses back into it's place upwards.

"Selene trained you quite well didn't she?"

Valentine gave a curt nod and spoke in a respectful voice, "Yes Lady Selene did, Marquis Jun."

Jun's head shook as he began to ponder things deeply.

He saw how Selene personally studied the variety of plants. Jun knew how much smart is his sister, just like most of them since they're from a scholar family. So he wasn't surprised when she managed to create different medicines and drugs derived from plants.

He even had to help her to buy several seeds of a specific plant in the black market. It was commonly called Angel's trumpet as to cover up it's real name, arboria.

Arboria is considered to be illegal because all parts of it are poisonous. Ingestion of the plant can cause disturbing hallucinations, paralysis, arrhythmia and can be fatal.

That's why Selene strictly advised to only use the pill that she made, for people that should die. For someone who betrayed them and for someone who knows too much.

But for someone like Valentine, inhalation was enough. Selene would diffuse the liquified arboria into the air vent connected to his room and isolate him for hours. Into the black room as she would like to call it.

For several times, it made Valentine crazy. He even witnessed a few outbursts of him, he seems to be sick in the head but physically fine. He would say that he would see things and hear voices. He was also violent and intense. At that time Jun was almost certain that Selene cannot handle someone as spontaneous and dangerous as him. But that was before how he saw how Valentine respond to Selene. He would calm down. Settle down when Selene would talk to him.

Keep him company.

Valentine would stay put as long as Selene was with him. The voices would go away. So Selene, before and after gassing him, would always be with him for at least an hour. Since Valentine appears to be quiet attached to her presence.

Jun cannot decipher how Selene had managed to calm him down every single time, what she would say and how she would soothe his deranged self.

But he can see the bond between them. Even if it's just the captor and captive relationship.

It's quiet complex.

"Then tomorrow morning, you'll go with me. I'll see for myself if you wouldn't embarrass my sister's judgment." Jun remarked in a voice with finality.

~

"Refrain from venturing too far, Marquis Jun wouldn't want that." Simon commanded Valentine. Standing not too far away from him. Valentine didn't reply as he was still preoccupied from yesterday. Particularly in his Lady Selene's words.

Her words echoed in Valentine's mind like a broken record since yesterday.

He was currently standing and waiting patiently for Marquis Jun to arrive. He didn't know what to do since this will be the first time that he'll go outside without his Lady Selene.

But Valentine knew that he shouldn't disappoint his Lady Selene.

Obey me and serve the Fasci

Those her words

She would always praise him when he's obedient to her and would willingly commit to his purpose.

So Valentine will do anything that Marquis Jun will command him to.

"My Lord," Everyone greeted the Marquis as soon as he stood in front of them, including Valentine.

Jun simply nodded and stared at his figure. Valentine was just an inch shorter than him with a well-toned body. Over the past few years, Valentine had grown to be a formidable man. It's quiet astonishing how he's almost as tall and built as him and yet he's still growing.

While Jun has long passed his growing phase.

"Let's go." After much more deliberation, Jun finally moved. Which prompted the small groups of knights as well as Valentine to finally walk.

When they finally travelled past the gates of the Fasci Pavillion riding their horses, Valentine couldn't help but gaze towards the direction of the shrouded forest.

Beyond that lies a cliff.

That's the end of Casia region. Below is the endless sea towards the next kingdom Arisu. His Lady Selene would always come there first whenever they'd leave the pavillion. She'd made him sit on the side just as she moved at the edge alone.

She would often just stand there. Seemingly so close to death with just a single push. And yet it's one of the few moments that he can see the most carefree expression plastered on her face.

It's different when she's with Marquis Jun and Elias.

It's different when she's with him.

Valentine would often think that if there's a least that he can do for her to have that carefree expression. He would gladly do it in a heartbeat. Even if it means dying.

Just for her happiness.

The neighing of the several horses in front of them made Valentine to halt. He stared in a mild confusion as they
stopped at a simple village.

Yet he didn't open his mouth to question them. Instead got down on his horse to follow the Marquis's footsteps. He noticed that none of the knights followed them as they walk further ahead.

"The purpose of this expedition is rather simple Valentine,"Jun started to talk in a roundabout way when they finally arrived in front of a shabby tiny house. "Go inside and give me anything that will prove your loyalty to the Fasci."

Valentine only bobbed his head up and down and didn't think too much.

He just need to bring a significant thing to prove himself to Marquis Jun.....and not to embarrass his Lady Selene.

Valentine only took a few steps inside the first room that he entered when his eyes met with a familiar looking face. Looking back at his aging and haggard face that was different from when he's still working under his father, he didn't feel anything even when he saw that he's been tortured and constrained.

"Young Master Valentine."