REVERIE: Twisted Reality

Day 37: Price of Cinderella

Alexandria Lennon

After spending the whole night in the library, an entry was revealed.

An entry I was itching to know,

An entry I never once expected.

I finally knew the purpose of these daggers.

~

"We have been frequenting the topic of value. Tell me, my dear. What is your most valuable possession?" The Duke asked.

I held the turquoise-colored dagger in my pocket as I try to think of an answer to his question.

"To be honest?" I asked to stall some time, "Probably, my face."

He chuckled and said, "It is true that your face is of some value but there are a lot of pretty girls running around but there is only one you."

My mind was in havoc and I couldn't think properly so I couldn't fully absorb the meaning of his answer so I asked him, "What is yours?"

"My intellect and body. After all, all the things I have are the products of those two factors. If I have to choose one? Then my answer would be my health in general." He answered my question. 

 I only kept quiet and didn't reply back. The Duke sighed and looked at me gently with his purple eyes.

He got up and got something from his drawers and handed me a beautiful bouquet of black roses.

I raised my eyebrow at the Duke and asked, "Another apology present, is it?"

He shook his head and spoke in a serious yet gentle manner, "No. It's something much more important."

He kneeled in front of me with the bouquet still in his hands as if proposing, "You were right in the fact that I have been too careless in my past attempts, so I have decided to make a serious proposal this time. Please give me your heart my dear. And if you would let me, I promise that I will take you away and care for you for as long as you desire."

I looked at him puzzled. I can't understand the Duke's actions. 

His insincere and suddenly his too sincere. 

And now this, this is too grandiose even for him.

"Have you made your decision, my love?" He asked me. 

I stood up from my seat and took the bouquet out of his hand. He looked at me curiously but I just held his hand and helped him stand up, "Let's go to a different place. Why don't you take me out of the mansion again?" I asked him. 

I intertwined our fingers and I watched as a smile formed on his thin lips, "As you wish, my love."

-

The Duke did as I asked and took me out of the mansion again.

The outside of the mansion is as peculiar as ever but this time he brought me to a surprisingly serene place.

'Just how it was mentioned in the entry.'

It was a beautiful cliff with a meadow near the edge and has a clear view of the huge opal moon.

"This place is surprisingly serene and beautiful. Why didn't you take me here last time?" I asked the Duke who was standing in front of me.

"Because this place doesn't always exist." He explained while looking around the place.