Red Roses by the Sea | Lucas x Jennette

Entry Three

Jennette gets another letter hand delivered by that magician a month later than the last. She's sensitive with expressions (but she doesn't need her gut to know that Mister Magician is very annoyed).

"Letter!" The raven haired man loudly announces irritably. Tentatively with a small wince, she takes the slightly crumpled envelope from him. This time, he had arrived while she was watching the moon on the porch facing the sea. She was wearing a thin lavender colored nightgown this time. The waves against the grains of sand calmed her (it was always an entrancing sight, even though she had grown accustomed to living there). The chestnut haired girl couldn't help but glance up to her (most likely) fleeting visitor.

Holding her cousin's letter to her chest, the young lady couldn't help but ask, "Has Mister Magician been to the ocean before?"

The raven haired boy throws her a look.

"Hah. Of course I have. How many letters have I delivered to this place?"

"Oh, I meant..." Jennette trails off. She could hardly breathe the first time she saw this sight, gazing at the ocean while the moon glimmered against the sea's surface. How vast the water was, to where you couldn't ever see beyond the horizon. So endless, and so free, much different from the walls and gates of the Alpheus manor. It was much more beautiful than in the picture books, even prettier than the Estate's gardens (dare she say up to par with the palace gardens). Even while she was taking the sight in alone, unlike how she walked through the Alpheus' greenhouse, it never made her feel lonely. How tranquil and calm it was, so much so that she believed it could calm any turmoil in her heart. She doesn't think she could ever forget it.

And yet, this mister seems so unphased by the atmosphere. A small thought settled inside her head (that perhaps her princess and the emperor might differ from her as well). Athy seemed to like the sea shells she sent before, but Athy is also so much more mature that something as simple as this view might...

"Hey, quit it with that," the raven haired mage sneered.

"Pardon?"

"That, whatever you're doing," Lucas grumbled, shooing a hand with a scrunched up nose.

Honestly, he doesn't know why the Princess enjoys this thing's presence. Even with the disguising magic and other precautions he placed on it, it's impossible for him to remove the black magic from this thing. After all, that black magic is so deeply a part of her, even the slightest sway of emotions lets it seep out. What a hassle, just letting it live (and a pain that the Princess insists on sending him there so frequently—and for letters for crying out loud!).

Jennette still does not understand what he's insinuating. He was still as confusing back then, before she had been revealed to be of royal blood (although he seemed much nicer at the time). Based on his reaction, was there a strange smell coming from her?

Unsurely, the chestnut haired girl brought her wrist to her face. She had taken a bath that morning, but she also took some time to tend to the garden. Jennette also searched within the shallow area of the salted water for more shells to send to the Princess (does she smell so strongly of the ocean?). However, her action only earned a more disgruntled expression to form on the older boy's face.

Oh dear. She really wasn't sure what to do.

With a cold scoff, Lucas turned partially away from her before disappearing into a wisp of petals once again.

"Jennette."

Anastasius' voice called for his daughter from inside the house, approaching the door. He opened it, looking at her mildly surprised face as she stood on their porch that faced the sea.

"So you were here. You shouldn't stay outside for too long, it can get chilly even during the summer here."

"I wasn't here for long," Jennette smiled, holding the envelope against her chest. Tip tapping forward, she lightly announced, "I'll get ready for bed now."

After she gave her father a small hug (him cautiously patting her head—he's still learning the appropriate strength to use when doing so), the young ex-royal quickly walked past and toward the steps to the second floor. The fallen emperor hummed to himself for a moment thoughtfully, following his daughter's figure before looking over his shoulder to where she stood on the porch. Light petals were scattered onto the pale wood.

Although a large portion of his mana was taken by that magician as a requirement (another precaution, really) to live away from the palace, he still retained just enough to sustain the disguise on himself. Even with that small amount, he was sure of it—that he had sensed a magician's presence nearby. Or rather, that particular magician's presence (as that magician doesn't bother to hide himself anyway).

Anastasius hummed to himself again. He had known that mage had been stopping by every once and a while, but not very long so he wasn't too worried. Though, he would prefer if he wasn't around Jennette at all. In all the years that he and his ancestor shared a body, he was able to feel all the resentment and bitterness his ancestor had for that magician. Seeing and meeting said wizard in person, he felt he could grasp that boy's character well. The magician of the magic tower wasn't one to hold back his words, especially if they were cruel. He is also unable to see past facts he deems to be true.

Perhaps his niece can handle and tame a person such as that, but he isn't a good person to let around his daughter. More than anyone, Anastasius knows about what she was. That is precisely why such a person like that wizard shouldn't be let around her (for at least, he himself was able to see Jennette as someone and not a something). He cannot say the same for that magician, however. Even before they had left, and most definitely even now, his daughter was nothing but a chimera in that person's eyes.

He doesn't think Jennette knows what that word fully entails, and nor does he ever intend for her to find out. She is as keen as she is kind, which is why she hasn't asked for what that word has meant yet (after all, there's no way she could be smiling so cluelessly whilst that man calls her inhuman to her face). But, his daughter is human, and always will be. A human, who can be so easily hurt.

Anastasius doesn't know why that wizard seems to be stopping by, but he hopes he can limit his visits as much as possible. After all, the last thing he wants is for his daughter to be hurt (by someone who cannot see past one's birth, after all).