ENCHANTED: Guardian Series #1 {COMPLETED, UNDER REVISION}

CHAPTER 17: Dark Magi

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ROSES AND THORNS

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ETHERION REALM

-Tahomma Palace-
/a flashback/
A young professor by the name of Lady Dahrleen Leticia Oliver, the only daughter of Count Austin Michael Oliver, taught at a prestigious academy. Her subject focuses on the Etherion System, a mixed monarchic and democratic system with added clauses and removed rules.

"Class, class, settle down, please," Lady Dahrleen clapped her hands as she entered the classroom that's nearly the size of her own bedroom. There were seats in a stairway system as the students occupied each seat. Her usual class was quiet and productive. However, today was somewhat different. She felt the oddities that bothered her completely. They were whispering back and forth to the point that they passed the message of the front seaters to the back seaters-the topic of their rumor seemed to be more interesting than their teacher's subject.

"I will be having a quiz after this," the word 'quiz' was unfamiliar for the students. They started to ask their seatmates if they knew it. But they only shrugged back. "As I've read, human schools assess the knowledge of their students through a simple quiz after each lesson," she announced loud and clear, setting them to be silent. Some gulped, and some bit their lips. It was such a strange atmosphere that as soon as her classes ended, she took her leave. While the carriage moved near their estate, she saw the Civil Knights' banner. Her lover was an official member of the swordsmen of the kingdom. Instead of a delighted feeling, her heart felt like it was sinking to the bottom of her body. She had a heavy atmosphere around her. She trusts her instincts more than anyone else, and her intuition told her that something terrible had happened.

Unfortunately, her intuition is always a hundred percent accurate.
/end of flashback/

'Huh? Why am I reminded of that?' The current Princess Consort, Dahrleen, set her gaze above where the Imperium Realm is. 'My Queen, what are you trying to pull?' Her nerves twitched while she clenched her teeth. An awful memory of hers suddenly played in her head. If her husband could read her mind right now, he would be totally upset.

"The flowers are pretty," Kaira commented about the roses that surround them. Dahrleen then put on a soft smile for Kaira.

"You are a tall lady, aren't you?" she giggled, comparing her height to Kaira's as she attempted to level her hand on Kaira's head.

"Father said I got that from my mother," Kaira said with a bittersweet expression. Dahrleen started to move her feet, and Kaira only followed her to the side.

"So, your mother is a tall woman?" she replied, still admiring Kaira's height.

"Was," corrected Kaira, which made Dahrleen's heart sink. It was an awkward moment, followed by a cold breeze. Kaira eventually engaged in a conversation by complimenting the red roses, shining under the dim night. "It is amazing that it shines."

She got curious about how those petals glow in the dark, giving off a luminous vibe with the floating fireflies.

"Lee loved plants of all kinds... even the poisonous ones," she sighed to the last phrase. 'Oh, I see...' Dahrleen's lips grinned as she finally knew why the Queen would send her an awful memory. She first looked at Kaira, then observed her for a brief moment. There, she got to know the question her son, Leonard, had been asking her around. 'What does this Lady yearn for? Easy...'

"He spent years perfecting these glowing roses." Dahrleen palm-pointed a row of white roses. She then placed her palm under the stem, feeling the petal on her hand. "He was young yet a clever boy. Before he could not perfect these glowing roses, he was really frustrated that he set himself out in the woods."