BLACK and WHITE

Chapter five: Change the course of event

~xxx~

Breakfast ended awkwardly. The grand duke left to attend to some matters. Blue guided Leo out of the breakfast room, away from the suffocating tension, Leaving the Sliver brothers alone at the dining table.

As they strolled towards the garden, Victor and Edward's eyes never left them, their gazes burning with intensity.

"I won't let him have you, Leo," Victor muttered under his breath, his eyes fixed on Blue's hand.

Edward's expression remained neutral, but his eyes flashed a warning. "Don't be foolish, Victor. Leonardo's heart is not a prize to be won."

Victor's glare intensified. "You're just as guilty, Edward. You want him just as much as I do."

Edward's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps. But I'll not let my desires cloud my judgment. Leonardo's well-being comes first."

~xxx~

Meanwhile, Blue's eyes never left Leonardo's face, his gaze filled with concern and understanding. He knew the dynamics at play, the rivalries and desires. But his focus remained on Leonardo, on helping him navigate the treacherous waters of his own mind and also... to confirm some suspicion he has been having lately.

~xxx~

As they walked through the gardens, Blue's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on Leonardo's face.

"Lost in thought, Young Master?" Blue asked, his voice soft.

Leonardo's eyes remained fixed on the path ahead, his mind trapped in the darkness of his memories. "Just thinking about my past, Blue. Wondering if it was all worth it."

Blue's suspicion grew, his quiet observation taking in every detail. He knew Leonardo's history, the evil deeds he had committed. But he also saw the conflict in his eyes, the hint of remorse.

"You're questioning your actions, Leo," Blue said, his voice low. "That's a start. But don't think you can fool me. I know the real you."

Leonardo's gaze snapped to Blue's face, a flicker of anger in his eyes. But Blue's expression remained neutral, his eyes filled with a deep understanding.

In this serene setting, Leonardo felt a fleeting sense of peace, a respite from the turmoil within. But Blue's words lingered, a reminder that he couldn't escape his past, and that Blue saw right through him.

Blue's eyes never left Leonardo's face, his gaze filled with concern and curiosity. He had served Leonardo for years, carrying out his orders without question, no matter how ruthless. But now, Leonardo's sudden change in behavior left him wondering if this was still the same Young Master he knew.

"Blue, do you ever think about the choices we made in the past?" Leonardo asked, his voice low and contemplative.

Blue's eyes narrowed slightly, his suspicion piqued. "What do you mean, Young Master?"

Leonardo's gaze drifted away, lost in thought. "I mean, do we ever stop to consider the consequences of our actions? The harm we may have caused?"

Blue's mind raced with questions, his thoughts flashing back to the countless times he had carried out Leonardo's orders, exterminating those who got too close to the heroine. But now, Leonardo seemed... different. Distracted. As if his mind was elsewhere.

The silence that followed was palpable, each lost in their own thoughts. Blue's hand instinctively went to his shoulder, as if seeking reassurance that this was still the same Leonardo he knew. But the gesture felt empty, uncertain.

Leo's eyes flickered open, and he gazed at Blue with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. For a moment, Blue thought he saw a glimmer of something else - a hint of vulnerability, perhaps, or a shadow of the past. But then, Leo's face transformed, and his trademark tyrant smile spread across his face like a mask.

"Blue, my dear butler," Leo said, his voice dripping with honey. "I have a task for you. I want you to clear out that abandoned glasshouse near my courtyard and plant some rare herbs. I have a fondness for exotic botany, you know."

Blue raised an eyebrow, taken aback by the sudden change in Leo's demeanor. But he knew better than to question his Young Master's whims. "Of course, Young Master. I'll see to it immediately."

As Blue departed, Leo's smile faltered, and he gazed out at the garden with a melancholy expression.

"No one must know," he whispered to himself. "The past is the past. I will not let it define me."

Leo's eyes clouded, and his thoughts drifted to the secrets he kept hidden. Secrets that could shatter the very foundations of his world. He knew that Blue was getting close to uncovering the truth, but Leo was determined to keep his past buried.

"I will change the course of events," Leo vowed to himself. "I will not let tragedy strike again. I will control the narrative, no matter the cost."