Trails of Intertwined Stars: Chapter 74

~Chapter 20: A Suitor~

A month had passed in the manor and life was still, the fleeting sensations of a wedding approaching came into much more consideration in daily life. Henry and Leora acted as if their argument during that party had never happened, but Kong Hun could see the girl become less eager to see her brother more days. Her art was the same, she would refuse to show Kong Hun and then complain it was not good enough. The hope of him returning to the Underworld seemed like a distant dream, fleeting and fathomless. That Wednesday morning, Kong Hun made his way for breakfast; seeing that both Henry and Leora were already there. However, he immediately spotted a look of anger on Leora's face and exasperation on Henry's. The girl stood glaring at her brother from across the table, tears cascading down her cheeks as furiously clenched the tablecloth with barely contained anger. Henry sat in his chair, his eyes closed with frustration and his arms crossed; staring at his lap.
"How dare you!" Leora yelled, grabbing a fork and hurling it at her brother, who swiftly dodged it with wide eyes," How dare you! How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!"
Kong Hun blinked in shock," What happened...?"
Leora gasped softly, seeing Kong Hun there; furiously rubbing her tears away.
Henry glanced up at Kong Hun," Good morning, Kong Hun. Leora and I were just having a talk, is all."

"I hate you Henry!" Leora cried, too furious to even care about pleasantries," Do you just want me to suffer, is that is!? Do you take pleasure out of my pain!?"
"You're being ridiculous," Henry glowered at his sister," You should have expected this to happen, Leora. I told you. It's time for you to consider marriage as well. Lord Bramston will be a perfect fit for you. He owns several estates and is very eager to own this one too, and finds you to be an ideal wife."
Kong Hun's eyes widened in horror. A suitor? He had to bite down on his lip to keep in an emotion that felt off to him. Anger? Sadness? No. Jealousy. He couldn't explain it, but he couldn't stand the idea of Leora with someone, he wasn't quite sure why. Kong Hun slowly went to his own seat, trying to keep his emotions in check.
"You're horrible, Henry! You and Lord Bramston!" Leora cried, dramatically collapsing into her chair and hiding her face with her hands.
"Leora," Henry groaned, his voice starting to take a softer tone," Come now, you're not thinking clearly. I did warn you about this, and since you aren't taking matters into your own hands, it's up to me. I've been lenient. I can't have my dear sister wasting away now, can I?"
"'Matters into my own hands'? God, can you hear yourself, Henry!?" Leora sobbed like a widow," I've been stuck in this bloody manor all my life, there's no 'matters' to speak of!"

"I've given you plenty of opportunities, Leora," Henry frowned, running a hand over his face in exasperation," All those parties, do you remember? I introduced you to all those men, many of them. And how did you respond? 'I don't like them, they're not my type, brother'."
"Because they're not!" Leora snapped, glaring at him," Their disgusting men who take advantage of those around them for their own aims can't you see. And Lord Bramston is that and more!"
"That's not fair, Leora."
"Oh don't give me that; I've seen the filthy man for crying out loud!" Leora slammed her hand on the table, making Kong Hun jump a little," He's the most repulsive of your friends and you know it. You really want me to suffer, don't you? You know what he does to people like me...oh, Henry..."
Leora wept, her shoulders trembling with each sob. Kong Hun stared at her, unsure what to do. Would it make things worse if he spoke up? He assumed so, and sat silently.
"Leora, enough of this melodramatic nonsense," Henry stated, sounding beyond conversing with," He will be coming over today and having tea with us."
Leora glanced up at her brother, her eyes wide in horror and revulsion. She grabbed her butter knife and flung it towards Henry's head, the Lord dodging it again.

"This is becoming ridiculous and improper, Leora!" Henry stood up, the chair legs raking obnoxiously against the floor," I will not tolerate this behaviour, do you understand!? No wonder you are not yet married, because you cannot act like a proper, Victorian lady!"
"Oh, you are so vulgar, Henry!" Leora sobbed, standing up and shoving her chair down in the process," You and Lord Bramston, both!"
"Do not speak to me like that."
"Oh give it a rest, Henry. You are not father. You never will be. You have no power."
Henry seethed, not much keeping him from pouncing over the table and tackling his younger sister. But he reigned it in. He glanced coldly at her, clapping his hands rigidly for Edward. The butler crossed the room, looking quite concerned by the whole affair.
"Edward, take Leora out of my sight and get her ready to speak to Lord Bramston."
"Yes, Master Henry," Edward bowed, lowly.
He made his way over to Leora, his face twisted in grief and sympathy.
"Come, mistress-"
"No!" Leora shook her head, trembling.
Edward leaned in, whispering something in her ear that Kong Hun could not quite make out. Leora stiffened, her body still wracked with trembles, but she gave a meek nod and followed Edward to the door. Henry watched each and every one of her movements, predatorily. Before crossing the threshold, Leora lingered, her hands gripping the door frame.

"Wait, Henry," Leora sighed, glancing back at her brother with tear stained eyes," I'm not being fair."
Both Kong Hun and Henry looked at Leora in surprise. The short tempered girl was apologizing to Henry immediately? Kong Hun didn't exactly think she needed to apologize. But then he saw Edward's worried face, and immediately filled with dread, knowing what Leora was about to do.
"I forgot to tell you to curl up and DIE!" Leora snapped, before slamming the door behind her with such a force that a nearby vase shuddered and threatened to fall.
Henry stared at the shut door for many moments, as if it had told him those very words. Kong Hun stared at his plate in silence, not daring to move. Henry glanced at him, like some unwanted guest, before managing to take a deep breath and sit down.
"She's unbearable," He muttered, furiously," I don't know how you survive as her model, I would have murdered her with my own two hands had she not been my sister."
Kong Hun let out a strained laugh, awkwardly.
"Am I expected to come to tea and meet Lord Bramston?" Kong Hun asked, gripping his fork tighter, how he dreaded the answer.
"That would be for the best," Henry nodded," Ignore what my sister says about him. He is a good man."
"I shall...take your word for it," Kong Hun uttered, trying to repress the bitter notes to his voice.
As he stabbed his meal with his knife and fork, how he wished that it was Lord Bramston.