Yours Truly

Chapter 6 part ii

A beautiful laugh escaped from her rosy lips as she ran within the woods like a deer playing without any care of the world. She was followed by her beloved who deliberately kept his pace a little slow before actually planning to enfold her in his arms and never let go of her.

"Sweet Ophelia, you know you can't run away from me..." He called out, with a cheerful grin gracing his handsome countenance.

"Beloved Matthew, I know you can't stay away from me..." Her voice called out from a distance followed by a short giggle.

Their little game continued till the sun began to tire out and the sky grew darker. The lovers sat down on the grass, sharing kisses and embraces, one after another. The only thing they didn't know was,

They were being watched.

Watched by someone who was waiting for the moment when he could release his sinister intentions, and that moment wasn't far enough. He saw a short dialogue exchange between the innocent lovers. The female covering her face in embarrassment while the male kept on teasing her before looking around and nodded at her. She smile and went towards the lake not far away.

This was his chance. He sped towards the lake and surprised the female.

Slash!

A loud hoarse cry ripped her throat before she fell on the floor. The deed was done as he was told to do so, he quickly escaped from the other direction so that he wouldn't get caught.

Meanwhile, Matthew rushed to the spot where the cry came from and stopped dead on his tracks.

"Ophelia? No, no, no... It can't be."

He rubbed his eyes, slapped himself twice. No, he wasn't hallucinating. She was in front of him.

Dead.

He saw her lying on the grass with a throat slit in the most horrifying way. Her blood staining her jasmine white dress and the lake that was now mixed with the Crimson liquid. Matthew fell on his knees and screamed out loud, so loud that it probably shook the sky and rain began to pour down within seconds.

Even the heavens cried on her death.

Matthew felt so helpless, vulnerable. He suddenly saw everything being sucked into a dark vortex. His memories, Ophelia and everything else and heard a soft voice calling out him.

"Sire.... Sire.... Sire!"

Matthew jolted right up on his bed, sweating and panting. His eyes wide and pupil dilated with fear. Joseph stood in front of him with a glass of water and concern overflowing on his face.

Matthew looked at him and inhaled deeply, running a hand through his unruly hair.

"You were having a nightmare." Joseph stated handing the prince a glass of water. Matthew finished the water in a gulp.

"Joseph?"

"Yes?"

"Are you my nursemaid?"

"What?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said-" Joseph said putting on a straight face, Matthew chuckled.

"One Mercurial Prince you are." The flaxen haired man shook his head, giving a small smile. He knew that Matthew did not want him to ask him more about his nightmare. There was a brief silence between both companions before someone knocked at the door.

"Please enter." Matthew said out loud, his voice suddenly turning impassive. A maid wearing a white and red uniform entered. She wasn't quite tall and had a baby face with bright blue eyes. Her eyes continuously glanced towards Joseph who put a hand on his face.

Matthew smirked at the tension rising between them before clearing his throat.

"Your highness wanted to know whether you want to come down for breakfast or should he send it upstairs." The maid tried her best not to stutter, it was obvious that she was new.

"Ah, inform him that I'll be there in the dining hall in half an hour."

She nodded before leaving, giving a last glance to Joseph, who looked away, his pale skin turning into different hues of red.

"So..... Mr. Octavius, what was with the tension in the air?"

"What tension?"

Matthew gestured towards him and the door and grinned.

Joseph's grey eyes widened before looking away. "Um, nothing?" His response made Matthew chuckled.

"Man up, my boy."

"Sire, please." Matthew rolled his eyes on the way he addressed him.

"I don't know about me but we just found a bride for my brother."

"Can you not-"

"Not rea-"

"I came here to wake you up, my work here is done-" Joseph stood up clumsily, probably for the first time in his life, Matthew had the grace to hold back a snort.

"But Joseph-"

"I'm leaving, Sire. Excuse me-''

"Joseph, at least leave the pillow here before you go." Matthew kept his hand on his mouth, Joseph looked at the pillow he was holding and hurled it on Matthew before leaving the room in haste.

Matthew chuckled, he had never seen that side of Joseph. His brother was in love.

Love.

The feeling had left his heart hollow.

Yet he smiled, feeling genuinely happy for Joseph before getting off the bed to change.

xxxxx