CHAPTER 12: The Lotus Gift

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"Isn't this a gown?" Ren asked while they're looking at the gift that his brother received from the Lady of Lotus. He turned to his brother and saw how his brother looks at the dress, if could looks can cause a fire, the gown will be burning right now and felt quite scared at the thought.

Syl heard his brother asked him but for now, he cannot speak without lashing out. He needs to calm himself down so he will not scare his brother. He's been holding his temper since yesterday, more of this humiliation and he will explode and the bitch will have some piece of his mind.

Yesterday is his worst performance playing the piano, For Syl, it was so hard to pretend to be horrible to the things that he's good at. He was a prodigy in his time for goodness sake but that day he had to play horribly for the entertainment of those evil ladies of the court. Syl was fuming when he went home. He went straight to his room and washed his face with water to calmed himself. He bowed that it is the last time he will play horribly. That is an insult to his mother, to his talent and to his music.

"I'll make them pay for what they make me endure this day, I will pay them back ten folds. I swear this will be the last day that they will laugh at my face and at my expense," he said while looking at the mirror water dripping from his face.

Syl is looking at the red gown with many ruffles and a big red ribbon at the back. Anyone who will wear this will look like a walking gift wrap, he thought to himself. "You're really testing my patience Lady of Lotus," he stated while looking down at the gown with a raised brow.

Ren heard what his brother just said and he can't help but shiver with the tone of his voice. "What are you going to do now brother?" he can help but to ask his brother.

"I'm not going to wear that hideous gown," He said angrily "and I already have something to wear and I'll be needing your help on that," he said sounding quite calm now. "I will beat her in her own game" he added with a sinister smile.

Ren can't help but shiver again at his brother's statement and at his expression. He made a mental note not to make him this angry. He is much scarier than the Lady of Lotus.

Syl is now looking at his reflection in the mirror. He let his hair down and he braided some of his tresses on both sides of his head and tied it at the back. He's wearing a white overlap tunic with long sleeves that the hem reaches below his knees. This tunic was used by his mother when she wedded his father. He also wears long loose white pants with tight endings just above his ankle that belongs to his father. He asked Ren to alter it to fit him and he's also wearing dark brown boots that Ren lend him but he still felt that something is still missing.

Ren admires his brother's looks. He was like a nobleman. He never knew that his brother can pull something as beautiful as this and he's really glad that he helped him this time by using his talent in stitching and he also lends him the boots that he bought with his own money before his parents decided to sell him to be a servant. He's thinking this while stares at his brother and notice the dissatisfaction look on his brother's face. "What's wrong brother?" he asked

Syl purses his lips while looking at the mirror. "I feel like there is something missing," he answered Ren. He looks around the room when his sight landed on the red gown splattered on the floor. He smiled and quickly grabbed the dress and he unknotted the red ribbon that is tied around its waist. He then went to his table and opened one of the boxes where he kept his important belongings and stands in front of the mirror again.

"Ren come quickly help me wrap it around my waist," he called and asks Ren who was watching him all this time. Ren jumps to his feet when he heard his voice, he's too busy watching all his movements.

When Ren finished wrapping the red silk around his waist Syl handed him his two brooch pins. The one is with his father's crest the falcon and the other is a jade stone that belongs to his mother.

"Clipped the end using this brooch pins," he instructed him. When Ren finished fastening the pins, he grabbed his light blue cloak and wear it down.

Ren is so fascinated with his brother. He looked so regal on his clothing the red silk ribbon that he wears as a waistband fit his outfit perfectly and especially when he put on the light blue cloak. These clothes fit his brother's temperament calm but with fire inside, Ren thought to himself. "Brother you look wonderful!!" he said happily with clapping his hand.

Syl smile back to him from the mirror. "Really? Well, it's all thanks to you," he stated.

Ren shook his head. "No brother I didn't do much,"

"What do you mean you didn't do much? You help me wash the tunic, you're the one who stitches the pants so it will fit me and lastly you lend me these beautiful boots. Do you think I can tie this around me?" He gestured to the red silk wrapped around his waist.

"Now tell me how's that you didn't do much? He asked Ren. Sometimes I think that I will die without you seriously. So don't think little about your efforts, I'm very thankful for that," he told him.

Ren wipes the tears that fell from his eyes without noticing it. "The things I've done for you brother is not enough for the things that you've already done for me. You teach me how to read and write and you let me learn things that a servant like me would never dream of doing and most of all you gave me a family a real one," he said while hiccupping.

"Ahh, this little brother of mine is really emotional. Enough about the crying alright, because this what family does. Always remember that," he told him while rubbing his head. Ren nodded and sniffed one last time.

"But brother I'm quite scared for you, it's just sad that I cannot come with you," he said with concern for Syl.

"Nah... I rather leave you here and rest, than soil your innocent mind," he said while laughing and Ren pouted at that. Syl saw this and laugh harder.

"Let's go we don't want the Lady of Lotus to wait don't we," he said jokingly. Ren nodded and followed his brother downstairs with a heavy heart by letting his brother to face this battle alone.

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