Winter's Dead Bride

Chapter Fifteen

Thursday 22 November, morning, Land of Never-Ending Autumn.

As I unwilling woke up after my rest, I found myself in a warmly tinted bedroom with the kind morning sun kissing the walls. The sound of the unfamiliar and unnamed birds in the distance was different from those of Winter. Back home, birds always sounded bleak or at times they never sang at all due to the virus spreading and killing them too. Furthermore, these ones sounded lively and promised a hopeful day ahead.

I then sat up, still clutching the velvet, teal-coloured duvet close to me as I looked around in wonder. The room itself was very spacious with a nice feeling to it and there was a mini-library in the corner, a shelf of herbs right next to it. I massaged my head, feeling guilty again.

Teí must have carried me last night...

I yawned one last time then decided to pull myself out of bed, embracing the sun's heat that gently caressed my skin. I wandered over to the window, running my fingers along the petals of a peculiar golden flower that was growing on the window sill. I drew in a deep breath, now looking at the sparkling scene spread out in front of me.

It was breathtaking.

Right before me, I saw the shimmering world that I never thought had existed before. I scanned the area, at the red and orange trees as they shed their rusty leaves and at the leaf blanketed ground encircling the lake. But it was the moving glass lake that kept stealing my breath. Its roasting colour was alluring, easily captivating me. Everything was reflected inside it, leaving out nothing. I wonder where Teí was... Asleep?

I made my way down the stairs carefully, getting surprise after surprise with everything that I saw. I peeked into one of the doors and saw a living room. It was neat and polished with different shades of Autumn all around. It smelled like a homely place, somewhere to just relax and take time to breathe... Teí sure knew his stuff with making home feel like home... I wonder if he used this room often...?
_

I slowly skimmed my fingertips along the surface of the lake, liking the unusual cold feeling and the thousands of shivers it sent down my back as it moved. It felt magical...like I was finally at peace inside...

Dhor had always boasted about seeing unfrozen lakes when his parents took him on holidays to the other Seasons. He would tell me wonderful and detailed stories of how the water would move and create beautiful ripples when it was touched, he would inform me of how I was missing out on the whole world...

I tapped the surface of the water and the circles radiated out into multiple ripples from my touch, making my face wobble inside the water...

Why?

He wanted me to see it too...at least once... but the water always froze once it reached Winter. I always thought it was a lie, that nothing like that could ever exist but I could never pluck the courage to accept when he offered to take me as well. He promised me that there were a million foods and animals I had never seen but I claimed that I still had the textbooks from school to help me with that... A teardrop fell into the lake as the memories of Dhor overtook me with sorrow and I was suddenly remembering everything at once.

What happens to that feeling called happiness? Why does it seem like an illusion? A blur of a fleeting dream that I couldn't catch? Why is "permanent" the only thing that is actually temporary?

I was trembling with the continuing sobs when I felt a gentle movement beside me. I stopped crying, sniffling instead. I peeked at the small animal down beside me. It was a tiny, fox-coloured cat with the eyes of sweet honey peeking up at me. I wiped my tears quickly and blinked again at the adorable cat. It purred gently, rubbing its tiny head against my leg now. It curiously peered at me again, almost like it was waiting for a response. I was still amazed as I bent down to pick it up. Its fur was warm and silky-smooth as I petted it. It purred even more, seemingly liking what I was doing. Hmm... when was the last time I had held a cat? I smiled now, feeling comforted by it.

"There you are, Honey. Time for breakfast," came a tired voice which I recognised straight away.

I turned around to see Teí looking accusingly at the cat wrapped in my arms. He looked really handsome like this... still tired after sleeping and his morning hair...

"M-morning," I finally managed to squeak, figuring out he was talking about the cat.

Honey purred even more now, looking fondly up at Teí.

"I never knew you had a cat," I admitted, handing him the small cat.

"It gets pretty boring when you're here alone all the time so I got a companion. She was staying with a friend of mine for some time," he explained, catching my eyes now.

He examined me as I wondered about their great relationship for Honey to be able to sense when her owner came back...

"Have you been crying?" he asked, somehow closer now as he looked into my eyes.

I suddenly realised that my eyes must have still been red for him to notice. I struggled to find words for a moment as I stared at him.

"N-no...I'm fine," I stuttered, clearly lying as my eyes clouded again, thinking of Dhor.

He only sighed, reaching out to wipe my cheek as Honey climbed onto the back of his neck. Right then, I stopped breathing as I felt his warm fingertips brushing against my skin, calming me down.

"You can tell me anything, Azalea. Trust me, even if it's just a little... okay?" he assured as more tears fell now.

I tried to answer but my breath got stuck in my throat as I heard that word again. Trust. It made me want to burst out crying but I firmly resisted, biting down on my bottom lip for a while.

"Yeah... I was thinking of Dhor," I finally admitted, sniffing as I avoided his gaze.

He was worried as drew closer to me, surprising me as he did.

"It's okay," he reassured, stroking my hair.

 I felt his gentle breath giving me a ghost kiss every time he breathed and this was somehow calming me down as his eyes found mine, locking me in a trance.

"We built him a special coffin and buried him properly. The Coroners were being too cruel with their methods and I supposed that you would have liked it better like that," he informed, bumping his nose against mine.

I blushed, holding my breath as he continued to gaze at me. My heart was racing as he brushed away another tear that fell.

"That's... that's what you were going to say back then," I said softly, remembering the dinner with his family.

"Too bad I didn't have the chance to do the same for your other family members," he apologised, making my heart race even faster...like a drum at war that would build up the tension...

"No...that's the best thing someone could have ever done for me...thank you Prince Teí," I thanked, finally finding the courage to speak.

He smiled, his presence calming me down as we gazed into each other's eyes.

"Then don't make me any more jealous than I already am, Azalea," he whispered, drawing a little closer to my lips.

But then he stopped when I gasped, as though he had just realised something.

"This cat will die if I don't feed her," he stated, drawing away from me as the cat messed with his hair, "and calling me Teí will do just fine."

I swallowed hard...

Oh my...