Sunflower | Completed

5 ⚬ the arrangement

I was still staring at the address when Nero peeped over my shoulder.

He saw the address too.

"Wait, you're coming to the mansion?" Nero asked.

The three of us stood for a beat in time, utterly perplexed. We scratched our heads almost in unison so we probably looked like three monkeys cleaning and itching ourselves.

Then the doors to a few lecture theaters opened and people flooded out, weaving in and through me and the twins.

Nero said, "want to grab lunch off campus?"

I shook my head and I said, "thanks, but I think I'll stay on campus. I've got to hurry and check my time-slot for art studio. I'll probably pick up something along the way. See you guys!"

Nero and Blaise nodded at me and they waved as I dashed off, feeling their stares drilling holes into my back.

Throughout the rest of the day, I kept wondering what my parents had to do with the King family. Maybe they had some antiques they wanted to sell? Or maybe the Kings had reached out first, and wanted to buy something valuable in particular.

Either way, those strange words said by Grayson about refusing a King still haunted me. The hollow yet dark look in my brother's eyes had been something I hadn't seen before. It was like his soul had been sucked out by the Flying Dutchman.

At four fifty pm, I found myself standing in front of the gates leading to the King mansion. Perhaps something had taken over my body and mind, and I wasn't able to make sound decisions any longer.

The tall imposing black gates creaked open as a black sedan passed by. I walked up to the guard post and I waited for somebody to appear.

A head popped into view and the guard said, "why hello there. Have you made an appointment to visit?"

"I'm, Sunflower Keynes. I'm supposed to be at the King mansion?" I said.

"Ah, say no more! Welcome, Miss Keynes. Come on in. Augustus Hill at your service," the guard smiled as he spoke.

I thanked him and I approached the gates. They swung open and inwards easily and I walked through them.

Beyond the gate lay a vast amount of land, but there wasn't any signs of life. A fog shrouded the mansion up ahead and I blinked the precipitation away.

The mansion was huge, and looked more like a palace. The gold arches and emblems with intricate detail in carving showed the beautiful artistry. There were a few blocks around the mansion, like mini houses.

As I squared my shoulders and readied myself to walk on to the mansion, I heard an engine sound behind me. I recognized Nero's car as it stopped in front of me.

The window rolled down and Nero said, "hop in, we'll give you a ride."

I slid into the backseat of the car, landing next to Blaise.

Blaise lifted his head and he smiled, but the smile didn't meet his eyes.

I tried to smile back, but I was immediately reminded of his lips curving against mine. I shook the thought away as soon as it came.

Blaise seemed to find this amusing because he let out a chuckle.

"What are you shaking your head so violently for?" He asked, intrigued.

"Oh, I thought there was a fly near me," I covered up the truth as fast as lightning.

❧

The inside of the mansion was crazy. Crazy wonderful. The whole place was furnished with the best of the best. Greek statues? They had them. Marble floors and walled columns? They had them. Large portraits of ancestors hanging around the walls? They had them.

We were walking towards the study when we heard voices speaking over each other.

"No I don't understand what you're trying to say," I heard my father's voice first.

Then an unfamiliar voice, but I noticed the twins' ears pricking up.

"It's simple, Mr and Mrs Keynes. I'm asking for your consent to arrange for your daughter to be the wife of one of my sons. We will compensate you greatly."

I gasped, shocked at what I'd just heard.

My parents seemed to be equally shocked for there wasn't an audible  response.

"You're essentially proposing a marriage contract between our children, then," I heard my mother speak as well.

Nero strode past Blaise and I, and he stormed into the study, throwing the door open with force.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Uncle Alexander!" He shouted.

Uncle Alexander almost dropped the glass of wine in his hands but he steadied his arm.

A guard near the door reached for his pockets and Uncle Alexander shook his head.

"Ah here they are, early, even," Uncle Alexander said.

I went to my parents and I asked, "mom, dad! What's going on?"

"Honey," my father started to speak.

Nero was all up in his uncle's face. He'd be spitting venom if he could.

"Answer me. What do you think you're doing?" Nero said.

"Nero, you are not to speak to your father like that," a new voice joined in.

We looked up and saw a woman wearing a Victorian baby pink dress. Her scarlet hair framed her face in long tresses.

Nero growled, "that is not my father."

I hadn't ever seen Nero so passionately angry and Blaise so complacently blasé. Blaise was back to rapping his feet against the ground and looking around, like the first time I met the twins.

"Let's all just take a deep breath and calm down, shall we?" Uncle Alexander smiled, showing two rows of shining straight teeth.

"The fuck I'll calm down. What kind of sick marriage contract are you trying to propose again?" Nero sneered at his uncle slash father.

Again?

I felt the walls closing in and a panic attack prowling close by to strike my heart.

I couldn't stay here anymore. I was getting more confused by the second because of the ridiculousness of it all.

My phone rang and I checked the caller ID.

It was my brother.

"I just remembered Grayson said he would pick the remainder of my things up from home and drop them off at my dorm. I have to rush to get back to my dorm," I made a hasty excuse and I ran off, not looking back.

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A/N: hmmm what do we think of this chapter? I'm not sure I'm satisfied with the ending and may come back to tweak it later. I will probably update tomorrow but if not definitely by next week! The drama is only just beginning so grab yo popcorn and drink and dig in!