My heart stopped for a second, for many reasons I didn't have the chance to process.
Relief?, Joy?, Confusion?
I wasn't sure what exactly it was, but I hadn't felt something like this before. The urge to have relief yet a tingling feeling saying that I couldn't rejoice yet.
"The 5th guardian?, How can I marry someone who's basically my brother?", My voice rose a bit, I didn't know why, maybe I wanted to be sure I was heard.
Aaron went silent for a second before raising his head, "I know you were firstly adopted by the 5th guardian, but you have to understand Genessa, he sold you because he didn't want you".
"But does that change-
"It changes a lot, You are not his child, there is no blood relation and even the adoption bonds were long severed".
He walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him, as I fell on the bed.
"It's late", I thought, my body now weak from the days activities. I looked at the bad, my eyes heavy, "Maybe I should just lie down for a bit, after all, there's a lot I have to do tomorrow".
7AM, Kitchen in Aaron and Briel's Home.
The sizzling sound of hot oil was the only thing I feared now, the fear that it would wake Briel up or even worse; Aaron.
I wasn't going against the rules, Briel told me I could make whatever I wanted in the morning. I knew what she meant, breakfast for the family, definitely, but I had a different motive.
I packed some in a food basket, one of the things Mr John gave me as a farewell gift, because I once told him I liked everything relating to food.
He seemed to misunderstand.
I kept the last of them in a plate, I had made enough for the actual purpose, and enough to pretend I was making breakfast for the Briel and Aaron.
My heart skipped a beat as I heard a door open, a man with black messy hair and dressed in a white robe appearing from behind.
"Sir", I said, hiding the food basket behind me, sweat trickling down my face.
He turned to me, before his eyes landed on the meal on the table, then back to me again.
"Who asked you to cook?", He asked, coming down the stairs, his hair seemed to block most of his view so I wondered how he managed not to trip.
"Mrs Briel said I could", I replied. "She said I could make something in the morning".
"Make something for who?"
"You and Mrs Briel, or should I not have?"
He tilted his head to the side, getting a glimpse of what I was hiding behind me. He looked back at me, his face questioning me.
"Give me your left hand", He said.
"Did I do something wrong?", I asked, offering him my left hand. He didn't answer the question rather his eyes diverted to my right.
"Now, the other one", He added.
I looked at my right hand, I knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to see what I had behind me, there was no way to escape him.
"It's leftovers", I said, bringing out my right hand. "Incase that's what you want to see".
I shifted to the side a bit, letting him see what I had behind me, fruits, desserts, food, but every single one, I also plated it for he and Briel.
"And why are the leftovers bigger than the main thing?", He questioned, coming closer to take a better look.
I smiled, a fake one, "I got carried away for a second and made too much, that's why it's huge. It won't spoil though, I promise, I know how to preserve each and every one.
He assessed me one more time, looking for anything to prove I was up to something. He seemed to have found nothing as he simply turned away.
"Where's yours?", He asked, turning around.
My mind searched for something , anything, lie or truth that would get me out of this one. I didn't have time to sit and eat, I had somewhere to be.
"That reminds me Sir", I went closer to him. "I have a small request".
His eyes began to look less heavy and he seemed more awake than before," What is it?"
"The seashore", I stated. "May I go there and enjoy my meal, the view there is beautiful and I miss it".
He did the same thing he always did, silence, then he would look me up and down before he would clear his throat and reply.
"Be back before 9AM", He said, once he had completed all the stages of answering my question.
He turned around, heading upstairs, "You're going to work with me today".
I ran upstairs, heading for the bathroom, a God-given opportunity I couldn't miss had just landed on my feet.
I didn't know what it would take to convince the son of Uranus to reverse a curse he did on a human who mocked and insulted him, but it didn't matter.
I was willing to do it.
I looked through the window, there was no merman in sight, no ripples in the river, yet I felt like something was waiting for me.
The walk there was unsettling.
Every step I took was a new decision I had to make, a new question my heart asked me.
I knew this probably wouldn't work, I didn't know the guardians too well but I knew they loved giving impossible conditions, I had seen people they died too and I had thanked the Lord I wasn't in their shoes.
It seems I mistakenly tried it on.
My feet halted at the sight of the river as I placed the basket on the bench.
"You caused this on yourself, Genessa". I looked at the sea, "You can't be afraid now".
I sat on the bench, resting my head on my knees, I didn't need to look up, I was sure he would let his presence known when he came.
I felt something climb up my legs, an ant most likely, I hit it till its death, but it seemed strange how long it persisted.
The water began to swirl as I got up from the bench, shifting back, one hand on my food basket as protection.
"Sorry", A voice said from the water. "The ant was to make sure you're human".
The voice was deeper than that of the merman I met yesterday, the water slowly turned red until a man emerged from it, sitting on it and it finally turned normal.
Red eyes, Wavy red hair, and in a suit, he was the man I saw through my window, the one with the merman.
He had a book in his hands with a pen settled neatly behind his hair and another in his mouth.
His hand went to his lips, removing the pen he kept there as he cleared his throat to speak.
"The Son of Uranus says that the curse he has placed on you is immortal, it cannot be reversed".