Kane has a personal dilemma she's bargaining with, and as soon as she opened the door for a man, she has to face her nightmares once again. On the 15th of March, 2019, a realistic woman, a kindergarten teacher at the district of Eli Bethsaida with an artistical intuition, quietly spends time with herself and her work, not until a man showed up in front of the doorway of her classroom, saying he's there to confess an urgent matter and an hour after, things become a mess. With a second thought, Kane heard him, but not fully trusted him for he is Hazel Palejaro Marquis, a person who brought deception in the village of Nol Magno, who has set the Lair Hides Low Sanctuary into its downfall. Days and weeks after, she has embarked herself with the others, reconciled with hope, trust, loyalty, and companionship. With them, she has learned the subtler meaning of their language before the eight-year or the previous mark- when they were in the presence of their youth. When they were promised by April 5th a better 2011. When they were scarcely bemused.
THERE WAS a rustle around the corner.
Kane knew she had to escape, but her feet were soldered on its position, and with the tree stroking her bareback, she hid from whoever was chasing her. She never had to be this far. But then she had no choice.
"Kane!" exclaimed an authoritative voice, huskily untrustworthy. "Kane, it's me. This is Marcus Manhattan from La Cervede. I'm a friend of your brother."
Her breathings discontinued for a swift second, her gaze never left what's in front of her. She didn't respond nor she had the idea to take action. For Kane, that was a better option.
She inspected her muddled white dress. There were no torn parts, however, it was thin that the wafts and the chilliness they provided were exposing her entirety. The perturbed girl caressed herself, arms crossed and enclasping her shoulders as she's keeping sadness inside her.
The atmosphere was miserable that even the clouds, blanketed by its dark mood, weren't that useful to make Kane be a respite. She was deserted with someone she only once met.
"I came here as per Baron's request, and I am here not to hurt you, but to take you to your brother," Marcus gently enunciated with a glint of beguilement. "Tell me, do you understand my language?"
The girl closed her eyes while the wind caressed her murky poise, and sweat caressing her cold face. Her dried lips pursed, a pleat on her forehead.
For the first time, Kane could never listen to anything. There was a perpetual truce, something she sought for the rest of her being. But she learned this perpetual truce could not be sought repeatedly.
It could be interim secrecy.
It could never rid away the chaos subsisting inside her.
"Kane," she heard the man puffed, "please, don't make this hard for the both of us. I came here to fetch you, and Baron, he's concerned about you."
Kane wanted to warn him to stop his lies. Baron was in a hide like what she was doing. She understood his words, yes, even if it's not her language. Hence, that would never amend her decision to not enunciate a phrase at all.
She was cornered. As Kane opened her eyes, let alone discern that the surrounding would never revamp into a solacing niche, hardly breathed, the throbs of her heart were scurrying.
It remained grimy, misty, and terrifying. The trees were everywhere circulated, sprawling lanky and restful on the ground as their silhouettes lurched in spooked and easygoing whizzes.
Rough and hard was the tree that she bent on for her stiff back to rest, while the edges of the tickling hay disturbed her quivering knees. Rest guaranteed Kane could withstand the forest, but she could not withstand the man.
"I hope you can hear me, Kane, at least. If you don't trust me that much, who else would you dare to put that?" Marcus asked, confident, and tamed. "Can you give me one chance?"
She would suspect him at the utmost of her suspicions. The very first inquiry she would tempt to raise a question was that, why was this man the one who had to find her and not her brother Baron? It could be that the man was one of those who put his father's life on the line.
"It's not safe here, Kane," Marcus added, "if you like, you can stay at his house."
Whose house would it be? Kane would interrupt his speech, but she knew that if she pronounced a single word, it's the verge of her. It could have been a lure.
"Kane," said another person, wholly familiar. "This is Mike. You don't need to hide from those goons. Marcus is here to hide you and your brother."
Kane gulped. It was indeed Mike. The help had come to save the day, her dedication, and Will Jacobs' Prince of Hope.
Kane began to squat on the ground, her eyes drowning in her tears, haziness cloaked her visions. Mike was there, and that signified Marcus was someone she could believe that was stating merely but the truth.
She heard a few steps. It went imminent to imminent, cackles tolling in the background, breeze hissing, foliages blurting safety.
There was a halt.
None was to be heeded but tranquil in all corners.
Behind the tree where she was, someone profoundly sighed.
By that, she's aware it was him.
That it was Mike.
"I know it's tough," the teenage boy commenced, "but you know I am here. Mike's always here. I won't leave your side."
Kane retorted with a sob, her pitch trembling in anxiety. Her youth was harsh for it was filled with ironic things she never wished to come to existence. It was not guaranteed the way it should be.
It was Mike that made it easy for her.
"It will soon be over," Mike added soothingly. "Trust me instead."
Indeed, trusting Mike was the clearest decision she would ever bring about. It was never difficult for her to bet her life on this certain guy. If he was that someone who could be the one to offer reassurance, she would never hesitate to seize it.
"The Lair Hides Low Sanctuary will live their normal days for a while until this situation of yours is not solved yet." Mike chuckled, intense and quaint as always, but it had something.
It had unhappiness, a glimpse of it, with evident agony.
"They understand," the Prince of Hope continued. "We all care for you."
Kane made a beam but not as wide as the typical ones. Her lips were shuddering, her eyes tired of the world. The tip of her fingers tickled the bruises on her arm, that even though she could not sight those, their stung was discomforting.
The raw embraces of the hay pinched her skin, almost concealing her from the world's apprehensions, as the thuds in her chest hushed. Stuck at her stance, all right at the very trivial of her expectancy.
"So trust me," Mike mumbled, the affection had never left his accent.
Kane leaned her nape and the back of her head on the hard and rough entirety of the thick trunk behind her, shutting down her gapes to trail the warmth of Mike's covenants.
She could trust him.
But would it be evermore?
Ever since her nonbiological Mom died, she loathed and blamed herself for that. Avery Maureen Del Hera escaped home when she thought her father whom she grew up with wanted her to go to States, and even be with her biological parents, without him fighting for her. Hence, that's the bare part of the story. When she escaped home, she found a place . . . with the help of her own fate. A zone-like place, literally, with its wide and grandeur sceneries, isolated from the world. It's the Zone of Yavanna, or how the Zoners called it as Forest Survival. It definitely comes with names. Yet she eventually held one while being in there, a codename- a new identity: Cosimia. Her tale begins right at that moment. A journey of being the real sleeping beauty, for she's never awakened with the truth that she's been lost all along. She may have sought where she belongs, but did she see where it will lead her? In this forest that bargains life, away from the cruelty of death, one will strive for the betterment of herself, to think of what will become of her. Here's the thing, she's never a Del Hera, yes, but did she know, too, she's never Avery Maureen?
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
After a heated confrontation with her husband and mistress, Brianna was pushed down to stairs. She thought she would die but when she woke up again, she realized that she traveled back two years ago, when it was not late for her to correct her path. The first thing she needed to do when she was reborn was divorce that scum. She saved from the darkest time but he lied to her and murdered her in the end. This time, she would not repeat the same mistakes anymore. She would bring the glory of her family back and make those people who betrayed her pay the price! However, in the process of climbing up to the peak of her career, she met a very intimidating and handsome man who kept on messing with her head through his bold attitude. Brianna doesn't want to be involved with another man again, for she has proven to herself that they will just drag her down, but her constant incidents with him are slowly breaking the wall she built to protect her heart. Brianna will surely choose her career over a man this time, but it's possible to choose both, right? What if he hurt her too? No! She won't risk it but. "You have to run away from me, Bree. Coz I'm done running away, I'll chase you now."
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
While Sienna reached the pinnacle of her success, Julian remained the forgotten son of his family, the one who had secretly stolen her first kiss in the shadows of the night. As Sienna hit her darkest moment, Julian returned home, leaving his life behind, only to witness her tears glistening in the moonlight as she reluctantly accepted another man's proposal. When Sienna needed Julian more than ever, he had risen to a position of power and had become her most steadfast pillar of support. "Please marry me." There was no one else in the world who could love Sienna as deeply as Julian did.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!