www.tredition.

de
About the author
Vanessa Winter was born August 13
th
1991 in Baden-Wrttemberg, Ger-
many. She grew up in the seni sma!! town o" #au!bronn.
$%he Go!den &eart' was reated in ())9, when the author was trying to
ope with the domesti *io!ene o" her re!ationship. As time passed, she e+pan-
ded the story to the point o" it being what it is today. &er interest in ating
made her write "our sreenp!ays to the boo, series, that sha!! in!ude se*en
no*e!s.
%he artist name -Winter. stands "or a heart o" ie, not impressed by ro-
mane, be!onging to a person who, howe*er, writes about it.
Thanks To
First off, I'd like to thank my family and friends who have always seen more in
me than I ever have. Specifically, I thank:
- Junho Lee for the wonderful son and the support. !here is no "etter in-
spiration for Jae-#wa. $ords aren't enouh to thank you, %&' and ()S for
chanin my life and "ein so e*cited with me. Just want to hu you all.
- my sister and "est friend +ad,a for the first correction. I love you.
- -at for "ein such an ama.in illustrator/ 0ou are so talented/ !hanks for
the "reathtakinly "eautiful hardcover desin/
- #erwin for the map creation and the very nice chats. -heers/
- -olin 'oran for takin my ift.
- Jun (im 1 the whole team of ()S 23 Son For 0ou4, includin #ottest
- 'ario 5 for stayin friends. 6ven thouh our ways will part, you were my
first and "iest fan 5 hopefully this won't chane. $e were simply too youn to
understand love. !hank you for helpin me correct the 6nlish edition so
eaerly. I hope you will find your true soul mate.
- Sevki 5 if it weren't for you, I pro"a"ly wouldn't know (-&op. 0ou're the
kind of friend that allows you to "e yourself. 7!elepassy8 for the win 9:
- &apa 5 for lovin your dauhters so much.
- 'ama 5 for "ein so proud of me and "elievin in me.
- ;randma 5 for your constant, lovin worry a"out me. I'm lad you en,oyed
my story and liked Jae-#wa a lot.
- ;randpa 5 for still "ein the man everyone can count on 5 at <=. 3nd for
en,oyin my poetry.
- #ott"eat -hile >my Latin manaer:, itsalla"out%&' 1 Lee Junho Indonesia
- *u*u for your lovely letter
- ?%@smilineyes
- 'ariem Ara"y 5 for your friendship and support
- 'y ladies, 7female %&'8 !hai-&rincess 'addy, enery pill 'anu, khun irl
-ynthia, adora"le &in and 'aknae #an. +essi loves ya/ B-B
- ;ra.i B-B First #ottest to call me +essi
- all my supporters on !witter, Fanpop, !um"lr, Face"ook etc.
- so many other kind people makin my life worth livin
and last "ut not least 0AC for readin my "ook ::
Vanessa Winter
The Golden Heart
Book 1 Strength of Love
Glossary (p. 291 292)
Places (p. 293 295)
Character Guide (p. 29 ! 311)
www.tredition.de
"he Golden #eart$ %oo& 1 'tren(th o) *o+e
Copyri(ht , 2-13 by .anessa /inter
Co+er 0esi(n1 , Catherine Archer!/ills (carcherwills.co2)
3aps1 , #erwin /ielin& ()antasy!2aps.co2)
4ditors o) 4n(lish +ersion1 35rio 'il+a$ 3artina G6nther
4ditor o) Ger2an +ersion1 7ad8a /a(ner
9thers1 7i&a %echtel$ 9li+ia %rown
"ranslated )ro2 Ger2an to 4n(lish by .anessa /inter
Publisher1 tredition G2b#$ #a2bur(
:'%71 978-3-8495-7430-7
Printed in Ger2any
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or
other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of
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%iblio(ra)ische :n)or2ation der 0eutschen 7ationalbibliothe&1
0ie 0eutsche 7ationalbibliothe& +er;eichnet diese Publi&ation in der
0eutschen 7ationalbiblio(ra)ie< detaillierte biblio(ra)ische 0aten sind i2 :n!
ternet 6ber http1==dnb.d!nb.de abru)bar.
www.tredition.de
To Colin Morgan, the heart
and Junho Lee, the soul
of this story.
I dedicate this novel to everyone who still believes
in the strength of love.
www.tredition.de
www.tredition.de
Strength
There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights
are stronger in the contrast.
(Charles Dicens!
8
TRAPPED
PRESENT
Park Jae-Hwa Aerius, God OF AIR ( )
et me go/', he begged "or the se*enth time now, sine he had
heard the *oies "rom outside. 0sing a!! !anguages ,nown to
him, he spo,e to the Gods out there, trying to get through to
what they one had been - human.
1
2ae-&wa ,ne!t on the anient wood, his ear pressed tight!y against the door,
that had no door,nob on the inside. Gradua!!y, the *oies started to get !earer.
$3*eryone was in"ormed.'
$Are you sure4'
$We an5t ta,e ris,s, you ,now.'
$%rust me. %he group5s on the way to the guest house.'
$What about Aurea4'
Aurea 6
%he mere thought o" her "e!t !i,e a b!ade piering through his heart.
%he o!d stee! awo,e him, ma,ing him 7ump to his "eet.
$%he ship wi!! be !ea*ing the is!and today.'
Aurea was a!ready about to meet her destiny, whi!e he was on"ined to a
abin !i,e a he!p!ess anima!, unab!e to protet her.
2ae-&wa ,no,ed wi!d!y at the door.
$8amn it, open up/', he now demanded in 3ng!ish.
$&e5s pissed o""', someone sneered, who he reogni9ed to be the God o"
Water, :ie*e.
:ie*e and 2ae-&wa had ne*er partiu!ar!y !i,ed one another.
Somehow the "ee!ing arose in him that the God o" Water, ,nown to the
morta!s as $;mber', had something to do with his imprisonment.
&is words upset him. &e hit the door harder.
9
A"ter what "e!t !i,e an hour o" ,no,ing, he beame aware o" his now
wounded hands. &e was !osing s,in on his ,nu,!es, had a sp!inter in his ring
"inger. &is "ae ontorted with pain, he remo*ed it. 2ae-&wa5s hands hea!ed in-
stant!y < he was immorta! a"ter a!!.
We!!, near!y. %here was on!y one weapon apab!e o" destroying both body
and sou! o" a God. %he di*ine sword.
A si!houette appeared by the window abo*e the des,.
:ie*e.
$#a,e yourse!" at home, 2ae-&wa. =ou5re going to stay in there "or >uite
some time. '
3*en though he ,new that the windows o" the abin, reated by ange!s,
ou!d neither be opened nor destroyed, he threw a hair against one. As e+pe-
ted, it bouned o"", "a!!ing to the "!oor. Wrath"u!!y, he ,i,ed it to the other
side o" the room. &e "e!t !i,e a !ion in a age, that ou!d hard!y e+pet to tear
his ward to piees.
$=ou6/', he snar!ed with !enhed teeth.
=et he ou!d not thin, o" a right word "or :ie*e.
%he time wou!d ome, the day on whih he5d be "ree. %hen he wou!dn5t
need words any more < *io!ene was a !anguage understood by e*eryone. &e
was going to ta,e re*enge "or a!! the pain :ie*e aused, "or this prison < "or
being ,ept away "rom Aurea.
%he shadow s!ow!y disappeared "rom the window. Gur the at, the on!y
ompanion they had !e"t him, brushed up against 2ae-&wa5s !eg.
2ae-&wa ,ne!t down ne+t to him, are"u!!y pi,ing him up. Gur5s !aws
piered into his "!esh, hurting him a !itt!e, but !ea*ing no mar,s.
$=ou don5t !i,e it, when ;5m angry. ; ,now', he sighed, wa!,ing towards the
bed, $We5!! see Aurea again, Gur. ; promise.'
A promise he made to himse!" muh more than to the purring at.
$; need to see her again.'
10
Departure
Present
Aurea Vitae
an5t stay', said Aurea and she didn5t want to. She "eared the e*er-
!asting. 3*ery "ibre o" her body !onged "or the out!and, the dis-
tane, but she hated hurting her mother, there"ore a*oided !oo,ing
at her. ?or a moment her mother5s green eyes turned b!ue !i,e ;an5s, ma,ing
her thin, o" the morning he !e"t her.
$;
&er ,nees went wea,. She ou!d hard!y breathe.
$Aurea ... Aurea/', a "ami!iar *oie a!!ed.
Aurea p!ayed ner*ous!y with her engagement ring.
$=ou sti!! ha*e it', her sister @otin rea!ised.
Aurea hid the ring in a purse attahed to her go!den be!t.
$;t5s none o" your business', she rep!ied, $; need to go.'
She turned around, !ea*ing the house in a rush.
%he rain was pounding meri!ess!y on her bare arms, reminding her that she
had "orgotten her white otton robe in the house. =et she didn5t turn ba, any
more. @o matter how muh the o!d was torturing her - ;t was time to go.
Aertain!y, she was p!agued by "ear and doubt about what she was going to
do, but anything seemed better at the time than staying somewhere. %omorrow
night she wou!d a!ready be "ar away "rom this p!ae.
&er steps ae!erated, the !oser she got. ?u!! o" antiipation she ou!d sme!!
the oean, hear the rew shout.
Soon it was within sight. %he giganti, white ship whih was deorated with
go!den !etters. %he word $Aurea' was *isib!e on the bow < e*en though not as
shiny as in sunny weather. %he ship was named a"ter her.
She wondered whether this trip was going to be a nightmare. &owe*er, she
to!d herse!" one againB anything was better than staying.
11
3*en i" she wanted to stay here, she had no hoie. She needed to "u!"i! her
duty, beause without her, the wor!d was !ost. ;nseure!y, she wa!,ed up the
ship5s ramp. %he peop!e she passed bowed be"ore her, getting out o" her way.
$Cueen Aurea', she heard a woman5s !ow *oie.
%hey a!! respeted her, beause her husband5s wrath didn5t !ea*e them any
other option. 3*ery time she saw the #agus o" 8ar,ness, she "e!t threatened.
Aurea5s past was shaped by dar,ness, pain, !one!iness and breahes o" trust.
A person apab!e o" ontro!!ing the dar, ou!d not be on"ided in. She had
been "ored to marry him. Aurea despised him, hated ha*ing him aompany
her during the tra*e!. But being in the pa!ae with him was e*en worse.
1o,ed in, iso!ated "rom the rest o" the wor!d.
&er hi!dhood had a!ready been a prison. @ow she needed to go through
this a seond time. @o, she didn5t want to thin, about her past now < espe-
ia!!y not her hi!dhood. She made herse!" piture something e!se, whi!e !ean-
ing against the rai!ing. %he wind gent!y ti,!ed her "ae, as though it was trying
to heer her up, unsuess"u!!y.
Aurea p!ayed with the engagement ring she was so are"u!!y hiding "rom her
husband. Without it, she wou!dn5t go anywhere. ;t sure was an ug!y thing.
Atua!!y, she didn5t !i,e it at a!!.
=e!!ow wasn5t e+at!y one o" her "a*ourite o!ours and it shone so bright!y
in the most aw"u! shade o" ye!!ow one ou!d imagine. ;t wasn5t e*en heart-
shaped !i,e she had wished "or, but retangu!ar and huge, o*ering her entire
"inger. @ot that her "ingers were !ong. %hey were *ery petite.
%he ring didn5t "it to her and sti!! she was ho!ding on to it, !o*ing it !i,e the
man she had ne*er gotten to marry and remembering the day she reei*ed it
on!y too we!!. &er hand approahed the ta!isman around her ne,.
12
A Year Ago
%housands o" daisies surrounded them, radiating a sweet innoene. ;an5s
grin turned away "rom her "or a moment, seeing something or someone in the
woods behind them.
$;an4', as,ed Aurea.
She "e!t him not rea!!y being with her right now. &is thoughts were *isib!y
wandering o"".
$;5m sorry', he said, $; made some sa!ad "or you.'
&e he!d a p!ate towards Aurea, that ontained a mi+ o" *arious *egetab!es
and "!owers. She too, it "rom him.
$%han, you', she said and began to eat.
%he s!ight!y spiy taste o" the peta!s was uni>ue. ;an wor,ed as a he" and
he was an e+e!!ent one at that. 2ust when Aurea was about to te!! him how
muh she !o*ed the sa!ad, ;an got up.
Aurea waited, !oo,ing at him >ui99ia!!y.
$; need to pee/', announed ;an.
%hat was une+peted. &e disappeared into the "orest.
Great.
She was a!! a!one. Aurea hoped "or him to ome ba, soon, as she was star-
ting to "ee! unom"ortab!e. 1i,e he was hiding something.
@othing but paranoia4
Waiting "or him to return, she ate up her sa!ad. A bee sat down on a "!ower
in "ront o" her. Birds were hirping a!! around. %he s,y was !ear and the earth
was *ibrating < *ibrating4
An earth>ua,e/
Aurea 7umped o"" the b!ue otton b!an,et and tripped ba,wards. Whi!e she
was "a!!ing, she wathed the ground be!ow her mo*e. %he bee, in!uding the
"!ower it was sitting on, was thrown into the air, when some sort o" muddy,
one and a ha!" metre high pedesta! arose out o" nowhere !i,e a hideous stigma.
Dn top o" it, at her eye !e*e!, there was a bright ye!!ow ring shining so muh
in the sun that it hurt her eyes.
She started to understand what this was a!! about.
13
;an was standing behind her. She hadn5t seen him approah. &is hands were
!i"ted hori9onta!!y abo*e the earth, his arms strethed, his "ae "oused.
;an was an 3arth #agus. &e ou!d mo*e and shape anything made o" earth.
1i,e a!! #agi, he a!so ou!d summon the earth "rom within.
She had ne*er !i,ed the term $#agi'. %his had !itt!e to do with magi.
;t wasn5t about #er!inian magi, the ,ind o" magi anyone ou!d !earn "rom
the sro!!s. ;t was nature. 3arth was the e!ement he was made o". 3ither you
were born !i,e this or not.
3arth #agi were most!y *ery rough using their 3arth and most #agi, in-
!uding 1ight #agi !i,e herse!", on!y used their hands "or summoning. ;an was
one o" the "ew 3arth #agi she ,new who used their entire body *ery grae-
"u!!y. When his piee o" art stood in the heart o" the "ie!d, he too, a deep
breath, !eaning on Aurea who was about to get up and whisperedB
$Wi!! you 6 marry me4 Aurea4'
&is *oie disappeared.
Present
Someone pu!!ed her hand o"" the ta!isman.
$Aurea4 Aren5t you o!d, dear4'
Aurea was ba, to the present.
&er grandmother5s worried eyes were !oo,ing down at her. She was ho!ding
Aurea5s robe, she had "orgotten at home. Grandmother 1ora g!aned reproah-
"u!!y at the engagement ring and her ta!isman.
$=ou need to stop/ %he more you tra*e! through your past, the harder it wi!!
be "or you/', she so!ded.
$; ,now', murmured Aurea gui!ti!y, ,nowing she5d do it again.
1ora p!aed the !oa, around her shou!ders.
$=our gi"t o" seeing the past is *a!uab!e. 8on5t use it are!ess!y/', she said,
patting her hand to ta,e the ring away, $; do !i,e the o!our/ ; an see why
you5re ho!ding on to the ring. 2ust don5t !et your husband ath you with it.'
Aurea got s!ight!y ner*ous, whi!e her grandmother was inspeting the piee
o" 7ewe!!ery. She remo*ed it "rom her hands and turned around. 1ora seemed
to understand.
14
$?ine', she said, $=ou5!! rea!ise soon enough getting rid o" it is "or the best/'
Aurea ,new what was ."or the bestE, but her "ee!ings "or ;an didn5t a!!ow it.
She waited unti! her grandmother went, then !eaned against the rai!ing
again. 2ust when she was about to di*e into her past one more, her thoughts
were interrupted by a 7oy"u! e+!amation.
$&a/ Aurea/', a young man behind her a!!ed.
&e was on!y a year o!der than her and had a!ready e+periened more re!a-
tionships than some who were twie as o!d.
$Ardor/', she rep!ied, pretending to be happy.
Ardor5s white ,night robe "!uttered in the wind, whi!e he was proud!y hea-
ding towards her. &e appeared ta!! and important, a!though he was >uite short
"or a man. Ardor was hard!y ta!!er than Aurea and she passed F "eet by on!y
two inhes.
;n order to emphasise his importane, he was p!aying with his ruby red guns
unti! one o" them "e!! down. &e a!m!y went ba, to pi, it up. With a !i,ing
sound he s!id both o" the weapons into their ho!ster, grinning bo!d!y at Aurea.
$%here5!! be a dane tonight', he stated.
%he wind made his thi,, b!a, hair messy.
$;5m not in the mood "or a dane', she e+p!ained.
She ne*er was.
$What a shame, dar!ing.'
8e*ius. &er husband.
She >ui,!y hid her ring. 8e*ius ame !oser, pu!!ing his sho*e!, whih he
,ept as a reminder o" ha*ing been a gra*edigger. Being the ,ing o" this wor!d,
he no !onger needed to dig gra*es. %he power and go!d he now possessed be-
ause o" Aurea had gone to his head.
%hree o" his ser*ants were "o!!owing him anywhere !i,e a bunh o" dogs.
&e said he re>uired them "or protetion. She ,new he primari!y had them by
his side to demonstrate his authority.
Dr 7ust to ha*e someone to bu!!y.
1u,i!y his ser*ants wou!dn5t need to get o"" the ship with them.
Aurea had on!y one ser*ant. Aatus. She hard!y e*er gathered he!p "rom him,
but she was sure 8e*ius wou!d, "or no other o" their personne! was a!!owed to
7oin their tra*e!.
$1et5s see i" ; an on*ine you/', said 8e*ius and ,issed her.
15
&is hands were grabbing her upper arms tight!y. She tremb!ed, ,nowing this
way o" persuasion. &is on!y way. %he pain "e!t !i,e a thousand need!es inside
her "!esh. &is dar,ness.
Gain, obsurity, "ear, death < these made one a #agus o" 8ar,ness.
She didn5t ma,e a sound, trying not to "a9e Ardor. &e wasn5t aware o" what
8e*ius was doing to her. Dbser*ers saw nothing but a simp!e ,iss.
$#y 1ord', she whispered.
%he ,ing une+peted!y hugged her. She "e!t uneasy, but wasn5t a!!owed to
embarrass him in "ront o" the peop!e who 7ust ame aboard. She ,new e+at!y
what he5d do to her shou!d she dare to.
$See you at dinner/', he smir,ed.
8e*ius wa!,ed ba, to where he ame "rom, his minions running a"ter him.
%he abins. Gerhaps she shou!d be heading to hers as we!!.
A"ter a!!, the rain hadn5t stopped and her hair was dripping wet. She had to
prepare "or the night. Dne !ast time she stared at the is!and o" 1uida5s !and-
sape, whih she wou!dn5t be seeing "or a !ong time.
$8on5t worry, mother', she said wist"u!!y, $;5!! be ba,.'
Ardor esorted her to her room.
&er sister @otin was a!ready sitting in their abin on the bed o" edar, !oo-
,ing at her with the same green eyes their mother had. Aurea sat down ne+t to
her. A dapper wa*e o" @otin5s hand reated a tiny storm in the midd!e o" the
room. ;t dried Aurea5s hair and !othes immediate!y. Aurea !aughed. &er sister
was one o" Aranum5s most gi"ted Air #agi.
She adored her.
Dne wou!d thin, it to be di""iu!t "or @otin that her younger sister was the
Cueen o" Aranum. But she wasn5t 7ea!ous, on the ontrary, she supported her
!itt!e sister passionate!y. She was and wou!d a!ways remain her best "riend.
@otin wa!,ed to the wardrobe, ta,ing out a go!den embroidered dress.
;t was "!oor-!ength and ange!ia!!y beauti"u!. %he dress was made o" hi""on
and si!, with s!ee*es whih were open at the sides, so she ou!d "ree!y mo*e
her arms.
$; bought it "or you', e+p!ained @otin proud!y, $?or the dane.'
$;t5s gorgeous/', Aurea gasped.
16
She hadn5t been this happy in a !ong time. ;t "e!t good. Aurea was touhed
that her sister had made suh an e""ort to heer her up. She tried on the dress.
Both were de!ighted with its beauty and e!egane. %ogether they were standing
in "ront o" the mirror, @otin brushing her younger sister5s hair.
%he ship had sai!ed o"" an hour ago. ;t was getting dar,.
$Got any idea who wi!! tra*e! with us4', @otin as,ed are"u!!y.
Aurea wasn5t a!!owed to say muh about their mission and ,new *ery !itt!e
herse!". Who were they going to meet in the pro*ine o" 3arth, Ager4
She had no idea.
$@o', she rep!ied truth"u!!y.
$8id 1u+ at !east te!! you what ,ind o" mission we5re on4', her sister wanted
to ,now.
$=es, but ; was to!d to ,eep it a seret unti! we meet the others', she said, $;s
there sti!! a hane you might reonsider4'
$@o way in he!!/'
$G!ease 6 ;5!! be o,ay on my own.'
$@o/ ?or the !ast timeB ; won5t !ea*e you a!one. Aerius said ;5m part o" the
prophey. ; was hosen by the God o" the winds. ;t5s got to ha*e a reason.'
A o!d shi*er ran down her spine, when she mentioned 2ae-&wa5s a!ias Ae-
rius. %his man had betrayed her terrib!y.
$8on5t e*er say his name again/', she hissed, whi!e remembering her !ast
words to 2ae-&wa.
Shou!d my sister die, ; wi!! destroy you.
And she wou!d. Dh yes, she wou!d.
$G!ease don5t aept/', Aurea begged her sister, $%hey wou!d "ind a rep!ae-
ment "or Ardor and you.'
@otin didn5t reat to her re>uest. Si!ene was her response.
$Strange that 1u+ and the other Gods ha*e hosen a ommon 1ight #agus
"or being our Cueen. Whi!e we ha*e a!ways !i*ed we!! under the immorta!s5
reign', she said then, $=ou ha*e gone through so muh and now you5re e*en
doing their dirty wor,.'
$; ,now it5s on"using', admitted Aurea.
She grabbed @otin5s hand.
$%rust me', she p!eaded $;t5s "ine. ; an hand!e it.'
17
&er sister wasn5t >uite ontent with her answer. %he tension in her "ae
didn5t !oosen. Someone ,no,ed at the abin5s door and Aurea ou!d see it was
8e*ius, through the round window ne+t to it.
@otin5s sudden hosti!e e+pression reminded Aurea o" the day her sister had
atta,ed 8e*ius, "inding out there was no way to "ree Aurea "rom this mar-
riage. She had ne*er seen @otin this angry and she "eared witnessing something
!i,e it a seond time.
She tried to distrat her.
$@otin, are you sure you5re a!! right with staying away "rom your husband
"or so !ong4'
She nodded, not appearing to be honest. Was she hiding tears4
$Go', she said, $8on5t !et him !ose his patiene again.'
Aurea re!utant!y !e"t her. &er heart bro,e hearing her sister ry, a"ter !o-
sing the door. Be"ore she ou!d go ba,, 8e*ius !in,ed her arm with his and
started wa!,ing.
Again and again she thought o" @otin5s sad "ae. &ow happy she had been
with her husband. She !e"t her home < her husband, her dog ... Dn!y to ris, her
!i"e "or Aurea.
So se!"!ess.
@o 6 she ou!dn5t ,eep b!aming herse!". 2ae-&wa had to!d @otin.
&e was the enemy.
8e*ius interrupted her thoughts.
$=ou !oo, enhanting', he said.
She smi!ed apathetia!!y, than,ing him. Was she a!! that enhanting or not4
She wou!d ne*er ,now. ;t was possib!e.
8e*ius saying that didn5t "ee! speia!. She was !onging "or someone to gi*e
her the "ee!ing o" being the on!y woman in the wor!d.
;an.
She was so absent-minded that she didn5t notie how the room was deo-
rated or what 8e*ius was te!!ing her about his wor, as a gra*edigger. %he "ood
tasted b!and, boring. @ot e*en the wine was en7oyab!e. @either was the musi.
She ,ept dreaming o" her sister, her mother, the mission < ;an.
3*ery thought !ed ba, to him, ma,ing her go ra9y.
Someone pu!!ed her o"" her hair.
18
8e*ius near!y ho,ed on his beer. &is brown eyes were "i!!ed with anger
and resentment, when they saw Aurea5s ser*ant.
$8on5t worry, =our #a7esty/ ;5!! bring her ba, to you/', promised Aatus,
pu!!ing Aurea onto the dane "!oor.
She shrugged, !oo,ing at 8e*ius aw,ward!y, not being ab!e to "ree herse!"
"rom her ser*ant5s grasp. Sudden!y she didn5t want to any more. &e spun her
around. %he musi got "aster, the me!ody ma,ing it impossib!e to resist the
urge. A!! she wanted was to dane < dane and "orget e*erything.
$?orget your past/', Aatus heered her up, $=ou5re happi!y married/'
$=eah 6 ; shou!d be', she murmured.
She was sti!! grate"u!. A!! Aatus ared about was her ondition, thin,ing she
married 8e*ius, beause she !o*ed him. #any were staring at him. &e with his
shabby, brown oat, his greasy ginger hair < the beard. But it was a!! the same
to Aurea. She daned with him, the simp!est !eaners and oo,s. ?ina!!y with
her sister who had 7oined them and needed some distration, too.
%hat night was re"reshing to her. She "e!t !i,e a new person.
When the "esti*ities a!med down and were about to end, 8e*ius as,ed her
"or a dane. She was tired, g!ad that the musi had a!so gotten more >uiet.
%hey daned, embraing one another in the proess. @orma!!y she wou!d
"ee! unom"ortab!e, but her thoughts weren5t with him < nor with ;an or 2ae-
&wa. %hey were with herse!". She beame aware o" who she was and that she
ou!dn5t be b!amed "or any o" it.
When the !ast sounds "aded out, she said goodbye to 8e*ius and went to
her sister who had a!ready gone to s!eep. Aatus was !ying on the bed ne+t to
hers. Aurea o*ered him, whose b!an,et had "a!!en to the "!oor. %hen she ga*e
her sister a pe, on the hee, and went out.
She he!d her engagement ring with both hands.
$;an', she whispered $; wish you wou!d5*e stayed with me. Wi!! ; e*er see
you again4 %here is so muh ; need to say to you. Without you, e*erything is
so 6 o!d. ; ha*e "ina!!y ome to rea!ise it wasn5t my "au!t. ; a!ways thought
things wou!d5*e been di""erent, had ; been honest to you. But you ,now, it
wou!dn5t ha*e hanged a thing. 8e*ius is my sou! mate, Ae!erina is probab!y
yours. ; hope you5re happy. =ou deser*e to be.'
She ,issed the ring. A tear ran down her "ae.
19
$Why am ; sti!! so mad at you then4 ; ,ept dreaming o" your return. #aybe
that5s why. ;5m not doing we!!, ;an. 8amn it, ;5m standing here, ta!,ing to a
ring. ; "ee! terrib!e/'
She ,i,ed the rai!ing and beame aware o" the "at that she was s!ight!y
drun,. %hat shou!d e+p!ain her emotiona! outbursts.
$; !o*e you 6 and you ,now what5s "unny about it4 ; don5t e*en ,now why/
=ou made the thing with Aatus happen, so you5d ha*e a reason to run away
with Ae!erina on our wedding day. ;5m sure you a!ready s!ept with her be"ore. ;
mean, who ou!d b!ame you, right4 =ou5re a man and ; wasn5t ab!e to gi*e you
what you wanted. &ad ; been honest, had ; to!d you why ... wou!d you sti!!
ha*e heated on me4'
She was annoyed at her hair o*ering her "ae, than,s to the wind. %he
tears made some strands get stu, on her hee,.
$8oes she ma,e tea "or you, when you ome home "rom wor,4 8oes she
,now your "a*ourite4 =our a!!ergies4'
She !owered her head.
$3*en though ; miss you, ;5d ne*er want you to ha*e a !i"e !i,e mine. ;t5s not
"or you. =ou5re a dreamer.'
She turned around in sho,, when she notied 8e*ius.
$@ie speeh', he ommented, grinning insinere!y.
?or how !ong had he been wathing her4 &e wa!,ed towards her, p!aing an
arm around her shou!ders.
$; ... ha ...', she stuttered, trying to drop the ring into her be!t.
8e*ius he!d her "irm!y, strugg!ing to get his hands on it. She !enhed her
"ist as tight!y as she ou!d, the ring inside. &e ou!dn5t ta,e it "rom her. ;t was
her on!y tangib!e memory o" ;an. 3*erything she had !e"t.
8e*ius snapped his "ingers. &is ser*ants were >ui,!y by his side, ornering
Aurea, "oring her to open her hand. &e grabbed the ring. Dne o" the ser*ants
he!d up a !amp, so he ou!d !oo, at it in the !ight.
$%rue !o*e stories ne*er ha*e endings', he read the insription, $;s it "rom
that guy who ran away4'
She didn5t rep!y. Aurea was sha,ing, worried about !osing her piee o" 7ew-
e!!ery. She desired nothing more than ha*ing it ba,.
;n sa"ety.
8e*ius !aughed.
20