"Your heart, and my heart, are very, very old friends" - Hafiz

Douglas Booth as Master Julliane Vilgrain *____* ^^^^^^^ 

As we left the kitchen, Dianne had called out to Regan "Master Regan," she said "take care of Eli for me"

"Granted Dianne" he replied. I pulled on his hand, avoiding further seeing Dianne's hurt expression and left.

Now I doubted if seeing young Master Julianne Vilgrain was worth hurting Dianne. It nagged at me. Seeing Dianne cry for the first time was like a stab to my heart. It felt like I died the moment those tears touched the ground.

As we made our way towards the table, my feet froze. It was like something was stopping me from even getting near the dining area. It was still several corridors down but my feet were frozen.

"What's wrong?" concern was plastered in Regan's face "You can't have cold feet now."

"No it's- I can't move. I can't literally move" I tried moving one of my feet. It was no use.

My feet was glued to the floors.

Frozen.

"I'm stuck, wha-"

He carried me, bridal-style, like I weighed not more than a piece of paper. I stared wide-eyed at him. He had a determined expression on his face while his mouth was pressed in a thin line. He caught me staring and it was easily replaced with a smile.

"You could have just told me that you wanted me to carry you. You didn't have to pretend E-li-za-beeeth." He dragged the last part out like a child.

He just had to ruin the mood with his big mouth. "Whatever floats your boat Master Regan. Whatever floats your boat."

"Regan" he corrected.

"Regan" I smiled.

We turned several corridors, climbed a couple of stairs, and not a single complaint was made. It was very uncommon for him to have kept his mouth shut for that long. I, on the other hand, kept quiet the whole ride.

"Stop." I whispered. He halted "We're here."

"Finally. My back is killing me," again with his big mouth. He kneeled and I dismounted from his back.

I made it sound like he was my horse on purpose. His hair was long and curly which reminded me of a horse's mane.

"Thank you Regan" as much as he annoys me, I won't forget to pay gratitude towards him.

"I would like to say "my pleasure milady", but my back is killing me" he brought his hands to his arm socket and rotated it. It cracked.

"Ow. Much better" he said relieved.

We heard voices from the dining hall. We kept quiet.

"They grow up so fast" said the voices.

I recognized them as Regan's parents'.

"Indeed they do." answered a voice.

The master's?

"Eli, there's something I wanted to talk to you about-" Regan started, but I was not paying attention, as it flew to the source of the melodious sound.

"Young master" it came off as a whisper. Regan's gaze landed on me and my breath caught in my throat.

"Who?" Regan asked confused.

I recognize that voice anywhere. It was the same melodious bells I heard one cold evening. It was the voice of an angel.

It was the young master's voice.

"Eli? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I peeked from the gaps on the patterned holes on the wall. It was dark on our side of the wall, so we can hardly be seen on the other side. My eyes saw Regan's parents, several advisors. Some other unknown guests.

When did they arrive?

But I didn't come all this way to see them. I came to see him.

"Just one glimpse," I whispered "one glimpse"

Curiosity kills the cat. A voice whispered. Turn back Elizabeth.

I ignored it.

My gaze landed on the center chair at the end of the table. The hole I was peeking in was at the other end of the table, opposite of the master's.

And when my gaze landed on him, I felt my whole surrounding stop.

I suddenly found everybody had stopped moving. People at the table were halfway from a spoonful of mushroom soup, but had stopped mid-way. Even Regan beside me, the long-haired weasel, had been frozen by time. He was still wearing the concerned expression he had minutes ago.

What's happening?

I peeked once again in the hole. The young master was staring directly at the hole I was peeking in.

He can't possibly see me here, right? It was virtually impossible.

"Hello Eli" the master said, my eyes widened. "Come here" he said. His voice echoed throughout the entire hall, bouncing off the walls of the Manor.

If I said his voice was an angel's, even with the closing distance between us, you could clearly see he had a face of a god to match his angelic voice.

His voice was hypnotic. He had a smile in his godly face, his hands clasped tight in front of him, atop the dining table. "Come here Eli" he cooed, still wearing his out-worldly smile.

I followed. It was like I was not in-control of my actions anymore. My feet moved liked they had a mind of their own that I kept walking until I appeared at the entrance of the dining hall.

I stopped directly at the entrance.

My body turned to face his now standing form a few meters away. The scenery changed as I continued to walk towards him.

The walls were slowly being chipped away and replaced by a Victorian wallpapered one. The tables, chairs, and the entire furniture were like ash and were slowly fading away, replaced by different, authentic-looking ones.

I continued to walk towards him, just like my dream in the meadows, stopping just a meter away. I felt like my body control had come back and I was in control again. I wiggled my toes to confirm.

"Why did you come to me Eli?" he asked softly. He stared at me with his emerald orbs and I felt like melting into a puddle right then.

Dianne was right; they were like an infinite spring.

"I don't know." I answered truthfully "I guess I was curious"

"I beg to differ." he frowned "You were drawn to me. You even disobeyed Dianne just to see me, haven't you?"

I don't know what to answer him. It was like he knew what was going on in my head before I even say it.

"I did" I confirmed. I never wanted to hurt Dianne.

"And does the sight of me flatter you?" he asked, looking genuinely curious.

I wondered. Was he worth seeing?

"Indeed young master." I answered, he smiled.

A tear fell from my eye. I wasn't aware that I was already crying.

"Why are you crying?" He raised a gloved hand to my face. He cupped it and used his thumb to wipe the tears away.

"I am not so sure myself, master." It kept falling. I couldn't stop. Was I sad? Happy? Scared?

"It was I who always came to you" he went nearer until he had enveloped me in an embrace. He was so warm. "You don't know how long I've waited for you to come. For you, to come to me, my dear Rosabelle"

"Who are you?"

"Soon enough you'll remember." he whispered close to my ear. "Until then-"

He cupped each side of my face and stared deep into my eyes.

"Remember Rose" He kissed me. His lips touched mine slowly, the warmth spreading to different parts of my body. His hands kept me in place and kept me standing.

The last tear fell from my eye as I felt my body getting heavier.

"Eli?"

I was back behind the wall moments ago. Regan was waving his hands in front of me with a look of genuine concern.

"Y-yes? I'm fine."

"I said he's not here. You had me scared for a moment there. You were frozen stiff like this for a whole minute" he gave a light chuckle as he pretended to be a statue. "I was planning to kiss you-" I pushed him, frustrated.

He fell on his buttocks on the floor and muttered "Is this the thanks I get for helping you?!"

I left him there and went directly to my room. Call me immature but I couldn't help myself. I was beyond confused and frustrated. My steps echoed around the manor as I walked fast and relentlessly. He followed in pursuit but I didn't mind him.

"Hey, was it something that I said?" he stopped in front of me trying to block my path "Eli?"

"I am tired Master Regan" I refused to meet his gaze. "We both are."

"I told you, just Regan." he sighed "And what of Julianne?"

"I do not care anymore of seeing the master." I pushed past him and ran to my room. I couldn't tell him that it was because I have already seen the master. I quickly shut the door, not bothering to lock it. I knew he was following right behind me. He didn't try to enter though, which I was thankful for.

A moment of silence fell between us, but I know he hasn't gone yet.

"See you tomorrow Eli." he said on the other side.

I kept quiet for a while. I don't know what to say.

"Thank you Regan" I said quietly. I thought he had already left, when a voice answered from the other side once again.

"You're welcome Eli and-" he replied. I wondered if he debated whether to continue or not "Good night to you" he finished.

Everything fell silent.

I went to the door, leaning with my back to it. "And to you kind sir" I replied. He chuckled.

Not soon after, his footsteps grew fainter until I can't hear them anymore. He was gone.

I slumped down the door, my head gliding down the smooth surface of the wooden plain, and tears started to fall from my face. I cried because I was confused. I was scared. I was hurt for things I was not sure.

And because I finally remembered who Julianne Vilgrain was.

How could I forget? He saved me from a werewolf after all.

Those emerald orbs had saved me from death, but in turn had caused him his life. And his lost, brought me a life of pain and regret.

"Jullian Vilgrain," it slipped past my lips as a whisper. "who are you to me?"

My tears that night fell like rain on a stormy evening. It was relentless, unbecoming, and most of all, uncertain. Those tears knew better what had happened that night more than me. They knew more about him than me. They felt more pain at the lost of someone I haven't known for more than a minute, but meant the world. They were there to witness the death of Julianne Vilgrain that one cold evening.

It was like my tears had a mind of their own.