The Golden Hearth

8/12/2019 The Golden Hearth

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About the author

Vanessa Winter was born August 13th 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 toope 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 atingmade her write "our sreenp!ays to the boo series, that sha!! in!ude se*enno*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.


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Thanks To

First off, I'd like to thank my family and friends who have always seen more inme 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 forchanin my life and "ein so e*cited with me. Just want to hu you all.

- my sister and "est friend +adafor the first correction. I love you.- atfor "ein such an amain 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 (im1 the whole team of ()S 23 Son or 0ou4, includin #ottest

-'ario

5 for stayin friends. 6ven thouh our ways will part, you were myfirst and "iest fan 5 hopefully this won't chane. $e were simply too youn tounderstand love. !hank you for helpin me correct the 6nlish edition soeaerly. I hope you will find your true soul mate.

- Sevki5 if it weren't for you, I pro"a"ly wouldn't know (-&op. 0ou're thekind of friend that allows you to "e yourself. 7!elepassy8 for the win 9

- &apa 5for lovin your dauhters so much.- 'ama 5for "ein so proud of me and "elievin in me.-;randma 5for your constant, lovin worry a"out me. I'm lad you enoyed

my story and liked Jae-#wa a lot.

-;randpa 5

for still "ein the man everyone can count on 5 at


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Vanessa Winter

The Golden Heart

Book 1 Strength of Love

Glossary (p. 291 292)

Places (p. 293 295)

Character Guide (p. 29 ! 311)


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"he Golden #eart$ %oo& 1 'trenth o *o+e

Copyriht , 2-13 by anessa /inter

Co+er 0esin , Catherine Archer!/ills (carcherwills.co)

aps , #erwin /ielin& (antasy!aps.co)

4ditors o 4nlish +ersion rio 'il+a$ artina G6nther

4ditor o Geran +ersion 7ad8a /aner

thers 7i&a %echtel$ li+ia %rown

"ranslated ro Geran to 4nlish by anessa /inter

Publisher tredition Gb#$ #abur

:'%7 8-3-84 5- 430-

Printed in Gerany

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

the author and the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in

critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

%iblioraische :noration der 0eutschen 7ationalbibliothe&

0ie 0eutsche 7ationalbibliothe& +er;eichnet diese Publi&ation in der0eutschen 7ationalbiblioraie< detaillierte biblioraische 0aten sind i :n!

ternet 6ber http==dnb.d!nb.de abrubar.


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ToC lin M rgan,the heart

andJunh Lee,the soul

of this story.

I dedicate this novel to everyone who still believes

in the strength of love.


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StrengthThere are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights

are stronger in the contrast.(Charles Dicens!

8


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TRAPPED

RESENT

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 tohim, he spoe to the Gods out there, trying to get through to

what they one had been - human.

2ae-&wa ne!t on the anient wood, his ear pressed tight!y against the door,that had no doornob on the inside. Gradua!!y, the *oies started to get !earer.

$3*eryone was in"ormed.'$Are you sure4'$We an5t tae riss, you now.'$%rust me. %he group5s on the way to the guest house.'$What about Aurea4'

Aurea 6%he mere thought o" her "e!t !ie a b!ade piering through his heart.

%he o!d stee! awoe him, maing 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 aabin !ie a he!p!ess anima!, unab!e to protet her.

2ae-&wa noed wi!d!y at the door.$8amn it, open up/', he now demanded in ng!ish.$&e5s pissed o""', someone sneered, who he reognied to be the God o"

Water, :ie*e.:ie*e and 2ae-&wa had ne*er partiu!ar!y !ied one another.

Somehow the "ee!ing arose in him that the God o" Water, nown to themorta!s as $;mber', had something to do with his imprisonment.

&is words upset him. &e hit the door harder.

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A"ter what "e!t !ie an hour o" noing, he beame aware o" his nowwounded hands. &e was !osing sin 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.$#ae yourse!" at home, 2ae-&wa. =ou5re going to stay in there "or >uite

some time. '*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 ied it to the otherside o" the room. &e "e!t !ie a !ion in a age, that ou!d hard!y e+pet to tearhis 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. &ewas going to tae re*enge "or a!! the pain :ie*e aused, "or this prison < "orbeing ept away "rom Aurea.

%he shadow s!ow!y disappeared "rom the window. Gur the at, the on!yompanion they had !e"t him, brushed up against 2ae-&wa5s !eg.

2ae-&wa ne!t down ne+t to him, are"u!!y piing him up. Gur5s !awspiered into his "!esh, hurting him a !itt!e, but !ea*ing no mars.

$=ou don5t !ie it, when ;5m angry. ; now', he sighed, wa!ing towards thebed, $We5!! see Aurea again, Gur. ; promise.'

A promise he made to himse!" muh more than to the purring at.$; needto see her again.'

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Departure

resent

Aurea Vitae

an5t stay', said Aurea and she didn5t want to. She "eared the e*er-!asting. *ery "ibre o" her body !onged "or the out!and, the dis-tane, but she hated hurting her mother, there"ore a*oided !ooing

at her. ?or a moment her mother5s green eyes turned b!ue !ie ;an5s, maingher 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 anymore. @o matter how muh the o!d was torturing her - ;t was time to go.

ertain!y, she was p!agued by "ear and doubt about what she was going todo, but anything seemed better at the time than staying somewhere. %omorrownight 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 withgo!den !etters. %he word $Aurea' was *isib!e on the bow < e*en though not asshiny as in sunny weather. %he ship was named a"ter her.

She wondered whether this trip was going to be a nightmare. &owe*er, sheto!d herse!" one again anything was better than staying.

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*en i" she wanted to stay here, she had no hoie. She needed to "u!"i! herduty, beause without her, the wor!d was !ost. ;nseure!y, she wa!ed up theship5s 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. *ery time she saw the #agus o" 8arness, she "e!t threatened.Aurea5s past was shaped by darness, pain, !one!iness and breahes o" trust.

A person apab!e o" ontro!!ing the dar ou!d not be on"ided in. She hadbeen "ored to marry him. Aurea despised him, hated ha*ing him aompanyher during the tra*e!. But being in the pa!ae with him was e*en worse.

oed 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 tryingto heer her up, unsuess"u!!y.

Aurea p!ayed with the engagement ring she was so are"u!!y hiding "rom herhusband. Without it, she wou!dn5t go anywhere. ;t sure was an ug!y thing.

Atua!!y, she didn5t !ie 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 !ie 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 !ie theman she had ne*er gotten to marry and remembering the day she reei*ed iton!y too we!!. &er hand approahed the ta!isman around her ne.

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A Year Ago

%housands o" daisies surrounded them, radiating a sweet innoene. ;an5sgrin turned away "rom her "or a moment, seeing something or someone in thewoods behind them.

$;an4', ased 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 wored as a he" andhe was an e+e!!ent one at that. 2ust when Aurea was about to te!! him howmuh she !o*ed the sa!ad, ;an got up.

Aurea waited, !ooing at him >uiia!!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. ie he was hiding something.@othing but paranoia4Waiting "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 sy was !ear and the earthwas *ibrating < *ibrating4

An earth>uae/Aurea 7umped o"" the b!ue otton b!anet and tripped bawards. 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 !ie a hideous stigma.

Dn top o" it, at her eye !e*e!, there was a bright ye!!ow ring shining so muhin the sun that it hurt her eyes.

She started to understand what this was a!! about.

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;an was standing behind her. She hadn5t seen him approah. &is hands were!i"ted horionta!!y abo*e the earth, his arms strethed, his "ae "oused.

;an was an arth #agus. &e ou!d mo*e and shape anything made o" earth.

ie a!! #agi, he a!so ou!d summon the earth "rom within.She had ne*er !ied 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. arth was the e!ement he was made o". ither youwere born !ie this or not.

arth #agi were most!y *ery rough using their arth and most #agi, in-!uding ight #agi !ie herse!", on!y used their hands "or summoning. ;an wasone o" the "ew arth #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 whispered$Wi!! you 6 marry me4 Aurea4'&is *oie disappeared.

resent

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 !ooing down at her. She was ho!ding

Aurea5s robe, she had "orgotten at home. Grandmother ora 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.

$; now', murmured Aurea gui!ti!y, nowing she5d do it again.ora p!aed the !oa around her shou!ders.$=our gi"t o" seeing the past is *a!uab!e. 8on5t use it are!ess!y/', she said,

patting her hand to tae the ring away, $; do !ie the o!our/ ; an see whyyou5re 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 pieeo" 7ewe!!ery. She remo*ed it "rom her hands and turned around. ora seemedto understand.

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$?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 thoughtswere 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 !iingsound 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 !ie a bunh o" dogs.&e said he re>uired them "or protetion. She new he primari!y had them byhis side to demonstrate his authority.

Dr 7ust to ha*e someone to bu!!y.

ui!y his ser*ants wou!dn5t need to get o"" the ship with them.Aurea had on!y one ser*ant. atus. 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 to7oin their tra*e!.

$et5s see i" ; an on*ine you/', said 8e*ius and issed her.15


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&is hands were grabbing her upper arms tight!y. She tremb!ed, nowing thisway o" persuasion. &is on!y way. %he pain "e!t !ie a thousand need!es insideher "!esh. &is darness.

ain, obsurity, "ear, death < these made one a #agus o" 8arness.She didn5t mae a sound, trying not to "ae Ardor. &e wasn5t aware o" what

8e*ius was doing to her. Dbser*ers saw nothing but a simp!e iss.$#y ord', 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!ywhat he5d do to her shou!d she dare to.

$See you at dinner/', he smired.8e*ius wa!ed ba to where he ame "rom, his minions running a"ter him.

%he abins. erhaps 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" uida5s !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" theroom. ;t dried Aurea5s hair and !othes immediate!y. Aurea !aughed. &er sisterwas 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, taing 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*eher arms.

$; bought it "or you', e+p!ained @otin proud!y, $?or the dane.'$;t5s gorgeous/', Aurea gasped.

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She hadn5t been this happy in a !ong time. ;t "e!t good. Aurea was touhedthat 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 ased are"u!!y.

Aurea wasn5t a!!owed to say muh about their mission and new *ery !itt!eherse!". Who were they going to meet in the pro*ine o" arth, Ager4

She had no idea.$@o', she rep!ied truth"u!!y.$8id u+ 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, $;sthere sti!! a hane you might reonsider4'

$@o way in he!!/'$!ease 6 ;5!! be oay on my own.'$@o/ ?or the !ast time ; 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.$!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 u+ and the other Gods ha*e hosen a ommon ight #agus"or being our Cueen. Whi!e we ha*e a!ways !i*ed we!! under the immorta!s5reign', 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.'

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&er sister wasn5t >uite ontent with her answer. %he tension in her "aedidn5t !oosen. Someone noed at the abin5s door and Aurea ou!d see it was8e*ius, through the round window ne+t to it.

@otin5s sudden hosti!e e+pression reminded Aurea o" the day her sister hadattaed 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!ie 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 broe hearing her sister ry, a"ter !o-sing the door. Be"ore she ou!d go ba, 8e*ius !ined her arm with his andstarted wa!ing.

Again and again she thought o" @otin5s sad "ae. &ow happy she had beenwith 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.&ewas the enemy.

8e*ius interrupted her thoughts.$=ou !oo enhanting', he said.She smi!ed apathetia!!y, thaning 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.*ery thought !ed ba to him, maing her go ray.Someone pu!!ed her o"" her hair.

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8e*ius near!y hoed on his beer. &is brown eyes were "i!!ed with angerand resentment, when they saw Aurea5s ser*ant.

$8on5t worry, =our #a7esty/ ;5!! bring her ba to you/', promised atus,

pu!!ing Aurea onto the dane "!oor.She shrugged, !ooing at 8e*ius awward!y, not being ab!e to "ree herse!"

"rom her ser*ant5s grasp. Sudden!y she didn5t want to any more. &e spun heraround. %he musi got "aster, the me!ody maing it impossib!e to resist theurge. A!! she wanted was to dane < dane and "orget e*erything.

$?orget your past/', atus heered her up, $=ou5re happi!y married/'$=eah 6 ; shou!d be', she murmured.She was sti!! grate"u!. A!! atus ared about was her ondition, thining 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 sameto Aurea. She daned with him, the simp!est !eaners and oos. ?ina!!y withher sister who had 7oined them and needed some distration, too.

%hat night was re"reshing to her. She "e!t !ie a new person.When the "esti*ities a!med down and were about to end, 8e*ius ased 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. atus was !ying on the bed ne+t tohers. Aurea o*ered him, whose b!anet had "a!!en to the "!oor. %hen she ga*eher 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 isso 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, itwou!dn5t ha*e hanged a thing. 8e*ius is my sou! mate, e!erina is probab!yyours. ; hope you5re happy. =ou deser*e to be.'

She issed the ring. A tear ran down her "ae.

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$Why am ; sti!! so mad at you then4 ; ept dreaming o" your return. #aybethat5s why. ;5m not doing we!!, ;an. 8amn it, ;5m standing here, ta!ing to aring. ; "ee! terrib!e/'

She ied the rai!ing and beame aware o" the "at that she was s!ight!ydrun. %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 atus happen, so you5d ha*e a reason to run awaywith e!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 youwhat 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, thans to the wind. %he

tears made some strands get stu on her hee.$8oes she mae tea "or you, when you ome home "rom wor4 8oes she

now your "a*ourite4 =our a!!ergies4'She !owered her head.$*en though ; miss you, ;5d ne*er want you to ha*e a !i"e !ie 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 tae it "rom her. ;t washer on!y tangib!e memory o" ;an. *erything she had !e"t.

8e*ius snapped his "ingers. &is ser*ants were >ui!y by his side, orneringAurea, "oring her to open her hand. &e grabbed the ring. Dne o" the ser*antshe!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 shaing, worried about !osing her piee o" 7ew-

e!!ery. She desired nothing more than ha*ing it ba.;n sa"ety.8e*ius !aughed.

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Date post:	03-Jun-2018
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The Golden Hearth

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