A Gorgeous White

Chapter 404: || || Emotions Filled His Eyes

Blinding light flooded the entire room. A burst of energy, no one had ever expected, spread out, rushing through walls and passing through every cell. The people beyond the walls of the room shuddered, startled in fright and confusion. What is this sudden shockwaves? Where did it come from? What caused it? Those who were perceptive enough turned their attention to the origin of the blast. 

The light was harmless. Moulin was relieved, tucked tight in the arms of his brother. However, nothing could ease the undoubtful fear burrowing deep in his chest. His heartbeat quickened, terrified. His father!

When the light faded. They calmed down, adjusting their vision momentarily. When his eldest brother loosened his arms around him, Moulin slowly lifts his head. The orb is broken and cracked into pieces. The gold dulled, crumbling apart on the table. Above it, floats a small blob of light, growing as seconds pass. No one knows what it was and they stared in anticipation. 

Moulin felt his heart thundering. Rapid breathing. Unconsciously, his fingers dug into Maxille's arms. Maxille was as shocked as him. No one made a sound.

The light grew larger and larger until it was the size of a human. It split and moved, shaping itself into something humanoid. Arms formed and then legs. Not long after, it looked as though it held life within it. Like a vase, shaping water into its ceramic form.

"Ah..." Moulin removed himself from his brother's hold approaching the glowing thing that slowly descended to the ground. 

Moulin's breath seized. Silver pupils quivered pitifully, filled with desperation and hope. Is this... 

"Mother..." The sound that comes out of him is like a quiet whimper. 

Suddenly, the light peels off from the formed figure. Dust of light floats away into the air, dissipating into nothing. Moulin stopped. His breath seized in his throat. His heart is torn from happiness and sorrow. Tears formed in his eyes. His brothers felt the same.

When the final light disappeared the Lady of the Fraunces Nobility stood with eyes closed, looking as beautiful as the stars. Garbed with a simple light dress and barefooted. She had aged somehow. Strands of white decorated her hair. However, it could not diminish even a pinch of her beauty. 

The lady was unconscious with no awareness of her balance. Gravity then pulled her body.  Moulin snapped out of his trance and hurriedly caught her. Two pairs of hands joined him. Maxille and Emlen supported their mother together with Moulin. This short moment was most impactful to the siblings. 

To finally feel her warm touch, to see her breathing steadily with life coursing in her body. It was like a dream. And even if it were, they wished they never woke up. 

"Mother." Emlen was the first to break. His face contorted, sorrow and relief swirling in his eyes. 

Beside him, Maxille was silent but share the same pain and happiness as his brothers. Boundless joy tore through him. His breaths are unsteady as his arms held his mother tightly.

Moulin let his tears fall. He clutched to his mother, unable to let go. The person who finally gave him motherly love returned to him whole and well. She's alive. Shoulders trembled erratically and he could not stop the sobs. The day he lost her tattooed the memory of her death in his heart. It left a giant scar on his soul and he felt so much despair that he wished someone would redeem him from the pain. Like a child, he cried for his mother. 

She's here... With us... Mother...

Phaelona was relieved and joyful. Moisture filled her eyes and a wistful smile graced her lips. However, as much as she didn't want to ruin the reunion of the family, she had to interrupt them. With a soft voice, she spoke.

"My lords, let's settle the lady on the couch. She mustn't feel cold." 

The she-elf gestured to the other couch in the adjoining room, ignoring the presence of little snowflakes fluttering around them. Moulin realized this and agreed, forcing himself to calm down. Maxille nodded silently and personally carried their mother to the other room. Phaelona stayed to check on Lord Dontae. Maxille laid their mother on the soft couch, cushions placed at her sides. She slept silently.

"She's well..." Colahn smiled after examining her. Then he turned to the brothers. "The sudden release has triggered her long-dormant mana. Give her a few days to rest and she'll wake up. Don't worry, everything is alright."

"Thank you..." Moulin smiled. He kneeled on the floor beside her, taking her hand into his. 

Her warmth filled his soul with joy. Maxille and Emlen revealed relieved expressions, gazing softly at their slumbering mother. 

Phaelona sighed as she returned from the other room. A crease appeared between her brows as she approached the siblings. 

"What is the matter?" Colahn asked. 

"Lord Dontae has succumbed into a coma." She answered.

When the words entered his ears, Moulin froze. What?

"What do you mean?" Emlen's expression morphed into worry. "What happened to our father? What went wrong?"

Faced with the fearful faces of the siblings, Phaelona took a breath before she continued. "The lord is alright. However, something is keeping him from waking up. We do not know the cause yet but we will try our best to investigate his unresponsiveness. Do not worry, we will make sure the lord wakes up."

As Maxille and Emlen chose to believe her words,  Moulin could not shake the nervous feeling in his chest. And rests on his should causing him to look up.

"He'll be alright..." Maxille smiled reassuringly. His hands then caressed his little brother's head. Grey eyes fell on the sleeping Lady Maxiel. "Both of them will be."

"..." Silver eyes turned to the woman on the couch. She breathes steadily, eyebrows twitching as she slept. 

A soft smile graced the youth's beauteous face. He nodded. Yes, they will be alright.

They kept the return of their mother to themselves for now. They had to wait for their father's awakening and decide together. Maxille had their parents stay in an adjoining room, thinking that it for be best if they were next to each other. Phaelona and Colahn would be monitoring them until they woke up. Inwardly, Moulin hoped they would awaken sooner. 

His parents are alright. His mother has returned. The joy in his heart overwhelmed his mind. It felt like fireworks exploded within his chest. The heat overflowed within his soul.

Before he knew it, he was headed towards Hadrian's office. He walked so fast, that the tie of his hair came loose and he couldn't care less about it. Countless gazes were drawn to pure-white strands fluttering past them. They paused, ogling the hurrying youth.

Moulin brightened when he spot Hadrian calmly walking towards his office as a few people, including Varick, trailed behind him. Varick continued to engage in a discussion with Lord Hercullio and the lords as they walked. The High Lord, however, only listened, making occasional replies, short and direct. 

All of a sudden, Lord Hadrian paused briefly, startling the lords. Then they sensed another person joining them in the hallway. Surprise filled their faces as their eyes are graced with Moulin Fraunces's presence. Before they could think, Lord Hadrian, increased his pace leaving all of them behind. 

Moulin couldn't care about others' gazes. When his gaze collided with Hadrian's, warmth boiled in his heart. A flutter of emotions filled his eyes and then he was running.

Under the eyes of others, Lord Hercullio opened his arms. He took his beautiful lover in his embrace. 

Hadrian smiled softly, "It went well?"

Moulin nodded, nuzzling his face into Hadrian's firm chest. His voice is soft and filled with tenderness. "Everything went well..." 

"Good. That is good." 

Moulin chuckled affectionately. He raised his gaze. His silver eyes dazzled beautifully in Hadrian's sight. 

Hadrian's hands eagerly caressed Moulin's sides. His fingers are rough and avid. "You must have been quite excited to present this new to me-" 

Moulin silenced him with a kiss. 

The young man's fingers pulled his lapels close. His other hand reached out and held Hadrian's nape, drawing the lord closer to him. Hadrian was surprised at first. Amidst the kiss, he chuckled and let the youth indulge himself. How eager of him...

The High Lord snaked his arms around Moulin's slender waist and his touch is slow and sensual, heightening Moulin's desire even more. An arousing heat bloomed between the inseparable two.

Varick swallowed as he watched the two formidable figures before him. He could feel the stunned audience behind him. Honestly, of all places, they had to be doing this in front of the lords?

Helplessly, Varick turned to the lords who coughed and turned their attention away, looking for something interesting within the hallways.

At last, the two pulled away but refused to let go of each other. Moulin grinned proudly, expecting a stunned Hadrian but his expression fell when Hadrian revealed an amused smirk. 

"Ahem..." Varick finally interrupted the two.

Moulin glanced at the men behind his lover. Hadrian merely looked at his side before languidly raising a hand to dismiss them. Varick furrowed his brows. Although the lords hurriedly retreated, Varick reluctantly gazed at the two of them. There were many significant things to discuss. However, he did not have the power to stop Lord Hercullio once he's made up his mind. Sighing, he left. 

Moulin's brows furrow, glancing at Varick's departing back as Hadrian led him through the doors of his office. 

"Are you sure you don't have anything to settle first?" He asked Hadrian. 

"No." Hadrian resolutely answered. His eyes are like smoldering gold, glistening magnetically. It was difficult to look away from them. His voice is slow and hypnotic. 

"They don't matter." There's nothing that could draw him away from his beloved. 

Moulin stared at Hadrian for a short while before the man leaned and kissed him deeply. Fingers slip into the loose waves of Moulin's hair. In the end, he chose to trust Hadrian's words.