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GARDEN OF POISON
Gabriel's return (Chapter 163)
Anastasia noticed the surprise in Gabriel's expression before he greeted her with a smile, but no such gesture was extended to Dante. It did make things awkward, especially considering that Dante had decided to send Gabriel back home on the same ship as her, a decision he probably would not have made if it wasn't for her. She overheard one of the village men remark,
"It is only Gabriel, not the pirates! We can get back to the village."
Most of the men took turns conversing with Gabriel, and after a while, they walked ahead, leaving him with his father. Mr. Flores then addressed him, saying,
"I am sorry to hear about Stella, Gabriel. Anna told me."
"Yeah, she was the one to inform me as well," Gabriel responded to Mr. Flores and then asked, "When did they arrive?"
"Five days ago." Dante was the one to reply, and Gabriel quietly glared at him without uttering a word.
Mr. Flores, perceiving the tension, inquired, "Is there bad blood between you and Dante? You both appear to be giving each other quite the glare."
"Hoho, that's how young men are." Carlos laughed before adding, "It must have something to do with Anna. Are you two fighting for her attention and love? But it looks like you've arrived a bit too late, son." He placed a comforting hand on his son's back.
Anastasia and Dante, who were walking behind them, caught Gabriel's father's question very clearly. Her face turned slightly red, and she questioned, "Why would you jump to that conclusion? There's nothing like that between us."
"Anna is right. We don't have that kind of relationship," Gabriel replied to his father, dispelling any misconceptions. He said, "She has always been like a little sister to me, and anyone who thinks otherwise is narrow-minded," throwing a subtle jab at the demon behind him.
"Pardon me, Gabe." Carlos smiled, not taking his son's words to heart. He remarked, "Anna has grown into a beautiful swan, and I doubt there's anyone who can rival her beauty. Remember, Hugh, the time when she once sat under a tree, crying?"
Mr. Flores turned his gaze towards his now grown-up daughter, whose eyes met his, and he observed the green hue in them, something others were yet to notice. He smiled before looking ahead of him. There was a time when he used to worry about his daughters' complexions. Marianne was fair, which made him concerned about the possibility of her being taken away from him. In contrast, when it came to Anastasia, he had worried no man would choose her as his wife due to her brown skin.
"What was this about the pirates Benson spoke about?" Gabriel asked, his concern evident. "Did they abduct anyone yesterday? If so—"
"Everything is fine now," Mr. Flores reassured him. "They were promptly taken care of."
"That's right! Dante fought and defeated every pirate who was there, along with our assistance. Although I still don't know what happened to that pirate leader. He just blew up… It was really strange." The village elder's words trailed off into a whisper as he recalled the events of the previous day.
"He grabbed my neck so fast, I feared I was done for, and I would be reunited with your mother and sister," he exclaimed, shaking his head.
Gabriel's eyes widened because, even though his father didn't know what had happened, he did. He had heard from the servants how Dante had effortlessly killed men with a mere snap of his fingers, and he was not at all human to possess such abilities.
"A few of the pirates have decided to join the village and assist in guarding the borders. You see them there." Mr. Flores pointed at the men. "They have decided to turn a new leaf and are working to atone for their past misdeeds rather than continuing to lead such treacherous lives."
"I am surprised at how quickly they've had a change of heart," Carlos remarked, turning to Anastasia to say, "They seem to listen to your words, Anna. I wonder if there's a particular reason for it; perhaps you remind them of someone. Or is it that they had no female touch until now?"
Dante's eyes narrowed at the man's words, and he corrected the village elder, saying, "A woman's presence is important for guidance."
"Right, right." Carlos nodded in agreement.
As the others continued walking, Dante fell behind to speak to his men, who discreetly greeted him. One of the men inquired,
"King Dante, did you use another ship to arrive here?"
"I used another mode of transportation," Dante replied, and he said, "Make sure not to mention a word about my identity. Only a select few are aware of it."
"Of course, Your Highness," the men acknowledged. One of them asked, "Will you be joining us on the ship when we depart?"
"Probably not, but the voyage back will need to wait, as there are a few passengers from the village who will be boarding the ship later this week," Dante responded, turning to look in the direction Anastasia and the others were walking. "You can rest here until then."
When Anastasia's father moved to his right to converse with the village elder, it created an opening on the side, allowing Gabriel to fall back for two seconds to walk alongside her. He remarked,
"I am still wrapping my head around how you arrived before me when I left you at the dock in Versailles."
"It was an unforeseen and unannounced journey organised by someone from the underworld," Anastasia answered him, her voice lowering into a whisper. "The Devil."
Upon hearing this, Gabriel sighed, finding it challenging to formulate a response. Nevertheless, he eventually said, "I am relieved to see that you are doing well, and your mood seems much better compared to the time you spent on the ship."
Anastasia sheepishly smiled in response to his words. When they entered the village, she noticed how most houses were built similarly. She expressed, "Thank you, Gabriel. I was in such a hurry back then that I didn't get the chance to properly thank you for what you did for me."
"I had my reservations about whether you would sink, but you managed to stay alive." Gabriel smiled at her and inquired, "Is he treating you well?" He turned to glance behind him, catching Dante looking their way.
"Very much," Anastasia replied, feeling her chest filling with emotion. "Dante and I found out that we are each other's soulmates." She pulled her collar to the side, and Gabriel's eyebrows rose on seeing the vines adorning the side of her neck. She fixed her collar and heard him say,
"Fated through lifetimes," after which he fell silent.
As the hours passed and noon arrived, Gabriel settled down in his home, and he now sat in his room. Perched on a chair, he gazed at the portrait of his sister that had been gifted to him. His eyes watered and he covered it with his hand. The door of the room swung open, and his father walked in.
Gabriel's father placed his hand on his son's shoulder, and Gabriel rested his hand on top of it. "You did the best you could, Gabriel and your sister would be very proud to have a reliable brother such as yourself."
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GARDEN OF POISON
Apology with lines (Chapter 164)
Gabriel's heart was heavy, and he knew that only someone who had experienced something similar could truly understand what he and his father were going through. He said, "The person responsible for her death was killed."
Carlos's breath shuddered, and he stated, "Serves them right." After a moment of silence, he said, "It is time to prepare a grave for her. I had hoped to do it once you returned, together…"
They didn't have Stella's ashes to place in the grave, so instead, Gabriel decided to bury this portrait made by the second prince as a way to honour her memory and offer prayer for her peace. "Yeah, I think that would be nice," he agreed.
"Now that your work is done, you should consider settling down, Gabriel," Carlos advised as he gripped Gabriel's shoulders. "I won't be around forever and will depart one day." He added, "Anna and Dante will be marrying soon."
"I see," Gabriel responded, realising how fast things were moving.
"He's a good man, always eager to lend a hand, though he can be a bit aloof at times. Hugh was suspicious until last evening, but it appears that everyone was won over after he saved Hawkshead from the pirates' ambush," his father said. "Anna will be happy."
When someone knocked on the door, Gabriel rose from his seat, and his father pondered aloud, "I wonder who it is?" He crossed the house and swung the door open, only to find Dante standing on their doorstep. "Hundred years to you, Dante! We were just talking about you," he exclaimed with a warm smile.
"All good, I hope?" Dante smiled, despite having overheard their conversation.
"I was yet to speak about your fighting skills; you should teach the young men in this village!" Carlos suggested, now pleased to converse with him.
"Gladly. There isn't much to do but wait for the seedlings to grow," Dante answered, and he saw Gabriel come to stand next to his father. "I am here to speak with Gabriel."
Dante saw Gabriel stare at him, his gaze marked by a mixture of suspicion and wariness. As his father turned to him, he said, "Let us go speak outside."
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They made their way towards one of the trees with a sitting platform built around it, providing a secluded spot for conversation. Although it was devoid of occupants, they chose not to sit down. Instead, they stood facing each other. Gabriel began, saying,
"If you are here because you are worried about me telling everyone about who you really are, rest assured, I won't. It isn't a favour to you, but for the sake of Anna and the Flores family."
"I am not here for that," Dante stated. The two men's eyes didn't look away from each other. "I've come to offer my apologies for what I did to you two weeks ago; it was uncalled for."
Gabriel fixed a sharp and distrustful glare at the demon who wielded extraordinary powers. He didn't know what game he was playing. However, Dante offered him a deep bow that left him momentarily speechless. Several onlookers took notice, and Gabriel remarked,
"Your men are looking this way, and Anna too."
But Dante didn't straighten up, and he said, "My mother once told me that asking for forgiveness when you are the one in the wrong doesn't diminish your character, no matter what position you hold. I have come to recognise that I was in the wrong at that time, and today, I come to you to acknowledge the mistake I made."
The intensity of the glare in Gabriel's eyes lessened, though it didn't completely vanish. He spoke, saying, "When I found Anastasia in tears, I truly couldn't fathom what she saw in you. You are a brute of a man, Dante Blackthorn, having taken numerous lives, and possessive as shit, someone a woman like her won't appreciate; it will feel suffocating. I do want to tell Hugh about it."
Dante remained silent and let the man speak his mind without interruption. Gabriel continued, "But I won't, knowing you two are soulmates and that revealing the truth will only damage Anna's relationship with her family."
"Regardless of the reason, thank you for your kind consideration, Gabriel. I appreciate it," Dante conveyed to the earthling. He observed the young man's frowning gaze and added, "Also, thank you for assisting Anastasia in disembarking from the ship; it helped us a lot."
Gabriel offered a slight nod and said, "I hope you have understood that I have no romantic interest in Anna, but I do immensely care for her. Most of us in this village grew up together, and what I feel for her is nothing more than brotherly affection."
Dante returned the nod, and he responded, "So I have come to understand. However, as consideration for the future, I would appreciate it if you refrained from hugging her or kissing her on the cheek." He concluded with a smile, adding, "It's a feeling I cannot help."
Gabriel had heard bits and pieces of information about soulmates from various lands, who, having demon blood in them, were known to be extremely possessive yet fiercely protective.
He hadn't fully understood Anastasia's perspective before, but it appeared that this demon wasn't all bad, and he had some redeeming qualities. He had come to this village with her, sharing in their way of life, living as a commoner despite having the means to buy Hawkshead in a blink of his eye.
"Don't worry, I won't. I have no interest in having my skin burnt and melted again," Gabriel retorted, pursing his lips. He continued, "If that is all you had to say, I should return home."
As Gabriel turned, ready to leave, Dante expressed, "Thank you for listening to what I had to say, Gabriel."
Dante observed the young man's shoulders relax in comparison to when he had stepped out of the house. He hadn't expected to be forgiven, but being heard was enough for now. Some situations had spiralled out of control, and he was still in the process of learning to be a better person for Anastasia.
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Author's Note: Regarding the character voting for female for the competition going on. If you have saved your points, please vote for Anastasia Flores.
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