CHAPTER X
"The Blooming Tower and Sleepless Trust"
Night had deepened over Crimson Cove. The moon hung low in the velvet sky, casting its gentle glow over the endless field of roses, their petals swaying softly with the breeze. A drowsy calm began to settle over us, and even the stars seemed to blink slower.
"I think we should sleep here… under this tree," Aurelia suggested, her voice laced with sleepiness as she looked around the quiet grove. "But… is it safe? I've heard that witches and demons sometimes wander at night, laying traps for unsuspecting souls."
Her eyes scanned the darkness nervously.
Olivia turned toward Caelum. "Brother, can you help us somehow? Or are you, like us, restricted from using magic?"
Caelum folded his arms with a small smile. "No… I can help you."
Without another word, he walked gracefully toward a nearby rosebush. He knelt beside a single glowing rose and whispered to it softly — like someone waking a friend from slumber.
> "We need your help," he said gently, reverently. "I know you may be sleeping… but this is for the future queens of our realm. May I have your permission to pluck you?"
As if the flower had heard and understood, it shimmered softly in the moonlight — then, almost magically, detached itself from its stem and floated into Caelum's open palm. He held it with surprising tenderness, as if it were a living, breathing creature.
"Everyone," he said, turning to us, "place your hand on the rose."
We obeyed without hesitation, each of us reaching forward and placing our hands over the enchanted blossom. A warm pulse passed through our fingers — and suddenly, the world shifted.
A swirl of golden petals surrounded us, the air thick with rose fragrance. And in the blink of an eye…
We were no longer under the tree.
We were standing in the Rose Tower — a magnificent sanctuary in the heart of Crimson Cove, hidden high above the lands, crafted entirely from magical rose vines and translucent crimson glass. It glowed faintly in the moonlight, safe and alive with enchantments — a sacred place no witch or demon could dare to enter.
"No place safer than this," Caelum said as he looked at me, a hint of pride in his voice. "Don't you agree, Celeste?"
I nodded, stunned by the beauty of it all. "You're right, Cael… it's perfect."
Aurelia's eyes sparkled as she looked around in awe. "You really know powerful magic, Prince Cael. I didn't expect a pixie to be this skilled."
Caelum gave a slight bow. "Thank you for the compliment, Lady Aurelia."
There was a pause, then Aurelia tilted her head curiously. "Cael, may I ask you something?"
He nodded. "Of course."
"I don't know why," she said thoughtfully, "but you look… different from other pixies. Your features are softer, your skin is fairer, and you're… well… very handsome."
Olivia chimed in, giggling, "Yes! That's exactly it. You almost don't look like a pixie at all. You look more like…"
Before she could finish, I jumped in with a playful grin, "You look like a fairy! Hahaha!"
Caelum dramatically placed a hand on his heart. "How dare you insult my pixie honor! I am a very handsome pixie, I'll have you know. Perhaps you've just never seen the people of Lunaria Noir. We don't all have horns and fangs, you know."
Aurelia laughed. "Fair enough. Maybe we've judged too quickly."
I stepped forward, curious. "Cael… where did Flash and Chiko come from? Were they born in Lunaria Noir too?"
Caelum looked at Flash and Chiko with a nostalgic smile. "Where did they come from? That's a strange way to ask. They're not just creatures to me. They're my family. My companions since childhood. They've been with me through every battle, every storm… every memory."
Flash stretched lazily on Caelum's shoulder and said, "And we're also his royal guards. So, you know… treat us with respect."
We all chuckled.
Olivia raised her eyebrows. "That's actually comforting. If Caelum ever tries to do something dangerous or suspicious, at least Flash will protect us, right?"
Caelum put a hand over his chest in exaggerated offense. "Me? Do something bad? I would never!"
Olivia smirked. "Relax, Cael. I was joking."
"You don't joke like a princess," Caelum muttered with a fake scowl.
"You don't act like a prince either," she shot back, sticking out her tongue.
We all burst into laughter again, the sound echoing through the peaceful, rose-covered walls of the tower.
And for a moment… the world felt safe.
Warm.
Almost like home.
The night carried on quietly after that. The wind whispered through the petals, the stars blinked lazily above, and for the first time in a long while… I felt like maybe — just maybe — this journey wouldn't be all thorns and fear.
There were roses too.
And people to share them with.
As night wrapped the Rose Tower in quiet warmth and moonlight filtered in through the petals of the enchanted roses, we all began to prepare for sleep. The air was filled with a gentle hum — not of noise, but of peace, like the world itself had exhaled and let go.
I was just about to lie down when I noticed something.
Olivia and Caelum stood a little distance away, talking softly… laughing together. There was something in their faces, in the way their eyes crinkled and their shoulders relaxed, that felt more than just polite conversation.
It was something familiar. Something old.
They weren't speaking like strangers or recent allies. No — it was as if two long-lost siblings had found each other after years apart. There was a warmth between them, unspoken yet visible. A rare bond that needed no explanation.
Their laughter echoed lightly in the air, and I found myself smiling without meaning to.
That's when I felt a pair of curious eyes on me.
Turning slightly, I caught Flash staring. He was perched beside Rira and Chiko, but his gaze wasn't playful this time — it was thoughtful.
"What is it?" I asked him softly.
He looked from me to Caelum, then back to me. "Cael doesn't sleep," he said simply.
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… he doesn't sleep. Not at night. Not during the day. Not ever."
A chill ran through me — not of fear, but of wonder.
"Wait… ever?" I asked. "You're saying he hasn't slept at all?"
Flash nodded slowly. "Not once. Not in all his twenty-one years."
I stared at him, completely stunned.
"That's… impossible," I whispered.
Flash gave a small, sad shrug. "You'd think so. But it's true. I've been with him all my life, and not once have I seen him close his eyes for rest. He's always awake. Always watching the moon or the stars. As if he's waiting for something. Or… guarding something."
His voice drifted near the end, and something in his eyes darkened. He looked like he wanted to say more.
"Why?" I asked, gently this time. "Why doesn't he sleep?"
Flash hesitated.
He opened his mouth… and then stopped.
"I don't know," he said finally. "I wish I did. But there's something about it — something deep, something… sacred. Or maybe cursed. I'm not sure."
I could feel it now — the weight in his silence. Like he was carrying a truth too heavy to name.
I wanted to press, to keep asking… but I saw the look in his eyes. He wouldn't tell me. Not now. Maybe not ever.
So, I let it go.
For now.
With a head full of quiet questions, I lay down beside Aurelia, who was already curled up close to me. She gave a soft sigh in her sleep, her brows furrowing slightly — even in dreams, she was a fighter.
Olivia joined us a few moments later, her face peaceful as she nestled between us. Chiko and Flash finally settled next to Rira, their soft breaths rising and falling in sleepy rhythm.
But Caelum…
He stood alone at the edge of the rose balcony.
Still.
Unmoving.
Watching the moon.
There was something almost poetic about him — this sleepless prince with sorrow in his eyes and stars in his silence. The silver glow traced the edges of his hair and glinted off the golden buttons of his coat, making him look less like a boy and more like a myth.
A statue carved of shadow and light.
He didn't belong to the night or the day. He existed in between — like a secret that the world had forgotten to tell.
As I drifted into sleep, my last thought was of him — standing there, awake while the rest of us dreamed.
And I couldn't help but wonder:
What kind of burden does someone carry that robs them of rest?
What truth lives in his silence?
And what pain keeps a heart from ever closing its eyes?
To be continue....