Tangled By Fate

Chapter 548  VISITING MAGIC TOWER

Ovior took Dorothy to the Magic Tower. It wasn't Dorothy's first time in the tower. Long ago, when Ovior was still a disciple, he once brought her to show around. "This place has changed," she commented. She noticed that the dark and gloomy place that made her scared back then was no more. She was surprised to see flowerpots, chandeliers, candles and colorful magic stones decorating the tower. It looked mysteriously beautiful.

"Do you remember?" Ovior was surprised. He looked at her in anticipation. Unbeknownst to her, she was dead for at least 8 years. Although to her, she was in a deep sleep, it wasn't the case. He wanted to know how much she could remember. "Uhu," she replied with a smile. "On my birthday, I wished to visit the Magic Tower but the doors were closed to visitors. You promised me the day before my birthday that you would take me there. And you kept your promise."

Ovior stared at her endearingly. He remembered that as well. Dorothy was intrigued by the things he was interested in. She would follow him around and ask him numerous questions about the spells and stones. He would patiently reply to her questions one by one. He remembered that day she turned sixteen. He fulfilled her promise by taking her to the tower.

"Come on, I'll take you to my office." He held her hand and took her to his office.

The door of his office opened to welcome them. Dorothy was in awe. "This is your office?!" She was excited.

"Do you remember that I told you that day?" Ovior asked her. He took her hand and gently guided her to the balcony. "I gave you a ring and asked you to be with me if I successfully became a magician. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, I remember," Dorothy replied. Her heart fluttered as she recalled the wonderful memory. It was still vividly planted in her heart. She could never forget that day.

She had known him since she was a child. She couldn't remember when she fell for him but she could remember that every time they met, her eyes never left him. He was always in her sight. He was the only person who was kind to him. Every time she was in trouble, she could always count on him. As long as she remembers, he was the gentlest soul she had known in her entire life.

~ Flashback ~

The day she turned sixteen, he fulfilled her promise by giving her a tour at the Magic Tower. He was still an apprentice. On this very balcony, he proposed to her. Their plan was to get married after he was promoted as a magician. That would take him two more years. However, everything turned upside down after a week. She had no idea what had happened before her death.

Ovior squeezed her hand. "Do you want to think about the proposal again?" His voice was as gentle as the spring breeze.

Dorothy tightened her grip on his sleeve with her free hand. "I… have questions." She looked him in the eyes. "What is happening? What happened to me? Why did you not take me to my family's house? Why do you look more… mature than I remember? What happened before I went to so-called 'deep sleep'? Please give some answers."

Ovior closed his eyes. He didn't want to answer her questions.

"I seemed to have rushed you before giving you a proper explanation. I apologize." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"No, don't apologize," Dorothy shook her head. "I'm just… so confused. I could barely recognize Arthur and… the tower looks so different. You said I was sleeping and I want to know more about it. What exactly happened?" Her bright eyes stared at him. "I should have done better to protect you." A trace of regret came out of his mouth.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's sit first. This will be a long story." Afterward, Ovior took her inside. They sat on the couch. He sorted out his thoughts and then began to tell her what happened after the proposal.

Dorothy had a lovely trip in the tower on her birthday. She was even proposed to marry by Ovior. She couldn't be happier. She left the tower with butterflies in her stomach. After she went home, she was called by her father, Count Eckles. Her mother and elder brother were as well. Count Eckles was displeased that his daughter spent her entire day in the Magic Tower. He expressed his dissatisfaction with her friendship with a commoner.

Dorothy tried to protest that Ovior was a good boy even if he was a commoner but her mother berated her for being disobedient. As she shut her mouth, her father brought up the topic of her marriage. The targeted person was another nobleman who was serving in the Royal Guards. Nice fellow, they heard. The boy had a good reputation. They wanted to hold the engagement in a month. They would start the preparation for the marriage after a year – that was the plan.

Dorothy was pale when she heard that. She wished to object but her elder brother interrupted her. None of them asked for her opinion as they started talking about her engagement in front of her.

Later on, the family meeting ended with a restraining order. Dorothy lost contact with Ovior for a while. At the time she was isolated from the rest of the world, she had to meet her future groom. The nobleman was descent; at least that's how he was at first in front of Dorothy. One day, she got lost in the huge compound of the royal barracks. When she tried to find her way out, she stumbled upon a group who were having a conversation.

It wasn't that she wanted to eavesdrop on their conversations but her name caught her attention. They were talking about her. The center of the conversation was her fiancé. The group was making fun of her fiancé who said to only use her as a ladder to gain fame and access to the high noble society.