"We t in the market. It was a normal day.. I went to buy bread to eat. And she— for whatever reason, always bought cakes.
You know, I don’t even rember how or why we talked to each other.
But what I do know is that from that day on, I started anticipating my little trips to the market to buy bread.. just so I could et her, just so I could talk with her.
And like that, we beca close, really close. She beca my first, and only friend. And you know what? She suggested that I should beco a maid in the Flaworths household where she herself worked.
All so we could see and talk to each other every day, for as long as we want. And that’s when she recomnded to the head maid." Her voice is low, shaky, and.. it’s actually fluctuating— the emotions. Oh, now it’s balanced.. it’s happiness.
"And.. and I- I got the job!"
I just wanted to know why you followed , I didn’t ask for your life history.. but.. but..
"Do you know what Alice said to ?" She asks in between giggles. As if I was there when they talked. "She told that.. In this life ’If there is a will, then there is a way.’"
Huh?
My eyes widen, her words hitting weird spots in my chest. I feel uneasy. An electric sensation vibrates throughout my chest, my body, and my heart.
"I was sooooo motivated.. I started searching for new ways to break through to my next circle, I started making all kinds of researchs, researchs that I still make till this day. But I can’t find the enlightennt I need to bre—"
"Wait. Can.. can you repeat.. can you repeat what you said she told you, again?" My voice shakes as I ask her, my heart constricting, as if being squeezed. It must be my imagination. But, if it’s my imagination, then.. then why does it feel so real?
"Uh, sure. I said I still make research until t—"
"No. No.. not that one."
"Hmmm, you an. If there’s a will, then there’s a way?" She asks, her head tilted.
"M–marcelle." I whisper, clutching my chest tight. And a single drop of tear roll from my left eye down my cheek.
My heart.. why does it bitter so? I thought I’d gotten over this feeling. This painful feeling. This dreadful feeling. This.. this!
Marcelle— she always told that.
That was the exact thing she said to on that day.
Now I understand why Jennette’s story resonated with .. it’s exactly the sa.
Those were the sa words Marcelle told . ’If there’s a will, then there’s a way.’
she was the only one who saw sothing in . She was the only one who believed that I could still rise even after I had fallen to a sunken state that left death as my only option.
She gave life.
She gave love..
She gave a family...
She gave ... she... she... she’s not here.
That’s right. I’m doing all this to go back to her. To Margie my daughter. To Dustin my son.
That’s right. So clean your tears Edward. Man up. Don’t let a single sentence bring down your morale.
Sniffling hard— I wipe the single tear rolling down my cheek.
"Uh, are you okay back there?"
"Yeah, I’m fine. That stuff you said just reminded of sothing."
She goes quiet. Making no sound, and for a mont, the clumps of the horse’s hooves colliding with the ground is all I hear.
"That na; Marcelle. you always call that na."
My brows furrow into a frown, and I offer her no response.
"The tis when you started learning how to talk, you called that na. Sodays, you even call the na when you sleep. And on other days, it’s the first thing you say when you wake up.
And anyti you call that na, you look, and your voice sounds so.. so so... Sad."
I nod. She has always been quick to catch on to these little things about .
I don’t want to make any excuses, and I don’t feel like lying also. I just sit. Quietly watching her as the shaky wagon continues it’s movent.
"Well, if you don’t want to reply . Then that’s... that. As I was saying..."
Shit.
"That was how we beca friends. And it was all smooth until that man— Alexander; I don’t know how but he seduced her. I don’t know how he seduced my poor and innocent Alice, but he did.
And because of that.. she got pregnant, conceiving you. And that causing her death. But before she died, she made promise her that I’d take care of you who was born into that house full of people that’ll surely want to kill you— a halfling born of commoner blood."
I nod. I’m starting to understand her motives.
"So, that’s all I want you to know. And although you may not understand what it ans to .. but the promise I made to my friend— I intend to keep it till death. So that’s the reason, Young Master Charles, no matter how strong you beco or how big you grow; I’ll still be there with you.
I’ll still follow you— even when you don’t want it. Because of the promise I made to your mother, and because I myself, see you as my son."
What bullshit! You’re barely thirty! I’m older than you!
"Plus," she shrugs, "I resigned from my job as a maid, because the Patriarch— He told to follow you. He said sothing about being the only one who’s truly cared about you since the beginning. If he hadn’t told , I wouldn’t have known that you were leaving. And although he never spoke about it, or even acted like he knew— I could tell— he knows of my ability as a second circle mage, and I don’t know how. But one thing is for sure though— the fact that I’ll be able to protect you. For now at least."
"That man! I knew it!"
She chokes with a soft laugh.
"I know this might sound stupid, but.. that man cares about you."
Bullshit!
The mories of the ti I first t him, and the mont he pushed into the mana pool, and even the creepy faces he always made with that wide toothy grin flashes through my mind. And I shiver slightly.
"Yeah, sure. Care, he cares about ."I speak, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
I want to wash and bleach my tongue for speaking of such blasphemy.
"Ahem! I understand your position, and your intentions now, Jennette. So you walk with , not as my maid— but as my guardian."
And slowly I stand up. My head barely touching the roof of the wagon.
"You just have to understand sothing if you’re determined about following . My path— it’s not going to be an easy one. At all. So, bare that in mind."
She should know... that I’m going to do anything.. literally anything to fulfill my goal. And I don’t mind whatever that is. I’ve warned her. If she still wants to follow after knowing this, then she can go ahead.
She nods, "I understand."
And I walk toward her— where she’s riding the horse, and the area leading outside the wagon. "So, where are we now?"
"We’ve gone away.. far from the Flaworth territory. We’re in ’Loks path’ now. A straight road that leads to Ludia, and we may have to pay a passing toll to bandits on the way."
"Yeah, we’re not paying anything."
She turns her neck, and her brown, shimring eyes lock with mine, and she smiles brightly. "That’s also what I thought."
Totally not because I didn’t bring any sort of cash with . Yeah. Totally not that.
"How long do you think it’ll take us to get to Ludia?"
"At the pace we’re going? It’s gonna take two days."
"Ugh, shit, I hate this type of stuff." I grimace, sighing bitterly.
She frowns, her eyes still locked with mine, but her cheeks normal, "have you traveled before?"
"I’ve been trapped in an estate all my life." I reply.
"Then enjoy the beauty of traveling."
Another sigh leaves my mouth.
"You should really stop sighing. It’s becoming a habit."
I ignore her, and another sigh leaves my mouth.
She’s right about enjoying the beauty of traveling. But the problem is, there’s nothing to enjoy here.
There’s only sand, a lonely, narrow foot-and-carriage path etched in the sand, more sand, so rocks, so hills, and four black, giant, pig-like monsters.
...
"Wait!" My voice rises with urgency as I tap Jennette’s shoulder.
"There are monsters on the road!"
She just lets out a soft chuckle, "pirantrophs, a rare sight."
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