"We're very thankful for your help today, m'Lady!"
Mr. Roderick began as we went to cross the fields.
"I'm glad we could be of help. But there's still a lot of things needed to be done."
"It's fine, we can take care of it at night. The harvest moons will guide us through the dark. This year will surely be a successful harvest season once again, thanks to all of you!"
We walked towards a corner and from a distance, I saw a small wooden cabin. A smoke is coming out from its chimney.
I caught a whiff of delicious aroma in the air.
"My wife must be done with the cupcakes. She makes good pastries!" He boasted.
"I've been living in this land ever since I was born..." he stated, I noticed he changed topic so I turned my head to look at him. He was staring up at the sunset skies. "This land is once a small indigent city but with peaceful and beautiful sceneries. I believed it's the best place to live and raise my family so I stayed despite the declining economy. Winter season has been the harshest... And harvest season were never these bountiful before. But when the Duke Leingod— your family arrived to take over and guide the people, everything began to change. Slowly, our economy bloomed and no one is starving anymore.
The people owe a lot to your House, m'Lady. The Duke is most kind. He's a hardworking man and a fair Lord. We are truly blessed to serve him."
I can't helped but feel so happy and proud hearing his statement.
"It was only me and my wife then when we worked as farmers of a dying field. Crops withered amidst all ways we did to take care of the plants. These entire terrain of farm-fields and orchards were once a barren land. Now— look at it."
I took a deep breath as a mild breeze blew pass us. I gaze around the vast scenery. Leon does the same.
The horizon stretched from end to end while lush green trees covered the terrain. The green carpets of grass roll vast to the farthest sight can see while gentle pyreflies hovers along. In the calming silence and beyond the hymn of the blowing wind against the trees, I can hear the birds chirping. The final rays of the setting sun beamed at us in a golden hue. My hair instantly turns into a blush of pink as light hits on them, washing away the cold white color, as it flutters along the direction of the wind. I never felt so alive with just a single moment.
Everything is so peaceful.
"I never really thought I'd live to see these days." A tear rolls down the corner of his eyes. I panicked and took my handkerchief out.
"Mister Roderick!" I called out, handing it to him.
He smiled at me and pats my head. "Those were the days before. But I'm confident it will no longer return and I can watch my little girls grow up someday and learn to love this country as much as I do."
He took the handkerchief and wiped his eyes dry.
He then blows his nose with it and gave it back to me.
"It's fine, you can keep it..." I tried my best to grin while declining politely.
"Thank you, m'Lady!" He tucks it inside his brown woolly pants and we went on to walk inside the wooden cabin.
As he opened the door, the sweet enticing smell of freshly baked cupcakes envelopes my senses.
Oh my god. That smells heavenly!
"M'lady! I hope you don't mind the mess!" She began to clean up the kitchen table. The entire house is seen as we stepped in. In a corner you can see the kitchen, along with the dining table, further in is the pantry. While on the other side is what appears to be a living room, behind it are three wooden beds with only a thin curtain to separate it from the rest of house. A wooden post is seen standing in the middle of the house. The ceiling is quite low too. I don't mind it but it seems to trouble the tall stature of Leon as he followed me in.
"Welcome to our humble abode, m'Lady"
"Thank you for having me. Those smell amazing, madam—!"
"Alessa. You can call me Alessa" she stated with a smile. She wore a cute looking apron with lots of patched heart and flowers design. I can guess her children insisted in having her stitched it there. She seems a bit old as well but nevertheless, she is a lovely lady.
"I'll take this out" I offered, carrying a huge plate of cupcakes.
"Are you sure? I can help you with it!" Alessa insisted.
"No, it's fine. I'm stronger than I look!" I giggled. She beams at me and finally agreed.
"I'll take refreshments from the back. We have the brewery behind. Why don't you two go ahead and take those snacks to your friends. I bet they are all hungry!" Mr. Roderick stated as he walked toward the back door, found just beside the pantry.
"I'll help you, sir" Leon says as he turned to look at me like asking for permission.
I nodded at him and decided to walked out of the house.
I began to walk back following the path that leads to the orchards but I saw Eriol along the way.
"Why are you alone?" he murmured. His eyes fell to the cupcakes on my hand.
"Leon is helping out Mr. Roderick to bring more refreshments!"
"I'll go and take this to the others. Go back and stay close with your bodyguard." He takes the plate away from me.
"He's my butler..." I mumbled.
"Still—! Don't try to act like you should be walking leisurely on days like this. You'll only cause trouble if you keep denying that Faram will return." he uttered and then turned around.
"Why are you suddenly being so grumpy?" I sighed to myself but he hears it,
"Because you're being careless! It's irksome!"
Surprised with the sudden exchanged, I stubbornly faced him, "Wha—! This is the only one time that I am left alone. One time! It's not as if I've been running away from all my bodyguards!"
"You can't comprehend how grave it is to let Faram have you, can you?" His voice raised.
"It's not like he's planning to kill me!?" I levelled my voice with him. I don't even understand myself why I'm uncharacteristically arguing with him.
I'm just really annoyed at him now.
"He won't kill you, sure! But he's going to take you away!!!"
We're almost butting heads.
"Well I won't let him take me away!"
"How can you even have the audacity to say that, you're powerless against him!"
"I'm not entirely defenseless!"
"Oh really? Who are you betting on to save you if your sorry ass gets snatched?"
"No one! I can handle myself!"
"Right." He places the plate down and grabs my head with one hand. "You're a hard headed naive little girl who acts like you can handle everything all on your own!"
I pushed that hand off from me, "Don't talk like you know me so well!"
"I do!" He answered almost instantly.
My mind went blank.
I can see him swallow a knot in his throat as his jaws tighten, "I know you very well, little young miss of Greenrun. Shame you can't argue back now, huh? Because you can't even remember who I am or who I was. All thanks to your master, Faram who you blindly look up to!"
I clench my teeth together and just glared at him.
He has a point.
He seems direly affected that I have forgotten about him. Well he's suppose to be our mentor of magics despite just a few years older than me. No one wants to tell me about where he came from or why he was accepted by my parents as our mentor. All they told me is that we're close friends but all I can see is that he's closer with my brother than with me.
Yet he keeps sneaking inside my room to sleep on my bed, shamelessly. I don't think he has any right even if he's part of our Household to go inside a Lady's room. It's not right.
I took a deep breath and gathered my guts,
"Who are you to me anyway?" I murmured. "And why do you keep sleeping in my room at night?"
He stood up straight and scratched the back of his head, "I don't know. Just a fly that keeps hovering around you, I guess..." he seems conflicted too.
A fly—?
"Go back to Leon. He'll keep you safe." He stoops down to pick up the plate of cupcakes once again. I hurried to grab it too.
"No, I'll help with this!" I insisted
But our hands touched instead
He pulled away abruptly.
Startled, I did so too.
"Just now—! D-did you feel that?" He says in surprise. He looks at his hand.
"The what?"
I only pulled away because he did.
I have no idea what he's talking about.
"The electricity... how odd." He says, studying his hand.
He suddenly stepped closer and invaded my personal space. I stepped aback in return but he stepped closer than ever.
He grabs my wrist and blankly stared at it.
"W-what is it?"
"Odd" he muttered , "Right now... there's this kind of static when I touch you... And my heart is racing too." He places my hand to his chest. Indeed it's drumming so loud under his skin.
I switch my focus and found his eyes boring into mine.
He's so close...
I could almost feel the warmth of his breath grazing against my lips.
I can feel his heart beating stronger and stronger as he held his gaze steady
And for some reason, my heartbeat is picking up speed equally to match his.
My face feels so hot.
His face...
His face is getting closer.
I stole my eyes away,
"The... c-cupcakes..." I said in an almost trembling whisper.
He snaps out.
And almost jumped away from me.
"R-right!" he rubs his nape, flustered.
I gasped for air.
That's when I realized I have been holding my breath all along.
He ran his hands across his face grunting and turned his back on me. "What's wrong with me?" whispered to himself, "Maybe it's the exhaustion." He debated to himself in a sigh.
I watch him pick up the plate of cupcakes and began to walk off.
But stops midway and spoke, "Just— try not to get snatched. Aeron might go crazy if you get taken away...."
I just stared at his back in silence as he went on,
this time his voice trails off but I was able to hear it, "I would too..."
He walked away without turning back, after that.
I was left staring at his shadow for awhile until I realized I was spacing off that had to I pat both my cheeks mightily to wake my conscious back.
Okay, what just happened?
Confused and rattled, I clawed at my chest. My heart won't stop pounding violently against my chest, drumming so fast I could almost feel it ringing up to my ears.
I squished my cheeks between the cold palms of my hand one last time and gathered my scattered thoughts.
I took a deep breath and shook my head to brush this quandary aside.
And just decided to go back to the wooden cabin as what I am suppose to do.
"Alessa?" I knocked on the door.
She opened it and lit up when she saw me. "Oh my, you're fast!"
"I'll go help with Mr. Roderick and Leon." I answered, beaming at her.
"Go ahead. They're at the back"
"Thank you!" I quickly walked around the cabin and saw Leon's back immediately even before I could turn the last corner.
"Leon!" I hollered.
He turned around with a blood stain on his face.
I stop dead on my tracks as he just eyed me impassively. "You're back, m'Lady."
I slowly continued my walk, turning fully to a corner and saw Leon's sword plunged deep to a lifeless body of a man by his feet.
My eyes widened in shock.
"You can go ahead first, m'Lady. I'll just clean this mess up" he says calmly.
"L-leon! What... w-wha—!"
Mr. Roderick was not moving.
There was a pool of blood under him.
Lying flat against the ground with his face planted down.
My heart began to beat painfully inside me. My hands instantly became cold.
"What have you done?" I turned to Leon as he just calmly took his sword out from the body and began wiping it with a handkerchief.
A familiar handkerchief I know so well.
"I'll bring the refreshments. Don't worry. Please go now, I don't want you to get stained with the mess here"
I felt like my knees are giving up on me.
I slid down to the ground and stared horrified at Mr. Roderick as Leon turned him around.
His eyes were glassy.
Leon pulls Mr. Roderick's eyelids close with his fingers.
"Are you alright, m'Lady? Should I bring you a drink?"
"Leon—! I..." at lost for words I just glared at him. How can he act so calmly?!
Mortified... and honestly still in disbelief...
I somehow lost my voice. I can't even scream.
Leon finally put his sword back to its sheath and began to walk towards me.
I pulled myself up to my feet and tried to keep my distance from him.
Leon stops when he realized this.
"I understand it might be a shock to you" he began, "But it must be done. I need his face too. "
I bolted off.
Running as fast as I could.
My mind flooding with so many things, bombarding my head all at once.
That's not Faram.
Who is he?
I need to get away!
I need to tell somebody.
I need to get to Aeron and others—!
Mr. Roderick, is he really dead?
I should have seen this coming!
What to do?
Oh god. What to do?
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
I finally reached Aeron and the guys.
They all looked at me as I panted and stopped.
"Aerra what's wrong?" Aeron came up to me looking alarmed.
Everybody began to walk towards me.
I tried to catch my breath.
"Mi..."
"Here are the refreshments!"
I turned my head over my shoulder and saw Mr. Roderick holding a tray of drinks.
"What's wrong, Aerra?" Aeron mildly shaking my shoulder.
"You look a little wan, child. Here, drink! You shouldn't have run. You might hurt yourself" Mr. Rodericks says, handing me a glass of Nectar.
"W-where's Leon?" I ask him.
"Strange, he said he'll come back here."
His face. His voice. His stature. Everything about him is the same as Mr. Roderick.
But I can feel the negative energy around him more stronger this time.
I ignored it before when I first met him as Leon but now it's pretty clear to me.
I took the glass of drink from him and from his rolled up sleeve, I can see a tattoo at the base of his palm. Something that was never there when Mr. Roderick accepted my handkerchief.
Something I might not have seen from Leon as well because he was always wearing gloves.
"EIGHTH"
It says.
I kept my eyes on Mr. Roderick as he beams at me warmly.
"It has been such a great Harvest Day! All thanks to you— all of you!" He says.
"It's nothing. We only did what we can do to help." Aeron replied
"The cupcakes are delicious!" Kain cuts in.
"Dad!" Theah tags at his shirt "Up! Up!" She insisted.
Mr. Roderick took Theah up to his arms while Recca just tagged along by his leg.
"Harvest day is not yet over. There's still a lot of things needed to be gathered." Says Mr. Roderick, his eyes throw me a meaningful look.
I feel my stomach churning.
"We still have the Harvest moons later on tonight. I better go and prepare. Can I excuse myself?"
"Sure, see you tomorrow, Mr. Roderick!" Eriol waves.
Everyone else bid him goodbye too.
I know I should talk.
But I cannot push myself to.
He's currently holding Theah and Recca...
They are right.
Aeron, Eriol— everybody was right.
Faram hasn't given up.
And he must have sent the 8th of the elite mercenary of Ouboros to me.
Then that means...
I never met the real Leon.
It has always been the 8th all along,
and he deliberately allowed himself to get caught by me.
Yet he doesn't intend to take me away just yet.
What are they planning?
What exactly are you up to, Faram?
"Wait—! Mr. Roderick." I called out.
They all looked at me, especially him.
I can't let him kill Alessa, the children, or many other people in this land.
"I'm staying for the Harvest Moons tonight." I said.
His lips curved into a smile that never reached his eyes.
——— end of Chapter 13 ———