As promised a couple of days before, the day of the festival came and Tom made it his mission to take Celia on a trip around town. The streets were filled with people from all over, the scent of different perfumes mingled playfully on the wide street among the colorful stalls. Music was playing in all corners of the town and people were dancing and singing encouraged by the delicious food and fragrant wine all around.
Celia was looking all around her with curiosity and happiness, the reminder of her grandmother to act like a young lady soon was forgotten and she was jumping around, running and singing with the innocence of a child. Tom tried to remind her at first to keep herself in cheek but seeing the sheer joy and enthusiasm reflected on her actions, he soon forgot about all that. Going from stall to stall he bought her various sweets, hard candies, apples dipped in sweet caramel, accessories and keepsakes and even an embroidered handkerchief that she seemed mesmerized with. The handkerchief was a shade of light pink, a color that Tom often thought to be too bright, decorated with a simple white and golden rose that stood out and complemented Celia's light skin.
While taking a break before returning home, Tom offered to buy something for Beatrix as well and it was now Celia's duty to pick up something that she would surely like. As she was trying to decide on what would be best, Tom looked at the young girl in front of him as if he just saw her for the first time. She had her hair loosely falling on her back and the small black waves hid a large part of her eyes making her resemble an unruly child that just woke up. Her face wasn't small or big, she was just normal, her nose wasn't perfect but it wasn't crooked either if she had one distinguishing feature, that would be the playful look in her eyes that made him think of her as adorable. She was adorable as a puppy, adorable as a child, adorable as an innocent soul. Her blue eyes were always making him look at her, reminding of the old saying: "Eyes are the mirror to the soul", and he couldn't agree more. It was her pure soul that made him react to her and always pay attention to what she was doing.
As they were preparing to go back home, a shadow slipping and hiding behind the people drew the attention of Tom. He grabbed at the sword that was always at his waist and with one hand on Celia's arm, he rushed her and they hid behind an old house, hiding in the shadows. Soon whispers were heard and a familiar voice called out.
"It's me, my Lord," A thin female voice made Celia's heart skip a beat and turn her head towards an approaching shadow.
"What is it?" Tom answered in a calm voice. The shadow stopped its advances and bowed its head slightly.
"Madam Beatrix sent a message for My Lord," she continued while keeping herself at a safe distance from the two. "Madam is waiting for you at home."
"I understand." Tom simply replied and made his way back into the crowd, his right hand free from gripping the sword and with his left, he gently guided Celia towards the many around them.
"That must have scared you, I'm sorry." he started with an apologetic smile towards the young witch. "We can never be too careful these days." he continued mumbling, more for himself than towards her.
"It's fine," Celia responded, but her curiosity was already awakened. Just who was that shadow and why was Tom so tense? As she was thinking of various scenarios and Tom was busy with his own thoughts, the walk home happened in silence, each busy with their own line of thought.
As soon as they reached home, Tom tensed up and as he watched the door to the mansion broken and half-open, he suddenly grabbed Celia and placed her behind him. He was once again, ready for a battle to break out, his arm on the sword while with the other keeping the little witch out of harm's way. His muscles tensed even more when he slowly entered the hallway and felt around the darkened place. The house was unnaturally quiet, there were no clinking of the forks and knives, no rushing of the maids, no chatter and gossip in the kitchen and even the birds around the house were quiet, the atmosphere was completely still. Turning around to the living room, Tom's worst fears were confirmed. Seeing as the giant turned to stone while fixing his gaze in the room, Celia bobbed her head over the entrance and before she could realize what was happening, a strong hand violently grabbed her shoulder and turned her towards the culprit. Tom was holding her down with her face hidden in his arms and Celia simply stood there, barely able to breathe, with her small fingers clenched into his clothes, her eyes big and her voice stuck in her throat.
Celia could sense the man before her move swiftly, she could feel the warm arm around her becoming moist and heard him gasping in pain and his breathing becoming ragged. But she could not move, her mind was stuck at the scene she just witnessed, at the men standing around the living room, and the cold blood trickling down in front of her, soiling the beautiful gray hair stuck to the wrinkled forehead, her dark blue eyes looking straight into hers, asking to be acknowledged, not letting Celia turn away from it all. Soon all her senses concentrate on the unmoving heap that was slumped on the floor and a painful touch of recognition reaches her mind, it was her, it was her only family, her friend, her parent, her sister, it was Beatrix.