Nalsy tidied the weeds away after managing only about half of the garden, if not less. And soon, she was on her way towards the green cottage, located just slightly lower on the hill.
Nalsy stood before the wooden door, hesitating and second-guessing herself. She took a deep breath and knocked.
Anita appeared within moments, opening the door with a smile, two little faces popping out from behind her.
"Hi, Nalsy. I'm glad that you came!" Anita seemed excited to see her. "I've made a cake, and the dough is still warm. Come on in." She nudged Nalsy.
"Thank you." Nalsy smiled back, walking inside and following Anita through the house into their little dining room. Anita was quick to place a cake and a freshly brewed tea at the centre of the table. Two kids followed their mum, cautiously looking over at Nalsy.
"Those are my little monsters. Alice and Alex." Anita introduced them. "They're usually not nearly this quiet," Anita said as she poured the tea into two cups.
"That's alright," Nalsy said as she was handed her cup.
"I don't want to pry, but who got you like this?" Anita asked with worry, looking at Nalsy's sad state.
"I fell," Nalsy said honestly. "I didn't see where I was going, I tripped, and I fell down the hill, hitting my head on something hard, a rock perhaps. But I don't quite remember it. It seems a little hazy."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's alright. Within days I can change my braces to elastic ones, so I should have a better range of movements. And besides, I was lucky that Edmund has found me." Nalsy just realised that she still had no idea how Edmund found her. After all, the forest was huge, and she ran for hours in the most random directions.
"Ah, is that how you came about?"
"More or less, yes."
"Irma needs to get a better hobby than gossip then." Anita laughed.
"How so?" Nalsy furrowed her brows.
"Irma, my other neighbour, tends to speculate and exaggerate. Her current idea was that Sir Gray was the one who got you like this and that you're being held captive."
"Oh dear, that is not quite the case. Even though I do feel as if I was held captive at times, it is solely because there aren't many places I could go. I've been unfortunate to get on the bad side of the Darks if I remember the name correctly, and Solina requested for Edmund to protect me until it is concluded that it is safe for me to return to Earth. And even then, there's not much left for me to go back to."
"I see. I'm very sorry to hear that. And if you crossed paths with the Darks, I fear to know what happened. You poor child." Anita sighed. "I'm glad that Sir Gary is protecting you, though. Hopefully, no harm will come to you with him by your side."
"Maybe."
"I am not going to lie; I am rather curious to know what Sir Gray is like in private. My husband works at the castle grounds. He repairs weaponry and armour. He is terrified of Sir Gray, but yet he insists that Air Gray is the most respectful military official there is."
"I cannot say anything bad about him. Besides his stubbornness and lenience towards silence, he's been very welcoming towards me. He doesn't talk much. But he's caring. And he's quite attentive, too. I don't see him much, though. He seems to be working very long days. Some evenings, I can hear him returning, but most, I'm asleep beforehand. He always brings me books to read, which is very nice."
"I'm glad to hear it. And don't you worry, everything said in here stays in here."
"I am not worried. If anything, I feel like those rumours are unfair on Edmund. He didn't do anything to deserve it. He still cares for me, even after I broke his nose and scratched half of his skin off."
"So that's what happened to him!" Anita exclaimed, finally working out the cause of Edmund's injuries.
"Well, yes." Nalsy shrunk in herself, feeling guilty again.
"And people were saying that he got into the brawl of sorts." Anita looked at Nalsy with curiosity. "Why did you break his nose?"
"It wasn't fully intentional. I didn't know who he was, and I was chased by the Darks mere hours earlier. I thought he was one of them, and I was trying to defend myself. He is not the one to say much, so even then, he didn't fully explain what his intentions were."
"You might not be completely wrong about Sir Gray, though." Anita hinted.
"In what sense?"
"There are rumours, even from more reliable sources than Irma. People speak. And they say that Sir Gray came from Tenebrae. That he escaped after seeing some terrors and decided to join Lumenian army in hope to defeat the Tenebrae's reign of terror."
"Ah." Nalsy wasn't sure how she felt about what Anita disclosed to her just then. If it was true, it meant that Edmund was Tenebraenian, one of her enemies, at least by blood. By actions, he still saved her from the Darks and worked against them. It wasn't long before she concluded that it didn't matter. His background had nothing to do with who he was as a person, as his current actions determined that.
"You seem to be quite deep in thought. I hope I didn't upset you?"
"No, it's fine. I was just wondering how true this might be. But honestly, I don't think it matters. It doesn't change the fact that Edmund saved me."
"That's very true." Anita passed Nalsy a slice of cake. "And what about you?"
"What about me?"
"I'd like to get to know you, of course! I would like you to tell me about yourself."
"Oh, I'm not too sure. There's not much to tell. I've lived a perfectly ordinary life until the Darks showed up and destroyed it all."
"I'm very sorry to hear that." Anita gave Nalsy a worried look. "I cannot even imagine how you must feel. It is so unfair when things like this happen." Anita sighed. "Especially when people close to you are gone."
"It is." Nalsy's eyes welled up.
"They've harmed someone close to you, didn't they?" Anita asked gently with a knowing look.
"Yes, my parents." Nalsy nodded, her tears escaping her eyes.
"I'm so sorry." Anita instinctively moved closer, grabbing Nalsy's hand.
"How did you know?"
"I've lost my brother in this war. I know what they are capable of." Anita said quietly, looking down at her that rested on Nalsy's. "My brother lived with his family in the small village near the border. One day, that village was turned into dust by the Darks army. They've killed everyone."
"I'm so sorry, Anita." Nalsy gasped in horror, warm tears streaming down her face.
"We can't change what has happened. And even though it hurts so much sometimes, we need to keep going." Anita smiled through her sorrow. "But it's okay to be sad and angry. We all are. It's okay to feel it, and it's okay not to be okay. You need to take care of yourself and give yourself time so that you can stand back on your feet again." Anita sighed as she patted Nalsy's hand.
"I know. I am trying. I am trying so hard, but some days are just so difficult."
"It takes time. It took me about two years to go through a day without breaking into tears. And even now, some days are worse than others. Thankfully, I have my kids and Anthony. Probably the only reason why I'm still somewhat sane." Anita smiled as she looked across the room, seeing her kids play in the small room adjacent to the dining room. "And you're not alone either! My door is always open for you. Whenever you want company, the teapot will be ready. And it sounds like Edmund has been good to you too. I know it's not quite the same, but we're here whenever you need us."
"Thank you, Anita. This is so kind of you."
Nalsy enjoyed Anita's company thoroughly, and even Anita's kids, Alex and Alice, warmed up to her, and she managed to play with them. For the first time in two weeks, she felt a glimpse of hope in her life. Or even, for the first time in a long while, she stopped thinking and enjoyed the few moments of speaking with what seemed to be a true friend.