I haven't seen Sahana lately, the last time was when I got sick. After waking up from my three days slumber, I haven't seen him around.
And the more I look for him around the inn without asking anyone, made me miss him.
What has he been doing lately that he can't even have time to talk to me. Or to take me out. Scratch that! I wanted to even have a short conversation with him.
I really wanted to see him.
"What's with the long face Milady?" Dave.
And lately, Dave has been around too. The three idiots usually kept going out with Eiliff. Mostly it's just me and Flora, but Dave is always around too. As if guarding us.
"What's Sahana has been doing lately? Haven't seen him. And it's kinda missing his presence around."
Dave look at me and scratch his cheeks. He's unsure whether to answer my question or not.
"Well, Sahana went out to meet the Prince."
Prince? Oh yeah, they mentioned about nobles. There was the Earl, so prince really exists.
Well, there was a country in my world that's been ruled with monarchs.
"Is that so?" I just said. I rested my body on the sofa and hug the thru-pillow. "Can we go out? Oh, where's Flora?"
"She said she was going out."
I got excited when I heard that. "Where to?" I ask smiling.
Dave sense what I wanted so he sigh first before answering me. "Market, milady"
"Wait, I will ask her if I can go out with her."
****
Sahana blew a sigh before standing up and greet the person he was waiting. He has been waiting for an hour already. He was aware of the certain person's schedule. But he still waited patiently.
He has been fidgetting his fingers while waiting for that double lock door to open. And when it finally opens, the person he has been waiting finally came in sight.
"My Lord! It has been a long time."
"It was indeed been a long time, my Prince." He greeted him back and slowly bend his head.
"Leave us alone." The prince commanded everyone with them. It didn't take long for them to finally talk face to face.
"So how's life my friend?" The prince started. "I have heard about your dearest guest here. Though I must keep it as a secret, what you did was really dangerous."
"Forgive me about that your higness. I was too desperate to act accordingly."
"Any news? I wanted the bad news first."
"You are always like that Prince Sarawat." Sahana commented and smile to him.
Prince Sarawat. His long time friend. They became friends ever since they were young. When the incident happened to his sister, he instantly grew distant with the prince and focus his self on finding his sister.
"Drop the formalities Sahana. Tell me what can I do to help you this time? But I will refuse if it will be dangerous again!"
Sahana sighed and stare at the teacup. The tea has been served but he was unable to touch it. Even the sweet snacks. He was too occupied about talking to the prince.
"The bad news was, I came almost empty handed your higness."
Prince Sarawat look at him with doubt. "That wasn't what I expect. Who was the lady you accidentally brought here? Is she okay? Wasn't hurt? I hope Lord Eiliff is taking good care of her."
"Dave was the assigned one to guard her."
"That stoic Dave?" Prince Sarawat ask while laughing.
"Yes, he is. And Master Eiliff was fine with her staying for awhile here."
"Tell me about it? Let's not take this conversation long. I wanted to know if I can really help you this time."
***
On the other place.
I have been enjoying myself around with Flora. She greatly refused my request when I told her I wanted to go out with her.
But I think, she's weak when it comes to my pleading eyes.
"Ah, those flowers are beautiful." I commented while looking at the different kinds of flowers.
"Shall we take a look inside?" Dave asks that I immediately answered with a nod.
It gets me the enthusiasm feeling everytime I look around with flowers.
Flora left me with Dave when I said I wanted to look at the flowers. She let me do it but I have to stay with Dave no matter what happened.
There's nothing wrong with going inside the flower shop. Flora worries a lot. Like a mother.
I really have a feeling that everytime Flora is worried, she really is like a mother to me. Not that I ever had one.
"Welcome, the new flowers just arrived this morning..Oh for a beautiful lady to visit this shop." It was an old man, smiling at me. He even took off his hat just to greet me.
"Thank you.. " I answered him with a smile too.
Dave was following every steps I do. "Look at those tulips Dave!" I pointed at the pot where the different colors of tulip was.
The sunflowers with those small lilies around it. The roses. It sure stand out, I mean the red rose. But seeing how it was arranged well beside the white rose, it keeps my heart happy.
"Should we pick one for you Milady?" Dave ask.
"Dave, if you wanted to give flowers to a lady, you shouldn't ask, just pick the most beautiful flower and offer it!" I lectured.
"The young lady was right, my lord. Pick the flower well, one that stand out for you and remembers the lady's name well." The owner added.
Even the marigold with maroon outlines really.
"Then, can I have this, this and this please." It was me who pick. Dave just aggreed and followed the owner.
Now that I think about it, Dave will be paying the bills!
I don't even have a centavo here.
When Dave look at me with that stoic face, I smile. Smile Dave! Smile.
But his smile sure is expensive too.
"Here, for you Milady."
My mouth formed an 'ow' when I recieved the bouquet.
"Aw, thank you Dave." I said and hug carefully the bouquet.
"And this one for you Milady.." The owner gave me the flower, even fix my hair and put it behind my right ear.
I was smiling the whole time as he fix the plumeria on my hair.
"That is so sweet, thank you sir." I said.
"For visiting this flower shop young lady."
After some exchanging for thanking, he finally let us go.
Dave hold the flower when we got out from the shop.
"You seemed to really like flowers milady." Dave.
"Of course I do. I tried planting too, but I guess my hands are not for planting, it gives me positive energy everytime I see flowers."
"Few of the young ladies I met won't appreciate flowers as you do milady. They mostly care about accesorries."
"Dave, do you perhaps like someone else? And got rejected?"
He suddenly stops walking. So I have to look up just to see his face.
No emotion at all.
"There was one, I admire her for being honest, she was kind of weak and she likes everything."
Oh, he's talking! His face has a small hint of redness.
"What happened?" I ask then cling to his arm. I am used to cling to someone else's arms! Habit.
"She was weak.."
"Literally, weak?"
Then his voice became sad. "The last flower I gave her, she requested to bring it with her...in her casket.."
I stop my breathing for a second. So Dave must have been heart broken. That's why he suddenly became sad.
No, it was my fault! This mouth of mine should know when to shut up!
"I shouldn't.. I'm sorry." for spouting nonsense words! Sorry Dave.
"It has been a long time already, she said that if somehow, one day, I'll miss her, she told me. That I should just look around and enjoy the scenery..but it didn't help at all."
"She was maybe trying to tell you, to get your focus somewhere." I said.
"Milady! Sir Dave, sorry to keep you waiting." Flora who looked like she ran.
She was carrying few stuffs and without any notice, Dave grab those things and guided us to the carriage they rented.
Ugh! That ride in the carriage hurt my butt.!
"It's a good thing that it didn't rain today. But the sky is still dark." I mumble as I look up at the sky.
"I should have just ask you to tag along, if I knew you'll enjoy being outside." Flora
"Yeah, ever since I got sick, I have been staying inside my room."
"You really like flowers Milady, I will put that in a vase and placed it to your room" She said while staring at the flowers.
"Yes please!"
As soon as we arrived at the inn, Flora told me to stay in my room. She went to the kitchen to arrange the stuff she bought from the market.
Since Dave was carrying it, he help her too. So I went alone to my room.
Even the bouquet, Flora took it from me, she said she'll put it in the vase later.
The flower the Sahana gave me last time already withered. But the person who gave it to me is not yet home!
When will he be back?
Eiliff said that he needs to go out. So the three idiots went out with him too. Without Chess and Baley, it is really completely quiet around.
Well, those two gets along well. In their group, Arcon was the serious one. Rather the grown-up one. He's matured unlike the two.
"Milady, do you want to wash up now?" Flora entered the room with the flowers!
My mood suddenly brighten. "These flowers...."
"Then wait for a minute milady, I will prepare your bath." She said and leave me.
It will take more than thirty minutes to prepare the bath. So all I could do is admire these flowers!
If only I have my laptop with me, I could start writing again.
Thinking about it, I miss Shane. With how long have I been staying here, I guess she's already looking for me.
Ellis will be the first to get upset for my sudden disappearance. That's for sure.
There was this one time, that I visited Hongkong on a whim, without telling anyone. Ellis almost slapped me!
I know she was just worried. But I don't wanna get slap, for heaven's sake!
"Milady, the bath is ready.." Flora said with a smile.
Her expressions shows that she wanted to bathe me. So I just nod and follow her.
But when she took off my dress, I look to the closed window.
"Is there something wrong milady?" Flora ask when she look at the window. "I made sure to close the window."
"Y-yes.." For an unknown reasons, I became anxious around us. "Where is Dave by the way?"
"Milady, you seemed nervous. Sir Dave is waiting outside your room."
I enhale, and exhale before I carefully slid my legs to the tub. This tub is huge. Even with five persons, this is still a big tub. But Flora did an effort to prepare this bath for me.
I should not be thinking about anything.
When I finally soaked my body, I thought that my anxiousness will fade.
My heart kept beating loud, I was still staring at the window.
"Let me wash you hair milady.." Flora
I didn't mean to ignore her, but my heart kept beating loud. Why am I even thinking that an integer will happen?
"Is it raining now?" I ask Flora when I heard the loud rain outside. "It seems like a typhoon."
"It suddenly rained, and I am thanful that we arrive earlier." Flora.
"Yeah.." I breathe out and tried to calm my beating heart.
"Milady are you somehow, uncomfortable with me being around here?"
"Huh?" I had a doubt that I didn't hear her well.
"You seemed nervous, are you perhaps still uncomfortable with me?" Her weak voice pinch my heart.
Even seeing her sad like this, my heart won't just calm down!
"No, of course not. I am comfortable with you Flora."
'Eiliff...'
I cough when I remembered the last night I slept with him. His hugged sure was a bone cracking. So tight! As if I will run away from him anytime!
My ear prickle when I heard a very low sound of explosions.
"Flora...?"
Is she unaware of what I heard? But looking at her made me answer my own question. She wasn't aware.
I can almost hear my heart beating so loud and fast.
Rambling somewhere, far from here. But why am I able to hear those?
"Flora..." I stand. She gave me the towel and cover my naked body. Whatever happens I am covered.
"Milady, what are these for?" She ask pointing at my legs.
There, where I put tattoos. I know she have seen them. But the left part of my body has a mini-tattoos. From the lower part of my armpit to my thighs and down to my legs, I put tattoos in.
There were several bigger than three inches stars tattoos. I put these in my body as a remark of the books I have published.
"These are just my style..." I stop talking and again, I can feel that some entity was coming to our way.
"Flora, let's leave here no---"
My heart didn't stop from pounding so loud. But the deafining explosions made me feel my body crumble.
The explosion was almost near us, but before I could push Flora away from me, I stumble from the shaking of the building!
Cough!
"F-flora?!"
The explosion was so loud that I felt being deaf. The area where I was standing almost cracked from the vibration.
"Milady...!"
It was too late for me to react for her. I was still standing in the tub, barely holding the towel covering my body, when I heard another loud explosion.
I didn't get to hold anything, my body fell, so hard that I hit my head somewhere.
Closing my eyes so hard because of the pain from my head, I heard the area cramble.
"F--flo*cough* Flora *cough*!"
Slowly opening my eyes, I was stunnend with what I witness. The houses next to the inn was ruined. It was like a huge thunder hit the area. No, it was like it has been hit by a hurricane.
I felt the hot liquid flowing from where I hit my head.
"Flora.."
My whole body tremble in fear when I saw someone coming my way. He was covered with a black cloak. The face was covered with that big hood.
I tried to walk away, but recoil when I felt a sharp object on my leg. No, my tattoos!But it was too late of a reaction.
I have been stabbed from the remains of the tub. The tip of the tile that stabbed my feet was covered with blood.
My whole body wince when I felt the pain. There is no way I can survive from this pain.
"So, I have seen the target easily..." It was a low yet menacing voice from this guy.
I could see how he smirk, a hapless smirk that made me more tremble.
The rain that pour down to my body became painful. No it was my leg. My body was trembling. Every tip of my fingers are all feeling numb. My lips parted, but I can still feel how they tremble too.
"What an amazing body you got there lady.." His voice, feels like it peirced through my heart.
The loud beating of my heart become louder. As loud that I can't hear the rain.
Flora? Flora?! Where is Flora? I can't get my eyes look around. It feels like this entity covered with a black cloak don't want me to remove my eyes from him.
Even my vision is becoming blurry, with the pain from my leg, and my head is spinning.
It was a big impact, so big that the blood flows down through my eyes.
My sight became blurry, and light red. My body is too stunned.
With this vision, my eyes followed this entity's hand moved.
A sword.
A sword...
A real damn sword.
"Milady!"
I let out a sigh of relief when I heard Dave. He was running to me, holding something. He was so fast that I ignore this entity for a second.
But for that mini-second of not watching, he raised the sword and pointed it at me.
I was holding my breath, I can't mumble any single word. I can't say a word.
A word or a signal to Dave who's shouting something.
"Milady.. agh..."
With my trembling hand, I hold onto Dave who's trying to cover my body.
"D-dave..."
Red liquid splattered to my face. Hearing Dave cough, I got to look up. I was barely getting some senses, but it feels like I will lost my sanity this time.
With my trembling and blooded hand, I even touch Dave's face.
"Milady, run...!"
I just got my senses back, I just got it barely. But, Dave.
"DAAAVE!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "No, Dave, Dave!" My hands that covered with blood, my hands that are trembling so much hold Dave's chest.
The sword that peirced through his heart. "Dave...Dave...Dave..." I am not sure if panicking this time is needed.
I touch the tip of the sword. But I don't have enough time to complain when it got my hand wounded.
Blood was flowing from Dave's chest, where he got stabbed.
"Dave, Dave.... p-please.. Dave..." it between my sob, my sight became clearer when I look at Dave's mouth. Blood.
There was blood. He coughed out more blood. "Dave..."
"N--no.No-no, D-Dave...." His body tremble. Lose all his vivacity and leaned to me.
His face was placed to my shoulder. "M-milady..run.."
Run..?