In the opulent palace, where the soft glow of candlelight danced upon the gilded walls, a tender lullaby filled the air. It was a melody crafted from a mother's love, each note carrying the weight of her devotion as she cradled her precious babe in her arms. The room was a sanctuary, cocooned in warmth and affection, as if shielded from the harsh realities beyond its ornate confines.
But fate, that cruel arbiter of destinies, had other plans. In a heartbeat, the tranquility shattered like fragile glass, replaced by a chilling fear that gripped the queen's heart in icy tendrils. A figure, cloaked in shadows, emerged from the darkness, his presence suffocating the very air around him.
With a swift, merciless stroke, the figure's blade tore through the queen's heart, a cruel betrayal of the peace that had enveloped the chamber moments before. The queen's world spun her senses reeling from the onslaught of pain and despair. As she fell to her knees, her gaze locked with the malevolent figure before her, his hand outstretched with nefarious intent.
In that moment of utter despair, as darkness threatened to consume her, the queen's thoughts turned to her precious child. With her last ounce of strength, she whispered a silent prayer, a plea for her baby's safety in a world now stained with blood and treachery.
As the shadows closed in around her, the queen surrendered to the abyss, her consciousness slipping away like grains of sand through an hourglass.
***
6 years later...
The mountain range stretching out around the infinitely green and extensive landscape looked like it was attempting to carry the brook flowing rhythmically along the slight slope of the hill.
Seutsui, a sprite of innocence amidst the emerald meadow, twirled in delight, her laughter a melody that danced with the wind. Each pirouette painted a fleeting masterpiece against the backdrop of rolling hills and azure skies.
As she settled onto the viridescent grass, a symphony of nature enveloped her senses. The gentle murmur of the brook, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the distant calls of birds wove together a tapestry of serenity. Yet, amid this idyllic scene, a discordant note pierced the tranquility — the sound of approaching footsteps.
She squinted apprehensively as she never happened to see a human in this meadow other than herself. It was more like... a concealed place, only for her.
Seutsui's heart fluttered with trepidation as she peered through the sun-dappled foliage, her gaze fixing on the silhouette of a stranger emerging from the verdant veil. His form, shrouded in mystery, cast a long shadow across the meadow. With each step he took forward, she instinctively retreated, her gaze fixed nervously on his towering figure. Unable to meet his gaze, she found herself peering downwards, catching only a glimpse of his foot. His immense stature rendered him nearly ten times taller than her, his face obscured by the glare of the sunlight. Just as she prepared to flee, she was taken aback by the incongruity of his gentle voice, a stark contrast to his imposing presence.
"Hello, you little one there. Who are you?"
Seutsui hesitated, uncertainty flickering in her gaze like a fleeting shadow, fighting to maintain her composure long enough to listen.
"Why are you here alone? Where is your mother? It is not safe around here, especially for an alone and impotent little miss like you...u..."
She smiled slightly.
"I'm with him," Seutsui replied, a playful glint dancing in her eyes as she gestured to the sky above. The stranger chuckled softly, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Ah, I see. Well then, would you like me to accompany you home?"
"Do you know where your home is?"
She nodded a yes while tucking her silky hair behind her ears.
"Then.. little miss, would you give me the pleasure of escorting you home?" He held out a hand to her while bending forward.
"Of course, I will. But I wish that you wouldn't call me impotent, which I'm not. ," She giggled, reaching to hold his hand.
"As you wish," he sneered.
His touch startled her, causing her to gasp in astonishment as he gently clasped her hand. She regarded him with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity, her gaze fixed on his face. Sensing her hesitation, he looked at her with a puzzled expression, silently questioning her reaction.
"What is it?"
She shook her head as to evasion the question
Then both started to amble towards the hill.
***
"Seutsui, where are you?"
Is it even a minute since I advised her not to go anywhere alone? Is this kid fearless or what, wandering about like every time I turn away for a second?
A woman, appearing to be in her early thirties, marched near a quaint cottage with a palpable air of anger and trepidation. Her hurried steps betrayed a storm within.
Suddenly, a peculiar sight unfolded before her eyes. In the distance, an elusive silhouette cast the shadow of two figures. One bore the physique of a sinewy and robust man, while the other, a mere wisp from this distance, seemed a diminutive soul, almost imperceptible. With a hand shielding her eyes from the dawning sun, her narrowed gaze transformed into twin straight lines, scrutinizing the duo in doubt. A silent plea lingered, a yearning hope that the petite figure was, against all odds, her cherished daughter.
"Mother!" This time she heard distinctly. it was her daughter who allowed her to stop wheezing and breathe a sigh of relief.
She ran towards Seutsui. She saw her holding her hand with that stranger whom she had never happened to see in the neighborhood. She yanked Seutsui's hand from the man's with celerity as she thought he was gripping her hand firmly, but when she yanked, she felt it was not a grip of hard or force. Therefore, she felt some sort of security, so she turned her attention to Seutsui.
"You!" Anipe's voice echoed across the meadow, a thunderclap that shattered the fragile peace. Her eyes blazed with a fierce intensity, her gaze fixed upon her daughter with a mixture of relief and reproach.
Seutsui bowed her head, and in the tender surrender of that moment, tears welled up in her eyes. Glistening droplets descended swiftly, tracing the most direct path to the earth below, each tear an unspoken story cascading silently to the ground.
"Mother I..."
"No, you listen. do you know what a great danger that you always put the two of us in, walking everywhere recklessly now even with strangers? " she gazed at the stranger for a moment.
"I...I..."
"What if the king's force saw you and imposed us into slavery? Those guys always target weak, poor people like us. I always tell you not to go to the roads in the direction of the palace"
She sat on the ground with a dejected look while placing her palm on Seutsui's cheek and raising her head as she saw Seutsui sneezing.
As she lifted her chin Seutsui started bawling. She looked into her mother's eyes. Her two eyes were reminiscent of elongated flower petals and her teeth were showing from the middle of the rosy lips as if she was saying ee. It was a sight to behold. She was adorable and even someone who didn't know her would be moved to tears.
Her feelings explode as for her mother's philippic towards her.
"Mother, do you think I'm strange? Ever since that day a year ago when I played the flute and it left you scarred, it feels like you've held a dislike for me, doesn't it?" Amidst her tears, she reached out, her hand trembling as she indicated her mother's brow, where the traces of unintended magic lingered. It served as a poignant reminder of the unforeseen consequences of her actions, a sorrowful echo of the pain she had unwittingly wrought.
Anipe's eyes widened in disbelief, her own tears mirroring the pain that lingered within her daughter's gaze. "No, Seutsui, you're not strange. It's just... I worry about you. I don't want you to get hurt," she whispered, her voice trembling with the rawness of her.
But she sobbed ceaselessly.
The guest, who had been silent for so long, suddenly raised a voice.
"You know, you shouldn't have been so harsh. When you don't even dare to watch her cry," he said indecisively to know if she was not pleased to have him there.
As soon as she heard his voice, he looked at him with sharp suspicion as she noticed him there at that instant. Before she said something, Seutsui leaped and held the man's hand firmly.
"Mother, don't blame him. he helped me way back home," she said while whimpering.
Her anger softened, replaced by a tender embrace that spoke volumes of her love. "It's alright, my dear. Let's go home."
She couldn't stand her bawling anymore, it was ripping her heart to hear.
'"All right Seutsui, then would you like to invite him for tea,?" she simpered.
Seutsui gazed at her mother, reflecting sunlight through her shimmering eyes while wiping her tears off and then she turned her head up, grinning ear to ear, at the man.
* * *
Seutsui darted into the cottage, her fingers wrapped around his wrist, the laughter of pure delight bubbling from her lips as her mother granted permission for the man's entrance. Yet, despite her permission, she couldn't shake the wariness that gnawed at her, cautious of this unfamiliar guest. Her gaze lingered on him, scrutinizing every detail, before she finally gestured towards a modest chair nestled in the corner of the room, silently inviting him to join her with a graceful motion of her hand.
Why such a serious gesture like I was an unbidden guest? so weird. He thought as he sighed.
"Well... I haven't seen you in this neighborhood. Are you a visitor?"
" No, I live right next to that bosky bank of the brook over there. I too am wondering how come we didn't notice each other"
"So you live alone there?" she asked with a pleasant surprise.
"No, he lives with his son. " Seutsui also wanted a hand in their discussion.
"Oh, really? How old is he? Same as Seutsui, six?" She inquired with a hint of curiosity, her doubts about him gradually dissipating with each passing moment.
"Seventeen"
"Mother, you didn't even ask his name," she whispered.
Upon hearing her whisper, a smirk played at the corners of his lips.
"I'm Saitous,"
Suddenly, the sound of the kettle boiling in the kitchen snapped her attention away from their conversation with Saitous.
"It was nice meeting you, Saitous. Would you like to stay for tea?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with genuine interest.
Saitous hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering between mother and daughter before finally settling on the mother "I wouldn't want to impose," he replied modestly, though there was a glimmer of longing in his eyes.
"It was nice meeting you. I'm Anipe. " She hastened to the scullery, her voice echoing through the cottage as she called out.