He clasped both his hands together after a simple stretch though he knew that action only kept him warm for a while though only by the palm. Aidan gasped on to his palm and put them on his neck after for several seconds.
He is indeed tired doing his researches every night after his shift, but no matter how much he tossed and turn on his bed yawning every second his mind will thinking about something else that he is forced to stay awake three in the morning, decided it was enough so he opened a cabinet checking after labels looking for tea leaves.
"added to the list or tomorror's shopping"
"Or today's shopping list?" he laugh by himself in silence though he knew none would wake up if he is being noisy since he is in his working room. Pouring down the first tea water, either it was caused by tiredness or that he wanted to cry recalling past memories, his eyebrows furrowed because his eyes were blurry.
when was the last time he had a proper conversation with his mother, he had no idea. They were so chummy when his father was still alive, but his sudden death causes his mother to let go of her responsibility as if Aidan and his sister were only unwanted existence that their mother tried to erased.
Bringing them along into a strange place after being poor was a proof his mother wanted them lasted in fragments of her life. Or was it because they resemble their father too much that their mother could not let it go to waste so she bring them along.
"should I make her some? she likes tea" Aidan look outside, five kilometres from he is standing he could see a dim light of a candle indicating his mother had also woken up.
"what" Aidan was about to take a first sip of his tea but stopped when he saw Adeena storming through the snow like a mad individual.
"where are you going this early?"
"careful" she was not that fast, but Aidan thinks he needed to know why she is in a rush. She is not fully dressed well for a winter weather. He caught her hand, pulling Adeena to his direction.
"You should stop working for a household that does not value his worker Adeena, even a doggy would rather sleep in a barn in this time around" Aidan patted Adeena's reddened cheek, gently tying the scarf around her neck.
"You should stop, working as a maid does not suit you darling" Adeena pushed her brother's hand away.
"Is it because I am a girl? or is it because I was a noble? expirate title is not going to feed me brother,"
Calculating from this onwards, will mark a year of her working as a maid in the conqueror of this region it was tough at first to be the one that doing labour instead of being the one that ordering this and that. Due to her young age, she was proposed to be a mistress of the third son of the household once they figured out Adeena was a descendants of Wisteria Household whom known to be a good baby bearer for generations.
Luckily she could get away though rejecting the offer just because she is pretty, just in case he change her mind the household permitted her a free passage within the household with a salary higher than most of the maids hoping.
"They treat you like this to change your mind am I wrong darling?" Adeena came closer to her brother and patted on his bum while smilinng.
"I know, and I don't care"
"I'm cold, please give me a hug brother" the tiny girl opened her arm asking Aidan to snuggle him in his arms.
"Eat something, don't let others bully you, don't stay in the sun for too long" Ignoring the hug, he take of the padded jacket he's wearing to give to Adeena. Sighing, she let her brother sliding the jacket through her skin while tapping her feet on the snow.
"that is why I love you, take care Aidan" Adeena hug him tightly before rushing off.
"being an apothecary does not suit you too brother, someone might abduct you thinking you are a fairy wondering in the woods!"
Aidan a bit flustered to be call beautiful, people tends to not take his word lightly because he appearances is more like a woman. He patients would mocked him not trust his cappabalities in treating an illness since he seems fragile.
Villagers won't even going to believe him if he said he could carry a cow bare hands, therefore whenever he got down carrying sacks of herb from the mountain, the kids would waited for him below the hill just to make sure he won't collapse from overloaded.
"time sure does fly,"
Aidan put his arms in the air, loosening the numb muscles as he walking toward the well behind his researsh cabin. As usual the breathtaking visual of his farm would always made him proud of himself.
"hmm," Bending his knees fetching tiny barrel from the ground, tossing away the tied up barrel into the well. The young man began to hum while thinking about Adeena.
He knew the household could not force Adeena to whatever they like unless she wishes to do so was the fact they are still a noble by blood.
Being a noble in where they came from, Is far different from where they live today. This is the place that does not rely on any magical power.
So it was a hassle hiding with what they are born with in a strange place like this ordinary place. He wondered what will happen if his patient found out that he put something in their medicine that doubling up their health point.
"Ah!" the rope tangled up in his thumb causing the barrel he put on the edge of the well hit the ground splashing his legs with freezing water.
"is this the punishment I got for keeping this well warm for just my family?" bending his knee to get the barrel, that is when he realizes a radiant shimmer at the back of his hand.
Aidan flinched, he look at he sky and the sun is only peeking through the mountains. With a bit of sunlight, his skin would be like this. The medicine must be wearing off. Aidan quit with what he was doing and enter his cabin
"oh, my tea. Nevermind"
standing in front of a big mirror that he purposely put right the door to make sure he look decent though sometimes he won't even going to look at it at all.
HIs hair is quite long, so he pull them to his right shoulder since the scales he concealed the last time appeared again at the same spot.
Adeena did not say anything about this to him, which meant that little girl takes thing lightly.
"I assumed this weather would slow down the process, but I was wrong. We're slowly transforming into that being huh? How old am I this year?"
Closing the door, he take of his pyjamas grabbing an outfit that covers every skin on his body especially on the neck. He make sure to place a really thick scarf along his neck.
"mother" Aidan wondering on his own in the living room with a bowl of hot potatoes seeking for Naina. Standing there for some time to listen to the clicking sounds of his mother's sandals Aidan go straight to the bedroom.
Aidan tapped on her shoulder, his mother turned to him quite surprised with his sudden visit. she then look at what his son brought her and took it from him.
Naina put her hand on her lips and dragged them away from it saying thank you. Judging by the clothes he is wearing, Naina knew he is going somewhere.
living with that species before, a woman like her could noticed a slight changes on his children's body. Naina touches his checking the thing Aidan checked in his cabin before.
The woman tucked in more of his hair into the scarf, then she pull over his son head onto her forehead. Aidan patted her back telling her he is fine.
He knew her mother felt guilty upon the siblings circumstances and how she blamed herself to fall in love with a wrong man.
"I will be in town for a while. I run out of medicine" She read his lips and nodded. Truthly, his mother is not entirely deaf, she can still listen to a bit of sound.
Even so, she refuse to talk no matter how much Aidan tried to listen to her mother's voice.
"Morning Addy!" Samantha a woman who is the same age as his mother screaming her lungs out seeing Aidan coming out of the mountain.
"Hello Maam, full energy in the morning? you should go back to the house it is quite chilly today"
"Too bad I'm outside already dear,'' Samantha piched his cheek. If it is not for accidents her son would be two years younger than Aidan. Deep down all knew she is not well in her mental state so he could not say no to her kindness ever now and then.
"It's bad for you knees, It hurts right?" Aidan dragged her into the bench and Samantha just gigle by his action. "are you sick son? A cold?" Hesitated to answer, Samatha put her palm on his forehead.
"I thought your mother didn't care for you, but seeing how she clothes you like a snowman I am glad dear"
" I'm fine Maam. But I have to go now, I must get going" Before he left, Aidan pick a candy out of his inner jacket and give it to Samantha, he nodded with satisfaction seeing Samantha eat the candy which he infused with something and head of to the clinic.
A carriage he had never seen before gliding through road. Though he was raised confined when he was a boy, he vividly remember every flags and the noble ranking status in his homeland.
Aidan shield his face by turning his head the opposite direction so that the passengers in the carriage won't be able to see him. "what business do they have here?"
"oh dear" That carriage made a turn into the household where Adeena is in now. A high ranking noble, a distant cousin of the emperor came to this remote place with no guards and only little servants? what is going on?
"that's what worrying you? your sister is mature and smart, she knew what to do more than youselft" Dmitri releases the scarf on his neck.
"drink this and take off your clothes, I want to see the after effect" Dmitri warn him that he increases the dosage of the potion he had been making for Aidan and Adeena because they are still in a growing phase.
"You are 19 this year am I wrong?" Aidan did not dare to answer him.
"why am I asking?" Dmitri sigh.
"listen kid, I think it's about time you move out of this place. I am afraid I can no longer help you much like I was before. You are transforming, this medicine is a temporary help I advice you to go for your kin and asked for their help"
Several seconds, the scales and the shimmers on his skin vanish. Aidan was offended with what he said and did not bother to wait for further inspection. Buttoning his jacket he felt weird.
His cannot breat It feels like his flesh in on fire, Aidan pin himself at the wall. His hand is on his chest trying to breath normally. This hot sensation is not hallucination, he bones are melting as something are shiting from within.
"D-mitri" could not stand the pain, he collapsed.
"hukk" He crawled at the corner at the clinic, some particles of his hair shifted from being black to amber each time, gradually became blonde afterwards. His eyes are burning when he cried.
"Dmitri!" He scream.
That old man startled but immediately scram to where his nephew reside. "oh my god Aidan!" a shining figure is crawling on the floor while looking at him with a teary eyes.
Ting, m
"Eh- Is Dmitri out of town again?"
"Maybe"
"I swear I saw his apprentice coming in just now" the customer pull the glass door again multiple times but it won't open.
"the sign says open did he forget to open the door?" another person tapped on the glass door peeking through the closed curtain.
"Maybe he went to the mountain to pick something again"
"It's winter you fool who would dare to go there in this cold weather? only suicidal people would, let's go something must have come up, let's respect the owner's privacy" the three people decided to vent off from the clinic and even tell other who they think directing themselves toward the clinic by saying Dmitri had a blind date.