Darkness into Light - Espresseleine

Chapter Sixteen ~ New Beginnings

"Why are you moping on the ground."

Madeleine jumped. Was that the mage's voice? No.. he was injured and unconscious on the floor, how had he possibly made it all the way over to him?

"Stop this nonsense. Get up."

The knight didn't budge, only burying his face into his knees and letting out a short whine. Espresso groaned, hesitantly taking a seat next to him and staring out into the distance. The small breeze was comforting, along with the colourful chattering of wild birds and the croaking of frogs that were sun bathing near the pond.

This setting, it was nothing like back at the cookies of darkness's castle. Back there, the atmosphere was so void of life, the dirt poisoned so much that nothing ever grew. And it was always so cold. Large towering trees were always too thick to let in a reasonable amount of sunlight, allowing illness and disease in place of life and prosperity. Even Licorice's pet, BatCat, a strange animal that seemed to be a hybrid of.. well, a bat and a cat. Even that vermin excuse of a hell spawn doesn't like to stick around for long.

That thing always left for days on end with no intention to reside in such a toxic environment. Often leaving his brother heartbroken but never allowing it to show. He couldn't blame the little animal. Espresso had once tried to run away too.

Espresso huffed in annoyance, turning to face the sulking cookie.

"Will you quit that? I'm sitting right here, alive and well! I'm okay Madeleine!" he shouted.

Espresso placed a hand on the knight's shoulder, perhaps gripping it a tad too tightly for he had instantly flinched away. Espresso suddenly felt horrible, retracting his hand immediately. He frowned, fiddling with his fingers that laid in his lap.

I shouldn't feel bad. He's the one who's decided to act like a child.

But it still stung. Knowing he was upset with him.

"Why?"

Espresso perked up, relieved that the big oaf was finally communicating instead of acting as if the world's about to end.

"You are going to have to be a bit more specific." Espresso replied.

"Why did you do it.... ? I thought you hated..." Madeleine could barely finish a sentence without helplessly choking over his own words. He sounded so vulnerable. Like all the layers of his arrogant persona had been peeled away, exposing a side of him that he'd spent most of his life trying to conceal and erase from existence.

Who knew it would take the actions of a simple coffee mage to cause him such distress.

Espresso pinched the bridge of his nose, internally cursing himself for what he was about to do.

Great. I cannot believe I am about to give a 'motivational speech'.

"You don't deserve to give up your life in the name of the Divine. You deserve to live your life, Madeleine. You deserve to grow, fall in love, have a family of your own. And I've very much just given up at least a few weeks to a month worth of magic so you can do so. I'm not a very patient person."

The mage cringed at his own words, telling himself that it was only an act. He's only saying such a ridiculous statement to gain his trust. That's all that it is, nothing more.

Espresso was too absorbed in telling himself that he didn't mean it that he didn't notice the small droplet of genuinity that sunk into his every word. He denied it, rather.

Madeleine looked to him with teary eyes.

"As do you, Espresso."

Espresso stared at him with half-lidded eyes. After a moment he shook his head, making Madeleine frown.