A lady with a pair of black crimson eyes and a red sunset hair, wear a warm smile as she hold a baby within her embrace, she glance at the girl that has been long staring at the baby. "Aren't she's adorable?"
The girl notice she's staring too hard, she flushed. "Uh-umm.." she slowly nod.
A boy beside the girl that has almost identical with the girl face, smile a playful smile and lean to her shoulder; "Well of course, not as cute as me~"
The girl almost immediately respond with a cold voice, "No, never." Though she said that, she wear a gentle smile.
"Hehehe, come on! It's a compliment, we have the same face!" The boy place his head on top of the girl's shoulder as he fake a being upset.
The girl seem wanted to glare at the boy, but her gaze was too soft to be called a glare.
The lady hold her mouth afraid that it would burst into a laugh, though a chuckle escape her lips and the two turn their head to the lady. The lady immediately turn her expression to be a bit more serious; "Well, I agreed that both of you are cute." As she said that, the girl's face blush and while the boy smile winden hearing that he's proven right.
Seeing that, the lady chuckle. But they were disturbed by the rough voice. "We're here."
"Okay!" By that, all three of them and with the baby carried by the lady, they go down the carriage.
Just as the lady was about to step a head, she turn around and hand the little girl the baby that's cover with white cloth. "Take care of her, Lisya."
Surprised, the boy said almost shouted; " You're going to abandon us?" He quickly hold the lady's arm.
The lady can't help but smile, " Haha! Oh, Liam. Never in a million years I would abandon both of you." She continue, "Promise me, that both of you would protect, Merrie." Her gaze was serious as she look on to both of their eye's. Her gaze end with Lisya. "Can you?"
Determination burn in her eyes as she strongly nod. "Yes!"
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.
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" I can no longer avoid that life." Said the lady.
Opposite to the lady, was Lisya with her heads face the ground. "So you really are the Duchess, Miss Dia..."
It was silence before the lady response with; "Zedia... It's actually Zedia Wallquinn." She smile.
Lisya bite her lips before she said, " You lied to us all this time!"
Zedia only bitterly smile, " I'm sorry, but I don't have too much time. I need you to promise me," she crouch as she look to Lisya's eyes.
"Please, keep her safe."
Her words only greeted by silence, when eventually the girl force her throat to let out a respond; "Okay."
Zedia give a bright smile and hug her in happiness.
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The day before her execution day, Lisya sneak in to the dungeon without anybody notice. Appear infront of Zedia's cell, she said; "I'm here to let you out."
Only then did the woman inside notice her presence, she was in a haggard situation. None of her former dignified and beautiful features was left to be seen. After getting up from the ground, she slowly walk to the grown up Lisya, " I can't." She flat out said.
Her words making Lisya's bewildered, "What?! Why?!" Then, a scary thought just passed her mind, her mouth tremble. She close her eyes and shake her head refuse to think and hear further. "No! No! I'm gonna let you out right now!"
But Zedia place both of her hands to Lisya's cheeks, calming her down. "Calm down, it's okay."
Tears escape her eye lids, "It's not fine!"
Zedia pull her into her embrace with the steel cell in-between little barrier. "Yeah, stupid words." After a long silence, she slowly move away and have their heads touch at the forehead, "Make sure my baby is safe, okay?"
Trying her best not to burst into tears again, she ask with a pitiful expression, begging for her to give her the answer. "But why?! Why can't you to that yourself?!!"
This time, her voice were too loud and the guards who heard her voice come rushing to the location. "There's someone there!" A voice of one of the dungeon guards echo through the brick walls.
Both of them realize that, Zedia put on a smile and give her a push. "Go."
Lisya hesitate, "But-!"
But Zedia cut her words, " A few more second and they will capture you too." She seem to wanted to say something but stop a bit. But she eventually let it out of her mouth; "Tell Merrie her mommy loves her."
Lisya bite her lips, unwillingness was written all over her face, but even so, she force herself to flee.
-
Is this what they mean when they say "life flashes before your eyes when your time has come"?
If so, it's full of guilt a regret. One to many time did she remind me to protect Merrie, but I fail.
I should've have tell Merrie her words earlier, but instead I told her after it almost been too late.
I was angry. Angry that she never clearly told us anything; angry that she broke her promise -and angry at Merrie being the reason that the person I admire and the person I see as a mother- figure and our saviour, died.
Wellin, the Rosalind head butler. Maybe the reason I chased after him is that I see myself in him, blaming a child for something she hasn't done. And that also a mistake as well.
I knew from the start that I put my feelings in a way of the truth, I too would risk my life for Liam well-being.
Liam...
*Clang*!
A sound of sword bounce from the ground, radiant light fill the hallow room. "As I thought..."
Ladia, Allen, Lisya and Liam instantly raise their head to the familiar voice that they knew too well that they would never mistaken whose voice is it.
Ladia having mixed emotion with her sudden appearance; happiness, anger, longing, and other emotions that were too complicated that she doesn't understand. She move her hand to cover her mouth in disbelief, "..sister,"
But Allen knew exactly what he felt, both of his brows almost touch with his hand tight up to a fist. "You." His word are fill with hatred, he stop because he knew, he might not be able to hold his anger.
Liam smile disappeared as soon as he heard the words "sister" from a person he barely know for the person he knew all his life. As if looking for an answer, he look at Lisya, from her expression it seems like she already knew.
He frown.
Zedia's figure was see through, she only appear where the light illuminates but not just any light, but the light that flash from the necklace that Merrie wear.
She place both of her hand to Lisya's cheeks, it gives no warmth of a living being, forcing her to remember that she's already gone. "..I shouldn't have said those words to you. Not when I know you're the type to take everything seriously." She place their head to each others forehead, "She's safe for now, you can stop." She only said so little as she smile, but Lisya know what exactly did she mean.
The light slowly fading away and so as Zedia's, but just before she leaves, a reach out to her just to grap nothing but still speak her words, "... Thank you, but it's my own decision."
Zedia replied with a smile, she glance around the other and at the end of her sight, she smile at Liam. She didn't expect that he would look away with a frown. She wanted to question his behaviour but time didn't let her and she fade away as the light gradually fade.
No one were open to speak, and it was only silence when the one who they thought wouldn't breath again was breathing as if they're in perfect condition.
Ladia immediately pounce and hug Merrie's little body, with indescribable happiness, Allen couldn't care less about his appearance and sheath a few tears.
Liam smile, and let out a sigh of extremely relief. While Lisya happily hug him as she smile.
Liam quickly break apart from her embrace, "I... I need some space." He said with a cold voice, and didn't even made eye contact.
Lisya was surprised, but remember of what she did, she knew he have the outmost right to be mad. She awkwardly said, "Oh- okay."
At that moment, both of them know, the relationship between them start to crack.
A knock at the door shift their attention, "What is it?" Said the Duke with a frown.
"Father it's me." Said a soft and childlike voice.
The Duchess eye's light up even more, "Come in!"
The door open to a boy with a flame like hair and a pair of glowing emerald eyes. "Umm." Two maid's follow him from behind.
After placing Merrie on the bed, the Duke stand while fixing his posture, "You," he point at the middle age man that long been forgotten. "Check on my daughter, why is she hadn't woken up."
"Yes!" And then the old man sigh relief when the Duke attention is not on him.
"Come here!" The Duchess Ladia said as she quickly hug the little boy. "It's alright now! Your sister is fine." She continue, "How's your body? They said you'd need a few more days before you finally cured."
"I don't know. I feel fine, I don't feel sick anymore." Said the boy with a smile.
The two raise their eyebrows in surprised, just when they thought it was just a mere luck, there was another knock on the door. "Your lordship, we have good news."
The Duke wear his business face, "I hope it's worthwhile to disturb my joyful time."
The door open to a guards, "Yes my lord! All the injured and poisoned soldiers are all miraculously heal!"
All the ones who knows unconsciously move their sight to the sleeping little child. The boy also follow their line of sight, his expression were complicated to describe with words, he seem worried and sad, but at the same time, sour and unwilling.
The family come to visit everytime only to find the little girl still have her eyes close, sleeping like the whole words has nothing to do with her.
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Lying on top of a tree in the morning, Liam look out of the window to the sleeping girl and smile, like he would always do when he's around her.
He only silently watching, but he gradually open his mouth. "Still haven't awake, huh?" He continue as he lean to the tree. "I think I told you this but I still wanted to tell you this again- I mean later when you're awake!" He chuckle, thinking he might've gotten crazy.
"Well... I thought, it would've been better if it was me...you shouldn't have save me back then"
He shake his sad expression away, and cheerfully said, "But I'm pretty much fine though, I couldn't have more comfortable life! Wish you would be here to see it. But..."
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Though at night, the door open to Lisya, walking to the girl's side, hoping that she would open up her eyes at any moment, but she won't. "M'lady," she curtsey as she usually do. She continue, "I think I achieved something great today, everyone told me so. But what would you say if you're awake? How will you react?"
She sigh, "I don't know, it's my dream. No, it's ahead of my dream. But why am I weren't happy?" She cover her face, " It would be better if it wasn't for me, if I were there, I- we all wouldn't have got in to this messed."
She look around, she place her finger to her chin, "Ummm, maybe I should do a bit cleaning, wouldn't want you be awake on this sight... But-"
The two said very different words, but both were align with, "..It's almost two years, when will you wake up?"