It's been 3 hours since Lilith and Felix had left the academy, they just arrived at Dalwi which was one of the main towns outside the kingdom of Yuriki.
They were freely walking around the streets looking for any supplies on display in stalls and shops, the streets were bustling with activity and as they came to the flowing fountain at the town centre were little children chased each other around laughing happily.
And as the two drew nearer, one of the small children came up to Lilith and asked her "Do you want to play with us?" while stretching her hand out. Seeing the cute girl, Lilith could help but agree, placing into her hand in the girls and letting the small girl pull her along to the other children who were waiting.
The sight brought a smile to Felix's blank face, as he watched his fiancé running and chasing around the fountain, smiling brightly while playing with the children. He was happy that Lilith was slowly becoming more happier and open with her emotions and letting others see her real-self, and he was thankful that he had the chance to be part of her life.
And as Felix continued watching his happy fiancé, Lilith enjoyed herself playing with the children of the town. Lilith who was playing tip, and switching to dancing had never felt so carefree before, and as she danced with the children a group of street performers started playing music for them, as the children skipped and twirled with each other going from partner to partner.
It was then did Lilith notice that Felix had been surrounded by other women trying to talk to him. Seeing her look over, Felix immediately walked over towards Lilith bowing before her before politely saying "My dear fiancé, would you care for a dance with me?"
Lilith responding curtsied before placing her hand in his outstretched palm, "It would be my pleasure."
Without missing a beat Felix grasped her hand and pulled her towards the playing musicians, twirling her and just spinning around and having fun with dancing children and adults around them doing the same. The whole town centre was filled with dancing citizens no matter their status, all enjoying the beautiful music and happy atmosphere.
Due to this happening, Lilith's mind was completely distracted from her current issue which caused her to worry and stay blank ever since she found out. All her energy had been drained and she wasn't at her best but now that her thoughts were taken off from her current issue she was finally able to relax, smile and enjoy what was happening around her. It made her feel refreshed and clear-headed, now that she was having fun and a break from everything.
It was a long awaited break that she needed ever since she had started her training with her father 10years ago.
She knew it and so did Felix, he had been concerned about her ever since this morning when he saw her extremely silent and tired state. And seeing her now made his heart feel full and happy just being able to witness her genuinely smiling with no worries or uncertainty that he saw this morning. He made a promise to himself ever since he saw her rare but beautiful smile that he would protect and cherish her so that she could smile like that everyday, no matter how long it took. And slowly his promise was becoming true, Lilith had been slowly opening up since meeting him and was more willing now to talk to others with her problems though it was to an extent it was still something and for now he was content.
He didn't want to push her and he felt like she didn't need to be pushed into something as she was doing fine and it was better for her that she went at her own pace and if she got stuck or lost he would help support and guide her.
Surprisingly after they danced with the people of Dalwi a small boy covered in dirt patches came up to them. He gave a light tug on Lilith's white cloak slightly dirtying it in the process, "Umm, pretty lady can you help me?"
Hearing the boy's voice Lilith and Felix turned to face him, Lilith then crouched down to his height and sweetly asked while patting the dirt off his clothes, "Sure, I can help but what is it that you need help with?"
The boy was excited once he heard her agree, he was grinning from delight and told her that something terrible had occurred this morning, "Me and Mummy were walking in the woods earlier today picking mushrooms and herbs but then a big monster human creature came and took mummy away."
"What?!" Lilith cried looking at the child's sullen face that completely contrasted from his earlier delightful grin.
"You said that you mummy got taken away by a monster right? Can you describe what the monster may have looked like?" Felix asked from behind Lilith, trying to think of the potential possibilities that could've happened to the boy's mother.
"Mhmmm, I can." The boy said nodding, "We were in the woods and this guy that resembled my uncle came, mummy looked worried but continued picking mushrooms. She told me to take the basket and head home, but as I was walking I heard her scream so I came back running. Then I saw that mummy was hung over this pitch black women covered in black fire!"
"I'm to small and weak to help mummy so I ran back to town. And told everyone what had happened but no-one believed me as mummy and I are hated by everyone..." He finished, looking down at his feet.
Lilith then noticed slight water markings near the boys feet and bent lower to see his hidden face, his eyes closed with tears slowly dripping. Seeing his crying face Lilith went to hug the boy, comforting him and telling him that everything was going to be alright. She usually wasn't like this but seeing the boy like this brought back old memories of her younger-self and other young kids at the orphanage who had went through a similar experience of losing their parents.
She knew that she had to help and there was also a part of her that told her that the monster this kid saw was related to the ancestral pocket watch matter. And whilst comforting the crying child, Felix tapped her shoulder before whispering her ear, "I'm going to go ask around about the boy's mother, this incident might have something to do with the disappearing children, teens and adults that have been randomly occurring throughout the continents lately. Stay with the boy and make sure to send me a message of your whereabouts, okay?"
Nodding Lilith agrees to Felix's words and continues to comfort the small boy in her arms, unaware of the brewing trouble that was heading their way.
With Felix, he was walking around from stall to stall asking about the mother and son pair, but to his surprise all the responses he had gotten were, "Who are they? Their isn't a mother and son pair that regularly goes to the forest living in this town."
Felix didn't think much of it as the boy did say that they were hated by the town but as the number of people with the same response grew he was starting to doubt if the boy's words were true. And as he spoke to an elderly man who was running a herb store it finally dawned on him, the boy was telling a lie but why?
That question was then answered by the elderly man, "My dear boy, may I ask if the boy and mother pair your talking about was told to you by a dirty looking boy?"
"Well, yes. The boy came up to my fiancé and asked us to help him."
"Ah, you better go find your fiancé then, that so called 'boy' has been causing trouble for newcomers. He would lure those who listen into the forest where they will never appear again..."
"What how is that possible sir, if such things happened how is it that all the towns folk don't know who he is or haven't stopped him?"
"That's because he can erase memories...now I say sonny you better go after your fiancé before it's to late."
Immediately Felix left and headed to the forest outside the town, where the boy's mother supposedly had gotten kidnapped.
Fear was a particular emotion he hadn't felt in a while, and it was fair to say that he wasn't scared of anything. But when it came to matters with Lilith's safety or in this situation where there was a possibility of her not even remembering him, it invoked a scary amount of fear in him which wasn't all sitting well in his heart.
Dashing into the forest, avoiding the many broken logs and branches scattered along the floor to get to a small clearing where he stood looking around for any clues or traces to where the boy and Lilith could've went.
He was near the heart of the forest now, and all was silent closing his eyes he focused on listening for any voices that could drift along the wind. And after a minute he got what he wanted, opening his eyes he started sprinting straight ahead into the heart of the forest.
As he got closer the voices he heard became clearer and it was then he came to a stop. He hid behind on of the thick trunks of a tree and concealed his breathing carefully listening to the voices at the clearing before him. He could distinguish one out of the 3 voices that being Lilith's but the other two were still unknown to him. Thinking it would be wiser to stay hidden and put his trust in Lilith's capabilities, even if she was a princess to him and he wanted to save and protect her, he knew deep down that she wasn't a princess that needed to be rescued. She was a skilled, independent and talented fighter and she didn't need his help, so Felix just stayed silent watching the scene play out in anticipation.
Lilith stood alone facing the two before her, there stood an elderly man with a knife pressing into the boy's neck. She couldn't move as if she took a single step forward the man would press the knife closer into the boy's neck, it was already drawing blood but luckily it was shallow. After seeing the man's actions she had to abide by his words unless she wanted to risk the life of the little boy, "why are you doing this? He's just a child." Lilith said calmly trying to defuse the situation by talking to the man instead of brute force.
"H-Help m-me pl-leas-e" the boy whimpered while crying, his tear stained face breaking all those who had seen it. Even the elderly man seemed to look at him with sorrow and sadness, and seeing this made him lessen his hand of the knife at the boy's neck.
"why...why do you have to take on my grandson's appearance...just why..." the elderly man asked sadly, clear pain visible in his eyes before disappearing and being replaced with fury.