บท 18: The Supper

Serlin looked somewhat troubled and in restrained anger,

"Before that, you should come with us, how long do you plan to sit with the bod-"

"SHE IS MY MOTHER, I will stay as long she is here!" I cried out without any resentment in my mind,

"I know this is very painful for you but I am saying for your own good, please if the another unit arrives they will take your mother's body and she won't be able to get a proper funeral then, don't act stubborn don't you want her to read in peace, I hope you know she doesn't want to see you like this if you still act like you will make things difficult for her" Serlin closed to me and kneeled again,

"Difficult for her but how? she left me alone here" I was on the verge of crying again,

"I am sure she will be looking after you from somewhere, so do your part also, if you can't do it you will fail the purpose of her deed" Serlin looked at me without even blinking, and his expression looked concerned,

"But-"

"I AM SORRY AARIS WE HAVE NOT MUCH TIME"

[SLEEP]

Serlin

He flicked my forehead with his finger and I became senseless and went to slumber on the ground,

-----------------×---------------×-------------------

"Aaris how long you gonna sleep wake up and eat your breakfast" I knew this gentle voice it was, "GOODBYE AARIS!"

"MOTHER!!!" I woke with a dream that made me uneasy for a while, I looked around me I was on a bed and in a small room, the wall seemed tarnished by the age and it was quite dull like they were of some hotel, I didn't remember anything after Serlin Flicked me, and then I remembered something,

"Mother? mother? where is she? where am I? "

"you are in my house so keep it down" Serlin spoke he was sitting beside me with his leg on the other, reading a book with glasses, he was wearing a loose shirt with folded sleeves and he was wearing glasses probably age took his good sight from him,

"Where is my mother?" I asked him,

" I isolated her body in the simple void she will be preserved until you want to say goodbye to her."

I looked down in thoughts I didn't know what to say, and my stomach growled,

"Are you hungry you sure look starved because of your skinny appearance, come to the next room after washing your face"

He stood up and walked out of the room and I went to the bathroom to wash myself and when I returned I saw a big shirt and trouser on the bed it was definitely of Serlin, he didn't have clothes according to my size I thought, I wore them and looked myself at the mirror I looked like a scarecrow made out of bamboo and big clothes,

I got out of the room and went to the next one it had a window I looked outside the sun was about to be set, and I looked carefully at the house, I realized this house was not big enough probably it only had 4 or 5 room and it was old, it was probably the living room I was in, there was old crockery set decorated inside a glass closet in front of a wall on my right and top of it there was a small clock pointing its arms on 4 o'clock, and just in opposite of that wall there was a big painting of a young and charming man in a suit it was certainly Serlin his face looked a bit young but his hair was black in it, standing next to a gorgeous young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes and sharp face with elegant pearl necklace sitting on a chair wearing a beautiful blue dress and had a baby in her hands they both had a straight face but you can tell they were holding back their smile,

"Here eat up!" Serlin came from behind and gently chopped my head,

I walked to the table in the center of the room upon an old yet near carpet and saw parsley and tomato Soup, bread, and some roasted meat on the table, I sat in the chair thanked for the food, and ate it was delicious I don't know was it because of I didn't have a decent meal for many days or this man was really a good cook, I thought and looked at Serling,

"I am not a good cook It just because you were starving" Serlin,

I chocked on my bread... and then drank water and asked him,

"Can you read mind?"

"Nope, it is just one of the basic face and body reading skills we are taught to learn about the fugitives during the investigation, any way you want to go somewhere after eating?" He was reading the same book and he was looked at me,

"Why?" I asked him,

"Today is your birthday right?" he closed his book,

"Are you pitying me for having my mother died on my birthday" I looked down to the spoon I was holding,

"Yes, and also I want you to bid farewell to your mother as soon as possible I don't keep dead bodies in my void, but only after you finish, I don't like wasting food "

He looked at me his locking his fingers and waited eagerly for my answer,

I finished eating and locked my eyes with him,

"There is a place I want to go there an....and... want my mother to rest there"

I took a deep breath and smiled at him,

For once he looked at me in awe,

and smiled,

"I wish I was like you fine, let's go there"

" Where is it?" He asked,

Outside of this domain village Annet, the same place I went on my fifth birthday 5 years ago...

I finished my food and went to pick up my dried clothes, and Serlin put on a black suit and hat and waited for me at the entrance, there was a carriage waiting for me on the outside.

"Get on it, it will take only an hour to reach Annet there is no train running for it now" Serlin opened the door for me.

I got inside it was not a noble carriage it was my first time riding on one,

I sat down and Serlin sat facing me, I wanted to ask him something but couldn't,

"Sir?" I said hesitantly,

"What?" he looked me in the eye and I shut my mouth I didn't dare to speak,

"You want to know what happened after you fainted?" he said while looking out through the carriage window, and I nodded my head slowly, he took a short sigh and looked at me,

"After you fainted I took your mother to void and Unit-13 arrived they took care of the body and I told them to take you to my home, then I went to Lord Dustin to report about the incident and...."

"And?" I asked after he stopped with a troubled voice,

I said after investigation, we found your mother was innocent and she was framed by Ronald and we were unable to realize Ronald's intentions, and because of that an innocent had lost her life and I think we are responsible for it and he agreed but as he was like, he said not make this case public as it will create a state of tension in the domain and people will feel insecure around us so it is better to not public my carelessness and irresponsibility, and I kept my head bowed in front of him, not in respect but shame and my pathetic self that was unable to do anything even I knew who was the true guilty" his remorse and anger was making his voice shake in wrath "I was unable to do anything, I never knew he was this sly, he made me keep silent and had planned everything in such way nobody can question him about anything, Aaris I must tell you if you are seeking revenge Tresguys' than you are planning nothing but your demise, each and everyone in that mansion is a monster in strength, even I can't defeat Dustin alone, he is the one of the heads of Ravens for no reason in the first place you don't stand chance against him-"

"I am not seeking revenge, I am sure I will be crushed to the ground the moment I stand in front of them even their youngest daughter can kill me with ease, I am sure she won't want that I just want to live a peaceful life, as my mother wished for but I

I can't forgive them for what they did but still, I can't do anything else except whine about it, I want to kill that bastard" I started crying again,

"And then? then what let's say you killed him you think your mother will find peace after that? you will achieve greatness after that? you will be a criminal people often say justice and laws are nothing but virtues for the weak but in reality, they are the beliefs of the strong, only the weak seek revenge as they lose their purpose of living for something else but I think your mother never wanted this, to see her son losing himself in vengeance, you said you were about to start a peaceful life so you have a chance now, at lead a good life as she wanted for you, I am relieved that you are aware of your capabilities not like someone who destroyed himself in retribution but never got it, Tresguy's can't claim your guardianship now you are free to go anywhere so it is best for you to-"

"I won't ask for revenge but they are leech for this country they are dangerous for the people for this kingdom they are-" I said,

"What can you do about it? you can do nothing so I am just telling you after this the choice is yours if you want revenge you have to get it on your own and if not I will help you to settle a good life for yourself I am just saying because I don't want your mother sacrifice go in vain because of your stupidity think again what you want" his word shook my mind, I also didn't want her death to go in vain but I was still weak and so useless I thought I should be the one who should've died in her place and kept crying till we reached Annet and the broken house where she took me on my birthday.

I got out of the carriage and Serlin was walking behind I collected myself again and stopped crying and went inside the house,

"Is this your house?" He asked,

" I don't know, but this place is important to my mother I think"

"I see so are you ready?" He asked in a gentle tone.