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“Old man Wheeler" “Larkin, sorry to come to your door this late.” “Not late…not late… come in. These doors are always open for you.” “I want to buy a piglet, sheep and a milking cow. Do you have any for sale?” Harry announced his purpose straight forwardly. “Milking cow that does not kick.” Agnes and Ursula spoke in unison. Larkin “” Harry’s lips twitched but he was not brave enough to retort. Mira had a straight face. She did not think her mothers request was strange. Jack and Matthew had similar expressions. They didn’t hear anything. They were wise to know the deaf child lived longer. “Come.” Larkin invited them to his barns. First he took them to see the sheep. There were 10 baby sheep ready to be sold. Two gold coins each. Then he took them to the pig stye. There was 20 odd piglets for sale. The youngest ones that were just weaned were a gold coin. 2 gold coins for the ones that were 4 months old, 4 gold coin for the ones that were 6 months old and 10 gold coin for the one
“Uncle, Aunt I am here.” Jack announced as he stood at the door. “Come…. Come..” John opened the door wider. “Uncle” Mira greeted as followed Jack inside. Unlike the other times they came, everyone was home. Anne-Marie came flying out as she heard Mira’s voice and sat beside Mira and began chattering “Has the plants they planted grown? Did the hen peck the plants?...” Her questions were never-ending. Mira answered patiently. “What’s in this?” She tapped the lid of the basket. “Do you want to see?” Mira pursed her lips upwards. “Ummm” Anne-Marie nodded eagerly while Oden and Martin watched the interaction with an amused smile. “But you can’t scream… okay?” Anne-Marie raised her hands in an action to swear an oath. Mira slowly raised the flap. Two heads raised out of the basket. “Awwww” Anne-Marie screamed excitedly forgetting all about her promise. The two heads hid back into the basket. “Oh…” Anne-Marie’s face fell “They don’t like me…” “They are just scared.” Mira spoke in
On Thursday night, Mira gave her cloth to Jack for calculating. Day 1~ 7 and a half hour - 10 and half. Day 2~ 5 and half hour - 5; 6 - 9 Day 3 ~ 5 and half hour - 12; 12 and quarter - 3 and half; 4 - 5 and half; 6 - 8 and three quarter Day 4 ~ 6 – 12; 12 and quarter - 3 and quarter; 3 and three quarter - 5 and three quarter; 6 – 8 and half hour;9-11. Day 5 ~ 6 – 12; 12 and quarter – 4 and quarter; 4 and half - 5 and half; 6 - 8. Jack scribbled 58 hours at the bottom of the cloth; He had only prepared 4 adjustable stand frames, two with width adjustment and 2 with height adjustment. While Mira was sleeping peacefully nestled in Jack’s embrace not everyone was peaceful. Jason couldn’t help the nagging itch that was gnawing at his heart. Mira hadn’t come to find him for almost 5 weeks. Before trying to kill herself, she would run home almost every other day and come to pester him. He had just finished a high voltage restricted scene exercise with Alina but his mind couldn’t help
“Goblin’s foot!” Almera swore as she hit the back of her head “Mira, I didn’t pay you in the morning.” Mira giggled. She hadn’t noticed either. “How much do you want to charge for this?” “10 gold coins” Mira wrinkled her eyebrows “I really don’t know.” Mira shrugged helplessly. “Didn’t you say you would charge for your designs?” Almera raised her eyebrows teasingly. “Why are you so mean?” Mira pouted. She did say such big words when they met; who asked her not to know how high the sky was? “Ha…ha…ha…” Almera laughed “I would charge 20 for the whole design. Considering this is half done, I will pay 10 now and 10 when you finish the other one.” Mira nodded happily. “Also, for the 58 hours of this week” Almera quickly calculated “It will be 2 gold coins and 90 silver pieces.” Mira nodded and extended her hand. Almera counted and gave her 12 gold coins and 90 silver pieces but not before reprimanding her “I won’t pay you any money next time you don’t eat dinner.” Mira poked her t
Martin saw Mira packing the rest of the meat buns into two sets in fresh coarse linen. One pack had two and the other had seven. He was more curious as he saw her lunging a basket in an unsuccessful attempt before asking Jack to carry it. But he didn’t ask. It wasn’t his place to ask. “We have to remember to get things from the supply shop.” Mira chatted as they walked “Everything is almost over.” “Um” “Oh… and that…. and this…. and ….” Mira kept chattering all the way and Jack acknowledging. Martin was amused by their interaction and didn’t pay attention to the path. “Oh… no…. we walked to my place…” He cried in horror as he realized that he was standing in front of his house. Mira giggled while Jack raised his eyebrows in disdain as if he was looking at an idiot. “I am coming with you to pick the animals.” Martin pursed his lips stubbornly refusing to enter the house, thinking the black hearted couple were going to leave him here. “Who said you weren’t?” Jack twisted his lips
Mira and Anne-Marie cuddled with the lambs while John, Matthew and Ursula sat in the cart with the piglets. Three brothers walked shoulder to shoulder leading the cow. It was definitely a sight to watch. “You were right about the lad.” Matthew watched the boys walking shoulder to shoulder. Ursula just smiled. She was happy as long her baby was fine. Although Mira was not born to her, she became Mira’s mother when she was two. She fell in love with the little bumble bee. Over time she forgot that this was not her baby… No that’s not right. This is her baby! They reached back at Mira’s house while daylight was still shining brightly. Everyone went to straight to the barn. Larkin’s men left with the cart after unloading and checking the branding area of the animals were fine. They left one cart for Harry to return the next day as instructed by Larkin. “Love, where do you want everything to go?” Jack looked at Mira. “How would I know?” Mira shrugged with a pout. The closest she has had
Jack milked the cows before setting off to work. He drank a glass of milk and ate bread, leaving the house a little earlier than he usually did. Mira had given him a jug to give at his aunt’s place before going to work. Mira sat at her desk working on the pattern she had in her mind. She had finished the top yesterday. It was a floral pattern with the reflective parts making the petals of a fully open flower that were lined with the copper thread and a beautiful half-closed flower shaded with the brilliant, red and copper thread. The vines were done with olive green and this pattern extended from the neckline to slightly below the bust. The waist was left plain creating an illusion of a full bust and thin waist. The skirt was patterned to be a fully rounded skirt and the embroidery covering every inch. Jack’s day was not any different to his usual routine. Just as he was about to get off work, the supervisor informed him that there was an aggrieved woman anxiously looking for him. Ja
Mira had finally completed embroidering the work that she had designed on Tuesday. This was her first completed design. She did a copy of the pattern on a small coarse linen cloth and kept as a keepsake. She giggled as she thought of a name for her design ‘garden of love’. She started her next work seeing there was plenty of time for Jack to come home. As per her agreement with Almera, she looked at the watch and started marking the time on her cloth. She had to get a small parchment on her next trip to the city. Time went quickly without any incidents till the next day. Mira had got up to take a break from her morning work. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she had to lock her work room. She locked the door as she always followed her intuition. She went to the kitchen to bake bread and some pork soup for Jack's supper. She hummed a little song to herself as she worked. A low thud was heard from the direction of the side gate. Mira’s heart skipped a beat. The dogs or rather pu
“Let’s head downstairs??” Baldwin hooked his eyebrows as he looked at Jack before shifting his gaze towards Cornelius.“Does it matter…” Thomas hooked his eyebrows challengingly “I mean now that we have stocked up our arsenal and are ready to battle?”Orseus had an expression of agreement; he didn’t think that there was a need for secrecy anymore. They were ready to strike.Corenlius knitted his brows unable to make up his mind one way or the other when Jack opened his mouth “Let’s head downstairs. We are not ready; we still have loose ends.”Although both Orseus and Thomas looked unconvinced, they still headed downstairs towards the study without arguing verbally. Everyone, including John and Beth, followed.“Summon Carl.” Jack instructed Harrison on his way downstairs “I have something I need to discuss with him.”Harrison nodded and went to deliver the message.Lazarus left his right-handed man outside the study to bring Carl inside when he arrived, before heading inside, to follow
Everyone waited outside the room while Leal, Cornelius, Baldwin and Caleb entered the room along with Emeralda and Jerome.“Lie down.” Esmeralda had a faint smile as she requested. It had been more than a decade since she saw their young master; even though he didn’t remember them, her inner world was peaceful. They had found each other, they were halfway…. It wouldn’t be long.She sat by his side, concentrating on the examination once she was able to quieten the noises from her inner excitement. She frowned as she realized that although he appeared to be fit from his physical appearance, the information she gathered from his examination was not so promising.Her brows knitted further as the examination continued, raising the anxiety of the men who were standing in the room observing Esmeralda. While Leal and Caleb stood still like pillars, regardless of their clenched fists and knitted brows, both Corenlius and Baldwin started pacing in the room unable to stand still.“How is it?” Th
Caleb wasn’t far off with his prediction although the healer's arrival had nothing to do with his message. The healer and a hooded man arrived at Southamberston Duchy late evening of the same day. Everyone was resting in their rooms when Harrison announced their arrival to Jack; Jack asked Harrison to clear the hall of everyone and to inform the others as he went down to the lounge area to greet his old friends. “Venerable one…” Jack greeted as he always did, without the airs of his newly found status. The healer narrowed her eyes as looked at Jack; she didn’t have her usual airy, fairy daze but this time, her gaze was sharp, like that of an eagle, before her lips slowly curled up and she knelt on one knee “Esmeralda greets the young marquess.” She had noted the Butler clearing everyone away from this area and the young commander circling with his men, she knew that there were no more prying eyes around them. The only thing she didn’t anticipate was the audience that was coming dow
Mira kept scolding and kicking the man, without showing the slightest hint of stopping or displeasure from touching his already bloodied body; the truth was, she was trembling in anger, her eyes red with rage, barely attentive to notice the state the man was in. Jack was stunned for a minute before he rushed after her and held her back in his embrace as he coaxed her, shamelessly boasting “Wife, I am fine. Look…. Do you think his three-legged skills are enough to harm me?” “Wife, calm down… let Lazarus deal with him.” Jack held her tightly in his embrace; he could feel her trembling in his embrace and his heart ached for her; although no one in the room knew, he knew why that statement triggered her so much. She had told him about her past life memories. Matthew and Harry had a helpless expression while everyone else other than Thomas and Almera had their mouths agape as they saw Mira in action. Thomas didn’t have time to admire Mira’s gallantry; he was busy soothing his wife who wa
Thomas and Orseus stepped on their toes as they leaned over their father’s shoulders and read the scroll along with them; tears rolled down Cornelius and Baldwin’s cheeks as they saw the scroll in their sworn brother’s hand and read greedily.Their tears didn’t stop even though they finished reading the letter. The guilt of not being there when their sworn brother needed them the most was eating into their soul; they listlessly handed the scroll to Jack and Mira.“So now we have to find Esmeralda to cure Uncle Jerome.” Orseus pursed his lips. He called out to Jerome as Uncle Jerome smoothly, he had no difficulty as he grew up hearing these two names, Alex and Jerome; to him, they were family, more closer to him than Uncle Alaistair and his sons.“If we have guessed correctly, we don’t have to go anywhere searching for her.” Cornelius shook his head and added with an air of mystery “She is much closer than we think.”“Are you saying that the healer that we go to is, this Esmeralda that
“If only we knew….” Harry sighed regretfully “Then we could have followed that man’s trail and found Alex sooner.”“You think too beautifully... Alex would never lead a trail if this was his contingency plan.” Baldwin sneered before his expression turned serious “But we may have stumbled upon some unexpected luck in finding Alex.”“Did granduncle Zumerong shed some light?” Orseus asked, leaning forward eagerly.“Heh!” Corenlius scoffed “They were kept in even greater darkness than us.”“Then are you talking about the man who lives at Mer waters?” Thomas asked hesitantly; he really didn’t know why his father and godfather were so confident, just because he trained with Jack?“Son, you don’t know.” Cornelius shook his head “Leal can never be separated from Alex; wherever Alex is, he will follow, whether it is in life or death.”“There has never been a more loyal shadow.” Baldwin too sighed regretfully.“Then what are we waiting for?” Almera looked around curiously; Mira leaned forward an
Jack and Mira, along with the rest of their group, dragged their exhausted bodies and reached Southamberston palace at the break of dawn. Without making any noise, they all went to their respective rooms without any fuss. Everyone had a room at Southamberston palace even though they each had cottages specially prepared for them; both Martin and Oden went to the rooms that were prepared for them instead of their cottage.Early morning was unusually noisy with many unfamiliar faces around the breakfast table and yet it was as if no one noticed the familiarity of the unfamiliar faces at the table; the only exception was the three unfamiliar unfriendly faces as they sat through the farce as though they were watching a show and not part of it.Almera and Katherine joined them shortly after breakfast, as noisy as ever with Almera complaining that her husband didn’t love her anymore and that he was in love with his first wife, the estate responsibilities and that she always came second.First
Jack and Mira rushed back without stopping; their pace was originally fast, but it became even more rushed after they received John’s message which wasn’t much, just a short line written in a shaky hand ‘Matthew and Harry are back with three visitors’.Don’t misunderstand the shaky hand, it wasn’t fear… It was just John trying to write in his best hand. But unfortunately, it was bound to be misunderstood, due to John’s years of acting, acting timid, which was more believable for his son and nephew, more believable than his daring persona.Thomas had just entered his palace when his page rushed in and announced that he had a note from Southamberston and passed the note. It was the same note that was sent to Jack, written in the same shaky hand, 'Matthew and Harry are back with three visitors’. However, it evoked an entirely different expression from Thomas.Thomas stood up excitedly as he reached for his cloak that he had just hung up; he wrapped it around as he walked and called out to
Back at Southamberston, by late afternoon, a travel weary Matthew and Harry had arrived back at Southamberston with three additional unfamiliar men who were covered from head to toe, leaving only sharp eaglelike eyes.Without Harrison’s calm balancing act, the household was on the verge of being thrown into chaos when Beth walked in, in a hurry, ushered in by one of the maids who was flustered.The chaos resulted from the fact that there were three strangers who looked suspicious; the imaginative minds of the young staff who worked at the castle had worked themselves up with a theory they had concocted.Their theory was that the two elders who had gone to relax were held hostage, and they were unable to escape and were brought back here for the young Duke to save them; but the young duke wasn’t here; even Lazarus and Harrison weren’t here.The young maid who ran over to call Beth and gasped, almost out of breath “Lady…. Lady… Lady Beth, the elders have been held hostages by three sinis