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“Mom, make something you and dad like. We had a really big meal at cousins.” Martin had a satisfied smile as he spoke. “Mom, I think I should have a light soup.” Oden touched his paunch with a sheepish smile. They truly were pigs today. “Mom, they ate a whole rabbit all by themself.” Anne-Marie whispered in Beth’s ears before giggling “I tried too… but who asked my stomach to be small?” Beth shook her head helplessly “Oden’s father, what do you want?” “I want to roast it on fire…” John’s eyes showed a rare twinkle, but he soon suppressed it “But the neighbors will know for sure. Let’s just do something simple." “Tell ‘em to go to hell.” Martin was a rebel; he never cared what others thought. If he thought it was right, that was good enough for him. “I will set the fire.” He walked out arrogantly. “I will make sure he doesn’t burn this cottage down.” Oden chuckled as he followed his brother. For once, he agreed. He threw caution in the air and walked out to help Martin build the
Mira woke up early with Jack the next morning. She didn’t feel tired at all. She wondered if it was a dream that she got up and worked at night? She went to her work room and checked before coming to the conclusion that it had something to do with her space. Jack milked the cow while Mira stirred all the pails before going in to get breakfast ready. She had baked fresh bread last night; Jack ate breakfast before setting off to deliver milk to his aunt. Mira sat back at the slate stand and worked on the design on the hand sleeves. Mira finished this work as Jack returned. She went and stirred the three pails again before settling in start the work the half-finished work from last week. She scribbled on the parchment 10 before starting. She worked for an hour and stopped. She went in to space and picked up the dead rabbit that she thrown in on Friday. The rabbit looked like it was only killed a few minutes ago; Even the body temperature was still warm. “Husband” She walked to Jack’s
Jack was peacefully enjoying his meal when the doorbell rang. Mira had finished eating and was sitting back watching him eating with relish. “I will go.” Jack knew her shadow from the incident hadn’t diminished.” Martin and Anne-Marie stood at the door. “Come in.” Jack closed the door once they came in and walked back to the dining table. “Are you still eating?” Martin asked in surprise. They came this late giving them time to eat. “Have you eaten?” Mira smiled. Anne-Marie shook and then nodded. The smell wafting in her nose and tempting her to say ‘no’ but mom would kill her when she got back. “Ha…ha…ha…” Mira laughed looking at Anne-Marie’s cute expression “Would you like to eat some?” Anne-Marie nodded throwing a side glance at Martin, only to be surprised to see him nodding as well. She got them both plates and plated some similar to what she had done for Jack. “Cousin, do you want to adopt a cute and extremely obedient, well-behaved most desirable girl?” Anne-Marie blinke
Joan turned her head arrogantly ‘There was nothing wrong with what she said. They didn’t lock rooms when the bastard stayed with them!’ Mira held Jack’s hand to calm him and smiled reassuringly gesturing to him to remain silent. “That is my work room.” Mira spoke in a neither servile nor overbearing tone “The clothes in there belong to the lords and their wives. I am afraid that I cannot afford to pay if I damage the clothes, so I never leave the door open even if there is no one in the house.” “There is no need to explain.” Beth apologized “It is my fault I didn’t teach well.” “Says who?” Mira laughed “Didn’t you bring Anne-Marie up? She is an angel.” “Gluttonous angel” Martin chuckled as they came out of the kitchen. Jack closed the kitchen door behind them, and everyone chose to forget Joan’s snide remark. “Mom, look this is the cage cousin made for us.” Anne-Marie showed the cages that the rabbits were kept. “Cousin did you give them food again?” Anne-Marie asked in shock. T
Beth was laughing her head out listening to Martin and Anne-Marie’s bicker. She had never had time to sit like this. She was truly grateful to Mira for this experience. She looked up and saw the couple walking together in blissful harmony. Jack was holding the tray and walking beside Mira, nodding and smiling, this was a rare sight; Jack didn’t smile or rather they thought he didn’t smile. This was a side of him reserved only for Mira. Mira was walking beside him holding the pail and chattering non-stop. “Oden’s father, the children are going to be alright, right?” She looked at John for confirmation. John nodded. “Where did you two go?” Martin raised his eyebrows teasingly. “Let’s gather some firewood.” Jack made an expression that read ‘get married if you want to know’ look as he suggested to the others. “Alright.” Anne-Marie jumped up. Joan sat unusually quiet. She wanted to say something mean and disrespectful, but she had just eaten a plateful of really tasty food. She decid
Jack and Mira woke up early as their norm. Jack milked the cow while Mira got breakfast ready. She went out to check on the rabbits in the cage and coop. She fed them with the kitchen scraps after sending Jack off to work. She led the cow and sheep for grazing and locked their paddock. She opened the outside door for the piglets to run amok in the mud pit and left the two dogs in charge of each area. She stirred the furs and picked up the spade as she remembered the fish she had left in space. She carried it with her into the house. She locked at the doors due to the scare from last time. She was not going to open till Jack came back. She entered space with the spade and decided on a spot she wanted to keep the fish. She started digging till she had dug knee deep; she copied Jack’s basin measurement one person long and three persons wide. “Now for some water.” Mira thought out loud as she turned to take the pail with the fish and water. She looked down as she felt a cold sensation o
“You want me to go alone?” Mira frowned as she walked out with a bowl of mushroom soup. “No… no…no…” Jack shook his head like a rattle. He didn’t… god knows he didn’t… he just… Mira lifted her eyebrows skeptically as she sized Jack’s guilty face “You did not…” She narrowed her eyes “think that I was going to that …...” “No … no…no…” Jack shook his head denying with all his might, but his red face and lowered eyes were a big giveaway. “Hmph” Mira humped as she placed the soup in front of him and turned to return to the kitchen, but Jack pulled her back into his embrace and hugged her tightly “Love forgive me…please.” He buried his head in her neck acting like a spoilt child. Mira wriggled as she felt ticklish. Jack held her more tightly as he thought she was angry with him and trying to get away. “Love, I am sorry. I ….” Jack spoke in a low voice “You have said it yourself, you have loved him for more than 7 years… you said that you have lived and breathed with a dream of being hi
Mira and Jack walked towards the rendezvous spot. Jack half expected her leave his hand as they neared but she didn’t. Alina and Jason were sitting canoodling each other under the tree. They didn’t expect Mira to come early. “Cough… cough…” Mira cleared her mouth to make her presence known. Alina and Jason repelled away from each other as they though had been stung. “Mira, dear…” Jason called out in shock. He didn’t expect to come seeing what she did. Mira took a step back, holding on to Jack’s hand tightly. “Mira, we …” Alina feigned a sorrowful expression “I was only pacifying him.” “Mira, why is he here?” Jason asked restraining his anger, his eyes looked at her accusingly. It didn’t matter that he was canoodling Alina a minute ago… that was all well and above board. But Mira to be holding another man’s hand was unacceptable. “Why can’t he be here?” Mira asked with an innocent expression before sighing “He is my legal husband after all.” “Mira ..you…” Jason pointed in anger
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 down t
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 was
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 a
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.Firs
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
Jack and Mira set off in the afternoon along with their men since there was nothing left for them to do here, at the manor and considering that they had been away from the duchy for almost a week.They first made a stop at the healer’s place as per Jack promise to Cornelius and Baldwin; however, there was still no one at the cottage. Jack quietly took the scroll that he had prepared previously and jumped over the wicket gate. He walked around the cottage a few times and returned as though nothing had happened.This was his agreement with the healer; he never understood why she was so paranoid, but he had always respected her rules in her place. When he returned, he no longer had the scroll in his hand. He had placed it in their usual place, inside one of the potted plants, one that looked just like the many potted plants that were placed in the backyard and yet she would correctly identify the one with message scroll.Out of curiosity, he had watched her once as she walked in through t
Everyone had rested at the manor after their late-night discussion and was up at the break of dawn, filled with vigor and new hope for answers to their decade long search. Somehow, they all had the feeling that they were closer to their quest, closer than they had ever been….After breakfast, everyone dispersed as quietly as they had arrived leaving behind Oden and Martin who were going to follow back with Jack and Mira.Corenlius and Baldwin decided to go by the healer’s cottage once more before heading back; Jack accompanied them while Mira stayed back to sort out and implement the plans she had previously discussed with Jack for their manor.However, both Cornelius and Baldwin were destined to be disappointed; the wicket gate was still locked, and the cottage desolate as ever, without any signs of life. Both Cornelius and Baldwin had a defeated expression as they considered what to do next.“I will come over once we have finished our plans for the manor and check on them.” Jack open