THE HOT SPRING

"A soulless man like me...suddenly had a soulmate mark."

The room which was in eerie silence not long ago was suddenly filled with whispers. Suddenly having a soulmate at his age was not normal. Some people thought either he was lying or is exposing this after a long time. Whatever it was, most of them felt sorry for their soulmate. Everyone congratulated him despite his words which didn't make any sense.

A handful even hesitantly asked who she was.

Hearing this question from certain someone, Blossom could not help but scowl for a second. 

Some people know how to lick shoes.

She pressed the cup on her lips and gulped down the liquor one after another cup. Her alcohol forbearance was very high so she wasn't scared of getting barfly.

She did not raise her gaze and kept her focus on the table in front of her but her ears could not help and perk up with each whisper near her.

"What? Suddenly having a soulmate? What kind of nonsense is he spouting?"  Evenor spoke out while taking a sip of his liquor, his voice was low, low enough for only her to hear. She would have joined him in all the judging but she was the victim here. She dared not say anything or even nod.

"She is....." 

The weather was cold but she could feel her back getting soaked in her sweat. He paused midway in his sentence, the cup she was holding in her hands almost cracked due to the pressure she was applying. Her breathing was uneven and her throat almost hurt.

"I. Don't. Know.....yet." 

His deep voice echoed in the silent hall, his every word was sluggish as if trying to make her memorize it or take her breath bit by bit. She was not dumb, his cold gaze which was fixated on her, his slow words, his every action screamed that he knew she was his soulmate.

He knows everything but is doing nothing.

A man like him...who doesn't even like to hear an excuse and is impatient to see blood spilling out of one's neck why is he not doing anything when he had a great excuse before him.

The evil stone he attained after many struggles and bloodshed was sealed by someone else and it was no one other than 'her'. Why must he stay silent and act dumb? She is certain even he knows that 'she' knows everything. 

When both are smart who will win and who will lose? 

There was a war which already commenced within them, it was indirect yet struck like an arrow right in the essence.

No one understands what he was saying, must be thinking that he has gone sore but she understood all of it. It hasn't been long since she stood up after falling from the ridge but it seems like she's again standing on the edge of the ridge. Waiting to fall again.

The monster in front of him...is someone this world created.

Everyone smiled and applauded him so that he can find his soulmate sooner. The corner of his mouth twitched as he stared at her through his thick eyelashes. His right elbow rested on his right lap as he swirled the cup of wine between his fingers. 

The more he stared at her the more bitter the taste of his mouth become. His jaw clenched and unclenched as he continues to pore holes in her with his stare. It was so cold and shady, enough to make one's knee tremble. 

His smirk widened when their eyes met, she immediately diverted her green eyes away looking everywhere but not at him. Once a coward always a coward. 

He attached the cold tip of the cup near his lips, gulping down the wine. His stare not leaving her for even a second. He was making sure she found herself prey before his hunter-like gaze.

Letting her presence make his heart blemish more, enlightening the fire in his eyes as his stare intensified. Only if he could yank on her hair and humiliate her in front of everyone. Just the mere thought of it made his guts tremble in excitement. That day will arrive soon when she will fall on her knees before him and beseech for forgiveness and clemency. She would have no option but to kiss his foot and let her worthless dignity sink into the abyss of his animosity.

The cup he was holding in his fingers cracked into tiny pieces, slightly injuring the tip of his fingers. He lowered his hand to avoid unnecessary attention. Staring intently at the recently formed blood drops on his pale fingers.

"Good." He whispered under his whiff and looked back at her only to find her place vacant. His black orbs snapped toward the entrance of the main hall and he saw her leaving. The guards near the entrance bowed at her as she raised her hand toward them to stop them from bowing.

"Ahhh Scarlet, just how many faces do you have?" He said and smirked.

"No worries, I'll uncover them all." 

********** 

*NEXT DAY* 

4: 34 PM 

"Why did you leave so early yesterday?" Evenor raised a query. Megara grabbed the handle of the jug and poured herself some hot green tea into the cup. A clacking sound invaded her ears as she put the jug back on the wooden table. They were sitting in a tea house that was bustling with customers. The peak had been crowded for Marco's wedding, almost every corner bustling with excitement.

"I was tired and wanted to sleep." She said and took a sip of her tea. "How are you feeling now?" He asked and she nodded with a gentle smile on her face. Her gaze roamed around the crowded tea house as she continued to take sips of her tea.

"Huh? Didn't you hear? Play a good flute for us."  

A loud and throaty voice echoed in the tea house from the intersection, accumulating everyone's attention along with Megara's and Evenor's but Megara did not turn her face to look because the voice came from behind her. 

"B-But you aren't p-paying me." A girlish voice resounded in the eerie silence. It was shaky and it seemed like it came from a child. "Huh, you dare speak back, you small garbage. Give me this flute." He yelled and grabbed the flute from her, she didn't let go of her flute and tightly held it, dangling with each push the man gave her but she did not let go of the flute.

"Give it back." She squealed while sobbing.

A thudding noise echoed in the room which was now filled with whispers. No one dared to stand up and kept glancing at the little girl who was now laying on the floor, grabbing onto her stomach as tears flowed down her eyes. 

"What's so nice about this flute, it looks just like you, debris." He spoke out and raised his knee to crack the flute but before he could a hand grabbed his left wrist, stopping his activities. The hand was beautiful and white, its nails were naturally long from the root and the tip of her fingers looked delicate but her palms were rough andCcalloused as if they didn't belong to an ordinary woman.

The man slightly lifted his eyes to look at the person holding onto his wrist, the person had the guts to grab onto him even after seeing his Linya Clan uniform.

He found a woman with green orbs staring at him coldly. 

There was a man behind him who had red hair.

His gaze went down to their right arms and they were wearing a band of 'Liberation front sect' above their right elbows. The man snorted and snatched his wrist away from her hold. She lowered her hand and stared at him with her usual cold gaze and stern face.

"Senior brother, stop whacking the poor child." She let out while slightly bowing at him. She was respectful towards him but her words were straight and narrowly sounded bitter. 

"Mind your own business." The man almost spat at her. Evenor wanted to stand in front of her but she didn't let him. She didn't want him to get involved with the Linya Clan no matter how small the issue is.

She didn't want to use her pausing magic or any of her spells, if she did she would not only break the regulations of her sect for the second time but also cause some unneeded chaos and maybe get some more enemies enlisted in the 'how-to butcher her alive' list.

He raised his knee to break the flute again but this time she grabbed the flute instead of his wrist, snatching it away from him. She only succeeded to snatch it from him because she used her internal force. 

Using internal force doesn't count as breaking the rules, right?

The man cursed under his breath and she passed him a sharp glare, hiding the flute behind her, and giving it to Evenor. The girl slowly stood up while grabbing onto her stomach and quickly hid behind Blossom, grabbing onto her blue robe tightly in her tiny hands.

"The flute belongs to the child. Why is a martial arts brother like you from a high clan fighting a child over such an unnecessary issue?" She asked, her voice slightly loud.

"You----." His voice was slightly louder than before as he stepped forward to invade her personal space but was pulled back by his other companions.

"Your right, martial arts sister. We shouldn't have acted like that. Please excuse us." The young man said while holding onto his comrade who was ready to fight Megara. Megara nodded at him before slightly bowing.

"Please, excuse us as well."  She said and slowly stepped back with Evenor and the little girl as all three of them went back to their table. Megara turned around and looked down at the girl. She was taking her flute back from Evenor, gently holding it near her tiny hands and clenching it near her chest. Her lashes were soaked in her tears as she kept sniffing. 

The flute.... looked very familiar to Megara but she couldn't tell where she had seen it.

She faintly smiled and pinched the girl's cheek, there wasn't much meat to pinch onto. Her hair was dirty and short and she was wearing a dirty robe that was torn in many places, even some signs of stitches were there.

She looked around nine or ten.

"Little girl, where are your parents?" Megara asked. Her right hand caressed the kid's cheek while her left hand was behind her back. Evenor sat down in his respective spot and ordered the waiter to bring a new hot jug of tea as the previous one was already cold. 

"I don't...know." 

The girl said, making Megara frown as she looked up at Evenor. "Oh, I see. What's your name?" Megara asked with a constant faint smile on her face. "My name? I don't have a name." The girl said and Megara's smile disappeared. 'This girl had no one, how did she manage to survive for this long?'

The girl's gaze flickered on the pastries placed on the table before she quickly lowered her gaze.

Megara smiled and grabbed her shoulder.

"Little girl, have pastries with me." 

The girl's eyes lit up as she stared at Megara's hand which was pointing toward the pastries on the table. She looked back at Megara's face, her eyes sparkling the more she stared at her face.

"Eat as much as you want, I'll order more for you. Come on." Megara said and turned the girl around as she grabbed her tiny waist and made her sit on her spot in front of Evenor. Evenor kept smiling as he stared at them.

Megara sat between them and ordered some more pastries for her. The little girl looked at both the man and woman in front of her before hesitantly grabbing one of the pastries and taking a big bite of it. Her cheeks puffed up as she chewed on her pastry.

Megara smiled and poured herself a hot tea. 

"Have some tea too," Evenor said and placed a cup of hot tea in front of the girl. The girl grabbed the tea and was about to chug it down like it was a glass of wine but Blossom quickly held her hand.

"It's hot, it will burn your mouth. Drink and eat slowly, it's all yours." Megara said and the girl smiled, she wanted to bow to them but ended up slamming her head on the table but instead of crying, she smiled at them. Evenor quickly massaged her forehead while Megara put her hand on her mouth to hide her wide smile.

********

"Is she still following us?" Megara asked while walking beside Evenor. Both of them were going back to their inn but the little girl seemed to follow them everywhere they go, everywhere they stop she stops, and with every turn, they take she is peeking from the corner before following them again.

Evenor smiled and nodded.

"Yes."

"Hmm, why don't you go back first? I will take care of her." Megara said while pausing on her steps. Evenor stopped and turned to look at her. "Are you sure?" He asked and she nodded. He didn't ask much and nodded with a smile before leaving.

The girl didn't follow him, which means she was following her.

Once Evenor was out of her sight, she abruptly turned around making the girl flinch as she immediately turned towards the stall nearby. It was a stall filled with things largely occupied with stuff mainly for wanderers.

She looked at everything keenly while rubbing her small finger on her dirty chin. Megara couldn't help but snort as she walked towards the little one and tapped on her shoulder. The girl hesitantly turned around and looked up at her. 

She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. She could have easily lied but she looked foolish and pure even after being a street rat for so long.

"Why are you following us?" Megara asked directly and the girl visibly flinched. She thought she wouldn't get caught. She stood up on her toes before stepping down again. She opened her mouth but was hesitant.

"Ah...you are having a s-sword with you and a b-band around your arm." She said and Megara nodded. Looks like the girl was slightly aware of the martial arts world. "You saved me wit-without any hesitation. You are strong. Please, teach me how to be like you." The girl said and got on four on the ground before bowing down at Megara.

Megara quickly grabbed her arm and made her stand up. 

"Why do you desire such a thing?" Megara asked, slightly interested in the girl. The girl tightened her grip on the flute she was holding. "I saw you...you...I want to be like you. You weren't scared of that man. I also...I also want to be like you." She said, pondering over words to impress Megara in some way she can take her.

Giving her shelter in the liberation front sect was no big deal for Megara but making her her disciple was. She does not know if the little girl possesses any magic or does she have a substantial spiritual core to comprehend spells. 

"Taking you as my disciple...I can't say anything about that but I can keep you under my wing....do you agree?" Megara asked and her eyes lightened up. She bowed at least three times in front of her before nodding.

"I can be your maid too." The little girl said and Megara nodded. Megara knew the little one wanted to be protected from this world. She knew she needed someone and after Megara and Evenor helped her she couldn't help but follow them.

"I'm Megara Daybrace, I'm known as Blossom too," Megara introduced herself and the girl smiled widely before nodding her head. "I'm...I'm..." She paused, not knowing what to say and lowered her head.

"You are...Luna." Megara said and the girl raised her brows in joy. "I'm Luna...Luna Daybrace." The girl said and Megara almost laughed at her foolish behavior. She turned around and started to walk the girl following behind her, trying to copy her every move. Megara always walked with her left arm behind her back so the little girl did the same. Trying to straighten her stance like Megara's as much as she can.

Megara rubbed her mouth to control her smile. She glanced down at the girl and found her already looking up at Megara. She smiled widely at Megara and lowered her head. 

Megara's eyes roamed on her dirty robe so she changed her direction. She wasn't going to the inn anymore. "Luna...which is the promising clothing shop here?" Megara asked and Luna nodded before guiding her to one of the best shops. Megara looked around at all the robes and found one of them extremely cute. It was pink with printed flowers on the edges. 

She raised her hand to point toward the pink robe, and as she pointed towards the robe her eyes went down toward Luna, she was looking somewhere else so Megara followed her gaze. The robe Luna was looking at was extremely similar to what Megara was wearing.

Which was exactly for boys.

Megara awkwardly rubbed the back of her head before pointing at the robe Luna was staring at. They just met and the girl is already doing everything to be like Megara. She wonders if she will still follow her the same way if she ever came to know about her past.

"But that's for boys." The shopkeeper said and Megara shrugged. "Doesn't matter...I'm wearing the same." The shopkeeper looked at her from head to toe as if judging her but quickly straightened his face once he saw a sword hanging around her waist. Without any objection, he packed that robe, and Megara paid him. She grabbed the bag and handed it to Luna. 

"Let's go...get you cleaned up."  She said and Luna bowed at her with respect as she thanked Megara for her benevolence. 

Both of them walked towards the hot spring which Marco specially arranged for his guests. Normal baths in winter were impossible so every guest had to come to the hot spring even if they didn't want to.

"Yeah, I've already cleaned up this morning. I will be waiting for you outside. You don't have to be embarrassed, the hot spring is almost vacant." Megara said, assuring the little one who stood outside the entrance of the hot spring.

"Or do you want me to accompany you?" Megara asked and the girl quickly shook her head as she took off her shoes which didn't look like shoes at all and placed them aside. Even though she had roamed on the street ever since she was born but still has more respect than those Linyas. 

Megara looked around and didn't find many shoes so the hot spring was almost empty. "Just make sure you don't go towards the man's side. I will be waiting for you here." Megara said and the girl nodded. For the hundredth time, she bowed and handed Megara her flute without any hesitation before turning around and going inside.

Blossom sighed and finally smiled.

She looked down at her shoes and noticed a huge black pair of boots beside them. It probably belongs to a rich man. She shrugged and decided to go and buy new shoes for the little one while she is getting cleaned. Just as she turned around, she heard a painful squeal coming from inside. 

Her eyes scarcely widened as she turned around and strode inside the hot spring without taking her shoes off. There was mist everywhere and one could hardly see. Since it wasn't very crowded the mist was heavier than before. If she knew about this she wouldn't have let the little one go inside all by herself. She must have accidentally fallen or hit something.

"Luna...Luna..." 

She said and looked here and there. 

"M-Master." A choked sob came not so far away from her and she quickly made her way from where the voice came only for her heart to fall into the pit of her stomach. Her pupils slightly widened when she saw a tall man grabbing onto Luna's fragile arm. Her toes barely touched the ground as she sobbed in horror and pain. She would have been angry and cut off that man's skull but it was not just anyone it was...

Evandros Linya.

She could see him clearly. 

He was wearing his usual signature black robe with his famous sword around his waist resting in a fancy scabbard. His long black hands were wet and were stuck to his back, some strands of his long black hair falling on his forehead but she didn't enjoy looking at this extremely handsome face. She was more petrified to find him here...out of all the places she had to meet him here.

In the hot spring.

"Master? Who is your...

Master?" 

He paused once he looked up at Megara. Finally looking at the little girl's master.

"Oh..M.A.S.T.E.R."  

Megara felt a shiver running down her spine. She extended her hands towards Luna but he pulled her back. She was scared for the little one, he can easily kill her in an instant and he might even kill her more brutally after knowing that Megara is her master.

"Lord Linya, please let go of her." Megara requested and he raised his right brow which was as thick and sharp as a blade. "This dirty little junk belongs to you?" He asked, making her left eye twitch.

"Yes, it belongs to me." She said and all of a sudden he grabbed Luna by her collar pulling her up effortlessly near his face, examining her as if he was examining a thing.

"Nothing worth it belongs to you." He said and stared at the sobbing girl in his hand before sharply diverting his gaze toward her. "Useless." He said and threw Luna away like junk. A gasp left Megara's lips and she immediately cast a spell, the chain around her wrist enlarged in size and went like a lightning toward Luna. She was just inches away from hitting the ground when the chain wrapped around her waist and safely made her sit on the wet ground according to Megara's guide. The chain was unwrapped from her waist as it came back to Megara and shrunk in size before wrapping itself around Megara's wrist.

Megara's deep breath was caught midway when suddenly she realized this was the same stunt she pulled back then at the Linya mansion in order to save herself from hitting the ground. She snapped her gaze towards him and found him staring at her. She abruptly stepped back when he was no longer standing on his spot but right in front of her. 

"Chain technique and green eyes?"