Eric and Orph both walked there silently, like usual. Eric wanted to ask how Orph was but he couldn’t, but just before they reached the place, Eric spoke, “Are you happy?”
“Happy?”, Orph replied shocked.
“I really shouldn’t have said that”, thought Eric to himself and started to sweat a lot.
Orph looked back at him for a moment and looked back before speaking, “Happy huh?”.
Eric walked behind Orph a little more than usual for the rest of their journey.
They reached the place where the orphanage was, now completely reduced to ashes. Orph went near it and sighed.
“Where is he?”, he asked.
Eric shrugged.
They kept looking for Bk until they saw a tent a little further away from where the orphanage was.
Eric and Orph went near the tent. Orph knocked on the tent, which didn’t make a noise and confused Eric as to why Orph would even do that.
“Wakey wakey.”, screamed Orph.
Eric didn’t get a chance to be more confused before Bk replied, “Yes, yes! I’m coming”, before coming out of the tent.
Orph and Bk started to look at each other before Eric opened his mouth and spoke, “So, you slept here?”
“Yes... The Baron... Or the Duke, whatever he is now giving me this gift and I weren’t going to let it go to waste.”, said Bk while making a lot of hand gestures.
Someone groaned inside the tent. Both Orph and Emma looked at it.
Emma came out of it still sleepy.
“She’s no longer a kid so she can’t go to an orphanage like the other kids, so I let her stay here with me”, said Bk.
“In my humble abode.”, he continued.
“It’s humble alright.”, replied Orph.
Before Bk could think of a reply, Eric spoke up and said, “What are you going to do with the Orphanage?”
“I don’t know... I have to make it but I don’t really have an idea about to how to make an orphanage...”, replied Bk.
Orph sat down on the ground cross-legged and started to stare at it.
“What are you doing?”, asked Bk.
“Thinking.”, replied Orph.
“Think about what?”
“Thinking about how we can make an orphanage.”
“Can’t we just ask the Baron about a carpenter or an orphanage maker?”, asked Eric.
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Both Orph and Bk looked at Eric in shock while Emma had gone back to sleep.
“Yeah, let’s do that! I’ll be right back.”, said Bk before transforming into an orb of light and flying away.
An hour later when neither Eric nor Orph talked to each other, a builder came with Bk.
“He’s called the builder everyone.”, said Bk introducing the builder to everyone else.
“Hi, I’m the builder.”, said the builder.
Orph looked behind them and then back at them and then spoke, “Where are your other men?”.
“I’m actually the first builder who’s employed under the Baron... he’s still under the process of increasing his workforce.”, replied the builder.
“But I’m very good at building things, so you guys should not be worried!”, he exclaimed.
The builder picked up an axe and started to get a big tree from the forest nearby. He swung his axe with his full force, only to have the axe stuck at the tree.
“What are you doing?”, asked Orph.
“Uh...I’m a builder I build things... cutting may be above my paygrade.”, replied the builder.
“There’s nothing may be about that.”, said Orph while he pushed the builder away gently and took out the axe which was stuck in the tree.
Orph sighed and spoke,” Alright, I’ll cut these trees and give you wood... and you... build things.”
“I’ll help”, said Eric.
“I’ll try to help”, said Bk.
Orph looked at Bk and shook his head, he then used his full force and cut the tree in a couple of swings.
“Wow, you’re not a knight cadet for anything!”, exclaimed Bk.
Orph smiled and kept going.
Bk and Eric picked up the trees and transported them near the builder, they also helped him cut them up and put them where it was required.
All of this went on for the whole day. The builder did what he could today and told his farewell for the day.
All of the other three were tired and could barely move a muscle, except Orph who looked like he could’ve cut a lot more trees.
Eric couldn’t take it anymore and fell down to the ground, joining Bk who was already there.
“It’s getting late...”, said Bk while trying to catch his breath.
“Do you guys want... to stay... here for the night?”, he continued.
Eric and Orph looked at each other and nodded.
The guys sat down and rested.
Bk took off and returned a while back with a couple of rabbits in hand.
“Animals really trust a ball of light a lot”, he said while smiling.
Eric found whatever wood was left from the building making process and put it in one place.
Orph came near them and spoke, “Let me.” before using his hands and making a fire.
They roasted the rabbit and ate alongside Emma who shows a slight change of emotion.
“Is this tasty?”, asked Bk while looking at Emma.
“Yes, very!”, replied Emma while smiling.
Orph looked at them both and smiled too.
Eric didn’t notice any of this and kept on eating his food.
It was now time to sleep, Emma slept inside the camp while Bk joined the others to sleep outside.
“Are you guys sure that you do not want to sleep inside? There’s plenty of space there.”, asked Bk.
“No, we’re fine... I wanted to sleep under the stars again.”, replied Orph.
“Again?”
Orph looked at the stars for a while and then replied,” I slept under them for the first time yesterday... It was good.”
Bk laughed and spoke, “Yes, it is nice to be one with nature sometimes.”
The conversation stopped but right before Eric could fall asleep, Bk spoke up and said, “ I think I’m going to make a lot of cabins, cabin orphanages.”
“It would be completely different from the previous one here”, replied Orph.
“Yes, different but not any worse.”
“You can’t go worse than that... but I agree, it would be a nice change of pace from the usual orphanages out here.”
“I want to make it as soon as possible; the other orphanage is pretty crowded... I want those kids to enjoy life too... I want to be there for them like I wished someone was there for me”, said Bk.
Orph smiled and replied, “I’m sure you’ll do it.”
Bk laughed and replied, “Let’s hope so!” and turned around to sleep.
Orph looked over towards Eric and spoke, “Are you awake?”
“Y-Yes.”, Eric replied half-asleep.
“About the question, you asked today morning. I don’t know If I'm happy, or if I ever will be, but I think this is a good change, maybe I’ll be happy once I find the others but till then... till then... this isn’t bad...”
“Oh.”, replied Eric not knowing what to reply.
“And... thanks...for being there for me”, whispered Orph.
“Did you say something?”, asked Eric.
“Nothing, Good night!” replied Orph turning his head away from Eric/
“Good night.”, said Eric.
Eric looked up at the stars and thought to himself how beautiful they were before falling to sleep soon after.