The sun is once again rising, shining its fresh rays upon the skin of the mansion. A new day has arrived at this land. Behind the windows are its residents, still nested deep in sleep, obviously because of the party they had last night. However, this doesn't apply to Luke, a strict man who pursues a daily routine, as he already gets up and prepares for a new day. A few minutes is all it takes for him to freshen up. Luke walks to the kitchen and picks some fruits. A nutritious breakfast is, after all, a crucial step to kickstarting The chilling breeze of the early morning is surely refreshing, and when combined with the solitude of the mansion, it creates a new countenance, clearly different from the noisiness he experiences every day. His mind somehow recalls the sound of laughter, chatting, the smell of food under the dim lights... The gracious smile of hers then enchants him. It seems he is still under her spell, as he doesn't even notice Nolan waving at him from afar. Luke shook his head, trying to get back to his normal self.
Eventually, he continues with what's left on his schedule, stretching and then a morning run. Passing through rows of oaks, Luke decides to take a short break. The peaceful rest now turns into a surprise, of a baby squirrel lays on the forest floor. The man carefully picks up the fragile creature from a tree nearby, thankfully, its mother recognizes her child and returns to the nest, hugging it from the man's hand. Luke sighed in relief.
Returning to the mansion, Luke is met with the sight of Cecil rummaging in the hall with tons of boxes in her hands. The tower of boxes is tall enough to block her vision, making her fumble for a way. "Good morning, Cecil! Let me assist you with these," a warm tone falls on her head. Cecil startles a bit when she unexpectedly sees Luke. The usual Luke, with his signature chestnut eyes and enthusiasm. Luke quickly takes most of the boxes, only leaving one for her, not even letting her refuse. "Well... maybe it is good to have someone reliable to count on," Cecil thinks to herself. "So what makes you so busy this early, rare to see you at this hour." Luke turns to her with a curious look. Contrary to Luke, Cecil was never a morning person like her tutor. Cecil has the habit of staying up late, noting the important tasks to do, or sometimes she gets too into a book and forgets the time, which ends up being lifeless the next day. For Cecil, instead of waking up early, she would rather curl up in her bed till the sunlight touched her sleepy face. "Uh... I do wake up early." "It's just..." Cecil tries to come up with an excuse: "It's just that I spend most of my time in the library and my room." That's why you don't see me, hehe. "God, I hope he believes me..." Cecilia, you are so bad at lying.
"We just have to put these in this room," Luke said, with one hand holding the box tower and the other hand opening the wooden door for Cecil. Giving a light nod of gratitude, Cecil nodded, "Yes, sorry for bothering you with my matter." Finishing what he has been told, Luke walks to the door. "It's nothing, come find me again if you need help." Cecil put down the box, but somehow a feeling of forgetting something just kept stirring inside her. The words and even the tone of Theodore's voice replayed perfectly in her mind. Oh right, he asked me to go to the town for medicine...
Alone in the hall, Luke organizes what he should do for the day. "Supplies were delivered yesterday, and I'll have to assist them in moving them to the storage facility, Alderic." "Luke, wait!" Cecil desperately called out for him while running behind him. The consequence of not minding physical health is running out of breath so quickly, as the girl breathes like she just ran a few rounds outside. Cecil scolds herself. "After this, I have to exercise seriously." Her weak legs soon reached their limit, pushing her to fall down. What Cecil doesn't expect is that, instead of touching the hard ground, she falls into someone's arms. The girl fit into his big hands, her red hair fluttering on his arm. At this distance, Luke can feel a hint of floral scent from her, the softness of her hair, fidgeting while the green pearls look at him in embarrassment. "Finally, I caught you this time." Luke laughs gently, but somehow that makes the redness on her face even clearer. It takes no effort for Luke to help Cecil regain her balance as he lets her lean on his arms. "Thank you," she said with her head down, unable to look directly at him, "There is something I would like to ask you."
Since when did they find themselves in the bustling streets of Windensburg. A small city that seems to have originated quite a while ago. Having said that, the town's housing styles are a shred of clear evidence, with the exterior made of white-dyed bricks. They are also accompanied by a wooden door, as well as small windows right beside the entrance. Since there is always a wall box in all bespoken designs, flowers appear to be a must-have feature of the folks' estate. Typical medieval architecture. Next are the local shops; nothing too fancy, but their supplies are more than enough, perhaps able to satisfy even the most rigorous customer.
The sight of the city is completely different from the mansion, and for a person who rarely leaves that place, Cecil is full of excitement, which can easily be told from her sparkling eyes. She couldn't even hide her astonishment as she looked around in curiosity like a child in a candy store. Luke smiles helplessly at the girl next to him and says, "Hold on to me. I don't want to lose you." Luke reaches out his arm. Cecil hesitated for a second, but the sight of the crowd changed her mind immediately. After all, she doesn't want to be scolded by Theodore. She grabs Luke's arm shyly. They both head to the herb store, where Theodore asks them to fill his orders. Raising her head, Cecil could see the open windows with flower petals dancing in the wind. A petal gently falls into Luke's brown hair, following the wind, falling into her hand. Glancing down at the petal, she notices a side of Luke that she never notices. A gentle yet determined him.
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The scent of the petal brings a smile.
Strange, even the petal bearing his scent. Cecil secretly put the petal in her pocket.
They have reached their destination thanks to Luke. As they pushed the heavy door open, the sound of a bell chiming welcomed the two, informing its owner about the guests. What awaits them on the other side is a humble store with nearly all the kinds of herbs and spices in the world. The diversity of them ranged from the kinds Cecil has been taught and interacted with to ones she only knows through books. Probably only Theodore knows their usage. The dried lavender and rosemary were hung on the walls. Pots of basil and sage were organized on the wooden shelves. The shop is covered in the fresh scent of plants, creating quite a cozy feeling. "Sorry, is there anyone here?" Cecil asked, looking around for any signs. A surprised old man stands up from the cashier, his hand adjusting his glasses. "Oh, dear, please forgive this old man. Is there anything I can help you with, children?" Cecil cheerfully gives him a paper list of all the things they need. "This is all. Thank you, Sir." Giving a few moments to read through the list, he muttered, "1 Bael, 4 Marigold, 2 Bay leaves, all in a sack."
Luke helped out by reaching for the ingredients on the top shelves while Cecil cut the plants under the man's guidance. Soon, a big bag full of herbs is placed before them. The old man, in a delightful tone, speaks. "Here you go." A small bag was also given to Cecil. A bag with nothing out of the ordinary with a soothing scent. In her confusion, the man explains, "I notice you must be having some sleep problems. May this offer you a decent sleep."
By the time they exit the store, the sun is already at its fullest and brightest. The lingering smell of pastries calls for hungry stomachs as they walk down the street. No doubt, Cecil unconsciously fixed her eyes on the bakery just across the road. By the time she returns to reality, Luke is already standing next to her with a bag of freshly baked pastry. Choosing a hill nearby for a rest, they quickly dug in for lunch. The crunchiness of the crust and the sweetness of the cream filling in Cecil's mouth swiftly set her in a good mood. The sour taste of the cherries kicks in, balancing the cake's rich flavor. Luke does the same as he is busy enjoying the potato bread. The day goes by with Cecil urging them to explore the town, dragging along Luke, though reluctantly. Till the sun is about to fall and sunset dyes the sky, they decide to ride back home. Luke only jumps on the horse, ready with the rein, after making sure Cecil has sat on it safely. The galloping horse cut through the wind.
"I am sorry to hear you have had problems with sleep recently." Luke's warm tone reverberated behind her back. She doesn't reply back immediately or crack a joke like usual, instead, she stays silent for a while. A silence that has merged into the surrounding. The settling sun slowly returns to the place where it once belonged. Animals are no exception, leaving the two alone in this peaceful forest. Luke was also in no rush, patiently waiting for her answer. Till Cecil takes a deep breath, "It was a nightmare. The same nightmare has haunted me." Luke can feel the girl inside his arm shaking slightly. "Funny right? Being scared of an old nightmare." Luke says nothing. He, more than anyone else, understands how the past has enslaved all of them in the flames of abhorrence. Stopping the horse, Luke covers Cecil in a cloak he puts in his pocket. "I pray to the stars for the day your heart will be at ease and you will put away the past behind, where it belongs."
"Oh look what we have here. You and Cecil have a date, I see," the teasing voice of Alderic easily noticed. Next to him is Theodore, with the teacup in his hand. He waves at the two with a soft smile drawn on his face, "Thanks, I am grateful for your efforts." Looking at the table with the steaming teapot, it seems they are enjoying a little party. With the help of Luke, Cecil reaches the ground safely. She gives an honest smile in return, "Thank you, Luke. I have had a great day." She nodded at the tea party duo, then disappeared into the hall, leaving behind an astonished Luke. Somehow, he feels Cecil is different.
...
When the night falls upon the mansion, Cecil closes the book, deciding on the end of her day. Carefully placing the petal in a delicate box, Cecil can't help but caress the box with a smile. Hanging up the herb bag she received and falls asleep.
May the stars guard your sleep tonight... Luke gazing at the stars above.