Adrian and I sat by the riverbank and enjoyed watching the golden-orange sky as the sun was setting. We stayed there till evening. We lied on the grass and watched billions of stars twinkling and the presence of the moon at the centre lit the sky.

“Emily, look,” he pointed at the stars with his skeleton finger, which I’d no idea what it said,. “you see that, if you just connect the stars with imaginary lines, it’s the Sagittarius stars.”

“Where?”

He leaned closer to me then used my finger to point out the stars that he mentioned. “What does it tell?” I asked.

“It’s Sagittarius and it is almost December. Oh how I wish for winter tomorrow, I want to play with the snow.”

“I dislike winter, it could froze me to death.”

“Well, the poor might say that because they couldn’t afford to buy coals for making fires and buy thick winter coat.”

The night got colder and it forced me to sit closer to him and hugged him. We felt very cold that we huddled together. We moved under the bridge to where I usually sleep and slept there for the night.

The next day, the sun had already risen but the day seemed gloomy. The clouds were grey and very dark soon it was raining. I sheltered myself under the bridge, hugging my small body.

Adrian wasn’t back yet I wonder where he was but Emerald was beside me. I hugged myself as the rainy day grew colder and I couldn’t bear it. Soon, I saw Adrian run towards me looking very wet and shivering. His face was pale and frightened.

“What happen?” I asked.

“We need to move!” was the answer.

He grabbed my hand then we ran away together with Emerald. He didn’t answer my question yet but brought me away running to the unknown.

He brought me to the railway station and paid for two second class tickets for us. I asked him again but he didn’t interfere. Our clothes were wet and I felt very cold.

As we entered the train it was ready to leave. I could hear the sound of the locomotive hissing then it moved. We went to another unknown place.

“Where are we going and what happen?” I asked for the third time.

He stared outside the window and held Emerald in his hand. “After I’d bought the bread before, my guards found me and chased me. They ordered me to go back to the manor but I refused to go back. We’re going to the outskirts of London, they won’t find me there.”

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I was surprised when I heard the news. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him yet but fortunately he was still there with me. He then gave me a thick red thread with a pendant hanging on it and it happened to be his shilling with hole. He told me that was the symbol of our friendship since he also owned one and told me that even if we didn’t remember each other, the necklace would be the reminder of our old moments.

After many hours had passed, we went to an unknown village. I followed Adrian because the village was foreign to me. He told me that he once went there two years ago and still remembers the place.

The village was beautiful and clean. The sun shone beautifully and the land was green and very quiet, lesser carriages unlike London.

The people were mostly commoners and poor and they worked for factories and fields. The people knew Adrian well that they treat him like a Lord. It was time for lunch then an old man invited me and Adrian to have lunch with them. He approached as in a friendly manner.

We sat in the small dining hall in the chapel. The old man was a clergyman. A sister wearing black dress and black veil appeared and brought in some hot porridge for us and she was called Sister Hanna. There were also some children of my age and Adrian’s came in.

“Lord Adrian!” exclaimed one of the girls.

She sat beside Adrian and had a happy chit-chat with him.

“I’m very glad to see your arrival, Lord Adrian,” told the clergyman. “How was Aurora?”

“There she is,” Adrian pointed Emerald.

“Oh, she’s still well and healthy. You really love her and you spoil her a lot. Speaking of which, who’s the little girl you came along with?”

“Oh, this,” he stood then introduced me, “her name is Emily Lavender, and she’s an orphan too.” He smiled at me.

“She was lovely. Would you like to stay, young miss?” the clergyman asked me.

“I wish too if I’m invited,” I answered.

The clergyman looked happy to see us joining them for lunch. After lunch, we went to the garden and helped the children to look after them.

We played games like Crack the Whip, What’s the Time Mr Wolf and many more. I enjoyed playing with them and Adrian too. The children and the chapel had brought happiness to me and I thought that It was a perfect place for me to stay but not until tomorrow.

The next day, I got dressed early in the morning. Outside it was still misty and the sun hadn’t risen yet. Later, when the sun had risen, the priest had said the prayer and we read bibles early in the morning when the children had all woke up.

We then had our breakfast which had been prepared by Sister Hanna. She was a beautiful young lady who taught us for lessons.

As the day turned noon, I saw three black carriages with four horses dragging each carriage outside. The carriages were highly fashionable and ought to belong to a mighty family, the nobles.

A majestic looking man with black coat with fur collar around his neck holding a wooden cane with golden handle stepped out of the first black carriage. Then another red dressed woman looking mighty and ego followed him.

Some guards escorted them from behind. I was inside the house with the other children and Sister Hanna was having our sewing lesson. Adrian looked so frightened and I could see his eyes burning in anger.

The black coat man and the red dress woman entered the chapel. The clergyman looked so frightened but was trying his best to welcome them warmly.

“Our arrival ought not to be welcome warmly since we attended to pick up our son,” said the tall black man with a deep voice. He fixed his tall head and then began to talk.

“It’s time to go home, son.” he spoke slowly, lending his hand to Adrian.

“I won’t! You’re vile and wicked! I don’t want to go home, I want to stay.”

“You shall not speak that way to the elder! You’re my only son and are very important to the family.”

“Just leave me be! I hate you for the rest of my life!”

“I never taught my children to misbehave! You are failed to be what you are ought to be!”

“Emily, we’re leaving,” Adrian went to me and grabbed my hand.

“So, this girl is involved in your reason. She ought to be vanished from my sight! You dare not to let me repeat my words.”

“Yes, I dare.”

The man finally reached his climax then slapped Adrian on the face. Adrian fell with deep feelings of misery and anger. He held his tears for a while and dared not to cry and showed his father that he was strong.

I felt very surprised that Adrian’s father was so cold and wicked. I had the feeling of not wanting to let him go but I daren’t to speak.

The man took Adrian’s hand and ordered him to enter the carriage.

“You’re dirty, let’s go home or your dear friend’s cold body will lay in your room.”

Adrian didn’t want to see me being hurt, without other choices he followed his father without looking back.

Since that day, I had never seen Adrian again.