“Ugh… have I been asleep?” Peter lightly rubbed his temples when he came to.

The sun had made its way close to the horizon when the boy woke up from his slumber. And to make it worse, his cheeks were damp with tears accrued in his slumber. Letting out a sigh of regret and wiping off any remnants of his past, Peter left the shadows of his old home behind him and returned to his current one.

By the time he returned to the bakery, light had already disappeared from the town. The wafting scent of bread had been replaced with a mix of tallow and beeswax, and unlike in the morning, the mix came from all directions, truly signifying the presence of night.

Peter placed his knuckle on the wooden door, gently giving it a knock. The sound was light, yet the quiet air was disturbed enough by the sudden noise that it still echoed through the town, livening it if just a little.

Soon enough, a clacking sound of steel chains being removed ensued on the other side. “Coming!” A voice, sweet as honey and clear as a cloudless sky, followed suit.

Contrary to the boy’s expectations, however, the one to greet him was not the owner of that voice.

“What? Does it kill you to smile?” Pedro lightly frowned as he saw his friend’s less-than-amiable expression upon seeing his face.

“I thought Bea would get the door. You know, after she called out.”

“You’ve known the Lady enough to expect otherwise,” a shrug from the boy shut off any attempt of retort.

“Is there anything I can help with?” Letting out a sigh, Peter asked, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“Why? You’re the guest of honor tonight,” smiled Pedro. “Just head inside and wait for the feast.”

“Like a certain haughty Princess lying about, I see.”

The untimely joke caused Pedro to flinch for a second before the boy inevitably answered with an awkward laugh as he gestured inside:

“A–Anyway! Come in, come in!”

The Bakere household had two main rooms: an “outside” room that doubled as the bakery, with a giant furnace taking over almost half the space inside, and an “inside” space that would serve as the dining room as well as the bridge to everyone’s bedrooms at the back. The flaming beast on the front was resting, unlike its usual red-hot appearance, resulting in a silent color of the ground with only a faint trace of heat left behind, and a subtle, yet distinct smell of charcoal.

Usually, there would be no one in the front room. And yet, there was a figure beside it at the moment.

Crossing her porcelain-white legs on a small chair, Bea rested her head on her hand while having her eyes fixated on a rather peculiar book – the same silver cover that she had given Peter earlier in the day. However, the book was the least of the strange scenery, as the boy’s eyes failed to escape her dazzling look.

Gone was her clean, but rather plain, dress, Bea now wore a snow-white gown made in only the finest of silk, exposing her pearl-white bare arms. There was a light glistening of sweat on her body, but it only made her silky skin glitter even more under the candlelight.

Peter’s face reddened, and the boy knew it wasn’t because of the heat. He tried to utter a question, but the words were unable to escape his mouth, only leaving him with a fruitless attempt at gasping air. Before he could settle himself, however, Bea’s voice had already sounded, bringing down any metaphorical walls blocking their way:

“Hey, Petey. Come have a seat.”

“I, uh…” it took all he had to steel his mind for an answer, lest he be taken agape by her alluring gaze. “There’s… no seat.”

“Oh, that’s right. Silly me,” answered Bea with a light chuckle, piercing his already tattered defense. She then turned to her servant and continued, gesturing inside. “Would you mind taking another chair out?”

“I–I’ll do it!” Not letting the golden opportunity escape, Peter answered almost instantly, grabbing Pedro’s wrist in return. “Let’s go!”

“You’re this flustered?” It was the first thing that came out of Pedro’s mouth when the two boys turned up inside the kitchen.

“Of course I am!” Responded Peter with a quiet shout. “Look at her! Tell me you don’t feel anything!”

“Believe me, I don’t. If anything, whenever she’s like that scares me. She’s only in this state when she’s focused on something. Something big.”

Contrary to Peter, Pedro was completely stoic and serious. And true to his words, his eyes had a glint of fear, though it was too subtle for the former to notice. As such, the boy did not believe a single word he had heard, opting to reply with a lighthearted smirk.

“What, too many orders from the mainland?”

“... Something like that,” a light pause from Pedro before he gave his answer, his face still hadn’t changed one bit. “Now that you’re here already, wanna grab that chair and wait outside with the Lady?”

“Did you not just talk with me? I’ll stay here and help prepare the meal, thank you very much.”

“Well, I can’t force you to do something you’re against,” Pedro, defeated by the attitude, only sighed. “Come on. I’m sure we have things to do in the kitchen.”

With a gesture forward, Pedro guided Peter to the star of the show – a giant cauldron filled to the brim with bubbling veggies and meat soup, carrying an irresistible aroma into the air. To its side, a middle-aged woman holding a large spoon to stir the soup around, her forehead glistening with pearls of sweat.

“Mrs. Bakere, can I help with anything?” Taking a step towards the lady, Peter asked.

As she noticed the sound of the familiar voice, the woman exclaimed in glee. “Oh, Peter dear! You can go with Pedro to make the tables and take out the bread over there!” With a quick point to the corner of the room, she signaled the task to the two boys, then continued with her cooking with little regard for them. Without much else to say, the two made their way to the basket of still-warm bread, quickly bringing it to the dining table in the center of the room.

Soon enough, the small family gathered at the table, each with their own bowl of piping hot soup and enough bread to fill our stomachs for days on end.

However, there were only three of them present, a fact that Peter had quickly picked up.

“I’ll go call the Lady,” not planning to let the former make a question, Pedro spoke up first. But he was a hair’s breadth slower than Peter, who already stood up from his seat.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

“I’ll do it,” Peter said.

Pedro quickly suggested. “We’ll both go.”

In the end, neither of the boys could show off. Swift as a midsummer breeze, Bea had already appeared in the room, neatly and cleanly in her seat as if she had been sitting there the entire time.

“I can do things on my own, you know.” The girl remarked with a tad mix of disappointment, shutting up both boys in an instant. With no other choice, Peter and Pedro sat back down and began to eat.

“To the Lord above; thank you for the meal.” Mrs. Bakere placed her hands together in front of her chest and prayed, as in every villager’s ritual before a meal.

“Thank you for the meal.” Bea and Pedro soon followed. Meanwhile, Peter was silent, instead just reaching his hand out for a piece of bread, though the family was used to his behavior enough to not scold him for it.

However, before he could reach his bowl, Bea had already taken a ladle full of soup and poured it right in.

As Peter’s eyes widened in sheer surprise, the girl only let out a grin:

“It’s my last night here, and your special day tomorrow. Better enjoy it while you can.”

“... Thanks,” Peter muttered, his face once again turning to the color of a ripe tomato.

“She’s right, Peter dear!” Mrs. Bakere interjected. “You’re already family to us, so it’s our last night to take care of you for a while! Eat up!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Bakere,” Peter lightly nodded and turned his attention to the soup and bread in front of him. As the boy took a bite, a burst of flavors filled his mouth – from the savoriness of the meat to the sweetness of the vegetables, everything melded together in perfect harmony.

“This is delicious!” Peter exclaimed, his eyes sparkling like stars. “What did you use, Mrs. Bakere?”

“Lamb, my dear,” smiled the woman. “It’s a special day after all, so I figured we should treat you. And with that in mind…”

The woman raised her bread in the air as a celebratory act, with Bea and Pedro following suit. All three of them then shouted out in joy:

“Happy birthday, Peter!”

The sudden act of kindness caused tears of joy to well in the boy’s eyes. With a stuffy voice, Peter lightly wiped his face before answering in kind. “... Thank you all. You’ve been nothing but kind to me all these years, and I’ll be forever grateful for it.” The boy finished with a polite and grateful bow.

“Don’t mention it, Petey!” Bea was the first to wave her hand in refusal. “It’s only the right thing to do, after all!”

“She’s right,” Pedro added. “When we came to the isles, you were the first to welcome us, so it’s only natural for us to return the favor.”

“That’s right, that’s right!” Concluded Mrs. Bakere. “Eat up, dear!”

Being surrounded with affection was certainly not something that Peter was all too used to, and as such, the boy’s stomach had already been filled to the brim with each word of praise he received. It didn’t come without consequences, however, as his bread and bowl of soup gradually grew colder without showing any signs of being eaten.

In the end, the boy pushed his seat away to signal his finishing of the meal. “Thank you all… But I think I’m already full for the day.”

“Really, dear?” Mrs. Bakere gasped. “You don’t need to hold back!”

“I appreciate it, really,” answered Peter. “But just knowing your kindness is enough to fill me.”

“... Well, I can’t force you into eating more,” after a slight pause, Mrs. Bakere let out a sigh of defeat. “Rest well, Peter dear.”

“Oh, I’ll still help with the housework, of course!” The boy added.

“You shouldn’t waste food though,” Pedro, who was silently watching until now, commented, gesturing towards the unfinished meal. “Finish that, at least.”

“But I’m full. How about you finish it for me?” Pointing the half-eaten bread towards his friend, Peter asked.

With a sigh, Pedro took the bread and pulled the bowl of soup close to him. “Fine. You owe me one.”

“As if I’m repaying it,” Peter answered with a teasing grin.

“... I hate that I knew what you’d say.”

Once the meal was over, Mrs. Bakere and Bea left the dining table to their separate bedrooms, while the two boys went on to do the rest of the chores. Namely, Peter carried the pile of dishes and started to clean up, while Pedro went to the rooms to make everyone’s beds.

Soon enough, the dark-skinned boy returned with a large blanket and pillow.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks,” Peter nodded in response as he put away the last of the dishes.

“Oh, and one more thing…”

“What is it?”

“Whatever you do, don’t leave the house tonight.”

Peter lightly frowned at the sudden suggestion, tilting his head in both confusion and doubt.

“It’s night, and it’s not even my house. Why would I go outside?”

“Just promise me.” Pedro’s eyes gleamed with urgency, almost afraid for his friend’s wellbeing. It was enough to cast away the shadow of doubt in Peter’s heart, as the boy knew that his friend was entirely sincere with the strange warning, and the importance of the matter was much more serious than even the times he was reprimanded for missing prayers or disregarding the teachings at school.

“Okay, I promise.” And so, Peter could only answer with a firm nod.

“... I mean it, Peter. No matter what. Act like your life depends on it.”

He could only keep a straight face for so long, however, as Pedro’s constant reminder only served to make the situation even weirder. “O…kay.”

Seemingly satisfied with the answer, Pedro soon left the premises as well, but not before repeating his words once more:

“Remember, Peter! Don’t leave the house until tomorrow!”

With only himself left, Peter made his way to the room the family had prepared for him. As the boy creaked open the door, a smell of fresh lacquer invaded his nostrils. In the center of it all was a large bed with only the finest of carvings for its legs, creating an odd contrast to the rest of the empty room, with only cobwebs and hay to make a name of.

Throwing himself onto the bed, Peter reveled in the feeling of fluffy feather pillows for a second, before stretching his body free from all the accumulated stress from the day. But with time alone, the boy had other ideas in mind.

Taking out the start to everything – the amber cross, now glimmering in the moonlight from the window, he once again gazed at the small object.

Tell me, what was that vision that you held? The thought crossed his mind.

Never in his wildest dreams did Peter imagine another voice sounding in return.

[All the answers you seek shall be revealed tonight.]

“Who goes there?” Peter shouted out loud, jumping straight out of the bed to assume a fighting stance. However, answering his call to action was only the dreaded silence of the night, as well as the light whispers of the accompanying breeze.

[You can’t see me. Not yet.] Just as the boy was about to give up and return to his bed, the voice sounded again.

“Where…” Peter spoke up once more, but whoever… whatever that voice was, it had already interrupted him:

[Take a look outside. All of your answers shall be presented.]

As soon as the words were uttered, Pedro’s advice echoed back in Peter’s mind. “Don’t go outside…” he mumbled.

Turning his attention to the window, the boy shouted, trying to catch his mysterious assailants:

“Hey! Whoever you are, are you out there? I’m not falling for your tricks! My friend has already asked me not to go outside for the night! You can’t fool me!”

[Oh, but I thought you hated blindly following orders?] The voice once again sounded. Its location still eluded Peter, causing the boy to yank his hair in frustration. And yet, it continued:

[Don’t you find it… strange when people ask you to do things and expect you to do it without question?]

“But… they’re my friends!” Peter retorted. “I trust them! Unlike you, voice from nowhere, I have my reasons to trust them!”

[Ah, yes, “friends”. Such a precious bond between you. Well, sadly, I can only provide you with concrete proof,] the voice continued. [Your life will be in danger if you choose to stay here.]

“What are you talking about? Where’s your proof?”

[Take a look outside. No need to go out, just poke your head enough out the window to see. They won’t notice you that way, either.]

“They?” he asked.

[That’s not enough to convince you? Then just move close to the window. Don’t even poke your head out. You’ll see what I mean.]

“If you wish to prove things, then don’t be cryptic,” the boy scoffed. “You’re making the same mistake you’re trying to convince me of.”

[… Fine, you’ve got a sharp head, the voice finally sighs. I’ll give it straight, then: knights are gathering outside the house, monitoring your movements.]

“What? I don’t believe it. What did I do?”

[I don’t know, what’s the one thing you have that’s different from everyone else?] Asked the voice. [You know the cause, now go towards the window and you’ll see my proof.]

With the words of the voice, there was only one possibility remaining in Peter’s mind. Biting his lips in worry, the boy slowly took his steps towards the window. And once there, he could tell. They were faint, but they were present. Clanking sounds of metal hitting each other. The sound that armors would make when people moved around in them.

[Well?]

“But… I’m not supposed to…”

[Do you believe the words your ‘friend’ said without any reason, or do you believe the things you’ve seen and heard yourself?]

Taking a deep breath, the boy climbed out the window as fast as he could.

“What do I do now?” He mumbled, hoping the voice could hear him.

[Get out of here and go to your house first. We’ll continue our talk there.]

However, he didn’t get to take a single step.

A cold, sharp feeling lightly pressed against Peter’s back. At the same time, another familiar voice sounded:

“And where do you think you’re going?”