Smell of lavender.

It was the first thing that hit me when I was about to wake up from a weird dream and felt for the first time the warmest bed ever. I still could remember what my dream was. I was attacked by a strange old man in red cape and saved by a gentleman with his magic. It felt so real for a dream.

"Are you awake, girl?"

Or not.

I opened my eyes and saw the unfamiliar cream-colored ceiling and small chandelier. I moved my head to look around. I was in a decent bedroom with bookshelves, wardrobe, desk and chair, and nightstand. The same gentleman who saved me was sitting comfortably while reading a book that I couldn't make out the title.

"Where am I?" I asked to the man confusedly.

"My house, on the edge of London." He closed his book and set aside his glasses. "You're fainted after I saved you from Red Cape. I don't know where do you live, so I brought you to my house, despite the disagreement from my butler."

"...who are you? More like, what are you?" I asked him again, this time more firmly. I knew from the first met, he wasn't normal. That old man...Red Cape or whatever...called him "Sorcerer". Plus, he could set his cape on fire without any fire-related things to do that.

He looked troubled after I asked that and felt a bit guilty. It was either he couldn't say it or just lost in words. Then, another man came into the room, carrying a tray of light meals. He was tall brown-skinned man with jet black hair and yellow eyes that stood out the most.

"Marigold asked me to bring this to you." He said to the man as he put the tray on the desk. I could feel a quick glare coming from him. "You haven't been eating properly for two days, watching over this...girl to wake up."

"Two days?!" I sat up out of shock, which earning me a huge headache.

"Easy." The man laid me down to the bed. "You're exhausting your body to the point it's about to give up. Since I couldn't give you any medicine before you wake up, I had to wait you to get up."

"But you don't have to watch over her all the time, Master." The dark-haired man replied in cold tone.

"I'm different from her, remember?" The man looked to the other male with a bit anger. "Alvin, ask Marigold to brew Chamomile Tea for two and bring it to this room."

"Yes, Master." With that, the man, Alvin, left the room.

"Well...I can see you have many questions to be asked." He pointed out, which caught me in surprise since he looked like he could read my mind.

"It's all written in your face."

Oh...

"First, my name is Kiel. Kiel de Clare. That man who just left is Alvin, my butler and some-sort of Guardian for me. There's another person is called Marigold and she's like the caretaker of this household." He introduced himself.

"Then, what's your name, girl?" Kiel asked me back.

"I don't have any, my mother and my friends just called me Red because of my red hair." I answered with monotone tone.

"...what are you?" I asked him the same question, since it was cut off by Alvin, before he asked any fuhrer. "That old man...Red Cape or something...called you Sorcerer."

"Ah...yes." He admitted. "I'm Sorcerer who can use Fairy Magic by borrowing their power."

"Fairy?! You're that Fairy Wizard in that legend?!" I said in disbelief. The first thing that came to my mind when I heard "Fairy" word was that legend.

"...what?" He looked confused hearing that name.

"You don't know? The Fairy Wizard who can cure people's sickness, heal the land for a huge harvest..." I told him, suddenly remembered the fairytale I loved when my mother was still alive, as he looked more confused than before.

"...it seems I made out my own legend for what I've done during those world wars..." He tried to absorb what I was saying. "Though I prefer to be called 'Sorcerer' than 'Wizard'. Those are two different things, but for humans, it's the same thing."

"Meaning?" I even didn't know it was two different things.

"Sorcerer is someone who can use magic without any training, they just have the knowledge or talent to draw the magic from a magical beings or environment and use it by their will. Wizard is someone who learn the magic through training, it also requires talent in order to use a certain element of magic."

I had quite a hard time to adsorb new information, but at least I got the rough idea.

"However, it seems you also has a talent to be a Sorcerer."

"Sorry?" I was dumbstruck for his sudden fact for me. I never felt I had some kind of "special" talent in my whole life. "I'm a normal girl."

"Aren't you?" His tone was deepen when he asked me back, like he knew it was a lie...or he also had experience it.

"...okay, I always feel I'm a misfit with other children..." I admitted it as I surpassed by embarrassment.

"Go on." His tone changed back to his normal gentleness as he listened to me.

"...and I always see weird things since I was little...my mom told me not to meet their eyes and not paying any attention."

I remembered I never told anyone about what I saw, expect to my mother. I once told them that there was a weird shadow on the park one day and they began to call me a liar and weirdo. It was the first and last time I told anyone expect to my mother. However, here I was, telling about that to a strange man I just met two days ago.

"Your mother is a clever woman, and her cleverness runs down on you."

"Is that a compliment?" I said in disbelief since he sounded like he knew my mother from what I just said.

"You can say that. Because of your mother's advice, you're still alive regardless of your magic aura. If you're not, you will get attacked more often, meaning what happened on the other day will be repeated and can be more dangerous. Perhaps you won't be alive right now."

I mentally thanked my mother for her wonderful advice. Even she never get what I saw, she knew those sights could be bad for me and giving that advice was her only way to protect me. I suddenly felt like she was protecting me even after she passed away.

"The tea is ready." Alvin came back with another tray, but this time it was teapot with two tea cups, honey and milk. "And you haven't touch your meal, Master."

Hearing that word, I finally felt my hunger. Since I didn't had supper and breakfast on that day and fainted for two days.

"You can ask for that meal, you know." Kiel pointed it out which caught me off guard. Did he notice I was eyeing the meal with hungry look?

"You're babying that girl, Master." Alvin took the tray of meal with his other hand and brought both of the trays to us. He put the tea on the nightstand and the tray of meal on the bed next to me. I sat up slowly to prevent the possible headache.

"Go eat first. It's better to have your stomach full when you drink the medicine." He stood up from the chair. "I will fix up a medicine for you. You better drink it after your meal."

With that, he left the room, leaving Alvin with me alone. I didn't really like this person for some reason...no, more like I was wary around him. There was something that made me wary and on guard around his presence.

"Human girl." He called me out all of sudden and I didn't like being called "human girl" like he wasn't a human...was he?

"You better eat before it's colder than now. Marigold's cooking is the best when it's still hot."

With no reason, he walked towards the door and about to leave me alone in the room.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"You better leave this place after you drink the medicine. I can't afford having my Master troubled by your presence."

The way he acted around me already gave out a clear meaning that I wasn't welcomed here, at least for him only. His words before he left made me clear about the way he acted. Plus, I couldn't remain here any longer, the Headmaster would surely punished my friends who worked at the same factory with me because I went missing for two days. It wasn't their fault, it was mine, and I had to face the Headmaster for them. I couldn't afford having them suffer because of me.

0-0-0

I did what Alvin wanted me, although it's not purely my intention to do what he's saying. I asked Kiel to take me to my orphanage after I drank my medicine. He wanted me to stay longer because he thought I wasn't strong enough, but I insisted. Giving up, Alvin drove me and Kiel to the orphanage. Marigold, the Maid, sent us off with warm smile. I was surprised when I met her. She looked stunning with silver wavy long hair, braided nicely, and golden eyes. I was gawked by her beauty before Alvin poked me to go inside the car.

Like usual, the younger children were outside, playing happily. When they saw the car, they ran into the building and came out with the Headmaster. She was surprised to see me coming out from the car with Kiel. She quickly pulled out her fake sweet smile and took me from Kiel.

"I see...you found her in sick condition, so you brought her into your house to be treated, Doctor Kiel..." The Headmaster talked with Kiel with her sickly sweet innocent tone and I hated it.

"Yes, and she's insisted to go back to this place, so I take her back." Kiel replied with his normal tone. "It seems she loves this place."

"Of course, she loves my orphanage." She said it as she hugged me, but I resisted her touch and struggled to break free from her hug.

"She looks like she doesn't like your hug."

"Oh, she's always been a shy girl. She's always like that." She replied as she tightened her hug to keep me from struggling more.

"I see...well then, I have more work to do, so I will leave for now." He saw me straight to my eyes and suddenly I felt he was up to something. "See you later...Red."

As soon as we didn't hear Kiel's car, she threw me straight to the cellar without no food or water as the punishment for missing for two days and locked it from outside. I was already expected it since it was the consequence if I returned to the orphanage. At least with my return, my friends would be released from their punishment.

In the darkness, I felt the warm bed and the smell of lavender from the pillow even those weren't here now in this dark and wet cellar. I suddenly missed a little of Marigold's delicious meal, the bitterness of Kiel's medicine and his warm presence. Heck, I might even missed Alvin's annoying side now. I never felt it since I was little, so those moments were probably the happiest moments in my life.

"I wonder if I can be welcomed in Kiel's house..." I talked to no one. "It will be wonderful...if I can...live with Kiel, Marigold...Alvin will be fine too...together..."

Without a warning, I fell asleep and probably having the nicest dream. A dream which I could live happily with a wonderful family.

0-0-0

I woke up abruptly when I heard a loud children's screams coming from outside. In darkness, I tried to find the door and tried to open it when I managed to feel it to check out what's going on. However, it was locked with padlock from the outside by the Headmaster, so it's impossible to fry it open.

"Help!"

"Save us!"

"Someone, help us!"

"Someone, anyone! Help us!"

I was horrified as I heard the screams from the children outside. I tried to imagine what possibly happened on the outside, but I only could think of the worst case scenario, which was...a murderer went inside the building and the children...

"Stop.Thinking.Bad.Things!" I slammed my head to the door per each words, trying to block any bad thoughts, and also trying to block those screams.

After few minutes, the screams ended, following with heavy footsteps. It was wandering around the building, I could hear the steps was either getting close or getting near the cellar. Then, it stopped for a moment and it was coming close and close to the cellar until it was stopped in front of the door. I held my breath as I prayed whoever it was to go away.

"O Light from Ea Themar...I plea Thee for your holy power..." A familiar voice came from nowhere and it was scared whoever it was who was in front of the cellar door.

"Bloody hell, it’s running away! Alvin, after it!"

"Yes Master!"

Hearing those voices once again, I was relieved to the point I lost my strength to stand up. They really came back for me.

"Red! Are you there?! Answer me!" I heard sounds of banging from outside. Kiel sounded he was panicked, unlike his usual self.

"Ki...Kiel!" I called out for him, didn't realize my voice was broken into sobbing.

"Hold on! I will get you out!" I could hear a relieved tone from Kiel.

"Lock of the padlock...you're a good lock, but you have already fulfilled your duty...at my will, I will set you free..."

I could hear the single sound of "click" and Kiel opened the door in hurry. He immediately hugged me as soon as he saw me. I hugged him back and sobbing on his chest and he caressed my back gently, trying to calm me down.

"Kiel...what happened outside?"

"...it's unpleasant sight...it's better you don't see it..." He pulled out a small veil, opened it and gave it near my nose, so I could smell it. I didn't know why Kiel did that, but I felt heavily sleepy as soon as I smelt it.

"Tonight is unpleasant night for you...it's better you don't experience this night in your age." Kiel's words seemed far away and the next moment, darkness embraced me once again.

0-0-0

A smell of Lavender.

I slowly opened my eyes as I realized I was back to the same warm bed. The light from the window hit my eyes, forcing me to wake up. What happened last night seemed like a far away nightmare. Then, I realized I was wearing night gown instead of my hand-down clothes from the orphanage. Not to mention, I smelt nice, kinda like soap.

"Oh, you're finally awake." A sweet voice like a bell drew me to Marigold, who's carrying a tray of delicious cream mushroom soup and sandwiches along with warm milk with honey, made her way to the bed.

"Master and Alvin came back home with you in early morning. Master told me to take care of you until he came back from the Ministry." She told me as she set the tray on my lap when I sat up to face her. "What happened last night was unpleasant and Master has to inform the Ministry."

"...what happened...last night..." I asked her with small voice, afraid for the answer.

"I'm apologized, but that's what my Master can answer." She looked a bit sad. "Whatever it was, we all know this will happen sometimes during that night."

"What kind of night last night?" I asked in curiosity. "It's the same like any nights, right?"

"No, last night was the Night of Red Moon, the time when the malevolence is in the highest level." Marigold explained with a sad look. "During time like this, Master and Alvin have to hunt them down and purify them. Sometimes, it possesses humans, fairies, spirits, any kind of beings with emotion and going rampage."

"Rampage...don't tell me..."

"The malevolence possessed the Headmaster of your orphanage." A sudden appearance of Kiel surprised me and Marigold, let alone answer my doubts, and he looked hurt when he saw me. "It went rampage and...murdered the children in your orphanage."

What?

"I tried to protect you and those children on orphanage by setting a strong barrier around the orphanage to prevent malevolence from entering, but your Headmaster already had large amount of malevolence in her heart, so it broke down after being attacked from inside and outside."

Please, this couldn't be happening... I refused to believe...

"I'm apologized, but you're the sole survivor of that tragedy. I've failed to protect your friends... If I realized the barrier would break down so easily..."

"...leave..." I looked away from Kiel's sad eyes. I didn't want to look at either of Kiel, Marigold, or Alvin now. "...leave me alone..."

I felt Marigold left from my side and the sound of the door closed quietly made me think both Marigold and Kiel left me alone in this room.

"Red..."

Or not.

I tried to hold my tears as I looked back to Kiel, but Kiel could see my tears. If not, he wouldn't hug me now, comforting me. Because of his gentleness, I broke down and crying on his chest. I cried and cried until I had no strength to cry again.

"Red...I have another news for you." Kiel said after I managed to collect myself after the crying and I faced him.

"I've decided to adopt you...as my daughter and apprentice." Kiel informed it with a bit careful tone and I was little shocked to hear it.

"...are you pitying on me?" I asked with a hint of venom in my tone. I didn't care how gentle Kiel was, but if he did that just because he pitied me, I rather refused the generousity.

"No!" Kiel quickly answered me like he was already expected my reaction. "It's not about pitying on you...I just feel like you more belong in this household than any families. You possess quite a great amount of magic and I...want to nurture your talent."

"...I have a feeling it's more than that." I replied with disbelief look.

"Well...I..." Kiel looked pretty panicked as he looked for the right answer. "I...hate to admit this, but...it will be nice to have a new companion in this household...this family...it's pretty quiet with just three of us."

"You can refuse if you don't want to."

"...No, I'm staying." Kiel looked pretty shocked for my quick agreement. "I also don't want to admit this, but...I feel like this is the place where I can belong...you know, I'm a misfit in the first place because of my talent and you have the same talent as I am...I feel it's better I'm staying here."

"Then, it has decided." Kiel tried to hide his happiness, but failed since it was clearly shown.

"From today on, you're no longer been called 'Red'. Your name is Rosina de Clare."

"Rosina? What it means?" I asked him with mild curiosity.

"Rosina means little rose and it suits with your red hair and green eyes. Plus, you has a small build."

"Well, I'm sorry that I'm small." I playfully hit Kiel as he laughed at my act.

"I guess I should call you Father for now on, since you're my 'father' now." It felt weird to hear the word "Father" coming out from my mouth, but it had a nice ring to it.

"I don't mind, even we look more like brother and sister than father and daughter." Kiel playfully pointed it out. I couldn't help, but noticed how young Kiel was. He was like in his late twenties, so we're like siblings than father and daughter.

"You're the one who decided to adopt me as the daughter....father."

"You're right." He smiled as he patted my head gently.

New name, new family, new environment and possibly new future.

I guess this was my fresh start...as Rosina the Fairy Sorcerer's Apprentice.