Believer

Chapter Nine

      When the young woman with softest brown locks that reminded him of the autumn leaves, eyes that glitters like the clearest ocean, skins as pale as of the untouched snow and lips, a soft tint of pink walks into the village, Brenden felt his heart skipped a beat. The woman has the beauty of a Goddess, even if her clothes was foreign design to him and the others. He had tried to got her attention, but then it become clear that she cannot heard them. If anything, every time they try to talks to her, their mouth seem to be sealed shut for unknown reasons. And even if they were able to talk to her, her eyes will always lingers to the top of their heads, which confused them greatly. He soon learn the beauty name is Athea, the perfect name for the a perfect woman, in his opinion. 

       Athea is a kind and confident woman, he discovers, when she spend a day conversing and getting to know every residents in Phoenix Drop. She stand by Molly's and Donna's sides, chatting along with little care in the world. His heart was bursting in his chest when the woman had turned around, smiles and waves at him. 

        The brunette seems to be quite creative and hardworking, too. Athea build a new beautiful path, with lanterns hangs over them and bushes of flowers decorating the path. He no longer has to worry about getting his shoes muddy every time he had to walks down the path right after it had rained. But she was not stopping there. She also build the Guard's Barracks, new houses for the villagers and a library! His pretty was truly amazing.

       But then Kiki had called him out for stalking the young woman. He remembers watching the woman chopping down some trees when his sister popped out of nowhere and pulled him from his hiding spot while angrily mumbling underneath her breath. Kiki had dragged him to Molly's house and force him to sits down before taking a seat herself. He was not surprise to see Molly, but he was surprise to see Donna, with them, glaring at him.

"Seriously Brenden?" Donna hissed angrily as she harshly serve him a cup of tea.

"What?"

 "Brenden, I love you, but you have to stop stalking Athea! It's creepy!"

Kiki scolded and Brenden frowned deeper.

"But I love her..."

Molly sighs before sitting right in front of Brenden.

"Okay. Why you love her?" 

And it was all it takes for him to spew out all his feelings.

-page break-

       Molly remember the first time Athea approaches her and Donna. And how the motherly part of her immediately squeal at the sight of the younger woman. She looks so exhausted, like she was holding the burden of the entire world on her shoulder, a forced smiles pull on her lips as she introduces herself. As far as Molly understand, Athea is a traveler, an adventurous one that probably hailed from a far away lands, the blonde concluded the last thought due to her unique clothing. She doesn't know why, but just by talking to the younger woman or a day was enough for her to trust and felt a motherly love for her.

       So, imagine Molly surprise when the younger woman began improving their life. From fixing their path to building an entirely new houses and buildings. She was so worried for Athea when she spend days with almost little to no rest to complete her works. When she and Donna bought it up to Garroth, Athea coincidentally had temporarily stopped working for 2 days, before begin working on building a library for Emmalyn. Emmalyn, the introvert of the village, was surprise when Athea even bother to remember her. To be honest, Molly thought Athea would have hate Emmalyn due to the sass comment Emmalyn made toward the younger woman when she tries to chat with the other, who immediately threaten to call the guards. 

     And now? Finding out that Brenden had been stalking Athea from the moment she steps into the village is concerning... Really concerning to the point an intervention is needed. However, no words or advices would go through his thick head that Kiki sighs in annoyance and Donna growl in frustration when the man refused to leave Athea alone. Soon, Dale who had just finish his patrol round, still a bit sober, joins in the intervention, trying to persuade Brenden to leave Athea alone... That is when she saw a sight she will forever treasured and never forget. Garroth, carrying Athea; who fall asleep and unconsciously snuggled close to him; bridal style, walking carefully down the path, shifting his grips now and then. But when the Head Guard looks down on her, she can almost sense his newfound protectiveness, loyalty and love... 

"Well... Brenden, looks like you got a competition."

Kiki said, giggling when her brother's face pales with fright at the sight of the Head Guard with Athea. 

"Y-you know? G-Garroth deserves Athea better than me!"

Brenden had exclaimed nervously as he chuckles and Dale joins in before taking another sips of his drink.

"Good choice there, lad. Knowing Garroth, he will fight tooth and nails for her. I don't want to be his competitions."

The Guard said and Molly had moves close to her husband, who smiles before wrapping an arm around her waist and they both smiles at the sight of hopefully-soon-to-be-new-lovers. And if Garroth had looked up from admiring Athea, and fasten his speed in obvious embarrassment, it was just a bonus for them.

"Oh well... I'm going to tease Garroth for a bit. This was a nice intervention. Don't try this again, Brenden." 

Donna warned, glaring at the man who flinched and gulped before rushing over to Garroth. 

"...Have Garroth always had been in love with Athea?"

Brenden suddenly spokes, to which Dale laughed at.

"Not truly. He was intrigued by her at first. Then he felt grateful for her, he felt like he owned her something... But the last couple of days, he been spoken differently of her."

Kiki unable to stop her excited squeal at this and Molly giggles before prodding for more from her drunken husband.

"Different... How?"

"Like she hung the Sun, Moon and Star herself. Like she is the light in his darkness. The last untainted innocent soul, that he promise to protect, even if it cost him his life."

Dale smiles when he saw Garroth run away from a cackling Donna, still clutching Athea close to his body before a serious and pained look plaster on his as he continues.

"He is aware of his feelings. However, he is afraid he will never be able to said it... Or even show it to her." 

And Molly's heart cracked at this revelations.

"And you know this how?"

The pained and sadden smiles that spread on her husband's lips made her cracked even more.

"Garroth is honest with his feelings when he is drunk, which is why he only drank with me when there are no one else around us."