LUNAFEY

CHAPTER 12

I was in my chamber, preparing for the road ahead, gathering essentials I might need. My mind was preoccupied with the task of verifying Bay's claims about the winding village. I had to ensure that my suspicions weren't correct, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. After that, I needed to meet with the king to discuss pressing matters. It seemed like trouble was always lurking, and I was starting to doubt my ability to be a proper Harbinger. These events kept unfolding around me, and I knew I had to reassure Luna before I left, so she wouldn't worry excessively.
I breathed a sigh of relief when Angus entered, but my respite was short-lived. "Master Ritcher," he said, and I shot him a warning glance. "I just hope you don't end up calling me that before Luna," I cautioned, as I stopped to look at him. I swear, the man never knocks; he always walks right in.

Angus approached me, his expression thoughtful. "Hmm, about that, I don't know if we ended up doing the right thing by keeping that from her," he said, his voice laced with concern.

I straightened my hands, standing akimbo. "What? Is she suspicious?" I asked, my tone firm.

Angus took over my bag arrangements, his movements efficient. "We're way past suspicion, Cedric. She was already suspicious from the very moment she saw you."

I frowned, feeling a twinge of frustration. "That I'm a Harbinger?"

Angus paused, his eyes locked on mine. "No. That you lied here and there."

I sighed, my frustration growing. "For her own good," I said, trying to justify my actions.

"Imagine if she knew the truth from the start. She would have taken off immediately." I glared at Angus, remembering whose idea this was initially. "And don't give me that look, I recall this being your suggestion in the first place."

Angus raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I said for a few days only."

I protested, "This is just day three!"

Angus's expression turned defensive. "Then why was Bay calling you Cedric?"

I sighed, explaining, "I might have told him to call me that. We don't want her finding out from anyone else, right? I'd rather she hear it from you or me. And knowing Bay, he could blurt it out any moment".
I paused, remembering Bay's enthusiasm. "Which he already did as soon as he saw me. I'm telling you, Bay is always so overly enthusiastic. I can tell you, Luna was already suspicious."

Angus raised an eyebrow, his look saying "you're stating the obvious." "Really?"

I felt a twinge of defensiveness. "Don't tell me you only came here to criticize me?"

Angus looked a little guilty, "Well, I might have told her things that might have frightened her... a bit."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What does that mean?"

Angus explained, "I found her in Rosa's chambers down the hallway. I initially thought she was lost. She asked about Rosa's family, and I told her a little about what happened... She panicked."

He paused, looking at me with a hint of apology. "I'm sorry, I didn't want her to think you had a woman here or anything."

I pressed for more information. "How bad was she?"

Angus's expression turned concerned. "Shaky. Even though I told her those creatures wouldn't come to the Harbinger's sanctuary, she said... 'The Harbinger isn't here, you know what that means, right?", "Yeah I'm Cedric not Ritcher".

"Yeah, I get that she would be worried, but the Luna I knew wasn't afraid of anything," I said, reflecting on her past bravery. "Even when facing dangers while searching for her father, she was never afraid. One of the reasons I fell for her." I paused, realizing that she had changed. "I guess facing death puts fear in people."

"Tell me everything," I said, my mind already wandering as Angus spoke. I was lost in thoughts, wondering how to comfort a woman who had lost faith in me.

As Angus finished his account, I turned to him. "And so I took her to her chambers to rest," he said, his voice trailing off.

"Angus," I said, my mind made up. "I'll talk to her. I'll tell her I'm the Harbinger she's been looking for."

I walked towards the door, the room falling silent behind me. "Can you?" He asked me, unsure of the answer. But I knew the situation would present itself, and I had to be ready.

I walked into Luna's room, unsure of what to say to comfort her. My mind was racing with thoughts, weighing the pros and cons of revealing my true identity. Telling her who I really was would lift a huge burden off her chest, but would she still want to stay? I wanted to give her time to build confidence in me first, but time seemed to be working against me.

"Hey," she said, forcing a chuckle. I recognized the fake smile, and my concerns deepened.

"Cedric, I'm fine," she reassured me, but I wasn't convinced. I sat down wearily beside her on the bed, feeling a pang of guilt. Maybe I should have given her a bigger room, I thought, or one closer to mine.
"Angus told me what happened," I said, choosing my words carefully. I didn't know what to say yet, so I remained silent for a moment.

"I-I..." I struggled to find the right words, but Luna intervened.

"Truly, I'm fine now," she said, trying to sound cheerful. "Though I might have panicked a little before. You know, having almost tasted death a few times in the last few days... yeah, I was a little shaken." She hugged herself, rubbing her arms, and I wondered if she was cold or still afraid. I had never seen this vulnerable side of Luna before, and it stirred a deep desire to protect her innocence.

"I know I always end up doing the wrong thing to you," I began, the words flowing from my heart. "In the name of protection, I'm so stupid." I caught myself, worried that I might say too much.

"But you should know, I want to sincerely protect you," I reassured her, fighting the urge to hold her hands. "Just like last time and the time before. And I want to help you find your father. I'm still looking." I paused, collecting my thoughts. "Be patient with me".

I was thinking that I couldn't possibly tell her the truth when she looked so vulnerable, and before I knew it, I was standing up and pacing about. I quickly sat back down, trying to compose myself. "Luna, hmm?" I said, stalling for time.

"What's wrong, Cedric?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

I couldn't tell her the truth yet, so I thought maybe I should let Angus do it for me. The idea almost made me laugh out loud. "The thing you should've taken from the story," I began, trying to sound nonchalant, "is that Rosa was safe within these walls, not panicking like that." I forced a small smile, hoping she wouldn't ask me anything I didn't want to answer.

"Yeah, because of the Harbinger," she said, rolling her eyes. I could tell she was still upset.

I responded smugly, "Ohh, you must really believe in a man you've never met. And here I am, trying to keep you safe when I've protected you twice already. You don't seem to remember that." My tone was defensive, my way of saying I was equal to the task.
"I remember it well," she said, her words laced with a hint of bitterness. "It all came at a price, if I remembered correctly." She added briskly, "The first time, I had to pretend to be your bride, which led to an unforeseen circumstance." Her words stung, and I felt a pang of hurt.

I tried to change the subject, "Where are you going?" I asked, not liking the direction of this conversation.

She kept walking towards the door, stopping only when she reached it. "To prepare lunch," she said, giving me a quick glance before leaving me alone.

I let out a long sigh as I sat back down on the bed, feeling exhausted. "I couldn't tell her in the end," I thought to myself.