Love Amidst Wars

forty-four

Juliette took slow steps inside her once beloved manor, looking at all the walls that came crumbling down. She scanned what seemed to be her once favourite living room, where she spent most of her time with her family and maids, talking together. She wanted her journey to be a secret, knowing Johnny would have given her an earful if he ever found out she set foot in a dangerous place like that.

She took careful steps through a pile of broken concrete, making her way towards her father's office. Her eyes fell to the wooden table broken in half with blood stains around it. That was where they said her father had died. Since his body was nowhere to be found, she assumed the royal guards probably had retrieved it to bury it somewhere.

Tears began flooding her eyes as she blinked them away, suppressing her feelings. She had hoped to come home to a warm house, one might say her home sweet home. With her manor in pieces and the absence of both of her parents, she had nowhere or no one to come home to.

Suddenly, a small picture frame caught her attention, lying on the floor with its glass shattered into pieces. She carefully picked it up and sobbed, seeing a picture of her family, smiling as if nothing tragic would ever happen. The frame was telling her that everything was going to be alright, which she perceived as if it was mocking her current misery.

"You should not be here."

She flinched in surprise, turning around to see the royal guards scowling at her. "Forgive me," she did a little bow as a sign of respect before heading to the door.

As she stepped out and inhaled the unfamiliar air of poverty, she watched how her once noble neighbourhood turned into an area for poor people. The people she once knew, roamed around searching for food and water. She felt a bit guilty to be the only one wearing decent clothing, even if it was just a simple dress. Theirs looked even more ragged than hers.

She began her journey back to the cottage, hiking up the hill she was now familiar with. Her new uncomfortable home without the presence of her parents. As soon as she reached the cottage, her eyes widened, seeing Johnny digging up the ground with a shovel.

"You're back," he wiped his sweat with a cloth. "Yeah," she answered before placing her satchel on the ground and approaching him with cautious steps.

"What are you doing?"

He stopped shovelling and dropped the tool. "I figured we should bury Lady Jane here. If we hand her body to the guards, they might bury her randomly and it'll make it harder to search for her grave."

Juliette nodded and crossed her arms, "I went to the manor earlier."

Assuming he would scold or nag at her, he did the opposite. He silently continued whatever he was doing. She exhaled heavily, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"I figured that's where you'll be. Did you see the Viscount's body?"

"No. I think the guards already took him to bury."

"Juliette, you haven't said anything about your mother ever since you left. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm alright, Johnny."

"She committed suicide."

"You know, there are times when I don't want to cry at all. If I do, I might be miserable and depressed and maybe I'll continue my mother's steps next. So don't push it because I am trying so hard to hold it all in," her voice broke in the end.

He sighed as he scanned her thoroughly. He knew she was pulling it together when deep down she felt like crying and ending her life instantly. He headed back inside to give her some space.

She inhaled and exhaled deeply before announcing, "I'll go find some flowers for the grave."

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Juliette wiped her sweat with the hem of her sleeves, holding a bouquet of wildflowers she had picked in the forest. As she was about to head back, a wild hare suddenly approached her. Her lips broke into a small smile, something she had forgotten she was good at after spending months frowning.

She crouched down to pat it but jumped in surprise when it ran away. Her curiosity won the best of her, making her follow after the hare. It led her to the lake she never knew was there all along.

A sudden splash broke the long silence, earning her immediate attention. The hare turned its head in the direction of the sound before hopping away. Juliette squinted her eyes to get a good view before her jaw dropped in shock.

The sight of Jake swimming with his bare body made her speechless. There were all sorts of feelings and thoughts taking over her. She was glad, relieved, happy and felt like crying upon seeing him again after all these terrible months. On the other hand, she wondered why their first encounter after a long time would be her seeing him naked in the lake.

He stopped swimming and sunk into the water before coming back up, running his fingers through his wet hair. He finally saw her and widened his eyes, also flabbergasted to see her, especially in his state at the moment.

"Juliette, wait!"

Before he could even swim towards her, she had run away, horrified to see him in that state.