Solace and Nox: A New Light

Chapter 15: Fourteen and a half Years Ago

Snow was a beautiful thing.

Cytra, wearing her mother's coat, ran around and played in the fluffy white sheet. The thick layer of snow, and the oversized coat prevented her from moving very fast, but she enjoyed every second she had in the cool, brisk air.

She rolled around in the snow, getting some inside her clothes. She was soaked, and very cold, but she was having the time of her life. Shodon hadn't seen snow in a very long time. Cytra couldn't be more excited.

As she played in the snow, Jitlan Trink walked by, towards Cytra's house.

"Good morning Cytra!" he called. "Having fun?"

She nodded as she dived headfirst into the snow.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed as he ran over. He helped get her head out of the snow and she shook her head furiously, snow flipping out of her hair and into Jitlan's face.

Cytra fell on her back laughing.

"Ah, I see how it is," Jitlan said, walking away. Just when Cytra thought he was done, she turned to continue playing. Then suddenly, a snowball came at her from behind. She shot a look at the doctor who had put his briefcase down. He had another snowball prepared in his hand.

Cytra immediately started forming snowballs and throwing them as fast as she could. Jitlan did the same. Cytra focused more on speed while Jitlan went for accuracy. Jitlan had to dodge all her shots while Jitlan waited for an opening and struck. He got a snowball right in her face.

"I've been hit!" Cytra shouted, laughing afterwards.

Jiltan ran over to help her up, and she threw more snow in his face.

"Oh that's just getting old!" he shouted, throwing more snow.

The two of them played in the snow for several minutes, throwing snow into the air, but mostly at each other.

"Cytra! Come inside, it's cold out!" Grace shouted from the house.

"Aww," Jitlan and Cytra said in unison.

Cytra was happy to see her mother on her feet. The past few months, Jitlan brought doctors over and helped nurse her back to health. At first, they were terrified that she wouldn't make it, but she finally pulled through. She was strong enough to move around, but she wasn't quite allowed to leave the house yet. She needed to wait for the winter to end before she could go looking for a job.

Jitlan put his arm around Cytra, like a father would. They walked together back to the house. He picked up his suitcase on the way, and they entered the house together. Grace had made soup for them, and they sat at the table together, enjoying the warm meal.

Once Jitlan started helping Grace, people around the town started pitching in, helping out where they could. Many offered jobs to Grace, but she had to turn them down. They told her the offer would be available when she was ready. People gave them food, and even gave them a little money. Things couldn't be better for them.

As Jitlan ate his soup, he pulled his briefcase up, and flipped it open.

"How are you feeling today, Grace?" he asked casually.

"I'm feeling great!" she replied. Every once in awhile, she would cough a sickly cough, but it was never too bad. Cytra was delighted to see her mother making dinner. It thrilled her to know she wasn't going to lose her mother.

"Good," Jitlan said. "That's really good. You'll be out and working again before you know it."

She smiled at him sweetly. Cytra hadn't seen such a beautiful smile in so long... so long...

"I just need to perform the usual check-up, and then I'll be on my way. I will continue to check up on you every other day. I have Dadien on a fine quest to help you and Cytra in any way he can," Jitlan explained. He added the 'quest' so that sentence to interest Cytra. He winked at her and she smiled back at him. Then she continued eating her mother's delicious soup.

Cytra watched closely as Jitlan began his doctorly procedures with interest. She couldn't help but wonder why? Why was he so kind? Why was he so willing to go out of his way to help such a low class mother and daughter? Jitlan worked with such care, and he looked at her mother like they were old friends. Grace seemed to glow as he worked. It almost looked like she was being healed by magic.

But it couldn't be magic. Magic ceased to exist after the Knights of the Revenant were disbanded. That is, until Cytra discovered his dark powers...

Grace saw that Cytra was deep in thought and asked, "What's on your mind sweetheart?"

She shook herself out of her trance and said, "Oh nothing. Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Were you thinking about boys?" Jitlan asked. Grace elbowed him and gave him an aggressive, yet playful, expression.

"Ew, no!" Cytra shouted, disgusted.

He laughed. "Good, you are much too young to be courted."

When Jitlan finished his procedures, he said goodbye to Grace and walked right up to Cytra. He nudged her shoulder and said, "Next time I'll win the snowball fight."

Cytra shot back, "Not a chance."

He smiled and left.

Grace smiled sweetly. "When did you decide to grow up so fast?"

"Well, mother, I am almost nine now," Cytra said in the most casual voice she could.

Grace chuckled as she cleaned up Jitlan's soup bowl.

"Mom?"

"Yes dear?"

"Why is Jitlan so kind to us? He's so... so..."

"Professional?" she suggested.

"Yeah, he lives inside the walls. Why does he care so much about us?" Cytra asked.

Grace thought about it for a second. Then she said, "I think it's because he thinks there is value in everyone. He sees everyone as a special person, and doesn't discriminate by class."

"What does discriminate mean?"

"Jitlan sees everyone's value and doesn't think anyone should be treated differently. He cares because he sees that everyone has needs, and he's willing to put their needs before his."

Cytra looked at her curiously.

Grace shook her head and said, "One day you will understand child."

Cytra's may not have understood much of what her mother explained, but her mother believed that Jitlan cared.

So Cytra did too.