The Crystal
(Vincent E. Catacutan)
Chapter 2 Warmth
Almost a month had passed. Jemaria delivered a dress sewed by her mother for the current queen of Raffinia. Her mother is known by different villages, because of excellent skill in making fine dresses, yet the adopted daughter did not become as good as her, thus Jemariah just assists at their tailoring shop and delivers the finish products. Ridding her horse, she is now on her way back to Kizeron. She takes a faster path where people do not usually cross. The road has much trees and shrubs by its both sides.
“Will I ever see him again?”, she thinks. “How beautiful are those flowers,” she notices as she sees roses on her way. She stops and ties her horse under a tree to pick some. Unexpectedly, two strangers are following her a while ago, and they appear to her.
“Eye-catching isn’t she?”, says one of the strangers posturing bad intentions.
“What do you want?”, asks the afraid lady.
“Give us bliss or else……”threatens the other stranger while showing his knife.
Jemaria runs, but the villains easily catch her.
“She thinks she can run from us. Hahaha!”, laughs the knife handler as he controls the movement of the lass by pointing the sharp object unto her. “Now let’s have the pleasure.”
“Help! Help!”, cries the poor lady.
“Poor woman! No matter how loud you scream, no one will hear you here,” teases the other villain. “Don’t waste your strength. You might miss the things we’ll do to you. Let’s start this. But before he succeeds to touch Jemariah, an apple hits his head causing him to fall to the ground.
“Who did that?!”, yells the man who controls the movements of the lady. “Ah, the cursed.”
“Is it not moral to attack a woman who has no capacity to fight?” asks the apple thrower. He is sitting on a branch of a tree. He looks like someone who is interrupted from a nice nap. He goes down to help Jemaria.
“Better if you did not interfere. I guess you’re seeking for some pain,” challenges the villain with a knife.
“You’ll pay for what you did!”, threatens the one who was hit by the apple as he stands up. “You’ll suffer until you die.”
The wrong doers attack the apple thrower, but they are evaded easily. The newly comer seems to control the brawl and wins.
“You’ll never get away with this!”, one of the losers shouts as they run away.
The lad approaches Jemaria. “Don’t fear. You’re now safe.”
“Vincent, it’s you. You saved me again,” she says tearfully.
“Stand up. I’ll accompany you throughout here to assure you’ll be safe.” He assisted Jemaria to stand then he gets her horse and mounts on it. “I’ll run the horse. Come. Let’s go,” he decides. He gives his hand to the lady to help her sit on front.
After few minutes, knowing she is already safe with the guy, she calms down. “Again I thank you. How can I ever return your goodness?
“It’s nothing,” replies Vincent. “I was just resting there when I heard someone’s screaming.”
“Still you did not let them do anything to me”
“I said its nothing.”
“Can we be friends?”, she asks smiling.
With an emotionless face, Vincent did not reply. He just focuses on controlling the horse.
“I mean what I asked,” speaks Jemaria. “I learned all about you. Don’t bother.”
“And aren’t you afraid?”
“After all you’ve done to me? How can I? No matter who you are, I accept you.”
He does not respond, but in him, because of the words of the lady that shows true intentions, for the first time in his life, he feels unexplainable warmth in his heart he never felt from other people except from his family who adopted him, for from other people, he only feels coldness, and from their eyes, he just sees anguish and discrimination.
“You don’t answer a nice proposal from a lady? I almost believed you’re gentle for saving me.”
She still does not get any reply.
“Alright, I won’t talk to you,” she quits.
They go through the side of the forest where they first met and reach the river between Raffinia and Kizeron where there is a long concrete bridge that connects the two villages. It is afternoon and the sun does not give off much heat when they arrive there. Vincent stops the horse by the river near the bridge.
“It’s safe here,” Vincent ensures as he goes down the horse. “From here you can go alone.”
Jemaria also goes down. “Thanks for everything.”
He just turns back and leaves.
“Tomorrow!”, shouts she to get the attention of the lad. “At this time, if possible, let’s meet here. “I’ll wait for you, and I hope you’ll come.”
Vincent remains silent and continues to walk away.
“I’ll wait here!” , she repeats. “Don’t forget!”
She rides on her horse and starts to go back home.
It is night when Vincent reaches their home. A small young girl with round eyes, rosy cheeks, and long blonde, twisted hair welcomes him. “At last you’re here.”
“Claire.”
“Mother has been worrying for you.” Mother!” shouts the girl. Brother’s here!”
YOU ARE READING
The Crystal Of Light And Dark
FantasíaThe story revolves around Vincent, a 21 year old man who was thought to be a cursed. His life would change when he met Jemaria, the first person who accepted him, and the two Phireans Iros and Tyfa, and when he discovered more about himself and his...
