Redemption II

Chapter 62

Mrs. Walton was a simple woman who had lived a life full of all she had ever wanted. Modest in her dreams, she had found her peace in the small village she had called home for nearly 87 years. A kind woman by nature, she had spent her years as a homemaker. Happily caring for her late husband and raising her two beautiful children. With the passing of time, she had slowly become the caretaker for the whole village. Not that there were many to care for.

A small town on the border between the magical and muggle countryside. It stood in the shadow of a large derelict castle from which it had gotten its name. The magical Pure-blooded family who had owned and lived in the castle having been believed to have lost all its heirs during the Great War. At least, that was what was written in the town's history. Though some still remembered the family as they had been before they had suddenly disappeared.

Baile Prionnsa had been a rather popular stop for farmers and traders both muggle and magical back in its time. Now, it saw only the occasional wary traveler. Making their way in one direction or another. The pub and inn saw its occasional outsider but for the most part, kept the current residents as its continued patrons.

Yes, it was a quiet place, a homely place. Nothing interesting ever truly happened there. Even it's new residents seemed content with keeping the quiet place undisturbed. Though many rumors had run their course during and after their relocation to the small village, Mrs. Walton had never let such idle things stop her from doing what she did best.

She turned up the small walk that led to the modest house, adjusting her basket on her aged arm. A small two floored whitewashed building with almost no character that had been restored from its derelict manner. It had once served as the servant's home for those who'd had the pleasure of working in the castle and had sat empty for many decades.

The only feature the house truly had was the wildly overgrown orchard of apple trees that had taken over the large property. The man and woman who had moved into the home had been steadily trying to bring it back into some semblance of order. She had seen them on more than one occasion from her own house that stood nearby. Her own property large enough to give both of them the privacy otherwise unafforded in such a small town. Her home, theirs and one other, stood on the outskirts of the main street leaving them more often than not undisturbed. The bulk of the town's residents preferring the convenience of living much closer together.

Her deep blue eyes turned catching a flash of white gleaming in the sun. A soft smile forming on her face as she recognized the bent back of the man she had only seen on one occasion. Intimidating to some, his tall lean stature and dark eyes that almost felt as though he were looking through you instead of at you, had no effect on a wise witch such as herself. She could tell from the moment she had seen him that the world had been most unkind to him. She had made it part of her mission to bring at least a flicker of hope to the man's eyes. A promise to herself to show him that not all that lived in the world were so unkind.

She adjusted her stride towards the small garden he was working in. She had already met the other who had been staying in the house. A most fascinating woman, she didn't seem to share the same bitter outlook though there was an odd weight to her shoulders as well. She didn't smile, but her eyes were truly her most striking feature. They sparkled with hidden knowledge that even she had felt beyond her years. She hadn't asked their relation when she'd first had introduced herself and welcomed them to the neighborhood. She had only spoken with the woman at that time and only later learned, from looking out her window, that she hadn't been living alone. Though they were much too similar in appearance to have been lovers, she didn't find it her place to ask for clarification. It wasn't her business to know.

"Good Afternoon." Mrs. Walton put on her best smile, first impressions and all that.

The man who had been bent low pulling out the weeds from the small vegetable garden shifted slightly to give her his attention. His hair had been pulled back from his face and his white shirt sleeves had been rolled to the elbow. Personally, he didn't look properly dressed to be handling such a dirty task. In fact, he rather looked like he was much better suited to be standing at the front of a classroom.