The Lazy Life Of Raine

Happiness (10)

“Why do you ask?”  

“Just curious.”  

“Odan is someone very important to me.”  Elise said as she saw Axel’s emotions play out on his face.  It was as if he was just hit with a ton of bricks and his heart broke into a million pieces.  “He’s like an annoying little brother who doesn’t leave me alone. I can’t get rid of him, even if I wanted to.”  

Suddenly Axel’s face turned into one of hope and happiness shined through his eyes, before he quickly hid his emotions and fixed his features to seem as if he didn’t care.  

Raine wanted to laugh in his face, but she kept her eyes down at her hands where she checked over his injuries.  

“What else is on your mind that is making you worried?”  

“When I was laying at the bottom of the cliffs, my only thought was that I wanted to see my parents and my grandfather.” Axel confessed.  “I haven’t seen them in 10 years, and in those dying moments, I wanted to see them one last time.”

“Why haven’t you seen them in such a long time?”  

“We had a disagreement that I couldn’t win, so I left without a goodbye.”  

“No you’re regretting it, huh?” Elise asked as she looked at him.  “You only have one family in this lifetime. What ever disagreement you may have with them, you can always work it out.  Trust me, once your family is gone, they’re gone forever.”

“Do you not have any family, anymore?”  

Elise looked away and hid the hurt and the sadness in her eyes.  

“Once you’re all better, you should go back and see them.  I bet they miss you just as much as you miss them. There’s no disagreement that can’t be solved.”  Elise told him as she held his hand and squeezed it. “Do it before it’s too late.”

Odan came in and brought in two buckets of water and went straight to the kitchen.  

“I have to start breakfast, so we all can eat.”  Elise told him as she pulled her hand away and stood up.  

“Keeper.”  Axel said as he pulled her hand to stop her as she began to walk away.  “Do you really think that misunderstandings can be solved?”

“Of course.  They’re your family, aren’t they?  They treated you well, right? Even after running away, I bet they still think about you, worry about you, and they still love you.  They’re just waiting for you to come back home.”

When the Keeper pulled away, he felt his hand grasp air.  The warmth that was once there, was no longer there. Although she was right before his eyes, she seemed so far away.  

His eyes followed the Keeper as she went to the kitchen. The kitchen did not have a door, so he could only see her moving back and forth as she cooked.  Her conversation with her Honor Guard, made him feel left out and jealous. When he heard her laugh, he felt his gut wrench as if someone was twisting his organs and pulling them apart.  Axel wondered how beautiful she looked while laughing. How the sadness in her eyes would be washed clean because of him. How he would stand by her side, because what she needed wasn’t an Honor Guard, but a husband.

As the days passed, Axel, the Keeper and Odan got along well.  Axel found Odan to be likeable, like a little brother and he found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with the Keeper.  His eyes kept following the Keeper wherever she went. From making medicine, treating patients, cooking meals, changing his bandages, reading books,and playing instruments.  Everyday he learned something new about her. Everyday he fell more and more in love with her, but she still kept a distance away from everyone, even Odan.

Whenever her patients or Axel asked her about her past, she would force a smile at them and change the subject as if it was too hard for her to speak about it.  He had gotten to know so much about her and yet knew nothing about her past.

One day he heard some of the patients call the Keeper “Gods Hands”, but he thought he must of misheard them and went back to strengthening his body.  It had been three weeks since he woke up in the Keeper’s home and most of his injuries were healed. The life threatening injuries were still on the mend and the Keeper let him begin walking around and strengthening his body, as long as he didn’t tear open his wounds.  

The time he spent alone with the Keeper became more and more as Odan, left to the town to get supplies.  Because winter was coming soon, the villagers had to harvest their farm, pay the taxes and prepare for the winter season.  

“I can go hunting.”  Axel suggested as they ate rabbit stew with rice.  There were also two vegetable side dishes that was half eaten by the two.  “I can kill a deer or two for the winter.”

“You just got somewhat better and now you want to waste all my hard work by going hunting?”  The Keeper lectured him as she ate. “Besides, you don’t have to worry about us, Odan and I will be fine.  We won’t starve through the winter, we both can hunt.”

“I know that, it’s just that I want to do something for you.  To say thank you for saving me and letting me recrouperate here.”  

“Saying thank you is enough.”  

“Not for me.”  Axel interjected.  “I just want to pay you  back for your services.”

“I didn’t ask for any kind of payment.”  

“I know you didn’t---”  

“Do you see me asking for payment from the villagers when they come here?”  

“No.”

“That’s right, it’s because life is already hard enough as it is.  I became a Doctor to help heal the sick and save lives. I don’t need money to live a good life.  Even though it may seem like I am living a shabby life, it’s a fulfilling life. So, don’t go thinking that you have to payback anything for all that I’ve done for you.”  

“But I still don’t feel right.”  He told her.

“Fine, then go make up with your family.  That’s how you can make it up to me. That’s my payment for the services I gave to you.”  

Axel was surprised by the Keeper’s words.  She was nice, sweet and gentle. And yet, she could also be fierce, straightforward, and hardworking.  She was so giving, so strong, and so beautiful to him.

“Alright.  I’ll do as you say.  I’ll go see my family and work out our misunderstandings with them.”  Axel promised her. “But you have to do one thing for me.”

“What is it?”  The Keeper said as her right eyebrow raised up to question him.  

“You have to do something for yourself.  You are constantly working and giving back to everyone.  Never once have I’ve seen you do anything for yourself. So, I’ll go back to my family and you do something good for yourself, deal?”

Axel held out his hand for her to take.  The Keeper hesitated for a moment, before she placed her spoon down on the table and shook his hand.  

“Alright, deal.”