The Lazy Life Of Raine

Happiness (11)

The smile on her face and her soft warm hand in his hand made him so happy.  He could feel the warmth from her hand spread to his body, warming it up, but when she pulled away, that warmth quickly left too.

“I’ve been staying here for three weeks, yet I feel like I don’t know anything about you at all.”  Axel said as he cleared his throat and went back to eating. “Tell me little about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?”  The Keeper said as she shrugged her shoulders.  “There isn’t anything interesting.”

“Where’s your family, if you don’t mind me asking.”  Axel asked, but when he saw the sadness in her eyes again, he regretted his words.  “But, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“It’s alright.”  The Keeper said as she sighed heavily and placed her spoon down. “They’re dead.”  

“How?”  

“My parents died in an accident when I was just a child.  I never met my Grandmother, because she died before I was born. I was raised by my Grandfather, but he died about 11 years ago.”  

“I’m sorry.”  

“He tried his best.  He was already sick, but there was no cure.  He could only endure his sickness to raise me until I was an adult and ensure my safety to his friend and his friend’s family.  It was only after a big incident that his sickness became worst. He soon died after the big incident.”

“No wonder you want me to make up with my family.  I should feel blessed that my family is still around and yet I ran away from the disagreement and problems like a petulant child.  I was stubborn enough not to even visit them once in the past 10 years.”

“Do you at least write to them, to let them know you’re okay?”

“Not as much as I should.”  Axel confessed. “Probably once or twice a year.”  

“Tsk.”  The Keeper tsked him.  “Even I write to my adoptive family once a week, you should at least write to your family once a month.”

“Adoptive family?”  

“Yes… my grandfather’s friend adopted me into the family.”  

“That’s nice of them.”  

“They are a good family, they are very welcoming and warm to me. They treated me well when I lived with them, sent me to medical school, and the only reason why they let me live on my own is because I became a Keeper.”  

“I’m glad they treated you well.  You deserve it.”

“Well… not everyone treated me well in the family.”   

“Who?  Who wouldn’t treat you well?”  

“Their son.  He hates me.”  The Keeper told Axel.  “Just the thought of me would make him rebel against his parents.  Just the mere mention of me and he gets into an argument with his parents.”  

“He sounds horrible.”  

“Well, I could understand his point of view.  I just wish I could have a moment to speak to him, so we could clear up any misunderstandings, but he left home.”  

“Where did he go?”

“He joined the army.”  The Keeper said as she drank her tea.  Her eyes were on the table, but Axel’s eyes were looking at her.  “Now that the war is over, I wonder if he is doing alright. I’m pretty sure his family is worried about him.”  

Axel felt a heavy weight come down on his shoulders.  Some parts of their story was similar, however they couldn’t be related.  Many boys run away from home and join the army, especially after the Soulless War.  Many young boys are quick to prove themselves as warriors and protect humanity. Not only that, but she was adopted into the family, while his own family wanted him to marry his betrothed.

“I’m sure he’s fine.”  Axel told her.

“Yeah, I hope so to.”  The Keeper agreed. “What about you?  Tell me something about yourself.”

“I grew up in a strict household.  My Grandfather is a retired General.  My Father is a retired Minister. He was Minister of Finance for 30 years.  My Mother has many social titles within the nobility. Every year they hold a grand ball and everyone who’s important will be in attendance.  That’s when all the Matchmaking-Mothers come out in hordes to match their daughters to other Matchmaking-Mother’s sons.”

“I bet you were popular with those Matchmaking Mothers.”  

“I was, but thankfully I was already betrothed or else I would have had to suffer their onslaught of questions and dances with their daughters.”  

“So you’re engaged?”  

Axel looked at The Keepers sweet smile and his heart felt sour.  She looked as if she didn’t feel jealous at the news of his engagement.  

“Since I was a baby.”  

“That’s not fair to you or your betrothed.”   

“I know, trust me I know, but my family didn’t see it that way.”  

“Is that why you ran away?”  The Keeper asked.

“Yes and no.  I also wanted to join the army, make something of myself.  Come out a hero after the Soulless war. Now look at me now, not sure if I did more damage than help anyone.”  

“The way I see it, General.  You wouldn’t have become a General if you didn’t have any skills or leadership.  You probably made more of a difference than you think. We’ll know soon, what kind of a difference you made in the Soulless war.”  

“What do you mean by that?”

“Odan not only went to town for supplies, but he also went to see if there is any reports about you being missing.  He plans to report our findings to the authorities there and leave word for the army to send someone here to pick you up.”  

“So soon?”  Axel asked as he felt his heart drop.  He thought he would have more time with her.  

“Why?  You want to stay with me forever?”  The Keeper teased as she began to collect their empty dishes.  “Your wounds are healing and the army is probably looking for you.  With you missing, the army has sent a letter to your family of your absence and they are probably worried as well.  The sooner the army knows that you’re alive, the sooner your family knows as well. And the sooner you keep your promise of our deal and visit them.”  

“Will you still be here after winter?”

“No.”  The Keeper said as she shook her head.  “Other people need my help and I need to find a private place to cultivate my magic, to prepare myself for the next Soulless War.  My mistake of going into a closed door cultivation, made me almost miss the Soulless war. It would have been a sin if I didn’t do my duty as a Keeper.”  

“So that’s it?”  Axel said as he stood up to meet her gaze.  

“If it’s fated to be, maybe we’ll meet one day.”  

Axel spent the remaining three days pretending that he was fine, when really his thoughts and his emotions were raging.  He wanted to confess his feelings for her, but he was still engaged. If he confessed his feelings to her, she would think he was a bad man, for falling in love with another woman while still being engaged.  

He wanted to hold her close to his body, smell her sweet scent and lay with her.  He wanted to cherish every moment with her, protect her as he stays by her side and love her so she wouldn’t be reminded of the sorrow of her past.  He wanted to build a life with her, make her smile, hear her laugh, and fight beside her. He wanted so much, and yet he couldn’t do anything about it.  

As long as he is engaged to Elise Sweeny, he could never have a happy life with The Keeper.  Determined to face his past and break up his engagement to Elise, he began to spend every minute next to her side.  Helping her cook, run errands, clean beside her, whatever she needed, he would do it. As long as he got to be next to her, he would do anything.