Once Before

16 - The Soul of Ashford

Despite the situation of having stood at the end of an engagement - short-lived as it may be - that was never going to work in the first place, I still considered myself extremely lucky for having someone who had gladly welcomed me into her home and taken good care of me.

For as long as I've known her, which is all my life, she had always been a plain lady who had never had any cause to draw attention upon herself, which was perhaps how she had lived through all these centuries undetected, though as to how she came across such abilities, I know not.

But upon closer inspection during the course of almost a week where I have been living with her, I have realized that unlike anyone else I've ever come across, she lives everyday for the main purpose of helping those around her.

On the second morning of my stay here, I found out - on the mere coincidence that I had not been able to fall asleep and thus had pulled myself out of bed to get myself a glass of water - that Corliss wakes up at four in morning to pick mushrooms and herbs in the forest, and she does it everyday like clockwork. Ever since then, Otto and I had been going along with her to help her.

Several times, Corliss had gently asked me about how I was feeling, and though her question were always well-meant and voiced out of care and concern, I could only tell her the blunt, anti-climatic truth; that I felt nothing.

It wasn't a lie, because even when I had asked myself the very same question every night, the only feeling that would surface inside me was... nothing. Perhaps it was numbness, or maybe it was the subconscious awareness that it was long overdue, but at the end of the night, as I close my eyes and willed myself to sleep, I know that what had happened was fated.

Waking up on a Thursday morning at 4 AM in the morning was still strange to me, as I was never used to being up before the sun was, but here I was at the dining table with Corliss, shoving down our tea and biscuit to prepare ourselves for the hike ahead of us - all while I try to take my mind off of the coldness that were starting to prick my skin and the grogginess that was creeping in due to all the nights I've lain in bed awake.

"Are you feeling well dear?" Corliss had asked as she chewed on her biscuits quietly, her eyes were already on me, analyzing.

"I'm okay, thanks," I nodded.

"I wouldn't mind if you skip gathering herbs with me this morning,"

"Corliss, I said I'm fine." I snapped.

She said nothing in return, her gaze lingered on me for a moment before it was drawn back to her cup of tea. Her expression wasn't that of anger or even hurt, but it was as if she was satisfied.

"Corliss, I'm sorry..." I began.

"It's quite alright," She nodded, patting my shoulder. "Would you mind clearing this up dear? I think someone's left a bunch of letters by the front door last night, and I'm going to go get it before it gets lost."

"No problem," I nodded, already standing up to gather our bowls.

I was putting on my scarf when Corliss scaled up the stairs from her shop below, though her eyes were focused on the stack of letters that she was going through thoroughly.

"Clementine, there's a letter for you," She said, reaching her hand out with a small, cream-colored envelope.

I was sure that the colors had drained out of my face as my heart dropped. A thousand possibilities as to what the letter might say came to mind, but I was sure that it could only be sent by one person.

"Are you sure?" I croaked.

"Yes darling," She nodded.

My hand shook as I took the letter from her hand, and even more so as I tore the envelope open to reveal the single piece of letter sitting inside.