𝐑𝐄𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍, seven deadly sins

THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ALL HER LIFE, JOL WAS ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY NATURE. Her earliest memories were the luscious trees that surrounded her old cottage and even the little garden a few blocks away from where she lived. It reminded her of when she would spend hours frolicking in the woods or baking with her mother with berries she picked in their garden. Just seeing nature itself put her at ease as a child.

But now, she loathed it.

All the memories just brought her pain. The sheer thought of those luscious trees, the garden she once spent hours in, and the time she spent baking with her mother brought so much pain. Why, you may ask?

From Jol's words, because they only reminded her of what she lost.

Granted, the pain wasn't as bad or as constant as it was a few years ago. You didn't find Jol sobbing her life away in her room or passed out from the sight of violence. She wasn't the same person she was when she was six, she was now a young woman who has survived a full decade of grief and sorrow.

The only thing that even woke Jol up everyday was the sunlight that would shine down from her window on her face every morning. She tossed and turned, the same groans and moans leaving her lips. As much as she tried to ignore the sun's warm rays, the sound of barbaric yelling and fits coming to contact with one another refused to let her be.

Damn Giants.. Jol cursed to herself as she stood up. She leaned back as far as she could, stretching her back following with a loud pop! Afterwards, she walked out her room to get ready for the day. As she walked down the stone hallways, the yelling and thrashing growing louder.

She passed the same blood thirsty giants with a grim look on her face, not even bothering to greet them. To be fair, they didn't say hello to her either. Most of the time they didn't even acknowledge her existence.

Except for one.

"Jol, dear!" Hearing her name, Jol looked over her shoulder to see a set of giant, feminine feet making her away towards her. She slowly looked up and came face to face with her caretaker and now mother, Fujii. She had on her signature brown dress from wolfs skin decorated with herbs and flowers. Her hair was held up in a neat braid, showing her radiant glow. She knelt down to meet Jol's height and placed the tip of her index finger on Jol's head. "Good morning, my flower."

Jol scrambled out of her hold. "Would you please stop doing that, Ma?" she huffed.

"You've asked that every time and the answer will always be the same." Fujii laughs while standing up right. She dusted off her dress and signaled for her daughter to keep moving. "So, what are your plans for today?"

"You've asked that every time and the answer will always be the same." Jol jokingly repeated, making Fujii roll her eyes. "Same thing as always, cook for the lumps of meat then spar 'till the sun goes down."

Fujii's eyes looked else where, "Well, after we prepare food for the others, why don't we take a walk together through the woods?" she asked, hesitatingly. Almost immediately, Jol shook her head. "No thanks." she said flatly.

"Jol, you haven't been outside in ages. It'll be good to get some sun." Fujii said, stopping altogether. She placed her hand in front of Jol's body, making her face her. She bore a serious expression, laced with worry and concern.

"Mom, I just don't want to go. Besides, it hasn't been ages."

"The last time you went out was four months ago, and it was only help hunt because we had lost many brothers after a recent brawl." Jol rolled her eyes making Fujii sigh in frustration. "Jol, please. I'm not asking for you to stake it out in the woods, just a simple walk." Fujii paused, thinking if she should continue with what she wanted to say. "It may even help you get through what happened.."

Hearing those words made Jol freeze. The memories of that day, the day of where she lost everything flashed through her mind like a flicking flashlight. She broke out into a cold sweat and let out a strained breath, trying to regain her composure. Fujii's brows lowered at the sight. She reached for her daughter to comfort her but she moved away from her hand.

Jol swiftly wiped the sweat from her forehead and wore a tired smile. "Mother please, I just don't want to go on a walk. And before you ask, I'm fine. Let's please leave it at that."

Those words pierced through Fujii's heart. Lies, she thought to herself. All lies. It took more than a year for Jol to come out and tell
her what happened that day. It took Jol for more than two years to explain in detail what happened to the woman she first called mom. It took Jol more than three years to be able to watch the constant brawls that would happen on the giant's land.

Call it mother intuition but Fujii knew she wasn't fine and she knew she never was going to be. She wanted nothing more than to consul her, comfort her daughter in her large arms. She just wanted the chance to see her vulnerable and to help her get better. But she knew it couldn't be forced, Fujii knew she couldn't force recovery.

So to respect Jol's wishes and start her path to healing, she uttered only one word.

"Ok."