The Harvest of Souls

CHAPTER 4

The afternoon breeze blew in through the outside kitchen door as everyone chatted.

"How are things, Fernand?" Asked Mário.

"Everything is very calm. The work's not so demanding nowadays," Fernand lied as he spent an excessive amount of cream cheese on his bread.

"And the children, Fernand? Is everyone all right?" Asked Nair while waving, making a blue kettle with boiling water fly off the stove.

"They are well," he replied with his mouth still full of bread. "Sit down, Nair. Won't you eat with us?"

"Oh no, I already ate," she replied, sitting down after directing the kettle to the table. "The tea herbs are in the box for anyone who wants it."

"The seven are working hard in the affairs of Tachlovicka, and it is not a simple task to maintain order on the fourth largest state on the planet," Continued Fernand about his children in a tone of concern.

"Why don't you apply for the vacant position of Oswaldo?" Questioned Mário. "I imagine if he disappeared on purpose, he wouldn't get the post again when he comes back."

Fernand laughed at Mário's proposal. Lélia curiously looked at Fernand with a crooked smile that, among the people in the kitchen, only he was able to catch.

"Look, Mário, first of all, I'm already satisfied with my career the way it is. I don't intend to get promoted to the position of Chief Representative, and even if I was interested, I couldn't take Rasshiryay's high chair due to a conflict of interest. Ekaterina's uncles are the rulers of Rasshiryay," said Fernand. "And on the other hand, well, except for Alena, I dislike all Ekaterina's relatives, even the distant ones, we've never had a good relationship, and whenever I'm in Tachlovicka or Rasshiryay, they try to make my life hell. I'm even grateful that my children are well aware, and that Alena is brave enough to stand up for me and the children when the rest of Ekatarina's family tried to dethrone Nikolas and exile us."

"They still think you married of convenience?" Lélia touched the wound. She knew it, but her face was expressionless after the question.

"Always!" Fernand replied, seriously, blushing. "Anyway, everyone is fine, the fact of losing their mother so early, and having a father as absent as me, they ended up learning to fend for themselves and be responsible and independent."

"Oh, stop the nonsense Fernand, you, an absentee father?" Nair scolded.

"Nair is right, Fernand; stop making drama. You are an amazing father to these children. In a challenging moment, you managed to control the situation and raise seven well-educated and affectionate children," Lélia said, apparently wanting to make up for the problematic question.

"They became wonderful people," Fernand finished drinking the tee on his cup and left a piece of bread on a saucer. "Well, I'm going upstairs and get some rest. I don't think I can keep my eyes open anymore. I've been awake for more than 24 hours, I haven't really slept on the plane."

"Have good rest," They all said, somewhat embarrassed.

"Lélia, could you accompany me?" Questioned Fernand.

Lélia nodded and waved goodbye to everyone in the kitchen. Just as Vaughan and Richard were close, Lélia and Fernand shared secrets and problems only with each other. They went up the stairs, and Fernand took Lélia's hand. They accessed the Ballroom and followed the staircase to the second floor, where instead of continuing on the stairs, Fernand guided Lélia to the main corridor on the second floor.

"What? You're not going to your room?" Lélia questioned.

Fernand didn't answer; he opened the first door on the right of the hallway and entered a room. The windows were closed, and the room looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a few weeks: the musty smell was strong and the heat even more so. Fernand pulled Lélia into the room and closed the door.

"Are you nuts?" Fernand asked, whispering but highly annoyed. He continued to speak before Lélia could justify herself. "Asking me if I got married for convenience? Seriously? Why?"

"I was just testing you," Lélia said, laughing. "And you were terrible, Fernand. You need to improve your poker face. You are debilitated, physically and mentally, and you have just been welcomed by caring people. It was the perfect time to make your mask fall. And it almost did."

"Of course, I wasn't expecting a test..," he said, upset.

"So," Lélia's tone became more serious and analytical. "It is precisely for these unexpected situations that you need to prepare. You've always been my best agent, Fernand, and the one I trust most as a professional and, above all, as a friend, but after the Last Wars, both you and I got rusty. And things are weird. We need to get back on our toes. I'm saying this as your friend and as your boss," Fernand released Lélia and walked away with his head down, reflecting.

"You are right," Fernand nodded. "It's just that you were right on point; you know how I feel when they accuse me of having married Ekaterina because of her position."

"Yes, I know, my dear," Lélia took Fernand's face in both hands and stared into her friend's watery eyes. "Cry, cry with me, vent, talk, tell me everything that others cannot know."

"You've heard this same story several times. You know every detail."

"Yes, I know every detail that you also know, but we don't know everything; there are more things behind the attack, things we haven't discovered yet, but we'll find out, rest assured, Fernand, we'll find out," Lélia kissed Fernand's lips, and a memory came to her mind for a fraction of a second.

"Lélia," he said, wiping the tears. "Oswaldo, he was the one who researched about Joaquim's situation, right?"

Lélia raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, it was him. I thought about it as soon as they mentioned his name," Lélia took a deep breath. "Anyway, what happened to Joaquim is beyond our reach," Lélia ran her hand over Fernand's head, going to the back of his friend's neck. "Rest, my friend."

Lélia left the room without saying anything else, ignoring the delicate subject and leaving the door open. When leaving the room, she took her MC and followed the path to her room. She opened her messages and selected the conversation with Richard, starting to type:

I'M GOING TO MY ROOM.

WE BETTER KEEP OUR REVELATION FURTHER. THE TIME IS NOT GOOD.

LOVE YOU!

Fernand went up alone to his room, which was on the fourth floor of the Manor. It was a significant journey, which Fernand took the opportunity to reflect on his life. He rethought the conversation and then smiled. He was happy after all. He was successful at what he did, had beautiful kids who loved him very much, and great friends who were always there to support him. Fernand opened the double doors of his room and entered without noticing the minute details of the room, all decorated in shades of khaki green. He simply pointed to the curtains on the four floor-to-ceiling windows of the room. The thick curtains closed in an almost musical rhythm. Fernand threw himself on the four-poster bed between the two central windows of the room and then began to undress sloppily, tossing his blazer, waistcoat, shirt, pants, underwear, and socks on the floor, getting naked, not bothering to lock the door.

He wasn't that tired, but Lélia's hint brought back unpleasant memories that knocked him down. 'She's right. I can't stay like this.' Fernand was worried about how it had shaken his senses. He crawled to the edge of the bed and pulled his pants back, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small metal can. He knew well his organism to understand that no matter how tired he was when bad memories came to mind, sleeping was only possible with extra help. He opened the metal can and took out a small pill, placing it under his tongue. Fernand straightened up on the bed, pulled the duvet, and hugged it; he smelled the delicious scent of fabric softener and soon fell asleep.

A few minutes passed after Fernand fell asleep when the door connected to his bathroom opened, and a person entirely dressed in black, wearing a heavy boot and leather gloves, entered the room, walking silently to Fernand's bed. The person stopped and observed Fernand's deep sleep, assessing whether he was at risk of waking up.