Intertwined fate

Chapter 15

"Theodore, are you alright?" Reid gently pats Theodore's shoulder. "The mansion is right ahead." Interrupting his flow of thoughts, Theodore smiled coyly. Not until Reid mentioned Theodore did they realize they had arrived "home." Undeniably, he has lost track since that night. Is it because the long journey has drained every drop of his energy or because Reid's story was too impactful? All he knows is that his body is just functioning on its own, following Reid and Alderic in ponderous steps. Alderic, who usually can't shut his mouth tight, seems to be strangely quiet on the way back. The distance between the two was also in unnatural manner. Perhaps, that's just his imagination...

The sight of the mansion glimmering under the trees. The same brown bricks are hidden behind layers of ivy, along with those same, stained windows, the same usual place Theodore has known for years of his life. Seeing it from afar like this, Theodore never realized how much he missed it. Is this homesick? When the trio gets closer, Theodore can see a few nurses going around the yard. Nervousness can't be more obvious in the way they act. Yet, a red-haired girl immediately notices their presence. To his surprise, she acts fairly calmer than the others when realizing they finally come home. In the very last image, the forest is already behind their back.

"Long time no see, Cecilia. I have brought them back." Reid casually waves at Cecil as if nothing had happened. The moment her eyes see Theodore, the pile of papers in her hands immediately falls to the ground. She can't seem to believe what she just saw, even after rubbing her eyes a few times. "Cecil, I'm back." The next thing he knows, she has fallen into a tight hug. The little hands clutch his coat as if afraid he will vanish if she lets go. Cecil mumbled under the thick coat, "Theodore...." He gently caresses her hair, assuring the trembling girl. The silkiness of her hair soothes his heart. Soon, waves of people come at Theodore and rush into his arms. They can't stop the tears, surrounding Theodore in a big circle. Now witnessing what is normally hidden, indeed the familiar image of a family. A home he always belonged to.

A pleasant warmth welled up inside Theodore, and a sincere smile formed.

Luke, with a creel behind his back, appears behind rows of trees. He can't hide his elation upon noticing Alderic and Theodore. "Alderic, glad to see you back, comrade," Luke flashes a fresh grin. Nonetheless, Alderic remains neutral, much to his expectations. "Alright, I've lost," he sighs, his arms crossed, his emerald eyes piercing him sharply, "but I don't allow the lips touching thing." He unconsciously darts at Theodore, then fixes on Alderic, turning pale. "You don't have to mention that, I have no intention."

"Luke, what a delight to see you.", Theodore greets the man. "As I am, Doctor," Luke says, pointing to the creel, "and I just happened to catch some fish for our dinner."

The mansion is soon full of noise and laughter as they prepare a party to celebrate the safe return of their beloved doctor. The giggles, and the preparation, have created such a homey feeling. Reid was, as usual, relaxing in his favorite spot on the cedar tree. Closing his eyes, memories of the past unfold once again, beholding the sight of a family. He used to be scared to sleep, afraid those nightmares would knock at his door, afraid to face the chains of debt that confined him to slavery. Yet somehow, at this moment, he feels unexpectedly easeful, like a calm ocean gently washing away the sorrows. Is this the power of time, or will he soon have to accept reality? Reid can't decide. His memories, without explanations, traverse to the images of Alderic. A cool night breeze blew away the leaves, whispering the song of the night. Alderic...that man... How many secrets does he hide? From afar, he can see the sight of Luke cutting the fish into pieces in annoyance while Alderic teases around him as usual. Not sure what Alderic has mentioned, but Luke gives Cecil a glance in embarrassment, then immediately runs after Alderic with the fish still in his hand around the mansion. Alderic screams so wildly that even Reid, who is fairly far away, can hear. Theodore and Lily are pleasantly chatting while cooking, and there is Cecil, covered in tears as she is trying to cut the onions. Not soon after, her scream blended with Alderic's as she realized she had burned something in the oven. The delightful scene at the start has devolved into pure chaos, and Reid certainly can't help but chuckle, "This is more like the mansion I know."

Soon the dinner is ready. To spice up the atmosphere, they moved the table outside the backyard. The table was piled high with delectable plates of various foods, and among them was one that was significantly darker in color and covered in smoke, and everyone knew which chef did it. In no time, everyone gathered around the table in joy. Alderic is surely exhausted from the journey of being chased as he cleans up the plates at light speed. Luke, on the other side, skillfully slices the lamb and divides it into different proportions. Lily decides to join the party, hands in hand with others. While the group danced around gracefully, Reid, even though he rarely chimed in, quietly enjoyed his meal and chatted with Theodore.

Under the dim light, the sight of the girls dancing around with their angelic voices is indeed one of a kind. Their laughter mixed with the folk songs created a melodic atmosphere in the mansion. Cecil only dares to gently sway to the music, humming along with the melody. After all, what's hidden behind a strong appearance is a shy girl. Though she can't stay there for too long since Lily already holds her hands with a smile and says, " Come and join us, Cecil, it will be fun." Before she can say anything, other girls, as if they are only awaiting Lily's signal, mischievously drag Cecil into their dance. It could be that the power of music has eased away all the afflictions, and the hesitant look is soon replaced by an impartial smile on her face. The crimson curls danced on her back, highlighting her bright skin. The cheerfulness in their laughter called for attention, and in that short period of time, his eyes met hers. Luke can't take his gaze away from her innocent, gentle smile, as if it has cast a spell on him. Those green eyes tinged with forest, in a second, softly lay on him. All it takes is a second to capture his soul. The sight of her elegant dance and the soothing sound of her laugh lured him into this hazy realm. Like a fairy, the child of the forest welcomes the wandering hunter on his lost path. Noticing he has lost himself, Luke awkwardly excuses himself from the table, the redness in his ears can be seen.

Then, a braided-hair girl appears out of the blue, struggling to carry a star viewfinder. She is dressed in a long blue gown with glitter and flowers in her hair. The girl passed by the table, her silver eyes catching Alderic's attention.

"Greetings, I am Alderic Goldberg, a guest of this mansion. May I know your name?", Alderic approaches her in a friendly manner. She is hesitant for a second, her silver eyes rolling around in nervousness. "I know who you are, more than you have known." She sighs, "I don't think I should give you my name...It would bring you misfortune..." Alderic falls into astonishment as he realizes those silver eyes of hers, hidden behind the shyness, are the world he could never acknowledge as if she can see through his soul. Just like a particular person...

"My apologies are upon her," Lily's voice awakened Alderic, "This is Sheritre Wenennefer, she is a star reader, so please forgive her if she says something not meant to be said." Lily bows at Alderic and then helps Sheritre with her things, both of them soon disappear behind the walls.

Sheritre Wenennefer...Wenennefer...I wonder what the stars have whispered to you...