Chapter 5
*** Trigger warning! In this chapter, There will be depiction of suicide, it's a bit heavy so think carefully before deciding if you want to read it or not. ***
Riftan looked back at the girl, her eyes twinkled with anticipation.
... Did you come here only to find me and give this?
He cautiously touched the flowers on the crown. At that moment, a loud shout came from the smithy's doorsteps.
"It's deadly hectic, yet what the fuck are you doing there!"
Frightened by the angry voice, the girl, who had hesitated for a while, turned around and ran into the forest. Riftan glared unpleasantly at the forge.
"... I'm just trying to bring more charcoal since we've ran out."
"Then hurry up and stop daydreaming!"
Riftan sighed and pushed the cart into the woods, following the direction where the girl ran to.
He had to see with his own eyes that the girl safely returned to the outbuilding, otherwise he would feel uneasy. He gazed anxiously at her who was running through the lush forest trees. Then, he looked down again at the flower crown which was hanging on the handle.
Did you make this for me?
He couldn't help but laugh at the thought of her weaving a flower crown with her small hands. His fatigue was forgotten as he pushed the cart vigorously with light steps.
After confirming that the girl had safely returned to the outbuilding, he went back to the smithy where he saw blacksmiths busily hammering. One of them looked at him furiously, like telling him to hurry up and do his chores, and Riftan swallowed a sigh.
He yearned to go home and put the flower crown in a safe place, but there was still a lot of time left before the work in the smithy would end. Riftan hid the gift in the warehouse instead, then walked back to the furnaces and began fanning them with the bellows. Finally, when it was time to go back home after finishing the day's work, his whole body was drenched in sweat.
He washed his face roughly with the water from the trough and went to the warehouse to retrieve the flower crown. After half a day, the flowers had withered a little. Looking at it with regret, he escaped the smithy and carefully held it with one hand to avoid damaging the petals.
Passing through the sunset-colored forest, he went to the back of the outbuilding where a garden full of summer flower unfolded before his eyes. However, the little girl was nowhere to be seen. She may have been scolded for secretly wandering alone.
Riftan looked at the spot where she often sat alone and reached into his clothes, pulling out the horseshoe crown he made. He thought of leaving it there for her to find, but it was still too shabby. Riftan, who touched the dull iron ring with his fingertips, took it back in his hands.
If I buy a few small beads from the village and decorate the crown with it, it will be more worthy to look at.
He quickly walked past the outbuilding and out of the castle gates. Even though he had a busier day than usual, he felt like he was flying. He went down the hill carefully, to prevent even a single petal from falling because of the breeze.
Their hut was quiet as a dead mouse, his mother was probably waiting on the hill again today. His mother, who always climbed up the hill, either stared at a distance or pretended not to know him. Riftan swallowed a bitter sigh as he looked at their chimney, where not a single puff of smoke rose. Thinking about the cold, uncomfortable stillness in the house made his chest feel tight.
