Mystic - EN version

Chapter 21 : Fears

Noah lay on the grass under the Eternal Tree, gazing up at the billions of bright stars that peeked through the silent night. Only the song of the locusts echoed around him. As he did every night, the only place he could fall asleep was here, in the middle of nature, where he felt most at home.

On second thought, no, not exactly. He felt good with Clave, too. Clave was his first real friend, with whom he could talk without a filter, without fear, even if she sometimes seemed uncomfortable with him. No doubt it was because the sight of Arthur's son reminded the young girl of what the Duke had done to her... At this thought, Noah's face clouded over with sadness. When he thought of what Clave had been through, he thought inexorably of what he himself had been through, following the death of his mother, Cerise Silverwood.

"That's in the past, Noah. Forget about that. The present is more important... What's done is done," he said to himself, as he did every time his thoughts returned to that story.

Clave couldn't sleep. She got out of bed slowly, trying not to make the polished wooden floor creak. She picked up her cloak, which was lying on her desk beside her bed, and slipped it on over her little white nightie, which was not warm at all.

She left the room and went downstairs. She left the mansion and went out into the night. The moon lit her way. All around her, fireflies twirled, dancing between the lily flowers growing on the grass. The young girl wandered for a long time along the little hidden paths in the garden surrounding Griselda's mansion.

Getting out into the fresh air was good for her and drove away her thoughts full of doubt and unanswered questions.

Noah could see the silhouette of his friend not far away, but he did nothing to show her that he was there. He'd been crying without meaning to, and he didn't want Clave to see him like that and feel sorry for him. He buried his head between his crossed arms in his lap and closed his eyes.

A voice calling his name startled him. The voice belonged to Clave, who, before Noah could make a move, was already sitting down next to him.

– Is everything all right? the young girl asked her friend.

Noah didn't reply. The young girl glanced at him in surprise. He was usually more talkative than that.

– You can't sleep either? she murmured.

She looked up at the scarlet leaves of the Eternal Tree, thoughtful and worried.

– You know, Noah, she began, I've been having visions for a few days now. In my dreams, I see people, I hear voices, but they're unfamiliar to me. I think I'm seeing the past, but I can't get my memory back. I can't remember who I was before the royal family put me to sleep...

Noah lifted his head and turned to his friend, now perfectly attentive.

– I'm afraid of these visions, admitted Clave. I see war, I see blood and death... It scares me. I see people suffering, and I can't help them!

She fell silent, an overflow of emotion stuck in her throat.

– I'm scared too. I'm afraid my father will hurt you.

His body shuddered in fear as he said the words 'my father', and yet Noah had said it naturally, simply because he knew he couldn't reject the link between him and Arthur.

– Except that he's my father, and despite everything he's done to me, everything he's done to you, I can't help loving him... And I hate myself, I hate myself so much for that!

Tears began to roll down his cheeks again. He turned his back to Clave so that she wouldn't see him, but she stopped him and held his shoulders to force him to look into her eyes.

– It's all right to cry, she said. I'm not going to make fun of you. No one will blame you for letting go, just once. It's all right..., she repeated.

And with that, she gave him a consoling hug and held him in a soothing silence.