Vain

25. Return

"Are you two done packing yet?" Her mother yelled from downstairs, trying to catch the attention of the two children still lingering upstairs in their rooms.

Aileene stared at the faded book in her hand, her eyes blank and lost in thought for a moment, before sighing softly when she heard her mother's voice. She quickly shoved the hardcover book into her luggage and closed the suitcase, hurrying downstairs.

When she was out of her room and rushing down the stairs, another decided to join her, rushing to catch up to her quick steps. "Aileene, I have something to tell you," Dmitri said between short breaths of air as he held onto his own luggage and speed walked beside Aileene.

"Tell me in the carriage," Aileene responded with a small smile on her face, as she handed her own luggage off to a servant to put in the trunk. Dmitri did the same and the two of them step out of the mansion, to get onto the carriage waiting for them.

It had been two weeks since the time that Aileene had rescue Dmitri and since then they had gotten a lot closer. She found that despite him being 3 years younger than her, he was smart and a quick learner. And he has also gotten less shy by the day, treating her as a bigger sister to him and at times being he could be a bit clingy. But she really didn't mind it at all, afterall she hadn't gotten a younger sibling to be around with all her life so it was adorable that he trusted her so much.

"Have you ever been to the capital before?" Aileene asked the boy beside her, as she turned away from the window and looked to him curiously. Though they had gotten much closer, she still didn't know about him or his past and she didn't want to ask much unless he wanted to tell her more. She was curious, but she couldn't risk hurting their blossoming friendship.

"Well, yes. I used to live in the capital actually." Dmitri answered slowly, a sad undertone could be heard through his voice as he looked down at his lap, trying to not meet anyone's eyes.

"If it's something you don't want about, we don't have to talk about it," Aileene replied softly, gently patting the boy's head comforting him. A light smile accompanying her kind gesture. Though this move only seems to make Dmitri more anxious and she could see the guilt in his eyes, awkwardly glancing away from her.

"Three years ago, a noble family with a long lineage of history by the name of Rowan was investigated and exposed to have been hoarding tax money from the citizens. Thus, shortly thereafter their position and wealth were confiscated and they were exiled." Dmitri's expression turned solemn and he spoke dryly as if he was reading a line he had long before practiced. That being something a naive child wouldn't know to say, but Aileene could see that he knew what he was saying.

There were maturity and pain in his eyes from the experiences that had led him to his point. And she was reminded that the child beside her had been surviving on his own for three years and no matter how much she had seen him as an innocent child before. She knew that life didn't run that way for people.

"The case had been suspicious, but the evidence couldn't be disproven." Her father sighed, breaking the lingering silence after Dmitri's speech. He closed his eyes, and she could tell that he was feeling regretful for the child that they had saved. Even if the Rowan weren't in their circle of friends or had they ever interacted with the family in the first place. Her parents were good people and she knew they couldn't simply sit still when injustices were happening in front of them. Three years ago there was an uproar of the event, her parents had tried to help, but evitable nothing was able to be done. So now that they have to sit face to face with the heir of the Rowan, this must be a guilty spot for them.

"My parents weren't able to escape death in their exile and I'm the only one remaining," Dmitri answered softly, turning his eyes downwards to his lap, as he continued fidgeting. Aileene couldn't help but also share in the guilt, sighing she turn to hug the child beside her.

❅

23.) Do you think Aileene has made the right decision to forgo her own happiness?

Answer:
Maybe she is right, maybe she is wrong. But it all depends on your opinion and how I see it, Aileene just wants to be a good person. She doesn't want anyone to be hurt, but that option will only hurt herself. And she isn't a saint, she has desires and wants, she isn't born selfless and she finds it hard in herself to always have to sacrifice for the happiness of others. But what other option does she have?

24.) Do you think age matters in term of maturity?