Harm and Harmony

-Chapter 66-

Day: 65

Days Left: 5415

Lives Saved: 0

Corinna opened her eyes, finding herself back at the house. Her head was resting on Harmony's lap, who sat in front of the fireplace. She gazed up at the chimaera, seeing that her fur had all grown back.

Harmony opened her mouth. It was clear that Corinna had not regained her hearing. She curled up, her legs squishing up against her chest. The chimaera tapped her shoulder and held up the whiteboard.

It read 'how are you feeling?'

Hesitating, Corinna replied, "I still have all my memories." She swallowed, feeling the words on her tongue yet not hearing them. "I'm sorry, Harmony..." Her throat closed up as she spoke. "It's all my fault, I-"

Harmony wrote down on the whiteboard that it wasn't, but Corinna ignored it and continued, "I barely got any food. And we had to retreat. And I... I lost your backpack."

'It was yours to keep' Harmony wrote.

Corinna turned her head and faced away from the chimaera, not wanting her to see her tears. She gazed at the fireplace, seeing the small imperfections of the structure that she had built. It was a good distraction and prevented her eyes from watering. She recalled back to earlier to the headless horseman. She remembered the horse's hooves trampling all over her, her body kicked and dragged across the ground. Her toes curled up, the skin turning pale white. She had heard of people dying after being trampled by a horse, she could have lost her memories. Her eyes glanced at the bookcase where her notebook was kept. For the first time, Corinna was glad that she had left it behind. If she had brought it with her, it would have been lost along with everything else in her backpack.

Her memories...

Her family...

They could have all disappeared today.

She returned her focus back to the fireplace. With her mind occupied by how she was going to improve it, Corinna soon fell asleep in the safety and comfort of Harmony.

Day: 70

Henry Best gritted his teeth and slowed his breathing. Every time he watched the footage, he found it more difficult to dampen his emotions. But now he had to show it on the big screen to a bunch of self-possessed nobles. He clutched onto his podium, hearing the audience cheer and laugh as Corinna Warren was pinned down by imps then trampled by the headless horseman. They continued to chatter over their drinks and canapé as Corinna dragged herself over to the food pile. Henry had to watch that part dozens of times during editing. He considered cutting it; however, by keeping the entire scene in, it could potentially gain some sympathy for his second-cousin. Unfortunately, the majority of the audience was more enthusiastic about the match between The Chimaera and The Fire Demon, then became disappointed by how short it was. However, Duke Hartell was particularly satisfied with The Chimaera rescuing the young woman.

The broadcast eventually finished, and the audience clapped in delight at another blood moon massacre. Henry turned on some light background music as the wealthy sponsors continued to talk with their neighbours about their favourite moments.

Sitting down in his chair, Henry smoothed back the hair from his face. He massaged his forehead, attempting to block out all of the noise, but he kept on picking up Corinna's name in everyone's conversations.

"It is a real shame about that Corinna girl," said Countess Mottershead, loud enough for Henry to obviously hear. She had once again lost a costume competition to Duchess Vipond and thus wanted to inflict misery upon someone else. "Oh, what was her last name again?"

Baron Sinclair shrugged. Though he knew the answer, he was not interested in humouring Mottershead.

"My dear Collingwood, you must know." The countess turned to her old friend.

Viscount Collingwood noticed the slight smile on the woman's face, realising what her aim was. "Ah, yes. I believe it was-"

"Warren!" Duchess Vipond clapped her hands together. "Corinna Warren!"

Mottershead and Collingwood's faces soured, both still bitter about losing to the young duchess for the third time in a row.

"Yes, that was the name." Countess Mottershead pursed her lips. "Warren. I've heard of that surname before... now, where was it?"

The viscount nodded. "I believe it is from-"

"The Warren-Earl-Best family!" Duchess Vipond chimed in once again, almost spilling her drink from her enthusiasm. "You know, my nanny, when I was a child, was from that family. She was called Mabel Best."

"Mabel Best?" Mottershead repeated, now smiling as the duchess was proving more useful than she thought. "Best... Best..." She gazed back at Henry. "No relation, I suppose?"

Henry swallowed, hesitant to answer. It was too late now as he had accidentally made eye-contact. "My mother," he replied, pretending to be scrolling something on the tablet on the podium.

"Aw!" Duchess Vipond beamed. "That must mean we're like brother and sister since she raised me!"

Biting his bottom lip, Henry ignored this comment in the most polite way possible, issuing a technician to make a status report on his headset.

"The Warren-Earl-Best family are well-known to work for the royal family and other nobles," said Countess Mottershead. "My family has also employed a few. They are of the utmost loyal servants we have ever had. Yet..." She glanced back at Henry. "Yet, I heard that some of them are traitors against The Crown."

"Ah, yes!" Vipond nodded, grinning not out of malice like Mottershead, but out of pride for her own knowledge. "That is why Corinna Warren is imprisoned in The Eternal Abyss."

Mottershead cooled herself with her decorative fan. "And I hear that the family is divided from this. They have split their house into two and are no longer speaking to each other." Her eyes darted back to Henry. "Is this true, Sector Head?"

Henry paused, calming himself before responding, "yes, My Lady, that is true. Our family have been royalists for several generations. It will take time to truly forgive those who have committed treason and see their point of view. However, our family has always been strong and united. This dispute is only temporary and will eventually heal through communication and understanding."

Disgruntled, the defeated countess returned back to sipping her drink through gritted teeth. She had hoped for a better response, perhaps even to break him but he proved to a be calm and composed disappointment.

For the rest of the evening, those who remained requested scenes from the broadcast to rewatch. In a last attempt to inflict pain, Mottershead suggested the part when Corinna was begging for The Chimaera to save her and then to be trampled by the headless horseman. However, Henry remained ever vigilant to not expose how much it hurt to see his beloved second-cousin like this.