The Aftershock ~ Plague Tale Innocence ~ Amicia/Lucas

Adulthood

She had not returned. 

Night had fallen, yet she had not returned. 

The creaky wooden tiles moaned under his constant pacing until he would stop momentarily to gaze out the window that offered the view into the dense forest. The darkness that surrounded their small cottage no longer frightened him, but to know that someone he cared for was out in that darkness sent ripples of fear in his heart. 

The last time he had experienced true fear was when they had all fought against the Inquisition and the sight of death and rats encompassed him from every side. Still, the knowledge of having the wielder of the Prima Macula and the courageous eldest de Rune on his side comforted him. From that day on, he had made a vow to return the favour. He would protect them as they had protected him once. 

"LUCAS!" A voice boomed from the hallway making him pivot on his heels with his heart hammering in his throat. The youngest de Rune stood peeking from the door, a grin on his face and a cat squirming in his arms. "Look what I found, Lucas! A cat!" 

The elder boy had always held a soft corner in his heart for cats, but at this present moment he found it difficult to be excited. "Very well, Hugo. Maybe its presence will keep the rats away for good." 

Hugo looked conflicted. "Really? But I like the rats. They have saved us so many times . . ." He whispered the last part quietly, his fingers twitching by his side as if he longed to use his power to draw the colony out again. 

Sympathy emerged in Lucas' heart for the boy. He had seen his struggles with loneliness and isolation - both from the community and sometimes from his own family. It was no surprise that he had found comfort in the very creatures that completely embraced him without any reservations. 

"Maybe I was wrong, eh? One small cat can't possibly hope to match the strength of your friends, Hugo. The cat can stay." 

"Yay!" Hugo grinned, before looking hurriedly towards the end of the hallway. "I nearly forgot! Mother must be asleep!" The term he had once used to address his mother had evolved with him and Lucas found this little information humorous every time Amicia found the need to tease Hugo with it. 

Everyone had evolved, except her. 

***

The sun was already out when a tired Amicia de Rune stepped inside the cottage dragging behind a bag full of herbs with her. The smell of mint, rosemary and other special herbs had completely surrounded the cottage in a few moments and it was then that Lucas rushed out of his room, his face equally tired as hers. 

"Amicia!" 

She looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and surprise - as if she had not expected him to be waiting for her. Mother would sleep into the late hours of the day due to her deteriorating health and Hugo, too would wake up late after going to bed late. But Lucas never slept in. He always had something to do. 

She smiled at the thought. "Lucas. Up early again as usual. I can always trust you to keep this cottage up and running." 

His tired face looked worried. "You were gone for the whole night." 

She shrugged as if it did not matter. "Yes. I searched all afternoon for the herb you mentioned. Finally, I came across it growing near a small cavern, but it was too deep. I had to build a platform so I could reach it."

At her words, his eyes ran down her dishevelled appearance and finally noticed a tight bandage wrapped around her knee with a small patch of blood. His eyes and the fear in his heart grew at the sight and he stepped close to her to inspect the wound. 

"Amicia . . ." 

She laughed awkwardly, a muddy hand rubbing her loose plait in mild embarrassment. "You know I was never good at the art of healing." 

He nodded seriously. "Yes. I suppose that's where I come in." 

She smiled fondly, letting him pull the hastily strapped bandages off and then replace them with clean fresh bandages. Then, remembering the reason why she had stepped out for the herbs, she turned to meet his hazel eyes gravely. 

"Any improvement?" 

"I-" A guilty shadow dulled his eyes as he looked away. "None. I am sorry, Amicia."

A strangled sigh escaped her and then she stood to move closer to the fireplace. The new information had created a cold fog of tension and she involuntarily shivered. This herb that she had endlessly searched for was her last hope. 

"I - I don't know what else to do." She whispered, broken. "Losing mother once . . . before was hard. To see her leave me again - I - I am so scared. Hugo . . ." 

He cleared his throat to clear the lump of grief that had grown at her anguished voice. "It's not over yet, Amicia. This herb will surely work - I believe it. As for Lady de Rune, you need to believe in her too." 

His words felt like a blanket of warmth wrapped around her and she stalked over to where he stood. Over the years, they both had grown taller, but he had surpassed her height by a few inches. Yet the physical changes mattered very little to her for he was the same boy who had risked his own life to protect hers and Hugo's. 

Wrapping her arms around him tightly, she whispered the gratitude she had felt towards him sincerely. 

"Thank you, Lucas. For everything. For always."