Lingering memories

It’s been five days since my lady disappeared in the shadows. Ever since then a freezing cold silence has befallen the Vermonde Dukedom. The young lady Mirabelle, just like the butler, head maid and all the knights and attendants have woken up three days ago. However our return couldn’t be celebrated. The Captain turned the whole place upside down. He went crazy, didn’t bat an eye and stayed up all night in search of young lady Sherya. But we couldn’t find any clues. We couldn’t figure out who that mysterious man was and what type of ability he used. A shadow? Dark magic? There are no longer any records that could give us a lead. I worry about the Captain that is on the brink of a collapse and the young lady that was forced to stay with that intruder.

My lady please stay safe! You would be saddened to see Teiran like this right? Even I, who is his childhood friend, don't know what to tell him. I have never seen him in such a despair, he doesn’t talk to anyone, what should we do my lady? I pray for your safe return. We will son anything possible to find you.

“Is my brother still copped up in his room?”

“Mira!”

“Hi there Luca, it’s been a while. Dalton told me what happened. He and Carina are trying to create a potion that could detect the young lady’s whereabouts. I can’t believe they took my sister away before I could even get to know her! These freaks, if I catch them I will beat them up until they are bruised blue and green!”

“You never change Mira do you? Although you haven’t even met young lady Sherya you are already treating her like family.”

“Of course! Not only is she my brother’s fiance but also…”

“The first girl who wouldn’t judge you?”

“Luca!” She blushed.

“I know you would definitely get along. My lady is said to be a devil, a demon and a villainess however these rumors of her ruthlessness and hatred are certainly not true. You, as someone who also has problems getting along with the young ladies in the empire, must have felt a certain kinship even before meeting her.”

“I do! And I won’t allow my brother to stay like a sullen rabbit! Instead of acting so recklessly he should at least eat something first!”

“I leave it to you then Mira!”

“Yes, leave it all to me!”

I watched as Mira stormed into the office of Teiran.

“I told you that nobody should disturb me!” Teiran yelled out.

“And I thought you would be wise enough to at least take some rest, you idiot of a brother!”, she exclaimed and struck him in the face.

The kindhearted Mirabelle known for her snow deer looks with long wavy dark hair, painted in the same golden highlights like her brother and blue eyes could also be a brutal ferocious rabbit. Especially against her brother.

“Mira? What are you doing here, shouldn't you rest more?”

“Look at the one speaking! You are basically at the brink of collapsing, do you think sister Sherya would enjoy seeing you like that!”

“Sherya… I have to find her, I promised her. That I would protect her! But look at me, I failed miserably again.” Teiran gritted his teeth. His hand broke a part of the desk he was standing at. He was furious and disappointed at himself, you could tell at a glance.

“Stop associating her with Mary, you couldn’t have stopped what happened back then!”

Of course Mira could tell that Teiran was still finding fault for that accident that happened five years ago. Has it been that long? The duke and duchess were poisoned and tragically passed away. There was only one prime suspect during that time, it was Mary. The young maid who just started working and served the dishes that day. Only she seemed to had the chance to poison those two, however while being accused she screamed out that she was innocent. No one believed and only after she got executed, the truth was revealed. It wasn’t her just like she begged for help and stated that she was innocent, the real killer was a knight. However it was too late to bring young Mary back to life. If we had investigated more instead of believing in the clues that lead to Mary we might have stopped an innocent life taken. Perhaps because lady Sherya’s situation reminded you of her, you didn’t want her to be called the killer, because you strongly believed that she was innocent. Yet with the lady’s disappearance an old wound has opened in your heart.

How cruel is this thing called life? My lady, please be alive. Please, we need you!

“I don’t associate her with Mary, it’s just I couldn’t hold her hand when she needed me the most! Can you imagine how anxious she must have been, being accused as a killer, always afraid something might happen to her and nervous that no one would believe in her yet she still she decided to trust me and I let her down! Mira, I couldn’t hold on to that hand! I couldn’t even reach it. It slipped away and disappeared right in front of me and all I could do was watch her being taken away.”

“I will make sure you will hold on to her hand! We will find her but please take care of yourself brother! You scare me! Please for my sake at least sit down and eat the soup the cooks prepared. Would you? Please!”

“It can’t be helped, I will sit down for just a little.”

“That’s right, wait let me help you sit down. Carefully. Luca, please bring the soup.”

“Already at it, there you go, miss!”

“Thank you!” She managed to say while seemingly trying to hide her tremors.

She helped her brother gulp down the soup who didn’t seem to have the energy to eat anything. Slowly he finished eating the soup. Finally, Captain! What would have happened if you continued like this! We all worry about you! If this continues you will probably collapse soon. Don’t give up on yourself, if you go down than we won’t be able to find my lady.

“Emergency, emergency!” someone yelled out from a distance.

“What happened again? If it's not about the young lady, it’s the wrong time!” I told him off.

“We-we-we” the knight stuttered.

“What, did you find something?” I questioned.

“Y-you have to come out to the garden at the entrance, Carina Evergarde, she and Dalton found something!”

“What would that be?” Teiran hissed tiredly standing at the door.

“There is a little fairy Sir, I couldn’t believe my eyes!”

“Fairy?” Mirabelle wondered. Fairies didn’t exist in this world. Why would a fairy be at our duchy?

“That fairy insists that she can find lady Sherya!”