CHAPTER III
Knock, knock, knock.
Eizen rapped on the white wooden door of Lailah's apartment. A golden set of characters reading "5C" contrasted the stark white of the door and told him he was at the correct residence. As stated previously, Loegres was a town where everyone knew everyone. And consequently, that meant everyone knew where everyone lived; or at least had a strong hunch as to where it was.
Palms slightly sweaty, the professor was anxious at the thought of what her reaction may be when she saw him on her doorstep. Would she greet him with a smile? Would she be shocked? Or would she – heaven forbid – find his presence at her home unwelcoming? Although these questions and doubts plagued his mind, he also couldn't help but feel excitement at the thought of seeing her in a setting outside of their usual meetings.
It was Saturday morning. The last time he had seen her was that rainy Thursday night, that same night in which she ended up falling asleep talking to him on the phone. At the time, Eizen had thought she was simply worn out from a long day at work. But as it turns out, when she didn't show up to work and had instead left Eleanor Hume, her teacher-in-training, in charge the following day, it came to light that her fatigue was due to illness.
He had thought it odd that the day prior she wasn't there to greet the children. In the months he had known her, he couldn't recall a day in which she was absent from her spot at the entrance. But he brushed it off and proceeded to head to work. With the day being Friday, and his students anxious to enjoy their weekend, he had no plans to stay over hours and thus had no reason to contact Lailah. It wasn't until he had picked Edna up and returned home that he realized his little sister was quieter than usual.
"Something the matter, Edna?" He had asked as he was in the midst of preparing dinner for the two of them. She often sought solitude in her room whenever she noticed Eizen was busy in the kitchen or holed up in his office. As young as she was, she was oddly mature and knew when not to disturb or interrupt her brother – not that he would have ever minded anyhow if she were to interrupt him. So to see her in the dining room waiting for him, he knew something was on her mind.
After setting the stove heat to low and allowing the stew to safely simmer away, he settled down in the chair beside her. She was fiddling with something in her hands, a sign that she was uncharacteristically nervous. "Do you have something you want to show me?" Eizen asked. He figured it was another drawing she had made at daycare that she wanted to show him. Although, if that were the case, he figured she would have left it on the table as she had done with the other previous drawings and projects she had made.
At her brother's prompting, her little hands eventually pulled themselves out from beneath the dinner table and revealed a piece of paper folded in two. "What's this?" Eizen murmured as he tried to peer around her fingers to see what kind of crayon pictures were drawn on the surface. He could distinguish a big heart on the cover. As was typical with children's art, everything had to have a face and this heart was no exception. But along with a face, her drawing was also sporting a nurse's cap and equipped with a syringe. And a big one at that.
Before Eizen could comprehend the purpose of the card or why she was being so sneaky about it, Edna said, in her quiet, monotone voice, "I made it for Miss Lailah. She was sick today."
"Sick?" Eizen repeated. Suddenly her lack of appearances today made sense. And just as suddenly as he connected the dots, he immediately felt guilty. Was it because he had made her walk home in the rain last night that made her catch cold? And why hadn't he even called her to check up on her? Sure, it wasn't as if they were all chummy and were calling each other on a daily basis to ask about one another's day; the previous night was actually the first moment in which their phone calls were not business related, but the professor couldn't help but feel that he should have acted when he noticed her presence missing at the daycare that morning.
Edna took the card back to her lap so he couldn't continue to observe it and peered up at him with her big blue eyes. "I want to give it to her." She stated.
"That's kind of you, Edna," Eizen replied. "I'm sure Miss Lailah will be happy to get it."
"Can we… give it to her tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" Eizen repeated. "Edna, tomorrow is Saturday."
She didn't waver as she continued to stare up at him, a telltale sign that she was well aware what day it was going to be. And if Edna wasn't going to let up, Eizen for sure wasn't going to win any battles; as if he could ever say no to his sister. He rubbed the back of his neck before rising to his feet. "I'll go give her a call," he murmured as he walked out of the room to hunt for his phone.
And that's how Eizen found himself on Lailah's welcome mat this Saturday morning. After an evening phone call to the daycare teacher, Lailah seemed more than happy to have the duo over. However, now that he was actually at her apartment, he couldn't help but wonder if her happiness was feigned. He wouldn't have blamed her in the slightest if she wanted to spend the weekend in peace and quiet. But now it seemed they were interrupting her plans by having her entertain guests and while she was recovering from a cold no less.
After a few more seconds of silence, noises could be heard on the other side of the door. It was gentle shuffling, a common noise to hear when the house occupant was moving about. It stopped for a brief moment and then Eizen could hear the lock mechanism click just before the door opened and a familiar peered out from the opening.
Her hair was down and framed her slender face which at the moment bore minimal makeup. However, Eizen would be a fool to say that she looked less attractive because of it. Quite the contrary. Her made-up face suited her motherly, mature side she displayed at work. While the look she bore now made her appear youthful and accentuated her teasing side. However she decided to do her makeup, Eizen found he would appreciate her beauty no matter which way. Looking at her now, had he not known any better, he wouldn't have guessed she was feeling under the weather. She still looked beautiful to him.
"Hello," she greeted, fully opening the doorway so that it was wide enough for the two to enter. When she did this, her outfit was revealed which Eizen also took the opportunity to glance over. Her long legs were covered in a simple pair of black cotton leggings and on her top, she wore a loose-fitting long sleeve shirt. Her upper body was so petite, the shirt tended to slip off one of her arms, exposing not only the strap of her camisole underneath but the tip of her shoulder and collarbones. Eizen wasn't one for female fashion, but with how good a simple over-sized shirt made Lailah looked, he wondered if the look was intentional. "Come on in," Lailah proceeded to say, a lovely smile planted on her pink lips.
Edna led the way with her big brother following right behind. As Lailah began to shut the door, Edna began the process of slipping off her pink sneakers. Lailah bent down to help her and when one sneaker was off, she was able to see the choice of sock Edna had decided to don today. "What cute socks Edna," Lailah commented as she eyeballed the simple white sock with lace trimming, "Did you pick them out yourself?"
Edna nodded as she placed a hand on Lailah's shoulder to help steady herself.
"Wow, you have good taste," Lailah responded as she proceeded to help her with her other shoe.
While they were on the topic of shoes and socks, Eizen couldn't help but notice that Lailah's feet were bare, not that it was anything out-of-the-ordinary considering that she was at home. He didn't have a creepy foot fetish or anything of the sort, but he found himself in awe of how this woman could make him find even her feet appealing. They were long and slender and her toes were painted white to match with her manicure.
When all shoes were slipped off and placed neatly at the doorway entrance, Edna ran off to the coffee table and sofas a little distance away from the entrance to begin laying out all the supplies she had stuffed into her backpack last night. Lailah's classic sense of style seemed to reflect not only in her fashion but also in her interior design. Her sofas were a soft white and the low table before them was made of a clear glass sitting upon gold legs. Along her walls were also gold accented paintings to lighten and compliment the small flat. Eizen pondered on whether the paintings bore any value or were merely thrifted and she had taken a liking to them.
"Thank you, Lailah," Eizen said just out of earshot of his sister, "for having us over like this when you're not feeling well." Although she didn't appear unwell in her physical appearance, he noticed her movements were more sluggish than usual and he wouldn't doubt if she was hiding a fever from the two of them. "I'm sorry to have kept you so late that night."
Lailah's hands went to her hips as she immediately passed him a pout which he was sure made him blush. "Eizen," she began in a lecturing tone, a tone Eizen was sure she used on ill-behaved kids, "I'm surrounded by sticky, bug-collecting, mud-eating children every day." Various images passed through Eizen's mind as he imagined whose bizarre children suited these categories. He couldn't deny that he was now slightly worried about putting Edna in a room full of amoebas like the ones Lailah was listing. Her look softened as she lowered her stance. "I doubt a short walk in the rain would be the main culprit in this case. And even if it was, I would do it all over again so long as I knew Edna was being taken care of. So, I don't want to hear you apologize for anything silly like that again."
Eizen rubbed the back of his head at a loss of words to say to the silver-haired beauty before him. He could only think of saying "sorry" again, but he figured that wouldn't be the best choice of words seeing as how that's what earned him his light scolding to begin with. It wasn't often he found himself on the receiving end of a lecture. And as Lailah continued to stare up at him, he definitely couldn't concentrate on what words to say next – not when those eyes, a light green like a tropical sea, were gazing at him.
Instead, Lailah broke the silence as she finally took note of the leather briefcase in his hand. It was the one she was accustomed to seeing him carry whenever he was coming to and from work. Whenever he was dropping his sister off or picking her up, that handcrafted suitcase was his accessory that never left his side. She figured it held important work documents. Odd though that he would be carrying it to her house on a weekend. "Do you have some work to catch up on, Eizen?"
As it was the season of finals, Eizen's workload was usually pushed into the weekends. It was another reason he was so willing to ask Lailah if she would have them over today. With him being caught up in his work, Edna would usually end up spending her weekends alone in her room. Sometimes Kamoana would show up on his doorstep and ask for a playmate but from rumors he had previously heard, this weekend Dyle had taken them out boating on a nearby lake.
He didn't want Edna to waste away in her room alone on a weekend. And seeing her so happy with Lailah, he couldn't find enough reasons to deny her request. It wasn't intentional, but he did feel slightly guilty in that he seemed to be using Lailah as a 24/7 babysitter even as she was sick. Before he could explain his work situation, Lailah's gentle smile returned and she whispered, "You can set up office in my room if you would like." She didn't wait for a response as she began to lead him to her bedroom.
Immediately the light scent of fresh powder hit Eizen's nose as Lailah opened the door. It wasn't an overpowering fragrance in the slightest and not the least bit noxious as some other women's perfume seemed to take on. Odd as it seemed, the scent suited the daycare teacher. If one were to look at her and take a gander as to what perfume she bore, Eizen wouldn't doubt that a multitude of people would guess this light powdery scent was her choice. And it was of no surprise to him either how well her bedroom equally suited her personality.
Pure white was her bedsheet. And just like the rest of the furniture in her house, also white with gold accents here and there. Minimal and modern. Despite the stereotype that all women were shopaholics, her closet, although small, was able to contain all of her clothes with room to spare. "Will this be okay?" Lailah asked him as she was clearing out her vanity countertop. "I got rid of my office desk when I moved here and I still haven't replaced it."
"This should be more than enough, Lailah," Eizen assured her. He would have been more than fine if he was forced to work on the floor, especially since they were guests in her humble home.
Lailah moved to the doorway as he went about laying out his work materials. From behind, his simple actions mirrored those of his sister's when she was emptying her backpack. She couldn't help but smile at her little discovery. "I'm going to let you get to work. If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen. Edna and I were thinking of making some cookies today."
Eizen smiled back at her, "I appreciate you, Lailah. For everything."
XxxxxxxxxxxX
It didn't take long for Eizen to go into his usual trance. When he was absorbed in completing a task, he became very incognizant to the world around him and a very few things could disrupt him when he was in this state. It was as if he were in his own little bubble where time and space didn't exist. It was just him and his gradually diminishing pile of paperwork that existed. Only seven – no, six – essays left… He thought to himself as he examined the last of what remained.
Just as he grabbed the next essay to read over, his phone began vibrating, rattling the vanity beneath with it. In an instant, that imaginary bubble that had formed around him burst and he was back in Lailah's room where time was present. He looked over at who was calling him and wasted no time in answering when he spotted the name reflected on the screen.
"Mayvin?"
A long sigh echoed from the other end before the voice of an elderly man chuckled back, "No 'hello' or 'how are you' as usual."
Eizen smirked. "It's not often you call. And when you do, you always just want to jump straight to the point. Just doing you a favor."
The man on the other end was none other than a fellow archaeologist, Mayvin – uncle to the local librarian, Magillanica Lou. Eizen had always considered himself an enthusiast when it came to artwork and relics, but when he met Mayvin, he came to realize he couldn't hold a candle to Mayvin's passion. But it was because of this old man that Eizen himself became so renowned in the architect field.
The few expeditions he was able to carry out was because Mayvin had invited the young enthusiast to come along. And along the way, he had taught Eizen what to seek and how to decipher when excavating these precious ruins. And although he played as big a role as Eizen had on these expeditions, he refused to take any credit – preferring to stay away from the spotlight.
"My job is to tell the story of these lost, forgotten people, nothing more." Were his words to Eizen five years ago. It as his mantra – his reason as to why he enjoyed doing what he did as a living.
"So what's this about," Eizen resumed, imagining the older man on the other end. He was probably decked out in dusty clothes, probably ridden with a hole here and there but nonetheless comfortable in his modest lodging. He had the funds to have afforded a bigger home, but as he was always up and about, he had once stated that there was no need for such a glamorous place when he would hardly ever be able to enjoy it.
"I'm sure you know by now, Eizen, what my calls are usually about." There was a pause from Eizen's end which told Mayvin that his pupil knew all too well where this conversation was going to lead. "A team of researchers returned from the Asras Sea a few days ago. Their return was delayed and before I can ask why, Benwick was handing me his map." Mayvin shifted his eyes downward to lay his eyes on said map and placed his index finger upon a circle that was drawn on it. "They came across an island, unmarked on any atlas, map, and globe," he proceeded to say, awe filling his voice, "It was a small island – took no more than an hour to walk the perimeter. But at the center of this island was a strange structure that dominated the majority of the island. 'Like the remains of an old arena,' is what Benwick told me."
Eizen could begin to picture the island now and gulped. His sense of adventure was awakening and Mayvin knew. "You know what I'm going to ask you now, Eizen," he whispered.
"I do," Eizen responded, releasing the breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding in. The images he had conjured up in his mind were tempting. The relics and remains touched only by the sands of time, the why's and how's of the existence of such a structure, and the history its walls had witnessed. These all beckoned to him. However, no matter how tempting, the image of one little girl's face was all it took to shatter the images. "But I'm going to decline," he concluded.
Mayvin hummed and interlocked his fingers before shifting his gaze to an image on the side of his desk. It was a family photo picturing six individuals. A closer look would reveal a younger image of Mayvin himself as one of those individuals. "Because of your sister?" He asked.
"Yeah," Eizen replied, leaning back in Lailah's chair. "I wouldn't have anyone to take care of her while I'm away." A typical expedition usually took a good week. But for the case of this mysterious island – supposedly untouched and unmarked by modern hands – a minimum of two weeks to scratch the surface. And it wouldn't be proper for an archaeologist to begin unearthing a ruin only to go absent and leave the rest in others' hands. If he wanted to see this project through to the end, it would involve consistent absences for weeks at a time through a course of a year. That was time he couldn't afford.
Mayvin remained silent on the other end for a good while. Eizen suspected it was because he was most likely disappointed with the response he was given. Of course, Mayvin understood the circumstances and reasoning behind Eizen's answer. But he couldn't help but also feel upset at watching such a grand opportunity slip away from his pupil. It was equivalent to watching a star athlete fail to qualify for a team because they were sick on the day of tryouts.
"I suspected as much," Mayvin finally responded, a weak smile on his weathered face as he continued to gaze at the photo on his desk. "Family is irreplaceable." Living in solitude, loneliness became his roommate whom he had gradually become accustomed to. It was a lifestyle he chose, a choice he made knowing the consequences that would follow suit. But because of his isolation, the constant reminder of how important these people pictured in his photo were, echoed in his mind day in and day out. Sorrow and regret hitched a ride on his shoulders every day.
His eyes landed on the lone woman in the photo. She had long blonde hair and green eyes similar to his own. She was smiling with her mouth wide open as she happily showed off her baby to the photographer. Even though it was only a picture taken almost two decades ago, the young lady's smile was still just as contagious as it was in person and Mayvin gradually felt his own lips turning upward.
"Cherish every moment with your little sister. But also know, Eizen, that she wants you to be happy as well…"
When the phone call ended, Eizen was left alone in Lailah's room with his thoughts. It was no easy feat to decline Mayvin's offer to lead that expedition, but it was the most selfless option he had. He was practically a single father raising a toddler. Unfortunately, he couldn't just up and disappear on a whim. Besides, it wasn't as though he was dissatisfied with his life. Even though he wasn't able to go on excursions as he had done in his early twenties, he was content with his life.
He enjoyed what he did for a living and he was glad he had his sister by his side. He wouldn't consider himself wealthy, but he was able to afford what he wanted, pay the bills, and even throw some into his savings. He lived a drama-free, quiet life with his sister in their three-bedroom, two-bathroom house located just outside of Loegres' marketplace. Going over in his head the simple things he had been blessed with, Eizen found he had little to complain about. But even so, there were times where he did have an inkling that something was missing.
He leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes, realizing just now how strained they were from focusing on his paperwork and laptop screen. Now that his concentration had been interrupted thanks to Mayvin's phone call, the noises that he had once tuned out had returned. The gentle ticking of Lailah's alarm clock, the song of the birds outside, and even the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind were all audible once again. But it was the noise he heard emanating through the walls that attracted his attention the most.
They were the sounds of laughter and conversation mingling to create a gentle murmur. This sound was almost alien to Eizen as he was accustomed to his own silent house. On a regular day, he was often busy maintaining the house or catching up on work. The situation often left Edna alone in her room, occupying herself with her crafts or reading her latest book. Once in a while he would hear the television but those moments were rare as his sister wasn't a big fan of any shows as he assumed her other classmates were. He was never bothered by how quiet their household was. In fact, with their similar personalities, a silent atmosphere was rather pleasant. But, listening to their murmurs now, Eizen found this gentle noise…pleasing. He couldn't put it into words even with his wide vocabulary but this noise he was hearing, it was comforting. Like someone had draped a blanket over him.
Figuring that after three solid hours of non-stop work he was deserving of a break, Eizen decided to step away from his pile of incomplete work to rejoin the girls. The moment he pulled open the door of Lailah's bedroom, the sugary, sweet scent of cookies filled his nostrils. It was a scent he had familiarized with the holidays. During that time of year, it was as if every store in the market was either lighting cookie-scented candles or baking them. It was odd to him to be smelling it now when it was the middle of spring.
Upon entering the kitchen, he spotted the girls at the kitchen counter, hair tied up, aprons on, and a tray of what he believed to be white sugar cookies lying before them. Multiple jars and bowls of colored frosting were also spread around them.
He looked at Lailah and noticed she was pouting as she was glancing down at Edna's side of the counter. He oddly found her current look adoring. "No fair Edna," the teacher said, "How do yours look better than mine?"
Eizen saw a mischievous smirk cross his sister's lips as she gazed down proudly at her artwork she had put on her cookies. He lightly chuckled at the scene before him. "What's going on over here?" He inquired as he made his way over to them. Standing beside Lailah, he glanced over the cookies laid out before them; a variety of different frosting designs decorated over them. Although they were mere drawings made with piping bags and buttercream frosting, it was clear to Eizen whose cookies would sell better if placed in a bakery store. And sadly, he didn't doubt that Lailah was trying her hardest with her decorations. "I… bet they still taste good…" Eizen said lamely in Lailah's defense.
"Are you done with work, Eizen?" Lailah asked as she wiped pink frosting on her apron.
It was odd to Eizen that Lailah's apron harbored more stains and color than Edna's did. Considering that she was the adult, he had assumed that she would be neater. But in fact, there was even a trace of that same pink frosting sitting on her lower jaw whereas Edna remained neat and fairly clean despite how messy their project was. Without much thought other than to answer her question, he instinctively wiped the frosting from her jaw as he whispered back, "Just a little more and I'll be finished."
Edna stopped what she was doing to stare in awe and curiosity at her brother's actions. He had her teacher blushing just a little from his actions but it didn't seem to be anything that unnerved her. After all, they had been caught in more compromising, albeit innocent, situations. "Would you like some coffee then," Lailah asked him in return.
"I'd like that," Eizen smiled back.
Lailah retreated to the back counter and began rummaging through her cabinets. "I got a coffee maker somewhere in here…" She mumbled to herself. Being as she herself wasn't big on coffee, she usually stashed the machine away to provide some space for her electric kettle. Had it not been for the fact that she received it as a welcoming gift from her assistant, Eleanor, she doubted she would even have such a thing in her possession. "Ah here it is," she exclaimed as she opened one of her upper cabinets.
The second Eizen saw where the coffee maker was stowed, he immediately made his way over to her. "Let me help you with that." With his height advantage, it was no problem for him to retrieve it for her. It was a fancier model that required specific coffee pods to be inserted which fortunately came with the machine. However, judging by the look on Lailah's face, Eizen could tell that her knowledge on working the machine was very limited.
Side by side, the duo worked on setting the coffee machine up with Edna meanwhile watching them from her original position. Seeing her older brother interact, talk, and smile with her teacher made her happy. At home he was always cooped up, always trying to please her and always caught up in house chores. There was something different about the Eizen she was seeing now.
XxxxxxxxxxxX
Once they got the machine working, the stream of black liquid began filling the white porcelain mug settled beneath, creating a pool of caffeine and filling the room with that familiar scent every early-to-rise adult was accustomed to. Lailah peered into the inky pool as if she was one of the few who had never witnessed a cup of coffee being brewed and was humming quietly as she examined the machine's works.
Eizen on the other hand, found her curiosity and facial features far more appealing as he realized that in the time it was taking his coffee to brew, his eyes were set on Lailah. Like an individual flower picked from a field, he was examining all of her petals, leaves, coloring, and scent – admiring all of the individual features she alone possessed that made him single her out among all the other flowers in the field. There were many women Eizen came across who he would label "beautiful" but none stood out to him the way Lailah did.
In examining her, he took note of the permanent flush of her cheeks, her glazed eyes, and her usually pink lips now void of their usual color. "Hey," he whispered as he got closer to her, closing the small gap between them and placing a hand to her forehead. "You're heating up."
She gave him a hum of acknowledgement before taking a step closer to him, nearly meshing their bodies into one. Looking up at the taller man, Lailah passed him a weak smile. "I guess this fever has finally caught up to me…" Her irises disappeared behind her eyelids and her body slowly began to sink further against his. She was still very conscious as she listened to and noted the gentle, rhythmic pounding of Eizen's heartbeat.
Although the thought of taking care of another human being aside from his sister always presented itself as rather cumbersome, with Lailah nestled against his chest, Eizen didn't find her the least bit bothersome. Scooping her into his arms like a newly-wed bride, he whispered, "You shouldn't have pushed yourself if you weren't feeling well." Lailah knew as well as he did that his words, meant to be a lecture, came out kinder and softer than he had expected. Despite his rather harsh and aloof personality with his students, neighbors, and coworkers, for whatever reason, when it came to Lailah, he was always gentle. Not as if she had ever done anything to frustrate him, but he could never find it in himself to raise his voice at her even if she were to do anything foolish.
He set her down on her well-made bed as if she were made of glass and laid the duvet cover over her. "Get some rest," he whispered to her from his position on the edge of her bed.
She gave him a weak nod then smiled as her eyes drifted to the doorway. Following her gaze, Eizen saw that Edna had followed them in from the kitchen and she was now making her way to join him at her bedside. The little girl grabbed Lailah's outstretched hand and plopped her head down against the mattress. "Are you tired too, Edna," Lailah asked as she began sitting up. Eizen was prepared to ask her to lay back down but stopped when he watched her open up her arms. "Come here," she motioned to Edna.
Edna, without hesitation, accepted the invite, crawling onto the bed to make her way into Lailah's arms. "You had a long day too, didn't you?" Lailah asked tiredly, stroking the young girl's short blonde hair. Edna nodded before pulling out the card Eizen had come across the day prior. Tactfully tucked inside her sweater, she now presented it to the woman who was holding her.
It took a second for Lailah to register what Edna was holding out to her, but when the image of the heart-nurse became clear, a bright smile lightened up her features. "For me?" She opened up the card and after taking the time to read the words within, she wrapped her arms ever tighter around the toddler and rested her cheek atop her head. Edna as well returned the embrace, sinking further into her arms and finding her head resting against the woman's bosom. From his position, Eizen was able to spot a gentle, but nonetheless genuine, smile on his sister's lips.
It didn't take long for the woman and child to fall asleep. Eizen had remained at their bedside as he waited for their nap to take place, never taking his eyes off of either one of them. They seemed at peace. Like a picture-perfect image of a child and her mother taking a mid-afternoon nap. Watching the two of them returned that sense of calm that he had experienced when he had overheard them having fun and talking while frosting cookies. Growing up in an orphanage, Eizen never had the opportunity to experience the sort of tenderness Lailah displayed towards Edna. He managed fine without paternal love but that by no means meant he intended to raise Edna in the same method.
Reaching over, he took the handmade card from Lailah's hand so that it wouldn't get wrinkled or crumpled and set it on the nightstand beside them. It was then that he noticed that a picture frame was absent from the stand. He glanced over at her vanity where he had set up his work area and again, there were no pictures or photographs of family or friends to be seen. Same when he recalled her living room and kitchen. All the walls and refrigerator face had been bare. No images or memories of her life before arriving at Loegres could be seen.
He gently laid his hand over Lailah's, giving it a light squeeze so as not to wake her. Perhaps behind that smile she always wore was a lonely person ridden with a dark past, a tragedy so disheartening she was forced to leave all that she loved behind. He would never know nor would he ever inquire. She was giving Edna the motherly love that had been absent in her life; a love that no number of toys, dolls, books, or activities could ever replace. If Lailah was alone, she wouldn't be now because she was considered a permanent fixture in both his and his sister's life. He cared about her more than he had originally thought. And he was beginning to realize he liked her… A lot more than he would have liked to admit.
A/N: Only took a year and more to write. I've picked up Tales of Vesperia and I guess that was the inspiration I needed to get back into gear. (Right? Playing video games makes you want to also do something creative like write?) For the few who follow this story, thanks for sticking around. I can't promise anything when it comes to updating frequently but I do have this whole story's plot laid out so I don't plan on abandoning it just yet. Anywho… If things go according to my outline, we may be seeing some Rangetsu brothers next chapter! See you then!