Author's note: Hi all! What happened to all my reviewers out there? Don't stop reviewing my stories!!! Anyway, I last left off with... *gasp!* Vahn being killed after saving Noa and baby Cort from death! A few years later, you find Noa and four year old Cort in a new home! But wait! It's not over yet!
Chapter 4 - A Come Back
The market were filled with busy people. Women with little children, held their baskets full of apples in their hands, while racing through the crowded streets. Some women were behind carts, selling beads and freshly made bread. Men were nowhere to be seen, but all the women knew that their husbands, brothers or fathers were at the auctioneer building across the street from the famous bread store, bidding prices for items they needed. Noa fixed her dress, while holding Cort's tiny hand and made her way through the streets, dragging the little boy along.
"Hi Giselle!" Noa glanced over her shoulder. A woman with long brown hair ran up to her, waving her hand as a form of greeting. The red headed teenager almost forgot to respond to her name.
Noa turned around, stopping halfway from the spot she was just standing in and kept Cort right beside her. "Hi, Liza!"
Liza caught up to her and gave her a large smile. Liza was about her age, seventeen, but taller and looked more of an older woman than a teenager. The dark headed girl kneeled down to Cort's eye level and pinched his cheek lightly. "How's my little Zane?"
The little brown haired boy gave Liza a sweet smile. He nodded. "I'm fine, Ms. Liza."
Liza laughed and stood up. She looked up to meet Giselle's eyes. "Where are you off to today?"
Noa looked at her friend. Liza was her best friend, but Liza pried in herself of asking too many questions and not one of them has Noa ever answered. She hesitated for a moment before finally answering.
"Oh, I'm just going to the market and buy some food for Zane and myself," Noa replied cheerily.
Liza nodded. "Okay." She leaned over and kissed Noa on the cheek. "When you need some money, ask me all right?" she whispered to her friend.
Noa hid the frustration in her mind. There have been so many people treating her as if she was a child. She wasn't anymore. She was a young woman now, why can't people see that? Reluctantly, she gave a smile and nodded. "All right, I will."
Liza smiled and reached down to ruffle Cort's hair, before walking away from them.
Noa breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Cort and smiled, then walked through the streets of the market. She looked around, while holding Cort tightly, their hands clasped together. She admired the patterned quilts that some of the women were selling. She thought about buying a quilt for her and Cort for the coming winter, but as she looked at the prices, her face fell. They were too expensive for her and there was no point in asking Liza for help. That would mean, Noa showed herself as someone who couldn't take care of herself and her brother.
She passed some more of the beautiful quilts that were made by the women themselves, selling them for at almost five hundred ruppies (sorry I forgot the name of their dollars). She couldn't afford any of those and she desperately needs the money for food. She passed another quilt cart, then a jewelry cart, any cart that keeps her from buying anything. They were all too very expensive. Then, she ran into the bread cart, the only place where she can ACTUALLY buy something from. She held on tight on Cort's hand and purchased two loaves of bread, stuffing it in her basket. She also bought some cheap winter clothing for Cort. It was a struggle to get it, since there were women fighting for the cheapest clothes for their children. Some were practically starting a brawl to get what they want, but Noa stood out of the way and found herself a good pair of winter clothing lying lonely on a rack. She picked it up quickly, paid the merchant and began to walk away from her home.
She turned towards Cort and smiled down on him. "Hopefully, these will fit you, Cort," she said. She felt someone bumped into her. "Oh! Sorry about that!"
"No, I'm sorry. It was my fault," the man spoke.
She did not give the person a glance, only a quick look, before turning her attention on the road ahead of her, while holding on to Cort.
Cort watched as the man looked at them, before he went on his way.He furrowed his eyebrows curiously, watching the cloaked man talk to a merchant woman standing behind the patterned quilt.
"Cort, stop dragging your feet!" Noa whispered, pulling him faster with her.
Cort nodded, returned his attention towards the road and held on tighter to his sister.
****************
No matter how many times she tried to forget, he'll always be in her dreams. Sometimes he would stand there, watching her with his chestnut eyes and sometimes he would lend out a hand for her to take. He would lead her somewhere beautiful, mostly a garden that bloomed everytime they took a step. They would walk together hand in hand in silence and watch birds fly by above them. She wished he was there with her, but she couldn't change the past anymore.
She opened her eyes, tears falling. No matter how many times she tried to forget the painful memories of losing him, it plagued her mind every night. Even with the dreams of him being there, she also had nightmares of him falling and dying in her arms.
"Hello, Noa," a voice whispered from out of nowhere.
She closed her eyes. He was speaking in her mind and she wished that he was there right now holding her hand and telling her everything was going to be all right. She felt a hand on top of her own. She imagined him being there, sitting at her bedside, or rather, just 'being' with her in bed and him kissing her temple, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. She wanted to forget, but the past kept coming back to her.
She smiled, watching the illusion looking down on her with his eyes that were so beautiful to her.
"Hello, Vahn," she whispered. The figure leaned down and kissed her lips. It felt warm and comforting. If only it wasn't a dream. "I missed you so much," she hummed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Why did you ever leave me?"
She felt his hand curling a strand of red hair behind her ear, then kissing her forehead with his warm lips. How she wished this dream would never end. How she wished her dreams would come true someday.
"I never left you," he whispered in her ear. "I've always been in your heart all along. You have never forgotten me." He kissed her lips once again.
She opened her eyes this time and watched his form move in the shadows. He sat down on her bedside, caressing her cheek with the touch of his hand. How she longed for his touch again.
"I wish you were here with me," she said, kissing the tip of his fingers. She rested her head on his lap and closed her eyes. "I wish you were here with me and Cort. I don't want to be alone anymore."
"I am here. Open your eyes, Noa. I'm here. You're not alone anymore."
Noa opened her eyes. Why should she believe her dreams? Why should she believe he was here with her? But, whatever the circumstances, she opened her eyes and looked up at his face. She squinted her eyes, not really sure whether she was dreaming after all.
He smiled down on her and grabbed her hand, then placing her hand on his cheeks. "I would have gone to you sooner, but I didn't know where to find you. I've searched for a long time and now I found you."
Noa suddenly sat up from bed, her hand still resting on his face. She ran her hand up and down his cheek, when tears finally fell from her eyes. Her face became a sight of sadness into a feature of happiness. She wasn't sure whether to cry or to smile at this news. Could it be true? Was he really here? Her heart were filled with a mixture of emotions. It beat much faster than she anticipated. Her breathing became ragged and when she couldn't stand the suspense anymore, she collapsed in his arms, her face buried in his chest and wept. He was here.
"Vahn... Vahn..." she cried, shaking in the young man's arms.
Vahn held her, tightly embracing her with love and compassion. He missed her so. He dreamed every night and every day to be with her again. It was a long travel for him, searching the globe just for her. He ate little and drank none, until he found her. Now, he had. He had found her again. He pulled her away from him at arm's lenght and examined her. She has changed a lot for four years. She was even more beautiful than he remembered her to be. Her hair was longer that reached her waist and it no longer held the very colour of red. It was a mixture of light brown and maroon colour, matching with her emerald pools of her eyes. She wore a yellow tank top that accentuated her breasts and green tights that showed her small figure. She was a petite person, but to him she was beautiful.
She looked up, still doubting whether he was here or not. "Are you really here?"
Vahn nodded. "I'm here," he answered.
Noa smiled, more tears falling from her eyes. He had grown up into a handsome man. His hair was still dark and short as it was before, yet his face masked the feature of a nineteen year old from the baby face of a fifteen year old. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. All the doubts and fears left her mind the moment she kissed him. She knew now that he was there with her, alive and well. It didn't matter how long he has been gone or where he has been all these years, just as long as he was there.
"Go to sleep now, Noa," Vahn whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.
Noa shook her head. "I can't. If I go to sleep, you'll disappear."
"No, I won't. I'll stay here by your side, always." He let go, guiding Noa back on the bed. He fluffled the pillow and laid her there, kissing the top of her head, before laying down beside her.
"You promise?" she asked, wrapping an arm around him on the bed.
Vahn nodded. "I promise," he retorted. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. He kissed the side of her head and closed his eyes.
Noa relaxed in his arms, then closed her eyes as well.
Soon, the two, reunited by love, fell asleep in each other's arms. Wheareas, one soul watching their serene form, placed his tiny hands upon the blanket and moved it on top of their bodies until their chins. He sighed, smiling and went back to sleep on his own bed.
GoodGurl: Wow! Vahn is alive! But... how? He has a lot of explanation to do, eh? Heh heh! See ya on the next chapter! BAI!
Chapter 4 - A Come Back
The market were filled with busy people. Women with little children, held their baskets full of apples in their hands, while racing through the crowded streets. Some women were behind carts, selling beads and freshly made bread. Men were nowhere to be seen, but all the women knew that their husbands, brothers or fathers were at the auctioneer building across the street from the famous bread store, bidding prices for items they needed. Noa fixed her dress, while holding Cort's tiny hand and made her way through the streets, dragging the little boy along.
"Hi Giselle!" Noa glanced over her shoulder. A woman with long brown hair ran up to her, waving her hand as a form of greeting. The red headed teenager almost forgot to respond to her name.
Noa turned around, stopping halfway from the spot she was just standing in and kept Cort right beside her. "Hi, Liza!"
Liza caught up to her and gave her a large smile. Liza was about her age, seventeen, but taller and looked more of an older woman than a teenager. The dark headed girl kneeled down to Cort's eye level and pinched his cheek lightly. "How's my little Zane?"
The little brown haired boy gave Liza a sweet smile. He nodded. "I'm fine, Ms. Liza."
Liza laughed and stood up. She looked up to meet Giselle's eyes. "Where are you off to today?"
Noa looked at her friend. Liza was her best friend, but Liza pried in herself of asking too many questions and not one of them has Noa ever answered. She hesitated for a moment before finally answering.
"Oh, I'm just going to the market and buy some food for Zane and myself," Noa replied cheerily.
Liza nodded. "Okay." She leaned over and kissed Noa on the cheek. "When you need some money, ask me all right?" she whispered to her friend.
Noa hid the frustration in her mind. There have been so many people treating her as if she was a child. She wasn't anymore. She was a young woman now, why can't people see that? Reluctantly, she gave a smile and nodded. "All right, I will."
Liza smiled and reached down to ruffle Cort's hair, before walking away from them.
Noa breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Cort and smiled, then walked through the streets of the market. She looked around, while holding Cort tightly, their hands clasped together. She admired the patterned quilts that some of the women were selling. She thought about buying a quilt for her and Cort for the coming winter, but as she looked at the prices, her face fell. They were too expensive for her and there was no point in asking Liza for help. That would mean, Noa showed herself as someone who couldn't take care of herself and her brother.
She passed some more of the beautiful quilts that were made by the women themselves, selling them for at almost five hundred ruppies (sorry I forgot the name of their dollars). She couldn't afford any of those and she desperately needs the money for food. She passed another quilt cart, then a jewelry cart, any cart that keeps her from buying anything. They were all too very expensive. Then, she ran into the bread cart, the only place where she can ACTUALLY buy something from. She held on tight on Cort's hand and purchased two loaves of bread, stuffing it in her basket. She also bought some cheap winter clothing for Cort. It was a struggle to get it, since there were women fighting for the cheapest clothes for their children. Some were practically starting a brawl to get what they want, but Noa stood out of the way and found herself a good pair of winter clothing lying lonely on a rack. She picked it up quickly, paid the merchant and began to walk away from her home.
She turned towards Cort and smiled down on him. "Hopefully, these will fit you, Cort," she said. She felt someone bumped into her. "Oh! Sorry about that!"
"No, I'm sorry. It was my fault," the man spoke.
She did not give the person a glance, only a quick look, before turning her attention on the road ahead of her, while holding on to Cort.
Cort watched as the man looked at them, before he went on his way.He furrowed his eyebrows curiously, watching the cloaked man talk to a merchant woman standing behind the patterned quilt.
"Cort, stop dragging your feet!" Noa whispered, pulling him faster with her.
Cort nodded, returned his attention towards the road and held on tighter to his sister.
****************
No matter how many times she tried to forget, he'll always be in her dreams. Sometimes he would stand there, watching her with his chestnut eyes and sometimes he would lend out a hand for her to take. He would lead her somewhere beautiful, mostly a garden that bloomed everytime they took a step. They would walk together hand in hand in silence and watch birds fly by above them. She wished he was there with her, but she couldn't change the past anymore.
She opened her eyes, tears falling. No matter how many times she tried to forget the painful memories of losing him, it plagued her mind every night. Even with the dreams of him being there, she also had nightmares of him falling and dying in her arms.
"Hello, Noa," a voice whispered from out of nowhere.
She closed her eyes. He was speaking in her mind and she wished that he was there right now holding her hand and telling her everything was going to be all right. She felt a hand on top of her own. She imagined him being there, sitting at her bedside, or rather, just 'being' with her in bed and him kissing her temple, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. She wanted to forget, but the past kept coming back to her.
She smiled, watching the illusion looking down on her with his eyes that were so beautiful to her.
"Hello, Vahn," she whispered. The figure leaned down and kissed her lips. It felt warm and comforting. If only it wasn't a dream. "I missed you so much," she hummed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Why did you ever leave me?"
She felt his hand curling a strand of red hair behind her ear, then kissing her forehead with his warm lips. How she wished this dream would never end. How she wished her dreams would come true someday.
"I never left you," he whispered in her ear. "I've always been in your heart all along. You have never forgotten me." He kissed her lips once again.
She opened her eyes this time and watched his form move in the shadows. He sat down on her bedside, caressing her cheek with the touch of his hand. How she longed for his touch again.
"I wish you were here with me," she said, kissing the tip of his fingers. She rested her head on his lap and closed her eyes. "I wish you were here with me and Cort. I don't want to be alone anymore."
"I am here. Open your eyes, Noa. I'm here. You're not alone anymore."
Noa opened her eyes. Why should she believe her dreams? Why should she believe he was here with her? But, whatever the circumstances, she opened her eyes and looked up at his face. She squinted her eyes, not really sure whether she was dreaming after all.
He smiled down on her and grabbed her hand, then placing her hand on his cheeks. "I would have gone to you sooner, but I didn't know where to find you. I've searched for a long time and now I found you."
Noa suddenly sat up from bed, her hand still resting on his face. She ran her hand up and down his cheek, when tears finally fell from her eyes. Her face became a sight of sadness into a feature of happiness. She wasn't sure whether to cry or to smile at this news. Could it be true? Was he really here? Her heart were filled with a mixture of emotions. It beat much faster than she anticipated. Her breathing became ragged and when she couldn't stand the suspense anymore, she collapsed in his arms, her face buried in his chest and wept. He was here.
"Vahn... Vahn..." she cried, shaking in the young man's arms.
Vahn held her, tightly embracing her with love and compassion. He missed her so. He dreamed every night and every day to be with her again. It was a long travel for him, searching the globe just for her. He ate little and drank none, until he found her. Now, he had. He had found her again. He pulled her away from him at arm's lenght and examined her. She has changed a lot for four years. She was even more beautiful than he remembered her to be. Her hair was longer that reached her waist and it no longer held the very colour of red. It was a mixture of light brown and maroon colour, matching with her emerald pools of her eyes. She wore a yellow tank top that accentuated her breasts and green tights that showed her small figure. She was a petite person, but to him she was beautiful.
She looked up, still doubting whether he was here or not. "Are you really here?"
Vahn nodded. "I'm here," he answered.
Noa smiled, more tears falling from her eyes. He had grown up into a handsome man. His hair was still dark and short as it was before, yet his face masked the feature of a nineteen year old from the baby face of a fifteen year old. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. All the doubts and fears left her mind the moment she kissed him. She knew now that he was there with her, alive and well. It didn't matter how long he has been gone or where he has been all these years, just as long as he was there.
"Go to sleep now, Noa," Vahn whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.
Noa shook her head. "I can't. If I go to sleep, you'll disappear."
"No, I won't. I'll stay here by your side, always." He let go, guiding Noa back on the bed. He fluffled the pillow and laid her there, kissing the top of her head, before laying down beside her.
"You promise?" she asked, wrapping an arm around him on the bed.
Vahn nodded. "I promise," he retorted. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. He kissed the side of her head and closed his eyes.
Noa relaxed in his arms, then closed her eyes as well.
Soon, the two, reunited by love, fell asleep in each other's arms. Wheareas, one soul watching their serene form, placed his tiny hands upon the blanket and moved it on top of their bodies until their chins. He sighed, smiling and went back to sleep on his own bed.
GoodGurl: Wow! Vahn is alive! But... how? He has a lot of explanation to do, eh? Heh heh! See ya on the next chapter! BAI!