Chapter 1: Moments of life

There is no certain thing in the life of a person. There is a moment of happiness, a moment of sadness, a moment of childishness, a moment of fear, a moment of bravery, and the list go on. The young woman, who used to live in the convent ever since she was a child, learned these moments that a person must face. And the only certain thing is…...

000

It was a bright and warm morning as the birds are chirping and flying playfully in the middle of a peaceful forest. It was a perfect day for hunting for the man who was hoping for a good catch. He walked along the trees and found a good spot to wait for his target to come on its way as he hid himself under the bushes. Soon enough, the hooves of a deer were heard from a distance and he prepared his gun for firing.

As he set his finger on the trigger, he did not realize that there was someone else riding on a horseback right after the deer. He triggered the gun but he missed his target, instead, the bullet hit the tree trunk, agitating the horse which made the rider fall to the ground and loss consciousness from the impact.

"Oh no!" the man immediately went to the rider – a young woman – to help her.

"Hang in there!" he said, picking her up in his arms and saw a great beauty as he looked at the face of the young woman, framed with her curly golden hair.

The man brought the young woman to the mansion where he live as a servant, and settled her in a chair. He made her drink with the glass of wine in his hand, carefully taking the glass to her lips. And soon enough, the young woman regained her consciousness, fluttering her eyes to adjust from the light.

From the young woman's perspective, as soon as she opened her eyes, the features of the man in front of her immediately brought a feeling inside her that she cannot comprehend. It was a man with light-brown hair, a pair of grayish-blue eyes, and a fine mustache gracing his gentle visage.

"Thank goodness, you're awake," the man said as he saw her opened her eyes.

She looked around the room, seeing an unfamiliar place. "Where am I?" she asked.

"This is my master's mansion," the man answered. "May I ask your name?"

The young woman looked back at the man as she answered: "My name is Lunette." She stood up and bowed as a lady should.

"I'm François," the man introduced himself returning a bow. A smile plastered on his face, feeling his heart fluttering as he looked eye to eye with the young woman.

He cannot believe it. For the first time in his life as he looked at those brilliant eyes of the young woman, wondrous feelings flooded his heart, deeply flowing into his veins; feeling that cannot be described with any word, and his whole being was filled with excitement with just the look of her. The only words he can think are: he fell in love with her.

The young woman, seeing the look of the man, cannot help but to feel slightly embarrassed. It was the first time someone looked at her with deep affection and she cannot believe how much she can see in them. The emotions emanating in his eyes: excitement, gentleness, and many other feelings, but especially, love. Her heart is pounding wildly as if wanting to go out of her chest. 'What is this feeling?' she asked herself. 'Could it be?'

From that day on, Lunette would go to the forest or the mansion almost every day to see the man whose name is François as she discovers her growing love with him. When they confessed their love for each other, their days with each other became the happiest days of their lives. They engaged themselves to marry each other in the future, but that promised future did not come into reality.

One day, a group of burglars attacked the mansion. François fought with all his might, but his opponents are too many for him to handle alone and one of the bandits managed to kill him using his bad tricks.

Filled with sorrow at the news of François' death, Lunette became distant to everyone, thinking of their eternal vow being swept in just an instant. She does not eat, she does not want to see anyone, locking herself in her room in the convent where she had grown as an orphan.

The mother, who took care of her since her arrival in the convent was greatly troubled at the state of the young woman. She cannot do anything. The only thing she can offer is her prayer to God.

000

Three consecutive knocks were heard at the door.

Lunette was still lying in her bed, not wanting to get up at any minute. "Please, leave me alone," she answered while sobbing.

"I won't," it was a voice of a male.

Troubled at the sound of the voice, Lunette immediately got up, wiping the tears on her eyes. "Bazin?" she frowned as she went to the door.

"It's me," the voice at the back of the door answered.

Lunette opened the door and saw a young man who was just a bit taller than her, the top of his head was a mess of dark curly hair, his pair of brown eyes peering at her with a hint of dejection.

"How did you manage to come here?" she asked in disbelief since it is forbidden for males to go inside the nun's dwelling.

"The mother gave me a one-time authority to visit you since you lock yourself up in this small room," Bazin said, pushing Lunette back inside and closing the door behind him.

"Of all people, why you?" Lunette asked as if he is the person she does not want to see the most. She did not really mean it. Since Bazin lost his parents at a young age, his uncle who was living near the convent took him and made him a servant of God in the convent's church.

He was almost at the same age as Lunette so he became very close to her from their childhood, and became best of friends. And now, Bazin was attending seminary, aspiring to become a priest in the future.

"Knowing your temperament, I am the only one who is not afraid of talking openly to you," he answered with a playful smirk on his mouth. "Since you are a tomboy, you would surely punch anyone who attempts to enter this room."

"Wha-?" her eyes widened at hearing his remarks. "I am not a tomboy! And I would not punch anyone!"

Her denial was answered with a laugh. Bazin cannot help it. Seeing her reaction at his joke and seeing a tinge of red gracing her beautiful face. He laughed openly with his hand on his stomach.

Lunette felt really embarrassed at taking his joke seriously. "You!" she paused as something came into her mind. "Then, let's make your joke a reality," she said as she went to her bed and pick up a pillow. "But I will use a pillow instead of my fist... I don't like punching." she finished her sentence, throwing the pillow at the face of Bazin.

"Awtch! That is unfair!" Bazin complained, picking up the pillow. When he faced Lunette, she was already throwing her other pillow at him, but luckily, he managed to catch it before it landed on his face. Now he had the two pillows with both of his hands, the smirk on his face became very evil (in a playful manner).

"Now you don't have a pillow to throw at me," he began to approach her. "It is my turn," he said as he attacked her with the two pillows, pushing her on the bed as if trying to suffocate her.

Lunette tried to defend herself against his attack with her hands as her only shield, but she was not able to maintain her balance as she fell to the bed. They continued like that for a while, playing like children, and the sadness that Lunette bears in her heart was forgotten for that short moment.

000

The next day…..

Bazin was waking at the church's ground when he saw a nun running in his direction.

"Sister!" he said in surprise. 'Was my visit to Lunette unsuccessful?' he asked himself.

"I came here on behalf of Mother," the nun said as she went in front of the young man, catching up her breath.

"What is the problem?" Bazin immediately asked in concern.

"What did you say to Lunette yesterday? What happened in your visit?"

Bazin frowned at these questions. "I said she should not give up," he answered. "She should fight for her life, for François. And…," he paused.

"And?" the nun urged him to continue.

"Well… she borrowed some of my old clothes, but she did not tell me the reason."

"And you lent her?"

"Yes, I delivered them in the afternoon." He frowned in concern and asked, "Is there a problem with what I did?"

"Lunette is gone!" the nun said in exasperation.

"What!? Lunette is gone!?" Bazin cannot believe what he heard. "It can't be."

"I checked her room this morning. Her door was unlocked, and then I found this letter on her table," the nun said as she handed a piece of paper to Bazin. "I also found out that some of her things are missing."

Bazin took the paper and immediately read the very short content of the letter.

[Dear Mother,

Please forgive me, but I have to go.

I thank you for taking care of me with all my heart.

Please impart my deepest appreciation to Bazin for his advice.

Lunette.]

"No way," was the only thing that Bazin can utter at that time.

000

There is no certain thing in the life of a person. There is a moment of happiness, a moment of sadness, a moment of childishness, a moment of fear, a moment of bravery, and the list go on. Lunette had learned a lot of things in her life during her stay in the convent.

She also learned that the only certain thing is….. death.

But before death can happen to her, Lunette decided to set out from her hometown with one goal in her mind: to avenge her lost love, to avenge François.