Vol 2. Ch 6.

Two weeks had gone by, six visits to the orphanage later, Sophia walked through the metal gates and entered the grounds where a few children ran and played tag, halting their game to wave at Sophia, who’d become a familiar face by now. The front yard was as wide as the two-story building itself, mostly gravel with green grass on the sides. The swings, hopscotch and a garden were in the backyard, along with a small greenhouse where the children could learn to grow berries. Outside, there were a couple of small fields where they also learned to grow potatoes, carrots and turnips. Activities combined with fun, play, and basic useful knowledge. The backyard also offered security with the metal gates decorated with vines of greenery and silver birch trees surrounding them.

Delmaer’s orphanage was located outside the town, away from the busier streets, far behind the Town’s Square, going further from their Academy District, and by the edge of an empty field. Just as Edith Goldwind had described. It was completely on the other side of the town from the Aurelius Manor, which is why Ren had immediately offered his car and driver for Sophia from the first day she began the visits. At first, Sophia had declined, since taking his vehicle—which was tremendously expensive and only a luxury item for the nobles—for herself half of the week seemed far too much to accept, but Ren proved to be rather talented at persuading his will, and eventually, Sophia would yield to his offer. The driver didn’t seem to care much, either. Who he brought and where did not matter much. And besides, if he wasn’t driving, he’d be doing some odd jobs here and there around the manor either way. This way, he could spend most of the day relaxing away, since Ren had ordered him to stay put in case Sophia needed him earlier than anticipated.

Each time Sophia arrived, the children’s faces lit up a little more. Anyone could see that those little ones were well cared for. Something Sophia noticed first herself. After all, Agathen’s Queen Milafin greatly took charge of caring for the children of Agathen with dire pride, earning herself the name Mother Queen of the nation. The cold, gray, weapon-centered and stone-built Delmaer was not an exception.

Sophia waved back at the children and couldn’t help but smile with her eyes. She wore a pale green summer dress, fastened like a corset at the front. A sudden heat wave followed over a week after the rainstorm. She carried a new set of books in her own trusty bag, digging heavy on her shoulder. She started each week with a visit to Edith Goldwind’s bookstore to switch a new stack of books for the days ahead. This time, the books were a knowledge book about animals, since a few requested to learn more about them, a storybook about the journey of a prince, and another one about a little intelligent magpie. She picked the last one because the little ones seemed to be particularly interested in small animals such as birds and mice and bunnies.

From the first reading session, she found herself enjoying the excited gasps and giggles and concentrated stares that those expressive little children couldn’t hold in while the story unfolded, wakening their miraculous, colorful imagination. Bringing them joy ended up warming Sophia’s heart just as much, and slowly, with the warmth wrapped around, she began to smile a little more. Sleep a little deeper at night. Each step taken felt a little lighter, the ground beneath her more forgiving. From the very first day, she did not only arrive there, read for an hour and leave. She happened to notice an employee struggling with an underground cellar door, and Sophia was more than familiar with how stuck those stubborn hinges could get, especially after a long, cold winter; thus offered her assistance. From there, she found herself helping the employee carry supplies to the kitchen, cut some ingredients whilst having a nice casual conversation amongst the steaming and bubbling pans and pots, until a new task would come along where she could make herself further more useful. The employees appreciated the new set of hands as well, and Sophia assured them she needed no money from the casual helping. Occasionally, they’d pay her back with snacks such as carrots and sandwiches. Especially the children, who’d just barely gotten to harvest their very first grown berries. But those Sophia declined to accept, telling the kids to enjoy their hard-earned harvest themselves. What would’ve come as a surprise, if she paid enough attention, was the fact that she did not even have to keep herself busy with an intention to deliberately keep the past at bay from the previously tormented thoughts.

She did not have to, as the days went by with a natural flow.

It was the last day of week three, when Sophia swept the front porch with long, strong swoops, the dirt creating clouds and the small stones flying back on the gravel where it came from, when Gordon, the old man running the place as the head of the orphanage together with his wife Peony, came outside carrying a small brown bag.

’’Ah, Miss Sophia. Good, you’re still here.’’ Gordon spoke with his usual calm and gentle manner.

’’I’m heading back after finishing with the stairs.’’ Sophia leaned against the broom and brushed away the sweat from her hairline, feeling it beginning to drip.

’’We are all very grateful, yet a little regretful. You’ve helped us tremendously, though not getting proper compensation for your time.’’ Gordon seemed genuinely apologetic. He had kind, soft features. His face was thin and long, and his hair had grown near silver, peeking from beneath the checkered flat cap, ’’And the next week will be your last.’’

’’You don’t need to worry about it, Mister. I’ve enjoyed working here, perhaps enough to benefit me more than it does you. Besides, I used to do these kinds of tasks every day without pay.’’ Sophia laughed with a bright smile, assuring the old man.

’’I see, well. We’re still very thankful.’’ Gordon smiled and handed the brown bag, ’’These are egg sandwiches. We’re getting low on meat, hopefully this keeps the hunger away until you get home.’’

Sophia accepted the bag, already familiar with their way of compensation, ’’Thank you, Mister. I’m sure it’s more than enough.’’

’’Good, good. We’ll hold a little party for you on your last day next week. Until then, let’s do our best.’’ Gordon nodded as a goodbye and headed back in, ’’Good job today, as always.’’ He never forgot to compliment.

’’Have a good night, Mister.’’ Sophia waved and looked down at the brown bag with a smile on her lips. She placed it waiting on the wooden railing of the porch, and quickly finished sweeping the stairs. She brought the broom by the small, unlocked shed on the side of the building and washed her hands in the barrel of rainwater gathered through the boards of the roof. She splashed some of the water on her face and folded the puffy white sleeves of her dress back down after shaking all the excess water off her fingers. Walking back, she tapped her hands on the hem of her dress and looked up towards the fast-moving white clouds with bright edges. What a gorgeous day it had been. The heat wave had settled into a normal, comfortable summer breeze. Sophia had heard that it would most likely stay like that for at least a couple of more weeks, and then the weather would begin to get colder. That is why everyone enjoyed the days and took the most joy out of them. You’d see more people on picnics, outside Café’s, and on walks than usual.

As Sophia walked by the front gate and opened it with a rusty sound following, she saw the familiar black prestigious car parked much further away. Expecting to see the driver having his usual nap and her having to tap on the window to wake him up, she was instead soon surprised by a man leaning with his back against the car, arms crossed and head lowered. From afar, his clothes were definitely a uniform of a military man, thus made Sophia think that they’d sent someone else to come and pick her up, but that did not add up and would be far too silly. Closing up to the car, she noticed his tall figure more, the cap on his head and the many details of his uniform to be none other than Commander status. Then, as anticipated, he raised his head and finally, his eyes met with her own.

’’How come it’s you, Sir?’’ Sophia asked with widened eyes. She did not sound rude nor shocked, but rather pleased by the surprise. He’d been busy with the training of the cadets and the changes in trading schedules, not hearing anything from other military bases and having to come up with a plan once the roads finally opened and the chaos would be unleashed. Despite that, they’d make time to meet for breakfast and at times supper, those mornings always fearing to stretch too long.

’’Figured I needed a break from work. Are you done here?’’ Ren pushed himself from against the car and stepped closer towards her, his taller frame almost towering over her.

Sophia couldn’t help but hold her breath. It had happened before, but now more than ever. Ren VonGehall simply took the air out of her body as if it needed none to survive. She’d begun to know the difference in which his presence affected her in comparison to anyone other. She’d be a fool not to.

It happened gradually.

Slow and steady.

’’I am.’’ Sophia answered, ’’Are you driving?’’ She asked confused, with the driver nowhere to be seen.

’’It’s been a while, but I thought it would be a nice change, now and then.’’ Ren answered and raised his chin a little mischievous, ’’There’s a place I thought you’d like. Near the manor, so we won’t be going far. Are you up for it?’’

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Ren’s narrowed eyes called for her, and for a moment, Sophia forgot she needed to give an answer, ’’Yes, I’d like that.’’ She finally mustered, feeling a little warm, while Ren already took the heavy bag from her shoulder and placed it on the backseats of the car.

Sophia inhaled sharply as though she’d just remembered how to breathe again. She went to the other side of the car, thinking she’d be sitting in her usual spot, when Ren opened the door at the front passenger seat.

’’Would you kindly sit next to me?’’ Ren asked with a tilted head, ’’I don’t mind being seen as your driver, Miss Dilamor, but you’d be keeping me company.’’ His deep tone of voice seemed silkier than usual with the pleasant smile it offered.

As a result, Sophia felt the tips of her fingers tingle as each word suddenly vanished from her vocabulary, a rare situation when she was left speechless, and the only answer left was for her to walk past him and quietly sit on the front seat. Ren closed the door gently after her, and Sophia followed his moves until he sat next to her.

While Ren concentrated on the gravel road after passing the town, they both shared pieces from their day. How Ren had to punish two cadets who’d forgotten an important safety rule while training, and for that, the two were probably still running laps to this very moment. And how Sophia accidentally made a child cry while reading, for the story had a sad twist in the middle. Thankfully, it had a happy ending— and a very good lesson.

Whilst immersed in their carefree conversations, they reached the desired destination in no time. When Ren stopped the car, Sophia came to know that the place he wanted to show her was through the path, behind the garden of the breakfast lounge that she hadn’t yet to go and discovered. The path eventually became so narrow that Sophia had to walk behind Ren. On each side was a thinly grown forest that had a lot of tiny patches of yellow and white and blue flowers growing in between. Tall grown burdocks that she remembered her father used to stick on the back of her clothes as a prank. Kids these days still did the same, she’d learned during her time at the orphanage, with the amount of times she’d detangled those from other kids' hair and her own.

Ren stopped Sophia a couple of times and snapped the overgrown stinging nettles pointing across the path from the stem. Brushing against them wouldn’t have done a thing to Ren as he had his legs covered, but Sophia had some skin showing on her calves and ankles.

The forest became gradually darker as the sun began to slip away, and somewhere hovered the subtle fragrance of summer rain. The narrow path seemed to come to an end and open wide towards each direction. Sophia heard the sound of something shuffling in the wind, and smelled the fresh sweet water, refreshing on her skin. She stepped out in the open from behind the shelter of Ren’s broad frame and instantly gasped at the unusual sight of a wide, tranquil lake kept hidden by the forest. So clear and bright, it did not even resemble Delmaer. It felt essentially as if they’d stepped through a mirror and found themselves in an enchanted forest of another realm. There was no room for deep green grass. No rocks nor gravel. Only crystal clear water with smooth rocks at the bottom of it, tall cattails with their long leaves and brown tips, deep pink and white lotus flowers resting amongst themselves in the distance, kissed by the loving butterflies. The sunset found its way over the lake, coloring the shimmering surface in warmer tones of red, reflecting each movement of a bug or a fish, and melting the circles of ripples together. The small seeds from whatever plants glistened in the air, and Sophia felt her heart swell from the unworthy beauty of it all.

Ren’s amber gaze softened, standing by her side and witnessing the view from the reflection of her round and beautifully bewitched eyes. He gave her the entire moment. Gave it all. He did not need to hear if she liked what he’d planned. He did not want to disturb the emotion it had so lovingly endowed her with. Ren knew he could wait, no matter if it took five minutes or five hours. If the sun went away and found another land, or if the only existence above remained the stars. He wouldn’t dare to disturb the marveling Lady who looked like she belonged there in the forest. Born inside the bud of a tulip.

’’Sir?’’ Sophia tilted her head towards Ren but did not look away, ’’Thank you.’’ She whispered. The inner corners of her eyebrows began to point upwards, her smile stiff with pressed-together lips as if about to burst, ’’Can I?’’ She pointed towards the lake and leaned forward to see the bottom.

’’Of course, by all means.’’ Ren placed his hands behind his back and looked away as Sophia crouched down and opened the small belt buckle of her shoes, then slipped them off and felt the cool surface of the ground beneath her bare feet. Ren watched as she held the hem of her dress and dipped the first set of toes, not even flinching from the contact. With a shivering hum she lowered town, the water reaching higher from the ankles. With her golden waves of hair reaching her lower back, and with delicate wrists holding the hem from getting wet, she swung around with those waves fluttering in the equally golden glow. Her eyes were nearly closed from the high cheekbones and a wide smile showing all teeth, cheeks flushed with coral.

The time seemed to move very slowly, and just as Sophia finished turning around and was about to say something, her feet slipped over the slippery rock she stood on, and faster than she could comprehend, Ren took a hold of that wrist—the hem dropping now soaked on the surface of the lake.

’’Careful.’’ He said a single word.

Sophia watched as his fingers slowly brushed from her wrist and stopped on her own, and for some reason didn’t feel self-conscious at all about the burn scars on those fingers.

’’Would you join me, Sir?’’ Sophia smiled.

’’I’ll walk beside you.’’ He answered and kept holding on. Side by side. He knelt down to pick up her shoes first and kept them behind his back, ’’When will you drop the Sir?’’ He asked suddenly with hidden anticipation.

In that moment, with the movements of the water's surface, the evening breeze and sheltered space, Sophia could only laugh giddily, ’’Right when you drop the Miss Dilamor.’’

’’Fine, then. Sophia.’’ Ren knew exactly how to respond, yet make it simple enough to be brushed as nothing much and everything at the same time.

Had her name always sounded like that? Maybe it was the music of nature’s creation around them, or the colors of the later sunset savoring its last halo. Her name had a different ring to it, like a wind chime repeating the echo even after the breeze had passed and continued on. Name that sounded different compared with coming from any other person's mouth.

’’Why isn’t anyone here to enjoy this evening?’’ Sophia asked, distracting away the coral blush on the cheekbones, ’’It’s such a waste.’’

’’This lake is still part of the grounds of Aurelius Manor.’’ Ren answered whilst having his soft gaze still down towards her, although seeing only the back of her head, ’’No one comes here since it’s private property.’’ He left out mentioning the already known fact that it's the private property of a noble family. And not just any— but the Duke of North, the family of Agathen’s war and protection.

Sophia hummed softly, still facing the silent lake. The air began to feel cooler, in a more comfortable way. The clear water felt nice as Sophia kept slowly walking along the shallow water of the lakeside. It had been a while since she last soaked her feet in like that, and her humming answer evolved into a lullaby of the Summer’s Dandelion.

A lullaby that the cultured noble like Ren VonGehall hadn’t heard in his entire life. A song so delicate had not travelled inside the walls of the cold manor. Surely, there were many songs and tales he hadn’t yet heard.

Ren watched the individual golden strands of her hair fall behind her back and listened. He watched the ripples of the clear water from each of her movements flow further and further before disappearing, the lake now beginning to darken slowly as the sun had gone and the colors of red and orange turned into blue and green. He turned down towards his extended hand on the side, and the delicate fingers in comparison to his own, still holding them very carefully. The fingers that had the burn marks from that night. If he could, he’d heal those scars and make them go away. But he also knew and noticed that Sophia wasn’t the type of lady to wallow in sadness for a scar or two. She hadn’t tried to hide them, nor did she give them a moment of hesitation. And suddenly, Ren felt his heart skip a couple of beats before finding another rhythm.

It was appreciation. Amazement towards the woman so beautiful, humming with her low and mellow voice, enough to soothe a howling beast. Her kindness, her curiosity. The way she moved and the way her eyes gave away each thought.

Not once in his life had he felt as he did right there, in that moment. Not once had he considered letting anyone in— no, feeling the need to let her consume every space in his thoughts.

’’Miss— Sophia.’’ Ren said with an asking tone, with almost a whisper, and there it finally was. Her eyes towards him. Ren forgot for a split second whatever it was he felt the need to say since Sophia’s counter-asking expression with a genuine smile took him by surprise. She seemed to finally feel better now, ’’You should get out of the water, before you get sick.’’ He got ready to assist her with a small pull, but felt his hand being pulled in instead.

’’Gosh, no!’’ Sophia smiled with a mischievous grin, ’’You’ll have to pull me by force, unless you do, I’ll keep enjoying my time here a little longer.’’

Ren sighed, but with a smile offered back, ’’I wouldn’t do that. Fine, take your time.’’

’’You wouldn’t?’’ Sophia felt playful, ’’You did, when we first met in the cellar. Or do you always go around lifting women like a sack of potatoes however you please?’’ She smirked but looked the other way.

’’No.’’ Ren searched for her eyes, ’’You might not have noticed, but the floor was filled with dry and pointy sticks and whatnot and if I hadn’t—’’ He began to sound hasty until Sophia turned her head towards him with the widest, most sweetest grin enough to close those deep green eyes entirely.

’’Then, the sack of potatoes should thank you.’’ Sophia sang, ’’You shall be allowed to hoist me in another dire moment of pointy danger, good Sir.’’ She said with a joking tone, knowing he could’ve told her at the time and warned her about the floor in that dark, mildly lit cellar beneath Lufin, where she eavesdropped with her bare feet in unbeknownst danger, yet opted to be shameless instead. Seeing him now embarrassed made her feel all giddy inside. She enjoyed the softened frown now there for another, obvious reason.

’’Enough, Sophia..’’ Ren growled almost affectionately, earning another giggle from the lady nearly slipping on the rocks once again. Ren tried to suffocate the smile on his lips with his hold instinctively and momentarily tightening around those slender fingers, biting the inner part of his lower lip to try and keep his face straight.

So, this is also a part of her. This is the kind of expression she makes with the pain, regret and responsibility momentarily pushed aside. No. She should always smile like this. She should joke and tease and have her way all she wants. Could I? Should I? I want to protect this easiness. I’ll bring her here every day if she’d like. I’ll find many more places like this and let her have them all. I’ll go to another war if I have to obtain them. I want— Ren stopped his train of thought, his mind finally as clear as the evening sky above.

Her.

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