5 Bloody Parcel

It was mid summer and the sun was breathing flames. Noah was back this morning. He wanted to start the lesson but I requested him to begin from tomorrow since I had already read the book. He was looking tired and I wanted him to rest.

A subtle knock on my door brought me out of my thoughts. "Come in", the door opened and there stood Kelson with a long face. "Miss Rigel, there's a parcel for you downstairs", he informed. As I followed him to where the parcel was kept, he had a painful expression on his face. "What's wrong, Mr. Kelson?", I asked not being able to remain quiet after seeing him this worried. "I don't know, it just feels like something is not right and I can't figure out what. I'll be fine after some time, don't worry", he flashed a half hearted smile.

The parcel was significantly big, wrapped up in way too much cloth. I squatted against it and started unwrapping slowly. After a few layers, my eyes widened as there were visible stains of blood, fresh blood. I stood up and stumbled backwards covering my eyes. Kelson asked the guards to open up the rest. My soul left my body when I saw a familiar figure laying there covered in blood.

It was Anna. Her body was tortured so badly that I could barely recognize her. My whole body was shaken and the world around me stopped. I just stared at her lifeless body with a blank face like a statue. The next I remember was that everything blacked out with a loud thud.

I felt a slight weight on my forehead when I slowly fluttered my eyes open. Brother Jin had fallen asleep by my side with his hand on my forehead. My body twitched causing him to let out a soft tired moan before he opened his eyes. His big eyes shot up at me as soon as they opened and he sighed with relief. "Thank God, you're awake now. You got me so scared", he muttered removing the blanket from my body as I was sweating heavily.

He put his hand on my forehead again to check the temperature. I cleared my throat to give him a sign that it's dry. He poured me another glass of water after I gulped down the first one in one go. "Are you feeling better?", he asked sitting by my side and holding my hand between his large ones and rubbing them together. My body was burning in fever but my palms and feet were as cold as ice. I gently nodded my head not being able to voice out any words.

"Your fever is still high. The medic said that you need to rest, so go back to sleep now. Don't worry about anything, brother will take care of it all", he placed a kiss on the crown of my head and turned around to leave after whispering 'good night'. I grabbed his coat and pulled on it causing him to stop and turn around.

My eyes glistened with tears when I looked at him pleadingly. I didn't want to be alone at this moment. I wouldn't be able to fall asleep because the image of Anna's lifeless body in the pool of blood was still as clear as the day in my head. "Do you want me to stay for tonight?", he asked and this time my nod wasn't gentle, it was desperate.

He removed his jacket and hanged it on the back of the chair and slipped into the covers. He patted on my head indicating me to lift it a little and rest on his shoulder scooting closer. His other hand caressing my hair and sweet humming lulled me to sleep in no time.

Next morning I woke up on an empty bed. After showering, my breakfast was served in my bedroom itself. The sun was less brighter than usual when I thought of sneaking out for some time spending it beside the little pond in the backyard. My steps were slow as my body was still weak. While passing by brother Jin's room, I heard the voices of two men whom I know very well. Eavesdropping their conversation, I brought my ears against the wooden door that was open only to the space of thin line.

"It's really strange that we have no traces about her assaulter/ assaulters. The whole village is burned into ashes, not leaving a single person or animal in sight. I assume that it was emptied before setting up the fire", Noah reported.

" Do you think it's Revon's doing?", brother Jin asked flipping through the papers on the desk. "It is possible but don't see no purpose behind doing it. She was just a mere care taker", he crossed his hands against his chest thinking deeply. " Can it be because of Miss Rigel?", he raised his brows quizzically.

"I don't think so, nobody knows about Ain having a daughter." That's when his eyes met mine and a broad smile spread across his face. "Little star, come here", he beamed. When I reached him, he picked me up and sat me on his lap. " Did you eat your medicine?", he asked in a soft voice. Noah was giggling, seeing us both fondly. "How are you feeling now, Miss Rigel?" I blinked my eyes once along with a nod saying that I was fine.

It was really difficult to deal with the pain I was feeling. I was so shocked that even after trying so hard, I couldn't speak. I wish my memories could be erased and my life could be started a new. The death of both my dear ones had me shaken to the bones. A couple of following weeks were just the same. Nothing seemed to have been affective to calm me down.

It kind of became a habit to sleep beside brother Jin after weeks. Since he was staying at the palace tonight, I couldn't fall asleep. I was walking to and from in the hallway when I heard some heavy footsteps. "Can't sleep?", Noah's steps followed mine in the same pace. I shook my head scrunching my nose to which he chuckled. " Hmm, then let me tell you a story", my head jerked in his direction in excitement. "But you will have to get in bed first", he firmly put forth his condition.

I laid on my bed as Noah sat on the chair where brother usually sits. " Once there lived a beautiful little girl who was a warrior's daughter. She was as brave as her father was but one day, his father died in a war. When she lost him, she lost her confidence too. Not too long after his father died, her mother died as well. Now she was all broken, couldn't hold herself up. In all this mess what she forgot was she too was a warrior." I knew that it was my story. I tried to muffle my sobs while he continued.

"Rigel, sweetheart, we stumble, we fall, we break. But then, we rise, we heal, we overcome. This too shall pass, so stay strong. More than being a prince and a friend, Jin is my brother. He considers you as his sister which means you are my sister too. If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder and if you need me, I'll always be here."

Sometimes some people come into our lives just at the right moment. They have such a huge impact on us in no time which amazes us. Noah and brother Jin were those angels that came to rescue me at the right time. I was so grateful to them for holding me up when I was falling and supporting me like a pillar. Saying the things that I needed to hear the most at that time, Noah earned the title of brother from me. From this moment onwards he was not just Noah, he was brother Noah.