۞ VII ۞

"KNIGHT…" HE WHISPERED STILL DUMBFOUNDED with her suggestion. "If I become a Knight, I'll be able to definitely protect the kids from the orphanage."

"That's why I'm suggesting you this, Lewis!" They won't have me anymore. "At my absence, you will need to become their pillar. I'll do my best to leave some stuff for you, enough that will be able to help you out for six to seven months. Enough for you to enter the army. And I'm sure you will make the cut!"

He blinked, "What stuff?"

She only smiled at him, "You will know in five days. I still have six, counting now, since it's probably around 3 am now. One day before my birthday, I'll leave all I have to you, stuff that will be helpful for you and the kids."

I think I'm going to cry. "Don't talk like that!"

Donna hugged him again, and he hugged her back tight, imprinting how it feel to hold her, in his very soul. She stayed silent for a bit, hearing how fast his heart was beating, knowing it was because of her. "Can you promise me something, Lewis?"

"Yes!"

"Promise you won't close your heart forever after um gone, and that, even if it takes more than 10 years, you will do your best to open your heart again. That you will allow yourself to love someone else after I'm gone. Even if it takes you twenty years to sort that out."

I don't want to. "Donna…"

"Please, Lewis," her voice cracked, and he flinched.

Closing his eyes tight, "It's not fair, Donna. This is not fair to any of us. Especially not to you. Fuck. Why did your mom had to do this?" His voice was a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Lewis." Fuck. This hurt.

"It's not fair," he cried softly.

"I know," she whispered. "Believe me, I'm doing my best to get through this with my pride intact. But it's hard. It's hard not to break when I know I only have six days left, and that I'll be killed by a Devil." He caressed the top of her hair, "But please, Lewis, promise me that. I'll go away with more ease if I know you won't block yourself forever because of me."

The boy stayed silent for a while, not sure if he would be able to speak, but when he did, his voice was as low as a breath, "I can't promise I'll be able to do that, but I can promise you I'll try. But it'll take as much as 20 years for me to possibly think of anyone else. My heart is yours, Donna. It has been yours from the moment I met you."

"Give me just a piece of your heart, Lewis, don't give me it all. I'll take 20%. Keep 60% locked and for yourself, use that love for you, and you only. And the other 20% keep it guarded for the day you meet someone else who deserves it. Someone who will need your embrace as much as I need it right now."

It's not fair. This is not fair. "I… Okay…" Lewis said fighting his tears. "I promise I won't close myself forever."

"Thank you," she whispered and jumped away from him, startling the boy. "We need to keep some distance now or I might hurt you," she whispered blushing.

He couldn't help but to laugh, "What do you mean?"

I'm horny, idiot. Donna pressed her lips together, and as lilac flames took over her hands and went up to her arms, she showed it to him, "You're making me want to do more than just hug you and wanting that makes me be like this!"

She's attracted to me like I am to her. Fucking hell. I'm in heaven. "You can't control it?"

"Unfortunately, no. Thankfully, all of my clothes are magically made to sustain my fire, otherwise it would burn it all to dust and I would be butt naked right now!" When she looked at him mischievously, he was redder than ever. "Sorry," she chuckled. "Did I give you wild thoughts?"

"More than you can imagine," he gulped, and looked at her hands that were still covered in the wild lilac fire. "Do you need to be standing?"

A nod, "Unless you want me to spread my fire to the seat and to the fountain, yes. Don't forget that Hell Fire can burn water by either evaporating or freezing it. And that wouldn't be pleasant."

"How do we make that go away!"

"I need to be turned off," she chuckled. Gods', it's weird to say it out loud. "Devil. Let's talk about the Devil. That will be a turned off to me."

Is she avoiding my eyes because it's unhelpful on this situation? I kind of love it. "Your hair ain't burning, even though it's covered in flames."

She grinned, "I'm fireproof. It's a win from this."

"That's amazing. I wish I was fireproof," he grinned, and her fire grew, burning brighter than before, making him laugh. "At least we are thinking about the same thing!"

He's literally playing with fire. "Shut up," she said as her skin turned even redder. "You are not helping!"

"Fine. The Devil. Hm… why do you think your mom made such a deal with him? Do you think he came to her when she was going through so bad stuff?" Like abuse.

Lewis didn't need to finish it, she understood what he didn't say, "I don't know. No one talks about my mother. She's like a taboo in the castle. Lillian is the only who talks about her, but all she has to say are about how my mom was back in the Royal Palace, when she lived there before she left to marry my father."

"Isn't that suspicious?"

"Yes. But it might also be because she sold me to the Devil. That itself is a taboo," with a reason.

"But to what price did she sell you to the Devil?"

She blinked, "What?"

"What did she win from it, Donna? If you were sold and your father told you that using this specific word, doesn't it mean there was a bargain? A bargain always involves both parties gaining something from it. What did your mother gain?" He drank a bit of his water, glad that it was cold, even though the weather was also cold because it was winter.

I never asked myself that, to be honest. "I have no idea. But I doubt anyone would tell me. Guess I'll have to ask the Devil himself that before he kills me and cook me for dinner."

Lewis turned pale, "Don't joke about that, Donna."

"I must. It's better than cry for it. Joking about my misery always helped me out. It also helps with breaking the ice when I meet someone who talks to me as if they're stepping on eggs," not to mention that it helps me with my anxiety and my volatile emotions. "Though sometimes just joking doesn't help and I lose my control over my anger, and I explode. Normally I make sure to do that far away from anyone."

"Do you feel angry often?" Because I would.

"I'm constantly angry, Lewis. At my mom, at my dad and his wife and the bastards. At the Devil. At the Gods."

She began walking and he jumped on his feet to go after her, "Where are you going?"

"Meadows' Tavern."

"Oh? That place's famous here," I've never went ate there though, because it's far from the orphanage. "Everyone goes there when they are around here."

Donna nodded smiling, "Raye and Grover, the ones I mentioned when speaking with Miss Jane, are the owners and they are very good to me. Always treating me as if I were one of their own, part of their family," she caressed her braids. "Raye is the one who braided my hair. I eat my breakfast there almost every night."

"By breakfast you mean what others call dinner?"

A nod, "Yes. I told you before, I'm more of a night person. I sleep through day and live through the night. It's always been like this for me. I tried to live during daylight before, but I felt terrible. Sunlight ain't for me."

Lewis walked closer to her, "You think that might also be related to the deal your mom made with the Devil?"

"Probably. The Devil only comes at night, after all."

"That's true. He must be a nocturnal person like you, then. Being. Monster. Whatever he is," he rolled his eyes.