Chapter 5: Fire That Burns The Memories

I thought about what my sister wanted from me in the middle of the night as I walked step by step down the stairs to the living room. My mind scrambled for answers, trying to piece together the clues and hints she had given me over the past few days, but none of it made sense.

Inside the living room, I heard a pair of footsteps, like those of a child. I figured it was probably my sister, and it was indeed her, but her face seemed more serious than anything I had seen before.

With a light gesture and a soft wave of her finger, I understood what she meant and silently followed her into the living room. She then instructed me with her hand to sit on one side, while she took her own seat.

I didn't question her and promptly sat down in the chair. I could feel the tension rising, and I had a growing sense that she was going to tell me something I wouldn't like. I gulped and finally mustered the courage to speak.

"I don't think you called me here in the middle of the night just to play pranks on me, right?" I asked with a serious expression.

"I would like to ask how I look in this new dress, but I suppose I could save that for another time," she replied. Although her words sounded like a quip, her face remained serious.

"I see," I replied, folding my arms and crossing one leg over the other to make myself more comfortable. "You may continue, sister."

"Thank you" She sighed. "Your Main Character has just confronted the king and just make him abdicated from the throne and replacing him with the prince that's renowned for his goodness to the people"

A mild shock was visible on my face before I regained my composure and responded.

"Isn't that a bit overdue, don't you think? After eight years the time finally arrived"

"Yes, that's why I'll offer you two options," she raised two fingers, forming a peace sign.

"Tell me about it"

"One, we both run from our house and prepare for everything ourselves, so we can't get caught by the new king's purge. Or two, we stay here and let luck decide our fate."

For a while, I was not expected her options as I questioned her.

"On what basis do you think the new king will purge our family? Isn't the Emberstrand family is highly important to every king in Ignarion that has come before us?"

"Father has aligned himself with the former king, and I don't think testing our luck here and hoping that the new king won't purge every family and faction still loyal to the old king is a wise decision. Staying here wouldn't be worth our lives, brother."

"So you're proposing that we run from her-"

My sentence was stopped to a halt by the screeching of the door as one of the maids entered, and both of us immediately looked back in horror. Had she overheard everything that had just come out of our mouths?

"C-Constancia... W-What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Did you hear everything?" My sister asked while she was clearly trembling, horrified that everything she said might have already been heard by Constancia.

"I heard everything I needed to hear, Aurel. I've sensed something suspicious was going on since the day I met both of you, but this is something else."

"C-Constancia, could you please keep this a s-secret?" I pleaded as I stood up and bowed slightly to her. Cold sweats now streamed down my cheeks as I stammered over my words.

She looked at us with a stern expression, clearly both surprised and shocked by her master's children plotting to leave the house for their safety. In layman's terms, it was called a betrayal. But at the same time, she understood that we were just children seeking our own safety.

She let out a sigh as she left the room.

We immediately stood up from the sofa and grabbed onto her feet, pleading and begging so that she wouldn't report this to our father.

"P-Please, Constancia, I know that we like to order you to go and grabbed us food or drink but please!" My sister said desperately as I tried to hold her down.

For a while, there was no reaction from Constancia until she turned around, her stern face replaced with a smile as she slowly crouched to our height and patted our heads warmly.

"I know, I know. Didn't both of you promise that I'm your friend? I promise I'm not going to tell your parents, hehe," she chuckled and winked at us. Hearing those words, our faces quickly blushed as we embarrassingly nodded. Inside, our hearts felt a bit warm from her hands stroking our heads. Our mother never even touched us like this before, so her touch felt really...real.

Constancia then offered us her pinky finger as we still felt our hearts melt from her stroking our hair. Realizing what we needed to do, we cutely shook our heads and followed suit wrapped it around hers.

"Promise is a promise! Those who breaks it will be stung by a bee" Constancia then smile warmly. "If both you leaves, please remember about your parents and me, okay?" 

"Mhmm!" Both of us then nodded as all three of us laughs softly with each other.

It was quite a magical night, that's for sure. For us to have a friendship with a maid, two masters, for others, it was simply a miracle to some extent. Since childhood, every child born into nobility has always been taught that the maid's job is to serve them. Well, it's a shame that not everyone has the freedom that was given to us by our parents...

I suppose we need to be a little grateful for the things we have been given so far because happy dreams like this can't really last too long.

A few days had passed since then, and we had now formulated a plan that also involved Constancia escaping with us. After some brainstorming, we didn't want to leave her behind to her fate, as it would greatly sadden us.

We should have prepared for everything, we should've, but...

***

In a morning, where usually the birds chirp and the leaves shrug against each other, and the cold wind passes from the window through our mansion, all I could feel is a burning sensation.

Sensing something wrong, I promptly open my eyes to see that all my visions are red. Startled by this, I jumped out of bed to find burn marks tattered all around my skin, with flames now starting to spread and creep from the hallway near my room. From the outside, I heard people rallying; they sound mad.

We're late by just one day, damn it! I thought to myself as I push against the wooden door. Seeing that the fire is now spreading even faster, I frantically dotted my eyes across the room, searching for something that I could use, until I knew I had to do that.

"Well, the phrase 'fight fire with fire' could be thought of as literal too."

I then stepped back from the door and charged my magic.

"By flame's might, foes ignite, In fiery dance, they meet their plight! Fire Wall!"

A wall of fire then consumes the wooden door as I rush through the debris and what's left of it, covering my mouth and nose to not breathe in the smoke in the process. I then go to my sister's room to find that she's not in there. Panicking, I quickly came down the stairs as the fire hasn't reached that part of the mansion yet, and there I saw Constancia with Aurellis, my sister, in her arms.

"Constancia!" 

"Master- Ah, Ardentia, are you alright?!" She seems a bit worried, as she looks around at my current body. 

"Don't worry, I'll manage. For now, let's get out of here."

With that, both of us then ran to the back door, and without me even noticing, a pair of arrows zipped through the fire. I could feel one of them was headed towards me before, "Agh!". A groan was drowned by the crackling fire and smoke behind as I stop and turned back, thinking that the worst has happened.

"Constancia...don't tell me," I then run back to where Constancia was before she was shot and immediately crouch in front of her. 

"Ah, Ardent...Could you take over holding your sister for me?" Slowly, she handed Aurellis to me as blood started coming from her mouth. 

"Looks like my heart and knee were hit at the same ti-" 

"Why didn't you dodge i-" I then stop as I looked in her eyes. "You stopped that arrow for me...didn't you?" Tears started to flow silently from my eyes as guilt coarse through my body.

Listening to my reaction, Constancia then nodded as her breathing got more and more shallow. "Ardent...could you hear me?"

Without uttering a word, I just nodded painfully.

"I once again...sorry that I couldn't take care of you...long enough to see you grow," She heaved as she slowly stroked my face. "I'm...sorry."

With that, she then hugged us both. Even though it's weak, I could feel the intent behind it. It was the warmest hug that we could feel in our lives, with my tears starting to shed.

"Go...and hope for the best of luck to both of you..." She then shakily pulled her arms back to her chest and with her last gathered strength, pushed us away as the fire now just caught up to which I kept running to the exit, with Aurellis in my hand, tears keep running down my cheeks as I quietly sob. Trying not to disturb my sleeping sister, not that I know that she too also cries quietly.