Chapter 25 : Siegfried de Chauvegné

Inside the mansion, three people sat around the dining table.

A man, a woman, and a child.

The food was already served on the table, the heavenly aroma wafting their nose, making their stomachs rumble.

The child was already holding the fork and spoon on each hand, his pouting lips signifying his impatience.

The child looked at the two adults respectively on his left and right, he was wondering when would they start eating. Together with his scrunched up eyebrows, his pout was already forming a frown.

He was already too hungry, he could not help it.

Diana glanced at the child beside her, giggling at how cute he looked. A few minutes have passed since the incident from earlier.

She could still remember them laughing at her, it made her cheeks flush from embarrassment. Fortunately, they still helped her down. She gave the plates to the child while Meltif helped her down.

'Oh my lord.'

She could still remember it, the scene from earlier.

Meltif was standing in front of Diana with his arms outstretched, ready to catch Diana when she falls.

"Hold my hand, I'll help you down."

He said tenderly, extending his hand more.

It made Diana's heart beat faster, her ears becoming red. Here was a very handsome guy telling her that he will catch her, help her down. With his tall figure, lean physique, and chiseled face - It reminded her of a prince charming that can only be seen from fairy tales.

'My very own prince charming.'

Diana smacked her head. She was wrong, this wasn't her prince charming. It was Diana's prince charming.

"N-no, I can do this by myself. Don't worry about me."

She promised earlier to avoid touching him. Of course, she'll stick to her promise.

Slowly, she bent down trying to sit back again on the kitchen aisle. When she sat, warm hands suddenly engulfed her.

"Careful."

A warm breath brushed her ears. Meltif's voice was so deep that it made her whole body shiver. Diana can feel her heart beating faster, yet she felt at ease.

Maybe it was those strong warm hands that held her close, or maybe it was because she was able to sit after so long, but she knew that as of right now, she felt at peace.

Meltif helped her down despite her refusal. She safely got back on the steady marbled floor, sighing a breath of relief when she did so.

She turned to Meltif, his hands still holding her steady. With her own hand, she grasped his palms tightly.

"Thank you."

Then she let go, walking towards the pan to set the dish on the table.

Meltif could still feel her soft hands from his palms. He frowned when he recalled the moment he held her, helping her down. He could feel her bones when he held her by the shoulders and arms.

'She's too skinny.'

It worried him greatly. It was fine for him if she was a little bit chubby, but it's a different thing altogether when she was too thin.

He wanted to ask her a lot of things. What happened to you? How do you feel? Are you alright?

"Meltif, it's time to eat."

He was reminded again of his hunger, he bowed his head covering his mouth with his hands.

Back to the present, Diana coughed and clasped her hands tightly.

"Before we eat, let's pray."

The child looked at her disbelievingly. This was the first time that she told them to pray.

Seeing her already clasping her hands, he simply followed in suit. Diana closed her eyes, readying herself to pray.

"Thank you for the blessings and for the gifts you have given us..."

"...thank you for everything. For making it possible for us to eat a meal and to stay intact."

Meltif heard Diana clasped her hands, attempting to pray. The moment she started praying, he hurriedly clasped his hands tightly.

After the prayer, they started the meal.

Meltif searched for the utensils using his hands, taking hold of the spoon and fork.

"What's for breakfast?"

Diana stopped before taking her first bite.

"It's rice."

Diana smiled wistfully.

"I call it fried rice."

Now that Meltif knew what he was about to eat, he started eating.

Diana also resumed, about to take her first bite. The moment she ate the rice, she suddenly felt at home.

'At last, the taste of home.' She thought happily. Diana now felt hungry, very hungry. It was like she was starved after so long, and now finally given the chance to eat.

She ate the rice with gusto, trying to fill her empty stomach. After a while, she started to sniffle.

'I miss home.'

Nostalgia hit her hard on the thought of home. Her mother used to cook this for her every morning, pairing it with fried fish.

Overwhelmed with emotions, she cried.

While she cried at the thought of home, Meltif and the child have different thoughts.

'She's crying.'

The child, Siegfried, thought. His brows were furrowed while he observed the woman. He started to feel sad, feeling guilty about the bad things he spat.

It was the first time he saw her cry. the woman that would always look at him with scorn in her eyes, always glare at him and always order him around.

She was always away, leaving them to their own devices. The house wasn't taken care of very well. There were weeds all over the garden, leaves scattered along the path, and the rooms were filled with dust and cobwebs from not cleaning after a long while.

He hated her, he despised her. Siegfried did not like her one bit. He wanted her gone, for her to leave far far away.

Siegfried always glared at her, he wanted her to know he did not like her one bit. She was like those caretakers in the orphanage - bossy and abusive.

He viewed her as a demon, emotionless and vile. She tormented him and Mr. Meltif. Always shouting and screaming.

He thought of her as heartless and indifferent. He already concluded that even if her most precious person died, she won't even shed a single tear.

That's how he thought of her.

But now she was crying. Tears were dripping down her face while she kept eating. It was a very weird sight to watch, but at the moment he just felt sad.

His hatred was lessening, her demon-like image dissipating.

Instead of a demon in his eyes, she looked like his mother. His dead mother who mourned for his dead father, and for their poor situation back then.

His eyes were becoming moist as he looked at the woman weeping as she ate. He bit his trembling lips, trying not to cry.

His mother who wept silently while holding him in her arms, telling him it was going to be alright.

Diana looked like her at the moment.

They were both despairing silently, they were trying to stay strong.

But it was a bit different. She did not look sad and instead, she was smiling. Her smile was bright yet her eyes looked lonely.

Siegfried now realized why she was crying.

'She cried because we...ate?'

It now started to click together.

'No. She cried because we all ate together.'

They always ate without her. She was always away or maybe sleeping on the bed the whole day making them unable to meet.

But she always made sure to cook them breakfast. There was never a time when they had missed their breakfast.

When it came to lunch, she was already awake. But Meltif and Siegfried always made sure to eat early or later to avoid talking to her.

It wasn't like they hated her - Siegfried hated her but, of course, Mr. Meltif doesn't.

It's because they were scared of her - her shouting and screaming, complaining about everything.

It drained them greatly, and that's why they always avoided her.

She always ate alone, walked alone, slept alone.

She was always alone.

This was the first time they ate together, the first time they all talked to one another after a long while.

'She felt lonely.'

Siegfried thought, his shoulders slumped. He bowed his head down and looked at the delectable meal in front of his eyes.

Their breakfast, their lunch, and their dinner were always made by her. Even if she was constantly lazing around, she always made sure to keep them fed.

He felt ashamed. They made her feel like that, they were both aware.

And their hearts ached more at the thought that something as simple as eating together could make her cry.

Something that was so simple already made her cry.

They ate silently, yet their hearts changed drastically.

Slowly their views of Diana started changing. A start of something new.

A person, no matter how evil or vile, was still a human after all.

Always seeking love and acknowledgment,

By the person they love most.