Chapter 31

"You look really tired." Eiliff commented and pressed his palm to my forehead.

"It is really tiring dealing with those mothers." I heave a deep sigh, holding onto his arm while we are slowly walking.

"That's quite fun, to think that you blended well with those ladies." He smirk at me. "Are you portraying as kid Sahana's mother?"

I scoff at what he said. "Baby Shana's mother?" I raise an eyebrow and think. Well, baby Shana is really cute! He was friendly with the twins. So I can say. "I can be hia guardian for the meantime.."

"Until when are you planning to keep him with that form?"

"Until when he'll be in that form?" I ask him instead. "You know, having a kid once in awhile is fun, I mean if you just appreciate they're joyous giggles, the way they laugh, look at you with amazing expressions.."

I look at him when it took him a minute before answering me. He was in deep thought, staring at the floor,

"You okay?"

***

"I wanna get freed from here.."

I flinched from my seat when I heard that voice near me. Wait, I am sitting in a cold floor.

Where am I?

The cold breeze of the wind is making me shiver. Checking what I am wearing, a freaking night gown. But, where am I?

A sudden feeling of heaviness on my legs made me close my eyes.

"I wanna go out from here.." This young child again appear.

Am I inside of a dream again? But why would I be dreaming about this poor child?

"I am happy that you are here again." His voice became lively.

"W-what-- why a-are you here?" I tried to voice out a question.

I was confused whether he can answer my question, nor can hear me. I am already aware that I am inside my dream. A continuation of my dream before? Is that possible?

"They are holding me capture for something."

My mouth even gape when he looked at me. His eyes shows nothing but pain. What even is this child being captured for?

"W-what for?" I gulp, staring at his eyes. Those eyes that can change it's emotion quickly.

'Wake up!'

I look up at the ceiling. I heard someone calling my name. When I look down to this young child I felt a fang of pain to my heart.

"Can I see you again?" His eyes full of loneliness. "I will see you again.." He raised his hand and touch the strand of my hair. "I will see you.."

***

When I open my eyes, Eiliff's worried face was what I saw.

"You.." He opened his mouth to speak slowly, there was even a hint of concern. "You weren't waking up for the last two days.."

Two days?

"T-two days?" My voice is a bit hoarse. I tried to get up from bed but my body is too weak to even move. "What happened?"

"You suddenly collapsed last time when we were walking to this room. Everyone's worried.." He stops from talking and look at the door.

"Is mama awake now?" The teary eyes of baby Shana peek inside the room.

"She's awake now." Eiliff answered him in a low voice.

I tried getting up, but there's no use of it. When Eiliff saw me in that state, he pulled me as gentle as he could and made me sit on the bed. Putting pillows on my back and covering me with the blanket.

"Mama! You weren't waking up!" Kid Sahana said and jumped to the bed. "They said you were sick.." He pouted, even with those teary eyes baby Shana is indeed cute!

"Hello there cutie.." I smiled at him when he pressed his forehead to my arm.

"He cried yesterday when you didn't wake up, he cried this morning too."

It was Baley's voice coming in. The three idiots are present.

"My lady.." Arcon.

"Hm.?" I look at them and tried to smile.

"Danger, it's dangerous mama!" Baby Shana said and pouted. He even rested his head to Eiliff's shoulder.

"Y-yeah, I have been dreaming about that young child ever since we came here.." I rested my back to the pillows and look at Arcon. "How'd you know about it?"

"Well,," He scratch his face and gulp nervously. "That kid Sahana has been crying and it's quite getting out of hand because you weren't waking up, so a-ahm, I tried to check up on you my lady and found out the reason why you weren't waking up."

I was thinking about the dream again, the poor health of that young child, the place he was staying, no, he was staying in that prison for some reason.

"What will happen if something like that happen?" I curiously ask and look at Arcon.

"My lady, that will be dangerous."

He just answered my question with that statement. I glance at baby Shana then at Eiliff. Waiting for him to say something about Arcon's statement.

"Does the child you've been dreaming have a black hair and faint pink eyes?" Instead Eiliff asks.

I tried to recall the face of the child, then nod.

I saw how Eiliff sighed and look at me. "Just do what Arcon said. We can't do about you having dreams with that child, though you can control your ways of dealing with it just be careful not to inform that child with your name."

I slightly nodded my head listening to them. Even Arcon who's worried became silent. Baley and Chess didn't say a word either.

The only time this silence breaks was when Flora came in the room with the madame.

"My lady! Are you still feeling sick?"

After the madame visited me, the twins came and check on me too. Eiliff who's been silent the whole visiting time didn't leave the room. He stayed inside with me and baby Shana.

"Are you still feeling sick?" Eiliff ask, putting down the sleeping Shana beside me.

I look outside the window to witness the beautiful garden before answering Eiliff's question.

"I wanna go out.." I said in a very low voice. I thought he'll be mad at me so I tried to make face. "Let's go out.."

He covered baby Shana with the blanket and sighed. "You are still sick. Didn't we tell you that you have been sleeping for two days?"

"I know that, but..you know what?"

He look at me so I continued what I wanted to said.

"...he's been.. he's inside the dungeon, tortured.." I look at baby Shana. "they are torturing him.."

"I don't exactly know what happened..." Eiliff commented. "The soul of that magician is still alive and seeking for someone else's help.."

"What will happen? Why am I seeing him in my dreams? Why me?"

He sat back to bed, facing me. "You slept for two days, what do you think will happen to you if you stay closer to him?"

My heart pounded when I remembered how the child laid on my legs. He looked happy, and somehow relieved that I was there.

"There's nothing we can do about it, though I can make you forget about that.." He said, I was even taken aback when he put his palm to me forehead.

"No, don't.." I said looking at him. Our eyes met, but his red eyes screams of curiousity.

"What did you say?" His brows furrows, he took back his hand that I am still holding.

"He's..." I tried to change the topic of this conversation. "Take me out.. I wanted to go out right?"

"You are not well enough to go out.."

"I---"

"Mmp!"

I can't continue my reasons when baby Shana moved. Are you being disturbed?

"He's been throwing tantrums, so annoying." Eiliff grimmaced and snorted.

"Yeah, did you take care of him well?"

It's already been three days since 'that' happened. Sleeping straight two days? That's weird.

Kid Sahana kept playing with the twins and it's great to see the twins being happy with their new friend. Baley and Chess are even changing turns when taking care of baby Shana.

I, on the other hand, stays around with Eiliff and Arcon. There are times that the kids will visit me. Even the Viscount couple will check up on me.

I thought that they were only thinking that I have a flu, but both of them were aware of the situation.

"It will be better if you get to the winter town faster, Milord.." The viscount said.

"Why is that?" I unconsciously ask them.

"The young child you are frequently meeting in your dreams, and keeping you from reality was originally from the said town my lady." The viscount answered me.

I just look at Eiliff who is now staring back at me. "So what now?"

"Let's wait until you recover, it will take a whole day before we reach the town." He told me that I just answered with nod.

After it was decided when will we travel to be on get to the winter town, the couple left the room with Arcon.

"I'll advice you to rest more but that damn dream won't even let you have a proper dream." Eiliff clicked his tongue with annoyance. "Your health suddenly deteriorated. It shows to your face, you look really tired."

I touch my cheeks. "So, that's how I look right now? Can I atleast have a mirror?"

He tilted his head of what I requested then heave a deep sigh before making a hand gesture, a 'poof' sound was heard then a mirror appeared on my hand.

I check my face intently. The eyebags, as if I haven't slept for a few days, when in fact I have been sleeping last days and barely waking up.

"I really looked like I have been sick for a long time." I mumble to myself.

"Do you wanna go out?"

All of a sudden he said. I kept looking at him for a few seconds then sigh.

"I don't wanna go out like this." I pouted and put the mirror on the table.

"Then what do you want to do?" He then ask.

"I felt tired for a moment, I wanted to sleep but.." I close my eyes and tried to calm myself. "I hate seeing that young child in my dreams getting tortured."

Eiliff put his palm to my forehead and gently push me to lay down.

"The time you wakes up, we will be leaving this place. We can only have answers about that child from the next town." He whisper.

I felt something from his palm. It was a different warmth coming from his hand. An albescent mist was on my forehead. My eyelids became heavier, I can hear him talk few words but my vision became blurry.

***

"Papa..."

Eiliff frowned when he heard the child called him 'papa'. But he can't just ignore the child. He maybe Sahana, the strongest spellcaster in the continent, but for now, he is nothing but a four year old kid.

"What is it?" He kneel to the floor to reach the child's eyes.

"When will mama wakes up?" the child lips pouted, when he look at the kid's eyes he felt guilty. For making this child 'mama' fell back to sleep.

He raised his hands and carried the child to let him see what his mama is doing. From his calm breathing she's obviously sleeping peacefully.

"Shana? Can you do something for mama?" He tried to make his voice calming.

"Yes papa?"

"Can you let mama sleep peacefully without having bad dreams?"

Baby Shana wiggled from his arms so he let him stand on the floor. Shana slowly climbed to the bed but pouted when it's short legs didn't even reach.

Eiliff smiled to himself and obliged to help the kid be on the bed.

"So? What are you gonna do now? Hmm?" He ask with his low voice.

Kid Sahana move closer to the unconscious Prestine, slowly putting those small hands to the lady's head and whisper that he can't hear.

Eiliff stared at the kid who suddenly giggled. "I kissed mama!" He mumble while giggling.

"So? What did you do?" Out of curiousity he ask the kid.

He lean closer to get the kid from bed and started walking out of the room.

"Oww, it's a secret, papa!"

A vein poped up to his forehead hearing the child. How can he ever know what did this kid Sahana do to Prestine. Though he was expecting a solution, this kid, rather Sahana must have done something to Prestine when he asked him to.

He sigh and walk slowly to leave Prestine sleeping while carrying Shana, as what Prestine named this kid.

"Don't you want to play with the twins now?" Asking the kid with his gentle voice. He have to stay kind to this child until Prestine recover. Or for the meantime that Sahana is in this form.

"Master Eiliff has become a great nanny for that child."

Eiliff handed the spoon carefully to kid Sahana before looking at the one who talked. They are currently in one of the guest room of the estate and he is feeding baby Shana before madame Varielle came in.

"He said he was hungry." He reason out and let the madame sit next to Shana.

"Hello Auntie!" Shana greeted with a wide smile.

"Hello there baby.." After the short greeting of the two, the madame guided him to the balcony.

"Will lady Prestine be awake in two days?" She asked first.

Eiliff shrug his shoulders, he leaned on the balustrade. "She will."

"After that you must reach the winter town before she gets to sleep again."

"I know." Eiliff frowned and breathe out exasperately "Is he that desperate to be saved?"

"Will you use teleportation magic?"

"I was thinking of, but the lady admires the nature's beauty, so it's fine. She didn't complain about riding a carriage too."

The madame look at Eiliff's face. Sure he wasn't smiling, but his eyes screams of a different emotion mentioning the name of the lady.

Madame Varielle is one of a very few friends that the tower magicians have, and she knew the master of the magicians quite well than any other. For her, seeing him with that expressions on his face, she felt nothing but relieved.

"You must be happy taking care of the lady, Lord Eiliff." She commented.

Eiliff snorted. "She's a handful one.." He meant to murmur those words, but it came out naturally. "Whatever she wanted must be followed, she demands way too much a lady could ever demand."

"Isn't it amazing?"

He wondered what she meant by that, with her brows furrowed he look at her.

"Amazing?"

"Yes, amazing. She is amazing." The madame gave him a meaningful smile. "She's the only lady who gets into your nerve, yet you cared for her well."

"Care? Do I look like I cared about her?" He ask.

Madame Varielle smiled, nodding her head.

"In what way would I care? I am just keeping her safe because... because..." Eiliff tried to reason out while scratching his chin.

While the madame's eyes shines in astonishment.

"She's kind right?" The madame started. "She's also pretty, she's even gentle. The way she smiles, the way her eyes curves when she laughs. Oh! Her voice is really sweet..."

"Sweet?" Eiliff faced the madame with a bit disapppointments. "She's loud. Don't you know that the first thing she did was hit me?"

"S-she hit you?!" Varielle's eyes widen with disbelief. Well, she cleared her throat and continue. "She must have had a reason why she hit you."

"Whatever it is." Eiliff roll his eyes and simply reminisce the hit he recieved from Prestine.

"But, don't you think that she's amazing? I mean with that beauty she have, she's sure is smart, right? She's beautiful right?"

"I think so..." He said in a low tone and remember the face he already memorised. From her eyes, to her lips.

That small lips Prestine have, yet still loud for a lady. She's been through a lot after coming here in their world, but she manage to smile for them.

"I've heard what happened at the Tohan's town.."

"She was attacked."

"Do you have any lead? Who was trying to abduct her?" The sound Varielle made was full of concern.

"Sahana investigated it already, and the one we put on prison won't even budge." He sighed. "And this time, another brat is being annoying."

"It can't be help. By the way, is she aware of what you did to Dave? Aren't they became a bit close before the incident?"

Eiliff stops from thinking about the incident that happened in Tohan's town. If it wasn't for Dave being weak Prestine wouldn't have been hurt. The way Prestine cried every night. The way she got scared because of it.

"What is there to worry about him?" He ask instead.

"Don't you think that is too much? Does Lady Prestine knew about it?"

"She doesn't have to know anything. As long as she won't remember, he'll be in that prison." He said firmly.

"What did you do?" Varielle tried to pry about Dave's condition. "I-if, if Lady Prestine knew--"

"As long as she won't remember, there is nothing to worry about."

Madame Varielle lean on the balustrade and watch her kids play on the garden. "She loves kids. I mean everyone does admire kids, have you seen the way she talk to my little Cally? Aw, she's so sweet!"

"She made a fuss about taking care of Shana, who happened to be Sahana." He retorted back.

Varielle laughed at his statement. "He is cute though."

Eiliff look at the twins who are happily playing. "She said that too."

She will sure be smiling while watching these kids run around the ground. He is sure with that. If only she's well enough to be walking around the area, she'll enjoy the liveliness these kids radiates.

It's already been a few days since she's in that estate, and he doesn't like to admit it, but he is worried.

What if she wanted to stay in her dreams, with that annoying brat who's trying to get her attention.

'So annoying..'