The Missing Visitant

"Still can't believe I'd hear the 'no' from Erynew... again for the second time, with that same face she showed. The difference is that... only now she seems mean it."

The muttering appraised for the shades of blue of the surface of the moon, much of late the beginning of that long day full of gloomy purple and sometimes misty chilling ground of the resting grasses---from swaying to and fro---on which steps upon steps were taken as this little boy walked across the gap of emptiness between the crimson light of torches and the azure moonlight alike... walking across inside this quite a serene space, somewhat seeming to complain to the breathing starlight of the gloomy skies. The little boy had just done so, with the head looking up.

"It is perhaps... quite difficult for her, since she still thinks of herself as the devil, aware of her innate nature and feel that we humans don't deserve to be present at one table with her, eh, well... maybe."

Intertwined and side by side, the rhythm of many steps stepping on the dewy grasses, muffling the melodies of many steps, thus capable of connecting with the others beneath this gloomy however bright night which turned the whole plain into its tints of azure; the gradation from the earlier green, but the scene remained the same old one... breezeless night and the chilling one, in which this grown girl---having a look typical of a little village's inhabitant---tried also to connect with the talks besides her steps, regarding the previous event for which she felt unfortunate it must occur.

However oftentimes, the mind of an adult was filled with a lot of exaggerated things hence overthinking things which by any mean weren't really necessary of what they seemed in reality; for the mature mind often only relied upon reality, the basic and common thoughts of what a reality supposed to be... when in reality, a reality was always changing, even outright unpredictable.

The humans invited the devil to join them for dinner,

The devil forthright declined the kindly invitation of them,

Nothing why nor because; because the dinner would be expected to be less than a feast, nothing was truly a banquet to minister the devil after what the devil had provided to this small community - that sense of freedom to them, hence it was happened... the dinner tonight which could be called---at least---more than a simple dinner they had a few prior then. A soirée. Therefore also became part of a reality mindset to invite the main character, as a special visitant as well their savior, despite that main character being the devil, thus the no response should be contemplated more... at the very least. For their degrees were different to one another. No way in hell that the devil would just mingle around such lowly humans life. An unseemly possibility it was, and quite a common sense that was. Surely comprehensible the crystal-clear result was, for it was the reality which this village girl lived up to.

Till came the simple mind of a child reconstructing such an overthinking thoughts, as this little boy had thought the rejection of such a kindly invitation was no merely because the devil being the devil, however merely because that was a part of the devil being herself in literal way; the one-horned devil who oftentimes kept something for herself only, the reason of her declinature, for she perhaps planned something ahead. Whether it was because how a child's mind worked, untied with reality but its changing nature instead, therefore he could and would adapt quickly... or merely because he had spent some time with the said devil thus capable of making a relevant assumption based on a few hours passed worth of experience,

"Is that really so, Reya? I actually doubt it she has that thought. I mean, we're talking about Erynew here, aren't we? Unlike any other devil, though I never really meet the others devil except her. But still, like I said, it's the second time for me to hear that 'no' answer from her. She's really meant it now of course, but that somewhat... odd grin I've also seen it before. I can tell if Erynew perhaps has something in her mind she don't like to tell."

"Can't believe I'll agree with you this time, Gizado. But by looking back, she may indeed has a reason to decline. Because of her... the Erynew's reason."

In conjunction with his steps, the rhythm of another's steps this time creating a small gap in between; for these were steps of another child next to Gizado's, the little boy's steps along side with hers, the little girl who seemed to agree as well,

"A-ah... maybe you're right. I... I was just overthinking things, ahaha," Reya, the village girl quickly revised her exaggerated thoughts just now, upon listening to the words of these kids which reminded her of the salient trait of the said devil, "After all, just like Erynew has guessed. We're in peaceful time right now, but still trying to recover from the wounds. And we indeed are still in a short supply, because we're just planting seeds for winter. Therefore... to be honest, I kind of feel... it's not really a good idea to invite her to our perfunctory dinner. However hopefully, we could... someday."

"Yes, we could and would definitely,"

Dry lips of his broke out into a broad smile; this little boy actively uttering thus enthusiastic words of his, seemingly without minding his breath which slowly became visible through the dry lips being exposed to the breezeless chill... the quietness thereafter that brought these three of the adagio steps eventually to where they destined in which several houses were lit with crimson torches and lanterns alike... they later surrounded them three as the gloomy and starlight surround slowly faded into the light of a small village,

Among others cruck houses, they reached for the middle one that was built at almost the exact center of this small village, which also supposed to be the largest than the rest, and seemingly too, the brightest for tonight, as seen from a few cracks on its wooden wall emitting white and red light... seeming warm and cozy, despite having no window at all for someone who might feel like to peek inside unfortunately, however through the brown wooden door would do, by opening it to reveal the contentment inside, regardless of the luxury because nothing so much opulence inside...

"Ah you're back. Reya, Maya. Come... let us have some dinner, eh. And you too Gizado... never thought you'd be willing to join us. I'm glad to see you here,"

...because the smile of a loving father, a family was the luxury for which the three of them were always seeking, upon walking closer to the wooden brown door until eventually pushing it to reveal what they were seek in this peaceful moment.

"Of course I'd come. I am too feel hungry, you know... numb-old father."

However quite blatant indeed, hence somewhat with a cold response given by the son... returning such a caring smile, and a warm welcome from a loving father whose gray hairs were seemed about to soon spread its sign of aging, noticeable among these tallow candles and the twinkle flame pointing it out; the middle-aged man along with these wrinkles on his smiling face, being illumined by them - light of crackling fire, of the fire pit that was large enough to be the sources of all of this merriment inside, albeit the awkward first impression between the previous interaction of father and son, calling his father in his literal circumstance; resting his old butt still on his own straw bedding and seeming seldom to move, for his left leg remained being wrapped in linen. A wound from the last memorable occasion that would remain stuck inside the mind of the son, ergo the statement---of somewhat a satirical statement---the statement the son uttered to that old man who was capable of understanding the concealed meaning of beneath it, therefore he only was laughing at it... chuckling thus feeling grateful,

"Gi-Gizado, calling your father that way---" standing next beside this little boy... the little girl then clearly and plainly evoked that feeling of pique; to voice the irritation of what she had thought through a whisper upon hearing his quite blatant and fairly harsh way of responding to such a warm welcome from a father,

However the occurring laugh of the old man, simply enough to prevent her misinterpretation from continuing, "It's alright, Maya. It's just he being himself," through that pair of wrinkled eyes of his, staring down at the doorstep, but mostly now looked at his son, "Numb-old father, eh... well, Gizado... my leg does still feel the numb, but thanks to it I'm not really suffering from its pain. Miss Erynew's spell and the herb made by Kiya helped me gone through it. Maybe tomorrow I can walk normally again."

Only silence it seemed to prevail, nothing but a wordless and short sigh upon blowing the subtle breath from his chest feeling relief at least, somehow, only the son---his only son---Gizado who seamlessly considered that answer as one he sought for, from the prior satirical statement which could be considered as a cold one of his. Such a lame excuse of his for getting know of his father's condition, which transpired to be success fortunately.

"Oh, everyone has gathered here it seems." coming into the state of affair, this another voice was, from behind beyond the doorstep on which the three new visitants still stood. A voice of a woman at her nearly twilight age, "Come on, why you still standing in here? Go inside, before this bread went cold."

That middle-aged woman was Kiya, carrying two bucket of bread as it seemed in each of her hands... a loaf of bread resting within those small wooden buckets while thin warm and fragrant smoke seemingly still emerged from it, simply indicated this recently baked bread.

"Let me help carrying it, Mother." Reya quickly acted out of her initiative, reaching for the two buckets full of bread from her mother hands,

"Ah thank you, Reya. Then if you don't mind, could you also slice it into few pieces? There'll be more people coming too."

"Yes, Mother. Then I'll slice it into ten each." Reya then deftly took steps forward carrying those buckets full of bread, walking inside the house and towards the simple dining table---rectangular in shape and wooden in material---being placed near the fire pit, the warmth source of this house, preparing another step for the dinner to be ready.

"More people? Who's that might be, mom?" the youngest daughter of this middle-aged woman, a young daughter full of curiosity then would obviously proceed to inquire upon listening to her mother's statement just now,

"Why, your father and Miss Erynew of course. We have prepared some meal that we think enough for us all, and perhaps... able to please her. Well, it's nothing compare to what she had done for us all... but at least, and hopefully she'd like to join us in here tonight."

An obvious answer, as Maya had guessed would come up eventually, for the devil's presence was to be expected amongst them... repaying her favor, that sort of thing. However none of them would never ever expect what a chance had come about and the devil had declined such a kindly invitation,

"Speaking of which, where's Miss Erynew? You two were always with her, weren't you, Maya, Giza? Thought she'd come with you along with your sister when she came to pick you up."

Held back the words and grasped the silence for a moment; the two young kids were looking to one another, trying to find the fitting answer to the inquiry... the inquiry which hoped to meet the minute excitement of having their savior to be at the same table as them, sharing food and tale, laugh and thoughts.

Even so with the savior's absence, and by simply observing at this nothing-really noteworthy-the-excitement that was expressed upon the tiny faces of these kids holding back the unforeseen answer... the middle-aged woman already knew what would come up from their lips, and so did them these young kids, eventually knew what kind of answer in which should be fitted.

To keep the answer brief as well as short as possible, therefore Maya volunteered herself to perform the deed, explaining all had transpired, "Mom... she said no."