The Sad Little Flower

That night, Morvain dreamt about a great fire devouring woods and forest and homes. Apart from that, he slept peacefully, knowing the Hound was about to be killed.

And he wasn't wrong. The next day, the news came in: the Hound was found dead in his house. His head severed and displayed on a pike, the entire house reduced to ashes.

'Gods, she's vicious.'

No trace of the assailant was found, and Morvain was more than pleased with that outcome.

"That girl is losing it."

Gideon paced his room, clearly shaken by the Hound's death. Morvain had only just mentioned the Hound's name, and now he was gone.

'What if she finds out about me? What then?'

The thought of her discovering his involvement filled him with dread. He feared she would tear him to pieces.

He glared at his foolish son, who was still wearing that idiotic smile, and couldn't contain his frustration.

Smack!

"Ouch! Why did you do that?" Morvain clutched his head.

"Why? Why?! Why, you ask? You idiot! You're here grinning like a fool when she just murdered an Imperial soldier. And not just any soldier, but a commander! Aren't you worried about her living under the same roof as you?"

Morvain simply shrugged, a nonchalant expression on his face.

"Why, father? Why would I worry about her? It's not like she's after me or something. I didn't do anything at all. Do you know something about the death of your other son?"

Morvain asked with such sincerity and nonchalance that Gideon might have believed him if he didn't know the truth about Eldric's death, orchestrated by Morvain himself.

'He's getting good at this,' Gideon thought. 'It's a good thing, but also dangerous.'

"Where's the girl anyway?"

Morvain stood up from his chair, stretching a little before heading towards the worktable. He was adjusting quite well to his new eyes. He picked up a small bottle from the table and examined it.

"She's at her new favorite place," he remarked, giving the bottle a little shake. The two golden orbs within it rattled, forming bubbles around their shapes. "Where her beloved's head is cremated and buried."

Morvain's voice carried a low, venomous undertone.

"You mean the place where you buried that dead cat?"

"Yep," Morvain replied. For a brief moment, he wished he had the ability to connect with his old eyes, stored in the bottle he was holding. Then he could have placed them in Lavender's room and watched over her. He could have made sure she was eating properly and getting enough rest.

But that was a futile hope. He was, after all, one unlucky individual. He had harbored a partial hope that by transplanting Eldric's eyes, he might gain some powers along with them. Perhaps a status screen like the one Eldric and Lavender spoke about.

He often observed them engaged in casual conversations. It irked him because while they chatted, they held each other's hands and wore those foolish, affectionate smiles.

'My god. I hope this will all be over soon, and she'll just be mine already.'

Setting the bottle down, Morvain's crimson eyes remained fixed on the stone on the table.

The black stone, the one that had supposedly fallen from the sky. It was his stone, his ticket to power. He vividly remembered the time he had shattered the Hound's metallic eyes with it in hand.

'I need to find a way to steal it back from the old geezer somehow.'

"I'll go check on her," Morvain said, turning around to face his father. "See what's on her mind right now."

"That's a good idea. Just be careful not to push her too far. We won't be able to stop her if she goes berserk," Gideon warned.

Morvain gave a curt nod and left the room. His mind was focused on his next move, his crimson eyes glowing with determination.

...

The slum was alive with activity. Little street urchins darted around, their tattered clothes and smudged faces serving as badges of their carefree innocence. They were unaware of the harsh realities of the world, and Morvain couldn't help but wish they could all remain that way—playing and laughing with their friends, oblivious to matters of rank, status, and bloodline.

Morvain strolled along the crowded streets, never one to find enjoyment in such outdoor pursuits. He recalled countless times when Eldric had dragged him into games of tag and other activities where defeat was almost a foregone conclusion. It was as if the outcome had been predetermined.

Suddenly, two of the children raced toward him, playfully circling around him before darting off. Morvain's gaze followed them, a fleeting smile on his lips. But that smile vanished just as quickly when his eyes settled on a boy in the group.

The boy had black hair, a sturdy and lean frame for his age. He smiled and waved at Morvain, his most striking feature being his crimson eyes. It was him, or at least it appeared to be.

Morvain's heart pounded in his chest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. The weight in his chest felt unbearable, as if he might succumb to a heart attack right then and there.

Just as he felt he couldn't bear it any longer, someone bumped into him. "Move along, idiot," the man grumbled as he passed.

Morvain quickly turned to look, but there were no red eyes in sight this time. It had been nothing more than an illusion. He wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a sigh. 'What's wrong with me? Why am I seeing things now?'

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Morvain pressed on, determined to put the strange encounter behind him.

After some more minutes of walking, he took a right turn and walked for another ten minutes until he was near the lake. The ground was cut down rock and dirt, so it formed a platform raised from the waters below.

He could see her now, standing in front of a small angled rock. She was praying, likely for him to get to heaven or something. She always believed in God, but Morvain was no fool. He knew there were no gods. If they existed, all this wickedness wouldn't persist in the world.

He slowly walked towards her and stood beside her, keeping a good distance between them.

"Do you think he's in heaven right now? Getting fed by beautiful angels as he lays on his new feather bed," she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

'Poor thing.' He just wanted to hold her.

"Where else can he go?" Morvain replied. "I don't think the Devil can hold his stupid ass in hell if he's there."

'I'm sure that cat would be in heaven right now, since you prayed sincerely.'

There was a pause, as a small northern wind blew by them. The leaves of the trees swayed, making a sound that seemed like a whispering voice to Morvain.

"He said he wished to meet his family," Lavender said, looking up at the sky. "Are you going to fulfill it?"

"Yes, I intend to," Morvain replied, taking a step forward. "But, it might be a little difficult because the Emperor and the military have blocked the entry of civilians into the royal city."

"I see."

'It's good that you see it my way.'

"But I will undoubtedly see his family, with his own eyes. There's no doubt about that. It will take some time, sure, but I will complete it."

"What about your preparations?"

"Father is talking with the ship captain. He might be able to get me a ticket aboard. If I don't get on this ship, then the next one is in six months," Morvain explained.

'That also means, I won't be seeing you for the next six or more months. My heart is really aching for you. How would you survive without me watching over you?'

"When is the ship departing?"

"In two days."

Another pause, and another northern wind. Her hair tousled and danced on his face. He felt like touching it and kissing her forehead.

"Take care of yourself, Morvain," she said, turning around to look at him.

His heart raced.

"I will," he smiled, looking at her. "You too, Lavender."

She extended her arms and he accepted the gesture. They stared at each other for a moment before she looked away and turned around. "I'll see you at home."

"I'll be home soon," he called after her.

Once she was gone, he uncurled his fist to see a familiar rock in his hand. The same rock Eldric used to fool the Hound and his soldiers. She must have thought it was the reason Eldric got killed.

'This is good!'

He looked at the stone and pocketed it.