Chapter 27 : Siegfried de Chauvegné

The sun lifts itself up in the sky, it's rays coloring the horizon, and inside a dimly lit room.

Bit by bit the light shone. At first, it touched the carpet, then the wooden frame. It hugged the cotton sheets, then the pillow. And finally, it fell upon a woman's face.

She winced from the bright warm light, her lashes fluttering as she tried to open her eyes.

So light and beautiful, making you think of the light blue sky.

So are her eyes.

Her orbs became dewy as she yawned, teardrops falling from the corner of her eyes. She stretched her hands out, her stiff bones popping from the movement.

She tried to lift her body up, propped by her elbow. Her hair cascaded down the pillow, now softly touching the sheets.

With the sun's rays, her brunette hair brought out a red hue, making it look golden.

She watched the man beside her, still in deep sleep.

His hair was like coal, it's color a strong black. His warm skin looked a bit pale as it was not touched by the sun's rays.

He was lying on his side, facing her, his towering figure hugged by the soft warm sheets.

She lied on the bed again, her lustrous blue eyes staring at the man's peaceful face.

She lay on her side, her hands kept tightly on her chest. She was afraid of her unruly hands that would, at times, compulsively move without her knowledge.

The man slumbered silently, looking in peace. The deep crease and little frown on his face were now gone.

She knew this man, she was familiar with him. Yet at the same time, she did not know what he was thinking.

She knew him, but at the same time, she doesn't.

They say a person's eyes speak of their soul - their emotions. But how could she glimpse at his soul when she couldn't even see his eyes?

His emotions, his thoughts, how could she see when he couldn't even let her take a peek.

This cold prideful man, hardened by war, she wished to know.

"You're near, yet so far."

Only a step away, but worlds apart.

The woman closed her eyes once again, now facing away from the scorching light that disturbed her sleep.

And she slept once again.

A few minutes passed and the woman was already in deep sleep.

The man who was said to be in deep sleep opened his eyes.

Within his silver orbs, spoke countless words. Words that he couldn't express.

His eyes held some warmth, taking in the sight before him.

He was looking at the woman beside him, her brown hair that now looked golden was now in a mess.

Her cracked lips were open, her soft snores heard by his ears.

Her face was devoid of any color, only her cheeks had a soft red glow from the cold.

She looked plain, with her coarse brown hair, her fair skin that had a few bumps and scars here and there, her pale lips that had bits of skin peeled off, and her wrists and palms full of veins.

He could see all her flaws, flaws that he never would have thought would be in his wife, for he never would have thought to have a spouse of all things.

He got what he didn't wish for. He did not have any choice for it was forced upon him.

He hated being forced. Hence he had that, that small amount of contempt.

It lessened these past days, but the suspicion remains still.

He was always a thinker, he was trained that way. He might've misunderstood her intentions but that doesn't mean he trusts her.

He couldn't trust her, no.

But he wanted to, only that a part of himself said no.

The man had doubts, some suspicions on the woman who laid with him on the wide canopy bed.

Yet his eyes told of a different story. It remained serene as if it was looking at the sun setting down from the east, watching the waves crash each other - the water reaching past the shore, little bubbles forming from its edges.

It held a trace of heartfelt sincerity, a peace of mind.

He looked like a loving husband gazing at his wife.

A kind of irony, considering they are only wedded in papers.

But it was not empty, it was filled with something only those who yield a sense of belonging and abysmal understanding.

He breathed a hefty sigh before closing his eyes.

The morning sun shined through the window, softly brushing the two people with its warm hue. The birds chirped while the bees buzzed flying from flower to flower.

And the day starts unknowingly, the two people still sound asleep on the bed.

Diana started the day by making breakfast. While they ate, she wondered if it was already time for her to leave.

No, she did not plan to leave. She knew that it would cause more harm than good.

Looking at the food that was slowly being depleted, she finally understood the original Diana's worries.

Noticing the glass jar by the vanity table holding only a few nickels of coins made her heart burn with anxiety.

She needed to go out and take a step for them to live.

That was a fact that had to be raised.

She wondered if she should let the child come with her, but within the wilderness where certain things were unknown, combined with the man who lost his sight, she hesitated.

She gathered her wits once she finished ironing the piece of fabric in her hands. Her eyes crinkled, her lips turned up, forming a tender smile. She held the uniform with her hands, blue veins tracing the back of her palms.

It looked amazing in her eyes. It was all black with a tinge of gold. The gold tassels lined right above the chest, a huge slab of leather atop its shoulder blades. A golden badge in the form of a flower pinned on the right side of its chest.

It gleamed under the sun, making it look majestic. She wondered why this piece of cloth looked vaguely familiar to her.

She shook it off as just a thought, she still had to go.

She had to stop working, she had to stop the original Diana's mistakes or else it will further grow.

She donned an olive dress with long puffed up sleeves, it looked old fashioned yet when one would look at her, they would see a dignified madame just strolling down the street.

Diana's gaze shifted to the jar with a few nickels. After looking at it for a while, she lifted the heavy lid and reached for the coins using her left hand.

She closed the lid, a sharp clunk followed after. She opened her palms where 2 bronze nickels lay.

She stashed it on her dress pocket and proceeded out of the bedroom door.

"I'm going out!"

Her high pitched voice sounded across the hallway. It stayed silent, not a sound could be heard after her shout.

Diana's eyes flickered with disappointment while she sighed.

The former Diana always goes out to town leaving them behind. This might be a natural occurrence for them.

She turns to the door, quickly grabbing the umbrella on the side.

Just like that, she left once again.

One of the doors was left slightly ajar, not yet fully closed. It creaked as the wind blows, going back a little, then forth.

A hand reached for the knob and closed it with a little force. It was bigger than the hands from before.

The hands belonged to a dark-haired man with shiny silvery eyes. His figure was tall, almost as tall as the big double doors of their home.

"Mr. Meltif?"

A child with a mess of brown hair peeked through the hallway, his head tilted to the side, his oak eyes twinkled with curiosity.

Meltif closed his eyes, his forehead touching the door.

He felt an emotion that he hadn't felt before. It unsettled him, making him feel restless. He was afraid, anxiety wrapping around his heart.

He did not want her to leave, not again.

"Come back soon."

He breathed as he heard the rhythm of his heart.

A woman in an olive green dress walked around town. Even with the sea of people in the streets, her brunette hair and baby blue eyes made one's gaze linger.

The gazes of the people softened as they looked at her, but then it shifted to a look of contempt once they recognized who that woman was.

"Who's that girl? Is she new?"

"Wait, isn't she that whore?"

"Be quiet! Your voice is too loud."

The ladies at the stall bickered. Trying desperately to make their boisterous mouth be faint. Their once pleasant gaze became that of mockery and ridicule.

For people, loyalty is a must. Especially so when it comes to marriage. That's why women who sell their bodies and indulge in the art of indescribable pleasure were condemned.

Dishonesty and infidelity. When one commits both they will be called a whore, a tramp. Their infamy will spread across towns, left to be judged and went about.

The people knew nothing of the story of the women who sell their bodies. Only the word 'whore' was enough for their whole being to be judged.

The man in front of a bakery ganders at the woman in green. He held a sack of flour with both of his hands, his whole figure blocking the door. He had a black earring on his left ear, his soft greyish locks coming in waves.

He heard the loud voices of the group of women even if he was a few meters away from them. He was very sure that that woman heard of what they said about her, yet it seemed she did not care.

He saw the woman in green enter the red district with his amber eyes, the chattering of the group of women becoming louder.

The man breathed a sigh then swiveled towards the door.

"Never come here again."

The sound of the doors being shut made the onlookers look at the woman with her shoulders hunched, her belongings on the ground. A few prostitutes looked at her with sympathy, while some rolled their eyes at her.

Nevertheless, after a few minutes, people did not look at her anymore. This happens every day, a night worker losing her job because of her insufficiency. It invoked a sense of fear and helplessness on the onlookers making them turn away.

They did not want that to happen to them.

But it was a different story to the woman clad in olive green, Diana. She was holding a heavy leather pouch on the palm of her hands. With her back bent forward, no one could see her dandy smile, the jubilant expression on her face.

They thought she was mourning over her job, when in fact, she was rejoicing for her loss.

She came back to get her pay for the last month. The former Diana, due to her affliction, did not come to get her pay worth of 2 months. She originally intended to save the money in case of emergencies but she did not expect that she would be fired at an earlier date.

The current soul residing in Diana knew that, thus she decided to put that piece of knowledge into good use.

She bent down and gathered her things, but not before putting the pouch in her dress.

Standing up, she straightened her back, her gaze lucid and full of clarity.

Her baby blue eyes turned to her right, she could see the path that she once trudged.

Raising her eyebrows, she expressed a cheeky smile. The wind blew hard, her hair fluttering with the breeze.

With an airy smile, she peeked at the sky.

"I guess it's time for a visit."