Benefactor

The night was tranquil and foggy, creating a rather eerie sensation.

This was true for the few people huddled around the waning fire, trying to keep the harsh cold winds at bay. Young Olivia sat closest to the flames. Her small hands were outstretched, trying to glean any left-over heat. Unfortunately for her, tonight was the night she was unable to spend with Mandy and therefore, had no choice but to sleep at the old abandoned house. At least for her, it wasn't all doom and gloom. She wasn't the only one there, a few other children, mostly older than herself, were here with her due to their own complications.

"I heard this year's harvest wasn't that good either." A scrawny boy sullenly commented.

Miles sighed forlornly, a glowing cigarette between his lips, "How long has this drought been, Oren?"

The scrawny boy, Oren, lifted his long slender fingers, counting them off before replying, "It's been 5 months."

As they listened to him, all eight of them gave a melancholic sigh.

"We just managed to survive a deadly plague by the skin of our teeth and now we're hit with a drought?" One of the girls sitting next to Olivia, complained in a bitter tone.

Olivia looked over at Caris who continued to curse their bad luck. Caris was around the same age as Miles. According to the others, she had always resided in this dilapidated and shabby building. Although Olivia didn't know whether what they were saying was true or not, she did know that like everyone else, Caris was also an unfortunate child without parents to depend on.

Despite this, she was a lively character, often referred to as the 'mother' of the group. And indeed, in Olivia's experience, she really did live up to the name. She always made sure everyone had enough food to live through the day, even going as far as to relinquish a part of her own portion if need be. What was more wonderous to the young Olivia, was Caris' medical capabilities. Albeit, through trial and error, everyone unanimously agreed that she was the best person to go to when injured. Of course, Caris was nowhere near at the level of a normal doctor, let alone having any of the medical utensils needed. She always made do with the few things she had on hand and somehow made it work each time.

Last but not least, she was always kind and sweet to the young Olivia, causing her to not help but draw closer.

"Urgh! Just you wait!" Rass suddenly pointed up at the sky.

"Wait until what?" Oren questioned.

"I'll get older and get a stable job outside the village, near the capital. When I make tons of money I'll buy a house and then…and then…"

Towards the end of his declaration, he began to flush against the orange hues of the flames.

He loudly cleared his throat before closing his eyes and shouting out, "And I'll ask for Miss Mae's hand in marriage!"

Yoram, who sat closest to Rass, immediately frowned and slapped him around the head, "Stop shouting."

While Rass was grumbling about why he was hit, Robin laughed out loud, clapping his hands.

He looked over at Rass before falling into a fit of laughter once again, "You what? Marry Miss Mae?"

Rass glared at him before puffing out his chest, "Obviously not now. But maybe in 5 or 6 years, who's to say I can't?"

Robin began to laugh once more, causing everyone else's lips to twitch as they too felt like laughing along.

An amused smile graced Miles' face, blowing out the smoke, he coaxed, "Alright, alright, let's not laugh at him. In fact, it's not bad for a lad to have big dreams."

Thea, the only other girl other than Olivia and Caris, snorted out loud before pointing at Rass, "Him? Get a job near the city?"

"Why can't I?!" Rass exclaimed indignantly.

Olivia watched on, her hands still outstretched to collect more warmth. Seeing the young girl like this, Caris took off the raggedy and torn blanket off her lap, placing it on Olivia. She then turned back around to pay attention.

"Can you even spell your own name?" Thea sneered.

Rass quickly jumped up to the challenge, eager to prove her wrong, "Yes I can. R. A. S."

The group went silent. Truthfully, not many of them knew how to spell, let alone read and write. Only the smart one's in the group could use their little knowledge to sound out letters and words.

Although Olivia could indeed read, thanks to being taught by Mandy during her free time, she didn't really know how Rass' name was actually spelt, so she kept quiet.

The air had suddenly become gloomy.

Robin chortled after a while before darkly saying, "Do you think the city would ever accept us country bumpkins? Forget that, do you think we'll still be alive in 5 years times?"

There was no longer that jovial smile from earlier.

Everyone understood what he was saying. People like them, those who had to live day to day, always hoping to survive that night, did not have the luxury of thinking or planning for the future. Instead, they had to think about whether they had enough food for the day, a place to sleep for the night or if they would live to see the next day. Each day was lived on the edge.

Although Rass was saddened by his harsh words, he looked up, unwilling to succumb to his fate, "So what! I'll make it out of here alive, and I'll make sure to take you all with me!"

He then pointed at Thea and Robin, "So you, and you, better start treating me nicer or I'll leave you here to rot!"

Listening to his words, small smiles soon appeared on everyone's face. Although he was seen as the most foolish out of all of them, he had a keen knack for cheering everyone up.

Olivia covered her mouth and giggled as she watched Yoram tell Rass off once more, pulling him by the ear.

Suddenly the wooden door opened wide. One by one everyone looked over to see who it was. Olivia wasn't that interested and instead, scooted slightly closer to the ebbing flames.

As she sat there however, her eyebrows furrowed.

'Why is it so quiet?'

She looked over at everyone else, only to find them sprawled on the floor, with widened eyes looking over at the door with horror. Their blood was splattered all over the floor, their limbs thrown at all four corners of the room. Olivia looked down dazedly. Her small hands were drenched in dark red causing her face to take on an unhealthy white. Not one word was uttered.

No, rather, she couldn't find it in herself to say anything.

She wanted to scream.

To shout.

But her mouth was shut tight, and her throat constricted. Her body wouldn't even allow her unshed tears to fall.

Slowly and stiffly, her bloody face turned around towards the door, only to come face to face with pitch black eyes, a drooling mouth and bared teeth. She blinked once.

In the depths of her mind, she knew what this thing in front of her was.

It was 'it'.

That animal.

That… monster.

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On the other side, Alexander was sitting in the study. Opposite him was a haggard looking man. His blonde hair was no longer neat, and flopped about on his head. His eyes were sunken and red, with dark bags underneath. The only thing that still kept his small dignity and decorum, was that his attire was the same as ever. Sleek and elegant.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure?" Alexander questioned, his deep voice snapping Eli out of his dazed stare.

"I want to enquire about Miss Olivia," His voice was hoarse and throaty.

Alexander lifted his eyebrow, "Miss Olivia is unfortunately not able to take visitors at this time. As you may already know."

Eli's heart sank to the depths of the ocean with his words. He felt distressed, angry and anxious. He came here in hopes of seeing her with his own eyes, to make sure that the night before was a mere figment of his imagination. But Alexander's words had unfortunately hammered the nail into the coffin.

He slumped back into his chair.

Alexander watched him indifferently. Of course, unbeknownst to anyone else, Olivia was at the moment in a deep slumber and he didn't wish to wake her up. Her wounds had long healed over the night, not a shred of evidence from the incident before was left over.

However, would he divulge this information to allow Eli's swinging heart to fall back into place? Of course not.

With tired eyes, Eli sat up slightly, "I wish to see her for a brief moment, only to make sure she is well."

"No. As I said, she isn't available to see any visitors at the moment."

"She is my benefactor. I cannot allow myself to go back home without at least making sure she is well," Eli pressed on, a rare pleading tone laced within his words.

"No," Alexander could no longer be bothered to add anymore words. His ongoing persistence caused him to feel deeply irritated.

In a fit of agitation and anger, Eli banged his hand against the armchair, "Why are you not allowing me to see her?!"

The already irritated Alexander was now thoroughly annoyed by the quibbling human before him. He couldn't help but unleash his aura, causing the frustrated Eli to stop and pale.

"Mr Cromwell, have you forgotten whose household you are currently standing in? I do not take well with ignorant and uncouth men. Please act in line with the decorum and elegance of the noble that you are," With his biting words, Alexander did not hold back in his warning. His eyes darkened a tone as he watched the breathless man before him, letting his aura subside only after a few moments.

Eli finally managed to get the air back into his lungs.

Once he returned to his bearings, his hands formed a tight fist at his side. He wanted to retort back to the lofty pureblood before him, but he did not dare to.

With a polite and apologetic smile on his face, he went on to speak, "Please accept my apologies. I seemed to have lost my manners for a moment. I did not have the best of nights, so please do not take offense to my actions."

Whilst there was a smile on his face, his nails were currently digging deeply into the palm of his hand. As the saying goes, 'There are no better actors than the nobles themselves.'.

Without waiting for Alexander to dismiss him, Eli promptly stood up from his seat mumbling a short farewell, before leaving the manor with long strides.