The Soul of Scarlet's Lost Tears

Entering back into the hall, we were soon divided by two other servants that had a single lantern in their hands. About this time, the halls became more and more darker, “late is the hour it was, for you three to get some shut eye”. One of them said in a friendly manner which happened to be the headmaster, “now you two” as he pointed at me and Gideon, “go with her and do not stray, she will take you to your rooms”.

“And where would that be?”, “but for you Gideon, you know where you sleep, so why don’t you say your goodbye’s”, looking at him (Gideon) looked like he wanted to say something smart, but held his tongue, as he bid us goodnight.

With a short bow, toward Madeline as she did the same, he then leaned to my right side and added “I’ll be at your door when you wake”. Not really having much say to him at that time, I too then bowed my head, before leaving from our sight he said with “goodnight ladies”, swiping one of the lanterns from one of the servant’s hands. Rude it might have been, but we all just shrugged our shoulders, as we each said goodnight, and went in separate directions.

Leading me down a very dim and dark hall, taking a few twists and turns, we soon ended up to a hall of bedrooms. With little small individual candles sitting on the windowsill, I was looking through every other room, noticing that they were all occupied by one or more persons to whom I could only make out thick shadows that laid beneath the covers.

“Eh hem, down here my lady”, she said slightly above a whisper, looking down the hall. Seeing her stand there, holding the lantern in her left hand and a door with the other.

It wasn’t long, till I was soon standing next to her “this is where you sleep” she added with a slight smile “and where am I”, asking her, hoping to get an answer, which then out of the shadows of flickering candle light a voice replied, “you don’t have to fear, my captain you are safe”.

That voice sounded so familiar, and generous. For which, I then a-bid the young servant a goodnight, as she loaned me the lantern from her, then walked pass me to a candle that was on the wall, and picked it up by the holder.

Slightly turned, giving me a short nod, as she kept on walking away from me, that was when I took it from there, and proceed to enter the room. Seeing two cots, one on either side of the room, underneath several flickering candles, was a bed closest to the far wall on the right side.

I saw folded neatly on top of the covers, with a note inside an envelope. Flinging my dust covered coat over a foot post of the bed that was on my left. Picking up the note that I couldn’t really read what was written on it, so I placed the note back inside the envelope and left the clothes still folded.

Walked back over to the other bed, kicked off my shoes next to the bed. Placing my left foot on top of the same bed, leaned over, closer to the side of the left leg as I unstrapped a secret assassins dagger, that I was amazed that it still was there, beneath my pants leg.

That I soon noticed that my pants had a lot of rips and tears shredding the bottom cuffs. Unstrapping it from my ankle, checking the blade, glancing at it shortly, it was fine, closing it back into the sheath.

Then placing it underneath the pillow, pulling back the covers, turned as I sat down on the edge, sliding backwards more toward the center of the bed. From all that was going on today, I was too tired, so exhausted that I didn’t blow out any of the candles but, only blew out the lantern, and set it aside on the top of small end table. Placing my right hand underneath the pillow and behind my head, just feeling the handle of the small blade, making sure I’m able to reach it just in case.

Fading more and more into a sleepless slumber, of a deep blue starlit night, without noticing that a bright glow came from the candles start glowing more unusually brighter than the usual orange red flame to a whiteish blue, begun to hover over me while I was in a deep trans.

Dreaming of where I wish I was instead of where I am, which was for me to be standing on the bridge of my latest ship called The Scarlet’s Rose, seeing the wind move through the sails and flags.

Heading to an unknown voyage, just sailing toward the horizon, of a clear blue day. “My dear sweet sister, where ever you are I hope and pray that you’re safe and sound. That no harm has become of you, that you seek shelter and out of the stormy weather” the older sister Alana writes on a piece of parchment, as she folds it up and puts it in a glass case, then puts the case underneath a lose floorboard that lies under her bed.

Which chimes of an old clock can be heard coming from the hallway, outside my door. Followed by mother calling all of us to dinner as I politely replied, “coming mother”.

Returning after a usual diner with the family. For every night since that tragic night where I lost my most loveable sister Sara who fell off, of the high cliff which at that time had an old tree stand upon it, as the townsfolk replaced it with a commemorative statue of Sara looking toward the horizon with her right hand cuffed with a small bird perched.

Hard to believe as I thought about it, it’s been three years till the day. Time sure seems to fly bye. Taking one day at a time, as I look even more forward to maybe one day seeing her again.

Wearing a long nightgown, which I leaned over, closer to the candle, that was on the center end table, cuffing my hand around the flame, and with one short puff, I blew it out, sitting on the edge of my bed, for a short second or so sat more and more into the center of the bed, until I slowly slid more and more under the covers.

It wasn’t long after that, that I felt my eyelids began to get heavier and heavier, after one big yawn. I was asleep. Before I realized it, but woke with the sound of a roaster cawing, continually, until like clockwork I hear my brother

Mathew yell from out of his window “Shut-up, already”.

Which always seem to bring a smile to my face, this morning was no different, rolling my eyes back, I soon slandered out of bed while raising my hands over my head as I stretched them to the ceiling.

Walking over to my dresser, pulling a few of the drawers, retrieving a pair of leggings, and undergarments. Fallowed by me taking a few more steps making my way to my very own walk in closet, opening the door, and proceeded to continue walking picking out the dress I plan on wearing. Taking it, from the hanger as I walked out of the closet then made my way out of the room toward the bathroom that, I had to share with my two brothers.

Most to all, the mornings I had to wait, patiently in line, but today was one of the mornings that I was the first one. ‘Early bird, does get the worm’, enjoying the fresh warm water of a decent shower, then proceeded to dry off, as I then brushed my teeth, followed by putting on what I picked out as I then finished with brushing my damp hair with one of my combs.

That was about the time I started to hear ponding on the door with the sound of my brothers pleading me to hurry up.

Which I took a few more seconds that felt like a few minutes, as I pulled open the bathroom door. Stepping out, I was confronted by Mathew who said “finally, took you long enough”.

“It wasn’t as long you would take” I soon responded back, before we both knew what was going on, our younger brother somehow walked right past us, and into the bathroom next.

As the sound of the door closing brought to our attention.

“Oh!”, Mathew added, “hay, it wasn’t your turn to go”, “oh yea, but I really, really had to go, I couldn’t wait any longer”. As I soon walked away from them arguing back and forth through the bathroom door, smiling with a small chuckle. Making my way down the small hall toward the dining room, with the smell of breakfast slowly filled the house.

Watching my mom soon set the table with a stack of plates, a bundle of silverware (knives, forks and spoons) and a group of five glasses. By the time, she looked up, and before she said a word ‘can you help me set the table’ I was soon separating the plates, organizing the silverware, and placing the glasses with every placemat that was on the table.

By the time the last fork was set, and glass being placed, noticing one by one, Timothy, followed by Mathew dripping wet.

“Who’s hungry!” our dad shouts out from the kitchen as he walks into the dining room where we three were waiting while sitting in our seats, Mathew and I was sitting on the left side of the table as Timothy sits across from me. Bringing out a fresh plate of stacked pancakes, with warm syrup in a gravy dish, and a serving bowl of scrambled eggs still steaming. And to top it with small cups of fresh cut fruit (strawberries and other berries) with a fresh pitcher of milk, and squeezed orange juice. Everything placed in the center of the table and in front of us, as my little brother withdrew drool from his cheek, he suddenly lunged out of his seat toward the food.

When suddenly, “Timothy, no, you know better now sit back down and wait” before we got to dig in, both our mom and dad sat down taking their place at each end of the table.

Taking in the moment of serenity, as we each started to fold our hands together, bowing our heads, we then started to say our morning grace.

Once we ended, we each picked a plate or bowl that had food, and begun to pass it around the table clock wise. It was when we were just about to clear the table when suddenly.

There was a hard rapping at the front door, startled at first, our father soon told all of us to stay put as he and our mother walked toward the front door, with only a few feet from the door, I saw viewing from the open kitchen doorway, looking through the curtains of the front window, he looked astonished or surprised when he slightly looking back away from the window.

Then started to slowly make his way to the door, “who is it father” I asked in a ponder, he did not answer me as he turned the handle to the right, pulling back the bolt, then prying the door open, slowly.

We patiently waited to know who it was and why he/they would be knocking this early in the day.

A slightly muffled voice, was what we four able to hear, as our dad blocked not only the view of the person who was at the door and probably the one who was speaking.

You could say that was another turning point for our family. Within a blink of an eye, our dad turned toward our mother who had her arms crossed in front of her chest, pivoted toward the coat rack that was hanging on the wall, grabbing for his coat, to where he swung it over his shoulders, then proceeded to slip on his shoes, it was at that time our mother asked as she approached, with her hands now grabbing onto and toward him, “and where do you think you’re going”, he answered back with a slight kiss on the cheek “don’t you worry, they just need my impute on a decision”.

“All right then, you be careful now”, she said as he replied, “don’t I always”. With a smile and a nod, he kindly looked back toward our direction, as he shouted toward us “you guys listen to your mother when I’m gone, Matthew you’re in charge until I return”, “yes; alright!”, Mathew said slightly trying to be quite as he then added, “will do father”.

By that time our father already made his way out of the house. When the door closed behind him, slightly hearing the bolt of the door latch closed, our mother turned facing toward us trying to put on a strong face; as she tried to hide the worries that she was feeling at that time.

But we noticed, though didn’t say anything because we were in a way feeling the same thing.

“Can you finish clearing the table for me, thanks”.