Whispers Under The Moonlight

Chapter 5

The day the villagers are waiting for finally arrived. Almost all the people were busy on preparing different materials for this most awaited day. The day were the flock of tourists were expected to arrive at Clair de Lune. Anywhere you look, you would see how the people were busy preparing.

While me, on the other hand, is walking along the streets of the village with Feya. Silently looking and observing at how busy the whole village is.

Feya urged me to come and greet the tourists that will arrived today. Or should I say, we will just watch the villagers welcomed the tourist, we are just standing in safe distance.

It seems like Feya is not fond of welcoming other tourists. She just enjoyed the annoyed look of the tourist that are asking about the fairies, just like the man who were currently asking Hiraya.

Just a moment ago, Hiraya welcomed him and the woman beside him. They both have travelling bags behind their back and they looked ready to go inside the village anytime and explore what really is inside.

“Do fairy really exist in this village?” they directly asked Hiraya, without a bit of hesitation and courtesy.

It seems like the fairies, or rather gathering information about the fairies, was the sole reason why the man, and the woman with him decided to go here. Just like my reason on my first day here but now, I have another reason to stay a little longer here in Clair de Lune. I smiled to myself because of that thought.

She just calmly smiled at him and said, “Yes they do exist here.”

And by the look of the man, I am sure that Hiraya already catches his interest.

“Really?” he asked again in confirmation. 

Hiraya just nodded at him, still wearing that calm smile of hers. 

“Then, how can we see them?” he asked again, excitedly.

Even the lady is also curious about the fairies, to the point that she lean closely to the man to hear the conversation clearly.

And just like what happened on my first day here at Clair de Lune, Hiraya just smiled mysteriously at the man she is talking to and said, “When a never ending darkness envelopes the once bright and shiny world, they will show their selves and will become our light to guide our paths.”

The excited smile of the man and his companion fell and was changed with a confused frown. “What does it mean?” the woman said for the first time since the both of them approached Hiraya.

Sadly, Hiraya did not answer her instead she welcomed the both of them to Clair de Lune for the second time. “Welcome to Clair de Lune, where fairies and people live together,” she said and then she bowed saying that she needs to go inside the village because there is no one inside her cafe.

Hiraya saw that I am looking at her that's why she waved her hand at me, saying hello, before she turned her back and went to her cafe. The two people she was just talking to were left dumbfounded and confused.

I heard a stifle laugh beside me so I turned to look at Feya who seems like enjoying what she just witnessed. And then I realized that we are both watching Hiraya and the two tourist.

“Why are you laughing?” I asked her.

She looked at my side and then grinned. “Nothing,” she said, still looking at the dumbfounded man.

She seems amused when those two approached another villager who I think volunteered to welcome the tourists. And just like what they did earlier, they also asked the villagers the same question.

“You will get the same answer,” Feya muttered to herself.

I just shook my head and continue on watching the man who is still looking for answers. I was not surprise that they got the same answer. Up until now, I still didn't know the real meaning behind that mysterious phrase.

“When a never ending darkness envelopes the once bright and shiny world, they will show their selves and will become our light to guide our paths.”

I clearly saw the confusion and annoyance that appeared on their faces when they hear the same answer from the villager.

“Let’s go, hon, we are just wasting our time in this weird and good for nothing place. Let’s just find something more interesting than this village,” the lady said, her voice is full of disgust and disappointment.

So they are in a relationship huh?

The woman walked out of the village first and the man is left alone, it seems like he will throw a fit and will roar fire any minute now.

“You ruined all my plan,” he said as he greeted his teeth. I got disturbed for a minute, by the looks of the man, he might do something bad at the village.

“You and that st*pid statement!” he shouted, that gathered the attention of the villagers and other tourists in the entrance.

I thought the villager he was talking to would be scared because he shouted so loud but I was shock when I saw how calm she is. She did not say anything to him and was just looking straight right at him.

“You lose two tourist today,” he continued. “And if you still don't changed that thinking of yours, your habit of answering in riddles and saying that phrase nonstop, I will not be shock if this village will lose tourist in the future.” He huffed before he go out of the village, chasing his woman.

The woman he was talking to, on the other hand seems, like she was not affected with what just happened because she just shrugged and told the other villager that was near her that she will go inside the village.

I don't know how to react because of what i had witnessed. I was about to ask Feya if this is happening frequently but I became confused when I saw her holding back her laugh.

“Feya?” I said, that got her attention.

She looked at me and her smile widen. “Sorry,” she said. “It really amuse me whenever someone got annoyed when they got that answer,” she added.

I just nodded my head. Well, I really did not get annoyed when I first arrived here and got the exact same answer when I asked the villagers. More like I got curious on what really is the meaning of those words.

If you will ask me, it's better if I learn the meaning of that phrase by myself. Not like that man who get really annoyed when he didn't get the answer. I mean this place is really mysterious so I think those words are fit for their village. Confusing yet mysterious.

“Oh, I remember.” I heard Feya say that makes me snap out of my thoughts. I looked at her side again. “I promised Hiraya to help her in the cafe,” she as she looked at me.

I thought she would make another loop reason so that she wouldn’t need to help in the cafe, just like what she did for the past few days. Surprisingly, it seems like she decided to lend a hand today.

“I should help her. I’ve been playing hide and seek with her for how many days now," she said as she laughed.

"What about you Austin? Are you going with me? Or you have other plans?” she asked

I would have agreed but right now, I want to stay here a little longer. Who knows, I might get other information from the tourists and villagers that were hanging around right now.

I shook my head no. “I want to stay here a little longer. Maybe later, I will come to the cafe and help you guys,” I told her.

She just nodded her head at me and waved a goodbye before turning and goes back inside the village to help Hiraya. I am left alone standing near the entrance of the village, silently observing the tourists.

Some tourists were getting curious so they agreed to stay a little longer in the village and some, just like those two tourist earlier, got annoyed and decided to leave the village not really checking the other sceneries, cuisines, and such that Clair de Lune could offer. Just because they got annoyed, they missed the opportunity to enjoy the majestic and enchanting places here.

I was about to leave because same things were happening but someone approached me. It is a woman I think a bit older than me but not really old. She's a beauty, and based on her regal clothing I can say that she is one of a h*ll rich woman. She also had a big travelling bag behind her back just like any other people here.

“Hi,” she said. She had this huge grin on her face and I really do not know why but it makes me uncomfortable.

“Hi,” I greeted back, just to acknowledge her presence. I made sure not to show that I felt so uncomfortable on her approach. 

I am really not good with socializing. Well, I am good with that on the past but something happened that makes me nervous whenever someone is approaching me for the first time.

Feya was the only person that makes me felt so at ease, confident and comfortable the very first moment I saw her. Maybe because I felt so peaceful whenever I'm with her, or was there something else? I really didn’t know the answer with that question of mine.

I noticed that she roam her eyes around the village. “Wow. This village is really something else. It looks like I will enter a different world because all I can see is colorful flowers and other greeneries,” she said and then let out a deep breath. “It also smells fresh. A perfect place to spend a vacation.” She turned her gaze at me while moving closer to where I'm standing.

“Say, are you a villager here?” she asked. I was about to say no but she talked again.

“By any chance, can you please tell me the secret of this village, what makes Clair de Lune so enchanting at the same time mysterious?" I remained silent so she continue on talking. "Come on, answer me with something else, direct to the point answers, not that confusing statements that I already memorized because of the countless villagers that I asked,” she said in a low voice.

I cleared my throat and straighten my back and started to fiddle my fingers inside my pocket. I am really getting uncomfortable with this talk. “I’m sorry but I am also just a tourist here. I just arrive a week earlier than you,” I said.

Her face showed realization so I smiled awkwardly at her. “I see. I am really curious about this village though,” she said while tapping her chin with her fingers, she looks like she's thinking of something. Her face lit up after a few minutes and looked excitedly at me. “Say, what about you give me a tour inside the village? I plan to stay here for a week anyways,” she said and she's grinning widely as if she thought of a very bright idea.

I, on the other hand, was having an internal battle if I should say yes or not. I felt so uncomfortable now, with just a short talk with her, what would happen to me if I say yes to her request? I mentally punched myself so that I could calm even if it was just a short period of time.

Also, why does she want to tour the place with me? I mean I already said that I am just a tourist here so why me? There were a lot of villagers that were waiting for tourists that they could tour them around the village.

“I’m sorry again but I am also not familiar with the village. Just like what I had said earlier, I am also a tourist who is also curious about Clair de Lune,” I said as polite as I could. At least I turned her down politely, right?

She acted like she's thinking for a while before she looked at me again and she does not need to look up because we had the same height. I thought she already accepted that I could not accompany her but I guess I was wrong.

“Come one. You said already that you are staying for almost a week now, so that means you are already familiar in this village," she said and she even nudged me.

I let out a sigh because I am really uncomfortable around her. Didn't she feel that I'm already uncomfortable with her that's why I'm distancing myself? How persistent was she really? I am getting annoyed. I should have went with Feya earlier so that I do not have to deal with her.

“You can ask the other villagers,” I said almost losing my patience but I still managed to be polite.

I looked at the villagers that are welcoming the tourists a while ago but I am shock to find out that they are slowly going back inside the village. And all of them had a person or people trailing behind them that I think is the tourist who decided to check out the village.

“They are already entertaining someone else,” she said while looking at the entrance of the village.

After a while, she looked at me again. “So... are you going with me now?” she asked excitedly.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh and then I looked at her again. “I will go with you towards the house of the head villager so that you can ask him about the details of your vacation here, okay?” I said and I saw her thinking again. “There are no other villagers available here right now that can assists you so I think the head of this village could help you and not me,” I added.

I thought she will push through what she wanted but it seems like she's convinced on what I said. “Fine. But you have to accompany me, okay?” she asked.

“Only to where the head of village is.” I corrected her

She nodded her head at me. She even walked ahead of me towards the entrance of the village. I almost let out a relieve sign but I did not do any of that. I just followed her and lead her to where the house of the head is.

Thanks to Feya of course because she showed me the way.

“Always remember that whenever you encountered some problems during your stay here at Clair de Lune, you can ask for the head of the village’s help so that he can resolve it in no time." I remembered Feya said it to me during my first day here. “Or if you are having a hard time in the village, you can always approach him.” She even added.

And this situation is what I think is the “having a hard time” part, that’s why I decided to accompany her in the house of the village’s head. I walked ahead of her so that she can just follow my lead.

I saw Feya when we took our last turn to the house of the head of the village. I was about to greet her but she just ignored me. She did not even stop in front of me and she was just looking down in the road. I could not even see what her facial expression is.

I stopped walking and on the act of calling Feya when I felt someone hold my arms.

Right. I almost forgot that I offered this woman to show her where the head of the village is.

“Why did you stop? Are we here now?" she asked me.

I looked in front to check if we are already near the house of the village head but it seems like we are still far behind. His house is at the end of this street.

I am contemplating if I will just tell her to go ahead and I will follow Feya or I will accompany her to the house of the head.

I looked at the direction where I last saw Feya but she was not there anymore. 

Comes think of it, she said that she will help Hiraya on her cafe but this street is not the place where Hiraya Blend is, and this place is far from the cafe, really far. What was she doing here?

“Hey!” I snapped out of my thoughts when this woman shouted right in front of me. Well not really a loud shout that could make the people around us curious but a shout loud enough to call my attention.

“Right, follow me. We are almost there,” I simply answered. I will just talk to Feya later when the deal with this woman is already settled.

And after of a minute of walking, we finally arrived at our destination. Just like any houses here at Clair de Lune, it is made of stones. It also complimented the theme of the village which is the fairy town. According to Feya when we went here one time, this house also serves as his office that's why it is bigger compared to the houses of the other villagers.

I lead the woman inside and luckily, the head is inside and was looking at some papers, and as we approached him, he stop what he was doing and asked us what do we need. We said the issue and problem of this woman, the head dialed a number in his telephone and called someone. After a minute or so one villager arrived to entertain and tour this woman around.

“Thank you for leading her way here, Austin,” the head said to me. Yes, he knows me because Feya introduced me to him.

I just nodded my head at him and smiled. We go out of the house and I was abou to find and follow Feya when this woman stopped me again. The villager who was task to accompany her is looking at us curiously.

“Austin, right?” she asked me while smiling. I got confuse to where she heard my name but she just laugh. “The head of the village mentioned your name earlier,” she explained.

She offered her hand to me for a handshake while smiling brightly at me. “Thank you for accompanying me. I am Annalise, by the way,” she said.

I shook her hand as a sign of courtesy, it will looked so rude if I didn't accept her handshake. “I am Austin. Glad that I could help,” I said. And I hope this will be the last time, I thought.

She waved her hands at me before she ushered the villager to show her the way to the cabin that will be her home for a while. We learned that she want to stay at this village for one week so the head and the villager offered the available cabin for her to stay in.

After a while, I went to the Hiraya Blend to check if Feya was in there but I was disappointed when I saw Hiraya was alone inside her cafe. I even asked her if Feya went to the cafe but to my shock, she said that Feya did not even went to help her in the cafe. I mumbled a small thank you to her and decided to go to the places where I thought I could find Feya. But to my disappointment, I could not find her anywhere.

I just decided to go inside my cabin because it was already dark and decided to find Feya tomorrow. I am sure that she is safe because this village is really peaceful but I could not point out why I feel like something is wrong.

I tried to shake off that thought and tried to sleep. And after countless of tossing and turning, I finally had a not so goodnight sleep.