Lost Lighte

Chapter 6

The snow crunched under Tilya’s boots when she stepped down from the tree. She turned, staring wide-eyed at the taller man in front of her. “There you are.” Lukas said, a smile playing at his lips.

“Did you hear that?” Tilya stammered, looking in the direction of the scream, completely ignoring his greeting.

Lukas's brows knitted together as he took a small step towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder worriedly. “Hear what?” he asked, following her gaze to the woods.

“There was a woman…” Tilya began, making to walk to the source of the sound. “She screamed. She screamed like she was being murdered.”

Lukas caught her hand in a tight grip, tethering her to him. He was stronger than he looked. Tilya’s head quickly turned to look back at him, her eyes full of fear and bewilderment.

“No, I didn’t hear anything.” Lukas said firmly. He squeezed her hand as if to reassure her. “But let’s go home, your father is here.” The tone of his voice was uncharacteristically stern.

Tilya was hesitant to leave, though the urgency to investigate the scream was dissipating as quickly as Lukas's grip was warming her hand. With one last look to the forest beyond, she followed him back home in silence, although her mind was racing.

They decided to tell her father that Lukas was the older brother of one of Reese’s classmates. It would make her father seeing him sitting on the bench in their living room more excusable.

Walking to the door of the cabin, Tilya could hear the sound of Reese’s giggling sounding through the air. She stepped inside while Lukas went to make himself busy in her farm.

Samuel was sitting on the bench by the lit fireplace with Reese, who was taking up residence on one of his father’s knees.

Her father had made a complete transformation over the past month. He still continued to dye his hair red, and kept a clean-shaven face, but he had lost weight. By the fit of his new and well-tailored clothing, his boss at the blacksmith shop paid him well. His eyes turned to look at Tilya, and she observed how they had not looked so clear and bright in ages.

“Welcome home father.” Tilya said, smiling politely. Snowflakes that clung to her hair, lashes, and clothing began to melt and drip onto the wood flooring. Her father looked her up and down with a displeased expression. “You’re looking worse for wear. Were you hiking through the mountains or something?”

Tilya flushed, that woman’s scream echoing in her head, and she shrugged off her coat and hung it on the hook beside the door. “How has Wanesborough been treating you?” she asked, taking a seat on one of the chairs at the dining table. She ran a hand through her long black tresses to rid it of the remaining snowflakes.

“The work days are long, but it feels nice to be doing what I love again, and the pay is fantastic.” Samuel pulled a heavy satchel of coins out of the inside pocket of his lush winter coat. “This is for you.” He patted Reese’s dark golden head affectionately. Reese gasped and picked up the satchel with a theatrical grunt. “Whoa! I’ve never seen so much money before!” he exclaimed. Tilya sat upright in her chair, peering at the satchel.

“Save it or spend it, you’re free to do as you please with it.” Samuel said. His eyes slid to Tilya, who was eyeing the satchel. “I have confidence that you’re taking care of Reese?”

Tilya’s eyes met his with an intense stare. “Of course, father. Reese’s protection and comfort are my top priority. As you can see, he’s been doing fine so far.” Her hand motioned toward the little boy who was peeking inside the satchel.

Her father stroked the boy’s hair gently, and a pang was sent through Tilya’s heart. It wasn’t very often that she acknowledged the fact that Samuel showed Reese much more affection than he did her, and when it did happen, she quickly shut out the accompanying emotions. She set her shoulders and stood, walking to the satchel and snatching it up. The clanging the coins made as they rustled against each other was too loud in the silence.

Samuel studied Tilya intently before saying, “I expect that you won’t spend it frivolously.”

Tilya fought a scoff. “I’ve been budgeting and providing for this household for years now, father. Do you really have such little faith in me?” Her face was stone-cold as she stared at him. Samuel sat rigid in his seat as he mumbled something about Baron Richardson and Tilya took in a long breath before stuffing the satchel into her hanging winter coat.

“Are you staying for dinner?” Tilya asked as she worked the coins into the coat. “Unfortunately no.” he replied, motioning for Reese to move off of his lap. He stood up, brushing invisible dust off of his trousers. “I only came to check on you both and the cabin.” Tilya rolled her eyes. As if he would care about her well-being.

She turned to look at Samuel now, clasping her hands behind her back. “How kind of you to travel all the way here just to affirm our safety.” She said, her voice laced with candy and venom.

“Well it’s only natural for a father to worry about his children, after all.” her father replied with a smirk. Tilya glanced at Reese, who was playing with a stick of hay poking out of the cushion on the bench. The boy looked up at Samuel with a look of heart-wrenching sadness. “You’re leaving already, Papa?” He hopped off of the bench and ran to hug his father’s leg, as if it would anchor him to the spot.

Samuel frowned and rubbed Reese’s back. “I am, son. It’s already midday and it’ll take me a good few hours to get back to Wanesborough.” He knelt down in front of Reese, smoothing his son’s tunic over his shoulders and adjusting its front. “I’ll be back in a month’s time, and I’ll spend the night.” He tapped the tip of Reese's nose with an index finger.

Reese looked like he was ready to bounce out of his shoes. “Do you promise?” he yearned. Samuel nodded and pecked his forehead. “I promise.” He stood and looked at Tilya now.

“Why don’t you take him to the market one of these days and buy him some new clothes?” he suggested, tugging his winter coat tighter against him. Tilya stepped out of his way so he could open the door of the cabin.

“I’ll make sure it happens.” she responded with a nod. The pair followed their father outside and, with one last hug from Reese, Samuel mounted his horse and trotted his way back towards Wanesborough.

Tilya scanned the farm to see where Lukas had gone, but he was nowhere to be found. She turned to walk back inside the cabin and jumped when she found him standing in it’s threshold.

“So how did it go?” Lukas prodded, his arms crossed as he leaned against the doorway.

Tilya fought the urge to roll her eyes at the thought of her and her father’s exchange. “About as well as I expected.” she said flatly. "How did you get here so fast?"

Lukas ignored the question and tilted his head. “What did he say about me?”

Tilya shook her head and took her hair out of its loose ponytail. “Actually, he didn’t say anything at all about you. To be honest, I don’t think he cares.” She shrugged and Lukas moved aside so she could enter the cabin. Reese chose to stay outside and play.

Lukas followed Tilya to the dining table where they both sat down across from each other.

“If you don’t mind me asking…” he began hesitantly. “What is your relationship like with him?” His grey gaze was directly on her.

Tilya fidgeted with a lock of her black hair, thinking about how to express into words the dynamic between her and her father. “My father has always been a bit distant from me.” she started, meeting his eyes. “For as long as I can remember, he’s always favored Reese. It got worse after we lost our fortune and my mother left.” Lukas's eyes saddened at that.

“Before Reese was born, my mother and father were never particularly affectionate towards me. It isn’t like they acted as if I didn’t exist, but rather like I was just a person living in their home, of whom they were financially responsible for.

After Reese’s birth, I finally saw the side of them that could exhibit love and tenderness. They doted on Reese. I can’t say I blame them, Reese is a very sweet and charming child.” Tilya ran a slender, pale hand through her hair and sighed.

“My mother left when Reese turned four. During those first four years, it was obvious who my parents favored. Where Reese would get hugs and kisses, I got condescension and loveless interactions.”

Lukas's brows furrowed in dissatisfaction.

“In the beginning I tried hard to please them; to earn the same love they gave to Reese. But it didn’t take me long to realize my desires would never be fulfilled, so eventually I just kept to myself and did as I was told.

Then my father lost his job because of some scandal with a baron, and my mother left us. She said she couldn’t handle the anguish of losing everything we had and being the laughing stock of the village. She tried to take Reese with her, but my father adamantly refused.

Ever since moving to this shabby cabin, I’ve been the one providing for us through odd jobs and then, eventually, farming. I’ve proven myself to be a capable woman time and time again these last three years, and yet my father still looks at me as if I’m a disappointment. Sometimes I feel like I’m not even his child.”

They both sat in silence for a long moment. Tilya played with her hair while Lukas stared somberly at her, trying to find some words of comfort. He went to speak, but Tilya held a hand up. “If you’re going to say you’re sorry, or something like that, don’t. Regardless of the relationship I have with my father, all I care about is that Reese gets to live a happy life, even through whatever circumstances may come our way.” Her turquoise eyes drifted to the window by the door, where she could see her brother playing in the snow.

“I was going to say,” Lukas began. “that you are the strongest woman I think I’ve ever met. And that your family should feel incredibly lucky to have you.”

Tilya’s eyes shot to his with a flash of surprise. She placed a hand on top of his, which was resting on the dining table, and gently squeezed it. “That’s very kind of you to say.” She smiled sincerely.

The two sat in prolonged silence, with Tilya fiddling with her hair, and Lukas studying the trails of wax on the dining table from the candle. “So what’s up with the tree?” he finally asked.

Tilya’s eyebrows raised at the sudden question, and she tilted her head. “Tree?”

“The one I found you sitting on.” Lukas replied.

Tilya pursed her lips and hesitated. This was obviously a topic he wasn't going to give up on easily. She debated for a long moment about whether or not to give up the information, but ultimatley decided it probably wouldn't hurt to tell him.

“It’s my secret place. Where I go to escape everything and just… exist.” she said simply. Her mind drifted to the thoughts of the snowy mountains at the other end of the forest.

“It’s interesting that that tree is taller than all of the other ones.” Lukas stated. He chipped at some dried wax on the table with a nail. Tilya nodded in agreement. “It’s tall enough to see the Birthue mountains.” She smiled. “ Sometimes I like to pretend that tree is there just for me. I enjoy looking at those mountains and wondering what life is like on the other side of them.”

Lukas could see the sparkle in her eyes as she spoke of the mountains and the mysterious civilization behind it. He shifted slightly in his chair.

Tilya noticed that it seemed like he had something to say, and her brows furrowed. “Is everything okay?”

He avoided her eyes, fidgeting with his fingers and tapping a thumb against his hand. Hesitantly, he looked to her, an apprehensive expression on his face. “What are your opinions on the fae people?” he asked.

Tilya hummed, tapping a nail against her chin and leaning back in her chair. The light dancing from the fireplace on the other side of the room cast a warm glow over the left side of her body and face. “I’ve heard they are terrible beings, but I don’t believe that. I think there are terrible people among them, much like how there are terrible people among humans.”

Lukas's shoulders seemed to relax ever so slightly. “So you’ve never met one, then?”

Tilya shook her head. “No. Though…” she hesitated, a look of concern spreading across her delicate features. “I feel terrible for those that get stolen and forced into slavery.” Images flashed in her mind of what she imagined the auctions to look like; a horde of fae, of all ages and sexes, standing uncomfortably close together in a small, dark room, as one-by-one they exit onto a lit stage to be presented like some object; rows of potential buyers sitting in front of the stage in their expensive suits and gowns, holding their canes and fans, staring pretentiously up at the innocent fae; Mr. Prida standing beside the unlucky fae, rattling off prices that climb higher and higher. Nothing but evil and greed in his heart.

Lukas mumbled something, and it tore Tilya’s mind away from the nightmarish scene. “What was that?” she asked. The man shook his head and pulled his woolen hat a bit further down over his head. “It’s nothing.”

Tilya blinked and tilted her head. “Why do you always wear that hat? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without it.” She studied the hat a bit more. The grey fibers jutted out wildly all around it, making it look like a disheveled mess. Mud stains were present in random sections, and Tilya couldn’t help but compare them to the spots of a cow. The state of the hat was certainly something she expected if it was worn for the entirety of each day, which it was.

Lukas didn’t respond. He sat there, staring at his lap, looking incredibly nervous and uncomfortable, and Tilya was growing worried. She leaned in a bit farther over the table and stared at him intensely. “Lukas, you obviously have something on your mind. I know you’ve only been here for a little over a month, but I would’ve imagined you’d be a bit more comfortable in my presence by now.”

Lukas quickly looked up at her, taking in the striking blue of her eyes. “Please… Wait… No…” he stammered and let out a huff, setting his shoulders. Still wearing the multiple layers of tunics, he slid two of them off, as he was suddenly growing hot all over. “I want to tell you, but I don’t know how you’ll react.” he said.

Tilya frowned and placed her hand on his once again, gently squeezing. “I promise that, whatever it is, I won’t be mad or overreact. I have a pretty level head, y’know?” The edge of her lip quirked up. "I told you about my secret place, afterall. You owe me!"

Lukas sighed and nodded, pulling his hand away and resting it on his thigh. “So… How should I say this…”

Tilya patiently waited, trying not to show any signs of anticipation.

"So, this hat… There’s a reason I always wear it. Um…” Lukas fiddled with the woolen hem, looking nervous to remove it. “You see… I know about those fae slaves…” he veered from the topic of the hat.

Tilya’s brows rose in surprise. “You do? Are the auctions more common knowledge than I imagined?” She crossed her legs and smoothed out the length of her dress over her thighs. Lukas shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“Well how did you find out about them?” Tilya asked, tilting her head again. Her long dark hair swayed with the movement.

"You see, the reason I know about those auctions, Tilya…” Lukas began, pulling off his woolen hat to reveal a head of short brown hair, save for the section at the top of his head, which curled over his forehead in choppy pieces. “Is because I was a part of them.” he finished.

At first Tilya wasn’t sure what he meant. She studied his face, trying to understand what his role in these auctions were, growing intensely worried that he was a proponent of them. Until her eyes travelled to his ears and the pointed tips of them. It took a second for reality to set in as she stared at the strange shape of them, the shape that told the truth of his heritage.

Lukas was fae.