Vow Of Silence

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

3rd PERSON: - - -

Another day has dawned. Lykus was awake before daybreak, sitting on his bed, motionless as he read the pages of the book he found in Pelomina’s bedroom. It wasn’t a children's storybook as he thought; it was a book of love letters. If you and if you count the loose pages torn from a different notebook stuffed in between those pages, it’s also a spite book.

He found the book one night, when he was too devastated by his own helplessness and isolation. Wallowing in self-pity, seeking comfort in the lingering scent his wife left in her bedroom, clinging onto the memories of times when he found her, sleeping peacefully as he watched over her like a hawk.

He slept in that room multiple times, having dim light so he could read the book to sleep, and each word cut like a dagger. ‘Was this something she would’ve loved after all?’ He thought he was ripping himself into shred at the thought he was the farthest thing from the romantic nature of the author.

One line he felt simply connected to was from prose: “I was but a mere moth, you may appear faint to others, but to me you were glorious, I was drawn to you and the paltry warmth you exude, you gave me comfort more than fright and I was more than willing to be engulfed in your embrace, I burn for you…”

And a moth he is, his pursuit of her had left him charred, burned out unable to leave the ground, simply stuck and stagnant as time continue to pass him by, as his regrets flourish and bloomed into an unbridled rage until he could no longer recognize himself in the mirror, his glory appears lackluster, as a man who was defeated by a drink from a traitor.

Yet no matter how much it pains him, he couldn’t stop. He’s been suffering for so long, with only finding Pelomina as the sole thing he looked forward to. To lose that now would mean his life for the past four years was a waste of everyone’s time. He was met with a lot of criticism, those who say she’s alive but never to be found, and those who say that with her constitution she had long died and thus also never to be found.

He only has two answers. If she is alive, she can be found and live in the castle. If she is dead, she can also be found and buried in the castle, and be given a proper burial that is nothing short of grandeur, fitting for his wife. When the day comes, that the same woman who spiked his drink would encourage his son to stage a coup d'état, his only wish was to be put to rest beside her remains,

The sun shone little by little, as if warily greeting him as he stood at his window, seeing a lot more movement around his castle than usual. He would suppose it's because of the holiday,

“Lita-ah…” he whispered into the air, peeling the blankets off himself, welcoming the idea of a bath. Perhaps he could try to play the role of the lord of Temog and all of its cities. His presence alone wouldn’t be as welcomed, moreover rinse he’s the one that led them to live a sullen life, he’s well aware of how his anger drowned out the city from its former glory, but it’s nothing drastic.

He could fix things… he just doesn't know when he’ll find it to pity himself, to steer away from the pursuit of his wife as it became a part of him. It became his lifeline.

After calling a servant and instructing them to fill up the bath with warm water, he waited in his room, tracing the maps he laid out on his desk. There are only a few more areas that they haven’t visited. What happens when they’re done scouring the world only to find nothing? What happens if every stone was turned and there was no presence of Pelomina in all of them?

‘Then I’ll start from the beginning,’ He thought.

Sucking in a deep breath as he ran his hands through his hair. After waiting a few more moments of waiting, he was notified by a servant for his bath. They greeted him with a deep bow as he proceeded to his bath, shedding his clothes, and resting on the water.

He must go to the city today. This is the lightest he’s ever felt for the past four years, he knew that this could be because it's Lita-ah, and along with that thought he whispered a short prayer,

“Wherever she is… I hope she’s happy and safe,”

On the other side of the city was a woman combing through the cheerful crowd as they raised the pennant banners that seemed rather nostalgic, it’s been rather long since they've seen colors decorating their buildings once again, These past few years, Lita-ah only passed by with a small celebration in each of their houses, mandates were stricter to regulate people in Temog but now, things have gotten a lot more loose than how it used to be.

Children were also starting to roam the streets, and those who were born from where these mandates have been established are now able to walk, run even, curious about the bigger world of Temog that they’ve lost the chance to celebrate during their earlier years.

Among these children, was Melois, the son of Lykus, watching the people fuss about with cheer-wearing smiles that pulled him closer against the glass of the window he was watching from, the light from outside lit his dark room, devoid of toys he could see the other children hold. At the age of four, he was expected to do something a child at the age of ten would be able to do.

Unaware that he was working above his limits, he simply thought that perhaps he does not deserve such frivolities as toys. He had it in his head that he is underperforming. As everyone says, his mother more than anyone.

“Melois,” Marianne called from another room in the house. She sat in front of the vanity in her room, checking her face for imperfections, readying for a nonexistent audience. Even the father of her child wouldn’t look at her shadow. No one who knew Lykus was unaware of the atrocity she committed to have her standing as the mother of the lord’s heir.

Yet here she is, making sure she looked impeccable, having only pride in her looks. Her looks that were still so utterly subpar to Pelomina Vaustero’s.

“Mother?” Melios called, standing at the open doorway,

She looked at him through the mirror, “Hm, come closer,” she ordered and so did Melois obliged, standing close to his mother, he won’t know the words yet, or what they meant but simply put he and her… are simply estranged individuals.

“Melios, you will be going around the town with your father,” she informed, and while he’s not hopeful, that he’s worthy of a reward, he couldn’t help but still be disappointed that he’ll be spending time with his father, the big scary man who’s always angry at him.

“You know what to do, correct?” she asked,

The child nodded, “Yes, mother,” he said in meek compliance.

But even further away from the city, were two exhausted men, fueled only with sheer rage and betrayal. One was so disgruntled that he was coming loose at the seams of the bandages on his face as they hitched a ride with people planning to join in on the Lita-ah cheer.

“MINA! YOU SNEAKY LITTLE RAT!”