Kady's Journey -Freesia-

Chapter 12: The Strength

"You drive a hard bargain, little girl. Fine, you feisty one," the butcher chuckled as he handed me three kilos of pork tenderloin as I smiled sweetly at her, "Here you go and don't forget to tell where it came from!"

"Thank you, Sir! I really want to taste the famed pork of the Kingdom and I've heard from our hostess that this place is the meat shop in the city," I said honestly that made him beam with joy.

I waved him goodbye as I returned to the boys waiting for me not that far from the shop. I waved the discounted meat I bought and they both just looked at me incredulously, "I got it cheap!"

"Unbelievable. You even managed to bargain with the butcher without flinching," Galion said in awe as I gave him the meat to add in our burgeoning shopping bad, "He is known to be adamant with his pricing but you just talk your way and he just lowered his price in the end."

Lexei nodded as we started walking again through the busy streets of the province's capital and only city, "I thought what happened at my tsardom was a fluke. You really have a way with the people, huh?"

"Maybe because I just got used to bargaining so much back then it became second nature," I said happily as I breathe the fresh air, "If you want to survive on the streets you need to make sure that you are getting the best price as much as possible. That's why I prefer shops and fresh markets over grocery stores and supermarkets.

Galion laughed a little, "Because you can't bargain with a price tag."

"Exactly."

It is nine in the morning but surprisingly there are so few people on the streets. We can move leisurely without being shoved, pushed, and squeezed by pedestrians in a hurry. 

Earlier, Ms Ancis asked us to do some shopping for her while she prepares our lunch.

It was for our ten days stay in her home so it's quite a lot but definitely manageable. I was expecting to do the same thing as we did in the Empire but this is definitely better than having to go to random companies or businesses and ask for information.

I will take haggling over surveying any day.

"You look awfully chipper, Kady," Lexei said as he looks interestingly to me.

Galion looked briefly on me before grunting dismissively, "Her likes thrive in an environment like this. I noticed that when we are in the Empire. She is barely in control of herself in the Yekaterin Tsardom and was always taken aback and surprised every other step. Be honest, you like it here, huh?"

"Yes. A lot. No offence, Lexei but it's not just your dominion but the Empire as a whole. There is this prestigious and elite aura that my brain can't just process at all. Like I am restrained and always have to act prim and proper or something," I said as we walked passed a parlor where the hairdresser is happily chatting the day away with her customer, "Compared to Scania, the people here are just, well, normal as far as my normal definition goes. They act the way they wanted to not the way they were expected to."

"Just like Maharlika," Lexei said cheerfully as if he is envious of the atmosphere himself, "No wonder you are literally bouncing on your feet the moment we hit the market district. You feel right at home."

I nodded as I saw some of our classmates disembarking from the locomotive, "Hey, isn't that..."

"Ren and the three Riksentian girls," said Galion who look at the direction I am pointing at, "Together with the venerable Chief of the Ogawara Province."

I saw the four escorting a small, decrepit, and slow old man who is using a battered rod to help him walk. When he finally disembarked from the train, the people who saw him bowed deeply in reverence as he waved his wrinkled hands weakly.

To our surprise, our four classmates noticed us and immediately motioned us to go away and don't come any closer while pointing at the Chief who is slowly turning in our direction but was being distracted by Silmeria as Hrist and Lenneth are waving at us off.

"Best make ourselves scarce," Galion said quickly as he shoved us inside a nearby coffee shop as fast as he can, "If you don't want to spend the rest of your day and night being talked down by the old Chief. I forgot that today is his shopping day and he really loves the Alricer wet market since goodness knows when."

Lexei smiled lopsidedly as he was shocked to have a waitress in front of him and asking how many we are, "Oh uhm, three?"

"Got it, you can take a seat there at the corner and wait for me, okay?"

"Uhm, ok?"

Galion just sighed and dragged Lexei with me in tow as we proceed to the place the woman designated for us and forced us to sit, "We're here anyway. Might as well grab a cup before heading home."

"Wow, the last time I've been to a coffee shop before was when I worked as a waitress myself," I said happily as I looked at the girl who is taking our orders diligently, "I'll have half-caff with soy milk but can you please add just a lump or two while you're at it?"

"A girl who knows her coffee, that's rare," she answered as if impressed by my coffee-lingo, "Half-caff with soy milk, just a lump. I will not forgive myself if you gain weight with that fit body of yours."

I winked at her as she proceeds to take the order of my two companions, "You boys?"

"Almond milk, please. If you have anything to eat, I'll take it," Lexei answered as he agreed with the cinnamon roll the waitress is offering.

She then looked at Galion whom she seemed to recognize in her horror, "Oh, where are my manners? Forgive me, Lord Alric, for not recognizing you soon."

"No, please. It's ok. I'm not here on official business. I'll take what he's having. Thanks," he said dismissively as if he hated being treated as a noble.

The waitress sighed in relief as she returned to perky self when she told us to wait a few minutes before leaving.

We chatted a bit until someone arrived besides our table.

Two young men in their early twenties looked down on us. Dressed in their best and rather excessive as if they are just flaunting their wealth and attending a ball or something rather than walking down the streets.

They mockingly bowed at us and sneered, "I was wondering why it smells like garbage here. Now I know why," the obese looking of the two said contemptibly. 

"Indeed. A pity that we have to meet trash on this glorious day," followed by the taller of the two but no less annoying, "Oh, apologies for not introducing ourselves. I am Leopold von Alric, heir to the Alric Dynasty of the great Alricer Province. This is my legitimate brother, Lionidas von Alric, second in line. A pleasure."

"A pity we have to use the word "legitimate" every time. But it can't be helped when we have a rotten apple in our distinguished family," the stocky one said snidely, "But I digress. What is your name, beautiful Lady? Your glasses can't hide your magnificence if I might add."

My skin crawled when he wetted his lips and drool was seen from his disgusting mouth. 

"Keep calm when you cannot. Use words when you can't use weapons..."

The words of my father resonated in me as I composed myself and mockingly bowed a little, "My father told me to not speak anymore if I don't have anything nice to say."

They clearly have trouble understanding what I just said as they are looking stupidly at each other while glancing at my resting b***h face.

How pathetic.

When they finally gave up deciding how to respond appropriately to me, they turned to Lexei who looks menacingly like his mother when the Tsarina is contemplating on unleashing a string of choice words on her son.

"You good Sir? Clearly you are above the rabble that is your current audience as of this moment," the heir asked that made our classmate look at them patronizingly, "May I invite you to our splendid manor so we can acquaint ourselves properly?"

He smiled mockingly and shook his head, "I must reject the offer. I am not going to waste my time dealing with feebleminded creatures. With all due respect, of course."

Ouch.

Even Galion has trouble forcing himself not to look impressed by the Yekaterinian heir who bowed deeply before playing with the spoon as if it deserves his attention more than the two.

"Care to repeat that again?" the heir started to ask angrily but to their surprise, Lexei crumpled the metal spoon with his bare hand.

He then put the shriveled looking utensil at the table and looking up at the two as if he is surprised they are still there, "Your saying?"

They quickly shook their heads and showed themselves hurriedly out of the coffee shop.

"How can you even do this?" Galion asked as he examined the lump of metal carefully that was once a spoon.

Lexei looked at his hands interestingly and smiled, "Mother always says I have a tight grip."

"Tight grip?! You didn't bend the spoon, you crumpled it like paper!" I exclaimed incredulously that made him shook his head dismissively as if it's not a big deal.

A boisterous looking man in his forties wearing a baker's uniform served our order as he looked at us happily.

"This one's on the house if you will let me have my spoon back," he said jovially as he pointed at the metal lump that Galion is examining, "Never in my life running this shop, I saw someone like you, my Lord. Your hands are horrifying. I watched with my own eyes how you crushed it without effort from the kitchen. I just have to have it."

Lexei looks flabbergasted but just nodded as the owner happily scooped what remains of his smashed spoon and chuckled while walking away.

"Give me your hand, Lexei," Galion demanded and when our classmate was about to hide it away in his pocket he grabbed it quickly, "I knew it."

I was horrified when I saw Lexei's right hand is bleeding with several bruises and deep cuts, "Wait, what happened?"

Galion just shook his head and tore a part of his shirt and used the cloth to bandage the hand of our classmate carefully, "While I can't still comprehend what the hell is your hand made of, I am sure that you can't get away from that party trick of yours unscathed."

"Galion," Lexei said surprisingly to the boy tending to his wounds.

Our classmate just hung his head and smiled a little, "Thank you."

"I love you..."

Galion immediately raised his head in surprise but Lexei just grinned at him laughed, "Got you!"

Galion just heaved a sigh of relief as if he didn't know what would he say or do if it's serious, "You really are an idiot."

"I'm sorry, ok? Don't look as if you want to mutilate my hands," Lexei said jokingly but his smile never reached his eyes.

The more we came to know one another, the farther my dreams for them are becoming. But I'm still hoping against all odds that maybe, just maybe. 

My little fantasy will become a reality...

-0-

"Are you all sure you don't want to head back to the capital for the festivities?" Ms Ancis asked me and Lexei as we help her prepare the dishes for the New Year's Eve celebration a few minutes later, "I watched from the news that the King is throwing a grand ball tonight for the Arngrim descendant that finally returned to this land."

I just shrugged as I bit my lower lip as I try my best to not lose my patience while peeling the boiled potato be mashed later using the peeler, "I'm sure they can all manage without us, Ms Ancis. I for one have zero experience attending balls so I will leave this to the experts. Pass the knife, Lexei. I think I can do this faster with that."

Lexei gave me what I am asking for as he is taste testing the sauce for the spaghetti and it looks like he finds it a bit too sour for his liking and added some tablespoons of white sugar, "That's better. But yes. As you already know I am a failure as a noble and attending a ball is such a drag I prefer eating at a kitchen without several people pestering me to dance with them."

"Hmph, so you are saying you are a great dancer?" Galion asked as he entered the kitchen bringing the mixer his mother asked for.

Lexei shrugged as he proceeds to drain the water from the big pot where he boiled the pasta, "Not in the slightest. Can't remember how many times my mother has to apologize to the parents of my unfortunate dance partners after I threw their children towards the buffet table, accidentally of course."

Galion's mother laughed loudly as she chopped the chives, "Hillarious. Makes me remember how many times I also have to apologize because Galion here left bruises in his dance partners. I never allowed him to set foot on the dance floor since then."

"Bruises?! How did you manage to give bruises to your partners?!" Lexei asked incredulously before dumping the pasta in a huge glass bowl, "Maybe you think dancing is the same as brawling?"

He yelped in pain as Galion grabbed his right hand and squeezed it a bit, "Says the one who turned a spoon into a mashed metal the way Kady is murdering her potatoes now."

"Now, now Galion. We don't want our guest to get injured further," his mother sternly told him as she smiled at Lexei, "Before I forgot, your mother called."

Lexei stopped patting his painful hand and looked surprised by what he heard, "What? What did she say? Why did she even call?"

"Because you are not calling her, dear. You should not forget to send some season's greetings to your mother especially this New Year's Eve. Don't be such a coldhearted son," Ms Ancis berated at the Scanian who smiled sheepishly, "Anyways, she was just checking on you and asking if you made a mess of something or someone. When I said that you only messed up yourself, she just laughed and told me that you are doing great. Unbelievable."

Galion and I laughed as the mother shook her head cheerfully, "What a fun mom she must be. The whole time we are chatting the afternoon away, I have to keep on reminding myself that I am talking to the Yekaterinian Witch. The only nobility from the Empire the Kingdom is afraid of."

"I hope she didn't bother you too much," Lexei said as he and Galion mixed the sauce and the pasta together in a bowl.

"Oh, the opposite. I never enjoyed a phone call like that ever in my life," suddenly she wiped the tears that fell from her eyes out of the blue, "She told me that she can't be more proud of you defending my son. For all the headaches you cost her, she is just content that your principle and heart is in the right place."

Lexei blushed and shook his head quickly, "Any people in my position will do the same. It's nothing special."

"Would they?"

We all looked at Galion who asked quietly at Lexei as he continued mixing the bowl, "I doubt our other noble classmates regardless of nationalities will have the gall to say the things you have said against the heir of the province they are in."

He then looked at me and smiled thankfully, "I'm not surprised about Kady's reaction at all. She is a girl not that different from mom. I think what they said was as insulting to you as if it was directed to you in the first place."  

"I have my fair share of being called and treated like trash so yes, I wouldn't let it just go without sneaking a few choice words of my own, Galion," I smiled sadly as I smiled fondly at our classmate, "But I guess they are all right about you, Lexei."

"Right about what?"

"That you are a disgrace to nobilities," I answered as I continued my mashing, "If those two are the standards of being noble then I am most certainly glad that you are a disgrace for all you are worth."

Lexei smiled as he continued to help to mix once again, "Even by Imperial standards, I am an oddity. I just don't get all the formalities, the social standing, upbringing, and disparity between us and commoners. Like my mother and the rest of our tsardom, I don't really care about all that nonsense. I mean, you two saw how our people behave. They couldn't care less if you are a noble or not. From the Empire or Kingdom. They just treat you all the same. I don't really get how can they speak words like that as if they are some kind of superior human species different from others."

"I now know why the King detests your siblings, Galion," I said while shaking my head in disbelief as I finally finished mashing the accursed potatoes to a lump not that different from the spoon Lexei smashed, "They really are a bunch of wimps. For all that word is worth. If those are the ones who will lead your province in the future then I sure am thankful I didn't live here. I was surprised by how can His Royal Majesty says that your older siblings will drive your province to the ground."

Galion just shrugged and smiled at his mother fondly, "I couldn't care less what happened in this province. Not that I can do anything about it even if I wanted to anyways. They are all too scared and insufferable to even study at the academy at all. Scared of military training and didn't even know how to do a single fighting art stance. Pathetic."

"Same here. It's not like I have great memories of this province aside from my son. The reason why I am still staying in this apartment is I am saving as much money as I can so we can move out as soon as things go south," Galion's mother said as he took the baked chicken from the oven.

Lexei looked at the mother and son curiously, "Where do you plan to go?"

"Old Man Ogawa and Ren offered us sanctuary in their province. Even the King dares not to interfere with that Dynasty," Galion said happily as he placed the pasta bowl at the center of the table and grate some cheese on it, "I mean, who in their right mind would? Ren and his predecessor can shut down the entire country in a second if they wanted to."

I blinked my eyes and looked at Ms Acis, "How? What is in Ren's province?"

"Powerplants of all sorts. You name it, Kady. Coal, Fuel, Oil, Thermal, Hyrdo, Steam, Geo, goodness just about anything that can produce power in our Kingdom is located in their territory south of Alricer. Their dynasty is the best fit to control probably the second most important thing in the Kingdom next to our military. You can get so much stability when the current Chief of that province is over a century old," the mother said matter of factly as she smiled at her table laden with dishes we all helped make.

My thoroughly mashed potatoes, pasta, and baked chicken. Ms Ancis brings out a liter of soda to kick the celebration off.

"Ok kids, I can hear the fireworks exploding outside it only means that New Year has finally come and I hope you all three the best!" the cheerful mother said before opening the bottle of soda and pouring it on our glasses, "Start eating! Let's enjoy the fruits of our labours especially the murdered potato, I mean mashed, mashed potato of Kady here. You really went all out, huh?"

I just laughed at Lexei who is pouring a healthy amount of gravy over his serving of my cooking before taking a bite out of it and to my surprise, he liked it a lot since he didn't stop until nothing is left.

"I really hate your peeler, Ms Ancis. It simply refuses to cooperate with my hands," I complained as she put some pasta in my plate, "Though I must admit that your knife is nothing short of amazing."

She laughed as she winked at me, "I prefer to keep my blades in tip-top shape especially if my son is not here to defend me."

"Girls need to keep their blades close and deadly," I said that made her send a flying kiss in my direction.

Galion nodded as he tried my murdered potatoes, "I must say I am expecting this to be a rather inedible, Kady. But this quite delicious."

"Wow, inedible? It's a bit harsh, Galion. Even for someone like you," I said pretending to be hurt than made him laugh.

"It's a joke. But yeah, it's delicious. I mean if our classmate eating half of what you cooked in a matter of minutes is not proof enough then I don't know what is."

I smiled and glanced at Lexei who is being continuously served with food by Ms Ancis, "Thank you, Galion."

"No, thank, you, Kady. I heard from Silva that His Royal Majesty asked you to sabotage my military application but you refused thoroughly with conviction," Galion said quietly that made Lexei stop eating and smile at my direction, "It means a lot."

"You should know that I understand why he asked me to do it in the first place, Galion. He wants you to be safe. He values you a lot like one of his Kingdom's prized children. He can't bear to send you to the frontlines and would rather you stay at his castle to be an advisor or something citing it will be a huge waste to lose a promising boy such as yourself," I explained clearly that made him smirk.

"I know. It is after all because of him and Trevor that I was even sent to the Gearth Military Academy by my useless father. But what he can't understand is that I want to avoid my other side of the family completely and staying behind the front will only result in more chances of meeting those idiots."

I just blinked and inclined my head, "I just don't get it, really. The Empire and Kingdom are preparing for a war I could not see."

To my surprise, Lexei and Galion looked at each other before smiling sadly at me but it's our hostess who spoke to me.

"War can erupt any moment, Kady. It is well known that the control of the Empress at her Empire is crumbling ever so steadily. It is only a matter of time before the warmongerers in her democratic government take over," Ms Ancis said sadly as she took a bite from her chicken, "It only takes one single spark to push the brewing tension between Scania and Kalalit to raging flames of war especially that the Empire needs more of our resources more than ever and their technology is stagnating because the Kingdom reduced its production output. I'm sure Lexei here knows what I'm saying."

The Yekaterinian heir stopped eating completely and heaved a sigh, "Oh, boy do I know. Now that Empress Kassandra has barely controlled the economy of her Empire, the Chancellor who is a warmonger is pushing the Kingdom's patience to its limits. Any outcome is a win for that bastard. Either the Empire squeezed the Kingdom dry of its resources and collapse and have no choice but to wage a war and invade fertile Imperial lands to feed its starving population or the Kingdom refuses its demands and gives the pretext for the declaration of war by the Empire to secure more mineral resources here at the Kingdom. My mother said that this year is the turning point of everything."

"If it all either falls apart or stays the same, "Galion said and Lexei nodded as he continued eating again.

Ms Acis put a huge piece of chicken in my plate and smiled, "Let's stop talking about that gloom and doom, shall we? It's New Year's Eve for goodness sake! Eat and have fun while it lasts!"

I nodded and smiled at her as I continued eating while still thinking about what I heard.

No matter how I think of myself as knowledgeable, there are still things that escape my studies. I guess that's the disadvantage of being completely disconnected to nobility or government. I am not aware of subtle political nuances and always take things regarding that subject in face value.

-0-

"Oh, why are you still awake?"

I looked at Ms Acis who I found sitting in the kitchen and drinking whiskey alone half-past one in the morning.

"I can't sleep like the two who are already out of it. I thought I get myself a glass of water," I said quietly as she pours herself a generous amount of alcohol in her glass.

She pointed at her old fridge and nodded, "If it's just water I have plenty. Go help yourself."

I quietly nodded and grab myself a glass, opened the fridge, and poured myself cold water, and leaned on the counter facing Galion's mother who is eyeing me curiously.

"You are quite a girl yourself, Kady. If I do say so myself."

"Really?"

"I was around your age when I have Galion but I heard from him that you lost your father a couple of years ago and that's the reason why you became so acquainted with sleeping just about anywhere."

I nodded and inclined my head, "You can say that."

"You know, I was the same as you," she said sadly before drinking another shot straight, "Lost my father when I was twelve. My mother left me before I can even speak a single word. He is my life, my light, my everything. My whole world revolves around my father who provided everything to me as long as he is able. Mind you, he is just a construction worker but I never felt that we are poor. Far from it, really. He treated me like a princess."

"I can relate to that."

"Of course, you do. Our whole world consists of no one but a man who fulfilled the job for two magnificently," she smiled as if reminiscing sweet memories but suddenly a tear fell from her eyes, "And then by a gunshot, he left me behind. Shot by a robber even if he already gave everything that he has."

I stayed quiet as she took another swig and sighed, "When your father died, what did you do first?"

"I tried to survive," I answered simply that made her smile a little, "That's what my father would want to happen. That I live. He died saving me from a truck in the middle of the street. He had a choice, he said, and the choice is clear for him. He weighted his life against mine and he sacrificed himself so I can go on living. I am not going to squander his sacrifice by wasting my time mourning for moths. I have to live, to survive. That's all I can think of back then and nothing else."

She shook her head and look at her own hands, "While you focus yourself on living, I was busy searching for someone to replace what I have lost. Someone who will take care of me. Who will treat me with importance."

"And you found that one in the form of your son's father."

"I thought so. And it was already too late when I realized that I was just a past time of a noble," she said disgustingly before pouring herself more whiskey, "He said he can't take me as a mistress at the very least, not that I ever want to associate with him anymore, because I was too young. Not even fifteen. Other nobles and commoners will justifiably see him as a degenerate even if he won't be imprisoned for taking advantage of my innocence and emotional instability."

I stayed quiet and let the mother continue her story.

"I was forced by him to abort my son. I refused. Why would I kill a life inside of me that I am willing to support even if I have to crawl doing it?" she asked angrily at herself, "I never received any money or support from him. Not that I want or will accept anything mind you. I raised Galion with everything that I have and let him experience the love my father gave me. I heard from a friend working at his household that his five sons are all imbeciles and spoiled brats who didn't inherit anything from him. While I understand why they turned out that depraved, Kady."

"Poor upbringing perhaps?"

"What else?" she asked me as she threw a pack of cheap biscuits on my direction that I caught, "Their mother is from a known minor noble family of this province that is more conscious of their status than working for the commoners. You already met some of Galion's siblings. You can't accuse me of just throwing insults at them just because I hate them."

"Though their depravity and shallowness are not surprising, what I find hard to believe is that they have the same father as my classmate. Other than the fact that they thankfully don't look anything like Galion, they are not even close to his dignified personality."

She smiled despite herself, "Galion, as the Old Man Ogawa has said before, is the perfect combination of me and his father. He combined my considerable good looks with his father's striking features. He also got his aura of prestigiousness and harsh demeanor. Thankfully he didn't get his pathetic attitude and coward personality."

"Thankfully, indeed..."

"But why am I telling you all of this again?" she asked me confusedly and blinked several times before nodding to herself, "Oh right, I just see so much of myself in you. I want to warn you that you are now at the crossroads, Kady."

Crossroads?