Worlds Apart: Back to Drevothia

Episode 4

We are Idiots

The blue light from the television radiated more evidently on her face and all over the living room. It also reflects on the glass mirror that separates the living room from the kitchen and dining room. Lance's brows furrowed witnessing the blue light in the living room as he silently went in.

'Did she really stayed up until this late? Didn't Caiwen told her to sleep? Her eyes is going to hurt if she watch that much!' He thought worrily.

She is hugging the square pillows on the sofa, her body slightly tilted and laying on the bed. Her pale and frail legs are languidly dangling on the cold tile floor. She is not even wearing an indoor slipper nor socks to protect her soles from the cold.

He slowly closes the front door behind him. She did not seem to notice, her attention are towards the movie. He sigh in relief and tilted the body of the key on its keyhole, Viktorina's head moves to where he is standing. It is because he is too tall and huge that his shadow is covering her sight of the television.

"You... Who are you?" She stood up in alert, grabbing one of the pillows for defense and the broom nearby for offense. Lance raises his arms in defensive manner.

"I am Lance, Caiwen's friend," he says, his voice almost inaudible because of the mask.

"Friend? How would I know that you are? Show yourself to me." She aimed the broom on him. Lance put down his hand and chuckled, only to be followed by his coughing. That is why his voice also seems strained. "Why are you laughing, you insolent peasant!"

"I am sorry for laughing. May I know your name beforehand, Miss?"

Viktorina's lips parted.

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because I live in this house, too. I think I deserve to know the name of our visitor."

Viktorina hesitated. She stares at his dark figure for a while, trying to assess whether he is taunting her or he is being sincere. She couldn't catch a glimpse of his facial expressions because of the black thing that is covering his mouth and nose. The cloth that would seem like a cloak is also covering his head, his long messy fringe slipping from the cloth are covering her glimpse of his eyes.

"V-Viktorina!" She lifts her chin, trying to gather her fading confidence but her voice broke. She sounds like a frog croaking in the middle of the rainy night! Her face flustered, she silently thank the darkness that is concealing both of their facial expressions.

"I see. It looks like you are enjoying your stay here, Viktorina."

His deep and hoarse voice sends shudders down to her spine. She renew her hold of the broom and pointed it to him more aggresively. She is starting to soften!

"You have not proven yourself to me yet. I will not let you pass by this area, human."

Lance fell into silence and stares at her with amusement dancing in his dark orbs. He finally sigh and shakes his head.

"You had already told me your name, I thought that was a sign. And, how would you assess me when you haven't seen me personally back then?"

That is true! But she never felt so irked in her entire life. Her hand tremble before him as she is trying to hold the broom in place. She drops the broom and pillow beside her and sigh, almost giving up.

"Then, tell me something about the master of this house."

Lance eyes stays alert with her presence but his mind is flying off somewhere else. He is trying to fish some word to describe Caiwen.

"He is..." he hesitated first before firing the words at her. "...an i***t," he answers proudly. Proud that he finally remembers the perfect word to describe his friend Caiwen. His eyes almost glimmers in complacency.

"An i***t?" Viktorina echoed his answer in a questioning voice. She has her head tilted in innocence.

The noise from the breaking of a glass stretched beneath the darkness. The shattering sound breaks the conversation between them. Viktorina reluctantly glances the dark area behind her. Shards of glass spread across the tiled-floor. There, someone is lurking like a drunken t**t. Lance, alert as he is right now, immediately pulls Viktorina who is still clueless from what could possibly happen.

Are they robbed?

"Ahh..." a voice whines languidly, it comes from the dark spot of the living room, nearby the glass that divides the house's areas. Slowly, the man is appearing as the blue light from the television catches up to his shadow. Lance tighten his grip on Viktorina's waist as to protect her from what is coming.

"Lance... Where did you learn that word?"

Lance's eyes widened in saucers. Caiwen is rubbing the back of his neck and is still yawning. The evidence that he just woke up is with his unruly hair. He might be the one who shattered the glasses just now, because of shock from what he had heard.

Lance... saying something like that?

Caiwen flops on the sofa, claiming all the space that the medium size sofa has to offer. He spread his long legs on loose, his arms sprawling on every inch of the sofa. The cinematic light from the television would seem like a joke on Caiwen's appearance right now, contrary to Lance's dramatic and mysterious entrance just a few minutes ago.

Lance sighs after he let go of Viktorina. Viktorina is looking at the both of them like a child who got lost in the woods.

"Do not underestimate me, Caiwen. I could remember a word that easy."

"I do not doubt your skills at that, Lance. Being your family heir, you must be smart. However, I doubt that your family let you use that word. What is an i***t then?" Caiwen challenged him.

"An idiot... is a name you give to your friend. I heard someone from your friends at school called you that when you brought them here."

Caiwen is suddenly sullen on his seat, Lance's stateliness though is unwavering that no reaction from Caiwen could take him down.

Caiwen remembered the day when he had brought his classmates over for some project. He had Lance helping him prepare the needs of his visitors. Lance is used to that kind of work since that's what he do at his job, he is the perfect fit to help Caiwen. Probably when he was with them, he had heard his classmates' banters while they call one another an i***t. He would never say a word of such impudence if he knew what it means. That sums it all up! Caiwen thought at first that his puppy, Lance, is already turning into a full-grown man that has been unchained from his regality.

He is never bringing back any of his i***t friends home!

Caiwen stands up, palms on his face like he is having a headache. He placed his hand on Lance's shoulder, tapping it in a brotherly manner.

"Lance, do not learn from those..." his lips trembles. He could not think of anything to describe them! "...idiots." He slowly and silently added, his voice almost as vague as the wind. Lance nods, must be that he had heard them.

"Okay. I will only learn from you, idiot." A small smile is on his lips, the tug on his mask is an evidence of his satisfied smile. People could not figure out whether Lance is being serious or he is fighting back but Caiwen knows Lance too well!

"Lance!" Caiwen feels like crying. Lance does not understands at all! He is only holding on to Lance's firm shoulder for support, he felt the dark air having a free ride on his back. He just hopes Viktorina understands. He is expecting a lot from her since she is from a royal family...

"Oh!" Viktorina clasps her hands, she smiles brightly at the two of them despite the darkness in the living room, it's like she is illuminating the four corners. "That's what i***t means. Then, we are idiots."

Viktorina and Lance look at their way at the same time. They nod at each other as if they have become close friends all of a sudden!

Caiwen's knees almost gave away. He run across the sofa, everything around him is gloomy in contrast to Viktorina and Lance's.

"Ah! It's like I am dealing with bunch of kids! They don't understand at all!"