She sits cross-legged in the middle of the training room. Objects levitating around her. She moves them from one place to the other and spins them round and round at a slow pace.

“My breath, my life, my power, my soul,” she chants the words repeatedly. He gave her the tips for her to practice the other day and it has been a big help so far.

She is training alone today. L had left very early for some urgent matters. At least that’s what Hanjoon had told her this morning.

“Did he say when he will be back?” she asks. She is quite surprised that he left before the sun even rises and it is hard for her to deny that she is a little worry. What sort of matters does he has to attend to that is so important?

“He said that he will be back by tomorrow, Your Grace,” Hanjoon answers. She nods her head in respond. She bites down on her lip and couldn’t help but think of him.

Why couldn’t he just tell her himself? But then again, it was barely dawn when he left. He couldn’t just come walking into her chamber while she was still asleep. That would’ve been rude.

“Don’t worry, My Lady. I’m sure it is nothing. It is actually quite normal for him to leave this early,” he continues, pulling her back to her senses. Her head turns to him and she nods once again.

“Shall I serve you your breakfast, My Lady?” he asks with his hands folded neatly behind his back.

“Yes, please,” she replies with a smile. He returns the smile and heads to the kitchen. Leaving her alone in the dining room. She stares at an empty space and her mind wanders off thinking.

What could these urgent matters possibly be? Is it trouble in town? Are the town folks giving him a hard time? Even so, what is he supposed to do about it? Then again, all this time she has been staying with him, she had never ask him of what he does for a living? Sure his parents must have left him with their possessions but a man still has to work for a living.

She is brought back to the present when she hears a knock on the door. She puts the items back to their rightful places and stands. She smiles when Hanjoon comes in bringing her tea.

“Your tea, My Lady,” he says, handing it to her with a bow.

“Thank you,” she replies. She takes a sip and places the cup back on the saucer.

“How is your training, if I may ask? The Young Master had instructed me to keep an eye on you. If you ask me, I think he fears that you might set the house on fire and burn it to the ground,” he says jokingly.

She lets out a laugh. Hanjoon is not as bad as she thought he would be. He could actually be a good company. It is easy to be comfortable around him. He is a very warm man and people would find it hard not to like him.

“I don’t think he should worry about that. I have it under control,” she responds. She is starting to have more confidence in herself. She even learned a few tricks or two. And her training has been going better than she had expected. She is not afraid anymore. She has him to thank for.

“Is it all right if I ask you something, Hanjoon?” she asks, sitting down at a table in the corner. She motions for him to join her and he takes a seat across from her.

“Of course, My Lady,” he says politely.

“What do you think of L?” she asks. He is surprised by her sudden question and looks up searching for the answer. Soon he relaxes his shoulders and a smile forms on his lips. She looks at him, anticipating for his answer.

“What can I say about the Young Master? Well, for starters, he has always been extraordinary,” he replies. She smiles and waits for him to continue.

“I remember the day he was born. It was raining heavily. The raindrops were like pebbles being thrown on the window plates. The nurses were running up and down the hall. Carrying blankets and towels and hot water. The sky was dark. Lightning and thunder struck and the earth was shaking from their forces.”

“Quite frankly, I find it terrifying. I was a young lad back then and had only been with them for two years. I heard people shouting and his mother was screaming. It was as if I could feel her pain as it was my own. I was waiting outside of the room with a few other maids when we heard it. The sound of a baby crying. Then, I had the sudden urge to look out the window and what I saw was like a miracle. The dark sky was somehow replaced by a brighter and sunnier one like today. The door opened and out came one of the nurses.”

“She smiled at us and said “You may come in. The Master wants you all to meet his new born son.” We walked into the room. Smiling from cheek to cheek. We saw that the nurses were cleaning up. We walked in a little further and saw the bed. And on it, sat The Master and his wife.”

“He looked up at us and motioned for us to come closer. I walked closer to the bed and I saw this tiny little baby in the mother’s arms. His eyes were shut close as if he was sleeping; he had a patch of black hair on his head; his cheeks were blushed red; and he had his tiny little fingers gripping on his mother’s. I’ve never seen a more beautiful child than him. And from that moment, I knew that he was special.”

“As he grew older, he started to develop these ‘abilities’. He began to move things without touching them. Everyone had always treated him differently. He was always pushed around and was called names by the other children. He was a strong boy, growing up but he was also misunderstood. He spent most of his time indoors rather than out to avoid the other children. But he never let any of them get to him.”

“Until one day, they had pushed him a little too far. His parents brought him to town to attend a party and meet some of their friends. However, he grew bored of the party and went out to the stables. As he was standing there, petting one of the horses in came one of the nobleman’s son and a few of his friend.”

“They started to call him names and of what he was. He was about to take his leave when suddenly one the boys had thrown manure at the back of his head and made him fell face first onto the ground. Then they started to rip his clothes and threw more manure towards him. Soon, they started to beat him up. Imagine it. One boy against five. That hardly seems fair, now does it? But those boys didn’t care. It was all fun and games to them.”

“Amidst the beating, he lost control and the boys were never the same again,” he says.

“Why? What happened?” she asks, leaning in. His jaw clenches and unclenches.

“He knocked them out. Sending them flying all at once and their backs hit the walls and dropped on the ground with more broken bones than you can count. The very next day, his father had made a very important decision. To move away from everyone and everything. He had fired most of the help. The less people to be around him, the better,” he says.

“And this is where they moved? Ever since then?” she asks.

“Indeed,” he nods his head. She furrows her brows. She never knew that about him. In fact, she never really knew him at all. But for someone that has gone through that kind of childhood. He is more broken than she is and yet he doesn’t show it.  Her respect grows more for him now that she knows something about him.

“What happened then?” she asks. She wants to know more about him. She wants to understand the person that he is.

“Rumours started to spread and soon we received a visit from King Arius himself. Your father.” He has her full attention.

“The King and Queen came to this house a few weeks after the incident with you and asked if they could meet the boy themselves and if I recall correctly you were a little too young to even remember anything on that day. His father became worry of what they might do to his son. But The King mentioned that they didn’t come to execute him for what he had done. They just wanted to see what he was like. And it would seem that they had come to like him. By the end of the day, your father along with his had come to an agreement to have the two of you wed. His father was more than pleased. Despite what everyone else thought of him, his parents loved him with all their hearts. As do I.”

“Sadly, his parents couldn’t live to see the day their son would be wed. Not long after that, they were killed by animals when they were heading their way back from the capitol. Wolves, they were. Fangs and claws razor sharp, eyes cold as the winter. He was never the same again. He would spend every day and night in here in this very room. Training. Making himself stronger so that he could protect those that he loves.”

“I took him in and raised him as my own. I love him each day more and more. But I worry about him at times. I worry that one day he might overwork himself and forget who he really is. You may see him as a strong and independent man now, but deep down he is still that scared little boy who prefers to stay indoors rather than out,” he says.

Tears start to pool in the old man’s eyes as well as hers. She wipes it away and looks down on her teacup. She could see her reflection from the tea. They are both so different and yet the same. They both had shared the loss of family members except that she still has her father who she never seemed to understand. They both had brought chaos to the lives of others. She had been kept inside most of her life while he prefers to stay in rather than out. They are both ed up. The perfect match indeed.

“If I may, Your Grace. Is it all right if I ask a favour from you?” he asks. He has wiped away his tears with his handkerchief. She looks at him and nods her head. He takes in a breath, looks down on his hands then back up.

“I’ve cared for The Young Master for many years. And he has grown to be a great man. Nevertheless, sometimes I fear that I might not always be there for him,” he wipes away a tear that runs on his cheek. She watches him intently and waits for him to finish.

“One day, when I am no longer a part of this world, I hope you will be able to take my place and care for him as his parents and I had,” he continues. Looking into the man's eyes, she could see how concerned he is. How it must have fightened him at the thought of leaving him alone in this world without anyone to call family. This is not just a promise. It is a vow. Her eyes are filled with tears once more and she couldn’t stop them from falling. She takes his hand in hers and nods her head.

“You have my word,” she says.

I really miss writing. Please comment and let me know what you think of this chapter.