The time has come for me to leave this place.
I have decided that I will no longer waste any more time here since this day is the perfect day for me to execute an escape. Taking the chance since the last batch of soldiers are leaving but only after I did my chores. I figured I couldn't go down this rough mountain alone as it would take plenty of exhaustion on my part having to walk all the way down to the town, so I stole a donkey from a batch that the soldiers had late at night, it wasn't hard persuading it with a carrot.
I have limited lesson hours so I'm not supposed to meet with the quack this early in the morning but I'm sneaking out anyway, so I slowly waited until some of the ladies and the soldiers who were on the veranda left, leaving me to be unsupervised.
I thought I had managed my escape until I heard a whistle. When I turned back it was Spi En.
"And where do you think you're going off to this early in the morning, young lady?", she scolded. Having a basket full of eggs in her hand while resting them on her waist as she got ready to lecture me.
"To lit up a fire", I simply said before continuing on my way.
"Wait, it's still cold outside. Who asked you to??", she hurried to ask me as I went running further and further down the hill.
"No one", I answered back.
"Well, make it in time for lunch!", she yelled back.
Her older wounds seemed to be healing well but now she's gotten another bruise on her neck and is now an addition to covering with bandages. No wonder why the quack had to make a lot of medicine for them not just to stop fertility but for wounds and bruises as well. That means this is a normal occurrence to them way more than I had expected it to be. .
When I got to his hut, I quickly knocked on his door.
"Da?", he asked 'what' in his native language before opening the door.
I got in the moment it opened and went for his books, putting them inside my bag to which he hadn't even noticed.
"Hey, can I take the small book you were no longer using?", I asked as I packed up the possessions he offered to me.
"And why? Where are you off to?"
"I'm leaving", I answered but he turned silent.
"…to find my family", I lied (though technically not a lie) when he stopped whatever he was doing and looked at me like he wanted more answers.
"I'm following the route the soldiers will take to the town"
Silence filled the room once again as I continued to pack all that he said he'd leave to me.
"I could die at any moment you know, thought I could spend those days with you kid", he laughed and messed up my hair.
"You have, you're not making it tomorrow afternoon", I reasoned. We had both been keeping tabs of his health so I know when he is due.
He sighed and leaned back on the table. "I know"
"The ladies got a beating again", I alerted him as I swept his floor.
"And you scolded them like you did to Spi En?", he chuckled.
"No, I said I was going to let a fire"
"Hm. I'm not sure what you mean by that" , he turned and carefully poured himself a cup of tea.
"Is this how you're saying goodbye"
That looks to be everything…
I turned to look outside and saw that the sun had just about risen.
"You'll see soon enough when you do me a favour", I turned to him.
"What favour?"
"Today at sunset, I want you to accompany the ladies in the backyard. It's the only exit."
"My chamber will be left, since it's where they keep their little projects and treasures. And after everything is settled, please give them this" , I handed the letter to him. It took him a second to maybe process this whole situation but he took my word for it.
"Fine, there's really no stopping you once you've made up your mind", he sighed. His chuckled sounded strained as if he still had a lot to say.
"Well that's the spirit, I'll be more worried about the girls surviving than you, who am I to bargain with your decision when I am also fleeting from this world so mind having one last cup of tea with this old man before you go, my dear?", he asked and sat down the chair and offered me the table. I like how he didn't even bother to ask what I was up to even when he was dying to know.
"I suppose", I simply answered and joined him until I heard him snort which made my eyebrows frown.
"What is it?", I looked up at him as I was seeping my tea.
*sniff* "What? You're like a grandchild to me you know, of course I'd get sad",
He sniffled like a crybaby which almost made his snot fall into his cup.
"Disgusting"
…..
After I spent the whole morning with him, talking and laughing for the last time, he finally sent me back to the manor by carrying me in his one arm while dragging my sled with the other. I told him not to but he insisted that it be his last request out of me.
"Here we are", he gently put me down.
I got my sled and hid it just in case before walking to the door but just before I got inside he sharply played his flute with a single note. I thought he was up to another one of his silly jokes but when I turned, he was simply smiling. In that still moment, he looked like he was a ghost, a peaceful ghost, standing there with an earthly smile and the foggy afternoon breeze like one of those soft paintings you'd see in a museum.
"Almos…", he simply said as he pointed his chest. "...My name"
I don't know why but for some reason I just happen to break into a smile as the breeze blew passed us. Come to think of it from the week we've known each other we had never revealed each others names. He must have thought I had already left because I could see his smile fading into a gloom when he didn't hear any answer from me. So I went back and grabbed his hand and put it on my chest to make him feel my heartbeat.
"Dear friend, I am Nicaise", I said, reassuring him for one last time before heading back inside.