Later that night, Will didn't sleep. In the middle of the night, he quietly sneaked out.
Reaching his destination, Will slid on a mask and sneaked into Lance's room.
Lance was a light sleeper, so his eyes immediately sprang open when he heard unfamiliar footsteps in his room. Before he could react, he felt a cold edge of a dagger against his neck.
" Who... "
Will threatened, " Shut it."
Both fell silent at once, glaring at each other.
" Now, tell me why you killed them."
Lance was confused, " Who?"
" Shut up and talk."
Lance blinked a couple of times. Outside the room, the guard's footsteps could be heard. Lance prepared to scream but Will immediately covered his mouth.
Will was distracted for a brief moment. Lance yanked the mask off his face.
" Ohh," A smirk formed on his lips as if he wasn't surprised. Will immediately pressed the dagger harder against Lance's neck that it drew a thin line of blood. Lance hissed.
"Don't mess around."
Lance nodded, his breath shaking.
Will then pulled out the dreamshade and put it in front of Lance's face.
Lance glanced at it and then at him not understanding the meaning of what was happening.
" Do you deny killing Eniva and her daughter?"
" I didn't."
Will's grip tightened around the hilt. With uneven breathing, Lance immediately held Will's hand.
" Are you still holding the grudge?" Lance asked attempting to pull the dagger out of Will's hand. He failed.
" Do not change the subject." Will was already losing patience. He clenched his hand trying not to lose self-control.
" You really want me to hurt you. Don't you?"
Lance shook his head.
" It is all a misunderstanding, Will."
This sentence got out of Lance's mouth with the hint of sadness and as if he was talking more of the past than the present.
" Don't say my name with your dirty mouth." Will commanded through gritted teeth.
" Just answer my question."
" I killed no one."
Will put the dreamshade closer to his face.
" Then, what is this about?"
Lance closed his eyes refusing to answer.
" Talk!"
He shook his head. " You won't get an answer from me."
Will glared in Lance's eyes. Unlike Will, there was no hatred in Lance's eyes. But regret.
Will's hand clenched.
Without warning, he grabbed Lance's head and smacked it too hard on the wall.
Lance immediately held his head trying to restrain the sharp pain. He hissed and groaned despite himself.
Will just stood up and kept his dagger. He gave one last glare at Lance.
" Congratulations. You have succeeded in being the biggest coward in the entire universe."
He patted Lance's shoulder. " Buy yourself wine."
He put his mask back on, " Idiot."
And just like that, he went out of there unnoticed.
His heart was filled with uneasiness and sadness so he chose to buy a jar of alcohol and swallow it with that feeling.
He took it home. He went and sat under the peach blossom tree, as he downed his alcohol.
He was so lost in thought that he didn't realize he had already emptied the jar.
" Ahh..." A sigh escaped his lips. He put the jar down and lazily kicked it.
He lay on his back and stared up in the sky. He really wanted to cry but no matter how much he tried to force tears out, they just didn't come.
He clearly remembered the last time he had cried. It was in the previous seven years.
At that time, he stood in the middle of the villagers' houses. He was in a daze, eyes and nose red from crying. There was a loud noise of people going to and fro.
" Be quick!!"
" Bring medicine to mother!"
" Hey... Have you no hot water? "
" How could they.... Hey I need a new bandage!!"
Someone tapped his back. Will slowly turned and looked at the young lady with teary eyes. He was still young then.
The lady handed him a bucket of cold water and warmly put a cloth in his hands.
" Help with the patients, right?" She gave him a warm smile. Will immediately caught sight of the cross shaped scar on the girl's cheek. But his condition was no good to think much about the scar. He didn't recognize her but instantly remembered medics from their neighboring villages had come to help.Will swallowed back his tears and wiped his eyes. He nodded.
Some people were lying out before their house, while others were in their straw houses.
They all lay weakly on their mats, eyes covered by a layer of blood that they became blind, and vomiting too hard with a mixture of blood.
None of the villagers knew exactly what was wrong with their people. But they all had one suspicion.
A sudden headache brought Will back from his memories. He held his head in agony and moaned bitterly.
The next morning when he woke up, he realized he was in his bed. He immediately sat upright. The cloth on his forehead fell off. He took it in his hand and tried to recall how he had ended up in his bed.
" It is already twelve." Jaden announced as he entered in the room. He sat on the bed, looking in front of him.
" You're too shameless to go and drink a whole alcohol jar alone and then sleep where you've drunk it. "
Will gave a shrug and tossed the cloth aside.
Jaden glanced at the cloth and put his hand on Will's forehead trying to feel his temperature.
When he found him sleeping under the tree, he was sweating and burning hot. But now his temperature felt normal.
Will slapped his hand away.
Jaden withdrew his hand after giving him a smack. " Look at you acting like that, when you almost died last night."
" I am fine."
Will then sat up in a crouched way that made Jaden's eyebrows furrow.
" Do you mind serving me lunch?" Will asked him with a playful smirk.
Jaden stared at him without saying anything. And just like that he stormed out.
Will lay down once again and quickly dozed off. He was startled awake by the bang on the door, as it was kicked open.
" Aii..." He put his hand on his chest.
" YOU SCARED ME!!" he spurted out punching the air. He switched to smiling when he saw the food tray in Jaden's hands.
" Oh. Oh. Oh. "
Jaden frowned standing in the same place.
Will didn't seem bothered. " You will sit in the most honorable seat in my wedding."
" Do not invite me."