The room was dimly lit and the scent of wine lingered heavily in the air. Lance sat across from his father, watching him drink one cup of wine after another with no care.
A cup of wine rested in front of Lance, but it remained untouched.
" You still refuse to drink."
" Yes."
Rord didn't mind. Instead he poured himself another drink and drank it in one gulp.
" Do you think I'm evil?"
Lance didn't answer. It was impossible to tell if he didn't want to answer, or if he found it unnecessary to answer.
Rord burst into laughter.
Lance frowned. The old man was truly crazy.
A few drops of warm blood trickled down his nose. He sniffed before calmly taking out a handkerchief to wipe himself.
" Are you happy that I'm about to die?"
Lance slightly shook his head. What was there to be happy about?
Rord stood up. "Just say yes already. I know you always wished for me to die."
Rord was smiling.
Lance still said nothing.
" I'm not dying! "
" Yes. You're not."
Noise came from outside.
A servant by the door called out Rord in panic.
" Master please come out."
Rord calmly walked to the door and opened it.
" What happened?" His voice was as calm as the gentle sea breeze.
A woman who was being held down by two guards soon escaped from their grip, ran and knelt in front of him.
" Please... save my child." The woman pleaded. Lance moved forward and stood just behind Rord.
" Take me to your child."
Lance glanced at the woman before shooting his father a suspicious look.
The woman was quick to stand up. She walked at a fast pace. Rord and Lance followed her.
When they entered her house, they found her son lying on a mat.
Rord went to check on him. He was shivering, his eyes tightly shut. Rord casually put his index and middle finger to the child's wrist to measure his pulse. Although his pulse was faint, the kid was alive and had a chance of survival.
Rord saw the child's eyes twitch. Before he could do anything, the child quickly sat up and vomited. Some of it splashed onto Rord's face. He frowned, obviously irritated. The child lay down again exhausted, his breathing uneven. The mother quickly walked over, trying to clean Rord but he stopped her.
" Just get out. " He coldly said. The woman obeyed without a question.
Rord proceeded with checking the child's eyes. Blood was accumulating in his eyes.
Lance's expression darkened.
Blood veiling the eyes... vomiting blood... there was no mistaking it. This was exactly how the outbreak in Melgold started.
" It's been a while since I saw this." Rord said totally unaffected by the kid's condition.
" Did you do this?" Lance asked in a low yet angry tone.
Rord raised his brows with a smile hard to understand.
" I didn't." He replied.
He glanced at the kid and then at his son.
" But I wanted to."
Lance couldn't hide the anger in his eyes.
Rord laughed at him. "Being angry isn't going to help you. Go bring the herbs, and tell that mother to boil some water. "
" Then who did?"
Rord didn't answer instead he put his palm on the child's forehead. " Aren't you wasting time? Hmm?"
Lance realized he was. " We don't have such herbs."
" Didn't you take the herbs from that woman's store. What's her name again? Eniva? Such a beautiful name... Why are you glaring son? Just do what I say."
Lance felt his blood boiling from anger, yet he headed to the storehouse.
He took the dreamshade, starice, woodsop and ashpetals. Although the herbs were dangerous, he had learnt that they treated this disease.
He quickly brought them to Rord. Rord ground them together, added hot water and gave it to the child.
He then gave a package of herbs to the mother and gave her instructions on how to use them.
He glanced at the kid. He wasn't shivering anymore, and that was worth his smile.
" You're lucky you weren't too late to get your son treated. Otherwise...."
The mother dropped to her knees.
Rord: "... "
Lance just looked away. That was the reaction he expected from the mother.
Warm, salty tears streaming down her face as she struggled to find words to express her gratitude.
Rord immediately helped her up.
" Just take care of your son."
The woman nodded repeatedly clearly at loss of words.
Rord simply shook his head and headed home. Lance who was looking at them from a distance, followed. Lance increased his pace, not wanting to walk side by side with his father.
Yet...
" Walk a little slower. Stop walking I mean. And wait for me."
Lance decreased his pace, then stopped walking. Rord immediately caught up with him.
" I was thinking..."
He was looking down. He then looked at his son who obviously didn't want to listen to him. He smiled.
" Seeing that child, I remembered someone."
Lance said nothing.
" That girl. Shimei right? Yes Shimei. I remember her name. She was a genius. I couldn't believe she was able to make a medicine for this outbreak when I didn't even know of it. Too bad she is already dead."
Lance's hand clenched. He wanted the old man beside him to just shut up.
" She really was such a genius. Too bad she died, too bad..."
Lance couldn't take it anymore.
" You killed her."
Rord stopped walking. His voice sympathetic. Yet his smile made it feel hollow.
" Oh, I did? How can I do something like that? I'm truly evil right?"
And talkative. Lance turned and rushed away.
Rord shook his head as he watched his son disappear from his line of sight.
Evil? What did that mean?