Chapter 36: Two Flowers, One World
The mountain weather condition was unpredictable and could be completely different from the plains or forest around it. The clouds would disperse at a moment notice or in a blink of an eye the white fluffy clouds changed into menacing dark thunderclouds. From time to time, wind from the mountain would carry with it water from high altitude and as if a drunk watering plants, splashing it all over.
Be it by the wind or from the tipping over from above leaves, droplets of clear water would fall to the ground and with enough of it, making wet of things and made it easier for one to slip. The ground was already uneven, yet the mountain was still showing how it was not really suitable for people born and used to live with comfort. Seeing such a scene, Airy took a deep breath before she carefully looking down and slowly taking one step after another, fully focus on avoiding messy puddles or the rough patches of the ground. Yet, a sudden movement from a bush on the side of the road startled her and made her still fell on her butt.
Without uttering as much as a voice, she used her hands to support her weight and stood up with much difficulty. She didn't shed a tear when she fell, but the feeling of dirt and wetness on her palms gave her discomfort that finally broke the dam. Silently, she sobbed in a way no one would notice that.
But even if she made it so that her attentive loving parents could be fooled, her twin sister Abby could see it all clearly. While Airy's fall was practically soundless, as her another self, Abby could unconsciously feel her sadness.
It was not an unfamiliar sadness, because it was also similarly growing inside of her.
Just as Abby walked towards her, Airy immediately noticed she was busted and hurriedly tilted her head to dry her tears with her shoulder. It was a futile, laughable attempt that would not fool even a child, but she still didn't want Abby of all people to see her.
While everyone was alone, they were together. Yet they were only half of each other, but for them to carry two worth of sadness, they were very tired. They wanted to move forward, but it was very difficult. They wanted to come back, but were they even allowed to think about it?
As nobles, they didn't lack anything. As daughters, they didn't lack care from their parents. What they wished for, people would try their best to fulfill. They didn't learn how to cook, because there were already many chefs in the kitchen. If they wanted to smell the fragrance of rose, the gardener uncles and aunties would promise them they would see the flowers in the next season of bloom.
Their wide balcony allowed them to come outside safely to see the changing scenery between seasons and heartily talked with each other about anything that went by the day with fruit juices and sweets by their side.
They grew up kind and loving, unlike many arrogant young nobles, and making her parents had high expectation for them even though they couldn't inherit their family name. Yet, what greeted them when they became young adult were not only their parents' gifts but also supernatural abilities that they didn't expect nor ever wished for.
Immediately at first, they were horrified by the fact they became witches. The day they spent was accompanied by relentless and the night they slept was filled with uneasiness. When the robed and hooded lady came, they easily agreed to the invitation and joined the witch camp, abandoning their life and family by burning the bridge.
Now, Fallen Dragon Ridge was already far away, and even if they could go back, would their loving parents and relatives... still saw them the same way?
Being changed into witches from their former noble selves, they only felt endless regret but didn't hate the fact. After finding out that witches were such pitiful existence, they thought of supporting the other sisters in the camp. Yet living like this, they also found that they were like those flowers kept behind the window sill. When brought outside, they couldn't withstand rain and wind, they were already withering after only a few seasons.
They were not very useful.
Abby shook her head and gave her sister a neatly folded handkerchief. It was not to wipe the tears that already dried, but rather her hands that became dirty after her fall.
Airy forced a smile and politely refused. Not only she had one in her own pocket, their hands were never clean now they were currently working outside.
The witches in the camp were generally divided into two categories. Witches with useful abilities or witches with abilities labeled as not useful. Airy could bring with her power a gust of wind, yet it was not as free or powerful as the more experienced Wendy. Abby could use water to set ablaze fire on top of its surface, but would such performance fazed their peers? Using precious water, even during winter was not very useful, especially since the flame was not burning hot but rather cool.
In the cold weather, both of them ended up to be the latter, witches that were deemed useless. Chores like gathering food or firewood became their identities in the camp, hard lifting and rough works to their shoulders, girls that used to live like princesses.
What etiquette? What education? Those kind of things were not useful in the wilderness.
It was not just them, several of sisters that fell into the latter categories were working hard. Picking fruits or dried branches, it was all that they could do.
They were tired, very tired.
As they were about to pick up the pace, someone called up to them from behind.
"Airy, Abby."
Nightingale caught up and finally looked at the twins. Perhaps, she never really looked at them closely before. Perhaps, she unconsciously averted her eyes to purposely not seeing it.
But now she had forced herself, what she saw was only two thin and sickly looking girls. Their clothes that used to be good were now like rags and full of ugly patches, their pale and smooth skin was now rough and had cuts.
The light of their eyes darken... where did she had seen something like it before?
She remembered what Anna's said to her and her talks with Roland. Her whole body trembled and her eyes widen as she recalled the painful memories inside of her. She had seen it on the water, whose image it was reflecting? Anna had mentioned it before, wasn't the answer very clear already?
Where did the healthy and cheerful twins go?
How many months it had since then?
Why would she only notice them now?
Guilt wrapped her body so tight she almost suffocated. The fragmented memories where she looked at the well dressed yet confused and lost girls, the moment she righteously said her arrival would help them came flooding. Like the tide, it came and hit harder with each wave.
Nightingale, Nightingale. Did you forget about what you promised them when you came uninvited?
She dashed away.
Not caring for the puddles splattering around or the surprised looks she got, Nightingale quickly got to the two that were supporting each other and hugged them both tightly in her embrace. Her vision was blurred from her own tears, but she didn't hold back what she wanted to say.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Nightingale never knew speaking could be so challenging. Her throat was dry, and her voice came out rough.
The twins were startled and surprised. A hug from someone else, how long ago since they received one? More importantly, they realized Nightingale was crying as she hugged them.
She, Nightingale was one of the few elder sister figures in the camp. They never saw her so weak and hopeless. Always looking valiant and looking sharp, that was how Nightingale perceived by the younger witches.
Yet she was indeed crying. Uncaring for her image, only keep giving away her tears...
What? Why? How? They didn't know the answer for any of these questions, but it was clear for whom she was crying for. Just for that, they would cry together with her. They would thank her. They wanted to tell her, thank you for crying for them.
To the young woman that took them away, they never harbored any ill will towards her. They knew she was doing it thinking the best for them, and it was not her fault that they can't withstand such life. Not to mention, she never forced them and it was their own decision. On the contrary, they were only ever feeling grateful for the witch that changed their life.
But, to hear and feel someone else genuinely crying for them, they didn't know how to even begin describing it. It should be happiness, or could it be sadness? Regardless...
Perhaps, just for this time, they can do whatever they want?
Nightingale couldn't see them, but she could feel how fragile they were now. Her neck felt wet, but it only made her felt even more guilt. Her coat was clutched tightly, but she hoped they could utilize even more strength than this.
"I'm sorry..." Nightingale forced herself to speak, for she had to make them knew. With the gentlest tone she could muster, her voice came out as a whisper. "It's going to be alright. I promise you two with my life."
Even if she had to throw her life away, she had to make sure they were going to be safe. She might not make a mistake in taking them, it was not caring for them that was her biggest sin.
Nightingale's hesitation vanished and replacing them were a firm determination she had almost forgotten she once had.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone