Chapter 96 - A Promise

"W-When we were done in the lake about leaving..." she began sobbing. "She decided to stay back to continue bathing, she said she would return before we knew it... we agreed, and then we left" Her breath quickened, becoming unsteady.

My still eyes remained on the cloth she held, a harsh feeling overwhelmed my body that I was unable to contain, I felt suffocating on what I was about to hear.

"I did not see her return last night. I was so worried so I and the others decided to check her by the lake and then we... we... we saw" she broke into more tears.

My trembling hand took the cloth from her leisurely, I brought it to my chest, my vision became blurry, a cluster of tears forged within my eyes, my insides twisting and turning and my body felt weak like I had been slammed by a mountain.

"I'm so sorry my lady, what we saw... what she saw was nothing but blood and this piece of cloth, a wild animal must have gotten to her in the night"

"No... No" I shook my head, I pointed to her. "You are lying"

"Sylvia," Mother said, holding onto me, the tears leaking out from my eyes out of control.

"S-She p-promise me" I cried. "S-She s-said she would come back, she..." I broke. Mother held onto me all the way.

"Mother this can't be true right... there no way... there's no way..." I couldn't even talk properly as cry sounds felt my mouth before I knew it I was crying so hard as I held unto mother who hugged me trying to calm me down, but I couldn't there was no way I could, my body within was in turmoil and pain, the tears were hot against my cheeks as I felt faint, I felt sorrow and grief.

"No!" I cried and sobbed feeling bitter and heartbroken, I couldn't take it, before I knew it I was walking away. Mother called to me but I didn't turn, my cries were the only thing I could hear as I rushed back to my Chambers slamming the doors shut.

"Mint!" I called, pacing back and forth, holding the cloth close to my chest.

"My lady" he appeared before me, I stared at him with horror eyes and then he paled.

"My lady, what happened, did anything happen to you?"

"M-Mint y-you must find her, you must, s-she can't be dead" I held onto his jacket tightly, my body stuttering like from a cold. He held me firm.

"Calm down my lady, what are you talking about? What happened?".

My heart sank, inner grief consuming me like a wave. "O-O-Olivia" I whispered. His gaze fell on the cloth and then something flashed within his eyes as he stilled like time was paused.

"I do not believe what they say Mint, I do not believe it, please you have to find her, find her" I cried, I didn't mind if I was screaming.

"I will" his voice was heavy, weighted with pain, I knew then just how much hurt he was but he didn't want to show it, he whirled as he disappeared.

¤●¤

He followed her scent, he didn't need to sniff the bloody cloth that belonged to her, he knew her scent already, he knew it like it was the back of his hand, over time, whenever his Mistress called for him to eat, she was always there to serve him with all kinds of food, he found out it was prepared by her.

A sweet innocent girl who always blushed like a child whenever she saw her when he first set his eyes upon her, she was a striking beauty, her brown hair packed in two buns with a yellow ribbon made her look childish but he didn't think that way for it only just appeal her looks more, he was fascinated by the kind of person she was, but he couldn't utter a word to her because whenever she blushed she always rushed away like a war was about to break loose.

"Why do you always run from me?" he asked her once when they were both alone he had offered to follow her to the kitchen that day, seeming as his calling was always at midnight they were alone.

She blushed at his question, looking away. "N-Nothing," she said, fanning the flames from under the hearth's brick fireplace that had a pot on top. She always put much concentration in preparing food for him, it always made him wonder.

He squats beside her but her focus remained on fanning, or she was using it as an excuse to avoid making eye contact with him.

"Do I look scary to you perhaps?" he asked, that should be the only explanation she always ran when she saw him right? Her head snapped to him, her dark brown eyes on his.

"W-What, no!" she answered faster than her brain, Mint couldn't help but smile at her outburst.

"My scar does not bother you?"

She frowned. "They do not," she said but then she blushed. "I think you are very handsome"

Mint stilled at her words, no one had ever told him he was handsome before, she was the first to appreciate the little looks he had, for a minute there he thought she was horrified by his looks but he thought wrong.

"Thank you, Olivia," he said softly. She blushed to the point that he was bothered she might turn red.

She turned to him. "You're welcome," she said faintly, their eyes locked and then he leaned close, she quickly used her fan to block her face.

"W-What are you doing?"

Mint chuckled slightly bringing the fan down. "You have charcoal on your face" he states.

Her mouth fell on an O form, Mint smiled using his thumb to brush the coal off her cheeks, he took so much concentration on it as her eyes remained on his.

She was a lovely lady that made him feel things he never thought he could feel, he didn't know her much but he was hoping to. His gaze fell on the cloth he heard, seeing this made his world flip, he won't believe she's dead, not until he sees it with his eyes.

'I will find you Olivia.... wait for me'