Chapter 4: Visitor
Three more years passed by slowly and quietly as the land gradually recovered from the devastating attack, which had befallen them, three years ago. Alura had grown to the age of six and now had a baby brother of the age of two, which was starting to walk but still didn’t speak any. He clung to his older sister like they were glued together at birth. Trade and sales began to reform and return to the strength they had been, but nothing was the same. In some area’s some of their bestselling flowers still refused to grow or anything to grow in some areas, as if evil spirits lurked from the bodies of the dead soldiers killed by her husband Nate.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQdcHFSibT
Alura would ask each night if Daddy was coming home. And it broke Sophia’s heart to tell her that he would return home someday, holding the necklace he gave her three years ago before he left them down in the cellar to face the solders. She didn’t want to sadden her little girl with the dark truth that Nate was likely not going to be returning to them. She tried to hold a sliver of hope he lived, somewhere, but felt the creeping thoughts he was no longer part of the living world. Alura would either walk with Sophia down the streets of the market area or stay home when told to, in order to watch her brother. But she would cry when she couldn’t go along with her mother on errands like she wanted to, hurting Sophia who did her best to stay strong and stand behind her decisions.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vpFTpQMTN
This time though Alura walked beside Sophia holding her hand with Talon holding her own. The market was buzzing with activity that morning from sellers offering their ripe crops and fresh catches from the sea, air, and farms. Sophia slowed her steps looking at some fresh fish as a straw basket hung on her arm. She looked closely before finally picking a long tan gray fish placing it in her basket after it was wrapped in paper, and paid the man before then continuing on, always checking to make sure Alura and Talon were still with her. Talon had dark hair like his father and Sophia’s blue eyes giving a child innocence that was hard to turn down when he would want something.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZRh6Dai7E
About an hour and a half into the shopping Alura pulled on her mother’s hand. “Mommy I’m getting tired. Can we go home?” she asked with a small whine, looking up at her to receive a gentle smile when Sophia looked down to her daughter.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgkUWSv9z4
“We’re almost done sweetie. Just a couple more items then we’ll go home.” She said warmly and continued with her two children, looking at some fruits consisting of apples, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and other assortments. Alura sighed looking around bored then her eyes widened as a jeweler held up a thin gold chain, holding attached to it a hanging blue stone that became red in the light.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2D2bf60sz
Immediately Alura tugged hard on Sophia’s hand looking to her mother then back to the necklace and pointed. “Mommy! I want that! Can I have it! Please?!” she begged in a rush, afraid someone else would buy it. Sophia looked over and sighed finishing the grocery shopping.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgwVf2Eyzs
“Let us see how much it cost first dear.” She gently stated and walked over to the seller with Alura cheering beside her.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEd8S0nXJp
“Hello my dear. What would you like today? I have a fine selection from all of the great kingdoms that are hard to come by, that only royalty could imagine owning at a much more affordable price.” Said the man slyly, grinning pleasantly.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtglNwpSPW
“Yes, sir, I would like to know how much this necklace here is.” Sophia pointed to the necklace Alura had seen him holding up.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGf8EPhLjd
“Oh yes. You have a keen eye my dear lady. This is a rare jewel only found in the Dragon’s Mouth. It’s hard to come by as are the dragons. It’s said the dragon, when it has made this priceless gem, places its power and life into the stone so it may live for all eternity.” Alura listened closely, taken away and wrapped up in his tale making her want it more.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡck2PLO98gW
“What is its price sir?” Sophia asked politely being patient with him knowing he had to try and make a sell when he could.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XUXcQuBs9
“For you today’s low price of half off only 10,000 Relu.” He stated after appearing to give the price some thought.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlWQz7vFDI
“10,000 Relu!” she exclaimed jaw dropping in shock and sighed. That didn’t sound much like a discount to her when compared to most normal prices. “I’m sorry sweetie but that’s way out of Mommy’s budget. Maybe next time, okay?” She said regretfully, looking down at her daughter sadly and led her two children away from the stand with her, basket hanging off her arm. Inside the sturdy item rested their food from that days grocery shopping, which took most of her money to buy due to the raised prices.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSS3liDrF72
“But Mom! I want that necklace! I’ll be the only girl in town without one! I know it!” Alura whined begging for the necklace her mother couldn’t afford. Sophia stopped sighing and looked down at her daughter. Hearing the phrase ‘I’ll be the only girl in town without one’ Sophia knew was a lie. Not every girl at Alura’s school had expensive things like that and those that did, were those who either saved up or got it as a gift. Unless their family was on the wealthier end, then it really didn’t matter the occasion to explain their receiving such an expensive item.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoW1D2Q6nw
“Alura, now you know that’s no way to get what you want. We don’t whine or beg. We take what we got and use what we got to work with. I don’t have the money to buy you that necklace. Maybe when the price comes down or you find a rich man when you’re older, but today we don’t have the money. I’m sorry.” And that was the end of it with Sophia’s tone firm and strict. She wanted to treat Alura for being good, also to treat Talon, but she couldn’t and hoped Alura would understand. Sophia started to lead the way home with Alura who was silently pouting, refusing to look or speak to her mother. Talon held onto Alura’s hand, yawning cutely as he walked at his big sister’s side, not sure why she was upset as his big blue eyes watched her face curious.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSC8zXEe52
A few minutes later once home and inside Alura ran to her room, slamming the door shut with force, the loud ‘bang’ making Sophia sigh in annoyance and relief that Alura was up in her room. Walking in further she closed the door behind her and Talon making her way to the kitchen where, she placed the basket softly on the wooden table then slowly returned to the living room. Walking over exhausted from the day she closed her eyes and fell into her chair sighing.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6T2mqJtgJ
Talon looked up at her as he stepped closer to stand beside Sophia, making a soft whining sound and pulled on her dress, a sign that told her he wanted to be picked up. Groaning she bent over and picked him up letting him sit on her lap. “Well at least you’re still nice. For now anyway…can’t wait ‘til you start talking. Well, you’ll be nicer than your sister, right?” Sophia asked the 2 year old who wasn’t paying any attention to her, too busy looking around. Sophia sighed smirking and began to rock back and forth with him, humming. The tune was soft and sweet, a tune she’d sang and hummed to both her children to help them rest at night. It was one way she helped them calm down when scared. She always was firm but fair, it was how she raised them and hoped, just hoped that somehow she’d gotten through to them to be kind and respectful. All Sophia could do was hope her teachings would bring them to become a good person when they became older.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pOqsKt2FV
Night quietly came with Sophia resting in her rocking chair holding Talon who rested gently and, peacefully in her arms on her lap. About midnight a loud thumping sounded rough on the front door, scaring Sophia half to death and sending Talon into a crying fit. “Shhhhh, shhhhh.” She cooed trying to calm him down while standing. “Just a minute!” she called through the door, racing upstairs to give Talon to his sister then back down to hear the person pounding outside her door again. Why would someone be knocking on her door so late? Didn’t they know what hour it was?989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85Hd1Ysjo8
Flinging it open she gasped, covering her mouth as she saw the face of a handsome man. He stood confidently with short dark slicked back hair, sharp silver eyes that were sharp as daggers, rich black leather jacket over a noble shirt. He appeared to have come from the capital city itself. Yet she’d known him from pictures shown to her by Nate, which came from the country Natta a country known for its military strength. “Uh…A-A-Amoxious. Wha-what are you doing here?” she asked shocked, hardly able to speak from being stunned.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNlGPcyVSV
He smiled, elegantly bowing after removing his black top hat and rested his cane on his arm with a golden animal head carving. “It is a pleasure to see you my dear Sophia. It has been quite a long time, too long a time.” He charmed, smiling sweetly to her, making her face flush red and breathing to get caught in her lungs.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmarj9zH7U
“Uh well um c-come in. W-w-what brings you out here?” she stammered still not believing he came to see her finding it a great honor to have him in her home. It wasn’t common practice for a leader to visit a common person’s home. Normally it wasn’t worth their time.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1Auf2FmcW
“Business my dear. I heard of the attack and rushed right away to my airship to see if it was true but, the land looks the same as before as does your beauty.” He charmed again, gently touching the side of her face with a white gloved hand. Quickly she jerked away looking down and took a couple steps back from him, turning on her heel so her back was towards him when she next spoke. Taking a breath to calm her chest she had to be strong and not fall for his eyes and charm. This wasn’t normal. Normally upper crust never visited homes personally of those below their status.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAn3CRdnls
“State what you want. I’m busy. I don’t have time for your flattery. What do you want from me here?” Her voice had become cold and stern as she spoke. She did not trust the aura this man of a demon father gave off.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbS1udqX92
“Simple my dear, I wish to help you. You are in need of aid so I wish to lend my services to you and your children.” Quickly her body spun around and her glaring eyes narrowed upon him, her body tensing. This confused him to see her so tense and angered, never having gotten this response when offering to help.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE977gh7voz
“How did you know about my children?”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuI7yRaX2R
“Nate himself told me when he-” Amoxious tried to smooth over carefully, only to be cut off rudely by Sophia’s sure tone.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OsoVQqneE
“Nate never went to you for anything or told you anything. He never left Flora.”989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDXnXLWrpL
Amoxious sighed rising his hands in defeat, closing his eyes almost gracefully. “You’ve caught me my dear lady. I have been spying on you for some time since the death of Nate reached our ears.” A hint of a smug tone lined his words, not feeling bad at all for having someone give him information on Sophia without her knowledge or permission.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvM1SfcfEic
“Leave, Amoxious. I don’t want you here near my children.” She stated firmly, walking over to the door and opened it quickly, full intent of forcing him out of her home. He smiled kindly and walked over to the door. He paused then gently took her hand and almost lovingly kissed the top of it.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuevnOFnj1w
He softly released her hand, stepping back and bowed as he spoke, sweeping his hand across his waist that held his hat. “Until next time my sweet Sophia. I hope to see you again soon.” He said with a soothing voice, giving a charming smile then left with the door being slammed behind him. Sophia leaned back against the door out of breath. She stared at the ceiling with a racing heart and hoped she would never see him again, afraid she might falter and start to love another besides Nate.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNvy0fZyR2
Placing a hand on her chest she felt the pounding drum of her heart. What was that man? She remembered from Nate’s stories that Amoxious’s father was known as a demon, but if that was literal or not, had never been too clear. Amoxious’s eyes seemed almost able to trance her just then. If he was a demon then what kind was he and, would she even be able to keep herself from falling into his suffocating lure? Closing her eyes she truly hoped she would never see him again, and if she did, she’d be able to tell him off. Closing her fingers around Nate’s necklace she released a final calming breath. Give me strength my love. Wherever you are…please give me strength to handle that man.989Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNVoAokTeT
