"…Cassius. My name is Cassius"
"Cassius, huh? Hm… nice name. What about a last name, do you have one?" The old man tilts his head, his voice gentle
Cassius hesitates. He looks down at his palms, then glances at Rimi curled quietly in his arms. After a moment, he shakes his head slightly
"No… I don't"
The old man raises an eyebrow and nods slowly, his gaze sweeping from head to toe
Beneath the layer of dirt covering the boy's body, Thomas can see just how bad his condition is. Cassius's cheeks are sunken, his shoulders so small and narrow they seem like they could be carried off by the wind. His black hair is now tangled and caked with dirt. His bare feet are scraped and muddy
Thomas sighs softly, reaches into the pouch at his waist, and pulls out a small piece of bread wrapped in coarse white linen
"Well then, Cassius… would you like a little bread?" he asks in a light voice
Cassius's eyes light up the instant he sees the food. In a flash, all the fatigue and sorrow in his expression vanish. He reaches out with both hands, cradling the bread like a precious treasure before bringing it to his mouth and taking a bite
"Thank-k y-you…" he stammers through a full mouth, voice thick with emotion
Thomas chuckles softly, then looks around. He gestures toward a group of large stones nestled under the shade of a great tree
"Easy there, kid. Come on, let's sit over there for a bit and rest"
The old man, Cassius, and Rimi walk together to the spot. Cassius climbs onto one of the stones, his legs dangling, while Rimi curls up beside him like a plump black cotton ball
"My name's Thomas Foden. You can just call me Thomas," the man says as he removes the wooden crate from his back with a soft thud. The scent of herbs and dried flowers escapes the box and blends with the forest breeze
Cassius gives a small nod, still holding the remaining half of his bread
"Cassius, why are you in the Souththorn Forest all alone? Where are your parents?" Thomas asks, his tone a little more serious now
Cassius frowns. The question stirs up a fresh wave of confusion in his mind. He looks down, staying quiet for a few seconds as if trying to search for something inside his blank memory
"I… I don't know" he says slowly
"I don't remember anything. When I opened my eyes, I was already in the forest. All around me… just trees and more trees…"
Thomas leans back gently against the tree behind him, but his eyes never leave the boy. He listens to every word, thoughtful and quiet
"How long have you been there?" he asks
Cassius tilts his head. He looks at his hands, then begins to raise his fingers, counting softly
"One… two… three…"
He stops at ten. His face scrunches slightly, he's clearly trying hard to remember
"…I don't know. I can only count to ten" he says, holding both hands out toward Thomas as if asking for help
Thomas stiffens a little. He frowns, unable to hide the concern in his eyes
A child with no last name, no memory, no idea how long he's been alone in the forest…
"Tell me more. What happened after you woke up?" he asks, his voice now low and serious
Cassius watches him for a moment, then begins to speak
"When I opened my eyes, it was really dark… I couldn't see anything. I sat up and tried to remember who I was, but my head was just empty. There were insects and trees making noises all around. I was scared… then I heard a sound… I went toward it, and…"
Cassius turns his head, looking at Rimi lying quietly next to him
"I met Rimi. A chubby black cat. She's really cute. She started following me. I don't know why, but… I felt happier with her around"
Thomas glances over at Rimi. Even as someone who's spent many years living in the wilderness, he has to admit, this cat has a strange kind of presence. She doesn't tremble or shy away like most animals do around strangers. Instead, she lifts her head and stares at him directly, her gaze calm and oddly composed
Cassius continues
"After that, I wandered around… I picked up some berries, drank from the stream. I even made a little pouch to carry flowers"
Thomas nods, quietly taking in every detail. He knows full well, this child cannot spend another night alone in the forest.
He looks up at the sky, which is slowly shifting toward dusk, then back down at Cassius
"…Cassius, would you like to leave the forest with me?"
"I can take you to the knight headquarters. They might be able to help you find your family" Thomas says, his voice gentle, like a promise
"Knight… headquarters?" Cassius tilts his head, his big eyes full of curiosity
"You don't know what a knight is?" Thomas chuckles
Cassius shakes his head, hugging Rimi a little tighter in his arms.
"Well, think of knights as people who protect others. They're strong and brave… like heroes in fairy tales"
"That sounds cool"
"So what do you think? Want to come with me?" Thomas asks with a warm smile
Cassius nods without hesitation "Okay! I want to meet the knights!" he says with excitement, gripping the strap of his little handmade pouch
Thomas lets out a soft laugh at the boy's enthusiasm, thin and fragile, yet his eyes sparkle like gemstones
"Alright then, let's go"
And so, their journey out of the Souththorn Forest begins
Along the path through the woods, Cassius sticks close to Thomas. Rimi bounds lightly ahead or weaves around Cassius's legs like a soft shadow. Every few steps, Cassius pauses whenever he spots a strange flower or an oddly shaped leaf
"Wait, mister!" he calls out, bending down to gently pluck a bell-shaped blue flower
Thomas turns back with a chuckle "You like flowers, huh?"
Cassius nods, eyes gleaming "Yeah! They always smile at me"
Thomas pauses, then nods gently "Mm, I think they really like you too. You've got eyes like a little sun" He kneels beside the boy, glancing at the neatly arranged flowers in Cassius's old pouch
"This one… I call it Blue Clapper, 'cause it looks like a tiny blue bell!" Cassius points proudly at the flower
"And this one is Fluffy Button, 'cause it's round and soft, just like Rimi's tummy when she's sleeping!" He says, hugging the cat to his chest
Thomas bursts out laughing "You've got some great names! Very creative!"
Cassius beams with pride
"Do you know about flowers too, Mister Thomas?" he asks, looking up
"Sure do. My job is collecting herbs. Medicinal plants usually grow near pretty flowers. So over time, I learned how to take care of them better too" Thomas pats his head "If you were a little older, you'd make a perfect assistant."
"Can I learn?" Cassius blinks, full of hope
"Of course you can" Thomas replies with a cheerful smile
And so, the three of them, a gray-haired old man, a little boy, and a fat black cat, gradually make their way out of the forest. As the dense trees begin to thin out, the golden light of late afternoon streams through the leaves like honey pouring onto the forest floor. Eventually, a narrow stone path appears, leading to a small town on the edge of the woods
Cassius stops in his tracks, eyes wide, unblinking "It's… beautiful"
The town is small but full of life. Little shops line the streets, paper lanterns hang suspended on strings above, and the smell of fresh bread fills the air. Children laugh and run about, and women hang herbs to dry on the porches of their homes
"Woaaa..." Cassius spins around, taking it all in "Why are there so many… shiny things?"
"Those are lamps" Thomas chuckles, patiently guiding the boy step by step
Rimi, meanwhile, clings to his shoulders like a living scarf. Every so often, Cassius asks "What's that?", "Why is there smoke coming from that house?", "Are they cooking?"
At last, they arrive in front of a building made of gray stone, the local knights' headquarters
Inside, the atmosphere is serious and formal. Thick stone walls, clean tiled floors, and knights in armor move silently through the halls, their heavy steps echoing faintly. On the walls, swords, shields, and the kingdom's banners are displayed with care, giving the space a solemn, distant air
Cassius sits on a wooden bench near the entrance, legs swinging as he hugs Rimi tightly. His eyes scan the room with quiet curiosity, though he dares not ask too many questions. His gaze lingers on the red cloak of a knight who walks by. He whispers to Rimi,
"Is that a knight? He looks kind of angry, doesn't he?"
"Meow" Rimi responds calmly``
Meanwhile, Thomas is speaking to a woman, most likely the duty officer for the day. He explains how he found Cassius in the forest, about the boy's memory loss, and how he seems to know nothing about who he is or where he comes from
"How old is the boy?" the knight asks, her tone a bit stiff
"About seven, I'd guess" Thomas replies "No papers or anything"
The knight flips through a few records in her hands and exhales
"There haven't been any missing child reports matching that description recently. If what you say is true, he's likely just another orphan wandering in from the borderlands"
Thomas frowns "But… he's such a good kid. Smart. He might've been educated somewhere before"
"You a teacher?" she asks, raising an eyebrow
"No, I'm an herbalist" he answers honestly "But you can see it in his eyes, he's not just any child. He's gentle, polite… there's something about him I just can't walk away from"
The knight stays quiet for a moment, then nods
"We'll start the paperwork to send him to the nearest orphanage. If someone's looking for him, at least they'll know where to go.
"Orphanage?" Thomas repeats softly, but before he can say more, a small laugh rings out behind him
"Look, Mister Thomas!" Cassius's voice calls brightly
The boy runs up with a tiny white flower in hand, no one knows where he found it in a building made of stone "It looks like your hair!"
Thomas laughs, kneeling down to take the flower from Cassius, who beams as if he's just discovered a treasure
"You know" Thomas says quietly "people don't usually give me flowers"
"Well, today I'm giving you one. So you'll be happy!" Cassius nods with conviction, then runs barefoot through the stone hall like a feather drifting in a gloomy castle
Thomas turns to the knight again, and this time, his voice is steadier
"What if I want to adopt him for now?"
The woman frowns slightly "We'd have to notify the orphanage first before any adoption can happen"
"Not later. Now. I've got a home at the edge of town, I have a stable job, and I live alone" He takes a breath "I can't let this child be dumped into a cold, unfamiliar place where he'll just be another name on a long list"
She looks at him for a few seconds, then softens
"Are you sure? No one's forcing you to do this"
The female knight's voice is calm, but there's a trace of genuine concern in it
Thomas turns back, eyes following Cassius, the boy is sprawled out on the wooden bench, whispering something to the black cat lounging lazily on the armrest. A moment later, Cassius looks up, catches Thomas's gaze, and waves enthusiastically as if they've known each other forever
"You know…" Thomas begins, voice quiet "Lately I've started hearing the sound of the night wind more clearly than the sound of my own voice. There was a time I nearly went up into the mountains for days just to avoid the town. I thought I'd grown used to the silence. But then… I met him"
He looks over at Cassius again. The boy has fallen asleep, holding Rimi close like a living pillow. His head leans against the bench, and there are still a few breadcrumbs stuck to his mouth.
Thomas lowers his voice
"He didn't ask me for anything. He just looked at me like I was someone familiar… and then smiled. Like it was natural I'd be there. Do you know what that does to someone like me?"
The female knight pauses. Her face remains serious, but her hands stop flipping through the ledger
"And because of that… I believe he hasn't lost everything"
Thomas presses his lips together, then concludes,
"If I can be the one to help him find what's missing… then that's what I'm willing to do"
The room falls silent for a few moments. Then the knight closes the record book with a soft thump and gives a slight nod
"We'll prepare temporary documentation. In the meantime, if anyone comes looking for the boy, you'll need to bring him back"
"I understand" Thomas replies
"And if anything unusual happens-"
"I'll report it. I promise"
The knight stands "Good. Then… he's your responsibility now"
After the paperwork is finalized and temporarily approved, Thomas turns to Cassius
"Cassius, hey…" he crouches down to the boy's level, hesitating a little. "Would you… like to come live with me? My house is a bit small, kind of dusty, but there's a beautiful garden and a very warm herb oven"
Cassius looks at him with wide golden eyes
"But… would that be okay?" he asks softly "I don't remember anything about myself… I might not be very well-behaved"
Thomas chuckles "You've been better behaved than most kids I know. And… I forget things too, so maybe we're a good match"
Cassius glances down at Rimi "And Rimi too. She comes with me"
"I think I can get used to having a cat… that's a little round" Thomas smiles at Rimi, who returns his gaze with her usual calm, unreadable expression
Cassius grins and nods enthusiastically "Then… yes! I'll try to help you with the medicine-making!"
"All right. But first, we're going shopping to make you a proper meal"
"Will there be cake?"
"There will. But you have to eat your vegetables first"
"Okay!"
A/N: Thomas seems like a really kind person, doesn't he?