In the night, the small room sinks into the warm, dim glow of an oil lamp resting on a wooden shelf. Outside the window, the wind gently stirs the treetops. Inside, Cassius lies on his back on the bed, one arm tucked behind his head, his body finally relaxing after a long day.
Beside him, Emily is fast asleep. She curls up against him, both arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Emily's face looks different when she sleeps with no guarded expression and no wary gaze. She is just a tired child who can finally close her eyes in peace.
Cassius lowers his gaze and looks at her for a while. After all this time living together, he has grown used to the visible veins on her face. They no longer startle him or make him uneasy. He shifts slightly, careful not to wake her, then looks up at the dark wooden ceiling above. The wood grain stretches on, so familiar that he can count the lines even in the darkness. His thoughts drift slowly, without warning, back to this afternoon.
The noble girl in the long cloak. The way her eyes rest on him is completely unhidden. Cassius doesn't feel afraid, nor uncomfortable, just left with a strange sensation. As if he had stood under that gaze before. Somewhere very far away, very blurred, a place he cannot reach with his memory.
Cassius knows what he looks like. For a long time now, he has been used to people looking at him a little longer or smiling more than necessary. But that girl is different.
'Why does she feel familiar?' Cassius thinks, his brows drawing together slightly. The feeling isn't clear, just a small wave passing through his chest, fading before he can grasp it. When he stands in front of her, his heart beats a little faster for no clear reason.
He thinks for a moment, then lets out a soft breath. Cassius looks down at Emily again. She is still sleeping soundly, her forehead resting against his stomach, her hands clinging tightly, unwilling to let go. He smiles without realizing it. The thoughts from before suddenly feel distant, as if they no longer matter.
He gently places a hand on Emily's back, patting her in an awkward, careful way. Emily stirs slightly, then presses closer, her warm breath seeping through the thin fabric of Cassius's shirt.
—
The next morning, early in the day, Cassius goes into the forest near their home with Emily and Rimi. The familiar path leads them away from the town, to an area on the outer edge of Souththorn Forest, not as dangerous as the deeper regions inside.
Rimi walks ahead, while Cassius and Emily follow behind, holding hands.
This is important work for both of them, finding flowers to bring back for Thomas. Not every day goes smoothly, but if they observe carefully and venture a little deeper, by the end of the day, they usually gather enough so the shop shelves won't be empty tomorrow. In the past, Thomas used to come with them, walking alongside, pointing things out, telling small, scattered stories about the forest. Lately, though, he gets tired more easily and walks more slowly, so this task is gradually passed on to the two children.
Emily stops in front of a low bush, bends down to look closely, then tugs on Cassius's hand.
"Cassius… this one" she says softly, pointing at a flower hidden beneath the leaves, its color gentle and its petals still intact.
Cassius crouches down with her, his eyes lighting up.
"Oh, this one's pretty" he says, carefully snapping the stem and holding it up for Emily to see. When she nods, he places it into the basket on his back.
"There are so many today, we might get home early"
Emily nods slightly, the corners of her lips lifting just a little. She doesn't talk much, but whenever Cassius grows excited, her own mood lightens with him.
Cassius carries quite a lot: a small pouch at his hip for odds and ends, and a large basket on his back for flowers. Even so, he moves easily, sometimes stepping a few paces ahead of Emily before turning back to wait for her to catch up. From time to time, he asks,
"Are you tired?"
Emily shakes her head, even though sweat dots her forehead. Cassius doesn't say anything else, he just slows his pace a little.
They go deeper, crossing damp patches of ground and moss-covered tree trunks. Rimi jumps onto rocks, disappears into bushes, then reappears near their feet as if she had never gone far.
After a while, when the sun rises higher and the light begins to fall straight down into the forest, Cassius finds a large tree with cool, welcoming shade.
"Let's rest for a bit" he says, setting the basket down before sitting on the ground.
Emily sits beside him, leaning her back against the trunk. Rimi runs around for a moment, then stretches out nearby. Cassius reaches into the pouch at his hip and pulls out two pieces of bread, carefully wrapped in cloth. They're no longer warm, but enough to fill two children's stomachs.
He hands one to Emily. She takes it, biting into it in small pieces, eating slowly. Cassius eats faster, chewing as he looks up at the canopy above, where sunlight filters through in shifting spots of light.
After that, they continue their journey of gathering flowers.
From the large tree, they turn onto a narrower trail, where the ground is soft and faint animal tracks mark the soil. Emily walks a little more slowly, her eyes constantly moving, carefully observing everything around her. Cassius, on the other hand, doesn't pay much attention, his face remains bright and cheerful, and from time to time, he steps ahead to push low branches aside so she won't get caught.
They cross a shallow stream. Water trickles over smooth, rounded stones, and Emily lifts the hem of her skirt slightly. Cassius stands on the opposite side, holding out his hand in case she needs it. Emily only touches his hand briefly before stepping across on her own, but Cassius doesn't pull his hand back until he's sure she's safely on the other side.
On the far bank, flowers grow more densely. Some are small and pale, close to the ground; others are taller, with slender stems that sway gently in the wind. Emily bends down to pick a few that Thomas usually likes, placing them neatly into Cassius's basket. Sometimes she pauses, staring longer than usual at an unfamiliar flower, then points it out to Cassius. Although he has spent more time with Thomas, he often forgets details about these flowers, while Emily, who loves reading, knows them very well.
Rimi runs around nearby, occasionally stopping by a tree trunk and lifting her head as if listening for something.
Time passes slowly. Sunlight filters through the leaves, not too harsh, just enough to make everything look brighter. Emily feels at ease. She doesn't think much, she just walks, just looks, just remembers that the basket on Cassius's back is slowly filling up.
As they walk, Emily suddenly stops and crouches down quickly.
"Cassius, come look" she says, her voice softer than usual. "There's a golden rose."
Cassius turns back at once and steps to her side. Following Emily's gesture, he sees a withered flower before him, its stem and petals drooping, as if it has been there for a very long time. Even so, its golden hue is still clear, unmistakable.
"Whoa… that's amazing" Cassius breathes, leaning in closer "Thomas could sell this to nobles"
Emily turns to him, her expression more serious.
"This plant is very valuable" she says. "Save it"
"Of course" he replies.
He kneels down and cups his hands around the flower. Cassius's movements are gentle. His golden eyes glow faintly.
Little by little, the flower begins to change. The stem straightens, the leaves grow greener, and the petals slowly open, retaining their soft, golden color. Nothing dramatic, just life returning, as naturally as it should.
Cassius carefully lifts the plant, keeping its roots intact, and places it into the basket, arranging it so it won't be crushed by the others.
He looks up at Emily and smiles brightly.
"We are really lucky today"