Letter

Blood was all over the wooden floor, the man desperately trying to push Von away from him before the wife ran and grabbed Von's arm, she looked at him as she shouted

"Please!! Please stop!, we took care of her but there was nothing more we could do!"

Von who was kneeling down over Thomas stopped for a second and turned his head towards her, her black hair matched her eyes, which looked at him filled with terror and pain, her clothes now slightly stained by the reddish color of blood on the ground turned her light blue dress in a darker more maroon color,

"What do you mean?" Von asked between breaths as he held his fist high ready for another blow,

"Your mother... The disease it won.." She began between sobs, "We gave her the medicine as you asked but... She passed"

"And all the money I sent?!" Von asked in anger as he looked at her while his eyebrows knitted in rage "What did you do all this months with it?!"

"We were starving... We all were, we used it for the town... To pay our taxes and for some bread... Please, I'm begging you!!" She whimpered as she held on Von's arm for dear life in a feeble attempt to stop the unstoppable flurry of blows on her husband.

"Mom.." Von whimpered as he lowered his bloodied fist, he stared at his hands now covered in the blood of a desperate but innocent man who had protected and tended his mother for so long "Thomas... I'm... I'm" he said guilt began to fall upon him

Leon had reached the household as he entered and saw the scene displayed in front of him, Von was sitting down with his head down as Theresa held an unconscious and bloodied Thomas in her arms caressing him and holding him between his arms,

"Von... What did you do?" Leon asked in disbelief

"Why didn't you tell me? If you had I never would have... I wouldn't " Von began saying between hushed tones as he stood up, he looked straight at Leon"Why didn't anyone tell me?! Look at him!!" Von said as he pointed at Thomas to emphasize his point "I would have never done this... I am not like this.." He turned around and kneeled near Thomas and Theresa

"I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry" Von said as small tears formed in the corners of his eyes "I didn't know.." Guilt began to consume him, why didn't they tell him? He would be devastated, but he would have never... Or would he still beat him up? He wasn't the kind of person to do that. If they had told him,

"We were afraid you wouldn't send the money, God knows this are difficult times" Leon said as he lowered his head and his tone, "If we told you, well, we didn't know what you would do"

"Was she in pain?" Von asked in such a low volume it was barely audible,

"No Von, she wasn't, she went to sleep and well.." Leon replied

"What were her last words?" He asked once more

"Actually she left a letter, one for you and one for your brother"

Von's head perked up "Is he here?" He inquired now with a slight hope

"No, I'm sorry your brother hasn't come back yet" Leon replied taking that hope and throwing it away once more

"Theresa I.." Von said as he looked back once more at the woman who was now cleaning her husband with some water and cloth as her children looked at Von behind a wall in pure fear "I'll keep sending the money and I'll pay for any medical assistance he may need" He walked towards Leon and whispered something in his ear as he began walking away from the home, he turned around one last time "I'm sorry" and left.

Von and Leon walked in silence for what seemed like an eternity as they walked to the nearby valley where Leon told Von his mother was buried. As they reached the valley he saw it, the golden blossom, in all its splendor and beauty. For the first time after everything Von smiled as memories rushed from all the times he was here with his family. He was fond of one particular memory, the time his father had told him about what the golden blossom represented.

"You know why this tree is so special Von?" His father had asked as they sat down beneath the imposing tree as its thick trunk diverged into several branches all of them holding dozens if not hundreds of golden leaves which rattled and swayed with the northern wind,

"No da why?" Von had asked so innocently his father had chuckled at the display of curiosity by his son,

"The golden blossom represents life, all its cycles, during spring it leaves grow from a brownish color to a golden one during summer which shows our youth and we are growing up just like you" he began explaining before Von interrupted

"So I'm in the spring?"

"Exactly then you reach summer when they are completely golden which shows beauty and maturity, like me, aren't I beautiful" he said between chuckles as Von began laughing "Then you reach autumn where it turns brown once more and they begin to get old like us and then in winter they die and fall turning black as they fall of the branches"

"But that's sad dad, I don't like autumn or winter" Von said

"You say that but then spring comes once more" His father had told him "That's the beauty of life, it keeps going, no matter what spring will always come back"

"But you will never reach winter right dad?" Von had asked as he hugged his dad tightly

"As long as you're with me pal, I don't care"

A single tear traced down Von's face as he saw two stone slabs in front of the golden blossom, a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes was placed in his face. He began walking towards them before Leon stopped him with one arm, Von looked at him and Leon nodded towards his hand where a note resided. Von grabbed it and mouthed a 'thank you' before moving towards the tree once more.

He reached the slabs and sat down, on them two names were displayed 'Artseele' and 'Liena', he opened the letter and was welcomed by Liena's beautiful handwriting, it was one of the things Von loved the most, his mother's writing.

"Dear Von,

My little boy, my baby, I want to tell you in this letter how much I love you but I probably wouldn't be able to write long enough to show you, so I will try my best in this letter. I want you to know how proud I am, you have become everything I thought you'd be and more, and I know that despite you having to fight that you'll do the right thing, you always have. I wish I could hug you, and shower you in kisses like I used to, but now you've grown up, you don't need us anymore. I would go on and tell your father everything but I know for sure he's already by your side at all times and so will I because. You will always be my little baby no matter how tough and great you are,

Your mother that will never stop loving you

Liena."

"You make me smile even now.. How can you mom?" Von said as tears flowed freely, but he was smiling as he held the letter, Von talked for a long time with his parents, telling them stories, explaining things he had learnt and cracking jokes which he laughed at. He stood up as the sun was setting and wiped the tears but the smile remained,

"I promise I'll never let you down, I'll make you both proud" He said in confidence as he looked at the slabs and raised his gaze at the golden blossom as the leaves began to rattle with wind and some began to fall one leave fell in the palm of his hand and turned black.

"You were right dad, it's beautiful, sad... But beautiful"

Von left without talking to anyone else and set course to the Capital with renewed confidence and determination, as he left the town the sun had already set and he walked away as the last rays of sunlight caressed his hair and his back he turned around one last time and in the light he felt at peace if for only a few seconds. He knew,

he would keep his promise till the end, till his own winter.