Chapter 5: Danger

Its been three days we've been here. Dane and I have already adjusted our lives in the capital of Amara. 

"Adeline, get some cloth in the back!"

"Yes!" I ran toward the back, and saw Dane helping another worker. Just seeing him working hard maded me smile. 

"Dane, can you get this for me?" I ask as I hand him a piece of paper with a list on it. He scans the list, and looks at me.

"Yes, mother. Just wait here," he turned around, and search for some cloths. In just a few minutes, he handed me a basket full of cloth.

"Mother, here's all the cloth on the list."

"Thank you Dane," I said as I patted him on the head. Throughout the entire morning, we work our butt off. There were lots of customers, and orders than usual. It's different when we were working in our town.

"Dane, should we have our break now?" I asked as I stretch my arms. He was doing the same. 

"Of course, mother. We should not neglect our health. I don't want to see you collapsed due to hunger."

"Come on, that won't happen," I said as I ruffled his hair. His hair was smooth to the touched. A jet black hair like his father. After we stretch our bodies, we went out of the shop, and enter the restaurant.

"Hello, Adel, and Dane," the lady with a bun hair greeted us. 

"Adele, how's work?" the man with a beard asked while he hands a food of tray to a customer. The lady who greeted us is Cecilia, wife of the man with a beard, Robert. Both of them are the owner of this small restaurant. They are friendly toward their customer that's why me and Dane, are comfortable around them. We found their restaurant when we were roaming around the capital. Their restaurant was simple, but attract attention in a good way. They have a portion of amazing food here.

"The work was fine. Just so tiring," I replied. 

"You will get used to it soon," Cecilia said. I just smiled at her words. 

"Dane, what should we eat today?" I asked Dane who is now scanning the menu. 

"This one, and this one," he said as he pointed the food on the menu. When he finished explaining to me, I call over Robert, and told him our order. Just in a few minutes, our food was served. 

"That was great," I commented as we go out of the restaurant. 

"You really like any kinds of food, mother."

"Of course, it would be a waste if we didn't finish it all", I said. I heard him snicker beside me. I immediately glared at him. He immediately stops, and avoids my gaze. 

We take a walk for a moment to help digest the food in our stomach. We look at every stall to pass the time.

"Oh, mother, wait here for a moment," he said as he ran off toward a blacksmith shop. Dane gained a friend here in the capital even though its an old man. Dane has a big interest when it comes to swords. He even said to me when he was small that he will be my knight, and protect me from the rest of my life. Just remembering it put a smile on my face.

I was waiting for him when I noticed something unusual. A man was walking toward my direction. He was suspicious. He was looking through left and right while hugging some packages in his arms.

"Mother, lets go!", I turned around, and saw my son walking toward me with a big smile. I was about to call him when someone bumps to me. I looked back, and saw the same man. But, this time his face was terrified. I looked down on the ground, and saw a lot of green packages. At first, I didn't know what was it when I finally picked it up. 

"I'm sorry for blocking your way—" I stop in my words when I finally realized what I was holding.

Is this… drugs?!

"Ugh!" I groaned in pain when he suddenly grabbed my arms, and put his right arms around my neck. He was pointing a knife to my neck. If I suddenly move, I'll be dead for sure.

"Mother!" I heard Dane's voice shouted at me. I look toward his direction, and saw his worried face. Everyone stops in their tracks, and was looking toward our direction. Some were worried, and some were just watching. In just a moment, a group of guards was facing us.

"Don't come near me, if you do," he tightens his hold to me, and I felt the tip of the knife sunk slowly on my skin. "She's dead."

"Let go of my mother you bastard!" Dane shouted. I just heard the man snort at him.

"What can a kid like you do, huh? If you try to come near us, your precious mother will be killed in just a second," he said. "And by the way, it's your mother's fault that this happened to her. If she was not on my way, and didn't see these packages, this will never happen to her. It's a waste you know. She's quite a beautiful woman," I got goosebumps when he licks my face. How dare he lick me?! Disgusting!

"Why you!?" I saw Dane's anger face. He was clenching his fist, and gritting his teeth as he glared at the man. At that moment, I felt something dark around him. I suddenly realized that his aura is getting out of control. In just a blink of an eye, he could kill this man, but make a huge mess in this area. I remember what happened four years ago. If this continues, he will lose himself, and that may lead him to become evil.

I can feel the people around us feeling scared, and suffocated at the same time. Even the knights were trembling from where they were standing. Even the man behind me was shaking. I could see that Dane was slowly surrounded by a dark powerful aura.

"Wha-what are you!?" the man asked. Dane just smirks at him, and tilted his head. This is bad, I should stop him from losing control.

"Dane! Stop this right now!" I shouted, but no words can reach him. If only I was not held as a hostage. Damn it!

"Die!", the man suddenly shove me aside, and ran toward Dane with a knife on his hand. Oh no, Dane!

My body moves in an instant, and ran toward Dane as quickly as possible. 

"Ah" I was now facing Dane, and slowly held his cheeks. I can feel something sharp sunk on my side, and something hot welling inside of me. 

*cough*, at that moment I cough up blood. I can sense that Dane was returning to himself, and was now looking at me with a shocked face.

"Mother? Mo-mother!" I slowly kneel on the ground, and lies on the ground facing my son. I can see in my peripheral view that the man was caught by the guards. I'm glad that nothing bad happened. Thank goodness.

"Mother! Stay with me!" I can see Dane looking at me with a worried face. He was tapping my cheek to stay awake.

"Don't cry, dummy. I will be fine," I said as I tried to gasp for air.

"You're not fine at all. Someone, please help me. Please help my mother!"

"Dane," I reach out my hand, and caress his cheek. "Mama will be fine. Just promise me one thing. Please do not lose control of yourself. Just a moment ago, you were losing control of, and I was scared that you will become evil. You… have a… strong aura, I already… told you that"

"I'm sorry mother. I'm sorry."

I can hear him sobbing beside me. My vision was starting to get blurry. 

"Mother stay with me!"

"…"

"Mother!"

 ***

"Emelda, try to behave, and don't let yourself get lost again," a man with a black hair said.

"Yes, duke, that won't happen again," she said. Their carriage was going to the direction where a hostage-taking occurred just before Adeline was stabbed a few meters away from them.

"That's goo—", the duke suddenly stops when he felt a strong, and dark aura. 

"Du-duke… what's… this?" Emelda, and the maid in front of him were gasping for air. The duke can withstand this aura for he had the same aura like this. He held out his hand, and a magic circle appears, and the two girls were now calm. 

"Lance, go straight ahead quickly, and Kevin, go to the direction where that aura came from."

"Yes, your excellency," the carriage suddenly moves faster toward the direction where the aura emerged.

"We're here," the duke said as he goes step out the carriage, and notices a bunch of people in front of him.

The aura, it's gone.

"Mother! Mother!" he heard the voice of a boy shouting to his mother. He walks toward the direction of the voice, and what's he saw in front of him was a boy, and a woman who was soaked in blood. 

"Duke Draven," the guards noticed his presence, and kneel in front of him. 

"Duke?" the boy raises his head, and glance up to the duke. The duke was not expecting that the boy look exactly like him. Jet black hair, and ruby eyes, and skin as white as snow. 

"Duke! I beg you, please help my mother. Please!" the boy lowers his head, and begs for help. 

"What happened here?" a girl's voice behind them asked. The two boys look behind, and saw Emelda with her widened eyes. 

"You're that kid, and is that…!?" she looked toward the body of Adeline who is still barely breathing. 

"Duke, please help them. They're the people who help me when I get lost," Emelda said to the duke. The duke immediately kneeled, and put his hand above the wounds of Adeline. A magic circle appeared and the wounds slowly close up. Dane notices that the wound was starting to close up. 

"Kevin, take the woman to the mansion. Even though I healed the woman, it just temporary. Quick", he commanded. 

"Yes, Sire," Kevin replied, and carry the body of Adeline in his arms, and rode on his horse. 

"How about the boy?"

"He will join us in the carriage."

"Yes, sire," Kevin nodded and immediately leave.

"Dane, don't worry about your mother. She will be fine. The duke has great doctors, she will wake up soon," he heard Emelda reassuring the boy. He glances down at him, and many questions were lingering in his minds.

"We should go back as well," the duke told the couchman. They went inside the carriage, and immediately drove back to the mansion.