Her Headscarves, Mark and White Lily

Seira glanced at her right before noticing the light that was creeping in through the windows. She carefully removed the blanket on her body, tiredly sitting on her bed. It's like someone had absorbed the energy she had in her body. Shutting her eyes, she laid down to the bed again. She immediately opened her eyes when the vivid image of her in the Herstings being accused and beaten in public played in her mind for almost four days already since she came back from that village. Not to mention the feeling that something bad will happen adds up to her frustration.

Moments passed, Seira was still lying on her bed; staring at the plain white ceiling of her room without thinking of anything. She moved on her side, facing the window. The golden light glowed as the sun rose and waited for the day to dawn. She got down on the small bed. Her feet hit the rather cold floor. She walked straight through the window and opened it looking like she hadn't slept a wink. That might have been the case. She'd been stuck with concern and anxiety. Still, she'd told herself a lot of times that everything will be okay and nothing will happen. But it was no use until she didn't realize that it's morning already.

Nieve—the name she gave to the white owl that flew in her room the other night was casually perching on her small table.

"Can you bring my worries when you fly and throw off in the sky?" she asked the bird, staring at the beautiful sunrise outside her window.

"I'm must be crazy"

Shaking her head, she opened the window in case the bird wanted to leave and headed out from her room.

She then headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast while Mary was sleeping. There's no one in the house aside from the two of them. It's been four days since her hapless journey in Herstings, the commotion in the house and the disappearance again of the couple if she may still call it. For the past few days, she was agitated that someone may just knock and arrest her without further notice and Frank might come out of nowhere to act out his so-called horrible future plans to her. Thankfully, her days can be considered free from disturbance and tranquil as of the moment but her unpleasant dream makes her doubt the peaceful days.

Once she dishes up, she saunters to her room.

"Hey Mary. You will be late, come on" she gently tapped Mary's shoulders.

Mary got up with her eyes closed; putting her arms on Seira's neck. "Good morning"

Seira chuckled before lifting Mary "Good morning to you too"

She descended the stairs while carrying Mary. She placed the child on a chair and handed her the glass of milk that she prepared a while ago. At 25 years of age, she felt like she was already a mother. But she never complained about it or thought Mary was a burden in her life. She loves Mary like her own.

After finishing off the dishes that she made, the two of them take a bath together. She is busy styling Mary's hair into pigtails. Almost every day, Mary was asking her to braid her hair in that style.

"Wait for me in the living room" Seira urged once she was done styling Mary's hair.

"Okay" Mary walked to the door in glee.

Once Mary was gone, Seira put the white headscarf on her face she prepared earlier.

She started to wear headscarves when she was ten years old. A group of men with a skull tattoo tried to abduct her but fortunately, Mrs. Olga saved her. She has no idea why they are after her. And she could not remember any facial features of the men; the only thing she remembered was their tattoo. Anxiety, that was what she always felt whenever she stepped a foot outside of the house. After that, Mrs. Olga weaved a headscarf for her to cover her hair. The old woman told her that she will be recognized if her hair is uncovered as no one has white hair. It is very uncommon. If those men had one clue over her, it is her hair. That's why she doesn't leave without her headscarf.

After she secured the scarf was covering half of her face, she straightened the crease on her pale blue colored skirt that reached her ankle but it was no use. The wrinkled line is still visible.

"I should've ironed this"

She sighed and picked out the thin coat. Just as she was about to put the coat on, her eyes shifted to the black markings in her left upper arm, reflecting in the mirror. It is a triangular figure composed of three interlaced arcs with ancient writings on the corner. She had the mark since she was a child. At first she thought she had magic or any ability related to it but it ended up that she has none. Her mark doesn't resemble the mark of any elementalist. She gave up on finding the meaning of the mark and went on to her normal life, if she may call it that, but one day something happened that made her think of herself being normal was thrown off the window.

Seira touches the withered white lily flower on the small vase near the mirror. The once gray, droopy and dry petals of the flower suddenly blossom into a healthy and fresh flower. It's white and soft color came back as if it was freshly cut and picked not a minute ago.

"Good morning Uncle Billy" the cheerful voice of Mary from the outside brings her back from her reverie.

Shaking her head, she straightened her skirt one last time although it was still no use before heading down once she locked her room.

The moment she stepped outside the house, the bleak golden rays of the sun stretching outwards into the rich blue sky, offering a lively atmosphere to her remote and somber town, greeted her.

A man with dark brown hair wearing a white shirt and black pants with a brown coat was lifting Mary.

"You're late," she said jokingly.

"You're the one who was two minutes late" Billy replied; starting to walk.

She laughed "And how are you so sure about that?"

Billy rolled up the sleeve of his coat; showing his watch to Seira "I believe this thing is made for that, you know to check the time" he chuckled; shaking his arm to show off his watch.