A Nostalgia from a Distant Past

CHAPTER NINE – A NOSTALGIA FROM A DISTANT PAST

Scarlette thought as she looked at Ryan who is the one driving their wagon and had a deep thought regarding him.

But she put that aside for now as she focuses on the man that she is holding into and didn't speak for now.

They have been on the road early in the morning when they left the Capital city and only bumpy roads that they are taking around as going to the other city.

It would take some time since FREYCREST CAPITAL CITY and MERKEN CITY are much far away from each other and it would take approximately a day and a half to reach Merken city.

More than ten hours since they have left the Freycrest Capital city and the sun is already down, both of them decided to stop over for tonight as going on the dark road would be dangerous.

Ryan stopped the wagon at the nearby forest and when Ryan settled down the wagon, he jumped out and went over to the backside to take the supplies that he prepared.

Scarlette jumped out from the wagon as well and she looked around the forest when the wind came across them as he hood fell because of the wind.

Her crimson long hair had been swayed around that makes Ryan stopped his tracks to looked at her.

'Wow! She is an ethereal being even though she had a veil that covers her lips and if anyone would see this, they would think that she is a Goddess that descend from the night sky.'

Ryan thought and he shook off his head to snap back as he continues to unload the supplies that they had.

Scarlette looked at the man who is unloading their supplies and she went over to help as well.

After everything is settled, Ryan took his sword and looked over at the woman who is leaning at the wagon with arms crossed around her.

"Ahm…Lady…I mean, Scarlette I'll get some woods nearby the forest. Just stay there and let me do the work"

Ryan said as he began to make his way into the forest, not far long enough and the crimson-haired woman just leaned on the wagon, waiting for Ryan to pick some woods that can be used for tonight.

The night sky is brighter as the moon shines at her place and Scarlette looked up at the sky as she felt nostalgia as she remembered something from a distant past.

'You should try this! It's really good!'

'What happened to you?! Are you all right?'

'Look at this! Isn't great?!'

'I love you, my Empress'

'Until the end of our time, you are my one and only'

Scarlette shook off her head to ignore those petty feelings that she had and sighed.

'No matter what you wish for, it would be all for naught. The past is in the past and you can't change anything. You will be alone for the rest of your life until the end.'

That's what Scarlette thought as she keeps on reminding herself about it.

But even though those memories are from a distant past, she couldn't help but still reminiscing the past from "that person".

Scarlette tried her best to restrain the incoming tears that would fall to her eyes and she took a deep breath as she keeps looking at the stars that surround the night sky.

'Stop it now, Scarlette! This is your life now and it would be for the rest of your life! Don't waste on those memories that would not come true! Even if you wished for.'

Not long enough, tears are falling from her eyes as she looked up into the night sky where the stars are shining throughout the radiance of the night.

Scarlette couldn't help but sob in tears as she couldn't forget the person that saved her from the darkest days of her life.

After she cried all her feelings inside, she composed herself and wipe off the tears from her eyes as she didn't want Ryan to know that she was crying all by herself.

Ryan, who just returned from taking some woods from the forest, noticed the gloomy atmosphere that surrounds the woman.

He also noticed that her eyes redden as if she cried recently and that made Ryan felt worried for her.

"Scarlette, are you all right? You seem…upset. Is there something wrong?"

The chestnut-haired man asked her and Scarlette knew that Ryan is already back as she didn't flinch upon hearing the other man's worried tone.

She just took it as a casual greeting and she looked back at him as she speaks; "Nothing. I'm fine. Just thinking something"

The crimson-haired woman nonchalantly said and Ryan seems to catch up with her phrase as he understands what she said.

But the man didn't believe what Scarlette said because he noticed the woman's puffed eyes as if she just cried recently.

There is a flash of pain and sadness that her eyes held, even if she tried to hide it but Ryan could see it.

There is a saying; 'You can hide your emotions all you want but not your eyes. The eyes speak everything no matter what you do.'

Scarlette knew that Ryan saw her puffed eyes as she looked away from the man's gaze and she sighed.

"Do you believe that everything that happens, there are reasons for it?"

The crimson-haired woman asked out of the blue and Ryan felt that the woman is talking to him normally, unlike what she normally does.

'Her eyes are still cold as ever whenever I looked into it but there is a hinted sadness all over with it. What could be the reason?'

Ryan thought as he asked himself but he knows that no one could answer the questions that swirl inside his mind as he shook off to snap himself back.

He looked over at Scarlette and he felt that there is an underlying meaning in what the crimson-haired woman is saying but Ryan couldn't understand what she meant but still answered.

"I think there is. There are some unspeakable truths and lies in this world that we don't know but even if that is the case, there are reasons for it. Right or wrong, good or evil. We can't judge them in the first place and if you could see it, that's what you called the balance of natural order"

Ryan explained his opinions on Scarlette's question from earlier. 

Even though he couldn't understand what the woman meant but he still gave an answer based on his understanding. 

When the crimson-haired woman heard those answers, she sighed once again before she speaks again.

"Then…how about if the natural order does not balance, what would happen?"

In reality, Ryan couldn't understand more what the crimson-haired woman is trying to imply by those questions. 

This might be the first time that Scarlette talks longer than usual but right now, the chestnut-haired man felt an incoming headache but he still gave an answer.

"Logically speaking? If it does not balance then, chaos will descend?"

He said in an unsure manner because he didn't know what to say any more at Scarlette's weird questioning and he doesn't understand what sort of thinking the woman had.

'This is what those people would describe her. An enigma. And from earlier, I know she cried as her eyes puff in red but what could be the reason? I want to know and I don't understand myself why am I like this.'

Ryan thought as he looked at the woman who is still looking at the night sky.

Even though the crimson-haired woman asked some questions to him, she never looked at his place as if she is trying to hide her puffed eyes from him.

When Ryan saw this, he wants to comfort her but it looks like the woman preferred to do it alone so he didn't ask questions and give her some space.

"Oh right! I have gathered some woods that we can use for tonight. Since it's windy and we need fire for the rest of the night"