We Will Take Care Of It

Inside the house, the air was dense, curtains closed and windows shut. The major source of light was the open door. Archie just left through the opening with very disciplined steps. His condition was obvious in the broad daylight, with just one look.

"Mother, tell me who did this to Archie." Arnacia urged again, but her mother, Leah, didn't even look at her. "Just sit down and tell me what you know." Arnacia signaled Naomi.

The two girls helped Leah sit on the dusty brownish sofa. Arnacia held her mother's one hand while Naomi held the other. They sat on the floor one by one.

"Even if you ask me, I don't know." Leah put her head down and looked at her hands. "A week ago, Harrell carried Archie to the door and ran away without saying anything. Archie said it was just a fight, but in the night I saw he was bruised. Your father didn't let me see Archie that night. I knew something awful happened to my boy. I don't know what happened." Tears formed in her eyes.

"Don't cry mom, he seems fine. I mean, he is better now." Naomi said. But by her side, Arnacia's face was dark.

"He has been wanting to go out." Leah sniffed and continued. "It's that Harrell again, he secretly came a few days ago. Since then, Archie has been pretending to be fine, but where can he go with that body? What did I not do for him?" Tears streamed down her face and she pulled her hands from the grip of the two girls. She covered her face with her hand, "he won't tell me anything, your father won't tell me anything."

"Mother, don't cry. I am here now, everything will be alright." Arnacia sighed in her heart. She could feel her mother's love. She took out a red velvet pouch from her pocket and said. "Mother, see this." She opened the pouch and took out a round yellow coin. "I was gifted these coins because I was the best maid." She nudged at Naomi to give a hint.

"Mom, this is a lot of money," Naomi shook Leah, but her face was turned towards Arnacia. She raised her eyebrows, as she had no idea where this money came from.

"Mother, my friend Isabelle was wrongly arrested by a Knight. I stood up for her, Naomi too, and the other maids. The Knight admitted his silly mistake. Our training also ended for the same reason. We are going to get a recommendation letter from Isabelle's family instead of a report card. So my mentor rewarded me for being the bravest." She said as Leah looked at the coins.

These were 5 insignia gold coins, the types which were inspected most heavily since the insignia were small. The least valuable coins, but still 100% gold, probably. Arnacia knew little about the currency system.

"This is quite a handsome reward…"

"Isabelle's family is from Lanceworth Castle." Arnacia strategically added. She didn't want her mother to suspect thievery (when this time she really, really didn't steal). "You don't have to worry about anything now that I am here." She slowly stood up and handed the pouch to her mother. "I am sure Archie will tell me what's troubling him. I will take care of it, mother." She smiled and hugged Leah.

"Your daughters are here now." Naomi also hugged Leah. "Leave everything to us."

***

Arnacia and Naomi went around the house. There stood a dried up wall of wood that hid the village from people sitting in the backyard. The ground here was covered in green grass and patches of half decayed blades. They saw Archie leaning on the dried, dark white wall with closed eyes.

"Hey, wake up," Naomi said in an irritated tone. She continued when Archie opened his eyes. "Who beat you up so bad? Can't you see mom is worried about you?"

"It was just a fight, you know boys get in a fight now and then. It is very common in school." Archie said.

"Archie, tell me the whole story," Arnacia wanted to know. She planned on cutting the root of this bully problem.

"Promise you won't get mad at me, sister." Archie lowered his head and said.

"I won't if you tell me the truth."

"So there's this girl I like, and she likes me." Archie stole a glance at Arnacia, and his tone changed. "I like Lylia, and we had been close for a while. I was going to introduce her to mom but you know how it is with the villagers-"

"The villagers beat you up?!" Naomi's burrows frowned.

"No, no. My classmate, Larch, also likes Lylia, and we used to have friendly duels, but then one day he suddenly challenged me to a duel in front of all the classmates. The loser would stay away from Lylia, he betted."

"You accepted and lost!" Naomi interrupted.

"No, I was confident in winning because I won our class' boys fighting competition. And he could only make it to the quarterfinals. So I accepted his challenge, but then his followers attacked me. They are our juniors."

"Don't tell me a bunch of juniors beat you up."

"No, I mean yes." Archie looked at his leg and admitted.

"You should have ran away," Arnacia said this time.

"Sister, believe me, I beat them all the first time. They were scared but still came back after a few days and I don't know what happened. They all felt a lot stronger. This is the truth. Harrell helped me get back home. Dad also knows this, but dad wants me to decline the challenge."

"I also agree with dad, you don't have to fight anymore. Stay at home." Arnacia seriously said.

"Sister, I haven't met with Lylia ever since. Harrell said she locked herself up in a room and won't even listen to her family. Help me sister, take me to her."

"You stay here. I will go alone." Arnacia didn't loosen her tough stance.

"Please sister," Archie lifted his head to face Arnacia. "Please, she won't meet anyone but me."

"I will make sure you stay at home. Mother is worried about you. Don't make her sad anymore."

"Then-then you go instead of me!" Archie's eyes were red.

"Yes, we will go there. You brat rest until you get perfectly healthy again."

"No, no, no!" Archie rubbed his eyes with his forearm. "Sister, you take my place." A smiled formed on his face. "Lylia's mother doesn't like me, but her father would let me meet Lylia. Sister, you have to do this. Naomi said I look like you. It will work if you dress like me and meet Lylia!"

"WHAT!" Naomi's wide-open eyes looked at Arnacia.