Memories of the Dark: "Departure From Home"

Peronell Keen,

"Are you sure that you have my parent's permission?"

I eyed Mr. Brown suspiciously who was in front of me.

"Rest assured, Young Miss."

Mr. Brown escorted me to the carriage trying to reassure me.

"If you say so— will you visit me?"

I looked at him, I could feel the sadness in my heart as if it was telling me not to go.

"Yes, I will. I promise." Mr. Brown looked at me with sadness in his eyes.

"Okay, I promise to be well-behaved." I said as I went inside the carriage.

"Send me letters now and then, farewell Young Miss."

Mr. Brown had a melancholic smile as he closed the door to the carriage.

"Are you ready to go, Miss Keen?" I could hear the coachman ask.

"Yes." And the carriage started moving.

Hours have passed and I'm already inside the big ship that Acantha had provided. Two men stood out to me since they were different from the people on board. The room emitted an awkward aura as the people minded their business.

"Umm—" I stuttered, "My name is Peronell Keen, what are your names?" and finally decided to speak, even though I don't usually do anything like this before. However, it seems a nice change is refreshing.

"Oh— my name is Lief Mundy, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Keen."

Lief Mundy extended a hand towards me and I gave him my hand intending to shake his, however, he kissed the back of my hand instead. Lief's wavy brunette hair bounced back as his sapphire-like eyes met mine. The other guy beside him had his medium-length in a half updo, his mouth formed into an o and froze.

"What made you think you can do that?"

The guy gained his composure and hit Lief on his chest. The kind of reaction you usually have when you catch your lover flirting with someone.

"It's a gentlemanly thing to do when introducing yourself to a lady, Gavin. You don't have to make a big deal out of it." Lief facepalmed.

"Still!" Gavin suddenly looked at me. "Tsk!" He rolled his eyes and he sassily walks away.

"I apologize for my friend's behaviour, and for kissing your hand without your consent." Lief had a worried look on his face.

"Don't worry about it. A moment ago, you were smooching my hand like the kind gentleman you are. I thought that it was a normal thing to do when meeting a pretty lady like me." I batted my eyes ironically.

Lief was stunned. He suddenly blushed and looked away from me, he tried his best to hide his evident pink-hued cheeks.

"You're right, you are beautiful." He muttered, "A-anyways— I said sorry because I thought you were uncomfortable." he looked directly at me.

"You didn't mean any harm. You need not worry." I smiled at him as he returned the smile. "Was the guy earlier your friend?"

"His name is Gavin Daft, he's a good person. He just doesn't like most of the people."

"Shall we go inside? It's pretty chilly out here."

Suddenly I felt clothing behind me, I looked behind and see Lief put his coat around me.

"Let me escort you inside, Lady Keen." Lief gave me the most attractive smile that I'd ever seen.

Lianna Morris,

"Oh, how I missed you so much!" I said as I hug Cedany who was sitting beside me inside the carriage.

"I feel the same way as you, however, I can't breathe since you are squeezing me."

"I've missed you and this is just what you are just gonna say?! I even ran away from home just so I can join you at the academy."

I was whining because her response was cold as the water at night. I pouted as she smiled and squished my cheeks.

"You are the same as ever, I'm glad you haven't changed."

Once I let go of her, I noticed a bruise on her arm.

"Who did this?!" I felt anger rising inside of me.

"Daisy, the maid who constantly flirts with our guard, apparently they're lovers now."

Cedany shrugged my hand away from her arm.

"That bitch— when I see that nasty face of hers again she will feel my bare hand on her rotten face."

I lifted one hand, and Cedany laughed at my enthusiasm.

"I'm gonna rest for a bit, I haven't had any pleasant sleep since the day I got the letter."

Cedany lay on my shoulder as I looked at her with worry.

"Are you sure we can't kill her?" I asked adorably while batting my eyelashes.

"They will execute us if we did. If we're going to plan something like that, we should be more low profile."

"I shall plan it right away!" I patted her head and laid my head on hers.

After a few hours, the carriage suddenly came to a stop. Cedany and I almost fell from our seats, however, I had time to save Cedany from falling off. I immediately opened the door to the carriage and went to the coachman.

"Hey, you— do your job properly, what if we get injured from your reckless driving!?" I said to the coachman with both my hands on my hips.

Cedany went towards us with a tired look plastered on her face.

"Ugh! These annoying ass women always complaining. Yada here, yada there! Why can't ya just shut it? Will ya?" The coachman brought out tobacco and lit it up.

I gasped and threw my bag at him as hard as I could. He fell off the carriage from the impact of my hit. Cedany let out a small laugh. The coachman got up and stared at me angrily.

"Oh~ you're angry? I should be the one looking at you with that face! You almost ruined our pretty faces, what if we got injured by your reckless driving? And insulting us because we're women? Women do their job better than you, tsk!" I took my bags and walked away as Cedany just followed me.

We went up the ship with our hands occupied with our bags. We were greeted by an Acantha staff and she lead us to where the other 'representatives' were. Once we got near the other representatives, there was a familiar girl among them.

"Nell? Is that you?" Cedany asked the familiar girl.

She was trying to see if it was our long-lost friend. The girl gasped as she saw us, I just knew that it was Peronell just by the way that she acts.

"Lina and Dan? What are you guys doing here?"

Peronell immediately went towards us and hugged us. We did the same, after all, we just missed our friend.

"We haven't heard from you! How dare you say you miss us when you ghosted us for years!" I pushed her off.

"I'm sorry a lot happened and I guess I forgot—" Peronell sighed and scratched her head.

"That's such a lame excuse." Cedany sat on a chair and crossed her legs.

"Very lame." I agreed while nodding my head and followed Cedany. I sat on a chair next to her.

"You guys haven't changed." Peronell chuckled.

"Ehem, you guys seem to know each other very well." A kind-looking man said trying to join in the conversation.

"Yup! We've been friends since I was young, Lianna is a year younger than Cedany and I." Peronell's attention was on the guy.

"Oho~ and who is this handsome man?" I looked at Peronell teasingly while Cedany tries to hide her smirk.

"I'm Lief Mundy, it's a pleasure to meet you both." Lief introduced himself.

"There are only four of us?" I was curious if there were more people.

"There are two more, so it's six of us who are representatives of Gold Empire." Lief sat on the sofa.

"So where are they?" I asked, still curious.

"Gavin is probably inside the compartment and the other one I haven't met yet. He keeps wandering off." Lief replied, I was surprised he didn't get angry that I asked a lot of questions.

"I'm going to wash up, I'll be right back." Cedany stood up and walked away.

"Does she know her way around here?"

Peronell had a worried look on her face.

"Oh, shit— Cedany!" I shouted out as I ran after Cedany.

Cedany Shaw,

Where is that goddamn washroom? I've been looking around the ship to relieve myself, however, it's like I was just going around in circles. Suddenly, I bumped into someone.

"Ouch." I looked at the person to see who it was. It was a person with a very familiar face. I immediately looked down and held my guard up. "Aren't you gonna apologize?" A rough, but calm voice asked.

"I apologize, I wasn't looking at where I was going." I apologized as I looked at him directly to show my sincerity.

"It's fine, just look at where you're going next time." The guy with honey blonde hair walked away.

People these days have a very bad attitude. I sighed and noticed there was a washroom right in front of me. I went inside and closed the door. I removed the dress I was wearing. I looked at the mirror and I slowly removed the patches around my thighs to readjust, it has started to prickle in pain. Looking at the scars that I have around there was enough to make me feel disgusted because it reminded me of him. He did things to me that I never wanted to happen, I felt like it was my fault.

Suddenly the door opened and it was the guy earlier. "I'm sorry!" He suddenly shuts the door once again.

Bloody hell, I forgot to lock it.

"It's fine, I'm at fault too. I forgot to lock it." I knew he was still there.

"I, uh— didn't mean to see you naked. I'll try my best to forget about that. Can you hand me the green pouch inside there?"

"Of course."

I hurriedly put my dress on and opened the door once I was done.

"Gavin Daft." The guy said and when I looked at him in confusion, "My name." he clarified.

"Oh! You must be Lief's friend. I'm Cedany Shaw."

I gave him his green pouch and he suddenly kissed the back of my hand, my eyes widened at his action.

"It's nice knowing you." Gavin was being awkward.

"Uhh... likewise."

I looked away trying to process what just happened.

"If you don't mind, I can escort you back." He offered.

"Thank you."

I followed him while walking I'm looking at his back. I was trying to figure him out, he didn't seem to be the kind of guy who would be nice to anybody. Did he see the scars on my body that made him pity me?

"What are you looking at?"

There it was, the attitude that he had earlier. I sighed in relief that he was back to normal.

"Oh, nothing. Bold of you to assume that I was even looking at you."

I smirked as I walked faster than him and I was already the one in front.

"Huh? I could see you, you know?!"

"Oh! Are you confessing that you were looking at me the entire time?" I continued to tease.

"What?! No! I just— could feel it! Don't you know that kind of feeling? That feeling..."

He tried hard to explain as I laughed loudly at his adorable state.