Take care of my sister

Lightning flashed across the freezing sky, brightening the room out of its darkness for only a single moment. The rain pounded on, jolting the windows that thudded against each drop.

The room was simple; a big wooden bookshelf filled to the brim was near the door, and the walls were dark and moody colours with the likes of neutral off-whites as well as beige and earthy brown to create a moody atmosphere.

Above the head was a pressed ceiling that had a gothic appearance akin to museums and historical buildings. The ornate designs of these tiles made it feel like something straight out of a fantasy novel.

There was no light inside the room, but the lightning from the sky was the only source that provided light for a moment. Not that Elliott needed it.

He could see clearly everything, and at a moment his eyes were glued on Lauren's small figure laying on his bed while he sat in a chair that he brought with him from the living room.

Her fever wasn't able to get down, and he was worried if she would be able to get better in a few hours. Because it was already five in the morning and he wasn't sure if — he could hide her in his room all day,

He changed the water again and dipped the towel in cold water before placing it on her forehead. He wasn't sure why he was doing this. This wasn't his task to do; he never did something like this before. He was sure that if anyone see him doing this, the news would spread all around the university. Not that he cares.

He sighed for the tenth time after he took her inside his room. His free hand turned into a fist, and he glared at the creature in front of him. The lavender-coloured lights flew near her, and it wasn't the big, scary monster from earlier but a small fairy who was standing near Lauren's bedside.

Lavender had slightly-tanned, flushed skin. Her hair was long and strawberry-blonde in colour. She wore a silky, off-the-shoulder white dress.

On her feet are delicate, purple ballet shoes with purple ribbons lacing up her legs. She also wore red crystal rose earrings and a red rose necklace around her neck. Lavender's wings were round in shape and were tinted golden with purple edging.

A sprite was a supernatural entity in European mythology. They were often depicted as fairy-like creatures or as an ethereal entity. However, they were real and had been living their life after death.

"Why did you show up in front of her today?"

"I am sorry." Lavender apologised immediately, as she was feeling guilty that Lauren had also seen it in the ground floor corridor.

"You never did this before." Elliott couldn't hold back his interest in knowing why and what occurred that Lavender had to show herself in front of Lauren. When she was really hidden from everyone in this place.

"I was so busy eating deer meat. I didn't even sense her presence, which is so confusing to me," she sighed and looked at him. "But I guess it's okay if she gets to know about me. I want to meet her and talk to her. I was tired of seeing her from her window."

Lavender looked sad as she looked down at her tiny hands, while Elliott felt bad for her, but what happened in the corridor was done. He couldn't do anything if he wanted to.

Lavender stood on the bed, and her wings moved, and she flew away, saying, "take care of my sister."

Elliott said nothing and turned to look at another guest in his room. He wasn't sleepy, but it seemed like Lauren was so tired from the business — she did fall asleep. A stupid grin formed on his face while he didn't try to wipe it away. He, however, held her hand in his and cradled it to infuse some warmth into it.

She wasn't the same girl she used to know and play with. She hadn't changed a bit, and he would be surprised if Lauren got a few new habits. But she hadn't changed much.

Although, Elliott was in the room at this time, but his mind was in another time and place.

A boy came back home crying because his friend Elmer didn't play with him. He complained to his mother about this matter, and she suggested he play with their maid. She was a cute and innocent girl. Her eyes were big, and when he caught her watching him from afar, her eyes went doe and she always looked away.

"Why don't you speak much?" Little Elliott asked again after getting no answer.

"There is no one to talk with." Her answer was simple, but it had a deep meaning for him because he felt sad and bad that he wasn't able to befriend her from the start. She was taken in by the Rodriguez family when she was five years old. She usually comes to their house and stays here most of the time.

"I am here with you." He smiled, "We will play from now on. After I have done my work with Dad, I will play with you. Will you wait for me?"

Little Kalae would be much happier than this. She giggled and nodded her head in joy. They walked to the side of the tent towards the gardens, where he had thrown his ball when he entered the house in anger.

"Here you go." Elliott threw a ball towards Kalae, but however, it went far away while she run to get it. They played for a while and stayed on loan. Elliott had a great time playing with Kalae. He didn't feel that she was his maid or below him.

"Elliott."

Elliott heard his father's voice behind them, and he immediately turned and looked at him. Kaemon had a furious expression on his face, which made Elliott gulp as he ran towards him at his command.

"Father." he lowered his head in front of him.

"What are you doing with that girl?"

"I was playing with her, father." He honestly answered, but he felt that his father didn't like the idea of his son playing with a maid. He wasn't a naive and innocent child; he knew what was happening around him and why and how his father reacted like this. Although, he could easily sense his emotions right now.

Kaemon stared at Kalae's small figure, shivering in his gaze. She wanted to ran away from there, out of his prying gaze. She always got scared whenever he looked at her, he was not a good man, as she already knew.

"Girl, go inside right now." His deep voice was even deeper than Elliott's, and something evil was always near him. It was his aura that scared every innocent person, like Kalae.

"You will not play with this girl again. Understood!" His warning was nothing for Elliott because he argued.

"But father, she isn't just a maid but a human being, and mother said I can play with her." He suddenly felt scared of his father when he came closer and said.

"And you aren't!" His voice made Elliott quite for some seconds before he spoke again. "Father, I just-"

"So, you will gonna listen to your mother but not me?" Elliott shook his head immediately at his question. Not want to make things worse at his side.

"No, father. I mean, if you say so, I will... not play with her again..." He looked down and spoke slowly and sadly. Why was his father like this? He just made a friend, and he was the first to hurry to make it break.

"My good son." Kaemon patted his head and said, "Now let's go inside." They walked into a huge mansion. It was summer, but the weather was cold, though not as cold as in the winter. But cold winds blow everyone away. Máville was extremely famous for its cold weather and crystal snow; no one liked to come in this mountain. That's why, Kaemon built a mansion for his family.

When they went inside, the hallway was clear and neat. They entered the living room while Kaemon sat on the sofa, but Elliott kept standing to one side. He felt bad for Kalae and was thinking that he was really not going to play with the girl? He unexpectedly, start liking her. She was so innocent and naive that he could easily fool her in the games.

Frustrated, he walked into his bedroom and locked inside. In the afternoon, he opened his bedroom's door and attempt to walked out to meet Kalae. He suddenly wanted to see if she was crying or not because he had seen tears in those eyes when Kaemon had ordered her like that.

He passed the hallway and entered the second floor, but he stopped when he heard some voices. He frowned and looked at the door, which was his parents room. He heard a glass broke, and then he was about to go inside but stopped.

"You wanted to turn my son against me? He dared to say no to me just because of you. This is your manners; you want my son to play with some lower human beings!"

That night he wasn't able to go and see Kalae on her quarter. He wasn't in a state to do or say anything. He never knew his father was abusive and used violence on his mother. His mother was so innocent and pure, but she never said anything after that night.

Elliott squeezed the towel and took it from the nightstand. The fever had lessened, and she will be fine in the morning. He was relieved that at least she could attend her classes. He was playing to make her memory erase, but as Lavender said, he thought to not just let it be then.

He knew she would freak out once she was awake, and he didn't know what to do at that moment, but he was sure he needed Lavender in this room at that time. He wasn't sure if Lauren would understand him at all. Or if he should simply leave it all on Lavender, but he knew Lauren would freak out more if she saw Lavender first in front of her, when she woke up from her beauty sleep.