159: Life in Hawkshead

Life in Hawkshead

"Felipe!" The village elder called a young man carrying an axe over his shoulders. "This is Dante. Show him where the south side borders the trees we cut for timber. The land there needs to be levelled and ploughed for cultivation, so that's a lot of work," he said the last line to Dante. "Are you sure he doesn't need any help?" 

Mr. Flores gave a firm nod. "Dante says he's a farmer and believes he will be able to manage it just fine by himself."

When the young villager approached them, the elder said, "If you need anything, don't be shy or hesitate to ask the village folks for assistance. They will be more than willing to help. You will like your stay here."

"Dante will only be here for a few weeks as he needs to return home," Mr. Flores mentioned. 

"Is that so? I was hoping you would become a permanent part of our village," the village elder stated before he continued. "As beautiful as Hawkshead is with the wonderful people who call it home, it is a little unsafe now as most of our sons left in search of family members who were taken away from us. Like my Gabriel."

"Anna told me that he should be here in about a week," Mr. Flores responded, causing the village elder's eyebrows to lift in surprise. 

"They have met? What a coincidence," the village elder murmured, then inquired, "What about Stella? Did he find her?" 

Mr. Flores responded with a shake of his head, "I am sorry, Carlos."

"Those wretched pirates and the ones who stole our daughters from us," Carlos expressed with evident disdain towards the culprits. He said, "I curse those who harmed our daughters, and I am glad that at least Anna survived and made it back, unlike others, who have been lost for years. Do you know about this, Dante?"

"The people who hurt your daughters have been killed and disgraced," Dante informed them, receiving a nod from the village elder. "King William was murdered, and the woman named Noor was sent to her grave."

A heavy silence fell between them before Carlos spoke. "You don't truly know what pain is until you have lost your child and felt powerless to protect them. I hope those responsible suffered at the end and will never rest in peace." Sighing, he switched the subject by saying, "Hugh, do you remember when Marianne and Gabriel were just kids? We thought they would end up together someday. Even though they were little, she always trailed behind and looked up to him."

Mr. Flores smiled at the bittersweet memory and said, "I remember it."

Given his eldest daughter's mild nature, Hugh had thought that she would be a good match for the village elder's son. Gabriel had matured into a decent man, and he wondered how he was, as they hadn't seen him since he left Hawkshead. 

"I cannot wait for him to return; it has been so long," remarked the village elder. 

The young man named Felipe patted Dante's back and said, "Let me show you the south side. But first, let us get you the tools that you'll need."

Dante offered a respectful bow to Anastasia's father and the village elder before walking away with Felipe. He wasn't particularly happy with what he had done to Gabriel, knowing his past jealousy, possessiveness, and insecurity had consumed him, leading him to inflict more pain on an already wounded individual. 

As he walked towards a shed to gather the tools needed for ploughing land, Dante's thoughts drifted to Marianne, who was one of the fallen victims of the palace's brutality. But at the same time, even his own family hadn't escaped the suffering inflicted by the palace. 

One could change the future they are headed towards, but no one could change the time that has departed and shifted into the past. 

"This is the land here. The water is over there, and if you need cattle, we will need to speak to the one who owns them," the young man informed Dante once they arrived at the southern edge. 

"That won't be necessary; I will take care of the rest," Dante responded, observing Felipe step closer to him and place a hand on his biceps. Upon receiving a look from him, the man cleared his throat and said, 

"You look really strong. I didn't know farming could give you the kind of body you've got." Felipe looked at the man's tall frame and broad shoulders, unlike his own lean build. 

"Inherited it from my family," Dante answered, and the young man nodded. 

"I will see you later, then. If you lose your way, all you need to do is follow the river or scream. Either method should work." Felipe grinned before leaving Dante by himself. 

Dante picked up the pickaxe and walked towards the designated field when, suddenly, Migdre appeared before him. 

"Master Dante, I finally found you!" 

Dante quickly looked around to make sure no one was there before he turned to look at his imp and questioned, "Where have you been? I had the others searching for you." 

The imp appeared on the verge of tears and uttered, "Archdemon Raylen locked me in his trunk, saying bon voyage! Do you know who the girl is??" 

Dante hummed in response, "Yes. Raylen wanted to make sure I didn't end her life."

"He was helping you?" the imp asked, blinking away its tears and turning into a young boy to avoid scaring anyone. 

"He was helping himself," Dante replied, continuing, "Anastasia was led to Versailles by none other than Raylen, to prevent me from taking more lives than the bloodbath I had already caused. Although Anastasia, as the fae, wasn't initially aware of our shared history or our past connection, she eventually fell in love with me, and out of compassion, she decided to curse all of us. Have you ever wondered why each of us was cursed differently?"

"Earthlings are hard to comprehend, Master," the imp murmured, holding its hands in front of its chest. 

"I was cursed so that I could understand the life of an earthling. Magnus was cursed to be trapped inside the coffin due to his bad influence on people. And Raylen didn't expect to be cursed and sent back to Hell," Dante said in a thoughtful tone, as he had only pieced it together the previous day. "In his case, it was a compromise. Not wanting to return to Hell, he made the choice to relinquish most of his abilities, which were sealed away in the demon's lair, allowing him to remain in the living realm."

The imp gave it some thought, then nervously fiddled with its fingers as it inquired, "Master, if I may ask, why didn't Archdemon Magnus attack earlier if he was not locked away in the coffin?" 

"Because the curses became intertwined in some manner, and once the Blackthorn rose began to bloom and come to life, it initiated the process of lifting the curses on the others and restoring the abilities that belonged to them," Dante explained before he pulled out something from his shirt, handing a letter to the imp. "Give this to my grandmother."

Migdre took the letter and caught sight of the pickaxe in its master's hand. It asked, "Master, are you burying bodies here?" 

A faint smile appeared on Dante's lips. "No. Not this time, that is. Make sure to assist my family with whatever they require. I will summon you if I need you," Dante remarked, and the imp nodded in understanding. 

"Migdre is always at your service, Master!" 

"Go see whether things have become complicated in Hell," Dante ordered, and the imp eagerly nodded once more. 

"Do you think Archdemon Magnus will be cast into oblivion by the Devil, Master?" Migdre inquired. "Is that what might complicate matters, as his position will need to be filled?" 

Dante fixed his gaze on his imp, who blinked at him while feeling self-conscious. He remarked, "There will be a need to fill Magnus's position, but I am guessing Viktor is questioning something." When the creature looked at him in curiosity, he didn't say a word but only held a serious expression. 

"Go on," Dante said, dismissing the imp, who disappeared in a swirl of smoke. 

Dante extended his hand forward, and a translucent grey flask materialised in his palm. Little green orbs continually shifted within it. 

Even though Magnus failed to create a second hell in this realm, the souls he had sacrificed were now trapped within this flask. While he couldn't save the inhabitants of Nightworth, he had saved their souls for his own gain, intending to use them as leverage when the opportune moment arrived, all the while preventing Viktor from claiming them. 

With the sun overhead, Dante began to loosen the soil. He not only enjoyed the task, but it also brought back memories of the past. His thoughts went to his family, where he was glad about the way things had unfolded, even though the journey to get there hadn't been a bed of roses but filled with thorns. 

"Dante!" Anastasia called from a distance, making her way to where he was. "Felipe said I would find you here," she said with a smile. 

In his life, there were people whom Dante cared for and loved. And fate had led him to meet Anastasia once more, this time with the intention of capturing her heart, even though their initial interactions were bumpy, from his pointing his dagger at her neck to his determination to protect her. 

"Where is your father?" Dante asked, seeing her holding the front of her skirt as she walked, allowing him to see the anklets he had gifted her. 

"He's talking to Gabriel's father. I thought I would see how you were doing and make sure you weren't feeling isolated," Anastasia said as she came to stand before him. 

Her words brought a smile to Dante's lips, and he responded, "Thank you for thinking about me, but I don't think your father is going to appreciate you spending time alone with me."

"He will get used to it. At least that is what Mama told me," Anastasia replied, leaning forward and pecking his lips. Her mouth stretched into a grin. "I want to show you the places where I spent my childhood. Mary and I would find new spots and occasionally hide just for fun." The smile on her lips softened at the thought of her sister. 

"Come here, my little rabbit," he said, dropping the pickaxe and opening his arms wide. As Anastasia approached him, she missed her footing on the ground he had loosened, causing her heart to leap into her throat for the briefest moment before he swiftly caught her. "Careful."

Anastasia sheepishly smiled before slipping into his arms, her hands wrapping around his waist. She said,

"Mama told me to give Papa some time, that he'd eventually come to accept you." She only hoped her parents wouldn't be disappointed once the entire truth came out. "But, so far, it has gone well, hasn't it? We will be sleeping in the same house."

"An arrangement that pleases me. Even though it has been only a few minutes since we last saw each other, I still miss you," Dante hummed contentedly, as he enjoyed having her by his side. "Your family is loving and generous, and I hope to let them know that I will look after you well. Better than anyone else ever could."

Dante knew that Anastasia's return to Hawkshead wasn't easy for her, and her sister's absence left a void that she struggled to reconcile with, despite her exacting revenge by taking Noor's life. He mused as he held her close. 

He was sad for losing Maxwell, and just as his grandmother had pointed out, his ego, self-esteem, and emotions were as delicate as a fragile teacup. His deceased brother had been haunted by Marianne's ghost, a torment orchestrated by Magnus, and though it seemed like love, the question remained: was his brother truly in love with her, or was his anguish a result of losing someone he couldn't have? 

Because it wasn't the first time he had witnessed his brother shattered by heartbreak. It had occurred previously when Stella had died, leaving Maxwell in a state of melancholy before he had eventually picked himself up and recovered. Just that this time, the lingering ghost didn't allow him to forget and move on. 

"Are you okay?" Anastasia asked, gently stroking Dante's back. She pulled away and said, "You have been extremely quiet."

Dante caressed her face and responded, "Haven't I always been quiet?" 

Anastasia contemplated his words briefly before she said, "Not with me." She could sense there was something on his mind. She felt his hand beneath her chin, tilting her face upwards before he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss lingered for a moment, as if not ready to let her go, yet at the same time, pulling away. She heard him whisper against her lips, 

"Your father is looking for you. You should go before he comes here."0

"I will bring you lunch later," Anastasia promised him with a smile. 

"Just like a farmer's wife would," Dante teased her as he watched her leave. Within seconds, Anastasia met her father, who looked behind her to see if Dante was there. 

"Your mother said you weren't in the house, and I guessed I would find you here," her father said, suggesting, "Walk with me, Anna."

Anastasia walked beside her father, noticing that they weren't walking in the direction leading back to the village. Instead, her father guided her in the opposite direction, and when they had walked for a good twenty minutes, she finally asked, "Where are we going, Papa?" 

"There is something I would like to show you, something that belongs to our kind."

Anastasia followed her father, the path winding through thicker clusters of trees as if to conceal it from both light and the prying eyes of evil. A faint mist hovered in the atmosphere here, and she asked her father, 

"Papa, why is it that I am the only one who possesses the ability to use magic?" Considering her parents and her sister lacked such abilities. 

"That is a tale of times long past, Anna," her father began, now walking ahead of her as if to protect her from any potential harm, even though he had no abilities himself. He pushed a branch of a tree that obstructed their way, allowing her to pass before letting go of it. He continued, "It was a long, long time ago, when forest fairies were abundant on this part of the land. However, when the earthlings discovered our existence, our kind was mistaken for witches, resulting in their swift deaths. I am genuinely surprised Dante took it so well." 

Anastasia's eyes met her father's, who was waiting for her to spill the dirt. She answered, "When I told him, he was already aware of my nature." 

Mr. Flores's eyebrows furrowed, and he said, "Is that so? Hmm." He continued, "The people of Hawkshead remain oblivious. And though many wanderers have explored this area, they have only ended up getting lost and never finding this place." 

Anastasia couldn't see anything for a moment as the fog thickened, but then the mist dissipated, almost as if she had entered an entirely different realm. She didn't know if it was the fog or the faint light filtering through the dense foliage of the thick trees that was the source of the greenish glow surrounding the area. Small, green, luminous orbs floated like miniature lanterns in the air, casting an enchanting ambience that elated her mood. 

"What are these?" Anastasia asked in awe, raising her hand to touch them. 

"Light fairies. Harmless things that will lead you during times of darkness if you call upon them. They are mostly the departed fairies who found their home and refuge here," Anastasia heard her father explain while she stared at the luminescent entities that emitted a soft mewing sound as they danced through the air. He continued, 

"There was a time when even a fairy who formed a family with an earthling could give birth to fairies. But their abilities were often fragmented. In order to make them stronger, over time, generations were occasionally skipped before a new fairy was born. The last fairy in our family was your maternal great-grandfather."

As they walked further, Anastasia observed a cluster of butterflies taking flight, resembling a flock of birds. They were of different colours, and when sunlight graced their wings, a rainbow of colours scattered in all directions. 

Anastasia contemplated how this place stood in stark contrast to Versailles, albeit only for a brief moment. She remembered someone telling her that the kingdom hadn't always been engulfed by sand before it was cursed. Before she cursed it. 

Anastasia noticed a light fairy accompanying her, and it moved past her as if to guide her towards a particular location. She followed it until she caught sight of something strange. It was a grove of trees planted close to each other, their branches extending towards each other in parallel to connect overhead and form a canopy of foliage. Far ahead of her stood a door embedded within the bark of one of the trees. 

"What is that?" Anastasia asked her father, her gaze fixed on what appeared to be a secret passage. 

"That's the passage of time," Mr. Flores replied, coming to stand beside her. He continued, "It allows you to travel through moments and observe, but not change anything."

Anastasia turned to her father and asked, "Any moment in time?"

"Any moment that has transpired while you were present. Think of it as recalling a vivid memory," he answered. 

On the fourth evening, Anastasia and Dante sat on one of the platforms encircling a tree, watching the people around them, while remaining within sight of her father. She asked, 

"Did you hear from your family?" 

Dante gave her a nod in response. "They are doing well. Victor's illness is gone, and he is now awake." 

"That's a relief," Anastasia replied, while surrounded by the peaceful atmosphere. 

Upon discovering that Noor had gone as far as to poison her son, they came to realise that Lady Lucretia had been poisoned as well, and not over a matter of weeks or months, but rather over the course of years, with negligible doses that went unnoticed by everyone. 

"Your brother likes to talk in his sleep," Dante revealed to her, as he and Tomas shared a room. 

"I am sorry about that. Maybe Tomas and I should share the room so that you can have a room for yourself," Anastasia proposed. But she doubted it would make much difference, as his ears were sensitive to perceiving the slightest sound within the house. 

"No, that's fine. I quite enjoy his imaginative mind," Dante responded, gazing into her brown eyes and noticing filaments of green appearing in them. How interesting, he thought to himself. He continued, "Furthermore, having a room to myself would disappoint your father, and we don't want that."

What Dante said was true, Anastasia thought to herself. So far, her father had indeed been watching Dante closely, yet he couldn't find any faults in him. After all, her man was used to the scrutiny of shrewd eyes within the palace. Lady Lucretia and the Mother Queen had instilled in him strong family values, which he treasured to this day. 

Anastasia said, "I should head home and help with the dinner." She saw him staring at her and asked, "What is it?" 

"Nothing. I was just thinking about how simple life is in this place and how I could definitely get used to—"

Suddenly, the tower bell rang out, its loud toll alerting them as it echoed. Anastasia and Dante frowned and heard one of the village men shout, "ATTACK! TAKE SHELTER!"

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