NIGHTS OF HALLOW

The activities throughout the kingdom continued as the day wore on moving to the time of noon. At the welcome of the noon was also the welcome of snow gently falling causing the temperature to drop.

Those who had worn lighter clothes had a scowl on their faces at the change in weather, some rushing back to their homes to grab more clothing.

Away from the forest of Blackfang Town and in the town of Witfroley were Serena, Leonard, and Fredrick seated around the dining table having their lunch. In their company was Marco who sat without touching his food since it was dished out.

”Is the food not to your liking, Your Lordship?” Frederick inquired, looking up at the young man who had refused to touch his meal. This was not the first time, it had been like for the past weeks he woke up from his illness.

”I detest it the more you add that title to that question,” Marco rolled his eyes, his hand tapping lightly and rhythmically on his lap. His face held no expression while watching the trio eat with half or little attention towards them.

Serena dropped her cutlery, the displeasure written all over her face over Marco’s attitude could be seen in her eyes. Her lips parted to speak but before she could, Marco swiftly interrupted her.

”When will this game of yours stop?” He snickered, assuming a more relaxing position in the way he sat. Beneath the surface of how he calmly spoke was a raging anger he was trying to keep from unleashing.

”This is no game, Marco,” Serena replied, her voice firm so was her gaze on Marco who challenged her.

This was not the first time he was trying to make her cower under his gaze. And neither was it through action alone. On several attempts, Marco had tried to escape the lair of the witches but to no avail. This infuriated him to no end.

Since he woke up, he could detect the changes in his body. As though he became stronger than before. Not as though, he was stronger than before. Additionally, there had been occasions where he experienced an outburst of his powers where he burnt one side of the building with the fire he conjured.

Other times, he would feel his head ache as though it wanted to burst. During those occasions, he would wake up having nightmares which Serena had described as Vision. That was one of his abilities too? It didn’t feel like one because those dreams or visions were not in any way good. They were horrible.

All he wanted was to return to his sister’s side or better yet inform her he was alive. He was sure she was worried sick about him. They had never stayed away from each other for this long time. But then, there were Serena and the men who wouldn’t allow him to step outside. What was he? A caged animal?

Not to add, the butler appeared like he was being controlled by some voodoo doll. Everything about these people was absurd. Sadly, he was one of the absurd people. Perhaps, he was worse than them. Whose eyes changed from black to red and then to green again? The color of his eyes has been switching over each other which he didn’t have control over to stop the changes.

As if on cue, as Marco had his internal monologue the Butler walked into the dining room to serve blood to the trio inside. Marco’s eyes followed him, a sigh escaping his lips when he couldn’t hold it any longer. He felt frustrated and above all sick of everything.

”I’ll be outside,” Marco announced, rising to his feet.

”Your blood,” Serena reminded the already annoyed Marco who paid no heed to her words and continued to walk out of the dining room.

”I’ll talk to him,” Leonard intervened, taking the glass of blood with him.

Outside, Marco watched as the snow fell in gentle drops, his mind already miles away from things happening around him.

A touch on his shoulder had him snap out of his daze.

”Did I startle you?” Leonard stood beside the boy, pushing the glass to him without speaking on it. ”You know it is for your body to fully recuperate. You need it.”

”You need it more than I do,” Marco retorted, turning his face away.

Lenard shook his head with a small smile on his face. He said, ”You must think that we are caging you.”

”It’s the obvious thing to state,” Marco responded, resting his weight on the wall. ”If I didn’t know better, I’d think you all want to sacrifice me.”

Leonard chuckled, acknowledging what Marco said with a nod ”It is for your best and everyone else’s. You may not understand now, but later in the future you will understand.” He went on to say, ”While everything might seem like a puzzle to you now, the best you can do is to learn. Harness your powers, be strong for what the future holds.”

”I know,” Came Marco’s curt reply. ”But the feeling of staying here with so many changes happening to my body says another thing.”

”Those changes are what your body is. They are what you are. Those are your powers resurfacing which you have to learn to be in control of. You wouldn’t know what might happen a day you get any outburst which might endanger you.” Leonard explained, reaching out, he caught a snowflake in his palm which melted away just as it touched him.

”What the future promises, no one knows. Just like you and everyone else, we are all born with responsibilities on our shoulders. Responsibilities that we must all fulfill when the time comes,” His words were calm and unyielding bringing a serene feeling around them.

”Failure to fulfill our destiny brings destruction. Destruction to you, to your loved ones, to your enemies too. It affects everyone.” Leonard turned to the side and he rested on the wall like Marco did. He stared vacantly at the sky pondering over some thoughts making silence ensue between them.

Marco cleared his throat, taking a glance at the quiet man who had suddenly stopped talking, he inquired of him, ”Why have you suddenly become silent?”

”Just some thoughts I was reminiscing over,” Leonard shook his head, a distant smile on his face.

”Want to share?” Marco asked, his thick brows furrowed slightly in concern.

Leonard glanced at Marco without saying anything at first. He acknowledged the boy’s demeanor, noting how soft he was on the inside even though all he had been since he woke up was a hard nut to crack. Behind the strong boy with responsibilities and duties on his shoulders was the gentleman he was becoming. A man slow to anger but at the same time protective of what he loves and believes. A kind man by nature.

”Are you going to continue staring creepily at me or would you rather tell me what you were reminiscing about?” Marco’s voice broke through Leonard’s thought which had him smile at the boy who had a small frown of displeasure on his face now.

Sometimes he wondered what would have become of the siblings if things hadn’t gone haywire during the massacre. Would they have remained the same way they are now or would they be different if Serena and other members of the green-eyed witch family had brought them up to this age? The answer was no. He doubted Marco would have the innocence and kindness he had in him now nor Perdita’s compassion. They could have been the opposite of what they were now.

”I was just thinking how things would have been different if you two had not gone missing and been brought up here,” Leonard replied to Marco’s question earlier.

Marco’s face revealed the surprise he couldn’t hide on hearing Leonard’s words. He questioned, ”How different would things have been?”

Leonard exhaled as he went back to stare at the snow which had also increased the pace at which it fell. ”Different in how you and your sister would have been raised. If you two had stayed here, I doubted I would see the level of compassion I see in you two.”

Silence ensued as Marco pondered over what Leonard said. After a while, he said, ”We wouldn’t have become any different from how we are now still.”

At Marco’s words, Leonard let out a chuckle. One that didn’t sound like it came from his heart.

”Did I say anything funny?”

”No, you didn’t. Forgive me for that. The reality of what you said made me laugh. Let not the façade of our demeanor deceive you of our true nature. We are witches and our nature is inevitable sometimes.”

”I don’t believe so,” Marco pursed his lips. ”If you all are as you mentioned, I would know. The good in you supersedes the evil in your nature. You just don’t see it to acknowledge it.”

”Well,” Leonard exhaled once more, a small smile stretched on his lips, ”Our primal nature is us. It is what defines us. My advice to you however is, no matter how great the responsibilities weigh on you, do not let them overwhelm you. Only then will you be drawn more to your dark side. Remember, we all are here to assist you and your sister. We mean no harm. You two are family.”

”Speaking of your sister, I think I might know a way you can reach out to her,” Leonard spoke as he stood straight once more. He handed Marco the glass of blood which he had no choice but to take at the mention of reaching out to Perdita. ”Come on, let’s get to work.”