Saffron-The Blood Swan chapter 4

 Majestic Harold

We reached the school campus and I thought about the upcoming evening. 

Suddenly a girl’s hand grabbed my wrist and towed me backward. It was Kate. 

“You really frightened me.” I gasped. 

“Come with me, Jesse,” she said and dragged me toward the parking lot. 

I followed her in silence; her hand still held mine and we hid behind a parked car. I looked around for Sarah. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” I pressed her hand. “Where are Sarah and others?” 

After a few second’s pause, she pointed to a man walking quickly near the students chatting with outsiders inside 

the campus. He looked imtimidating and his voice was frightening. He hissed at everyone to send the outsiders away 

from the campus.  He appeared to be a professor. 

“Jesse, that is Harold, a strict professor.” “He scares everyone.” ,” she whispered in my ear. 

“Jesse, what are you doing here?” A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. Finally, I recognized that it was 

Sarah. She stood behind me with a taunting smile. She raised her eyebrows; her questioning eyes asked us about the 

dread on our faces. Kate showed her Harold roaming there, and her eyes widened watching him. 

And then Alex and Annie arrived. 

“What’s the problem? Alex asked. “Shall we join in your game?” 

“You are the one could face Harold, . Go Alex,” Sarah said in a voice softer than a whisper, mocking him. 

He shared a silent look with us, then said in a hushed voice. “I can but . . .” he paused, craning his neck for a 

better look. , “I’m not interested now.” ,” he resumed lamely. He didn’t have the courage to confront Harold. “Let’s 

go,”  he added gravely, ducking his head, and looking for Harold. 

When we laughed at him, he asked, “You don’t trust me?” 

“Yeah, always, .” Sarah scoffed as she shook her head. 

“Is he always like this?” I asked suspiciously. 

“Yes,” Sarah answered. “We’re used to this.” 

“Where’s Jason?” Kate asked Alex, instantly serious. 

“He is in the cafeteria.” ,” he laughed. “He didn’t finish his breakfast yet. It will probably extend to lunch break.” 

Alex’s voice was sarcastic now; he started to taunt everyone whenever he got the chance. 

“I think he didn’t eat at home.” 

“No Jesse, it’s his second breakfast.” Alex’s eyes were vivid with real interest now, at mocking someone. 

“Stop kidding, Alex.” Sarah said, furious. 

“It’s getting late; time for class,” Annie reminded us. “We should go.”  

We all nodded, but Alex couldn’t shut his mouth for a second. He whispered continuously on Annie’s ear  which 

made it difficult for her to hide her laugh. We hurried; our classes had already started. 

Later in the day, Sarah who sat behind me in class was reading her book, but it was hard for me to concentrate 

on the class, and I waited impatiently for the bell to sound. When it rang, I ran to the parking lot. 

I was glad to see Rick was already there. Something - it must have been my eagerness to see Fredrick - made me 

move quickly to the car. Everything was in out of focus in my vision, except for the car. 

“Jesse. Jesse, wait.” Someone called me. I turned to see my friend Alex. 

“Hey Alex.” 

Sarah, Kate, Jason and Annie arrived a moment later. 

“Why don’t you stay with us for few minutes?” asked Kate. 

“Perhaps, you are feeling hungry.” ,” Jason said. 

“Don’t assume everyone is like you, Jason.” Alex grinned. 

“No,” I laughed. “It’s not like that. Rick is waiting for me.” I replied quickly, wanting to get away from there. 

“We’d like to meet your brother, Jesse.” ,” Alex said. “Sarah told us about him,” Alex persisted in meeting Rick.  and I couldn’t think of a reason to say no. 

“Why not? Come.” I nodded reluctantly as my mind was filled by thoughts of Fredrick.

We walked over to where Rick parked. He stood outside the car. I heard him talking with someone on the phone, 

but he disconnected the call when I touched him. 

“Hey.” He smiled, but I could tell he wasn’t in a good mood. 

I started introducing my friends to him and soon his unhappy mood changed because of Alex. I was surprised 

to see a smile on Rick’s face such as I never saw when we were at home, and it cheered me. But I couldn’t hear for a 

few minutes when I saw the smile on Rick’s face, and so I didn’t hear their conversation. Finally, they concluded their 

chat reluctantly. Rick beckoned to me to get in the car after saying goodbye to my friends. 

“You have good friends Jesse,” he said and started the engine. Rick liking my friends comforted me. I nodded. 

I wanted to tell him about my plan to visit the Indian restaurant and meet with Fredrick. But I was afraid of him, 

if he refused to accept it. I’m not usually a daydreamer, but thoughts of Fredrick’s changed me to a day dreamer in 

the dream zone. I was fervently waiting for the evening with tons of bewilderment. I started to express my thoughts 

and plans.

“I’d like to see Fredrick.” I wet my lips and blinked at him and then proceeded slowly. “He invited me to his 

restaurant this evening.” I looked at him. “Can I . . .” ?” I stammered, almost in a whisper.

“Sure.” ,” he agreed. “You want me to drop you there now.” ?” He waited for my response, his expression 

unfathomable.

“No.” I answered. “I’m not going now.” “Fredrick will pick me up from home after an hour.” I bit my lip, deep 

in thought. 

“Okay,” .” 

When we got home. Rick was ready to leave as soon as he dropped me off, anxious to be on his way. I wanted 

to find out his secrets but I didn’t know my way around Florence. 

“Don’t go.” I stopped him in sudden urgency. “Stay with me for awhile.”  I creased my forehead pitifully. 

“Yes, of course.” His voice was friendly. 

We lived in the same house but never spent any time together. I felt disappointed by this, so I insisted Rick to stay with me.

D. Aswini

Conclusion 2 of DFFM 3rd Chapter

She does not check to see if I am in bed. Then she turned and quickly exited the room. I was scared for a moment.

Michael stopped me just as I was about to jump inside. "That was not a good idea. Listen to me before meeting her." Michael coerced me.

As we walked through the snow a short distance from the house, I wanted to put my hands in my pockets. "What are you thinking?

"I was feeling down. About my mercy. I feared that she might be truly cruel to her. Her actions are ruining Mercy's life." I said.

 

"You are mistaken. She will not destroy her daughter's life." Michael's speech was slow.

"How are you aware?" I had known her for two days before you came here." I spoke with a firm tone.

"Nobody knows her better than me." He paused. "Yes, Olivia is my wife, and Mercy is my daughter." He whispered pathetically.

"What?" I exclaimed, stunned, "I—I just can't get it." I struggled. "Tell the truth."

"Truth is the most powerful weapon that anyone can use when they feel helpless." He sat down and motioned for me to join him. I sat halfheartedly, hoping to discover the truth.

I smiled. "So Mercy's your daughter!" I was completely calm, with an unexplained excitement in my voice.

"Hm. My little Princess." He nodded.

I gasped. "Okay. Why don't you go inside and meet them? Mercy eagerly awaits your arrival. Go." I hurried.

"How can I see their faces? I left them to struggle in the forest." He exclaimed, despairingly. The pain in his voice was palpable.

"But they're waiting for you." I mumbled.

"I understand." He began fervently. "Kevin, I need your help. Would you? He asked gently.

"Anything," I said with a sudden urgency.

"You must explain everything and take them with you." He begged, looking anxious, and his face ached again.

"I have always wished for that, but I can't do it without you." I replied.

"I will not let you handle this alone." He whispered softly and appeared distressed.

I felt tired and exhaled slightly dizzy, and I blinked twice before shaking my head. I looked at his face; it was worried again. "What?" I asked thoughtfully.

"You need to rest, but you're afraid Olivia will come back. Right?" His tone was now both friendly and sarcastic.

“Yeah." I tried to hide my fear by talking casually.

His expression was contemplative as he considered what I had said. As if my response had delighted him, he laughed and said, "I will not sleep until you wake up."

I nodded, unable to reply. I leaned dizzily toward the tree. I let my mind wander aimlessly for a moment, expecting sleep to take over.

"Kevin." Michael's voice terrified me.

"What's wrong?" I inquired, clearly terrified.

"I suppose Olivia is going somewhere else; go speak with her," he urged.

"Okay. Are you coming with me? I got up and questioned Mr. Michael about his decision.

"Yes, I'm coming, but don't turn your back," he said sharply as I opened my mouth to say something else. I dashed toward the wooden house. Olivia climbed over her horse, and I moved in front of it to stop her. She was stunned and jumped down.

 

"Are you...?" She couldn't make her voice louder.

"I am alive." I was immediately serious, and I didn't notice Michael in the situation; when I looked back, he wasn't with me. He is a coward. I would kill him if he wasn't Mercy's father. I blinked.

"What do you want?" She asked stubbornly, scowling at me.

"I want to talk to you." I responded lamely.

"Come with me." She spoke grudgingly.

She gave me a strange look and increased her pace. I followed her quietly, with many thoughts racing through my mind. When I entered her room, she turned to face me. My eyes searched for Mercy's serene expression, but she was not there. "What is your name?" She asked disgustingly.

"I am Kevin. I had graduated and was about to start working at my father's detective agency. I'm interested in the detective field." My father..."

"Stop it!" She shouted louder than a whisper. "I do not want your information. I am getting to the point: leave the forest and my daughter immediately." She threatened me.

"Why would I?" What is my mistake? I am in love with her, and she is, too." I explained.

"You don't know where you're taking her. I'm distraught over your love. Leave my daughter." She spoke with less threat.

"No, I cannot." I responded quickly.

"I'm warning you to leave right now." She shouted.

"No." I shook my head politely.

She grabbed a nearby piece of wood and dashed towards me, ready to attack. I stepped back to defend myself, but she continued to attack me. I grabbed the wood from her and pushed her down. I could understand her affection for her daughter, but she approached me again. At this point, someone opened the door, and I assumed that was Michael. I thought he'd come to defend me, but I was mistaken. Mercy came in. She was terrified of the rivalry between me and her mother. "Mercy, go." I shouted.

 

In the meantime, Olivia assaulted me. I fell beneath a table. Mercy dashed toward her mother, grabbing her hands. She tried her best to break up the fight. "Stop it, Mom!"

She begged. "I'll never go with him. Trust me. Let him go. Please, I beg you." She sobbed.

I could hear their conversation clearly, but my attention was drawn to a chain beneath the table. I was taken aback when I opened the locket on the chain. I noticed my parents' photo in the locket. I remembered everything. When I was five years old, my father gave me the chain, which I then gave to a cute baby. I grabbed the table and forced myself to stand. Mercy took my arms and helped me.

"You don't deserve to touch it." Aunt Olivia exclaimed when she noticed the chain in my hand. She eagerly accepted it from my hand.

"Kevin, please leave. Do not wait for me; I will not accompany you. My mother means everything to me." Mercy cried.

I took her hands and moved over to Aunt Olivia. Her eyes softened as she noticed the blood gushing from my forehead. "Aunt Olivia." I called out in a low, awestruck tone. She blinked.

"Don't you remember me?" I inquired curiously. "I am Kevin." I touched her hand and grabbed the chain. "I gave it to Mercy. I whispered.

"Are you William, Karen's son?" She responded, sounding more surprised than anything.

"Hmm." I nodded in pain on my forehead.

She hugged me cheerfully and cried softly. "I committed the sin of beating you. I am sorry, Kevin." She embraced.

"Do not let it bother you. "I am fine." I tried to console her.

She dragged a wooden bench, made me sit and aunt Olivia wiped my blood with a leaf.

"How is your family? Are they good? She interrogated without a trace.

"Everyone's fine." I smiled. "Okay, tell me one thing. Mercy explained that she has lived here since she was a child. Why did you hide yourselves?" I tried to speak more loudly, but it came out as a whisper. I had many questions and a lot of anger to express. "Why are you here?"

D. Aswini 

Something To Say

He restored the affection  I had lost.

He taught me how to swim when I drowned in the ocean of tears.

He killed my fear when I lost hope.

He pulled me in the correct direction.

He talked a lot when I was unable to express my concerns.

He made my mother's dream come true.

He filled the void left by my mother.

He opposed the unrest my father had caused.

Is there anyone else who can grasp my hand?

Who else has the right to say my faults?

Who else knows how I behave?

Who else knows what I've decided?

My brother is the only person who could possibly be me.

His name is Mr. D. Siva Kumar. If you all have this kind of relationship, everyone can succeed. What else can I explain besides saying "Something To Say"?

She plays with me when I like to play,
She dances with me when I like to dance,
She watches horror movies whenever I want to watch,
She speaks with me when I feel alone,
She shares her secrets when she needs my advice,
She cries on my shoulder when she feels embarrassed,
She accepts my decision when hers goes wrong,
She reads my thoughts,
She can break my silence,
She spends her precious days chatting with me,
I hold her hand and never let her go alone.

Who else can eat with me?
Who else can tell stories by her favorite authors?
Who else can share my feelings?

Who else could that person be than my younger SISTER......

Her name is Mrs. B. Gayathri. What else can I explain besides saying “Something To Say!”

 

D. Aswini 

Today's Thought 150

Only when we are able to live for ourselves can we live for others.

Laughter is beautiful, but it should be used to respect others rather than deceive them.

D. Aswini 

Conclusion of DFFM 3rd chapter

When Daniel sat down to drop me off, I assumed we had arrived at her house. "Did we arrive?" I got down after asking in a hilarious way.

Mercy was by the window, and I was glad to see her again. Something made her eyes pause, but she was unaware of my presence, so I approached quietly. "Mercy." She turned abruptly to face me.

"Kevin." She called my name in awe. "Stay there, I'll come." Huskily, she whispered.

A few seconds later, she dashed out and approached me. When I turned to face her, my wide eyes felt frozen, and I couldn't blink. She smiled and gave me an unexpected hug, so I embraced her.

"I thought you were gone." She whispered pathetically.

I gasped, surprised. "You know what? I can't do it." I gently brushed her hair before running my fingers across her neck. For a brief moment, I considered the fact that I had waited 22 years. She raised her head slowly, meeting my gaze. I shivered when I touched her face. I'd never had an experience like this before. It took me a few seconds to stop shivering. I could see her beautiful eyes and shy smile in the moonlight. Her hands around me were icy cold. I did not want to hear any of her concerns. Instead, I kissed her and made her blush.

"How did you get here?" She stared at me suspiciously again.

"Daniel brought me here. He understood my love; you don't." I responded with a cold voice.

"I apologize; I don't have another option."

I pulled her close to my chest. Suddenly, I grimaced. "Someone is looking at us." I spoke disgustingly.

"Have you seen him?" she inquired.

"No, I can feel it."

"Nobody can come here, Kevin." She muttered softly.

I sat on a bench beneath a tree and beckoned her to join me. I wrapped my arm around her. We had talked about everything for several minutes before I became extremely cold. "We should go inside. Your hands are very cold. You will get sick. Come." She whispered and walked slowly inside, and I followed suit. "You can sleep here now." She explained after cleaning her bed for me. "Good night." She smiled.

Good night. "Don't let anything bother you," I advised.

When she moved away, I immediately fell asleep. It was a restful night's sleep, with a lovely dream about Mercy. I do not want to get up early because of this wonderful dream. Sweet dreams are like a drug for everyone. Nobody will try to avoid it. But the dream didn't last long.

 

"Kevin—Kevin." Someone whispered through the window.

I moved agitatedly, and my tired eyes refused to open. "Kevin, wake up." A voice interrupted my dream. I'd heard this voice before, and it feels very familiar to me.

"She is coming to kill you. Wake up, son, I beg you." He screamed with terror. My eyes opened, and I noticed Michael outside the window.

"Hello, Mr. Michael!" I spoke unexpectedly.

"This is not the time for that. Come out soon. Jump through that window!" He persisted.

His gaze was focused on something in the room. I jumped quickly in fear. He motioned for me to sit by the window. "What's wrong with you?" I inquired, my eyes narrowed.

"Shhh." He gently silenced himself by placing his finger against his mouth. "Wait here." He asked me to keep an eye on everything in the room. I have nothing to say; we just watched quietly. The door in front of us opened slowly. Mercy's mother entered the room, groping in the darkness.

Tonight was brighter, with the moon shining through the clouds, and I could see Aunt's determined face as she searched for me. When she slipped and dashed across the bed, she hurriedly attacked the bed where I was sleeping with a piece of coarse wood. "Oh my god!" I said inwardly. I held my breath as she hit the bed.

Conclusion 2 of DFFM 3rd chapter

D. Aswini 

Today's Thought 149

If there are people in this world who hate us, there will definitely be people who love us in this world. If we learn to love them, no one can defeat us.

D. Aswini 

Beautiful Among Everything!!

Are the days in a mother's womb beautiful?
Are the days when you slept on your mother's lap beautiful?
Are the days when Mother walks with you beautiful?
Are the days of arguing with Mother beautiful?
Mother's eyes, which gaze at us without blinking, are beautiful.
Mother's nostrils, which breathe for us, are beautiful.
Mother's lips, smiling for us, are beautiful.
Mother's hands that embrace us are beautiful.
Mother's feet are  beautiful when she hears our voice and runs towards us.
A mother's heart, which beats for us above all else, is beautiful.
There are no words to describe the beauty  of Mother when the word "Mother" itself is beautiful.

Every living thing that is born into this world is entirely reliant on its mother. They want to constantly experience the love and affection of a mother. People's desires are essentially the same. You will have the strength to overcome every obstacle in life if you lie down and rest your head on your mother's lap for five minutes.My mother was the only person who could soothe me when I became upset. I was a stubborn person from birth.

 

My mother was the one who guided me and gave me good advice.Her advice and words seemed absurd to me at the time, but they now help me lead a fulfilling life.

 

D. Aswini