“I’m sorry but I can’t allow the Young lady to leave the manor,” Helaina said with a rather stern voice, leaving no room for further discussion.

Maybe it was wrong for me to even expect her to be open to the idea, considering her position but that didn’t mean that I was going to give up. Now when I‘d already made my decision to take Cathe outside. I was serious and Helaina was going to understand that.

“I understand your sentiment, Helaina. But tell me,” I said, looking up to her eyes. Despite our height difference, it felt like our eyes met parallel. “Which is more important to you: Cathe or your duty?”

“It’s not about that—” I cut her off.

“It sure is,” I gestured toward the seated Cathe, winked at her, and then changed my expression to that of a saddened older brother. “Look at her! Her eyes are still puffy from the tears. I bet she will start crying again if you don’t agree to it.”

I spun on my heels once again, looking at Helaina.

“But-”

“What? Do you intend to not fulfill the one thing that Cathe wished on her birthday? If so I am disappointed in you, Helaina.” I shook my head.

She sighed at last, “Fine. But I will accompany you two. There will be no debate regarding that.”

“Of course mam!” I smiled.

“Stop with the cheeky look,” She said, but breaking into a smile herself.

Our way of the manor was surprisingly easy compared to what I’d expected since it was early morning but most of its credit lay in Helaina’s impeccable acting ability. She would lure the other servants on sightings, while I bring Cathe and her wheelchair out of view. It would be a white lie if I said Cathe and I weren’t enjoying the thrill of playing hide and seek.

“Ugh…” I sighed, finally outside the rear gate. “Finally we are outside. She should be here soon.”

And that she was.

Wiping her hands on her clothes, Helaina walked toward us. “Let’s go.”

Even though the Lambarg fountain was rather close, I hadn’t been there many times. But the road there was very short so we arrived rather quickly, the crowd of tourists coming to our view. As expected we had to buy ourselves tickets to enter.

Lambarg was the name of the entire place and it was now turned into a tourist attraction, attributing greatly to the number of people. Some came to see it’s famous fountain, others ancient buildings all around us.

It was also the first thing that attracted my attention as I marveled at the houses made centuries back, still preserved. They looked old and worn-out as if they would fall if anyone were to touch them. There was a boundary around them to stop anyone from going too near the buildings. And a few guards were rooming around keeping things in check.

There was a particular house that was open to the people as they could enter inside and see things for themselves. But we didn’t go there instead found our way toward the Lambarg fountain.

As we continued forward after asking the directions from one of the guards, a commotion in the crowd stopped us. I noticed someone standing above a makeshift podium and a crowd formed around him. Behind him was some railings.

The bald old man smiled widely, “First founded centuries back in remembrance of the heroic sacrifice of the last sentry during the war of mutiny—fancy that they decided to call this entire town Lambarg, but only a small portion of which remains to date. Lambarg means ‘the new beginning’. Despite the warrior's struggles the country still fell into the hands of their enemies—destroyed and almost brought to ruin. What a pity!” The man shook his head, displaying his conflicting emotions. “But by the wills of the heaven, prince Azmir of the second generation successfully managed to reconquer his forefather’s land, bringing a great end to their epic tail. Isn’t that so wonderful?” he smiled, causing the listening crowd to break out in disagreements.

“—No way—”

“—You’re lying—”

“—Prince Azmir was assassinated beforehand—”

“Now, now,” the man gestured, “That is the end of the story. I will leave you all with your opinions. I’ve just said what I deem to be the truth.” He took off the nonexistent hat of his bald head and bowed toward the crowd. “I bid you well.”

His words were left hanging as his entire body disappeared, bursting into a rain of purple petals. My eyes widened at the sight and I heard Cathe gasp.

“How?” Cathe asked in surprise.

“A parlor trick,” Helaina answered, “They are rather great at surprising the crowd” She explained.

I didn’t have much knowledge of history itself but the little that I knew Prince Azmir wasn’t the one to conquer their lost land but it was his distant cousin Prince Izmir. or at least that’s what I’d read in history books but tone of the man he didn’t seem to be lying. Perhaps a conspiracy theory, I wondered.

I didn’t bother much with the thought and instead focused on enjoying the sight before me.

“Um…Helaina?” Cathe hesitantly called. Helaina turned to ask if there was something that she wanted. “Can you buy us some ice cream? I’ve been wanting something sweet.”

Helaina’s eyes met mine and I nodded. “Alright, but don’t leave from here my lady,” She said, taking her leave.

A couple of moments later, I opened my mouth. “Do you want to say something, Cathe?”

Both of us watched the fountain as water poured out from its top and hit the concrete walls around it. The splashing sound of water was serene.

After a while, I asked, “Do you have something to say, Cathe?”

“You know Zareth,” Cathe said, her voice distant, “Despite how beautiful the fountain is, no matter how much it tries, how strong it hits the wall caging around it, the water won’t flow outside. It won’t move freely. Bound and chained, though, and sought. A pitiful existence, isn’t it?”

Her gaze was lost in the beautiful water and I realized what she meant by that. She was talking about herself. No matter what she did, she was chained and shackled.

I looked at her eyes, but her gaze sank further into the water—perhaps seeing something that I couldn’t even comprehend.

“But zareth you do have a choice, don’t you?” She said, her voice still lost in a world beyond me. I waited and listened. “Why don’t you let your thoughts flow? Do your emotions dance under the twilight? Why stop the flow when it can create a cascade of beautiful events all riling up toward the conclusion,” She paused, a smile blossoming on her face. “Peace.”

I stood there with no thought in my mind. What did she mean? There was no answer from within me. Was she even speaking to me? I thought. Perhaps but those that she uttered that day were engraved in my soul, so deeply that I could never forget them. Not now, not ever.

She grabbed my hand, bringing me out of my reverie. “Let’s make a wish,” She said passing a look around all the people who had their eyes closed.

Superstitions, I thought.

“Alright,” I said, outward despite not believing in such things.

I closed my eyes, the world turning dark. Moments passed and I felt the sound around me slowly disappear, both the sounds of water and the murmurs.

I didn’t know what I’d wished for at that moment but I did ask for something. Something that I deeply sought.

But the peace and serenity that surrounded me was no longer there. It was replaced by the shouts of people, their words of panic, and before my mind could return, something struck me as bolts of sharp hot pain overwhelmed my senses. I saw flashes and my body was flung aside.

My body fell on the concrete as I saw flashes of red and blue. The pain muffled most of the noise but the little that I could make out was curses, shouts, and prayers.

Wails.

Cathe, I thought, my stomach dropping in response.

I extended my arm forward, trying to find her but there was nothing. She was not there. Not within my reach like a moment before.

With my blurry sight I saw the concrete around the fountain broken into pieces, water still gushing out and creating a rive beneath it. But there was more. Cathe’s wheelchair was upside down but she wasn’t near it. Before my world darkened I saw the image of a woman shielding someone with her entire body.

It was Helaina.