A Meeting

Karl Von Alden stared at her. She found her heart beating loudly as if she couldn’t hear anything else. She squeezed her eyes shut before recollecting herself. He was staring at her with a raised brow, obviously wondering what’s with her reaction.

“I didn’t expect Doctor Alden’s son would be quite a looker,” she said slyly, hiding her true self.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

He was indeed a looker. A muscular and defined jawline. Brown hair that matched his green eyes. He was tall and well-built while being lean. She was six-foot one tall but from the looks of it he was taller than her. He wore a covert coat with a suit underneath it. His style matched him and despite the imposing air around him. There was a certain calmness that made her feel like it was okay to stare.

“Madam?”

“Call me Mildred.”

“That would be inappropriate.”

“It is not,” Mildred insisted. She placed her hands behind her back. Clenching her fists. “You are here to help my daughter and I owe you an explanation, no?”

“Very well,” he agreed. “But first I would like to hand over this package now.”

“Ah, are those the documents from Viole?”

The document from Sir Viole was something she expected. She took the package. Opened it and found the documents that had Viole’s signature. It said in the letter that accompanied the parcel that he wanted to purchase a land, warehouse, and a space in the airfield in Witia. It was beneficial and with their air packages getting popular. She would not lose this opportunity to profit.

Nonetheless, it was a lovely proposal. She found her eyes back on Karl. What am I doing? I am not so teenager, I admit that I do like his looks, but why am I so bothered? She tried finding it in her heart, but there was none that could tell her.

“Thank you for this,” she whistled for her butler to take the items to her office. “We can talk on the balcony. It is much more lovely.”

She offered her hand. He took it and escorted her to the second floor of the building.  She took him to the balcony where she found him looking at the distant lights. It was impossible not to see them in the elevated area unless it was colder or if there was fog. Karl pulled the black patio chair, letting Mildred sit down. He twisted on the patio chair while staring at the distant lights.

“That is Greccanoli, of Varbonia County. On your right should be Calattano City. Both are Principality-controlled regions.”

“I didn't think they'd be visible this far.”

“They are usually seen and only when it is night that you can see the outline clearly. During the day it is much harder because of the sun.”

He nodded solemnly. Mildred saw the maid enter and brought them refreshments. She quietly placed the snacks and drinks that her maid perfectly made. Mildred assumed her professional demeanor and spoke first.

“Once again, I thank you for coming here.”

“I am merely following up to what my father started. Tell me, Madam, how did my father die?”

She studied him. He behaved so dispassionately. There was no stir in his eyes.

“I heard that you were a soldier.”

“And I heard rumors of the madam even in the frontlines. Madam, how did my father die?”

Mildred took a sip of her refreshment.

“He and the Verloren Doctors were executed. They were defending us while we escaped using the Lujatepiba River.”

“Are they really dead?”

“They are,” she said coldly. “I have confirmed it myself. They were buried in Nobra though there were signs that they were beaten and bruised.”

She inspected his face. His face remained stoic. There was still no stir in his eyes.”

“I see. So they died protecting. That’s good enough for me.”

She stopped her hand. Her lips on the mouth of the cup she was holding. She gently placed the cub on the table.

“You don’t seem to disturbed by this news.”

“I am used to it.”

“Karl, may I call you that?”

“You may.”

“The Doctor was astute. He  was a brilliant man. No, every member of the Verloren Doctors were brilliant men of science. I admired their single-minded dedication to their work. When they came to me, I was wondering how much I was going to owe them. But instead I owed them a favor that I cannot possibly repay. And even now it seems that I am pulling people for the life of my daughter.”

“Your daughter, madam. Is she?”

“She’s dying, Karl. Everyday she is sick. I take her to the edge of the cliff here in Herten to get fresh air. The medicine that the Doctors offered her is working and yet I know it myself that she doesn’t have long.”

“What is her disease?”

“An uncontrolled growth in her body. It has been spreading rapidly and when they checked it. She was already beyond curing. I made an oath, you know? To keep her safe. But it seems that I cannot fulfill that promise.”

Mildred didn’t understand why she was speaking freely. For days she has not been able to find a good rest. Thinking of how to make sure that Marlene lives on. She had tried the medicines and even had some of the local elders bless her through their God. But it was fruitless and there was no sign of her condition getting better.

It pained Mildred to speak of it. Even as her little girl sleeps. Mildred cannot find time to think so freely. Perhaps because she heard of this news that made her heart a bit easier. Or perhaps she was feeling drained. She observed him once more. He did not speak so lightly. If he had spoken something careless as he could fix her daughter. She would have kicked him out. She was rather grateful that he had an understanding of the condition of her daughter. The cold indifference was far better than some false hope he might have tried to instill on her.

“How long can she last?”

“Perhaps not even the first sun of the next year.”

He said grimly. His tone of voice was cruel if she wasn’t used to Karl Alden’s way of speech. It seems that the man in front of her had inherited that cruel bluntness. She wasn’t looking for excuses nor false hope. She simply wanted to know. It was better to know than be ignorant, at least that she thought as she played around with the handle of her cup.

She pressed the cup down. “If you could concoct a miracle I would not hesitate to give you this island,” she said straightly. “The life of my daughter is precious. I am willing to even sell my soul to the devil if it means saving her life.”

He looked up. There was no pity. There was simply that doctor-like look. The cold-hearted physician demeanor one would expect from one.

“I came here because I would take help in caring for the little lady. I only hope that you would allow me, Madam.”

“Have you watched over kids, Karl?” she asked solemnly. “They are lovely. They can be cute, tough and rude or downright hateful. But do you know what I like about them? They don’t have that adult-like malice one would expect from us adults.”

“I have none.”

“With a doctor hovering above her all the time. She will think of her illness. She would remember the doctors who fought and saved her life so she could… live on a bit longer. Do you know what my daughter says to me? If possible she would like to meet them again in heaven. She would like to meet the Doctors of Verloren Einsen and give them a hug.”

Karl leaned forward silently. His face remained stagnant. So dispassionate that made her wonder if his heart was beating. He raised his head and faced her. His green eyes reflected her. She found it was colder than usual. She shielded herself with her hand as she gazed under her eyelashes. From the sea to Karl.

“When I was a child. My father told me that there might be a day where he would not be around. When that day comes I will have a chance to decide. I thought to myself what he meant by that. But now I’m starting to think that. Madam, I do not intend to do anything other than help her heal. You can see it for yourself. It is a disease that we cannot cure nor we have the plausible technology to make a cure. And the first thing that I was taught when becoming a doctor was to never allow your passions to find you. That is if I care for my patients and let them down. Then I would only be injuring my heart. Madam, I came here, despite my lacking in child-caring because for once I am letting my passions take hold of me.”

His tone of voice was hard. She understood that he did not come here because of mercy. Nor was it because of the life of a little girl. He came here because there was a responsibility he was willing to attend to.

“You were an orphan, yes?”

“I am.”

It came to her that he was an orphan who just lost his father. An orphan who despite his losses was dispassionate about the death of his father. Or it could be that the mask he wore on his face was far harder to crack.

Mildred took the drink and nursed it.

“My daughter is currently sleeping quietly. She is still stricken by guilt. For her age she is wise. Growing up in such a hostile environment where her life was already planned. My little daughter got her freedom after I freed her from her despotic family. For her young age she had suffered and yet after she got her wings. Illness strikes her. Truthfully, I am thankful for the sacrifice of the Verloren Doctors. Nonetheless, it does not change things, no? My daughter is still ill and she will leave me in the future,” she bit her lower lip. She found her voice trembling at the thought of her daughter’s passing.

The man before her remained expressionless. His eyes on the seas. Hands placed flatly on the table. “I cannot magically cure her. Even my arrival here does not change what her fate might be.”

She bit her lip. “Then what are you good for?” She laughed slightly.

“It’s because I wish this patient that my father died protecting would pass away comfortably. I truthfully cannot find the words to say all of this, Madam. But one thing that is clear. I truly and hopefully wish that you’d allow me to ease the pain of your daughter until the time she has left.”

Mildred squeezed the mug until she broke it. The drink wet her palms and fingers. Blood seeped out and mingled with the liquid. She held her hand out. Karl took out a handkerchief and wiped the liquid and blood on her hand.

“I’d understand if you don’t want me here, Madam. This is simply meddling afterall. A useless intrusion.“

“Is this for your self-satisfaction?”

She pulled on his collar suddenly with her free hand. Karl stared back at her amber eyes. Karl didn’t waver. He didn’t look away as he said to her with a firm and resolute voice. “It is for the responsibility of it.”

She saw in his eyes a resemblance. That dreadful familiarity that she only saw in these fragments of dreams. His tone of voice. His expressionless face. That firm grasp of what he must do.

Mildred blinked. She let go of his collar and then leaned back. “Very well, I will let you attend to my daughter. Please, if you can, make her life a bit comfortable.”

“I will, madam.”

“I told you to call me, Mildred.”

“Yes, Mildred,” he paused and then resumed in wiping her injured hand. “You are very strong, madam.”

“I am not really. I’m pretending.”

Karl nodded at her words. He continued on wiping her hand while she watched curiously. She found her hand restless and clenched. She didn’t understand why but for a moment she was wondering whether to retract her words or not.