Peeping
September 973 (Noxus calendar)
The first day after Alice left, the shed was eerily quiet.
Draven woke up even earlier than Darius, silently devoured the rock-hard rye bread, gulped down a few mouthfuls of cold water, and went straight to the docks. Like a silent mule, he took on the heaviest and dirtiest work, sweat mingling with dust and streams of sweat down his face. At the end of the day, when he stuffed all six copper coins he'd earned into Darius's hand, even Darius was taken aback.
"Brother, take this and store more food for the family." Draven's voice was hoarse. Without looking his brother in the eye, he turned and went to the river to wash himself.
Quelleta watched his retreating figure and whispered to Darius, "He... seems to have grown up all of a sudden."
Darius weighed the copper coin in his hand, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He felt that his brother's deathly obedience and calmness were like a facade before a storm.
The second day, the third day… for a whole week, Draven was the same. He worked diligently, stopped causing trouble, and went straight to bed or stared blankly at the wall when he got home at night. But Darius and Quiretta could both sense a restless emotion, like a wild beast trapped in a cage, throbbing and growing stronger within Draven each day. He chewed his food with unusual force, his gaze often drifting towards the southeast outside the window, his fingers unconsciously fidgeting as if counting the days.
On the morning before market day, Draven finally broke his silence. He finished the last bite of his porridge, slammed the bowl down on the small table with a clatter.
"Brother, I'm going to Hebian Village this afternoon." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable determination.
Darius stopped sharpening his dagger, looked up, and asked sharply, "This afternoon? Rona will be in town tomorrow, market day. What are you doing in Riverside Village?"
“Just go check on her.” Draven avoided his brother’s gaze, staring at the flickering fire. “See how she’s doing. Just a quick look and I’ll be right back.”
“No way,” Darius refused firmly. “The Rona family said we can see them at the market on market day and even get eggs. What would it look like if you went to the village? What if you upset them…”
“I’ll just sneak a peek! I won’t let them find out!” Draven suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot. “I just want to know if she’s really as good as they say! What if… what if they’re faking it? What if Alice is being wronged but is afraid to speak up?”
“Dareus…” Quileta gently took Darius’s arm and said softly, “Let him go. Let him see for himself and make sure Alice is doing well, then we can all be at ease.”
Darius looked at Quileta, then at his stubborn younger brother, and sighed. He knew he couldn't stop him; even if he tried, Draven would slip away on his own.
"Be careful on the road, don't cause trouble." Darius finally compromised, but added a condition: "Take a look, make sure she's alright, and come right back."
Draven didn't say anything, but his tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
We set off in the afternoon, and it took us nearly four hours to hike to the riverside village. By the time the familiar village silhouette came into view, the sun was already beginning to set. During the day, farmers worked in the fields, and children played at the village entrance. Draven, relying on his memory, found a secluded thicket on the outskirts of the village, curled up inside, and endured the mosquito bites and the gradually decreasing temperature, waiting for nightfall.
Time seemed to crawl by. He listened to the smells of cooking smoke, the barking of dogs, and the faint sounds of conversation drifting from the village, his mind wandering: What was Alice doing? Had she eaten? Had that Rona given her any trouble? Would that ghostly woman bully her?
Finally, darkness fell completely, plunging the village into night, with only a few scattered oil lamps casting their glow through the windows. Draven, like a cat lurking in the night, stealthily slipped into the village under the cover of moonlight and shadow. He remembered the location of Rona's house—that conspicuous two-story building.
He approached cautiously, avoiding the pebbles and debris that might make a sound, and finally crouched down under the windowsill on the side of the main house. Through the crack in the window, he could see what was inside.
Under the warm light, Alice, wearing her white nightgown, sat on the clean sheets of the bed. Rona's wife, Winnie, sat beside the bed, holding a colorful sketchbook, mechanically reading aloud the sentences. Her voice was flat, her eyes vacant, as if her soul had long since departed. After only a few lines, her voice grew softer and softer until she finally stopped, staring blankly at the pictures on the pages, her fingers unconsciously picking at the edges of the pages.
Alice didn't seem to care, still acting carefree, swinging her little legs and pointing to patterns she recognized: "Flowers! Dogs!"
Just then, the door opened, and Rona walked in. He glanced at the sketchbook in his wife's hand—only the first two pages were open—and frowned almost imperceptibly. He then sighed, but his tone remained gentle: "Alright, Winnie, go and rest if you're tired. I'll keep Alice company."
Winnie, like a pardoned prisoner, immediately put down her sketchbook, stood up, lowered her head, and walked quickly out, never once glancing at Alice on the bed.
Ronald sat down in Winnie's spot, picked up the picture book, and smiled lovingly. "Come on, Alice, let Daddy tell you the story again, okay?"
“Okay!” Alice answered loudly, even moving closer to Ronald, looking up at him expectantly with her little face, and naturally calling out “Daddy”.
Hearing "Dad" from outside the window, Draven felt a sharp, aching pain in his heart, as if gripped by an icy hand. How could she call him that so naturally? She'd only been here a few days. Had she completely forgotten them, forgotten that dilapidated yet warm shack, forgotten him, her "Little Draven"?
Rona patiently read the story, his voice gentle, occasionally pointing to the pictures and asking Alice questions. Alice obligingly giggled or answered with her limited vocabulary. The scene was incredibly heartwarming, a picture of fatherly love and filial piety.
But this only made Draven more and more upset, overwhelmed by a bitter feeling of being abandoned and replaced. Just as he was about to turn away, he suddenly felt something wet licking his hand.
He was startled and looked down sharply, meeting a pair of eyes that shone brightly in the darkness.
It's Lak!
The skinny dog had somehow crept up to him, wagging its tail frantically and making very soft whimpering sounds, expressing its affection and excitement. It seemed to have been placed in the backyard and wasn't tied up; its keen sense of smell had led it to its familiar old friend.
Draven breathed a sigh of relief, then put a finger to his lips and mouthed "shh" to Lark. Lark seemed to understand, immediately stopping his whimpering, though his tail continued to wag and he nuzzled Draven's leg affectionately.
Then, the lights in the room went out. Rona seemed to have lulled Alice to sleep, then quietly left and closed the door.
Draven stood there, torn by inner turmoil. His original plan was to find a tree branch to spend the night in, and then catch a glimpse of Alice from afar the next morning before leaving. But now…
Lark bit his trouser leg and gently pulled it toward the window of Alice's room, as if trying to get him inside.
Go in? Draven's heart raced. On one hand, he desperately wanted to see Alice up close, to confirm she was truly unharmed. But on the other hand, he was afraid. Afraid to see she was really doing well, afraid she wouldn't recognize him, afraid she had truly forgotten them.
Ultimately, the desire to see him overwhelmed everything. He found a perfect excuse for himself: what if all that kindness was just an act? What if the punishment was applied to a part of his body covered by his clothes? He needed to see for himself to be sure!
Having made up his mind, he checked again to make sure no one was around, then cautiously tested the window with his hand. Fortunately, the window wasn't bolted shut from the inside. He held his breath and very slowly pushed it open a crack, just enough for his small body to squeeze through.
The room was filled with a faint scent of soap and the girl's distinctive milky fragrance. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a small, rounded outline on the bed.
Draven's heart pounded like a drum. He tiptoed to the bedside like a thief. By the dim moonlight, he carefully examined the sleeping Alice. Her breathing was steady, and her cheeks seemed...to be a little rounder, appearing white and soft in the moonlight. Draven reluctantly admitted that she certainly didn't look hungry.
But he was still worried. He gently lifted her arm that was sticking out of the blanket and examined it carefully; there were no marks. He then carefully lifted a corner of the blanket to check her ankles and calves; the skin was smooth, without any bruises or scars.
All that remained was her body, hidden by the nightgown. Draven took a deep breath, and like a thief, carefully picked up a corner of the nightgown with his thumb and forefinger. His movements were as gentle as if he were pinching the edge of a feather, his fingertips trembling slightly as he tried to peek at her waist and abdomen by the moonlight.
But the moonlight was too dim, and he couldn't see anything. After hesitating for a moment, he pulled his nightgown up a little higher.
Just then, he subconsciously looked up at Alice's face—
A pair of bright red eyes, wide open like copper bells, stared at him intently in the darkness, unblinking!
"Holy crap!" Draven was so frightened that he nearly fell backward.
Almost at the same time, Alice opened her little mouth, and it looked like the word "little" was about to escape her lips—
Draven reacted extremely quickly, almost lunging forward to cover her mouth with one hand, while frantically making a "shh!!!" gesture with his other hand, his heart pounding in his throat.
Alice was stunned for a moment when he covered her mouth. She blinked her big eyes and then understood what Draven meant. She nodded her little head frantically like a pestle being pounded.
Draven then dared to slowly loosen his grip.
The next second, a small, warm body suddenly crashed into his arms, and two slender arms tightly wrapped around his neck with astonishing force.
"Little De!" Alice buried her face in the crook of his neck and called out in a small, excited voice, her voice filled with unbelievable joy.
Draven froze completely. He had imagined many scenarios for their meeting, but never one like this. The warmth and small weight in his arms felt so real, and that familiar scent dispelled all the unease and suspicion he had harbored for the past week.
He was held tightly in her arms. The overwhelming joy of finding her again, mixed with an indescribable bittersweet emotion, surged through him like a tidal wave, crashing against him and making his nose sting. She hadn't forgotten him! She recognized him at first glance!
He instinctively tightened his arms and hugged her tightly.
Alice hugged him for a while before letting go, but her little hands immediately grabbed his arm, as if afraid he would run away. She lowered her voice, with a hint of grievance, "Why did you take so long to come!"
As she spoke, she released him, turned around, and leaned over to the bedside. She fumbled to open the bedside table drawer and carefully took out something wrapped in a clean cloth. She presented it to Draven like a treasure, and when she opened it—it was half a piece of delicate, snow-white bread, emitting a faint aroma of wheat.
"Here, have some!" Alice looked at him with sparkling eyes, as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. "It's sweet! Delicious!"
Draven stared at the half-eaten white bread, then at Alice's expectant face, his throat tightening as if something was stuck in it. She had actually hidden away something precious she couldn't bear to eat, saving it for him… He silently took the bread and took a bite. The texture was delicate and soft, with a subtle honey-like sweetness; it was indeed a delicious treat he had never tasted before.
"Is it delicious?" Alice asked eagerly, her little face beaming with "Praise me, praise me!"
Draven nodded vigorously, his voice a little hoarse: "Delicious." This was the best bread he had ever eaten.
Alice immediately smiled broadly, her eyes crinkling with delight, completely satisfied.
However, while the fine white bread tasted better than rye bread, it could still be choking if eaten too quickly. Draven ate too fast and choked on the crumbs, coughing uncontrollably until his face turned red.
Seeing this, Alice quickly turned around and took a small wooden cup from the bedside table, which still had about half a cup of milk in it: "Der, drink this! You won't choke if you drink it!"
Draven took the glass and downed the milk in one gulp. The lukewarm liquid smoothly pushed the bread stuck in his esophagus down. He took a breath, looked at the empty glass, then at Alice smiling innocently in front of him, and thought to himself: Damn it, I'll brag to people later that I'm someone who's eaten fine white bread with milk! Although the experience... was a little choking.
After a week apart, Alice was incredibly clingy, clinging to him like an octopus, her arms wrapped around his neck, her little legs swinging on the bed: "Little De~~ Why did you take so long to come~~ I missed you guys so much~"
Although he was being squeezed and was having trouble breathing, Draven felt incredibly satisfied. He thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being needed and relied upon. He held Alice up and couldn't help but boast, "You think it was easy to come find you? I walked all night and most of the day by myself! My feet are almost blistered! Just to see if you'd been bullied and if you were doing well!"
Upon hearing this, Alice immediately leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, saying in the most sincere and admiring tone, "Little D is the best! The most amazing!"
Draven's pride was greatly satisfied, as if all the hardships along the way had been worthwhile.
Draven was relieved to see that Alice was alright. He held her and tried to put her back on the bed: "Okay, I'm relieved to see you're okay. Go to sleep, I'll leave after you fall asleep."
Upon hearing this, Alice hugged his neck even tighter, shaking her head vigorously like a rattle: "No! Little De, don't go!"
Draven, struggling to breathe, said, "My brother and Quelleta are still waiting for me at home..."
"Why don't Da De and Sister Kui come and stay here together? The house is big, and there's good food!"
Draven paused for a moment, thought for a moment, and explained in the simplest language possible: "This is not our home. Uncle and Aunt Rona are your new family. We...we are not family with them, and we cannot live here."
Alice frowned, clearly unable to comprehend such a complicated relationship. But she had her own solution. Her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed excitedly, "Then let's spit out our tongues! Once I'm pregnant, we'll be a family! Little De can live here!"
Before Draven could react, she wrapped her arms around his neck, mimicking what she had done last time, and pressed her lips to Draven's lips, giving him a firm "kiss." Then she let go and looked at him expectantly.
Draven, though already aware from the old sailor that this wouldn't result in a baby, felt a surge of warmth in his heart looking at Alice's innocent yet earnest face and hearing her unwavering desire to become "a family." He hugged the silly yet incredibly sincere little girl tightly, buried his face in her small shoulder, and sweared in a muffled voice:
"Alice, don't spit your tongue, we're family too. You wait, I'll work hard! I'll definitely become very capable and make lots and lots of money! Then, I'll bring you back in style! We, my brother, and Quileta, will always be family!"
Outside the window, the moonlight shone quietly.
Draven knew he had to leave before dawn, but at that moment, all he wanted was to hold this precious treasure he had vowed to take back a little longer.
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