'Pak'
Her face wheeled to the side as her long silky tresses framed her face. Esme staggered by the impact of the tight slap on her face. A burning sensation arose on her cheek while her eyes turned red but she did not make a single sound.
"Sister," The seventeen-year-old Arlan quickly came to support her as his furious eyes snapped at his Aunt.
Marlene had her gaze fixated on her niece, "How many times have told you to not provoke anyone here? But you ended up slapping that man. He works for a minister in the royal court. You know that, right?" When Esme remained silent, she glanced at her nephew who was staring daggers at her, "And you...You burned his hair using your powers. Arlan, Esme, how many times do you want me to repeat that you can't be wilful? You will have to bend yourself according to the situation. You will have to bow to the people according to their status.''
"He touched me. He wanted to take me as his mistress," Her grey eyes slightly narrowed slightly as she tilted her face, a drop of blood trailed down the corner of her lips, "I would rather be executed than bowing to him."
Marlene's fingers curled into a fist as her face turned pale, "Whatever it was, you should have run away from there instead of offending him...Cough...Cough..."
"Aunt!!" Arlan's eyes widened.
Esme quickly went to support her as she helped her towards the small bed, "You should take a rest, Aunt." She softly said before standing up, "I will not repeat it."
"Esme...I didn't mean it..." Marlene grabbed her hand as a teardrop rolled down her cheek when her gaze landed on her swollen cheek.
Esme sat on the bed as she held the woman's hand "I understand," She stroked her Aunt's wrist. There were no scars but after her main nerve was partially damaged back then, she lost most of her powers and even suffered from internal injuries.
Marlene followed her niece's gaze as she looked at her wrist, "Esme, the herbs you collected from the mountain yesterday were all rare ones. I've already sold it to the auction house. Why don't you both go and get the gold coins from there?"
Arlan scoffed, "Don't try cozying up with us after you slapped my sister."
"Arlan!" Esme narrowed her eyes at the boy.
He gulped and pouted begrudgingly. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket before cleaning the blood from the corner of her mouth.
Marlene moved from her sleeping position slightly as she shifted the pillow that was below her head. She grabbed a few silver coins and passed them to the boy, "Also buy some meat and vegetables. I'll make your favorite food as an apology...Cough...Cough..."
Esme patted the woman's back, "You don't need to. Just take a rest."
"I want to cook for my children, you won't even let me do that?" Marlene glanced at her.
Esme stood up from the bed, "Alright, we will buy it."
She glanced at their retreating backs, "Esme," She called out.
Esme turned around. Her long wine-shaded tresses fell over her shoulder as her grey eyes looked at her questioningly.
"Come here.." Marlene stood up from the bed.
Esme walked back towards her and Marlene quickly tied her hair in a messy braid. She walked inside the small kitchen and came back with some coal in her hand before smearing it on the girl's face, her clean pastel green dress, and on her hands.
Esme glanced at herself blankly before she tilted her head to look at her aunt. She opened her mouth to say something but gulped her words when her eyes met the woman's concerned gaze.
"Aunt, are you jealous of my sister's beauty?" Arlan has seen many such scenes in the past years to not doubt this point.
Marlene did not pay attention to her nephew as she looked at her niece, "They won't hover around you for now. Go. Be careful on your way."
...
"Sister, why do you endure this torment every day?" Arlan asked as he glanced at his sister's dirtied face and dress, "Today, she even slapped you. Aren't you angry?"
"She has sacrificed a lot for us," Esme fiddled with the leaf in her hand.
"So, now you want to sacrifice your life in exchange?" Arlan muttered as they walked in the empty alley leading towards the marketplace.
"She is doing all this for our safety," Esme glanced at her younger brother, "If it was not for her, we would not have been alive till this day. She is our only family and I don't want you to hurt her with such words."
Arlan pursed his lips as he lowered his head, "Alright, I apologize. I will just admit that our grumpy Aunt really does love us a lot."
Esme smiled as she ruffled his hair.
"But sister, it was really fun making that insolent man bald," He laughed as a small flicker formed on his fingertip before transforming into a small fire, "He could not see this because his back was facing me. And he thought there is a ghost. Whenever someone tries to come near you from now on, I will deal with them in this way," He raised his hand as the fire transformed into an orange glow, "So what if you don't have powers...?"
Esme paused for a moment as she blinked.
"...I have them. I will try my best to level up faster so that I can be stronger to protect you."
"You are so young. Don't think much about it. And I can protect myself."
"But..." The boy furrowed his brows.
"Don't let anyone see this," Esme interrupted the boy as she pointed her chin at his palm.
He nodded and the glow in his palm soon disappeared. They walked towards the marketplace, unaware of the presence of a shadow on the tree. A man walked out of his hiding and looked at their retreating backs.
He discarded his all-black attire and followed after them, dressed in ordinary clothes.
While all of this was going on, there sat another man on the highest branch of the same tree, munching an apple lazily. He had witnessed everything from the point Arlan revealed his powers to the very end when the man in the black acted sneakily. He raked his fingers through his silver hair and sighed softly.
On the other side, Esme frowned looking at the gradually darkening sky before she shifted her gaze to the busy marketplace.
Arlan saw through his sister's concern, "I will go to the auction house to collect the gold coins and you can buy the vegetables."
She glanced at him.
"I am 17 years old already and this is not the first time I am going anywhere alone. Aunt will be worried about us if we are late."
Esme nodded, "Alright. Be careful.''
Arlan smiled at her as he waved his hand before disappearing into the crowd.
Esme stood rooted to her spot for a little longer until she could not see him anymore before entering the marketplace.