Valerian Empire

Chapter 42: The fall- Part 3

Finishing the work in the stables Katie went to visit her parents in the evening.

The cemetery was usually empty late in the evening. With more than hundred graves in it, Katie walked until she reached her parents grave with flowers in her hand. The sun had dipped down by the time Katie was done spending time sharing her thoughts silently with her parents.

She missed her family. When she thought too deep it was hard for her to digest the fact that she was all alone. Her family was killed, she would have too if she hadn’t gone to the Winter’s celebration. At times she wished she hadn’t because the turmoil in her heart and fear in her mind didn’t let her sleep at night.

There were days when she woke up in the middle of the night to feel her pillow drenched in her sweat or tears, the past which she didn’t remember haunted her.

Though the memories hurt her she didn’t want to push them away. It would be so wrong of her to forget them because they were good people who deserved to be thought of even after death.

She was thankful to Lord Alexander that he had asked her to use the room next to his. His cat, Areo had some times kept her company at night lying at the foot of the bed and it gave her a sense of safety.

Praying for the deceased souls, Katie got up and as she walked she caught sight of a man sitting on the ground with his head pressed to the grave. As though feeling her presence the man turned back suddenly to reveal his startled face.

It was Mr Weaver.

His eyes were watery and there were two streaks of wet lines from his eyes indicating that he had been crying.

“I see you’ve lost your dear ones too,” he stated, clearing his throat as he got up, staggering a little.

The grave read ‘In memory of Juliet’.

It must be his daughter, Katie thought to herself. The grave looked clean and neat with freshly put flowers like it was made not less than a week ago.

“Your daughter has a beautiful name. My friend’s younger sibling was also named Juliet,” she said not knowing what else to say.

“Juliet? Eh yeah. It is indeed,” he said looking at the gravestone. His hands looked dirty as though he had been cultivating crops in his backyard. He placed his hands in his pocket, “You must be new to the town?” he asked.

“It’s been few months. Do you have people to weave the dresses in your store? They are very pretty,” she asked curious.

“It is just me,” he replied looking around his pocket watch, “I’m glad you bought the dress. We hardly have any customers anymore.”

“I must thank you for such a lovely dress,” she thanked instead. She didn’t know when she would get the chance to wear it after all wedding wasn’t in her cards right now.

Before they departed Mr. Weaver wished her, “Have a good day, lady,” and he walked in the opposite direction.

Taking quick steps Katie walked as the sky turned dark. She rubbed her hands together to provide some sort of heat against the cold wind. The clouds thundered above in the sky and she worried that she would get caught up in the rain.

When she was not far away from the mansion, the clouds began drizzling and she ran towards the mansion. Huffing for air, she stepped inside the mansion. The rain had dampened her clothes and hair. Removing her shoe, she tiptoed seeing to it that her feet didn’t dirty the white floor.

“Katie! You’re back,” her friend Dorthy exclaimed entering the kitchen with Mrs. Hicks.

“I’m back,” she replied cheekily as she stood in front of the fireplace where the large pot cooked food for dinner.

Her stomach grumbled. She had skipped her lunch so that she could finish her work to make time to go to the grave and now she was hungry.