Akeno stepped into the cottage and was met with a gentle warmth. She slipped off her shoes by the doorway before padding inside. The wooden floor creaked faintly under her feet, and the stone walls were smooth and cool with faint marbling. Her eyes wandered over the place, taking it in.
"Oi. Are you done standing there gawking? Get over here."
Gracie's voice cut through the quiet.
"A-ah, c-coming." Akeno stammered, hurrying toward the sound. She found Gracie lounging on the couch, amber eyes already fixed on her.
Akeno froze in the doorway.
"Well? You coming here, or do you want me to drag myself over?" Gracie asked, calm but edged.
Akeno quickly crossed the room and stood in front of her. That's when she noticed the small box under Gracie's hand.
Gracie stood. "Sit."
Without hesitation, Akeno dropped onto the couch.
Gracie opened the box, pulled out a bandage and a small tube of ointment, then lowered herself onto the floor by Akeno's feet.
"Leg up."
Akeno blinked, startled. "Huh? Wh-what do you mean?"
"I said, leg up." Gracie's tone sharpened.
Flustered, Akeno lifted both legs at once. Gracie caught her ankle and steadied it with a sigh, studying the bruises. They didn't look as bad as expected. Maybe they had already begun to heal.
"…Did it mend itself?" she muttered.
Akeno opened her mouth, but Gracie cut her off. "Shh. Don't distract me."
Akeno clamped her lips shut and watched as Gracie worked. She smoothed ointment across the skin with careful pressure, then wrapped the bandage firmly, both hands steady. When she finished with both feet, she pushed them off her lap.
Akeno bit back a hiss of pain, fingers tightening on the cushion.
"It'll mend," Gracie said flatly. "Now get yourself comfortable."
She rose and turned to leave.
"Gracie…"
Gracie paused, glancing over her shoulder. "What?" Her tone was cool, unreadable.
"Why are you helping me?" Akeno asked. Her wide eyes held confusion, as though she needed an answer she couldn't hold back.
Instead of replying, Gracie asked, "How old are you?"
Akeno blinked. "I-I'm fourteen… Why do you want to know?"
Gracie gave nothing back, just turned and left.
Moments later, she returned. "Keep your mouth shut and quiet. My head—or my mistress—won't take kindly to fussing." Then she was gone again, leaving Akeno staring after her.
She looked down at her feet, wrapped neatly in bandages. The sting still lingered beneath the layers. Her fingers brushed the cloth. Why's she even helping me…?
Her gaze wandered across the room. The cottage was small but tidy, the kind of place that felt lived in. From the couch she could see the stove, a kettle resting neatly on top, and a little table with two chairs tucked together.
For a moment, she forgot. Forgot that she'd run away, forgot she had nowhere to return to. The warmth of the room dulled the weight pressing on her chest.
But curiosity tugged stronger than her aches. She leaned forward, then carefully pushed herself up, wincing when her feet touched the floor.
Gracie had told her to stay put, but the urge to look around won.
Her eyes caught a staircase leading upward. Beside it sat a small table stacked with books, and on top of them, a photo frame holding a picture of two women.
She leaned forward, squinting. One looked like Gracie—or at least, she thought so. The image was blurry from this distance. The other woman… she couldn't tell at all.
Next to the table sat a wooden chair draped with unwashed clothes, left in a careless heap.
Akeno looked down, stepping carefully. She set her heel first to spare her bruised toes.
"Ahhh…" she muttered when a sharp pinch shot up her foot.
She eased her weight slowly, grinding her teeth at the sting. I didn't feel it before. Maybe it was numb?
Steadying herself with a hand on the couch, she tried again. Standing was easier. Walking was another matter—every step came with pain.
She clutched the sleeves of her silk robe, moving with small, hesitant steps. Some were quiet, others made the floorboards creak.
Then a prickling ran down her back. Someone was watching.
She turned. Gracie leaned against the doorframe, cheek resting on the wood, eyes locked on her.
Akeno froze. Am I not allowed to walk?
She hesitated, then forced a small smile. Lifting her hand halfway, she made a clumsy wave. "H-hey…"
For a long moment, neither spoke. Then Gracie sighed and turned away, walking off without a word.
Akeno stood there, confusion settling in her chest. Did I do something wrong?
Her eyes fell on her silk robe. She touched the fabric, recalling fragments of the night before. "I'm… not even sure what happened," she whispered.
Carefully, she slipped the robe off, folded it, and set it over the armrest of the couch.
Her gaze drifted toward the window. I don't know this place. The direction I ran… it shouldn't have led to plains. Not so close. And the forest—it should've stretched wider, denser, just as I remember it.
She stepped closer to the table.
Up close, the photo frame was clearer. One of the women was unmistakably Gracie.
"Gracie Alther… that's what she said her name was, right?" Akeno murmured.
The other woman remained a mystery. But what struck her most was Gracie herself. Younger, yes, but the same sharp eyes and ashy hair made it certain.
This must've been her years ago.
Akeno lingered on the picture before shuffling forward again. She passed the shelves and leaned just enough to peek into the kitchen. Two chairs sat by the table.
A faint smirk touched her lips. "Two… just as I thought. Looks like only the two of them live here."
She didn't step farther. Instead, her eyes returned to the window. "Maybe later…" she whispered.
She moved down the room again, less timid now, curiosity driving her. Passing the shelves once more, she gave them a glance, then carried on.
The room brightened as the morning sun spilled through the window. Warm light poured in, chased by a cool wind slipping through the open frame.
The window swayed gently with the draft, carrying warmth and chill in turns. Akeno shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, one hand clutching the other wrist.
"Shivers…" she murmured, blinking into the light.
Drawn closer, she stepped to the window. A cool breeze brushed her skin as her eyes widened.
Endless plains stretched before her, grass glistening with morning dew. Distant hills rose under a veil of blue fog, and beyond them, mountains loomed half-hidden in haze. Above it all, the sun shone bright against a scatter of pale clouds.
The sight held her still, caught by its quiet beauty.
A gust of cold air rushed in, making her stifle a sneeze. She reached for the window, ready to close it—then hesitated. What if Gracie wants it open?
Her hand dropped, and she stepped back.
For a while she simply stared at the horizon, thoughts drifting. What kind of person is Gracie, really? We only met today, yet she let me stay in this house she probably shares with someone else… and she even bandaged my feet. What stranger does that?
Slowly, Akeno turned, her eyes lifting toward the staircase.