Chapter 32: Chapter 31- Arc 2

Once more, the leaves were falling as summer turned into fall, and I drew near my third year here. Yep, that's right! In only a few months I'll be turning three. Though unlike how I arrived here at the start of winter, we'll be celebrating my birthday in the middle of fall since I was a few months old when I first arrived here.

I've grown quite a bit since I first arrived. My human form, which I was currently in, had a nice set of hair, matching moms though not as long. I was able to walk by myself and run, though the maids didn't like seeing me do it. My hand eye coronation was probably my best accomplishment. Just earlier I was practicing with some clay that I was given. Not only that, but I was able to talk now! Most of the time anyway, there was an occasional stutter but that was rare.

Thinking about that I was sitting in my playroom, which was now my bedroom, listening to the maids and servants walking in the halls on their usual routine. Glancing out the window, I saw that the sky was getting quite dark. Not only that, but the smell of dinner drifted up to me, meaning dinner would soon be served. Not only that, but soon I will be able to eat with mom and dad! Normally I would eat with only mom, since dad has work to deal with. Something about patrolling the forest, but he didn't talk much about it. He is what everyone calls a "ranger". I'm not sure what exactly that means, but back on Earth I had a few run-ins with so called Alaskan rangers, so I'm assuming that he counts wildlife and tracks bears or something.

Still, I was excited as we usually only eat together once a week. Especially since I haven't been able to visit dad's house in a long time. Though since winter was coming, I might be able to stay over! Or dad may stay here. I was hopeful of that, but also knew that it was unlikely. Apparently mom's family doesn't like him. I don't know if they like me, but I hope that they do. Even if they don't, I know mom and dad love me!

Outside I heard the approaching sound of a set of a familiar tapping. Rising to my feet, I wobbled for a bit, catching my balance. Looking down at my feet, I saw my plaid blue and white dress and solid blue slippers. Once I found my balance, I looked to the door and my caretaker, a maid named Samantha. She was a ginger, meaning that she was related to vampires. She had small fangs, but they were non-functioning and she didn't feed on blood. She also easily got sunburned, so times like fall and winter where the sun was rare were when she was at her happiest.

Seeing me stand up, Samantha immediately realized the time. Most everyday we go through the same routine. I wake up, get cleaned up, eat breakfast with mom, go play, nap, play again, and then eat dinner with mom. Sometimes like today we eat with dad. Knowing me eagerness, Samantha smiled and moved to my side, straightening my clothing as she saw fit. Once she was done, there was a light knocking on the door. Seeing to it, Samantha opened the door. On the other side, was of course mom. With a cane in her hand and a gray blindfold covering her eyes, Mom’s slender figure appeared before me.

 

“Mama!” I called out, running over to her.

“Hello sweetheart!” Mom smiled, leaning down and spreading her arms wide.

 

Hugging her with all my might, she did the same and lifted me into the air. Rubbing my face against hers, she chuckled. After a moment, she let me down, though I kept hold of her hand. Knowing that we had a bit of time, I led mom to the couch which sat near the center of the room.

 

“My my, it’s almost time you know?” Mom said, not resisting my pull.

“I made something!” I said.

“Oh you did? I suppose we have a little time.” She relented, sitting on the couch.

“Let me gett’it!” I said, running to my shelf.

 

I said run, though because Samantha was watching, it was more of a fast walk if anything. Reaching my shelf, I carefully picked up the clay figure that I made. Smiling, I brought it over to mom.

 

“Your hand!” I said, unable to hide my excitement.

“Yes yes.” She obliged.

 

Putting it in her hand, I watched as she carefully explored it with her fingers. Though the clay tended to dry fast, it was still quite soft as I had only made it today. Rather I only finished it today. It was unpainted, since I wasn’t allowed to use it, and some of the proportions were exaggerated to help mom identify it better. I wasn’t sure if she would be able to notice some of the smaller details, but even if she couldn’t I was still confident in my work.

 

“Oh my!” Mom said. “Is this? Is this me?”

“Yes!” I said proudly.

 

I did my best to recreate mom in a way that she could recognize, and it looks like all my hard work paid off! One part that was surprisingly hard was her hair. Right now it was in a single, messy braid that draped over her shoulder. Right now it’s texture resembles more of rope than hair, but I’m glad that I added it.

 

“My, you have gotten good at this.” She said. “You’ve become quite the sculpture.”

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“Dads are better.” I said embarrassed.

 

And that was true. Dad was the reason I got the idea to make this after all. In his free time during winter he would carve me wooden dolls. The ones that I got from last winter even had movable arms and legs. I wasn’t sure how to do that but I plan to ask him when I stay over there in a few months. It was usually during winter that I got to stay over since his work slowed down drastically. After inspecting it, mom handed the clay figure back, but I refused it.

 

“It’s a gift.” I said.

“I get to keep this? Thank you.” She smiled.

“Yep!” I smiled.

 

Perhaps hearing my enthusiastic reply, mom giggled. Hearing that, I giggled too. The two of us laughed, though soon enough we were interrupted. I wasn’t sure when, but Zen, the head maid, was at Samantha’s side.

 

“Excuse me.” Zen said. “Ranger Washington has just arrived.”

“Excellent.” Mom said, smiling.

 

If anyone was more excited to see dad, it was mom. Some of the times she’s so excited to see him that she hatches some scheme to keep him over. More than a few times these plans involved chains, and that worried me, but none of them seemed to work. The few times that she tried them on him, I was surprised with sudden lock picking lessons before he left. Thanks to that, I knew how to pick more than a few locks. Mom was annoyed, but we both knew that he would be back. If that wasn’t true, he wouldn’t be here now.

Keeping myself from jumping in joy, I took mom’s hand to pull her off the couch. Though she didn’t need my help, she gladly accepted it. After grabbing her cane, which she left to lean against the couch, we headed to the front hall to meet dad. As we held hands walking down the hall, mom relied on me more than her cane, though she had long since grown used to it. Not only that, but it wasn’t like she was in an unknown place. We live here and walk these halls every day.

Thinking back to when she first lost her vision, mom wasn’t as distraught as one might think. To be honest, I think the servants and guards were more broken up about it then she was. For the servants, it seemed like the sky was falling. For mom, it was an inconvenience. She adjusted very well, and although she couldn’t read anymore, she still found a way to do her work. Not only that, but I’m sure that she doesn’t actually need her cane. During the first week she lost her vision, she refused any canes that were brought to her. The servants got so worried that they asked me to do something about it. I tried to convince mom and that seemed to get her to humor the idea but the final push came when dad bought her one. Though reluctant at first, she has used it every day since then.

Coming back to the present, we finally arrived at the front hall. And there, I saw dad in his familiar robes. It looked like he got cleaned up and changed before coming here. Most of the time when I saw him walk by from my window, he wore something else under a green cloak. That seems to be his uniform for being a ranger. At first he didn't wear it a lot but he started to wear it after I told him that he looked cool in it. Dad is very simple.

Dad, who was previously talking to Ethan, one of the guards that I didn't talk to. Hearing us approach, dad turned, and with his hood down I was able to see his face clearly. He was slightly tan from all the outdoor work that he does, and he had eyes that looked almost black, and always were warm and kind. His hair was black, wavy, almost curly, and reached to just above touching his shoulders. Dad shaved often, though I wouldn’t call him clean shaven as he did have the start of a beard. Mom, when she could still see, called him handsome, and still does. For me though, he looks sort of rugged. I haven’t seen him fight, but he looks like he can.

 

“Daddy!” I called out, running to hug him.

“Sweetheart.” Dad smiled, catching me and lifting me into the air.

 

Spinning me around, much to my enjoyment, it ended with me resting in his arm, being carried by him. Now this close to his face, it was clear to see that his eyes were actually a dark brown. It was calming to look into them.

 

“Now now, forgetting my hug?” Mom asked, approaching us.

“I haven’t forgotten.” Dad said, moving to hug her.

 

Hugging her with his empty arm, he gave her a kiss as well. Smiling, I was happy. We were happy. Though I’m starting to forget my previous life, there were parts that I’ll never forget. I know that it was anything other than happy, and while I didn’t wish to die, I’m glad that I got reincarnated. I’m glad that Dad picked me up. I love my family.

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