Carnival of Tears

Chapter 8

Walking down the hill was easier, Lilian almost fell few times but Drake was there holding her hand as they ran. It was all fine until a rock came in their bath and they suddenly stopped. The sudden stopping made Lily try to balance herself and end up falling on her back and sliding on her back few feet down.

"Lilian!" He yelled and walked after her to make sure if she was hurt. He made her sit up as he looked at her to make sure she's fine.

"Aw... My clothes are all smudged with green..." She said as she looked at her back.

Drake made a fast checkup, lifting her arms and feet. "Nor bruises or scratches.." He said with a relieved sigh and smiled a little. "Be careful, my lady."

Lilian blushed a little and stood up, "But those were new!" She pointed at her long skirt. " And don't call me 'my lady' you sound like my tutors..." She pouted and started walking downhill without him

Drake ended up chuckling and smiled before putting his mask on and following her to the carnival.

Like Drake told her, there were a lot of people from all ranks and classes. The laughter filled the place and the smell of freshly baked goods was in the air. There were a group of men playing musical instruments and singing with children running around and giggling, woman dancing with their husbands and a big circle of random people dancing in union. Lilian looked around in awe in her eyes as she observed everything she saw. After few minutes from looking she smiled and turned to Drake. "This place is amazing! Why haven't anyone told me there's such place? I would have came sooner!"

Drake smiled a little and walked with her, "that's exactly why you don't know?"

"Huh?" she tilted her head and blinked.

"You see.." He started. "No one from the royal families know about this place, and if they do they keep it a secret for themselves. It is not an official kingdom gathering and if someone heard of it and saw the mix of people here..."

"Oh.." she understood and looked around. "I won't tell anyone then...It'll be our secret."

The bandit chuckled and held her hand more, "I'll add it to our list of things that would get us in trouble or possibly killed then." He grinned and she giggled before he lead her to a tent where people walked in and out off. There were tables and chairs everywhere, with food coming in and out of the kitchen. "Let's eat before we look around, alright?"

Lilian nodded and smiled before walking with him to a table fortwo. She sat down and soon after a woman wearing a commoner dress that was covered with some food stains on it came to their table. "What can I get ya?" The woman looked at the two of them then stared closely at Drake for a long moment before she fixed her sleeves. "...Have we met before? I mean, of course we did, no one come here if they didn't meet ME before..  But as in if we talked and all. You know what I mean, right, partner?"

Drake avoided looking in her eyes and spoke in a low voice, "I don't think s-" before he finished the woman lifted his mask without asking and laughed a little while patting his right shoulder.

"Hey! It's old Martinez! Haven't seen you around in years." She laughed and looked at Lilian then rolled her eyes. "Again? I thought you stopped messing with the ladies and stick to your other wrongdoings..." Lilian's eyes turned to Drake who was looking away. "Oh, well. Old habits die hard, huh, hunnybun? And she's a pretty one...I hope you can afford her price though..."

"Excuse me?" Lilian spoke and turned to the woman after having enough of her talking. "What do you mean by price? I am a human being, not an object to have a...A price! And Drake is a nice man who wouldn't hurt anyone and do wrongdoings like you said!" She replied in a low, yet sharp tone.

The woman laughed loudly and placed a hand on her stomach from the laughing. "yer a jewel, kid! I haven't laughed like this in forever!" She turned around and called some other workers over, retelling what happened to them and they joined the laughing.

Lilian stared at them and stood up, "this is a rude behavior from a lady to act like. You shouldn't laugh like this and be so...so...so disrespectful!" She then turned to Drake. "Why are you letting people like her speak like this to you without defending yourself from their lies and loud mouths!"

Drake kept looking away and walked out with his mask in his hand as the women laughed louder. Lilian stared at him and went to follow him but the woman stopped her.

“Listen. We might have sounded rude but I ain't a liar. You better leave that man and go to your parents’ house if you have one… You’re a good girl, not the brightest, but still you’re innocent. Don’t let him take that from you like he did to many others...” The woman said in a serious voice as she looked at Lilian’s eyes for a moment. “Go now and don’t follow him, he’s bad news and I’m sure you know nothing about him other then his name.”

Lilian moved away from the woman, “and why would I trust you? Besides, he’s a nice guy and I’m sure he wouldn’t hurt anyone…” Right? I mean…He did help me before and got my bag for me and more…

The woman sighed and lat go of her, “he’s a bandit, a top wanted dead or alive. He has always been and also he’s always with a new girl… And a day or two later you’ll see that girl crying in the street while he act like she's not there.” Lilian blinked confused at that part and the woman noticed. “See what I told you about being innocent…” She sighed. “He find a girl, pretty, wealthy or poor. Then he'll be her so called lover, except he doesn’t show much feelings, if none at all. And then he take her purity and if she’s that wealthy, her money.”

“P-purity?”

“…He’d only be close with a girl for few reasons, her beauty, her jewels or her body… And those girls who ignored the advice of other or just followed him like blind lambs ended up being deflowered by him and bringing shame to herself and her family… And as the shameful person he is, you’ll see him with the next pretty girl the day after, forgetting the girl before and moving on.” The woman looked around and walked back to the table. “He’s not worth it, go back to yer home and don’t let him get to ya…”

With that, Lilian stood in shock and horror for a long moment. A bandit after money and…No…But he’s a nice person… He helped me…He saved me… He… She felt tears forming in her eye for a second and walked out of the tent looking down. No...He’s not bad… They’re lying…. She wiped her tears and walked around for a moment before she spotted him under a shadow of a building. She walked to him slowly and wiped her tears. “Why did you leave me alone? I have been looking for you for minutes…” Smiling warmly, she stood next to him and looked at his face. “Drake, are you al-" She paused and noticed the terrifying expression on his face. Eyes wide, maskless, afraid and dark, as if the blue sky of his eyes went pitch black under the shadow he stood beneath. His face seemed troubled and his fist was clinched tightly, as if he’s about to knock someone dead with it. “D-Drake?” She looked away from his face,  whispering weakly with her mind telling her to back off him or something bad would happen.

He then blinked after the long moment and turned to her with a not so sweet of a smile as before; it was more as if he forced it. “Sorry… I don’t think I feel well…Maybe we shouldn’t have come here after all…”

“It’s alright… I was just going to ask you to take me home.” She smiled and put her cloak back on before stepping out of the shadow. She noticed his expression darken for a moment and looked away. “I’m sorry to trouble you with me, my feet are hurting and I don’t think I’ll be able to walk around much…” She looked at him to see him relax a bit and she sighed.

They walked back up the hill, this time Lilian was walking ahead. Not because she’s feeling better or walking faster, but because the bandit seemed to space off for long moments here and there. She wanted to ask but his expression wasn’t that friendly and she rather not to mention it to him. It was still early, the sun hasn’t moved down to the west yet and the kingdom was still active in its daily manner. After few long silent minutes of walking, Lilian thought she might try to break the silent and ask him about it. Just to see how he would react.

She cleared her throat and turned around to him, “umm…Drake?” She spoke and he looked up at her as he stopped on the top of the hill with her.

“Yes? Are your feet hurting?” He asked.

“No, I just… thought I might ask you something… If you don’t mind”

He looked at her for a moment and nodded slowly, curious of what she wanted to ask.

She looked down then up to him. “I… want to know…What do you do for living.” She noticed his expression darkening again and looked down fast.

He paused for a moment and looked away as well, here it goes... He thought before speaking in a low voice “I am... I steal from people… A bandit…”

“Why?” She whispered with a hurt tone.

He didn’t want to look up at her. “It’s not for a bad reason… I have... a grandmother… She took care of me since…” He didn’t want to go there, he never opened up about this part for a long time and he felt a surge of anger and guilt pass through him as he was about to speak the words. “Since my parent d-…” He shut his lips. No, I’m not saying that word, I don’t want to remember.

“Oh…” She looked up to him and extended her hand to hold his, “I’m sorry for your lost...”

“Don’t be!” He looked at her with anger and slapped her hand away, “I don’t need your pity! I don't need anything from someone like you! In fact! I think this went on for longer than necessary!” He shouted and walked past her downhill.

Lilian stood on the top looking down at him, unable to move a muscle. She felt like crying again and sat down on the grass as she saw him make his way down. He paid no attention to her, as if he already forgot her existence. The words the woman told her replayed in her head and she covered her face, letting the tears roll down.

And as the shameful person he is, you’ll see him with the next pretty girl the day after, forgetting the girl before and moving on.

Author's Note

Late again to whoever care

Drake is my friend's characters http://izaya-kaede.tumblr.com

The rest are mine unless stated otherwise.

Hope you like it and tell me if something is misspelled or wrongly written.

Also read it here http://akuma-drabbles.tumblr.com/post/70185380820/forbidden-lily-and-drake-au-chapter-8

Thank you~