Silverton's Journey

Chapter 1

"I knew I'd find you, even if you're a thousand miles away."

With those words, the dream ended. Olivia had been seeing the same dream for years. A dream where she played around in an empty castle lit by the sun, where a boy pulled her into the shadows, whispering those words into her ears, chuckling.

The boy's face was blurred; it made her restless. Those words, that boy, his voice – made her restless. A strange longing for home swirled within her like a whirlpool every time she remembered the dream. And this morning, the feeling was stronger than ever.

The lone girl walked through evergreen conifer woods, humming and chanting these words in the dawn of autumn. The warmth they carried made her feel at home as if she had found home within them. 

With a basket in her hand, she picked berries from the bushes. The morning breeze was colder and pricklier than usual, making her shiver a little. She felt the presence of another living being, somewhere nearby.

Just as another breeze blew, the girl turned her head. There was a man in a clover green cloak; his head concealed under a hood. He was standing in a small clearing at a distance, looking in her direction.

She was relieved the moment she saw him, for she knew who he was.

The man pulled his hood down and revealed his fiery red hair that faintly glistened under the soft sunlight. His sapphire blue eyes bloomed with euphoria as he walked toward her.

"Olivia!" the man smiled.

Olivia gave a nervous chuckle. "Count Florentine... it's you."

The red-haired man tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Just call me Cecil when no one is around. How are you and your family? Are you doing all right?"

"Yes... I think we will be okay from now," the girl spoke hesitantly.

Cecil's eyebrows rose. He gently held her chin and raised it. "What do you mean? Don't tell me you-"

"Started working," she replied with a weak smile.

With a concerned look on his face, he stroked her caramel brown hair. "Are you sure you can do it? I will help you more if you need."

Olivia shook her head and said hurriedly, "No, no, we don't need any more. You have already helped us a lot. I want to be a responsible daughter."

Cecil smiled, satisfied at her words. He patted her head and said, "That's my girl."

Taking a deep breath and looking up at the blackbirds flying in the sky, Cecil stated, "You know I've been waiting for the moment you become self-reliant and free. I guess the wait is over now."

Olivia gave him a look of confusion before realizing it. "I've waited for it too."

Cecil looked at the basket of berries in her hand. "Are those for Alice? I can deliver those to her. I was on my way to your house anyway."

Olivia chuckled, but her voice was hollow. "Sure. Thank you. I have to hurry."

Cecil took the berries from the basket in her hand and let her go. He waved her goodbye and said, "I'll see you again!"

Without looking at him, she began to run, not wanting to be late any longer. She came out of the woods with the basket in her hand and thought, I'm going to be late today...

Soon, she heard the sound of people chattering. There was a narrow road with shops on its two sides. Some people rode on two-wheeled vehicles called velocipedes to their respective shops. Not wanting to be late anymore, Olivia ran off to a small bakery at the end of the road.