The location of the witch village was hidden, which meant that you couldn’t simply send a letter to it. Witches often used their familiars—usually a cat or bird—to deliver messages, but it may have been a bit tricky for Cecily, who wasn’t so adept with her magical powers yet.
“So then, Cain, my boy. What’s next for you?”
“I dunno.”
Cain may have finished a decade-long bout of training, but he was still immature in many ways. He could return to the village he’d just left and start some more training, or maybe he could travel the world like witches his age were forced to do.
“You can stay here, you know? You’re like a son to me and Greta, you know that?”
Cain paused before saying, “I’ll think about it.”
It was a less than enthusiastic response, but Sewell gave a happy nod.
“There was something else. A little birdie told me that apparently you didn’t actually love Cecily all that much?”
Cain didn’t reply. It wouldn’t have been like Cecily to bring that up herself. It was probably that girl who’d called herself a detective who’d told Sewell. How irritating. Cain felt frustration flare up within him, but she was already too far away for him to moan at. Maybe she was sticking her tongue out right about now, happy that he had gotten his just deserts.
“Yeah, I did. I’ve only ever thought of Cecily as a friend. The whole thing with the love potion was to rile up that annoying knight just a mite.”
“Cain... That was kind of you.”
Cain had no idea what Sewell was talking about, so he didn’t say a word. But Sewell went on, consoling that tender part of Cain’s heart.
“You told a lie so that she would be able to leave without any lingering worries. I’m grateful for that, my boy.”
“That’s not it at all!” Cain said, unable to stop himself from smacking the table. “I just didn’t want to admit that my heart was broken! So don’t flatter me. It makes my skin crawl.”
“If you say so, then I suppose the matter’s settled, then.”
Sewell was unflappable. He may have known there was more to it, but he didn’t pursue it further. It was because of that that Cain found he had nothing else to say. No, that wasn’t right—he didn’t want to say anything else. He didn’t want to continue to deny the love he had truly felt, to lie and say that his feelings had never existed.
The promise he had made ten years ago had been special to him. Thanks to it, he had been able to see a light at the end of the tunnel of his rigorous training. He’d dreamt about the romantic reunion that had awaited him. And yet, Cecily had basically all but forgotten the promise.
And so, Cain was lonely. The fact that what was so important to him wasn’t also important to Cecily made him feel a deep sadness which almost brought tears to his eyes. It made him feel betrayed. Even if Cecily had called Cain her friend despite forgetting, it still hurt.
“If I had asked Cecy to marry me back then, ten years ago... If I had called her ‘Cecily’ and had been more direct about everything... Would things be different now? Would I have been able to be by her side?”
Cain knew he was speaking merely of hypotheticals. Sewell rubbed his chin in thought.
“Hmm, I don’t know about that. The only thing I am sure about is that he...that Zeke is a good man.”
Cain’s eyebrows lifted in confusion at Sewell’s contented tone.
“Hold up—I thought you were against their wedding?”
Even Cain had heard that Sewell had essentially forced Zeke out of his home after the couple had announced their desire to get married. It was weird to hear him be so complimentary of Zeke.
Perhaps Sewell was aware of his previous attitude, for he gave a nervous smile.
“Aha ha ha... When Cecily came to tell me she was going to hold a wedding, I said ‘Okay’ just like that.”
“Did you have a reason for changing your mind?”
“Well, the night before Cecily asked me, Zeke came knocking at my door. He was terribly injured, but he bowed his head and asked for my permission to marry Cecily.” Cain looked on suspiciously as Sewell went on. “I didn’t want to accept it. I said, ‘Why do you need my permission? Why don’t you just whisk her away?’ But he didn’t budge despite my cruelty. He said, ‘You raised Cecily with so much love, which is why I want you to be there to celebrate her marriage.’ Zeke looked at me with such an honest expression that I couldn’t help but give my blessing.” Sewell chuckled at the memory. “Just before he left, he said, ‘Keep this a secret from Cecily.’ From that comment and his guilty face, I presumed that he had slipped out without telling her. I’m sorry, my boy, but I don’t think even ten years is enough to fight against the strings of fate that bind them together.”
Cain didn’t really understand what Sewell meant by “fate,” but he understood the gist. A simple spoken promise from ten years ago wasn’t enough to bind Cecily to him. That rough, burly knight could cut that down in a second, and win Cecily’s hand without issue.
“Cecily’s really grown up without my noticing. It makes me feel kind of lonely, but it also makes me proud and happy.”
Sewell’s attitude hadn’t changed despite Cain’s poor mood, and so Cain decided to continue to be honest with him.
“I feel left behind too. I didn’t expect Cecy to grow this beautiful in only ten years.”
“You said it. Even in the past year, she’s grown incredibly lovely. I suppose it was thanks to Zeke.”
One year... One short little year.
Sewell had been fiercely against the rule in witch society that deemed that all fifteen-year-old witches must travel the world for two years, but it had been this journey that had helped her become so beautiful now. That little girl who was always following her father about with an innocent smile no longer existed. She had already found an irreplaceable life partner. She had finally flown the nest.
“Hurts, huh?” Cain said.
“Sure does.”
Though his reply was brief, Sewell’s voice could be heard shaking.
Unable to look at him, Cain downed his drink. Wiping his lips, he forced the words out with a glint in his eye.
“When Cecy has her wedding in the royal capital, I’m gonna make sure I’m able to be there. If I don’t, then that won’t be cool at all. My pride won’t allow it.”
“A gargantuan task, eh, Cain?” Sewell said with a laugh. “Cecily was a crybaby when she was growing up, but that was nothing compared to you. I remember you’d come to me crying whenever you wet the bed, asking me how to make it stop happening!”
“Oh, enough of that,” Cain snapped.
Tears had finally made their way to the corners of Cain’s eyes. Even Sewell could tell. As for Sewell, he had already finished crying and crying and crying. He had wailed far more than Cain, almost enough to create a puddle at his feet.
“All right—bottoms up. Tonight, we drink! We’re going to drink like fishes.”
“Yeah!”
“Barkeep, give us your strongest stuff. No, not the bottle—the whole damn barrel!”
“We’ll drink it dry!”
Faces red from the booze, Cain and Sewell put their arms over each other’s shoulders. The bartender simply shrugged and prepared a barrel, just as they’d ordered.
“Nothing beats booze to help you forget the blues!” Cain said, pain obvious in his voice.
“You said it! Nice to see you can hold your drink. Been a while for me, but I’m more than happy to join you.”
And so these two men drowned their sorrows in drink, making merry so that their tears wouldn’t have time to flow.