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How would they feel? How would the people of Kantama feel if they knew about the peaceful hidden paradise out here on the shores of Kantama. Her paradise, a paradise she'd made together with her men. And maybe they had caused this world to be like this. Maybe they were the lords that cursed Kantama to such chaotic ruin. But she knew they had their reasons. Her men would never take a step without a good enough reason. In the distant future, she planned to make this place better. She was going to convince them to let Kantama be a better place than it is now. After all, it was their home too. However,now, she planned on enjoying every bit of the moments they shared together. The light headed peace and joy she felt. Each day, gets better and better. How could one possibly be happier than this. They'd have a grill in the gardens today, plant a few more flowers together tomorrow, they'd go to the get away Villa today, and have several of her mixed bowls together, they'd make passionate love today and still dawdle in their blissful love tomorrow. And even when she was busy around the house, she could feel their lingering eyes on her, checking up on her every second of the day. She felt treasured, loved and cared for. And she had done absolutely nothing, nothing at all to deserve this. And maybe that had fuelled her thoughts on making Kantama a better place, she wanted to prove that she hadn't been thwarted by the hell fire that rained around them, that she was different and had survived and had not lost herself to the darkness. She wanted to prove to herself that this place could be better, people could be happier and maybe their mother would enjoy the Kantama she remakes.
"Tsk... Now I've got to walk around here looking at people grinning silly and staring weird at a starless sky."
"Oi if it isn't chef Thomas."
She looked at the weird look on the chef's face. This old man just has to start his day by disturbing peaceful minds.
". Such disrespect!What's with that accent, hah so childish! And did you forgot so soon? I'm your grandpa not just chef Thomas "
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you wanted a grandchild so bad. It's fine I could be your cute grand baby."
"More like a foodie not cute at all. Who do you think you're trying to fool. You could do that with the boys when they're around. In my eyes, you're the most gluttonous child I've ever seen. And who said I needed a grandchild huh? You were the one who bestowed upon me this huge responsibility."
" Ok, now I've come to understand this is how you show your love. I'm not going to berate you for that. Guess I got myself the worst of all grandpas."
A few days ago maybe she would've been fuming from her ears and bleeding through her nose from anger. However today she was fine, he had helped her so much, the best she could do was put up with him. Plus, she did indeed just act cute for a reason. She was so damn hungry. 'The boys' had left a few hours ago for whatever business it was today that they had to take care of. She knew they'd probably be coming with new bullet wounds and cuts and whatever other sort of injury they try so hard to hide from her. She was yet to figure out if they just pretended it didn't hurt or they had really just gotten used to it as they claimed. The second option bothered her, she wondered what one had to go through to consider such wounds as normal. Her heart ached for the past and torture they had been put through as Darcens. But she had made up her mind to not dwell on a past they barely mention themselves. She was here to make their future better, to nurse their wounds and berate them for not being careful enough and care and love them enough, more than enough to sooth their hurtful past, more love to fill their gapping dark holes, and enough to make them smile each day. She was here now, and she planned on staying by their side for as long as her breath allowed it. She was going to be there for them.
"And there she goes again, zooming out into who knows what world."
" Ah, right, grandpa, what's for lunch today? Could you please make me an egg salad? Wait let's make the bowl of mixed rice again. Ok grandpa?"
"I told you, little girl that your pouting won't get you know where in my kitchen, you ate the same rice bowl mix yesterday. What, you planning on planting a rice field in your tummy? You had another upset stomach yesterday did you not? We're having potatoes and turkey for lunch."
"Heh? Eh? But I don't like potatoes!? I like rice! Grandpa! I want to eat rice."
Looking at the girl who looked like she would sit on the floor and start kicking her legs, he couldn't help but shake his head in wonder. How did such a childish granddaughter find him? More over how could she change his masters so much. The twin devils lost the darkness that shrouded them completely in her presence. They were like puppies waiting to be patted by another puppy, who was now desperately wagging it's tail at him. The only difference was that this puppy loved rice.
" Fine, rice and turkey then. What sauce would you like?"
It was like a flip in a scene to another, how her expression just switched from depressed to complete joy. She was indeed his little foodie granddaughter. The joy that encompassed the Darcen estate was probably because of her ability to smile so wide.
"I'm starting to like you grandpa."
"Tsk don't play with me, you just love the food I make."
"I like you too, it's exactly because you make the food."
"Hey you ungrateful brat! Come back here!"
Looking at the fleeing back of the little girl, his scolding frown couldn't help but fall and slowly morph into a grin. More than anyone, he was glad little Purple was here. He knew what the estate was like before she came. The bloody trails he'd watched the maids clean. The masters never cared about how they got the wounds or how they had to treat them, they were more ruthless to themselves than to the spies kept in the cells at the basement. The basements were for the servants who dared to betray them. Every day the place was cleaned by the staff to make them aware of the pain they had to go through before they died in their hands should they ever betray their masters. Screams had echoed through the estate and deafened their ears each day. The staff had slowly been reduced to a small trusted employees. However to welcome the little miss, they had hired new faces, ones that looked less tortured with the mental trauma they had gone through all those years before the miss's arrival, ones that still had the joyful air outside of Kantama revolving around them. They had stopped with the daily checks and tests to find traitors. Who would've thought the new comers who were yet to experience the harsh reality of the Darcen estate would be so laid back and be filled with so many spies. Spies sent by those foolish masters of Kantama again to free the Darcen brother's wife. Who ever told them that was ever possible was the biggest fool. The next thing they knew, the staff had been gravely reduced to the few once that used to be. Their little miss had stopped trying to escape and their masters had begun to stay in the estate more often, their demeanor not at all like the devils they used to be. The murderous air around them dissipated to thin air. In place of them were beings they thought they could never see. Their masters were now simply men in love. Their hearts held in between the palms of the little girl who now moved up and down around his kitchen waiting for a big bowl of rice to be served. Life was really just a silly game was it not? Who in Kantama would believe him if he said their masters had changed so much because of such a cute little kid.
"What you want is not here. It's in the fridge, your vanilla shakes."
Watching her smile fully blossom on her face again, he shook his head in wonder. How could anyone still smile like that in Kantama? He knew something was wrong with his little miss. They all did. She didn't seem to remember the staff who'd been executed or the way she had tried to escape and they knew better than to question her about it or even think further of the matter. He just wished she stayed like this a little longer. The estate had been buried in the dark for far too long. And maybe the sunny days that had reached them had made the others forget there was a time where no one dared to even make a sound while they walked, that the gloom surrounding the mansion had thickened around their necks and suffocated them, but he hadn't. Consistent good days did that too younger folks but he was too old, too messed with by the air he'd breathed here in Kantama to fall completely into these good days. And he was even more worried and scared about how much deep his masters had gotten their feet into this thick and sticky good days. He worried how they were going to cope with the days without it, how they were going to rid themselves of the much better present in the future. If...if what he assumed was right, if his thesis were proven right in the near future, if his little granddaughter's lost memories were indeed not her own doing....then...then
Purple was a good kid, he hoped she'd realize what she'd be risking if she decides to take a step back.
"Aha, Grandpa, can you make today's desserts dark chocolate cake, citrus and pine smoothies? They'd probably forgotten to eat again. And please make Don's smoothies less sweet, he doesn't like his stuff too sweet. Well except of course myself, his sweet little wife."
"Kid, are you seriously doing that in front of me right now?''
" Well grandpa you decided to still stay single at this age? Can you not find me a sweeter grandma? One who doesn't talk as much as you do?"
" Ok this is it, we are having potatoes for lunch."
" Wait, no wait a minute, I'm sorry, I'll like any grandma you bring home, and you are definitely not a talker, you are the best chef and grandpa in the world. Really."
"You are indeed shameless."
"My grandpa taught me well."
"Get out of my kitchen!"
"Yes sir. I'll be looking forward to your delicious meal then. Bye, my sweetest grandpa."
How could someone be so stubborn and so witty and so cute all together. Maybe he did understand why his masters would like someone like her now. She was all they never were. All they couldn't ever be, even in this hellish hole, she remained so alive.
Maybe this joy might last after all.