Charmed [✔]

23.1 ▌Season Festival

Year 3988, 30th Day of the 9th Moon
Ember Isle, Fliamma Kingdom, Continent of Humana

DAMP DRAFT paired with the gloomy clouds was the perfect weather to stay outside. Yet, Elise didn't have the time to do so as she headed out to the Medical Hall to look for more herbs.

She knocked, hoping that Orin was there. It took a couple more taps before the door opened. Elise blinked twice when saw the person who should have left this morning.

"Are you looking for Uncle?" His voice woke her up from her daze. It was Brennan.

"... Yes," came her delayed reply as she scanned the messed strands on his forehead moistened with sweat. The imagery reminded her of last night and heat crept on her cheeks.

"Hey, what's wrong?" His question snapped her back to reality once again.

"Sorry, what was it?"

"I said, Uncle's not here. Is it urgent?"

"Quite. I ran out of wind stems so maybe he has some stocks here," she stated.

"I see. Come inside. I'm sure Uncle won't mind if it's you."

"Oh, thanks!"

Brennan widened the door but she halted on her steps after viewing the clutter inside. Sacks of dirt were on the floor. The corner garden had all the plants uprooted and there were potted stems on the other side.

"What's going on?" She twisted towards him.

"Uncle wanted to change the set of plants here so I'm transferring the old ones to the greenhouse," he replied and squatted down to resume his work.

Her brows crinkled together. "Don't you have gardeners for that?"

In this huge castle, all her toes and fingers would not be enough to count their servants. Besides, they were nobles but it appeared like they were laxer and proved her yet again from the elegant bearings that she imagined those with upper class had.

"I like doing it." The nonchalant response and an earnest expression were exactly the same as Aricson.

Brennan usually had a dangerous demeanor or mischievous behavior but his current appearance tending the plants was something she imagined Aricson would do rather than him.

To add, the more she looked at him in his current state, the more it was harder to identify who was who. 'They're really two peas in a pod.'

"Does anyone mistook you and Aricson before?" She could not prevent her mouth from asking.

"Ah, yeah. That was a great time. I know he must've resent me when I started to lengthen my hair."

Her interest was suddenly piqued. "Why so?"

"We often disguised as each other when we were young. No one can tell us apart as long as he lowered his pitch to match mine and it was a perfect disguise when he wanted to skip his work. It was only that he could not do it after several decades when I started to grow my hair."

"I can't believe Aricson is the type to escape from his duties."

Brennan chuckled, dropped his trowel, and directed his gaze at her. "Because you aren't there. He's the most childish and petty youth to exist but fate has a fvcked up way to forge us to become steel."

The statement that started with humor ended with grimness and Elise hurriedly tried to ease the awkwardness.

"How about now? You almost have the same length of hair. Honestly, I may even confuse you if you two are together."