Chapter Sixty-Nine: I’m Back
Clad in golden armor, the knights stood tall and proud, not daring to glance sideways. I skirted around their orderly ranks and made my way to the village entrance along a small path. As I approached, the previously noisy villagers started to quiet down, their chattering fading into an anticipatory hush.
Then, someone voiced a question.
“Is that… Little Shay?”
The uncertain inquiry wasn’t very loud.
I could barely make out where it came from in the crowd, nor could I tell if it was someone I knew. Instinctively, I looked up, only to see the ripples of recognition spread through the crowd like a stone dropped in a pond, awakening the dazed faces all staring at me.
“It seems like…”
“Little Shay!”
“…Little Shay!”
“It’s Little Shay! Oh my gosh, it’s really Little Shay!”
“Little Shay has come back—”
“Quick, who’s going to tell Grandma Claire!”
Amidst the noisy chaos, genuine joy and excitement intertwined with the shouts.
Hearing that buzz, my heart fluttered, and I started walking sprightly down the still-damp narrow path, one foot falling into a pothole just to hurry to the front of the gathered crowd. I swept back my hood, revealing a sweet smile to the earnest faces peering at me.
“I’m back!”
In my line of sight were plain faces glowing with joy and enthusiasm, but slightly awkward and shy.
Scanning the crowd, I spotted rugged farmers, plump village women, old men with dark, cracked skin, and a n*ked child looking bewildered, completely lost as to what was happening.
I couldn’t recognize most of them.
Many faces, though vaguely familiar, felt stranger than I thought they should; names were lost to me.
“Little Shay is back!”
“By the Deity, Little Shay rode back in that fancy war chariot to see us—”
I gazed at those strangers who felt familiar, watching their smiles, and suddenly realized that more than a year ago, I hadn’t interacted much with them. When they chatted, I often hid away or scurried off to do something else, preferring not to eavesdrop on their mundane chatter.
So despite living in the village for a while, I knew many only by sight, with their names escaping me.
But they all recognized me.
“Look at Little Shay, wearing such a beautiful dress! Like a princess…”
“All those knights and Father Merlin must have come to greet Little Shay, right?”
“Of course! Little Shay is a big hero now…”
“That cloak looks so majestic… Little Shay, do you remember your aunt? Last year she brought the little ones to see you!”
“That bag on your back is heavy… Uncle can help you with it!”
The villagers closed in on me, some looking nervous and anxious, but all smiling with sparkling eyes. A hefty woman stretched her hand, wanting to touch my cloak and dress but hesitated, while a bashful man lumbered over to take my heavy bag, prompting me to wave him off, “No, no, Uncle, thank you!”
A few children gathered around my feet, and one little boy tugged at my skirt, biting his finger while staring up at me with sheer curiosity… Ah, his hands were dirty!
“Sister…”
The little boy seemed to want to ask me something, but was quickly pulled aside by the large woman, who scolded him, “Just love to touch! Just love to touch! If you reach out again, I’ll chop your hands off…” He pouted and started to cry, so I quickly bent down to comfort him, muttering, “Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t hit the child,” rummaging through my pockets for candy, but realizing I’d eaten it all on the way here, I settled for patting his little head instead.
“Little Shay, are you hungry? Why don’t you come sit at our place later?”
“A few days ago, I went hunting in the forest and got some deer meat! It’s just been cured, I’ll bring it over later…”
Concerned voices continued to swirl around me.
“Really, no need!”
I forced a smile, glancing at the crowded village entrance.
The path was completely blocked; I couldn’t even move…
“Hey, kid, what are you still doing here? Go! Tell Grandma Claire that our village’s big hero is back…”
A villager nudged their child to go notify Grandma, and I quickly called out, “No, I’ll go myself! Don’t worry! Grandma knows, she’ll come out… her legs aren’t great…”
“Look at Little Shay, so thoughtful…”
“She really cares for her grandma…”
Surrounded by enthusiastic villagers, I smiled and nodded, wanting to say I’d just head back, but looking at those earnest faces, eager to talk to me, the words just wouldn’t come out.
Fortunately, someone else chimed in, “Don’t block the road! Step aside and let Little Shay return.”
“Right! Little Shay’s back—what’s the fuss about? Are we treating her like an outsider? Step aside!”
“Grandma is waiting at home! She’s been missing her so much…”
A few voices called out, and the villagers willingly parted ways. Feeling warm inside from their words, I waved to them and said, “Then I’ll head in first!” I stepped into the village and, after just a few steps, a nearby woman started directing her child again, “Go, lead your sister Shay back! She’s the big hero who went out into the world…”
Let’s not even get into the connection between being a hero and playing guide; I knew where Grandma’s house was… But those innocent little kids, all bright-eyed, swarmed around me like buzzing bees, spinning and leaping with pure joy as I walked into the village.
“Sister, sister! Can I touch your dress?”
“Sister, what’s that heavy thing on your back! Is it heavy?”
“Sister, why has your hair turned white?”
They surrounded me, treating me like some exotic creature, their little minds bombarding me with questions. But instead of being annoyed, I felt a rare warmth, answering their curious inquiries one after another.
Before long, I arrived at that familiar little house.
This was the place I had lived in and where I had frequently dreamt about.
However, compared to my memories of the collapsed and decayed village hut, this place had undeniably changed a lot.
The house had been rebuilt.
It still had simple wooden beams, weathered stone walls, and a thatched roof. Next to the house, there was a crooked little fence, and inside it, a few vegetable plants. The pen by the door went from one cow to two.
The door stood wide open.
“Sister, sister! Grandma is inside!”
The leading child ran to the door, peeking inside, then dashed back to excitedly report to me.
I patted their heads.
“Go off and play.”
But the children were reluctant to leave. I walked past the vegetable garden, and they followed along. Once I entered the house, they perched on the doorframe and window ledge, their faces alight with glee.
Inside, I saw Grandma sitting by the window, the sunlight filtering in as she leaned close to sew some cloth.
She didn’t seem aware of my presence.
I quickly crouched down, tiptoeing to place my suitcase against the wall by the door, then turned back to the kids, putting a finger to my lips, “Shh,” and danced lightly toward Grandma.
Step one, step two…
Getting closer…
Grandma was still stitching away when she suddenly sniffed delicately.
“…Little Shay?”
Uh-oh…
She turned around.
I straightened up, scratching my face awkwardly and grinning.
“Hehe, Grandma.”
But Grandma froze suddenly.
Her eyes widened with disbelief as she stared at me, her wrinkled face softening with incredulity.
The fabric she held slipped from her fingers as her thin body slowly rose from the chair, eyes squinting as she approached me, her hand trembling as it reached up to gently touch my cheek.
“It really is… Little Shay.”
Her voice came out hoarse, her hand quivering on my face as if unsure she was really seeing me.
“Grandma, I smelled it just now… the scent of lilacs… and thought it was just me missing you… so I got a bit confused… I called out, and you actually answered…”
“Grandma…”
Unable to hold back, I leaped into her embrace, hugging her frail, bony frame.
“I’m back.”
Ugh…
Why am I feeling this urge to cry…
