A week passed, and Mark settled into the familiar rhythm:
Every morning, Lila would wake him up with a cheerful "Good morning, Big Brother!"
He'd help Kael with:
* Feeding and caring for livestock
* Tending to crops – planting, irrigating, and harvesting
* Repairing fences and farm equipment
Lila would often tag along, learning from Mark as he learned from Kael.
Evenings were filled with:
* Delicious homemade dinners together
* Stories of Mark's castle life (leaving out the darker parts)
* Lila's giggles and Kael's warm smiles
Mark felt a deep sense of belonging – this village life was healing his past wounds...
One evening, as they sat by the fire, Kael said:
"Mark, you're officially one of us – Brindlemark Village accepts you as family."
Lila clapped and threw her arms around Mark:
"Yay, Big Brother Mark is staying forever!"
Mark's eyes misted with emotion as he hugged Lila back:
"I'd like that – forever with both of you sounds perfect."
Kael smiled warmly and added:
"Head Thorne wants to meet with you tomorrow – to discuss making your stay... permanent."
Mark's curiosity piqued – what did "permanent" mean exactly?
Did it mean he could finally stop wondering about his past life in Elyria Castle...
Mark asked Kael,
"What does Head Thorne mean by 'permanent' – am I free from Elyria Castle for good?"
Kael nodded slowly:
"Yes, Big Brother Mark – 'permanent' means your exile is effectively overturned...
You'll be a full citizen of Brindlemark Village, with no ties to Elyria Castle."
Mark felt a weight lift off his shoulders – freedom from his past mistakes!
But then his mind turned to Lady Hana – would he ever see her again?
Lila noticed Mark's distant gaze and asked:
"Big Brother Mark, are you happy or sad about staying here forever?"
Mark hugged Lila,
"Beyond happy – this village and you two are my new family."
Lila squealed with delight and Kael grinned:
"We're thrilled to have you, Big Brother Mark!
To make it official, we'll host a GRAND WELCOME FEAST for you tomorrow –
* Roasted meats from our farm
* Fresh vegetables from our garden
* Delicious pies baked by the village women!"
Mark's eyes widened at the surprise celebration.
Kael continued,
"Tomorrow will be busy – we need to prepare everything.
So, let's rest early tonight – Lila, Big Brother Mark needs his beauty sleep for his big day!"
Lila giggled:
"Big Brother Mark needs beauty sleep? He's already handsome!"
Mark pretended to blush, and Kael chuckled:
"Alright, alright – time for sleep indeed!
Tomorrow's big preparation starts at dawn.
Lila, lights out in 15 minutes; Big Brother Mark, you too – we have a feast to prepare!"
Lila hugged Mark and Kael goodnight:
"Night, Big Brother Mark! Night, Kael! Tomorrow will be BEST DAY EVER!"
As Lila's door closed
Everyone retired to their rooms, and the cottage grew quiet.
Mark drifted off to sleep, dreaming of tomorrow's welcome feast.
Meanwhile, outside, Kael slipped out of the house unnoticed...
Head Thorne stood outside Mark's cottage, hidden in shadows, awaiting Kael's update.
Kael approached him quietly:
"Mark has settled in perfectly. He trusts us completely.
We're ready to proceed with... the next phase of our plan."
Head Thorne nodded silently, his eyes gleaming in the dark.
Inside the cottage,
Mark stirred in his bed...
He woke up with a start, his heart racing – a dream still vivid in his mind:
Yui's voice echoed in his subconscious, desperate and fearful:
"Big Brother... HELP ME!"