Of course, Hope could only observe the aftermath of his Flaw. Although he was curious to explore the activity in their minds when he disappears or when he remains as they forget, dealing with an unnecessary problem of convincing and explaining would have been more trouble than it was worth.
'How unfortunate…' Hope thought.
At least Hope didn't have to deal with that old man anymore. The resting place was nice while it lasted.
A free bed was a free bed.
But maybe he should've taken the old man's blanket. Or food. He could always find another spare. Right?
"Tsk."
Hope clicked his tongue as he sat down near a small family group that also kept to themselves between the space of the pillars and the flowered wall. A child playing on one of their laps.
The clustered flowers brushed slightly on Hope's neck and shoulders as he leaned back to watch the great hall's scene—they hugged from behind and hung above like hanging eyes as they too faced the crowd and observed in silence.
Laughter.
Smiles.
Gossip.
Shushed tones.
That all seemed innocent enough as he watched the nodding heads and stretched curved lips.
'Hmm...'
Pluck-
Hope tore off one of the flower heads that tapped his shoulder; white five thin petals like bone, four long slim tongues at its center eyed back at him. It fit in the palm of his hand like a fragile ornament. The rest of its kind appeared like dotted stars in the mix of the others, as if their youthful size didn't age like the natural laws of nature.
It was touched by an Awakened's power after all.
An Awakened.
Magic.
Sniff- Sniff-
Hope paused as he carefully smelled the fragrance; a scent of powder, and sweetness.
He pulled away and rolled the petals between his fingers.
'Normal.'
It was sweet. But not that sweet.
No tingling sensation teased his nose or tongue. No slippery words sneaked into his mind. No ridiculous thoughts colluded.
Magic in growth. But not magic in enslaving minds it seemed. At least, the ones in here that were.
Flick-
Hope flicked the head away as if it were a crumb.
'So…no possibility of being forced to smile against their will.'
Hope blankly stared forward at the rooted sounds of gleeful tones.
Was this place truly a haven?
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Hope nonchalantly tapped on the marble floor as he continued to watch the scene. The warmth of the fire that had accompanied him thawed, the cold ground crawled up his legs to his stomach and back. Whenever he turned his head, he caught a whiff of the sweetness again, the campfires, and cooked meat from the great hall.
Nevermind worrying about the old man or Hope struggling to channel his focus.
He was alone again. And he didn't have to entertain anyone.
Hope's eyes bounced across the colored tarps, webbed lights, loomed walls, arched ceiling, and lively faces; the voices in his head reeling back to their original volume as he gazed around his surroundings, subject to subject, soaking in more of the area as he now was an observer.
The arched windows blackened as night slowly grew, but the space inside filled an even warmer glow from the hanging lights like dawn.
The guards at every other pillar carried guns or hand-crafted swords, seemingly from Nightmare Creature material. Their grip fidgeted over their weapons as they overwatch the great hall with noticeable heads from the dense crowds starting to drop into slumber.
And everywhere else was…
Laughter.
Smiles.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Hope's frown deepened.
A few conclusions started to form in his mind. But some questions still remained.
Maybe he was paranoid. Or just felt off from experiencing another cursed memory episode. That was getting repetitive. But then again, it was stuck with him for life.
Hell, he couldn't imagine other ways it could torment him with. And hopefully not anytime soon.
Tap. Tap-
If such happiness thrived here, Hope wondered what would happen if such adversity was thrown in their midst.
Huh. How would they act?
Would they act like those priests in those catacombs? Like scurrying rats when a predator shows themselves?
'Mm. Maybe.' Hope nonchalantly thought.
That memory faintly played across his eyes as he rested his chin on his hand watching apologies and concerns exchanged followed by more smiles.
Smiles.
Smile. Smile. Smile.
Laughter here. And there.
Apologies too.
Tap…Tap…
At that moment, Hope felt a tap on his shoulder.
Not from one of the hanging flowers.
But still a light delicate touch.
Hope side-glanced and saw…a little girl.
A flash of his sister blinked passed.
"Hello…" she muttered, barely a whisper.
Hope blinked as a girl about six years old stared at him with a flower in her hands. The same type of flower he flicked away.
The blue dress she wore was stained and slightly ripped. No surprise. But the material seemed…new? At least, newer than everyone else's.
The girl shivered when their eyes met, as if she heard a dark secret. But some determination flickered across her face when she stretched our her arm.
"Here…" She handed Hope the flower.
"…"
He stared at the flower that she placed in his palm. The same flower that he'd just tossed. The same ones just behind him...
'I'm sitting right next to a whole flower wall so why…'
"Oh! Im sorry is she bothering you? Lilah, come here!"
Another old lady, one from the small family Hope sat nearby, waved for the little girl to come back.
The girl didn't flinch from the tone as if she had expected it.
She stared at Hope a little longer before she quickly turned and ran back.
"She likes to do that. I apologize." The old lady weakly smiled at Hope, expecting a reply or a reaction from him.
But Hope simply shrugged. 'I'm not going to question it.'
He looked away, debating to flick the flower off to the side as well.
But to Hope's disappointment, the old lady addressed him again.
"You're new here, aren't you?"
"Yes…"
"Ah. So is she. And her mother. A tired one really. She refused to go to sleep for- How many nights was it, my dear?"
From where the old woman sat, a sleeping woman rested on her shoulder and another old man sat on the other side. His arms were crossed, a hinted bothered look in his poise. But once the little girl returned to them, she had climbed onto the sleeping woman's lap, successfully not waking her up.
The presumable husband shrugged. "Came before that boy."
"Oh. It was something she saw that first night. She been sayin she was separated from her sister and newborn niece."
The old lady shook her head.
"Poor girl. All the more reason to look after her.
"But how about you, dear?" She addressed back to Hope. "How's your stay so far? Did you arrive today? Was everything alright?"
Hope stared at her for a few long moments. Watching the muscles around her eyes and her limbs twitched nervously before he looked away.
"Everything's fine."
Her head perked up. "Really? Are you…tired?" She turned her head as she tried to follow Hope's gaze in the great hall. "The lights are pretty to watch too. Oh Lord be willing. We are the light of the world He says."
She then strangely did a cross movement with her hand from shoulder to shoulder then face.
But Hope didn't pay attention to that.
His eyes fell on her other hand which shakily held onto the sleeping mother's wrist as if she would slip away...