⚔ The Right Way ⚔

"Corin?"

"Ji?" Corin turned around on the spot, pulling her scarf up over her head. Her aunty rolled down the backdoor, her wheelchair taking up the space as she smiled gently at her niece.

"Isn't it time for you to take your break for today?"

"Oh Lirat aunty ji," Corin walked behind the wheelchair and pushed her aunty towards the cash register, settling her down nicely then kneeling in front of her. "There's quite a few things to do, but I'll take it afterwards."

Lirat put her hand over Corins and smiled down at her. She knew that Corin carried the guilt of her home with her, but she had never let her feel like she was unwelcome here. Lirat nodded and leaned forward to kiss Corin's forehead before she turned back to the register, smiling openly at the person who came into the store.

Corin got up and made her way around the counter, letting her aunty talk to one of her old friends and moved to the shelves, resuming her dusting.

Times like these Corin enjoyed the simple life she had here. The motion of dusting relaxed her and she smiled. Though living in such a small village had its issues and problems she found that most times, it made her feel at peace, which is more than she could have hoped to have in Kairya.

Not letting herself think about her past, Corin stood up, continuing to dust the non-existent particles off the shelves. She knew she didn't have to continuously clean but she had fallen into a sort of routine. One that she was comfortable with.

Corin could hear her aunty talking behind her and, when she was satisfied that she had at least cleaned most of the store she finally heeded to the silent cries her stomach was making. Perhaps she should have had breakfast this morning. Or even lunch.

Shaking her head at her own forgetfulness Corin reached around herself to untie her apron and folded it neatly, nodding quietly to her aunty as she opened the door to the town.

In front of her she could see the main fountain, with all the stores angled towards it. Phaer was a small village, but she was growing fonder of it everyday. The town itself was one of the most beautiful features, in Corin's opinion, apart from the towering mountainous landscapes surrounding it. She used to go into the mountain range when she had first arrived, using it as an area of escape from nosy ears and prying eyes. Slowly she had started to come out of her shell, and began accepting the way of life here. Now, she didn't want to go back.

Corin smiled at the children playing by the fountain. Most of them were the shopkeepers' family and all gathered in the middle to play, being told by their parents to stay were they could keep an eye on them. The village itself was a small family and Corin loved it.

Making her way to the bakery, Corin smiled, the heavy humid feeling of the day was beginning to retract, being replaced with the cooler airs of the afternoon even as the sun shone brightly.

Pulling her scarf back over her head, Corin waved at nice Mrs. Lretna, smiling out from between her shelves of wool and materials. Corin used to help out with her when Mrs. Lretna had broken her arm, but had soon been made redundant when her boss had regained full control and had fired her with a sparkle in her eye. As she had said, 'It's no time for a young lady like you to be workin'

Corin smiled fondly at the memory and continued at her gentle pace. Looking up at the sky she deduced that it must be fairly early afternoon as the sun's rays had just taken on their orange and pink hues, the colours dancing across the skies and bouncing off windows. The shadows cast by the light made it seem like the group of children running around doubled as they turned to catch their own shadows.

Corin remembered that game, also remembering how Kayana would never play it, something about being told that it wasn't a lady's game. Corin rubbed her hands up and down her arms as her long skirt swished behind her. How easy it was back then, the only requirement for doing anything was if it was deemed to be 'lady-like'.

Corin missed her best friend, but she also knew that it was all her fault that Kayana's life turned out the way that it had. If it hadn't been for Corin, Ryda Drewett wouldn't have found out about his daughter's secret trysts with his best friends son. Not until Raian had a sturdy plan for the two of them, leaving no room for Ryda to object. But she had been foolish. She had been selfish and greedy. And foolish. So very foolish.

She knew that Kayana may never forgive her for what she had done, and so Corin decided that the only way to let Kayana live her life happily was to stay away from her. She had already damaged the relationship between her and her father and brother, she couldn't imagine ruining more. That's why she never complained. She did all that her aunty asked so that she would also have no cause for complain. That nothing would make her father even more disappointed in her than she had already done single-handedly.

And Raian. Corin sighed as she thought of her only brother. Sure, they had had their moments, fighting like any siblings would. But he was her brother and Corin missed him immensely. She also knew that he may never forgive her either, and up until that point, Corin hadn't even tried getting in touch with him. She didn't think she could handle the rejection if he ended up completely ignoring her. But she also knew she wouldn't blame him.

Corin didn't know how she would get out of this mess, but she knew she would have to find a way. She couldn't leave this wound open for her family to close for her. She was going to have to grow up and sort it out herself.

Reaching the bakery, Corin let her thoughts fly away as the opening of the door caused a gust hard enough to knock her down. Assaulted by the delicious scents of the food and the fact that she hadn't eaten all day, Corin fell, her wrist the only thing bracing her from the fall and even then, she had definitely bruised her tail bone.

"Oh! I am so sorry ma'am. Are you okay?"

Corin heard his voice and seemed to recognise it, but her head spun and she winced, not wanting to think too hard at that moment.

As Corin lifted a hand to her head, she heard the stranger gasp and kneel in front of her, his hand coming out to hold her chin, directing it to face her. Corin's eyes filled with tears and she let him move her face. She was too dazed to fix the scarf a top her head and get up. Perhaps next time she shouldn't skip two meals in a day. s

"Lavender?"

Corin stilled and her eyes focused through the haze her tears had created.

⚔ The Right Way ⚔