| Overthinking or overdose? |
The grocery market was alive with movement, everyone busy with their work.
Some were selling at their stalls, while others bargained to buy.
Elara stood beside one of the stalls, holding a heavy sack of potatoes in her hands, with her younger brother by her side.
"Are you sure, sissy, they'll want to buy it?" Jacob asked uncertainly.
Elara sighed. "I don't know, Jacob. Let's just see if they take it or not. The previous store owner died recently, and his shop is still closed. We have to sell these before noon — this is the last bag from what we harvested."
Jacob nodded quietly. Soon, the young boy from the stall returned. "Master says we can't buy the whole, but we'll take two kilos. How much is it?"
Elara let out a small sigh of relief. Even if it wasn't the whole sack, selling part of it was still a small win. "Sure. This bag has six kilos, so two will be…"
She began to negotiate the price with him until they agreed on the rate common in the market. The boy brought out a net basket, and they carefully measured two kilos of potatoes.
"We live on the third street, near the hill. Feel free to reach us for more if you need—" Elara began, tying the rope back around the remaining bag when she felt a gentle pat on her shoulder.
Turning around, she saw an old lady with gray hair standing there, holding the hand of a little boy — younger and shorter than Jacob, looking up at them with wide, innocent eyes.
Elara met the old woman's gaze. Wrinkles framed her kind eyes. Elara didn't recognize her but offered a warm smile anyway. "Yes?"
"You're Elara, right?" the old woman asked. "My name is Maria, and this is my grandson." She placed a hand on the boy's shoulders, then glanced at the potato bag Elara was holding. "Our stall is over there."
Elara and Jacob turned to look in the direction she pointed. At the far end of the market sat a small, empty sheet on the ground, with only two little stools, a few baskets of dry fruits, and some sauce bottles.
Maria spoke again. "We've been looking for someone who sells tomatoes. Since, you know, tomatoes have gotten expensive and spoil easily, no one's been selling them. We saw you selling potatoes, so I wondered — do you grow tomatoes too? Could you sell some to us? I'll… I'll pay you."
Elara realized what the woman needed but felt a small pang — she didn't have any tomatoes. They were difficult to grow, and she hadn't started yet.
She also noticed the hesitation in the woman's voice when she mentioned payment. Judging from her stall's condition, Elara knew she probably couldn't afford much. But Elara also remembered that she had recently asked her father, to bring her tomato seeds because she wanted to try growing them.
She took a soft breath. "Grandma…...Right now, we've only grown potatoes."
Maria's face fell with disappointment.
Seeing that, Elara took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "But my father brought tomato seeds from abroad. We don't have any right now, but I'll reach out to you once we harvest them. Deal?"
The old woman's eyes brightened slightly. "Okay, child… I'll wait for you."
Elara nodded. "Take care."
The old lady smiled faintly and left with her grandson. Elara turned to Jacob and took his hand. "Come on now, we have to go home. It's getting late."
"Ah, yeah — but, sissy, the bag!" Jacob pointed to the potatoes.
Elara smirked. "Oh no, now it's your turn to carry it. Now pick it up — it's not that heavy anymore."
"Ah, no!" Jacob protested with a pout, and Elara rolled her eyes with a small laugh.
"Oh, don't give me that look. I told you, it's not that heavy now. Come on, you're strong enough to carry it, aren't you?" she said, trying to boost his ego — though, in truth, she just wanted to get home before sunset.
Jacob's eyes brightened. "Yeah, I am strong!" He grabbed the half sack of potatoes — it was lighter than before. His smile widened. "Oh, I can lift it!"
"See? I told you," Elara chuckled. "Now, let's go."
Together, they walked out of the market.
****
Elara then bought some more medicines from the doctor. He gave her a few of his healing potions.
"Agh, here. Seems like your mother is not taking my advice seriously. I told her to rest more."
Elara took the medicines from his hand with a nod, her gaze downcast. "She does. She's always on her bed, resting."
"Ah, that's not resting. She's probably lying awake all the time. Tell her not to think too much—it'll only make her more restless," he said as he turned to Jacob, who was looking up at him with innocent, adoring eyes.
The doctor knew he couldn't speak openly about his mother in front of the young boy, so he leaned down to meet his level and softened his tone. "Young man, did your father come back from work?"
"Yes, last week," Jacob said, holding the potato bag tightly against his chest.
"Good. Tell him to take better care of your mother now that he's back."
Jacob nodded. "I will."
The doctor hummed as he straightened up. "Now go home."
Elara held the medicine with her left hand and took Jacob's tiny hand with her right as they turned to leave. She bowed to the doctor in farewell before walking away with Jacob toward their home.
When they arrived, Elara opened the door and Jacob ran inside.
"Be careful!" Elara called out, noticing Jacob putting the potato Sack on the table. "Not there—put it on the kitchen counter."
"Okay," Jacob said as he hurried to the kitchen.
Elara took off her shoes and walked in, starting to remove her coat when her father emerged from the living room.
He saw Jacob running with the half-full potato bag and turned to Elara. "Didn't sell?"
Elara looked up at her father and shook her head. "No, only two kilos," she said as she walked further in and went to the table. "The previous stall where I used to sell them was closed. I heard he had died." She poured water into a glass from the jug and took a sip. "So we sold them in the market instead. Not many wanted a whole bag."
Jules sighed. "I knew that man… he was kind. Rest in peace."
"Oh, Father!" Jacob ran to Jules and hugged his legs.
Jules' lips curled into a warm smile as his son embraced him. "Come here, my boy." He picked him up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before setting him down. "Tell me, did you trouble your sister on the way?"
Jacob quickly shook his head. "No, not at all! I even helped Sissy carry the bag."
Jules raised his eyebrows. "Oh, is that so?"
Elara walked toward them and handed the medicines to her father. "Yes, he did," she said.
Jules took the medicine and potion bottles from her hand with a nod. He turned to Jacob with a smile. "Good boy. Keep helping your sister like that. You know she works hard, and while your mother is ill, you both have to be strong."
"Oh, Father, the doctor told me to tell you to take care of Mother—she needs rest."
Jules hummed. "I will. And you, don't worry her either."
"She isn't sleeping… I think she's started thinking again," Elara said.
Jules sighed. "What can I do? I tell her to rest and not worry, but I think her healing is getting slower when she's having any company."
"Company?" Elara asked, raising a brow. She hadn't noticed that before, but she thought her father might be right.
"Oh, Elara!"
Before Elara could ask for a clear answer from her father, she heard someone calling her name. She turned toward the stairs and saw Mrs. Mathron hurrying down. The woman quickly hugged her tightly, then cupped Elara's face with both hands.
"Oh, my dear, are you alright?" she asked with concern.
Elara cleared her throat. "Yes, Mrs. Mathron. I'm quite fine. What could possibly happen to me?"
Mrs. Mathron sighed in relief as she pulled her hands back from Elara's face. "Thank God. I was worried about you." She leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I heard the Third Prince visited yesterday."
Elara coughed lightly as she heard this. Mrs. Mathron, noticing her discomfort, didn't want to push the topic further in front of her family. She turned to Jules instead. "Take good care of her. She's my precious and daily customer."
Jules chuckled. "Don't worry about that." He glanced at his daughter once before turning back to Mrs. Mathron with a warm smile. "She's my daughter before she's your daily customer."
Mrs. Mathron chuckled softly. "Yes, indeed."
"Oh, but I came to your store yesterday morning," Elara said. "It was closed, which is unusual — you always open in the morning no matter what, right?" She raised an eyebrow at her, and Mrs. Mathron nodded at the statement.
"Yes, I do," she replied.
"Then why was it closed?" Elara asked in a low voice.
Mrs. Mathron cleared her throat. "Oh, nothing too serious. I just had some work to do in the morning, so I opened the shop late."
Elara hummed thoughtfully, and Mrs. Mathron patted her shoulder. "Alright then, see you at the store tomorrow. I won't take long to open it this time," she said with a warm, motherly smile.
Elara nodded. "Oh, I know you will. Tomorrow then."
"Right. Take care, dear," Mrs. Mathron said as she made her way out.
"She was asking about you," Jules said, looking toward the door where she had just disappeared. "How did she know?"
Elara turned slightly. "Oh… probably from Lily. She must have seen the prince."
"Hmmm… quite observant, she is," Jules replied as he turned back to Elara. "Do you think she'll speak with a big mouth?" he asked. Jules didn't know the lady well; as a traveler, he often had little time for his own family, so he struggled to trust strangers. But Elara knew her well — Mrs. Mathron had helped their family, especially her mother, many times.
Elara shook her head. "I don't think so. I know her — she and her daughter won't spread it."
She sighed and looked around. "Where's Jacob?"
"Hm… probably upstairs with your mother," Jules replied, glancing around. "And by the way, we already had lunch. You should go get some for yourself too." He said as he started walking back to the living room.
"Oh, okay, I will," Elara said as she turned toward the kitchen but paused at the door.
Maybe I should check on Mother first, a thought came to her mind as she made her way upstairs instead. I'll have my meal after that.
As she climbed to the first floor, she saw Jacob approaching.
"Oh, Sissy, Mother wants to see you," he said.
"Yeah, I'm coming," she replied, making her way to her mother's room.
Elara knocked on the door gently. When she heard a response from inside, she opened it slightly.
"Mother…" She looked around and sighed. "Dark again? It's good to see the sun sometimes."
She walked to the window and pulled the curtains open. Beautiful shades of red and orange filled the sky as the sun slowly sank into the horizon.
"Wow… I didn't know it looked so beautiful from up here," she said, turning to her mother. "See that?"
Her mother smiled gently. "Yes, I do. I was about to take a nap — that's why I told Jacob to close them off."
"Oh, my apologies. Should I pull them back?" Elara asked.
Her mother shook her head. "No. Just come here and sit." She patted the empty space beside her on the bed. "The sun is already leaving — it's not that bright anymore."
"Fact," Elara said with a faint smile as she walked over and sat beside her. "How was your day, Mother? I saw Mrs. Mathron coming down the stairs. Did she meet you while I was gone?"
"Yes, she met with me," her mother replied. "We talk but.....She was looking quite worried about you."
"Ah, yeah. Nothing that serious. I heard her concern, and I assured her about any worries she had for me." Elara sighed. "You know, Mother… she's just like you when it comes to my safety."
Her mother smiled faintly and turned to face Elara. "Yes," she said softly, gently rubbing her hand over Elara's cheek. "But a daughter is only truly safe with her own mother. She may act like a mother figure to you, but she still has her own daughter to look after before coming to check on you. And you are my first and only daughter. You'll never…" She coughed mid-sentence, then cleared her throat. "Come second."
Elara smiled warmly. "I know, Mother." She kissed her mother's knuckles. "That's why her concern isn't as important to me as yours."
Then she turned to grab the jug from the nightstand, but as soon as she lifted it, it felt too light. Elara sighed and looked back at her mother. "I'll bring you some water. Wait a little," she said as she stood up from the bed. Her mother nodded before Elara left the room.
Coming downstairs, Elara went into the kitchen to fetch water. She filled the jug, and just as she was about to close its cap and return, a loud knock echoed from the front door. The sudden sound made her jump; her heart started to race. Who could it be at this hour? she thought as she placed the jug on the counter and walked out of the kitchen toward the door.
Her father had also come into the hall. Watching her approach the door, he asked, "Who's there at this time?"
"I don't know," she replied as she opened it — only to find a uniformed man bowing to her and holding out an envelope.
"The Princess is inviting you to her birthday celebration," the man announced. He then gestured to the other uniformed men standing behind him, who stepped forward carrying several boxes.
"Me?" Elara asked, startled.
"Yes," he confirmed, turning toward her. "And she insists that you come with your family. Here is everything you'll need for the party."
"Ah, but—" Before Elara could say anything, the guards began stacking the boxes into her hands one by one, moving with visible haste.
Jules came from behind and stopped, confused by the scene unfolding before him. "What's going on here?"
The man responded quickly, "An invitation from the palace, sir. We apologize for the delay, but you are on the special guest list. The Princess personally insists that you attend — with your whole family."
With that, he gave a short bow and left swiftly, not explaining any further.
"Hey, please wait!" Elara called out, poking her head outside the door — but the carriage had already departed down the road.
She turned back to her father, holding the large boxes and the invitation card tightly in her hands. "What should we do now?"
****
"Mother, no!"
"But Elara, she might want to apologize."
Those were the words that encouraged Elara to give the invitation a chance.
It wasn't just her mother — even her father eventually agreed.
"Maybe they've realized their mistakes. The Princess's birthday celebration isn't a common event where they invite ordinary people. Your mother might be right about this. Give it a try."
Try... That's what they believed. The invitation, along with the luxurious garments, seemed to be a sign of humility.
It also felt like the apology her mother had spoken of — and inviting the whole family suggested they didn't just want to make Elara feel acknowledged, but valued her entire family as important and deserving guests.
Elara finally agreed, and everyone felt relieved. Of course she would — because this time, she knew that wherever she went, her family would be with her. She wouldn't feel alone for even a second.
****
Hours passed, and soon they were ready. Before long, their early-booked carriage arrived at the palace gates.
Surprisingly, before Jules could open the carriage door, a pair of guards in deep red uniforms with white collars stepped forward and opened it for them.
They quickly noticed Elara's mother couldn't walk on her own, so one of the guards signaled another, who promptly brought a chair. Together, they began helping her up the grand entrance staircase, carrying the chair carefully between them — offering the kind of rich, royal-class service the family had never expected to receive.
Elara felt a little uneasy, knowing this kind of treatment wasn't given to commoners. But how could she refuse when it was the only way her mother could reach the main hall?
Jules was occupied, making sure his wife was comfortable, while Elara held Jacob's small hand tightly in hers as they climbed the stairs slowly to match her mother's pace. Then suddenly —
"Elara…"
Her hand tightened around Jacob's as she froze mid-step. That voice… she knew it instantly, without a doubt.
She lifted her gaze.
"What are you doing here?" Sebastian asked, descending the stairs toward her.
He looked concerned — or perhaps… worried?
Why? Doesn't he know why I'm here? The thought raced through Elara's mind, leaving her both confused and uneasy.