"It's a dinner invitation." Everyone screams in excitement with the thought of eating fancy food.
"Are we going to eat outside?" "Can I try fish?" "I want to eat something sweet!" "Me too!"
"BE QUIET!" One yell from Alexia silenced everyone. "Outside. Now."
I watched as they all ran outside, glancing at me with anticipation. "You don't have to be that hard on them, they are kids."
Alexia takes the cup from my hands. "Grandma invited you for dinner?"
"Looks like it. You are coming too." My eyes land on Dora, who was deep under a pile of clothes stacked in the corner.
"Why though? And so suddenly?"
'I can't find the girl's clothes.' Dora whispers in my mind.
I avoid eye contact with Alexia and watch Dora jumping around clothes. "I-I don't know. By the way… Uh. Where do you keep your clothes?"
Alexia raises her eyebrow in suspicion. "What? Are you hiding something from me?" She walks up to directly in front of me.
"Uh, no. No, I was just curious if you wash them or not."
Without any warnings, Alexia climbs onto the bed and puts her lips close to my neck. 'Holy shit. What is she doing?'
I raise my hands to push her away, but I hesitate to touch her slender waist at the last second. I could feel her breathing close to my necks. Then, she sniffs me. "Hmm. You stink. Come on, give me your clothes, I wash them for you."
Dora laughs hysterically as Alexia walks away with my coat while I seat on bed, all stunned. 'This feels like I am witnessing one of those romance novels written by a virgin which appeals to people who also never felt a touch of a woman. Hahaha!'
"Don't just sit there and pass the clothes." Alexia's shout snaps me out.
I stand up and take my shirt off. "Get everyone ready for dinner, we are going to eat at the tavern. The kids wanted to go outside." I toss my shirt in the pile of clothes.
"Wait!" Alexia picks up the shirt and fold it neatly. "Don't put big sister's clothes among others. She is not here so I have to wash it for her."
With a huge question mark on my face, I turn back. "Huh? Big sister? You mean Helen? These were Helen's clothes?"
"Of course."
'Melsier, you bastard! Why did you give me your wife's clothes?' I held my head let out an exaggerated gasp.
"What? You didn't know?"
I look up at Alexia and notice Dora who was sneaking close to her legs. "No." I slowly watch the mouse jump onto Alexia's long skirt.
"Huh. Even with the sweet smell? And the obvious size difference? Especially around the ches-"
I grab a random person's pants. "AHHH! I GOT IT! I AM OFF TO WASH MY FACE! MEET ME OUTSIDE!" I purposely bump into Alexia while running outside half naked.
Inside, Alexia was left confused. "Why did he run off like that?"
Behind the house, I put dip my face into the barrel which was full of rainwater. 'Even mentioning a woman's bosom, a taboo to you?'
I take my face out and glance at Dora who was holding some rugged pants for me. "Shut up and pass the pants." I snatch pants from her tiny hands.
'Ara? Aren't you ashamed to appear naked infront of a proper lady?'
"Lady? Where?"
'I am! I am the proper lady! A woman!'
I take my pants off and neatly fold them. "You are no lady. You are mouse who has a soul of an old hag."
My words struck the witch's heart. 'How dare you? I am lady! And I never forget this! Wait till, I get my body back.'
"Whatever. Tell me about the illusion spell? Is it active?" I put on the new pants and dip my head one more time, to wash my hair.
'Well, I couldn't check the illusion as I couldn't make any direct skin contact with her but I didn't feel any negative energy from her.' I hear Dora's words in my mind.
'Maybe Jerald was hitting on her just because he could.' I give an excuse to my own worries.
After massaging my scalp for few minutes, I make my way to the front. In the front yard, the kids were sitting together watching the stars in the sky. Rushian spotted me first. "Look! Altaris is here!"
They all got up and ran towards me. "Altaris! I am hungry!"
"I know, we are going outside for dinner."
"Really where?" Gerblt asked.
I gently pulled his chubby cheeks. "Hehe. To the tavern. Didn't Alexia tell you?"
"Ughh. She hasn't come out, yet!"
"She hasn't?"
The main door suddenly opens and she walks out. Wearing a beautiful long white dress, it is decorated with bird illustrations on the shoulders with a see-through cloth for the stomach area. It was modest dress which covered Alexia from neck to toes. 'Hmm. After all, Helen was a priest class.'
'Who?'
Ignore the small mouse on my shoulder and approach Alexia. "This dress is really pretty."
Alexia blushes and looks away. "This is big sister's Helen's wedding dress. It is hard to move in, I wanted to practice before attending the dinner tomorrow."
I smile at her. "Yes, that's a great area. I bet you are going to another interrogation from the tavern lady."
Alexia chuckles at my joke. "Yeah. She is talks too much."
Suddenly, a light brown haired short girl approached Alexia and held her dress. "Uwahh! This is big sister Helen's dress!"
I pat the girl's head. "Yes, Lumi. It is."
Lumi looks up at me and innocently asks. "Is sister Alexia going to marry Altaris?"
My face turns foul as I look away.
"Hey! Lumi, where did you learn this?" Red faced Alexia picks Lumi up and scolds her. "It is not respectful behaviour."
"But big sister wore this and brother Melsier married her."
"That's a different thing."
Meanwhile, other kids are having totally different discussions. "Yep, I want juice in wedding party." "It should be sweet! Not bitter." "How about a cake? For the wedding?"
"Everyone be quiet!" Alexia snaps.
I just stare at the kids with a smile. 'Lumi, she is a curious one.' Dora whispers.
'Shut up.'
The rest of the night was just filled with such incidents. The kids laughed and joked while Alexia struggled to keep them calm. The entire tavern's atmosphere was extra alive because of us. At first, the tavern owner didn't let us in but after me and Alexia stepped up, he had to comply.
The kids enjoyed the food and even sang a song with the local bard. Kela was sleeping with the neighbours tonight. We stayed until the very end. I caught Rushian and Dora trying to steal a sip of alcohol, I didn't tell Alexia but I scolded both of them.
On the way back, I was carrying 4 children on my back. Now, the children were sleeping soundly below. I looked at the ugly celling and smiled. 'Such a great day.'
"Psst! Altaris?" I heard a whisper, it wasn't Dora as she is fast asleep below. I turned to the side and saw Alexia looking at me. She already changed into a long shirt which covered her knees. "It is cramped in here, do you have space on the bed?"
Normally, me and Kela sleep on the top but she was not here today, there was plenty of space. Before I could open my mouth to answer, Alexia stood up and snooped into the bed. "Fran and Magni are bit restless today." She was still whispering, her brown eyes curiously looking at me. "I want to say something."
I felt my heart skip a bit. This only happened twice in my entire two lives.
"But first I want to apologize. For blaming you for Grandpa Ryhard's death. I am sorry."
I fight the urge to touch Alexia's white hair which gleamed platinum under the moon's shine.
"I shouldn't have said that." She buries her head in the blanket, hiding her bright red face. "I want to thank you for coming. For staying with us. Tonight was one of my best nights ever. I never seen everyone this happy. Not since we left the orphanage. Things only gotten bad since then." Alexia curls into a ball, her body slowly inching into mine. "The plague, grandpa's death and big sister's arrest. I was so scared. But then you appeared."
She looks up, her forehead bumps into my chin. Slowly she starts to raise, closer to my face. "Thank you, Altaris."
At the last second, I turn to the other side, my back facing Alexia. "Thanks. Now sleep."
Alexia smiles at me and hugs my back. "Yes."
'What am I doing? She can never be her.'