BXBX NOVEL Chapter 216 - Heartbreaking
His heart sunk.
The farmhouse, the nursery, the stable, and other wooden structures were nowhere to be seen, everything was burnt to the ground.
The Helman's Family Farm no longer existed!
It was gone!
The memorable place where he married Laura was destroyed by the enemies.
Nothing to see there anymore, he can't even retrieve some personal stuff for Laura's parents 'coz all their belongings were gone!
He left the farm with a heavy heart and teleported back to Moraderry Town to report everything to his wife and his in-laws.
A few seconds later, he landed in the living room of his manor.
He climbed the stairs and went to the master's bedroom, he found his wife standing on the window looking gloomily at the view outside.
Laura looked behind her. "Husband, you're back!" she said happily.
"Yes, I'm back to report some news to you and your parents, I'm afraid it's sad news," Graven said, he kept his distance from her because he is dirty and smells raw blood.
"Oh, that's sad..." she can only mumble.
"Wife, I'm going in the bathroom to clean myself, then I'll tell you everything after I'm done bathing," he said.
Laura nodded her head. "Okay..."
Graven went inside the bathroom and cleaned his body thoroughly with soap.
He emerged fresh and feeling better twenty minutes later.
Laura was already sitting on the bed waiting for her husband.
Graven settled himself beside her on the bed.
Laura looked at him. "Can you tell me now what happened to our farm?" she asked.
Graven released a deep sigh and started from the beginning. "After Grandpa and I left, we proceed to the headquarter and we immediately tend to the injured, administering medicine on their wounds and making them comfortable as much as we can..." he said.
"Continue..." she encouraged him.
"Several of my men were critically injured but already out of danger. Unfortunately..."
"What-?" Laura's heart skipped a beat.
"Five workers of the farm were already gone, they suffered fatal stab on their bodies and didn't survive, they died a few minutes after we rescued them from the carnage," Graven revealed.
Poor souls! Laura bit her lower lip as fresh tears emerged from her eyes. "Where are the dead bodies now?" she asked in a dispirited voice.
"I instructed my men to give them a proper burial in the forest near the headquarter," he replied.
"Thank you!" Laura said sadly. She broke down in front of her husband, fat tears rolled on her face.
Graven hugged his wife and rubbed her back soothingly, consoling her. "Shh... don't be too sad... our baby will also get sad inside your tummy," he reminded her. He knew that too much emotional stress is not good for pregnant women because it might affect the growing baby inside their womb.
Laura continues sobbing in her husband's loving arms.
Ten minutes later, her tears finally subsided. She wiped the tears on her face with the hem of her dress. Then she stood up. "Please, come with me to my parent's room. They need to know the whole truth no matter how painful it is," she said.
"Okay, I'll tell them everything," he responded.
Graven and Laura exited the master's bedroom and proceed to the old couple's room.
They found Sofia inside the room helping her mother arranging clothes in the closet.
Simon was standing beside the window looking at the view outside, he wore a gloomy expression on his face.
Laura addressed them. "Guys, my husband has something to report about the current status of the farm and the workers..." she said in a voice filled with misery.
Rosa and Sofia sat on the bed, Simon joined them. They looked at Graven with their expectant faces, preparing for the bad news.
Graven cleared his throat. He hates to be the bearer of bad news but he's got to do it. "I'm sorry to inform you all that out of fifty workers, forty-five survived and alive while five have been fatally wounded and passed away. My men already gave the deceased workers a proper burial in the forest near my headquarter. As of the moment the survivors were taken care of by Grandpa Terros and my men. They will survive!" he said confidently.
The atmosphere inside the room switched to unbearable sadness.
The women were reduced to tears and the room was filled with their heartbreaking cries.
Simon tried hard not to shed tears, but his heart was already bleeding inside. He remembered the faces of those pitiful servants, he brought them from the slave market, give them a new life, and made them work on his farm. He gave them a salary every month with free house accommodation and food and treated them like family.
Now five of them were dead! It breaks his heart into tiny pieces. Such a waste of innocent lives!
Simon looked at his son-in-law. "How about the farm? What is the current status of the farm?" he asked.
Graven took a deep breath. "The farmhouse, the plant nursery, the stables, the servants' quarters, and all the wooden structure were burned to the ground. The farm right now is like an abandoned land, everything was torched," he said sadly.
Simon's tears finally fall from his eyes and he cried along with his family. Laura joined her grieving family in the bed, hugging them, trying to comfort them.
Graven released a deep sigh. This is such a sad and tragic day for the entire Helman Family! He can't bear the suffocating sadness and pain circulating inside the room. He needs to get out, away from here!
He went to his wife's side and whispered. "I gotta go... I need to go back to the wounded and attend to their needs," he said.
Laura nodded her head, tears streaming down her face.
Graven planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and left the room. Outside the room, he teleported back to the headquarter.
When he arrived there, the bloodstains on the ground were already gone and the survivors were already resting inside the five makeshift tents that were swiftly erected by Graven's men.
He inspected the tent, all the survivors were now wearing clean clothes and lying on the wooden bed, resting and sleeping peacefully.
After seeing that all patients were well taken care of and in good condition, Graven exited the tent and went to Calder's side who is supervising the cooking.
"What are you cooking, guys?" Graven asked.
"My Lord, we are cooking porridge for dinner sprinkled with bits of pieces of chicken meat, herbs, and spices. On the other pot, we are boiling the herbal broth to make the patient's wound heal fast, as per instruction by Grandpa Terros," Calder replied.
"Good! Where is Horace?" he asked.
"He went back to town to get some supplies and check the condition there," Calder answered.
Graven was pleased with the efficiency of his men during times of tragedy. "Keep up the good work, guys!" he said.
Calder smiled. "We're just doing our job, my lord!" he said.
Graven looked around the area, he can't find the old man. "By the way, where is Grandpa Terros?" he asked.
"He's resting inside the hut, my lord," Calder replied.
"Okay, I'll go and see him," Graven said. He left Calder's side and entered the wooden hut. He found Terros sleeping soundly on the bed, already wearing clean clothes. Up in the table were his medicinal tools.
Graven sighed and sat on the chair facing the old man. He closed his eyes for a moment wanting to rest his weary head.
A few minutes later.
Calder entered the hut, he brought a cup of coffee for his boss. He put the cup on the table. "My lord, drink your favorite coffee," he offered.
"Thank you, Calder. If Horace already returned, tell him to come to me. I need to ask him something," Graven said.
"Noted, my lord. If nothing else, I'll take my leave," Calder spoke.
"You may go now," Graven replied and took a sip of his favorite coffee.
Calder walked to the door and exited.
A few minutes later.
Terros had woken up and looked at Graven. "Son, how long did I fall asleep?" he asked.
"I have no idea, old man. When I come back here you're already sleeping on the bed," Graven answered.
"I see... " Terros get up from the bed and went to Graven's side.
"Do you want coffee? I'll make you one," Graven offered.
"Nah, I just want to go home and check on my house. My chickens and plants already missed me," Terros replied with a smile.
"Alright, just come back here tomorrow if you're not busy," Graven said.
"Okay, I'll return here tomorrow morning after breakfast, you can count on that. Bye!" Terros responded and grabbed his medicinal toolbox. "I gotta go!" he said and vanished from the room in the blink of an eye.
Graven continues sipping his coffee.
The door opened and Horace entered.
"You asked for me, my lord?" Horace asked.
Graven looked at his right hand. "How's the overall news all around the South Pond Town?" he inquired.
"Generally peaceful, my lord!" Horace answered.
"How's my father and his family?" Graven continues his questions.
"They're fine, my lord," Horace responded.
"Good, have you already rested?" he asked.
"Tonight I will rest, my lord," Horace said.
"Alright, if something comes up that is out of the ordinary around the town, inform me right away!" he ordered.
"Noted, my lord!" Horace replied.
"You may go now," Graven dismissed him.
Horace nods his head, walked to the door, and exited.
Graven was left alone in the hut, thinking about the survivors. He's pondering what he's going to do with them now that the farm is already gone?