It was in the midst of the premises of my mansion that I first met the orphan child for whom I became I sorrowful hero. Being the naive and arrogant stoic of the Lambert lineage, I disobeyed the teachers appointed by my wealthy father and went off to play in a hidden orchard behind the manor. What came before me one day was an exquisite young girl, dressed up in rags and skin bare enough to show bruises and wounds. I found my heart leap out of my chest. I had never met another human except for my father and the servants, females were something I couldn't even dream of. The girl's legs trembled and she fell on the ground like a rose wilting. 'Maria! Darling, won't you serve me some tea?' I called out to the girl I met in my childhood. I was hoping to receive a slap or at least an insult but to my astonishment, she nodded and went to prepare tea. Maria was a hot-tempered woman and didn't care if I was an heir to a fortune when she slapped me at my flirting attempts. I had an endearment for her but I couldn't confess because the man she loved had died, leaving her in the past with two young boys. It had been three years since that and she had regained her aggressiveness but the feeling of loneliness still pursued her like a predator chasing it's prey. In the evening, I visited Maria's house like I'd used to every Thursday. Her boys ran out of the apartment to greet me and ask for gifts. I enticed them with two books from their favourite author : Charles Dickens. I adored these children, almost wishing they were mine. I shaked my head at the mortifying thought and blissfully went inside the blemished and small apartment. A room in my manor would equal to the size of the apartment. Inside, I sighted an occurrence that would haunt me forever. Maria lay on the ground while breathing heavily. I picked her up and lay her on the bed. What added to my anxiety was how light she was. Her once beautiful skin had turned pale as the morning sky, Her eyes had sunken into her skin and her lips were dry and crisped. Her hands clutched a piece of paper. I carefully took it and read it. My eyesight blurred while reading. She was diagnosed with heart cancer for half a year. She raised her hands and put it against her boys' cheeks who were weeping. She gazed at me with her grey, intelligent eyes and whispered, 'I'm sorry for depending on you since we've met. I promised myself I'd repay your kindness after you got me work and let me live in the mansion but...it looks like I put you in trouble again...Claudius...Thank you for everything...You taught me about families and love. I wouldn't have received them alone. You're my hero...' Did you ever feel blinded by love? Well, if you did, it must have been for a small period. I hugged the man maria married, I didn't tell maria I loved her, I made sure I did everything I could to make her ecstatic, I even adopted her children after her demise. Her hero, she called me. I guess heroes are born without superpowers too.
