Chapter five

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RED.

I was absorbed in revenge, watching the sweat on her forehead intensify brought me a great amount of victory. Her steps were slow, picking up the cloth, and heading back to try it on so it could be displayed right in front of me. l was spellbound by her beauty when she wore the velvet gown and in everything, she looked enthralling.

She was at two hundred and fifty and I had the whole night to spend just watching her do this. Her steps weakened and there was a frown on her face as she almost tripped before catching herself. She moved closer, swiping her forehead waiting for me to give my decree.

"Turn around." I told her as I made a fake yawn. She turned slowly and paused, her posture weakening.

Are you hot dear? She gave no response and I hated that more than anything.

"Since you have nothing to say, I would answer that for you."

"Follow me." I commanded, standing and leading the way.

Ingrey was at its cold season and the some ponds all over the village were turning into ice. The village was more fraught with this cold especially in rivers and streams. This particular pond was linked to that of the village and it carried more hoarfrost than other ponds in the manor. The rimes were as hard as rock, the waters are chilling and blood freezing. Maids who have broken laws of different kind were always given the punishment I'm about to bestow on her.

Go in.

She gazed before the cold water, staring back at me like she wanted me to take back what I said.

The Sadin obeyed as always, not pleading nor crying. The moment she entered into the ice pond, I immediately saw the chill on her face when she took her first step in. She stayed still, inside the water while her skin seemed to lose its color.

"Only when I permit you to leave, then you are allowed to leave." I said before walking out.

I left the ice pond with uncertainty trapped in my mind.

Was that the right punishment?

Of course, it was. She burnt the scroll. "I don't even want to imagine why she did such; she isn't at any position to disobey."

I brewed a tea that took at least an hour, before relaxing down to sip it slowly, reading scripts and arranging political scrolls. "Eventually, it was about two hours I used in delaying, so her punishment would sip deeply." And then, I stopped what I was doing deciding to relieve her from the punishment.

On returning there, I was shocked by the intensity of tears that were flowing from her eyes, it was heart wrenching; the intensity of her sad was what broke my heart so badly. "Only if she didn't pull such disrespect towards me, I wouldn't have lashed out like I did."

I ordered a servant to instruct her to leave the pond at once; facing her would just be another mistake.

There was pain evident on her face as she was accompanied by the support of the servant; she took little steps until she was able to lay down.

Why did she have to set ablaze the matrimonial scroll? She isn't destined to this existence to show her emotions, hasn't she and her clan done enough to the people of Ingrey already?

Maybe, she was just retelling me that I will never be hers even in this life too.

I walked out from the room with the guilt my heart had been puncturing on.

What if she?

What if what you fool?

She was the same Sadin and there was no doubt except she was totally different if I beg to differ. Her child-like innocence built in her careful charisma was definitely something to put into consideration. Sage was never like that, she loved to describe her feminine power in respect to a man's.

"A woman, brave enough to rummage for a lion with the purpose of trying to prove her worth to the male." That kind of woman wasn't what I was seeing in front of me every day, and stupidly I was actually starting to find it attractive.

"Her face, she's a curse, I reminded myself."

✰⍣✰

I approached the black steed that had been prepared by a stable worker, today was the day I had to give a convincing reply as to why I brought back the Sadin. Unlike how I told Eros that it was all for lust, I couldn't say the same to the king. I mounted unto it and headed for the castle; awaiting the matter I already knew the king was going to debate on.

It looked like I would always have to recap to these people once again that I had every right to keep her breathing. I had the right to torture her before I would let her go.

Would I really let her go?

My cause had started to change, I could sense it. The way I felt about her from the beginning isn't the same as now. She's beginning to feel like a responsibility that I should cater for and not a person I should agonize.

"Yes, she burnt the scroll that bonded us and it would take a ceremony to join us back together."

Does this mean that she doesn't want to be with me? I would not be able to do a ceremony now judging by the opinions of others, especially now that the King has summoned me.

"Judging by his disposition, we were alike and we wouldn't give up anything we held to our hearts."

I had the utmost praise of the people even more than the king himself. My worth was priceless in the lands of Ingrey. I knew everyone feared for the prophecy repeating itself and losing a being that brought peace but I had married her with the intention of keeping her close and causing her pain in accordance to the promise she gave but never fulfilled. The only problem is that day by day, I seem to lose that agility to seek revenge.

"I seem to forget why I actually fought back to this world."

It wasn't to die again for sure, but then, how could I take such an innocent life? Even if this was another test, it was still so pure to take. The manner in which she was so biddable, would never protest even when I punished her but I became worried as of last night.

She pushed my arms that grabbed her when she wandered like a mad woman towards nowhere, calling the names of her sisters. That was the only thing this particular Sadin seemed to care about. She accepted all of the penances because of the threat I once placed on these sisters of hers, not like she had a choice though.

As days passed, I was entranced by her pureness and tranquility in the midst of everything and even when she made no movement, my body was ignited with an intensity no woman had ever welcomed me with.

And they ask me to kill her? Was I walking into the same mistake again? I had no notion but one thing was certain, I wanted to have her in my bed again.

"Perhaps, on a rainy night--her small frame below me, burning with grievance and passion for me, I wanted that so much.

Deep down, I was still fighting the guilt of when I berserked and took her violently. Yes, I sought her pain from the beginning but not in that manner. I did not conjure up that, I had visualized myself slicing her throat or burning her face in a furnace.

Ah! I'm a stupid being.

The heavens will be dissatisfied; this isn't what they gave me a second chance for.

I surveyed the enormous, massive castle walls in front of me with pride before I marched into it. My father's sweat and blood were put into the foundation of this motherland, warriors sacrificed their lives to this castle before me and one woman could end it.

"Everyone's existence seemed to sojourn because of my death."

The Sadin didn't only put a stop in my life, but the lives of others.

The world paused, I was reborn, then it started again and related events did repeat itself. The prophecy found its way back to the people's ear, just the way the gods do it and as much as I like to deliberate that it only involved me.

It didn't.

It complicated the life of all others, if I eventually died, the people of Ingrey will struggle to have a place to call home. The power of peace lied in my hands.

"A secret that was untold then was told."

The weakness of betrayal and my absence of power caused my passing but most of all, that thing called love killed me!

✰⍣✰

MAYA.

I didn't want to cry mostly because even my tears were freezing and would not be able to water my cheeks. I clutched unto the fur cover made of an enormously thick layer material that the girl who brought me out of the pond covered me with. My teeth were grinding against each other, and still the only thing I was able to picture in my head was why he was so angry with me. It was my cloth I burnt and that was all or perhaps it's because I caused a ruckus?

The only thing I remembered about the fire incident was that while I looked away for a little time. I had started to perceive something burnt and when I diverted my attention back to it, the cold gust had blown my thin garments into the furnace.

I tried to use my hands to drag it out but the thin drapery aroused the fire and transpired, regardless that the cloth was wet. I searched around, opened the drawers unconsciously until I felt a woody end, I grabbed it without looking and reached for the fire. Then, the bedroom door opened which was when he came in.

"And, immediately, I dropped whatever was in my hands to brush my indecency."

I sniffed sharply and shortly as I felt hot and cold at the same time. My head was whirling and my eyes were filled with faintness, I felt extremely weak that breathing was in fact hard for me to continue. My throat needed warmth and every saliva that I swallowed took difficulty to move down.

I have never said a word to the man before, so I won't even be able to find out anyway. I quivered to the cold and opened my eyes slightly to the distant window which was opened. "It bullied me with a strong gust and I motioned for her to close it."

Luckily, she understood and paced to the window to close it up.

The girl ran back to me almost like she cared, and brought something that had warmth closer to me. I presumed it was soup and I didn't hesitate in opening my mouth to acquire a bit of it. "I took a sip of it and it was as just as I assumed."

Brown soup.

She carried it closer to my face and I immediately took over the bowl, gulping all the liquid before placing it back on her hands. I dropped back on the sheets feeling slightly better in my cold chest.

My breathing improved a bit, but the feeling of nausea swallowed me up. I opened my eyes slowly and what I saw was Sia, her hands outstretched towards me with tears in her eyes. I rose weakly, trying to join my hand with hers after much struggle.

Then, I saw Aya, running away from me, I felt frail and weak on my feet. I wanted to give up on the spot but how could I when my sisters were right in front of me.

"I saw them closely now." They were all here, swaying their hands in my direction. The first stride I took was stony but I didn't pay any attention to it. I wanted to touch and talk them once again; tears building up in my eyes as I continued to move forward.

"Where are they going? Why didn't they want to meet me?"

I felt a stinging pain in my legs but I could still see my sisters, I didn't let it affect me. There was a grasp on my arm and I shoved it away, only yearning for the hands of my sisters. It held unto me again and I pushed it off again, far worse than the first. "And when I faced my sisters once more, they had vanished! It was all because of the person that held me back constantly."

With my heart as frail as snow, I gazed at him and saw his appearance clearly for the first time. "I really detest you, why won't you break me already," will you be happy then? Why bother me when you don't want me? Just kill me already! I screamed.

"I felt that hurtful pain in my legs once again, it made my legs frail and wobbly and I bent to place a hand on my knee that was swelling up in pain." In that moment, I was lifted up and was carried in the arms of someone.

✰⍣✰

The pounding in my head was heavy and rusty, my body was in mutiny. I opened my eyes slowly and I could only hold unto my head to control the headache. "Towels and bowls of water surrounded me while I got up and took slow paces, trying not to kick the items on the floor."

I reached for the bathroom to take a pee, the heaviness in my bladder was another problem and after relieving myself, I leaped back to the room before relaxing myself once more.

"This was his way of taking care of me."

The stupid prophecy guaranteed that I could also change his heart and I have kept it mind since the start of my survival. Could I?

He hates me and I hated him too.

I sat staring at the towels and bowls of water before getting up to pick them. Immediately, I heard the deep grumble of his voice about something and he was drawing closer to this room. "As his voice grew louder, I rushed and reached for the bed, holding unto my head as I ran." I grabbed unto to the covers again and tried to produce a sick face.

His approaching steps stopped and I could feel someone sit beside me. He was here!

"You gave your word that she would wake up today but how come she is still like this, he growled."

"Of course, she is supposed to, the stuttering voice explained."

"I will take off your head right this moment for your useless prescription!" He shouted.

I shuddered in my sleep at his threat and I knew it was time to see his face again. I would have to wake up so the physician would keep his head.

I willfully moved one of my fingers and I heard the physician laugh in relief. I opened my eyes slowly and made sure not to stare at him so as not meet those eyes again. He sat on the bed beside me and placed his hand on my forehead.

Are you okay? He asked. I nodded to his question and struggled to sit up before he assisted, helping my back rest to the edge of the bed.

"I will prescribe more effective herbs for her, the physician stated." Red nodded and waved his hands to dismiss him. I exhaled immediately before his face arrived back to mine for his further scrutiny. "And now, he faced me intently."

"This is your new assistant."

He said pointing to the girl who had been by my side since the cold incident.

Why was he giving me an assistant? Had he forgotten I was the same Sadin?

In a second, he stood and left, my eyes tracing his figure as he pursued his way out. I held unto my chest to subsidize the new feeling of my heartbeat. It wasn't a thud portraying fear.

It was an illumination of relief.