Nora's POV 7

"I don't know why you keep quiet when I ask something?" she asked frustrated. He lowered his head not ready to answer her question. Nora shrugged her shoulders and walked toward her house better to ask a wall rather than to ask him anything. The cold evening was already enough to get worried so she let him accumulate the woods in the corner of the kitchen and washed the herbs for making hot soup. This was the last thing that could be used to fill their empty belles. 

The young man went out to check the surroundings again, according to his experience the people or that specific woman might send someone but after waiting long, he thought that perhaps they won't bother again. He entered the house and smelled an aroma of herbs, he could distinguish one of the herbs which was known for the soothing properties but he was amazed as to how the little girl was aware about the herbs. 

"There is nothing else in the house other than this soup, do you want to taste it?" Nora came out of the kitchen bringing two cups of soup. He picked one and sat on the ground if it was not soup he might have refused again. Nora also sat on the ground though it was a little cold for her to sit on the bare floor. "From now on; there won't be a source of money unless I earn it with hard work, no money means no food and no food means real starvation, do you know what is starvation?" she sipped from the cup and spoke out her concerns. 

He did not speak: Nora carefully observed the man sitting in front of her and remembered that he did not look at her again after she banged against him but he did not show expressions as if he took her as someone taking advantage or a bad girl. This means his heart was clean of such dirty thoughts. He slightly nodded his head to tell that he understood what starvation was. 

"It's good that you understand then there is only one way which I know to earn if a farmer has no lands to harvest crops and that is to cut the woods from forest and sell them in the town or just wander in the town and look for daily wages jobs. The former one is a little uncertain since I have no experience in facing the sharp people of the town. Small amount of wood sold in the town would earn me enough for a day or two." The town was divided in many parts and the woods were sold on high prices keeping the fact that the winter was almost breaking now. 

He nodded again. "Alright! From tomorrow I will start working to earn a living. If you want to live here you can live but you have to earn your food yourself." She announced and stood up. This man was completely different from what she heard from the old aunt living neighborhood, she used to tell that if she ended up in front of a random man he might stare at her and force to commit to him. If someone points out why she was willing to let him live here then she might think it deeply. It was because she started liking his ways; sometimes he appeared valiant and powerful and other times he appeared obedient and silent. 

Nora closed the door of her room and sat on her bed. After a long time, she was feeling contented with what she has and what not. There was a small fear in her heart what would she do if the man suddenly disappeared just like he came a few days ago, she shook her head and took the blanket over her. 

The soup was perfect for the cold so it let her sleep sound. Outside the room, the man picked a few covers and fell flat on the ground to take some rest; his eyes were wide opened and looking toward the worn out wooden ceiling, his eyes felt heavy and he closed them. The sleep was peaceful until a wooden plank fell on him burning. He stood up and saw the flames rising high from outside, without wasting time, he reached the door and knocked. The little girl was in her room and perhaps did not sense the fire flames. 

The gamblers made sure to spill as much fuel as they could to let the house burn within minute time and the inhabitants of the house possibly don't get a chance to survive. Nora woke up with the sharp knocking and she was little annoyed but as soon as she witnessed the fire flames, she hurriedly opened the door. There was no time to talk how this fire broke, the man grabbed her hand and ran toward the door but the poor door fell right in their feet burning, they looked around to find a way to get out of the house but it seemed they won't get a chance to save themselves. 

The flames were reaching them from all sides and Nora dismayingly hid her face in his chest, "I don't want to see death coming to catch us." Her muffled trembling voice was heard by him. He immediately took off his upper cover and wrapped his arms around her. Nora looked at him 'was this man trying to take advantage of her in the middle of the crisis?' She thought.

As if he understood and forcefully let her embrace his naked chest, if she resisted more her skin might burn with the coming flames so he was compelled to use force. After hiding her in his chest, he created a strong layer of frost. There was no way to run around and get burnt with the flames especially if the little girl would get hurt seriously. Using his inner frost envelope the whole house was impossible; what if someone was keeping eyes at the house, there won't be any explanation if word spread moreover using his inner frost was out of question presently just to save the little girl. 

Nora was feeling the burning flames before and her skin could sense the upcoming death but after she was forced to embrace the chest, it was like the flames never existed around her.