Chapter 11

"We're used to staying for days without food; didn't I tell you that this weak girl was rippled?" said one of the men, on purpose, to be heard by Taya, who did not respond to him, but some men helped her bring firewood and set fire.

It only took an hour for the fish to be reached. She took out her sharp knife from her bag and went out to cook that huge amount of fish. Some guys helped her while others stayed out of the picture frame.

In a short period of time, the nice smell of grilled fish swept the air, grabbing the attention of those men who were starving. She knew that nobody in Tulip lands would accept her, but she had to try till death. She distributed food to Orig men, and while she was waiting there without eating anything, she planned to have the meal with her husband. 

"Oh my lady, I have never tasted any better than this flavor in my life." 

Said one of the men to be interrupted by the neighing of the horses of Orig, who attended empty-handed. 

There was nothing to be hunted; what they concluded was that something frightened the animals until they completely disappeared from the area around the river; there was not a trace of a single life. 

Orig was looking with his shap cold gazes for Taya; he was some how pleased by seeing her, noticing what she did in his absence; he didn't comment and went to have a talk with his men. 

Taya served the fish dish Orig after sitting on the tree's terrace; her tent was a little more extreme than the rest of his men's tents.

He ate what was in the whole dish and asked for more. Taya was glad and wished to fly; in the past, he never tasted the food she prepared; rather, he used to throw all her work and break the plates before her eyes, which lasted for eight years of their marriage. A tear or two dropped on her cheeks. 

"There's still a lot on the coals; I felt bad; the men of Orig caught a lot of fish after I tasted their delicious taste." 

Taya whispered, adding more to his dish. 

"Why don't you eat?"

Orig, who saw her staring at every bite, put it in his mouth, and how the birds of her stomach were chirping, he pulled her to him until she sat on his lap. She was surprised by his reaction.

'Did he go hunting and lose his mind?' Taya thought while watching him give her food with his hands. 

"I have my hands and I can..." Before she continued, he put the food in her mouth; it was a big bite, almost choking her. 

She got up coughing. "Are you trying to kill me?" she screamed as Orig smiled sarcastically. 

"I wish I could; you dance on my rage, "Orig whispered as Taya took the plate from him and said: 

"Come on, man, just cool down; I won't die, and I won't leave on your own, husband."

"You know something, I'm not the one who prefers seafood, but," said Orig after making sure she had finished her plate. He started to head towards her until he besieged her at the stem of the tree. He bent to her level, which she could feel with his hot breath on her neck. 

"I don't want you to cook again; let them starve to death; no one is going to get food done by you, only me, you understand?"

He declared. 

"It was nothing but a roast fish on the wood; it wasn't a big deal, and they are your men." 

She whispered between her breaths; he raised her chin and then said,

"Taya is not a request, but an order from me; I will make you regret it if someone else eats your food."

His tone of voice this time was cold; with difficulty, Taya swallowed her saliva, staring at those sharp eyes.

"Don't put too many hopes on him; not that he has praised your food and dedicated it to himself, it means that he has feelings for you."

Taya sighed after Orig ordered her to go back to the tent and not get out of it.

She looked at where he had spent last night beside her. 'And that night would mean nothing to him,' she added. Listening to those laughs and the sounds of Orig's men quarreling while sipping wine, it seemed as if they were listening.

"Fuck, the universe doesn't revolve around you or your feelings. Wake up, Taya,

She sighed to lie in bed, tired of waiting for him to come; she was still looking, waiting for his loving side. 

She felt cold air entering the tent, but she was tired of being able to open her eyes; cooking that much food and with a body that did not fully recover due to an immature act was not good for her health.

She was planning to impress him and make him make sure that she was not just ignorant, as Yuray described her, as she did care about his opinion, not the rest in particular.

Orig sat next to her on the bed, watching her peacefully asleep, approaching her face, whispering, "Never get poisoned again." 

His tone of voice was tender, melt in kindness, and anxious; Taya would love to hear those words.

Taya grabbed his arm spontaneously; his face was reddish; he only had wine on special occasions; he drank too much to try to forget the feeling he had when he saw her, preparing all those dishes for his men; he got angry every time he thought about it.

Quietly he laid her hand on the bed; he wouldn't control himself if her innocent face stayed next to him while she was asleep, pushing himself back to get off all those fantasies in his mind, but she had previously rejected his touch, and that hurt his pride and dignity.