Four

Arya tossed and turned in the bed. She couldn't sleep.

"Are you okay Arya?" Thornin asked from the couch.

"I am fine, I just can't sleep."

"well,do you want to talk to me?"

"What would we talk about?"

"Anything."

Arya sat up so she could see him. He also sat up.

"How did you become a servant here?" she asked.

"I am an orphan, my mom died when I was five. I stayed at the city's orphanage until it was fifteen and then all the older children were sent out. Lord Rattanakul took me to his house and I have been here ever since."

"How old are you now?" she asked.

"Twenty two."

"I am nineteen."

"So three years difference, huh."

"so you have been a servant for seven years? Why haven't you left? They don't treat you well. The little I saw at school and the day I came is enough evidence that you aren't treated well."

Thornin chuckled. "Arya, Lord Adisorn treats me well and that's all that counts. Lady Amara has a hot temper and as long as I stay out of her way, things are fine. Besides, where would I go?"

"So you have no one?"

"I have you now, at least for as long as we are married."

She smiled, "That's true, we have each other. I guess, I am an orphan too."

"We the orphans need to stick together, right?"

"right."

"Arya, can I ask you something?"

"You want to ask me about what happened between I and Wanna, right?"

"if you don't want to answer, it's fine. I won't force you. I am just curious."

"I met Wanna when she was being bullied by some students. She was a scholarship student and was being a goody student by reporting some truant students. I took her under my wings and taught her everything about the school. She had no friends, my only friend was Saran, my childhood friend and fiance. I didn't trust people easily. I trusted Wanna and let her in. Soon, the three of us, I, Wanna and Saran became a tight group."

"So what went wrong?" Thornin asked.

"Saran started behaving differently. We became distant, we got into a lot of fights. Wanna became the glue holding us together. She always mediated our fights. I would confide in her my fears and she would comfort me. And then Saran broke off our engagement. He wouldn't tell anyone the reason he did this. My parents blamed me for everything. Wanna was there to comfort me through everything and I was so grateful to her until I found out she was in a relationship with him. The two of the had been having an affair behind my back."

"Are you sure?" Thornin asked.

"Yes, I saw the love letters they exchanged. I stalked them and watched as they kissed, and did all their lovey dovey stuff. He was going to get married to her in a secret ceremony and tell his parents later. I was so furious, I couldn't think of anything, I just wanted to hurt her. I waited for her in her room and confronted her."

"did she admit to it?"

"At first she denied it, but eventually she confessed and tried to gaslight me by blaming it on me. She, my so-called best friend had betrayed me by sleeping with my fiance and still blamed me. I got so angry and attacked her with a knife. I get stabbing her. It was until Saran pulled me away from her that I knew what I had done. I was wrong for stabbing her, I know that. But she betrayed me first"

Thornin left the couch and knelt before her, taking her hands in his.

"I am sorry, I didn't know that's what happened."

Arya shrugged. "Nobody asked me what happened, everybody was just focused on what i did. Saran and Wanna never told anyone either, I am sure in a few months, they would announce their relationship and everyone would support them."

"Its okay Arya."

"I don't want to get that angry again. My nanny said my anger is just like bush fire and if I fail to contain it, it becomes disastrous."

"Arya, do you know the meaning of my name?" Thornin asked her.

"It means Earth. Arya, whenever you get that angry, I will end that fire and bring you back to earth."

"Promise?"

"I promise." he replied with a smile.

Arya smiled back and as she went to bed, that smile returned to her face.

Arya and Thornin became closer, he would come back early and they would eat dinner together and talk till they fell asleep.

Arya started looking forward to him coming back from work. She would force herself awake in the morning so she could talk to him before he went to work.

Things were going well until one particular day.

Pim had dished out Arya's food as was going to give it to her as usual.

"Where are you taking that? Are you not eating in the kitchen?" Lady Amara had asked Pim.

Pim looked at her nervously. Lady Amara rarely came to the servant quarters. Why was she here today?

"Can't you answer me or are you deaf?" Lady Amara asked.

"It's for Arya"

"Arya?"

"Yes, Thornin's wife"

"Why are you bringing her food? Is she bedridden? Can't she come get her food herself."

Pim kept quiet.

"answer me!" Lady Amara yelled.

"Arya doesn't leave her room, Pim usually brings her food everyday." another servant chimed in.

"I see, go call that Arya for me." Lady Amara instructed.

The servant nodded and rushed to call Arya.

Some minutes later, Arya arrived with the servant.

"So Lady Arya, as the mistress you are, you lounge in your room and instruct my servant to get you food."

"It's not like that." Arya defended herself.

"It's what, it seems you don't know your place, you are nothing but a servant. You should be out here working just like that stupid husband of yours."

Arya kept quiet, she didn't know what to say.

"Now listen everyone, she must come out here to take her food like the rest of you. And she must work too. As a matter of fact, I have some things for you to do Arya and until you do them, you won't eat. Understood?"

"Yes, my Lady" Arya replied obediently.

"Come with me." Lady Amara instructed.