Chapter 7
He hadn’t even moved from the doorway, his gaze indulging her legs, when there was a knock at the door.
Knock, knock.
The sound startled Selene so much that it reached her.
For a moment, he felt foolish for thinking he’d been expecting her. He knew damn well she wasn’t, and never would be.
What kind of person must he be to Selene?
To her, he’s just a scoundrel who has bought her.
She thinks she’s been bought like an object.
And how she hates that she’s been forced to marry him, and that he’s been stopping by every night for three days now to see her.
‘My subject.’
Soon Anna was out the door, closing it carefully behind her.
As Barath gathered up the gown to take to Selene, he had the odd thought, ‘I wonder if that little towel is the only thing she has wrapped around her now? And how thin is that towel?’ he wondered.
Moving closer to her as if mesmerised, Barath felt a strange sensation as Selene’s shoulders stiffened as she sensed his approach.
What if he drops the gown he is holding and turns her around? Suddenly, his mind flashed to the image of her already crying.
He cursed himself for being a madman, and was about to put the robe on her when another part of his mind snapped at him.
Why not? That’s what you bought it for, why hesitate? Do you think she’s going to hold your hand because you’re being nice? You expect that? You’re being ridiculous.
‘You’re crazy.’
His eyes narrowed, then opened, and he threw the gown over her shoulders.
His face was set in a frown.
The irritation was plain to see.
Carefully slipping her arms through the robe, Selene shifted slightly, and the irritation faded from Barath’s face.
It was hidden by her hair, but she was red as a ripe tomato from the nape of her neck to her ears, and she spoke in a very small voice.
“Thank you, I thought it was Anna…”
She didn’t look him in the face, but she was probably embarrassed.
Barath lifted one hand and rubbed his chin, squeezed his stiff neck a couple of times to loosen it, then stood with his arms crossed, took a slow, deep breath, and let it out just as slowly.
His mouth opened slowly.
“What did you say? It was so muffled I couldn’t hear you.”
Her eyes flickered with apology, then rolled back in her head.
As if she had to say thank you, she repeated herself.
“Thank you, I thought it was Anna.”
Barath swallowed hard and bowed his head. He tried to bring his ear to hers, but even with his head bent low, it was a long way from her crown.
Then he said the same thing one more time.
“What did you say? Say it a little louder.”
Selene blamed her small voice. Where was all the vocalisation she’d practised in her acting studies?
Seeing Barath tilt his head and lend her his ear, she gathered her courage, took his arm, and lifted her magpie feet.
She raised her head as high as she could and spoke into his ear. Hoping he could hear her.
“Thank you, for your kindness.”
This time he seemed to hear her. Selene lowered her magpie paws and stared up at him, still.
His head moved more and more, revealing the side of his face before her eyes, where only his ears were visible. She could feel her heart pounding again as her gaze passed over the faded left eye and the flat bridge of his nose.
Now facing the other eye, which shone like a jewel, Selene hoped the sound of her thumping heart didn’t reach him.
Barath wondered at this little woman. There was no one else in the world who could touch him as casually as she did.
No one else in the world could look me in the eye so casually.
When their eyes met, he regretted that her hands moved away as if they were cool.
What’s the point of being disappointed? You can hold her hand, but why can’t you move your own damn hand?
***
As he watched her sit down to dinner, he remembered the jewelry he had brought with him.
He took the flat box from her arms and placed it on the table, then sat down across from her.
Selene’s eyes narrowed.
“What is this?”
Barath, now breathing a little easier, replied in a polite, relaxed tone.
“A gift.”
Hesitantly, but curiously, Selene reached out and opened the box.
It was a necklace, earrings, and bracelet set with clear, brilliant diamonds.
Her mouth fell open in a small smile.
Now all he had to do was wait for Selene to dispose of her gift and make her escape.
He’d given the serial numbers to every jeweler and pawnbroker in Velias. He’s even given them instructions.
Don’t be shy, pay the 1,000 gold note, and bring the item to the castle. Needless to say, a handsome reward awaited.
The moment she showed it to anyone else to dispose of it, she would know it herself.
Then, as casually as you did today, have Anna accompany you and lead her out, and game over.
Since Selene doesn’t know who Anna is, she’ll think she can easily outwit her. Plus, if she has enough money, there’s no reason for her not to run away.
If she escapes once, all this trouble will be over.
She’ll be able to do exactly what she set out to do, without a second thought.
Without hesitation. He could treat her like an object.
He deliberately used a small diamond for ease of trade, just in case she succeeded in fleeing Velias without disposing of her jewelry.
Small, but of high purity, well-cut and of good quality, it would fetch a generous price wherever it was sold.
She could buy a mansion for herself with that amount of money.
***
If you live in one place, you can find it. It might take a while, but he would find them, and once she did, he would lock them up.
To Barath, they were mere jewels, but to Selene, they were a precious set of trinkets. The first gift she’d ever received from this man, or any man for that matter.
She’d thought she was about to start a relationship with the man of her dreams, alone, no matter how it went, but her melancholy was shattered.
It was a selfless gesture, nothing more, nothing less, just to provide the Grand Duchess with the supplies she needed.
She doesn’t know why, but Barath was trying to be nice to her.
She’s already starting to realize how much he’s changed from the original, and she’s beginning to hope that maybe she can get along with him.
She’s going to keep that set of jewelry. She’ll wear it on a very special occasion.
Later, when she can talk to Barath in private, she’ll tell him what’s on her mind today.
‘The first gift I ever received from you.’
Barath smiled inwardly as Selene set the box down, smiling with satisfaction after examining the jewels for a long time.
‘Go on, try your best. From that day forward, you will cry every day.’
[Day 4]
Barath deliberately left the gates of introspection open. Selene could always escape if she wanted to.
He wanted to create an environment where she would be well prepared to escape.
He filled the Grand Duchess’s coffers with money, and he spoke to Anna, so news would come soon.
He saw Selene coming out of her room. Anna was with her.
Unbeknownst to him, Barath, who had been watching the gates, had left his seat and followed.
Zart, watching from the sidelines, could only stifle a laugh.
Nine years old. That’s how old his lord was when he first went to war. He’d left to bury the body of his squadron’s archduke, slain by the enemy, and before winter had passed the following year, he’d returned to the friendly camp with the enemy’s head.
Disguised as a war orphan, he began by scavenging horse manure. It took him two years to achieve his goal.
When he returned, he held the head of his enemy in one hand, waving it casually.
Neither the process nor the result of his revenge was honorable .
As he returned, ragged and disheveled, he saw his master for the first and last time.
It was thirteen when he pulled himself together and headed back to the battlefield. It was because of his sister that he had taken the hard road before he came of age.
In any case, he hasn’t seen him disheveled since.
In any sense of the word.
Zart watched his master’s back and cheered inwardly.
He wished him the best of luck with his late spring bloom.
They lingered for a while in the marketplace, which they had passed by yesterday. Selene reached into a small pocket and pulled out a handful of coins, her clumsy fingers counting clumsily as Barath watched.
Her purchases from the market were a couple of apples, some chicken skewers, and a crudely made leather coin purse.
Not much to help her escape.
The merchants were as nervous today as they were yesterday when they saw Barath outside the castle, but when they realized that the Grand Duke was not paying them any attention, they simply held their breath and waited for him to pass.
Selene found the same fountain she had sat at all day yesterday and sat down in the same spot today.
She said something to Anna and offered her a chicken skewer.
Selene smiled when Anna, who seemed reluctant at first, finally gave in and took it.
Barath thought she was strange.
‘Can a person smile that brightly?’
When she smiled, it was as if light sprinkled around her. It was an optical illusion caused by the light colour of her hair. Was the sunlight reflecting off her hair and making it sparkle like that?
Then his thoughts shifted. What was she smiling about?
He was sure of it. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her for a second, and yet he couldn’t figure it out.
What the hell was making her laugh.
