Beauty Marked

Beauty Marked part 11

~Golden Goat Bar and Inn

The hooded stranger had walked me up the creaking wooden stairs to my room, following me inside, and closing the door behind him. I didn't mind that he was still around. If anything I was glad. I had so much I wanted to ask him, but I didn't even know where to start, so he just stood by the door leaning on the wall, and I sat on my bed, the silence resonating off the windowless interior.

He seemed very uncomfortable for such a comfortable looking stance. It bothered me; did I annoy him? It seemed like he was doing anything he could to not look at me...not like I wasn’t used to that already. But If I did why was he still here?  

I looked at him, he still had that damn hood on, was I ever going to see his face? Was he ashamed of it? What did he really have to hide? Realizing my own hood was still on, I lowered it. "Who are you?" I asked tentatively.

 He looked at me into my eyes. I heard his breath hitch as we looked at each other. Time paused for that moment, gazing into his purple eyes as if he couldn’t look away from mine, and I certainly didn’t want to look away from his but he grunted and turned away from me. “There are much more important things going on." he said brushing me off. I didn’t understand this guy! Didn’t he see that it was important!?

I felt my frustration seep in. "But it is important, you saved my life!" I argued "Only because you would have been killed if I hadn’t shown up!" "How was I supposed to know they were going to want to kill me?" "Stupid girl, what else do you think they'd want to do?" I stood and clenched my fists at my sides "I'm not stupid! It's not my fault I didn't know!" "You're marked, how could you not know?" He asked dangerously low. “Because I don't even know what that means!!" I yelled, panting trying to catch my breath.

He paused at that and just looked at me. Before he could say anything else there were two knocks on the door before Bernard entered with the same caution he always did; checking the hallway before closing the door behind him. The stranger marched right up to Bernard “How could you not tell her what marked means?” He asked accusingly.

 Bernard paused for a moment, but regained his composure quickly. “I did what I was told, and forced to do.” That surprised me a bit. I knew in my childhood I had asked Bernard before, hoping he’d be able to tell me when Gren couldn’t. However, it seemed even he was made fully aware that it was to remain unspoken. I heard the hooded man bite down whatever he had wanted to say. I really just wanted to know his name... at least then I wouldn’t have to call him a hooded man or stranger. He didn’t feel like a stranger to me, even if I knew nothing about him “She is marked though. You realize she’s lucky to be alive? She could have been killed. You have to tell her.” The hooded man settled on.

Bernard...ignored him and walked over to me taking my hands and looking at me. “My dear, what happened? Are you alright?” I could only look at the floor thinking about what I had gotten himself into “I got lost, and asked for help to find my way back...” I was hesitant to continue for obvious reasons. “Yes dear go on.” Bernard encouraged patting my hand reassuringly. “Frederick.” His name sounded vile on my tongue “The red head? He said he’d bring me back after seeing his friends...They- They tried to take me, by force. And when they almost succeeded something...happened.”

”I’ll kill him...”Bernard said low interrupting me, not only as a threat but a vow.”I swear that boy comes anywhere near my bar again I’ll slit his throat”. He muttered angrily before looking back to me and looking me over. “So that explains why you’re eyes have changed... your power has finally awakened.” I felt the topic at hand expand as I went over to the vanity to look in the mirror.