In the morning, when I opened my eyes, the sunlight was seeping from the window straight onto my face. My fever is almost gone, and I can feel my body again. I moved my fingers, and a small gasped left me when I could move my hand. Thank God that feeling of not being able to move was pathetic, I don't want to feel that again.
I tried to sit up when Beatrice came into the room and gasped when she saw me awake.
"Thank to God, my child, you are awake," she said and took me in her motherly embrace.
"You scared us, girl," she scolded me lightly, pulling away from me and looking at my whole face like she is making sure I am all okay.
"I shouldn't have touched that flower yesterday," I said sheepishly.
"Yesterday?" She asked, confused, and then her expressions changed.
"You were out for a week, child," she told me, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.
"What?" I asked, not believing what I heard.
"Never ever touch anything that is put aside locked." she narrowed her eyes at me.
"But I just smelled a little, and then I put it back, I didn't know it was that lethal," I pouted.
"It's a very dangerous herb, I always keep it aside," she said.
"Why do you have it?" I asked her and then added.
"I mean, if it's dangerous, then it wouldn't be of any use, right?" I asked.
"Being dangerous doesn't mean it's useless," she said in a cryptic manner. I wanted to ask more when the door opened with a thud. Both Beatrice and I winced at the loud thud.
Achilles was standing on the other side in his whole black attire minus the cloak. That's new, because I have always seen him wearing his clock. His hairs were ruffled like he had run his fingers a thousand times over them. His stubble was grown a little bit. When he saw me a small relieved smile came on his face but then it was gone the next moment. He was in his usual stoic face.
"You are awake," he said rhetorically. Well, you can see with both of your eyes, I said in my heart.
"Good, now you are coming with me, and I will lock you again so that you can not pull any stupid stunt like you did that day." He glared at me, and I looked at him with annoyance.
"You are still an arrogant jerk, I see," I said, and my words seemed to anger him more. Uhmm, did I curse? Did I call him jerk? Oh God, my dad will kill me if he heard me using that word.
'Maybe he won't mind you using that word for the dark monster' my inner self chimed in, and for the first time in my life, I also believed the same.
"Let's go," he said, taking a few steps towards me.
"Let her stay here one more day so I can see if she is doing alright," Beatrice said, but her son scowled at her mother, and she sighed.
"Okay, go," she sighed, and I gave her a look to which she only smiled.
"Fine," I said and removed the sheets away from me as I was about to stand up, I noticed my clothes were changed, and I looked at Beatrice with panic.
"Don't worry, child, it was me who changed your clothes, you were sweaty and uhmm a little smelly," she said the last part in a whisper, and I felt my cheeks redden
"Oh," I said, and then Achilles cleared his throat loudly to gain our attention. I scoffed at him and stood up. Beatrice helped me in wearing my shoes when a girl came in.
"Mother's mother," she was calling and then came in sight.
"Oh, you are here," she said, giving me a slight glance, then pulled her attention towards her mother. Wait, Beatrice is her mother, which means Achilles has a sister.
"Mother, I need your help," she said, looking straight at her mother. She didn't even glance at Achilles. It was as if he was invisible for her.
"Now," she pressed when her mother didn't move.
"Amanda, what is it?" She asked her.
"I don't want to discuss it in front of strangers," she said, looking at me and then at her brother, whose face turned to anger immediately at her words.
"He is your brother Amanda." Beatrice scolded her.
"He was. He lost that right a year ago," she said and then looked at me. She gave me a glare and then turned towards her mother.
"Can we talk alone? She said, and I took it as a queue to leave saying my goodbye to Beatrice and went out of the door.
Achilles also came by my side, not before giving a single glance to his sister who was glaring daggers at us. What is her problem with me? I didn't do anything to her? Maybe she is that girl's friend.
"Are you alright?" He asked me as we were walking towards his home. I only nod back.
"Is your fever down?" He asked me, and I looked at him with a frown. He didn't ask me that before. He was very rude back there.
"You should have asked that when I was there," I said, pointing towards the direction of the cottage.
"You were very rude there, but it's the real you, so it doesn't matter." I scoffed at him. I felt a little weak, and my legs were shivering a little, maybe because I didn't use my legs for the whole week. Suddenly, an arm came around my back and under my knees, and I was scooped up in his arms.
"What are you doing?" I shouted out of surprise.
"Clearly, you can't walk, so I am helping you," he said.
"Who said I need your help?" I said, and he glared at me with those dark eyes that can pull you in and make you lost in them.
"Me," he said and then looked ahead as he started to walk forward. I start to move around, trying to get off of him.
"If you move again one more time, I will throw you down, and it won't be gentle," he growled in low voice, and I stilled instantly.
"Good," he whispered, and I wanted to pull his hair out. As he was walking, I took this as a moment to study him. He had a little stubble on his face, which was a little grown. maybe he hadn't trimmed it in days.
His hairs were long reached to the back of his neck, they looked... soft. His face was stoic, his lips pursed. He is handsome and muscular. I can't believe a guy that ruthless is handsome, and why the hell am I saying this. No, he is NOT handsome, okay? He is just okay. I told myself sternly.
"Don't stare at me, or you will fall in love," he said cockily with a little smirk dancing on his lips.
"In your dreams," I shot back, and he looked at me, his smirk still not leaving his face.
"In my dreams, I am already married to you with 5 6 children," he said, and I opened my mouth wide at his forwardness.
"You..." I said but paused, not knowing what to say.
"You are impossible, I am never going to marry you and children's! There are no children, especially NOT 5 and 6" I said.
"Okay, then we can have 4, but it's final," he said with seriousness, and I looked at his face wide-eyed.
"Shut up, just don't talk," I said, my face turning red at his words and how casually he was discussing such matters.
He put me down on my bed and then went out of the door, my stomach growled loudly as I was feeling hungry. I stood up and went to the bathroom. I took a small bath and looked myself in the mirror, I looked a little pale and a little skinny. I think I lost some weight. I sighed and wore a clean dress then went out a tray was placed on the bed with different fruits and my mouth watered at the sight, I looked around and there was no one, the door was also locked. He locked me in again, I sighed as I sat beside the food and started eating.