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At late night, I woke up to the sound of rain, and a smile instantly came on my face. I ran towards the window and looked out. It was raining, I tried to open the window but it was nailed. I huffed and ran downstairs, not bothering to even wear shoes. I tried to open the front door, but it was locked with a key, which I know Achilles have. I went to the back door in hopes that it might open, but to my dismay, it was also locked. I went to the living room window and opened it, it opened but there were metal bars so I couldn't go out. I sighed and looked at the rain with longing, I wanted to feel the rain on my skin. I love rain, and whenever it rains, I can't stop myself from going in it even if it's winters.
"Why are you awake at this hour?" He said from behind. I turned around and was about to yell, but then I thought otherwise.
"Can I go out? Look, it's raining out there, " I said in a chirpy tone.
"No, go to your room and sleep," he said, turning around going to the kitchen, I followed him there.
"Please," I said with my puppy eyes, which always works on my father, I hope it also works on him.
"No, it's cold out there. You will be sick, " he said as he drank water.
"Achilles, please," I said with a little pout. He looked at my face and then shook his head.
"If you won't let me go out now, I will not talk to you. I will not even eat anything, I will also disrespect you. I will even try to escape.." I said, and the next moment he was in front of me, he pulled me towards him tightly, holding my waist. My face reached his chest, and I looked like a small kid in front of his huge body. I looked up at his eyes.
"Don't!" He warned.
"Then let me go out just for a few moments," I said with stubbornness
"What if you get sick?" He asked.
"Then you will be happy as I will not ask you to take me out and will be resting," I said, and he frowned.
"I would never be happy seeing you in pain," he whispered lightly, gazing at me, and at that moment, I saw such softness and care in his eyes that I had not seen before. He cares for me.
"Can you open the door?" I asked once again.
"Pretty please," I pleaded.
"Fine, but you are not going in the rain," he said, and I scowled.
"And you are going to wear your cloak and shoes, now go," he said, I glared at him but did as he said. After wearing my cloak and shoes all packed, he opened the backdoor for me. There were trees around the place from here but there was a little open space, a garden but there was only grass on it, its the back side which leads to forest.
I stepped out, but he pulled me back under the shed, which comes out a little from the door, maybe 2 to 3 metres. That's not what I wanted! I only watched the view, and after a few moments, I forwarded my hand in the rain to feel the water on my skin. It was icy cold, but it gave me peace. The air was cold out here, and he was standing with only an under shirt and trousers.
"Keep your hands to your side," he boomed, but I ignored him.
"Seriously?" I glared at him.
"Why aren't you wearing anything warm?" I asked him, trying to take his mind away from me.
"I am not cold" was his only answer.
An idea struck me as I watched rain, and a wide grin came on my face. I looked at my hand in which a small pool of water gathered, and then at him, he was looking straight with arms crossed on his chest. His face was stoic as usual. If I knew better, I would say he was glaring at rain and praying that rain stopped and we went inside.
I splashed the water on his face and caught him by surprise, I started laughing at his expression but stopped shortly when I saw his angry face. I gulped when he glared at me. He stepped towards me as I wanted to step back he pulled me towards him, grabbing my arm. I looked in his eyes as his other held the end of my cloak and pulled it towards his face as he wiped the water.
"Don't ever do that again," he said firmly and left me.
"You are no fun," I said, but I took a step away from him discreetly. I really thought that he would punish me.
"You call this fun?" He scoffed.
"Yes, and what's fun in your dictionary? Do you even know what fun is?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. Just then, a smirk came on his face, and he again stepped towards me.
"My definition of fun is a little different than yours," he said as he leaned towards me and stopped when his mouth was close to my ear.
"If you want, I can show you," he said in a deep, husky voice, and I looked at him. He was smirking at my horrid expression.
"No, thank you, I am cold. I am going inside, " I said as I ran inside and towards my room. The only thing I heard was his chuckle, and this time, it seemed real, genuine one.
The next day he took me to Beatrice and left me there, in the morning I made breakfast for both of us which we ate silently.
Amanda also came there when I reached, and we both helped Beatrice and talked a lot. I told her about my life back at home, Billy and his family, about Mr and Mrs Tumbler.
"Have you ever loved someone?" She asked me out of nowhere.
"What?" I was caught by surprise at her question.
"Uhmm actually, I have never been in love, but I know what it is from books," I said with a small smile.
"And you?" I asked curiously.
"Me," she asked, and I nodded.
"I was in love," she said, looking ahead in the space.
"Was?" I asked.
"He died," she said, and I felt so bad for asking.
"I am sorry, I shouldn't have asked.." I said.
"No, it's okay," she smiled softly.
"It was three years ago, he went in a fight with my brother and was killed there, we were to be married the same year," she told me with sadness.
"That's why you are angry with your brother that he sent him to a war," I asked.
"No, I never stopped him from going, I believed in him. I knew that he would come back safe. He had been to many before and came back every time with not even a single scratch on him, but that time he ... didn't come back. " A tear graced her cheek, and she wiped it immediately
"Then why do you hate your brother?" I asked.
"He forced me to marry Fin, I never wanted to marry anyone after Sébastien" she told me.
"But my brother bound me to Fin the guy I never loved and will never love," she said with anger.
"Does Fin know?" I asked
"About Sébastien?" She asked, and I nodded.
"Yes everyone in the village knew, I also told Fin to say no to my brother but he respects my brother too much to say no and he told me that he loved me from start so for him it was a win win" she said.
"Amanda, I know it's not my place to say anything, but still, I will say as your friend," I started.
"I really felt bad for Sébastian he shouldn't have died, but he did sadly," I said .
"But you have your whole life ahead of you. You can't just do that. You can't ruin your life. You have to move on, " I said.
"I can't, I can't betray him," she said.
"If it were you in his place, would you also want him to spend his life alone in pain and sadness?" I asked her, and she shook her head no with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Then I am sure sebastian wouldn't want that too for you," I said.
"I don't know much about Fin, but he seems like a good guy, and I can see love in his eyes. Yesterday, when you were shouting at him, he listened to you patiently. Just give him a chance, give yourself a chance. You deserve it, " I said.
"And if you still don't want to live with Fin, then you can run away with me," I said with a small smile, and she smiled back at me.
"I like your suggestion, I will think about it," she said, and I hugged her.
"I am always there for you if you ever need me," I told her, and she nodded her head at me, wiping her tears.
"Why are you crying, my baby?" Beatrice came in the room and saw Amanda crying.
"Nothing, we were just talking," she dismissed, but her mother didn't believe her she hugged her daughter and kissed her head.
"You are my strong baby, you know that, right?" She asked her, and Amanda nodded with a smile.
"Good," Beatrice said.
I looked at both mother and daughter in admiration. That's how a mother's and daughter's relationship is, which I have wished for all my life, but I am happy I had my father with me who never let me feel sad. He was always there for me whenever I missed my mother. I am forever grateful to him.
Father, I miss you! I hope you are doing fine now.