Silas's POV:
Thank the heavens Gabriel didn't accompany me, I silently muse, brushing yet another spider off my arm. He would have surely screamed like a startled dove—though I hold no ill will toward the fairer sex, of course.
I find myself wandering through a dense forest, a few miles west of the castle. Nathan, a dear friend, had asked for my assistance in locating a new training ground for my brothers and me. Passing through these woods seemed like a small favour to extend, as I was heading to the docks where my sailboat awaited, eager to be untethered. Today, the sun casts its benevolent glow upon the earth, accompanied by a gentle breeze—a perfect day for sailing to Brenay Island. The desire to escape the confines of the palace and set sail had been tugging at me for some time now, but the preparations for Victor's upcoming eighteenth birthday ball had kept us all relentlessly occupied. Alas, Gabriel and Luke required coconuts unique to that island for their latest hair products and desserts.
I stoop under one of the many low-hanging branches along the trail, occasionally pondering the disadvantages of my towering stature, when the sound of a snapping branch to my left captures my attention. I instinctively take a step forward, only to witness a girl—no, more than a girl, an ethereal being—plummeting from the heavens. She wears a flowing white dress that billows in the wind, forming a radiant halo around her resplendent blond locks. Her eyes, hauntingly green, appear filled with secrets, while her soft pink lips contrast beautifully against her porcelain skin. Indeed, she must be my own personal angel.
In awe, I observe as she executes a graceful somersault mid-air before landing unceremoniously on the ground. I run to her side, concerned for her well-being. It briefly occurs to me that she couldn't have seen my approach, with her back turned towards me. As I approach, she bolts into the forest, her lithe form swiftly disappearing amidst the foliage. I give chase, though my efforts prove futile. Though petite and nimble, she eludes me effortlessly, while I lumber through the underbrush, my stature hindering any hopes I have of swift pursuit.
I continue running, striving to keep up with this mysterious angel, yet my endeavours result in painful encounters with a series of low-hanging branches—nature's disdainful slaps across my face. By this point, we have ventured far from any human or animal-made trails. Just as I begin to believe she has successfully eluded me, a faint whimper reaches my ears from behind a nearby tree.
Curiosity piqued, I approach cautiously, my gaze falling upon the angel curled up in anguish with fear etched upon her exquisite face. Her eyes, once filled with trepidation, now widen in terror as they meet mine. She scuttles backward, emitting a pained cry as her back collides with the sturdy trunk.
Realising that I am the source of her distress, I raise my hands in a gesture of harmlessness, lowering myself to her eye level. Her verdant eyes seem to double in size as I inch closer, sensing her apprehension. A faint whimper escapes her lips, the sound melding with her melodious voice.
"Fear not, aggele, I mean you no harm," I whisper tenderly. "Are you injured?"
She hesitates, nodding and shaking her head in rapid succession.
"May I have a look?" I ask, aware of the slim chance she will grant my request, given our recent chase through the woods. In her eyes, I may well be an axe-wielding murderer, minus the weapon.
Her curious gaze lingers upon me before she whispers an almost inaudible "yes." Her voice flows like a gentle stream, sweet and melodic, as if she were singing.
She turns around, lowering the back of her dress by a few inches, revealing a jagged wound that begins halfway down her shoulder and extends beneath the fabric. The edges of the cut bear slight scabs, suggesting it is a few days old. My heart sinks as I pray it was an accidental injury, but the clean, deliberate nature of the wound leaves me with a grim realization. This was no mere mishap. The burning question now lingers—who could perpetrate such cruelty against a fragile, innocent soul?
Sang's POV:
I'm not entirely sure what compelled me to do it; it was as if an invisible force guided my actions. Social cues and interactions were never my strong suit. Yet, I possessed an innate ability to read people. And when I looked into his deep, soulful brown eyes, I sensed genuine concern emanating from within. The tenderness in his gaze assured me that he harboured no ill intentions. So here I was showing a complete stranger my wounds.
A shocked gasp escapes his lips as I hastily readjust the hem of my dress, concealing the the sure to be ghastly wound. Whatever made him call me an angel before, it would no longer hold true. No, he would now perceive me as the ugly, worthless slave my stepmother insisted I was.
I turn away, my eyes fixed upon the ground. One of the first lessons my stepmother instilled in me upon her arrival was that I did not possess the privilege to meet someone's gaze. My eyes were brimming with sadness and despair, a reflection of the pain and suffering I witnessed every time I glimpsed myself in the mirror.
My eyes carried a burden, and meeting someone's gaze meant burdening them with my own sorrows. Other people deserved happiness, even if it meant that a plain, unremarkable girl like me had to endure misery.
A slight flinch escapes me as one of his large, calloused fingers delicately lifts my chin. If he noticed my reaction, he chose not to acknowledge it. I know this fleeting moment of kindness cannot last. Once he catches a glimpse of the ghosts haunting my eyes, he will undoubtedly hurt me, just like everyone else has—except for Wil. I am certain that he is the only person who will ever show me genuine kindness.
I brace myself for the inevitable expression of disgust that I anticipate will cross his face. Yet, as I meet his gaze, I witness the complete opposite. His eyes are filled with understanding, compassion, and... kindness?
I study his features, even in his crouched position. He exudes a sense of height, and I estimate his stature to be around 6'0. His strong jawline and smooth, olive-tanned skin catch my attention. His dark brown hair matches his thick eyebrows. And his deep, trusting brown eyes and full lips captivate me.
"Ποιος είσαι;" (who are you?) he asks in Greek, his accent thick. There seems to be a deeper meaning behind his question, one that extends beyond mere curiosity about my name. Although I am not supposed to comprehend or acknowledge it, I sense it. Yet, I choose to ignore it. He doesn't need to know about my troubles; he wouldn't understand. So, I respond in the simplest way I can.
"I'm just Sang."
He gave me a questioning glance, but I pretended not to notice. When he realised, I wasn't going to answer his unasked question, he straightened up, and a huge grin spread over his face.
"Miláte Elliniká?" (You speak Greek?) he asked in Greek, his eyes shining with anticipation.
"Naí," (yes) I responded quietly, my heart fluttering in my chest.
If possible, his smile got even wider. "My name is Silas aggele," he introduced himself.
I gave him a small, shy smile, my heart pounding in my chest. But just as quickly, I wiped the smile off my face as he sucked in his breath a foreign emotion shinning in his eyes. He was probably disgusted by it, just like my stepmother always said. She made sure I knew that my smile was ugly.
His expression shifted, a small frown forming on his forehead. "I would like to take you to my friend, so he can look at your back. He's a doctor. Would that be okay with you, Sang?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes.
My blood rushed in my ears, and panic surged through me. I couldn't go to the doctor. My stepmother would be furious. She would lose her temper if she found out I was even talking to a boy. I hated to think what she would do if I went to see a doctor.
Sensing my panic, Silas tried to calm me down. "Shh, aggele, it's okay. You don't have to go see him," he reassured me. After a few minutes, my racing heart began to slow, and I realized I was now sitting in his lap. How did I get here? My face heated up as a blush spread across my cheeks, and I gently pushed off his muscled chest.
Silas understood my silent request and started to lift me, but then he put me back down on his lap. Confusion filled my eyes as I looked at him, but he smiled kindly and took off his coat. He placed the navy blue jacket on the ground and lifted me up as if I weighed nothing, setting me on top of it.
"We can't have the beautiful lady getting dirty now, can we?" he said with a grin.
I giggled at his comment, and his entire face lit up as if he had just received the best gift in the world. Curious, I looked behind me, wondering what had made him so happy. Maybe he had seen someone he knew or an animal had appeared. But there was nothing. Shaking it off, I shrugged and turned back to face Silas.
He studied me for a moment, his dark, soulful eyes seeming to see straight through to my core. Our eyes met, and he asked in his deep voice, "Why were you up in the tree?"
I hesitated, wondering if I could trust him. We had only just met, after all. But something told me I could, and I decided to tell him a partial truth. I was a terrible liar, and my friend Wil always reminded me of that. Sharing parts of the truth was easier—it wasn't lying; it was just not revealing everything.
"I like being close to the sky," I answered, my voice stronger than before. "It reminds me that there is good in the world and helps me escape reality." I paused for a moment before adding, "Also, it's so much fun!"
Silas looked at me, and I could tell he knew I hadn't told him everything. But he understood that I didn't trust him with my secrets yet. A fond expression crossed his face. "One of my brothers enjoys climbing trees as well. He would love you," he said, causing me to blush. Nobody had ever loved me except my mother, but she was no longer with me.
Silas and I continued talking, getting to know each other. I learned that he had thirteen brothers, not including himself. When I asked him how he had so many, he explained that family was a choice, and even though they weren't related by blood, they were his chosen family. Hearing this, I wondered if I would ever have a family that loved and cared for me like Silas's brothers did for each other.
I told him my favourite colour was pink, and he shared that his was dark blue. Silas revealed his love for sailing and the ocean, which explained why he smelled like the sea breeze. We managed to steer clear of discussing our home lives and jobs, focusing on our hobbies instead.
As I let out a tired sigh, I leaned back on my hands and looked up at the sky. The sun had dipped below the tree line, painting the sky in shades of purples and pinks. Normally, I would have marvelled at the beautiful sunset, but right now, I was in full-blown panic mode.
Silas sensed the change in my energy and instantly stood up, looking around for any signs of danger. "I have to go!" I blurted out, jumping to my feet.
Silas looked like he wanted to argue for me to stay, but I cut him off before he could say anything. "It was lovely meeting you, Silas. Thank you for talking to me," I said, offering him a small smile, though inside, I was freaking out.
I turned around and took a step forward when I felt a warm hand touch my arm. I flinched slightly, already preparing for punishment, only to remember that I wasn't home yet. Silas noticed my reaction and gave me a concerned look before asking, his tone desperate, "Will I see you again?"
"Maybe," I replied, uncertain. I didn't know why he cared so much, but it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling that he cared about my well-being and whether he would see me again.
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me as I sprinted away from Silas in the woods. I didn't want to leave him, but I knew my punishment would be severe if my mother found out I had left the house. I could only hope that she wouldn't be too hard on me and that I would get the chance to see Silas again.
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I darted through the dense woods, feeling the lengthening shadows and the encroaching darkness as the sun slowly dipped beneath the horizon. Even in my hasty retreat, I couldn't help but miss Silas's company. I regretted leaving him behind, but I had no choice. The punishment from my wicked stepmother would be severe if she discovered I had ventured outside—assuming she didn't already know.
Silas had been the first person, apart from my friend Wil, to show genuine kindness since my stepmother entered our lives. It was a delightful sensation, knowing that someone cared enough to spend their precious time with me instead of pursuing other activities. I was certain Silas had countless other things he could be doing.
As my house came into view, illuminated by the moon hidden behind a veil of clouds, it took on an eerie glow. The dark shadows cast upon it made the familiar place appear foreboding and ominous. Under different circumstances, I might have found the sight hauntingly beautiful, but now it sent a shiver of foreboding straight to my core.
I quietly opened the back door, exercising caution as I tiptoed down the hall, skilfully avoiding the creaky floorboards. I don't know how it happened—perhaps due to exhaustion or a recent loosening—but horror gripped me as my left foot landed on a loose floorboard, emitting a resounding creak that seemed to echo through the dimly lit corridor. Fear coiled in my stomach, threatening to make me sick as I froze, straining my ears for any signs that my misstep had been detected. A sigh of relief escaped me when no sound reached my ears.
I hurried up the stairs, careful not to make a sound. The slumbering sounds of my stepsisters and Rocky's loud snores reached my ears as I passed their rooms. Finally, I reached for the doorknob of my own room, feeling the cool metal bite into my skin. I was so close when I sensed a shift in the air, followed by a bony hand seizing my hair, violently slamming me against the wall of the corridor.
Pain reverberated through my body as it collided with the unforgiving wooden surface, my scalp ablaze with agony. I could barely make out the silhouette of my stepmother, her figure casting menacing shadows, as she mercilessly kicked me in the ribs.
Blow after blow landed on my body, though the fall had fortunately protected the cut on my back from her ferocious attack. Throughout the assault, I remained silent, knowing that waking my step siblings would only escalate the situation. I refused to give her the satisfaction of witnessing my tears.
Barely conscious, I felt her yank my hair, forcing me to my feet. Holding my tired and battered body up by my locks, she pulled my face dangerously close to hers, her foul breath assaulting my senses. Clearly exhausted from her brutal assault, she hissed with malice dripping from her words.
"How dare you venture out without my permission! Your father toils away for weeks on end, providing for your needy ways, while your sisters and brother and I are out running errands all day. And you don't even have the decency to maintain the house when we're not here!" Her whisper carried a menacing tone.
Inwardly scoffing at her accusations, as if I didn't know they spent their days partying and shopping while leaving me behind, I held my tongue. "All you seem to do is sell your body to men, like the whore you are. Don't think for a second that I don't know how you try to seduce that tutor, Wil," she spat out his name as if it left a foul taste in her mouth, continuing her venomous tirade.
With a final slap to my cheek, the sting of which I knew would leave a mark, she released my hair and stormed off down the hall, retreating to the confines of her own bedroom. As I saw her door close, effectively sealing her away, I realised I was finally safe. Slowly, I made my way to my room, mindful of the injuries that throbbed on my body. Stripping off my dress, I collapsed onto the hard mattress, too weary to change into my night dress.
Thoughts of the day I had spent with Silas began to seep into my mind, questioning whether I had truly been acting like a whore by spending so much time in his company. I brushed those doubts aside. Silas was merely a friendly acquaintance—I hadn't allowed him to take advantage of me or anything of the sort.
Content with this realisation, I let my exhausted body surrender to the peaceful embrace of sleep, allowing the darkness to envelop me completely.