9 9. A Warning II

He didn't have painkillers.

He doesn't even think the pain could be killed but he did have something. 'Pain-numbing formula', he says, and then, he goes through his trusty suitcase. Pulling out a white sachet, I empty the contents into my mouth and realise it's one of those powder things. Immediately my mouth dries up and my face shrivels up at the taste, choking at the texture in my mouth.

Sir Dominic, the petty guy gives me a serves-you-right look and I scoff, thinking I needed to retort something back but only white powder billowing out of my mouth.

The atmosphere is tense and he doesn't speak up at all. And it's like he was telling me not to talk as well. He walks over to my bedside table and he pours out a glass of water. I take it almost immediately when he leans it out towards me.

I hungrily gulp down the liquid and hr speaks up very softly,

'So the baby's not his?'

I stiffen up at his question and the water stops at my throat, almost choking me but not. I swallow hard to push it down to my stomach.

'No.' i assert, passing back the glass, 'Don't be absurd.'

'Don't think you could fool me. I heard it sharp and clear.'

I bite my lower lip, I had nothing to retort back and nothing came to mind.

'How'd you find out?

'What?'

'Did you say you didn't remember anything?' He squints his eyes at me suspiciously, I look away. Shit, he might actually catch me. I had a feeling that I suck at lying.

But everyone gets better with practice.

'I don't.' I turn up my nose and watch him from the corner of my eyes, 'But it's my marriage so I naturally found out.'

He presses his lips together in disdain and shakes his head, his fingers playing around with the comb on my table. He silently mulls around before releasing an audible sigh of exasperation,

'Are you crazy?! What is wrong with you?'

'No. What is wrong with you? Why are you so involved in this?'

'How could you–'

'Stop this. This is not any of your concern!'

'I can't believe this.' He looks up the ceiling, and his hands are on his waist, 'You are betraying Lord Elian. He's my employer.'

'That is completely unrelated.'

'No! What are you doing? He loves you. I have seen it. He said it was fated.'

I roll my eyes. Yeah, I'm sure that's completely true. Seeing that Elian said he married Adian for the public yesterday.

This was pointless.

'What are you? The moral police?' i point a finger at him, 'You don't even understand half of the nonsense you're yapping about.'

'You–'

'Oh, and you better stop with that fate bullshit. I don't think this concerns you. I slipped up so stop talking like a kid.'

We both come to a stop and we breathe heavily to catch our own breaths. He stands in front wardrobe, an angry contrast against the brown and he glares at me like one would think I cheated him.

I couldn't understand why.

Do people get this personal with everyone's problem?

I don't understand the way of the people here. And boy, if I'm being honest I know I'm being shitty at this blending-in thing.

It's only day 2.

I repeat like a mantra,

It's only day 2.

'You…' Sir Dominic sighs deeply and rakes his hand through his dark hair that was frizzing out, 'You better come clean and fix everything.'

His voice sounds tired and defeated. I stare at him, he looks frazzled and his hair bounced back to where it was before in perfect shape.

I close my eyes and slowly shake my head, I could do with some ice.

'Excuse me but I don't see why you're sticking your long nose in my marriage. I'm asking you to stop.'

'I just can't– I have my reasons. But I just don't understand why you would do this? To that man who saved you.' He pointed his hand randomly and it feels like a lecture, 'He picked you off the dirty streets and gave you his name. He saved you and how could you even…'

'Shit. I don't know, okay? I have no memory of all that.'

Sir Dominic looks at me properly for once and he relaxes, his limbs going limp. I could see the realization hitting him and he looks around thoughtfully.

He was still frowning.

'But you knew then.' He mutters to himself, 'You knew before but it means you still went with it.'

Fuck.

How did I get into this mess?

I groan and bury my face in my palms, feeling a throbbing in my head. I swallow and my mouth has a bitter aftertaste from the medicine, clearing my senses.

But I don't know.

I really don't.

It feels like I'm walking in the dark with only my hands to guide me. And I keep tripping over as I walk forward.

'I'm taking my leave.'

I hear a click. Probably him closing his hefty suitcase and then his feet pads over the carpeted floor.

Thump, thump, thump.

'Wait.' I call out and inhale in deeply. My eyes felt heavy, as though they were falling down. I tiredly look at him but I could see that Sir Dominic didn't want to stay any longer. He was already standing by the door, so far.

'If this gets out, you're gonna hear from me.'

He immediately scoffs and turns away, facing the door. He speaks up as he opens the door,

'Then fix it.'

With that, he disappears from the room and I let out a huge groan into the silence of the room, falling back into the softness of my bed. It bounces softly and I turn to my left, at the door opening to the big expanse of the marbled balcony.

I lazily blink and I could see that it was raining. I squint my eyes, but they were closing in with sudden fatigue and sleepiness. Small drops of water bounce off the railing and hit the floor hard.

'It's drizzling.' I mumble to myself.

I snuggled into the soft blanket and close my heavy eyes. A sense of coolness swims over my head and I could see something.

Adian.

Adian is laughing and he is in all white. Heh, he looks very happy and he is with someone.

Who is that?

Ah, they're hugging now. I frown, my eyes were closed but I tried to get a glimpse.

Is that…

'I have to meet Elian.' I hear myself mumble as I drift off to unconsciousness.