Stay

Meanwhile, at the Manor, Nilana busied herself with washing clothes. Hanging them outside. Cleaning the dirty floor of the Manor and with every other chore she could find.

It was after midnight when Ian came back and he stood, astonished. Standing in the front of the entrance of his once-dead manor, even though his cloak was drenched in raw blood, he felt as if he was in home. The wooden floor was shining against the reflections of the candles. His nose even smelled something delicious.

"Mister Ian? You're back?" Nilana yelled from the kitchen. At instant he quickly leaped towards the back garden and hid.

He couldn't let Nilana see him like this.

He didn't even know why he brought her into his mess.

Wouldn't all of this be easier if he just left her at the capital hospice and would have been done with her?

All this happened because of that one goddamn necklace.

"Mr Ian?" Nilana's delicate voice reached his ears, and he swore under his breath that this girl would be the death of him. He panicked when he heard her footsteps on the wet grass.

"I-" He muttered, unsure of what to say. "I AM IN A STATE OF UNDRESS. PLEASE PARDON ME AS I MAKE MY WAY TO THE BATHHOUSE." He shouted.

Nilana halted immediately, her face crimson red. She twisted back and took heavy steps towards the house.

She didn't know what else this man lacked, but He surely didn't have any shame. Walking around his house shirtless. Now, this.

Ugh.. Nilana splashed the warmness of her cheeks with water and continued with her cooking.

.

.

.

"I was unsure of what to do. So I decided to lend your manor assistance while you were away. This is surely not enough, nor ever will be enough for you comparing to what you've done for me." She put the last dish on the table. It almost filled the table with the feast she had made.

Smashed potatoes, stirred vegetables, puffed white rice, cinnamon meat curry, and all of her special dishes were presented. They smelled delicious and looked beyond appealing.

Ian just came back from a fresh kill to this. He couldn't even comprehend what he was feeling now. Whatever it was...it wasn't good, as it made him feel like a human once again.

"How is your injury?" he asked, his voice cold and untouched.

"I am alright, please don't bother yourself with that." She gestured. "Please have some. Your kitchen had a limited amount of vegetables and meat I could work on. So this is all I could do."

Ian proceeded to feed himself the rice with the meat curry. One bite, it took only a bite for colors to bloom in his mind.

He wasn't sure if he tasted something as good as this before.

"Is it good?" Nilana had her big doe-like auburn eyes on him, waiting for his answer.

"It's..." He took another spoonful. "Edible." with that, he took three more bites before digging in.

While he was busy eating, the previous questions went over Nilana's head.

"Um.. Mr Ian, when you saved me while I was drowning." Ian's silver eyes met her, all his attention poured over her. "Did you see my belongings drown?" She finally asked and wasn't even sure if she wanted to know the answer, although she already knew.

"There was only a satchel." He stood, his food finished. And Nilana's eyes lit up.

"Really?!" she yelled in hope. "Thank you so much, Mister Ian. I-"

"But the satchel only contained a ruby necklace. I have kept that." He took big steps towards the staircase. In a few seconds, Ian came downstairs and handed the satchel to her.

She quickly took and inspected the inside of it. Only red jewels glimmered under the dimly lit candles around the manor.

And her heart shattered. She couldn't care less about her clothes and belongings. But all of her savings, the gold coins were gone. It was rare for a commoner like her to acquire gold coins in such a rural village area. But she saved them for 9 years, every coin, just gone like that.

"My saved gold coins..." she muttered,

Beads of tears formed in the corners of her eyes, but she held back. She should be grateful that it still carried her life with her. He saved her, didn't he? She still wouldn't give up. Wherever she was, even if it was a stranger's house. It was better than getting sold off, and live the rest of her life selling her body to men and be a slave in a lowly brothel.

"I can lend you some." His deep, low voice reached her ears, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

After all this, why did this stranger insisted on helping her?

"Why-"

"Only in one condition." He finished his sentence.

Oh. This was his plan all along. He'd trap her and used her and..

"Just stay here and take care of this house for a few months. You'll get your coins and I will leave you safely at the capital."

"Wait..what?" Her eyes creased in confusion. "But why would you-"

"Did you wish to repay me in kind, didn't you?"

That shut her up.

"Do this for me. I will provide for you."

After a few moments of consideration, "Alright." She nodded. "Just for a few months."

She then excused herself and left for the bedroom.

Ian stood there, watching her heading upstairs to sleep.

He didn't even know he why bothered to tell her to stay.

He could've just handed the sack of gold coins to her and asked her to leave.

In her presence, his own trustworthiness had become a delicate balance, teetering on the precipice of uncertainty.

He hated himself for dragging her in this dangerous game he was orchestrating.

He hated himself for not shooing her off for her own betterment.

"Just for a few months," He murmured to himself. "I won't be even here after a few months, Dem Mari."