4 Chapter 4

I started walking the same path where Winter met me. I will Winter's word that I can return home like is it is just the back of my hand.

"Did they reject you?" he asked

"No, I decided to go home myself" I replied trying to hide my embarrassment as I jumped off when he talked

"Bring this" he commanded

"But..." I was about to react when he looked at me

I am the daughter of a rich family and I will carry firewood? This is ridiculous. How dare he? If only... I slapped my face... No, I must not think about him. He is a stranger to me too and it will just take three years for this cold Winter. To erase my unwanted hatred, I started to talk.

"Why is your place there's no living? Like in Spring, so much wildlife. In Summer, there's many fishes and seashells. In the Fall, they have these butterflies. " I asked

He didn't answer. He's not even a mute.

"It would be nice if there's a hare here? Or a hedgehog? Is it possible to have an arctic fox here?" I said

"Do not spill animal names easily?" he said

"Why? Will a polar bear be on my back and howl?" I asked sarcastically

I felt a threat on my back. A roar of a wild animal made me jumped. Winter pulled me and hugged me. A strong force made us both pushed back.

"Don't move" he whispered

Winter is so warm. His hug made me forget that we were laying in the snow. But, this is wrong.

"Hey, what happened? Answer me" I said pushing him so that I can see what's happening

I saw the polar bear moved and smelled us then went away when he noticed we're not moving. Winter became cold as ice.

"He's gone," I said to Winter, but he didn't move.

I pushed him with all my might and helped myself stand. I removed the snow on my clothes and looked at him. He's unconscious. How can a polar bear suddenly appear? I poked him, thinking it would wake him.

"Winter..." I whispered then gave up

I carried him to a wooden house near the place where the bear attacked us. I gather some woods and started making the fire. I put him near the fire because he might catch a cold staying to where he is now. His coat was torn. He was hit by the bear. What will I do? Will I call Autumn? But, I think he's mad. Spring and Summer's areas are too far for me. What do I do? I remembered he was also stabbed by the Master. I have no choice.

"I'm sorry," I said and removed his coat and shirt

I am not wrong when I said he is well -built. Not too much muscle, but... What am I thinking? I pushed him to look at his back. It has deep wounds and a hole that was covered by ice. But how? I touched it. It's so cold. I then felt a sudden drop in temperature. Wind blew open the door and windows which extinguished the fire. Everything went dark. I automatically hugged Winter and cried. I am having palpitations and hard breathing. That thing that happened years ago came back.

I was locked in the cabinet. It was so dark. It's hard to breathe. Yes, I heard my old friends' laughter as they locked the cabinet I hid. I thought playing with them was fun. I knocked and shouted, yet no one heard. I am lost with my memories when some sparkling blue light floated in the air. It's colder now. A sudden movement brought me to consciousness. Winter hugged me. He combed my hair and it helped me to calm down a bit. I am not alone now.

"So dark..." I said

I felt Winter moved away so I grabbed his hands. I crawled close to him and embraced his arm. Then a candle was lit up. He threw it on the firewoods. The light illuminated the place. I accidentally looked on his eyes. Is he concerned?

"Still afraid?" he asked and smirked

I pushed him. He stood up after he grabbed his clothes.

"You are the daughter of a rich family? How can you act like a decadent woman and try to rape an unconscious man?"

"What? How dare you? I... I..."

"You must know that even we are married in this place, having our marriage consummate must be agreed by both parties. You can't just jump on me" he said

"What? I am..."

I didn't finish my explanation because he already left. I stomped my feet as a walked around the place until I calmed down. How dare he? I didn't even... Ahh! I hate him! If you will ever be in my world, I will make sure that you'll bow down to me. I roamed the house and found the bathroom. Yes, a perfect way of calming myself up is a warm bath. I took a bath to my heart's content.

"And now you're bathing to seduce me? It will never be effective" he said

I slid and almost drowned myself. I stood up.

"Don't be embarrassed. I know how you've been crazily in love with me, coming home voluntarily" he said

"YOU! YOU!" I am angered and this is the first of my entire life

"Get dress. I saw a lot of girls and yours aren't appealing like those" he added

I automatically covered myself and sit in the tub. This guy. He left. I saw what he put in the basket. Some clothes and a towel which I forgot due to my excitement in a warm bath. He's not here to irritate me. I was about to stand up when he entered again.

"You're not living here for free. Cook after you change" he ordered

"ARE YOU FOOLING AROUND?" I shouted

He walked away. This man. Some time ago, he was a lifesaver, then a cold-hearted. He is emotionless and can't understand others' feelings, then he comforted me when I am scared. He even saved me to a bear who unknowingly showed up. Now, he is the most overbearing authoritarian I know. Even my dad can't order me around and he asked me to cook?

I smiled evilly. I know how to cook. And I know food can be a poison too. I prepared the ingredients and started cooking. I will just add all the salts and some weird stuff. As I was about to put salt.

"I don't want salty food. Oh, you are born with a silver spoon no wonder... Ahem... You are not a good cook" he said

He wanted an explosion. He's sure to die, the meaning of telling me the best cook of my family, not a good cook? You are testing a professional's talent. I cooked my best and served them. Now, tell me who's a bad cook.

"Not bad" he judged

"With all of that? You'll say not bad?" I complained

"Why? Do you want a bad comment about your cooking? From now on, you must cook my food and clean this house. Every time I will go home, your chores must be done or I will kick you out and you won't have any house to stay. Master strictly ordered the others not to let you stayed on their houses or they'll be punished. Understand?" he asked

"I am not a maid," I said

"Then how can you pay me for letting you stay here?" he asked

"We are rich, I will pay you," I said

"That paper you are referring to were all useless in this place. If you are born as a young lady of some glamorous family, you must know that each of us here lived their lives on their own. Now choose, satisfy me with your food or gather woods?" he said

"Food," I said hesitantly

"Good, you are now in charge of the house," he said and left again

Where did he go? He always left the house every time he talked to me. I just jumped on the bed and closed my eyes. I need a lot of sleep because this day was so tiring. I can't believe that he didn't praise me with my cooking. All people in my house complimented me. Even visitors and the parents of my husband. Yes, my unknown husband. Will he like my cooking? I wonder if he also likes my favorite foods. I must do my best here. Right! Wind, you must do your best to satisfy this cold Winter. If you did, your three years won't be too long.