JEALOUSY

Grand tree kept looking at Vivian and tried to see what memories she had but she had used a spell to block him out of her mind. She smiled when he gave up but she didn't turn to look at him.

"Please help him get up..... or pick him up." Selene said to the men around her.

Elijah didn't move even when his fellows came to pick Bartimus. He stared at Selene's worried expression and felt like his heart had been pierced by a thousand needles. When she looked at him he looked away immediately to avoid her gaze. He got up with her after everyone else was gone and stopped her to ask her something.

"What was your... husband doing this late at night with another woman in his company?"

"When we were coming here, we were chased by some witches and got separated. He must have found her along the way and decided to help her." she answered.

"Witches? What did they want from you?"

"Probably for human sacrifices or such. I'm just glad we are back together."

Elijah just smiled knowing that old man Willy had given a different story. Who was lying? Selene started walking and Elijah followed behind her quietly.

"So why did your husband chase you from home?" he asked cunningly.

"We had an argument about children. I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mother but he wants children terribly." she answered with a sly smile.

"You don't think you can manage them?" he asked a little disappointed.

"I just don't think I will be a good role model for them. And Bartimus is sort of rough around children."

"Then why does he want them?"

"He says he'll be gentle with his own."

"I see."

When they reached the small settlement, Grand tree was sitting by the fire with Bartimus who was awake and slightly bandaged. Selene rushed to him and sat beside him. She held his hand but he pushed her away immediately nearly making her fall. She looked at him with a puzzled expression. Everyone who witnessed this fell silent except a few children who began laughing at her. Selene wanted to cry but held the tears back and simply walked away. When she was out of sight, Grand tree slapped his thigh in reprimanding manner and Bartimus did the same thing.

"How dare you!" Grand tree said in an authoritative voice.

He walked away before Bartimus could say anything. Bartimus followed Grand tree and when he caught up to the old man, he pushed the man against the wall were no one could see them.

" Don't test me old man." he boomed.

"Why are you doing this to me. I was just acting." Grand tree pleaded.

"Acting? You think I was just going to go with it old man?"

"What are you doing to Willy?" Eli asked from behind them.

Bartimus looked over his shoulder and saw Eli pointing a spear at him. Bartimus sighed and released Willy from his grip.

"Where is Selene's room?" he asked.

Grand tree showed him to Selene's room while trying to calm Eli. He entered the room and closed it so that they would not be disturbed. She had curled herself up on the bed and was crying silently.

"I didn't mean to push you away." he said.

She didn't answer but he heard her sniff back her tears.

"Selene,..I... I'm sorry."

"Good. Did that hurt you in any way.?" she stated as she wiped her tears away.

Bartimus frowned and found her to be very childish. He searched through her recent memories and found the memory of her speaking with someone called Elijah about him chasing her away because of children. He was shocked temporarily so he said nothing about it.

"You should change, darling love." she said as she checked through the the clothes in the basket.

"Who is Elijah?" he asked walking towards her.

"Eli's son. He's a good man, you should befriend him and maybe you learn how to act around women."

"He is a good candidate." stated Bartimus.

"Candidate? For what?"

Selene stopped what she was doing and looked at him. He could sense that she knew what he meant but was in disbelief for some reason. He smiled at her and left the room without saying anything else.

Outside, he found Vivian standing with Elijah. They had not heard him so he chose to remain hidden. He wanted to know exactly what the witch was planning on doing. He never trusted her words of wishing to be good so he thought of exploiting her as much as possible.

"....see I'm after Selene and you are after Bartimus. If we can pull them apart from each other then we can both get what we want."

"I hear you but how do you suppose we'll do that?"

"They are already in bad terms so we needn't do much. Just a little push."

Vivian heard a sigh and turned to find Bartimus looking at them. She pressed her lips into a thin line wandering how much he had overheard.

"Ohh! Bartimus, you're here!" Vivian said reigning excitement.

"Yes I am. I was wandering where I could take a bath." he answered seriously and pretending his wounds were hurting,"I'll ask Selene. You can continue plotting now."

He turned around and headed back to Selene's room. Elijah turned pale at Bartimus'words but Vivian quickly recovered from her shock. The two watched as Bartimus entered the room were they could clearly see Selene putting some clothes on the bed for him.

"Are you sure they are fighting?" Vivian asked as she watched Bartimus close the door.

The look in his eyes made it clear that he was telling them to stay away from Selene and she could also see a warning specifically for her. She frowned and looked at Elijah from whom she could sense jealousy. What would he do to get the woman he wanted? She loved the look in his eyes and for a witch like her she fed on such emotions. She inhaled deeply and saw the jealousy coming from him enter her nostrils. She smiled in satisfaction and placed her hand on his shoulder as though she was comforting him.

Inside their room, Bartimus sat on the bed and watched Selene as she neatly folded the clothes in the basket after she had messed them up. She was humming to herself in heavenly bliss as the thought of sharing a bed with Bartimus engulfed her. She went out and came back a few minutes later and he heard her speak to Elijah briefly before she entered the room. with a tray of food.

Bartimus had taken his shirt off to observe his wounds closely. She asked him to wait and went out again and this time she returned with a pail of warm water and a piece of clothe. .

"You eat while I clean your dirty self." she said kneeling in front of him.

"Do you ever get upset or angry?" he asked her remembering how he had pushed her away.

"I was upset a while ago but you apologized and now I'm fine again. I don't want to frown too often because mother always said it makes a person look older than they actually are."

She dipped the clothe in the water and winced because it was too hot. she blew on her fingers and continued wetting the clothe in the water. She didn't wringe it and directly brought it to Bartimus' chest. He tsked at her but she didn't know what she had done wrong so she continued.

"Are you trying to bathe the whole bed or clean off the blood?"

"I'm bathing you."

"Then make sure the clothe doesn't have so much water otherwise I'll have to tell old Eli that you still wet the bed."

Selene laughed and continued what she was doing because she didn't want to get burnt by the water. He stopped her and took the clothe from her hands and put it in the pail. She looked at him

smiling and he smiled back at her.

"Do you want to eat?" she asked standing up to get the tray of food she had put on the stool.

"Will you feed me?"

"No, no, no. Mother used to tell me never to feed someone I shouldn't be with."

"Why can't my WIFE feed me?" he responded standing from the bed.

Selene stared at him, trying very hard not to look at his shirtless upper body. Her breathing became laboured and she almost dropped the tray but Bartimus took it from her. He came closer to her and acted as if he was about to kiss her when they heard a sob from the small window. Selene turned to look but whoever was there before was gone. She looked at Bartimus and was surprised to see that he was smiling.

"Good job, Selene. Now we can see just how strong the witch is."