Confused mistress.

Despite the sharp pain of the short dagger lodged between his shoulder blades, he forced himself to look around.

They were either dead already or squirming in agony, far away from being able to fight. He didn't hold any grudge against them, so he finished them quickly, without causing them any unnecessary pain. It was his mistake, after all.

His anger was slowly replaced by panic. Without a second thought, he quickly walked toward the place where he left her earlier, but his concerns were unnecessary.

Anna was still in deep slumber, carefully wrapped in the blanket. He knelt beside her, quickly checking if she was truly alright. 

Only then, he tried to pull the dagger out. Unable to properly grab it, he ultimately gave up and put up with the annoying pain.

He recklessly stuffed their things in that small backpack while he felt his heart pounding and aching in his chest.

"Fuck." Frustrated, he let out a growl as he carefully scooped her up off the ground. Aware of his weakness in map reading, he decided to simply retrace the path she had taken earlier, praying that they wouldn't end up lost in these woods.

He'd almost forget about the dagger if it weren't for the blood oozing along the blade, which annoyed him even more than the sharp pain. But she will help him. Soon enough.

Her body was light and he forced his mind to ignore the pleasant smell and warmth it gave out. It was easy to walk with her in his arms when they were hidden among trees, but he had to stop as soon as he got closer to the edge of this forest.

He found out that there were scattered groups of people and a few individuals on the open steps ahead.

He decided to wait to avoid accidentally using her as a shield during a fight.

Regret washed over him as he settled behind the fallen tree, the dampness of the moss seeping through his clothes like a sponge. Each second ticked by, intensifying his discomfort, regretting his thoughtless choice of seat.

As the moisture invaded his clothes, a chilling sensation penetrated his skin, leaving him longing for the comfort of a dry spot. An ironic lesson learned.

 But what can he do? She is still sleeping and he is unable to put her down, considering she would get wet too. So he held her, trying to resist the urge to play with her hair, already tangled between his fingers.

After one more hour passed, her body suddenly twitched, and she began to wriggle out of the blanket in a state of confusion.

Bugak hardly managed to hide his thrill.

 "You are here. Did you sleep well?" With concern in his eyes, he gently helped her back on her feet.

"Yes, I slept well." she blushed and looked around trying to wrap her head around the fact that there was no cottage in sight.

"Oh! I forgot to pack them. Fuck." He suddenly burst out when he realized she was looking for her clothes. She was still completely naked except for the golden anklets and hairpin, still trying to hold her disordered hair without much effect.

"What? Why?" She asked with a frown and covered her breasts with that blanket when she noticed his eyes fixed on them.