Chapter Four - Grey and Serene

"S-Stay back!" My legs are wobbling but I did not show twitchiness to him. If this is another vision, I'm not going to get fooled again.

I touched the necklace to acquire some mana and made a golden-handle dagger from it. I pointed it to him and slowly moved backward. I need to get to the kitchen to press the button that Hugo told me.

He raised his palm and wiped the blood that was dripping from his nose. The wide black screen is already broken and its tiny pieces are scattered on the floor. Did I hit him that hard?

He is wearing a grey leather doublet that fits his broad shoulders, gold centurion belt that serves as his sword's sheath, fitted black leather cavalier pants and a pair of brown knee-high boots. He's looking too good to be true.

He stood up and I tried to wield the dagger to him.

"I said, stay back!" I shouted.

He didn't listen, instead he's reaching his hands to me. "My lady, I may have surprised you but will you please calm down? I'm not here to hurt you."

I moved my feet backwards in a hurry so that I could finally press the red button. Just as I'm going to move my feet once more, I stumbled upon a porcelain vase.

I closed my eyes, expecting to hit my back on the concrete floor. Why do I have to experience this when I'm at my weakness? Is the spirit going to take my body now? Am I not able to avenge my parent's death? How about Martha? I hope she's not going to cry a river.

The dagger dispersed and its mana went back to the necklace the moment I lose my grip to it.

The time seemed to decelerate when strong arms wrapped my waist. I opened my eyes, the moon shines upon Wilhelm's face through the window and is a few inches away from mine. The scent of peppermint from his mouth made me look at his lips, it seemed smooth that there were no cracks.

I looked up. I was going to stare at his face more but came back to my senses when I caught his eyes.

I struggled to get away from his hold and punched his chest as many times as I could. However, my punches bounced back to me and it turns out I am the one who's hurting and not him. His chest was hard as a wall.

When I stopped, he raised his left arm and put his palm on my cheek, caressing it gently. A tear is forming from my eyes as I remember what he did in my vision. I can't move and there's no way to escape. Is he going to choke me this time?

"Are you calm now, my lady?" He asked in a tender way. "Did I do something that made you go hysterical?"

I looked at his eyes intently. It didn't change to red and it's still grey and serene.

"A-are you really real?" I uttered as I'm close to crying.

"Of cou-"

I cut him off by burying my head onto his chest. After that, I burst into tears. Feeling his warmth is enough for me to know that he's real, that he is the benevolent Wilhelm that I have known. I felt relieved as I continued crying without minding the strong scent of the leather doublet.

He grabbed my legs and lifted me back to the couch, still hiding my face. He did not put me down, his body sank upon sitting and it was comforting for me because I feel like a baby being snuggled.

We remained silent as the moon gave us light. As I leaned my head closer to Wilhelm's chest, I could hear the rapid beating of his heart. It somehow calmed me.

After a few moments, I decided to lift my head and wiped the remaining tears and mucus in my nose using the back of my palm. I don't care about manners now that I can't find something to wipe it.

"Are you feeling better now, my lady?" He said in a low husky voice.

I slightly nodded, feeling shy to look at him. How can I face him when I just kicked him the moment I saw his face?

He cupped my cheeks and our eyes met under the moon's light. My stomach is now starting to feel insane like it's going to swallow my heart. I think I'm just feeling hungry since I slept through the afternoon without having lunch.

"Would you like to tell me what happened?" He asked in a concerning tone.

I swallowed the lump in my throat "I saw in my vision that the spirit is taking your form and.." I moved my eyes down. "..it tried to kill me."

Before I could sob again, he grabbed my neck and hugged me. My nose landed on his neck and I'm having an odd contentment by smelling his natural moss scent.

"I must have startled you earlier but it's fine now, I'm here, I'm real." He suddenly tightened his grasp around my waist. "Perhaps, did you think that I would kill you?"

I nodded my head. It feels as if it's my end earlier.

I pushed his chest. "I'm sorry. It's just that the vision I had felt..real. I could still feel its hands around my neck. And I didn't think that.." I paused when a sudden realization came to my mind. "Wait.." I stared at him and he laughed awkwardly as if he already knew what I was thinking.

I pinched his cheeks. We're not in the meadow and this is definitely not my subconscious!

"Wilhelm..don't tell me you--"

He cut me off by clutching my hands and giving me a begging look.

"Your heartbeat was fluctuating, that's why I had no choice but to cross the portal, my lady. I had to be dead before anything happened to you."

"What?!" I yelled. "How come did you do it?"

I don't remember giving him a permission spell. Was it Martha?

I was going to interrogate him more but we heard a knock.

"Excuse me, my lady. I'm here to check on you."

It's Gwyneth!

"Who is that?" Wilhelm whispered as he seemed to wonder.

I instantly stood up and pulled his arms. "You need to hide!"

I roamed my eyes around but there's no place where I could lock him up. The furniture here is too small for him even if he hides, I'm pretty sure Gwyneth will sense his mana the moment she stepped in because she still has her powers, a beagle is exempted in sealing their mana in this world. And it would look weird if I don't let her come in besides, I'm famished. I'm hoping she's bringing a food.

"My lady?" Gwyneth knocked again.

"Uh..just for a moment!" I raked my hair, still thinking of what I should do.

"I apologize." She replied.

I was going to bite my thumb but Wilhelm took my hand. I looked up and he smiled.

"I know where to hide. So don't fret yourself."

He let go of me and turned his back and started walking. He stood up near the glass door that leads to the balcony and snapped his fingers, he vanished.

I somehow felt relieved but I am hoping he's somewhere out of Gwyneth's reach.

I combed my hair using my hands and fixed myself before opening the door.

"Hi!" I greeted her. "I'm sorry, did you wait long?"

She shook her head.

"It's alright, my lady." She lifted the tray that she was holding. "I brought you dinner."

"Then, come in." I guided her inside and she gasped. I instantly felt nervous, did she sense Wilhelm already?

"Oh my, why is it so dark here?" She set aside the tray on the table and went beside the door.

She slid her palm in the pocket of her dress, releasing a card and placed it in a socket. Then, the room lights up right away. What kind of spell is that?

"Did you use your power?" She must have put her mana on the card.

She waved her hand. "No, my lady. That's a key card in this hotel. Humans invented it instead of having a key in a hotel room. The moment you put it on the socket, the electricity runs in your room but if you take it away.." She took out the card from the socket. "..the lights will automatically shut down as well as the electricity."

I nodded out of amusement. Sometimes, human's knowledge is more powerful than a faery.

She put back the card and we headed to the table. As Gwyneth started to place the food in front of me, I couldn't help but to peek on the balcony's door. Where did Wilhelm go? Did he eat before he came here?

"I actually knocked here during lunch, my lady, because you did not call for us and you did not respond to me that's why I assumed that you were sleeping or did you perhaps had your lunch somewhere? " She said after pouring wine on my glass.

"I didn't. I slept after having breakfast with you. I just woke up, actually." I stated. Lunch somewhere? As if I know a place here. 

Her eyes widened. "Is that so? I should have woken you up, your grace. You must be very hungry."

"I really do." Looking at the dishes she brought, it makes me crave for it so I washed my hands immediately.

I started eating and told Gwyneth to sit across me even though she said that she already ate. She cut the steak to help me eat my meal easier. The meat was so tender and perfectly grilled but I got full easily and couldn't eat the whole of it. Maybe, I'll give it to Wilhelm later. I hope he doesn't get offended that I'll give him my leftover. I put the knife down, indicating Gwyneth that I'm done.

She was going to clean the table but she suddenly gasped again and I felt like my heart jumped. Did she sense Wilhelm this time? My eyes followed where she headed and I sighed quietly. I almost choke after sipping a wine.

"The television is broken and the vase too!" She said before her mouth went 'o'.

I scratched the back of my head. "That's because..there was no light and I stumbled."

I hope she buys my reasoning.

She immediately went to my front and held my shoulders. "Are you hurt, my lady?"

Looking at Gwyneth, I just realized that she has chocolate-brown eyes that suits her toffee hair. Is she worried about me? Or is it because she needs me to be alive? If the owner of the hair dies, then the contractor dies too. Maybe, I'll just think about the latter. There's not enough reason for her to get worried about me because we just only met today.

"I'm fine." I replied.

"Are you sure, your grace?"

I pressed my lips and nodded.

"I deeply apologize, your grace. I should have given you the card earlier."

She then raised her arm and the mess in the room was fixed on the spot. The broken tv that she said is already in good shape as well as the soil and the porcelain pieces that were scattered on the floor are put back in their original state.

After that, she helped me take a bath and change. If the room was well lit earlier, Wilhelm might already have seen my soul that's why I suggested wearing a white long sleeve lengthy nightgown. 

"Thank you, Gwyneth." I said as I took her to the door.

"See you tomorrow, your grace." Have a good night." She bowed and stepped outside as I closed the door.

I wore the necklace again, I hid it when I was taking a bath. 

I walked myself back to the couch, sat down and closed my eyes, summoning Wilhelm in my mind. I already called him four times but there was no trace of him. Did he go back to the faery realm?

With heavy shoulders I directed to my bed but I was stopped when I saw Wilhelm's back at the balcony. I opened the glass door and was greeted with pots of red roses that were placed around the baroque balustrades.

He turned to me and lifted his lips. Does the moon emit too much light? Or Wilhelm glows differently in my eyes?