"I hope you'll love it." Bav chuckles nervously.
My bones are aching and my limbs feel heavy, but I can still sense an uneasiness in Bav.
"It can wait till you come back. That way I can thank you properly." I lift my head to smile at him, so happy that my hero has come to me again.
"Ech hmmm" We look over and Derek is at the doorway, "Sorry to interrupt..."
Under his breath, Bav retorts, "I'm sure you are."
"I need to collect the trunk, so my father and I can leave. Where would you like to put the vial? There is still a few doses in it."
"Keep it, just in case." Bav doesn't break his gaze from me, caressing my arm as he cradles me against his chest.
"Good-bye Ms. Langridge. Someone will stop by tomorrow to check in on you." Derek bows his head to me, "Mr. Fairchild." There's no warmth in his departing acknowledgement of Bav.
Bav retorts, "Chambers."
'Men...are so frustrating..' I roll my eyes at their behavior and sigh loudly.
"Do you know that man?" Bav inquires.
"I do, but not well. He has attempted to court me but I refused. Multiple times." I yawn, exhaustion settling into my heavy limbs. "I don't want to waste our time on other people, let me enjoy you while you are here."
There's a soft knock on the door, "Rakara, it's Etty. We're leaving for the night. We will be here tomorrow for you though."
"Tell her I said alright." I whisper as I start to fall asleep. I feel the rumble in his chest as he dismisses Etty for the night. I fight to try and stay awake, shaking myself like a wet dog.
"Go ahead and sleep. It's only two more days for you and then I will be back."
I must have fallen asleep because I'm startled awake from a ringing sound. He turns it off and helps me up so he can leave. I'm so exhausted I am unable to keep my self lucid enough to say good bye and barely kiss him.
When I wake up the next day, to Etty and Elaine fretting over me, I feel massively better, physically. My heart felt anxious, wishing for Bav to come back sooner, even though I knew I was lucky to have seen him so much already. Etty and Elaine refused to let me out of the bed today, so I rested most of the morning. At lunch, when Etty brought me up some soup for lunch, there was a knock on the door.
"Who might that be at the door?" I ask Etty who makes her way quickly to the door and opening it.
"Mr. Chambers, how do you do? Come in, please." Etty moves aside and it is just Derek who comes in.
"My father sends his apologies for not coming, his hips are more inflamed today after walking up and down too many stairs yesterday. I am doing his rounds at the moment. We were concerned about you." Derek looks around the room and sees no one else present and glances at the soup.
"You have an appetite today, that's good." He steps closer examining me with his eyes.
"Color is good, eyes are still showing signs of fatigued periorbital circles... May I check your pulse and temperature?" He questioned me.
"Rakara, I need to go back downstairs to help Elaine. Do you still need me here?" Etty glances at Derek and I catch her intentions.
"I'll be quite alright Etty, you may go." Nodding her to leave, I turn to Derek.
"Yes, you may finish your examination." I hold out my arm for him to take my pulse.
"Are you going to be able to make it tonight?" Derek whispers.
I nod, my face tight in thought. "Yes, I don't have much of a choice, I have to keep to the contract now." I regard him warily. I don't want him changing the contract around and screwing me over because I defaulted on my part, even if it was due to illness.
"Damn the bloody contract. I'm more worried about you not being in your top shape, especially considering what we will be doing tonight." His hushed tones can't hide the concern covering his face.
"Is there something I should know, Derek?" I calculate his reactions, verbal and non, to try and see if he's lying.
"No, it's not like that. Never mind. It is not my place to be concerned in that manner for you. Does your beau, Mr. Fairchild, know anything about what you do?" He seems exasperated with me, as he can't stop fidgeting with his hands.
"No. I do not wish him to doubt why I am with him, that I am with him merely for personal gains. He knows the men in power and I would despise myself if he thought I was that low of moral character, to take advantage of his emotions to get introduced to this cities government officials." I take my arm back from him and lean against the head board of my bed.
"So how is my health today?" I close my eyes waiting for his response. I hear only silence.
Opening my eyes, Derek is staring at me like I am an curiosity in an oddity show. He can't quite figure out what I am.
"Your health is doing exceptionally well, rest well till this evening and you should be able to manage this evening." He stares at me intently, still curious over something.
"Why do you keep staring at me like an exhibit in an oddity show?" I huff out, folding my arms over my chest while I wait for his reply.
"You are not using his connections as an opportunity? Seriously?" His brows rise almost hitting in hairline is disbelief.
"That is correct." Irritated over his queries, I sigh loudly.
"You must really care about him then, because any one else would be using those contacts and connections more than Rita gives out hand jobs on the workers come payday." He gives me stare, judging me. His face tells me he thinks me to be a fool, for feeling that I should not take advantage of Bav.
Flustered and insulted, I glare at him, "Yes, I care for him. I would never have allowed him to court me otherwise. I am not the type of person you have mistaken me for, nor am I someone who takes advantage just because I have a pleasant face." Turning my face from him a 'hmmph' leaves me.
He stands slowly, the creak of the chair can be heard even with his heavy sigh. "I didn't mean to insult you. To put it plainly, I would not have tried to pursue you if I thought you were that type of woman too."
He turns to leave but stops, my curiosity makes me snap my glare to him to see why.
"I should add, I never saw your face. I found myself not caring if you wore a mask because you may have been scarred. I still found you to be a strong, intelligent, and beautiful person. I'll take my leave now, see you later, Ms. Langridge." He walked out briskly, the door shutting to my apartment with a soft thud.
My conscious pained me with guilt.
'He had a point with his last statement. He never did see my face and still pursued me as if enamored. Maybe, I was too harsh on him.... '
I laid down and rested, my mind clicking like a clock with my thoughts going around in my head. I awoke to Etty coming to let me know the place was locked up and they were leaving for the day.
I followed them to lock the door behind them and headed upstairs. It was time for me to take a bath and prepare for the rendezvous later tonight.
I had just left my bath when a gentle knock came on my bedroom door. My heart nearly leapt from my chest. Grabbing a blade, I called out.
"Who is there?!"
"Viekar, Ms. Langridge. I'm here to check on you."
Sighing with relief, I put the blade down and wrap my dressing gown around me.
"One moment, Viekar!"
I come out and Viekar stands calmly, looking me up and down. "My apologies, my lady. You seem to be much better today. Master Bavarthos will be relieved to hear that."
I blush, "I'm sorry to have put anyone through any trouble. It must have been hard for him waiting days, when for me it's only been hours." I fiddle with the hem of my robe, thinking if I was in Bav's place, the anxiety would have driven me mad.
"He's been tempted to come back more than once, but he didn't want you to feel guilty for keeping him from anything. He feels extremely guilty already for not decontaminating before coming to visit you." Viekar hands me a stack of envelopes, all from Bav.
"I wish he would not, it was not intentional. Thank you, if you give me a moment, I can write him a quick letter. I was asleep most of the day so I was unable to write him." I take the letters and set them down, taking a piece of paper to write on.
"I would appreciate that. He only has two more weeks till he comes back, so this letter will hold him over till you see him tomorrow night." Viekar smiles warmly, his teeth showing a small gap in between the front two.
Getting an idea in my mind, I take a seat and motion Viekar to join me. "Viekar, if I may take a few minutes of your time?"
He straightens his jacket and chortles, "Of course you may, Ms Langridge. Is there something you need help with? Master Bavarthos gave me full permission to help you in any way you may need in his absence."
I take in a quick breath of air, taken aback, "Did he now? Well all I would like is some questions answered." I smile confident that my epiphany may just pay off.
Viekar crosses his legs and leans forward, his eyes a twinkle, "Ask away."
I smile , grabbing a notepad on the small table next to my chair and pen, thinking to myself first, 'I'll start off with easy, everyday questions. Ease him into the other ones.'
Smiling I begin my interrogation, "If I wanted to thank Bav for anything, what gesture would he appreciate the most? Just my gratitude, verbally? A gift, like a hat or something of that nature? Dinner?"
Gleefully scoffing he waves a hand in the air, shooing my suggestions away. "Anything you do would make him happy my lady. He absolutely adores you. However, he does have an extensive wardrobe, so I would suggest only getting him a clothing item if it truly is something you would like to see him in."
I nod in contemplation, writing down quick little key words and continue, "Is there a food or color that he loves or even ones that I should not put on a plate for him?"
"hmm... Well he enjoys all colors and really depends on what the color is on. He does not wear a lot of yellows, oranges, and pinks, except in small amounts, but loves the colors on flowers." He explains.
"I see." I respond making notes.
"Food, he's never been picky, but I will never place in front of him anything with walnuts in it. That is the only thing that he will turn his nose up at that I have ever seen. He loves a dessert called a cobbler, peach or apple to be precise."
"Cobbler? "
"Yes, it's like a pie, just not crust on the bottom and more fruit with a crumbled crust topping." He shrugs at it's simplicity.
"Oh you mean a hot fruit crumble? That's his favorite dessert?" I ask surprised.
He glances down, averting my gaze for a moment, his ears growing red, "No, he likes your pastries the best madam. He's said enough great things about you, and one of those is he is quite taken with you and your....treats."
I laugh it off like it's nothing, letting a light blush envelope my cheeks. "I'm flattered. What else does he say about me? For curiosities sake."
He seems hesitant, but eventually opens up a little bit. "Well, he has never mentioned anything to worry about in my presence. He praises you for everything you have accomplished with your shop and speaks very highly of you to everyone. You make him very happy, Ms. Langridge. I would like to personally thank you for bringing such a joy to Master Bavarthos... I am not sure I have ever seen in the years I have known him."
Now, I blush from head to toe, a warmth that makes me jittery and tingle all over in bliss.
"I don't know what to say, Viekar." I say emotionally as tears of joy spring up in the corners of my eyes. Heat rises over my body and I begin to fan myself with my notepad.
"I can tell by your reaction, my lady. You don't have to say anything. Now, I don't want to keep you from resting and I should get back to get these to him. I shall have to bid you good night."
"Oh alright, thank you Viekar. Good night." I lock the door after he leaves and look at the clock.
"Bloody Hell!"