"You're still bathing in that river, Jihan?" asked the old and blind woman.
It was pretty clear on the old woman's face that she didn't like what the 16-year-old girl had done earlier.
"Grandma, I…"
"You stubborn stupid girl!" the grandmother snorted loudly. "Haven't I told you many times, huh? The river is dangerous!"
"But, I didn't see a single beast there, Grandma."
"You…!" despite being blind, the old woman was able to point right at Jihan. She then slammed her outstretched hand. "That's enough! If you always act like this, Jihan… I'm feeling sorry to myself for taking care and raising you!"
Jihan let out a short and low sigh, she lowered her head to hide her sad face.
Meanwhile, in the very back room, Leyman overheard the seemingly ominous conversation. He had not seen at all what the grandmother and her granddaughter looked like.
It's just that, Leyman felt that something was wrong in the conversation of the two in the vestibule. It was as if the girl was not the woman's blood.
"Listen, Jihan," said the old woman after her temper had lowered. "It's not about the beasts I'm afraid of. Nor are the supernatural creatures that inhabit the forest across the river. But… it's the people what I'm afraid of, Jihan."
"We live far away in this remote forest, Grandma," said Jihan. "In all the years we've been here, the only person I've met is the man who's now lying near death in that back room."
"I know."
Right, thought Leyman in the back room. Of course, she was the one who saved me. That girl. Aah, I was lucky enough not to die in that cursed Forbidden Forest.
"So, I hope you don't worry about me that much," said Jihan, again. "I'm old enough, Grandma, in case because you can't see."
"That's why, Jihan," the old woman let out a long sigh, her thin chest looking even frailer. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."
"But, I can take care of myself, Grandma. I am."
"Oh, Jihan…" the old woman's face turned sad. "You don't know how a human can do more cruelty than the demon itself, Jihan."
"I think you are exaggerating," Jihan replied. "Please, Grandma… let's take this aside. I want to check on that guy again."
The old woman couldn't do much. She was blind, and of course, this would be a drawback for her if she wanted to restrain the girl.
However, the old woman's worries were reasonable. Jihan, who hardly ever met anyone other than the old woman herself, probably didn't realize that she had grown into such a beautiful girl. The beauty of her body can not be expressed in words.
Even though Jihan was only 16 years old, however, her body looked like that of a 20-year-old girl. In other words, she looks very, very mature in the eyes of a man.
That was what the old woman was worried about. She might be blind, but she had not forgotten what had happened to her when she was young. And the old woman 'sees' the same thing in Jihan.
Hearing footsteps approaching the room where he was, Leyman then went back to pretending to sleep.
Jihan entered the room. The first thing the girl did was remove the rough blanket covering Leyman's body. She saw that the medicinal herbs covering the wounds on Leyman's body had almost turned black. Jihan again covered the man's body, then reached for the container filled with water and fine plant fibers.
The girl stepped outside, to the front of the hut. She dumped the water in the container in her hand, then replaced the water with clean water from a wooden barrel. After that, she went back inside again.
During that time, the old woman who was sitting on the bamboo chair was silent with all the activities that Jihan was doing.
Leyman had opened his eyes. One thing that occurred to the man was, did the girl not feel the slightest shame about his naked body?
Hmm… this is interesting!
No, no, Leyman… they could be Sudras. What did you expect, huh? Do you want to tarnish your family name by touching those Sudras?
Think about it, Leyman. Think!
And again, the man closed his eyes when he heard Jihan's steps getting closer to the room.
Jihan put the container of clean water on the short bamboo table. Then, the girl, who didn't know that Leyman had woken up, grabbed the rough blanket. Cleaned the blanket in such a way, folded it, and then placed it on a bamboo chair next to a small table.
Again, the girl reached for the container filled with clean water and the fine fiber of the plant. With slow-motion, the girl cleaned the medicinal herbs covering the wound on Leyman's shoulder.
As long as the girl cleaned the wound on Leyman's shoulder, during that time, Leyman was still able to keep his pretending in his sleep.
However, once the girl started to clean the medicinal herbs covering the wound on his chest, Leyman couldn't help but feel the pain from the wound.
Until he was forced to open his eyes, then his right hand moved quickly to catch the girl's hand.
Jihan gasped and took a few steps back, but her right hand was in Leyman's right hand.
"P—please… calm down," Jihan said with a slightly pale face, then gulped. "I—I just wanted to clean your wound."
Leyman's gaze was fixed on Jihan's face. Not because of the girl's surprise, nor because of her words that stunned Leyman.
It was the beauty of the girl herself that made Leyman speechless like a stone statue.
No, this is wrong! Leyman screamed in his heart. She was definitely not a Sudra. Certainly!
"What happened back there?!" the old woman's voice was heard from the direction of the vestibule. "Jihan?!"
"N-nothing, Grandma," said Jihan. "No need to worry. This Angholi soldier has come to his senses."
"Jihan," the old woman shouted again. "You should—"
"I told you, don't worry!"
"You stubborn girl!" the old woman muttered to herself.
TO BE CONTINUED ...