The physician said with a small smile playing on his lips, "We both are hungry and tired. You will be glad if you don't touch that girl."
They got the hint as he backed away and the physician brought back his sword and now his face was back to before. Emotionless and cold.
"Come," he said and I noticed the table boy standing at a distance with a pair of scared eyes. His hands were full with our plates. Upon hearing the physician's order he came with the foods and placed them all on the table but he was still a bit wary of the physician.
What was he? At first, he was only a physician then, a merchant and now, a warrior?! I was scared of him and surprised as well because I had no clue who this stranger was, with whom I had married off to. I gaped at him and as if he sensed my eyes on him he said without looking at me, "Eat."
I immediately took a plate as he served me the food and I started to chew on them but my eyes kept glancing at him.
It was my first time eating at a roadhouse. Before that I never knew or had seen anything like this. As I was always in the house so I didn't have any knowledge about outside of the house.
I began to start a conversation with him as my curiosity spiked but I was a bit hesitant, "C—can I ask you something?"
"Yes, what is it?" He chewed on a piece of meat but he didn't look at me.
"I—I don't know your name." I gulped.
He finally looked at me with his dark, sharp eyes. I was scared just by looking at those cold eyes and I asked again while my heart thumped, "D—did I ask something that I—I should not be asking?"
I was nervous and at the same time, I was scared. I had a feeling the first time I had seen him, he looked like a warrior. He had a strong build and his strong arms were of a warrior. I knew it because my father was also a warrior. The way he stood, the way he walked, he screamed of pride and fearlessness. The same as my father.
"Arashi Yuan," he answered and he looked away from me to his bowl to continue eating. I had many questions to ask him but I had no courage to do so.
I couldn't ask if he knew that I was an illegitimate child? Did my father tell you? I didn't have any courage left after the first question I asked. The moment his dark eyes fell on me I felt my knees wiggle. I didn't know why I felt like I offended him.
As I finished chewing my meal I tried to remember why his surname sounded very familiar. Maybe I heard it from the conversations that my father and his subordinates used to exchange. His companions often came to father for working purposes or just for chatting and for meals.
So, my father knew the man who sat opposite me, was a warrior?
After our dinner, he went to the owner and I followed him. The owner was a bit wary of him as he placed his hand inside of his bag. But he took out a coin and gave it to him as he said, "We need a place to stay the night."
The man nodded as he asked one of his men to lead us while most of the crowd's eyes were on us.
The boy said, "Please, follow me."
We took the stairs and reached our room at the end of the corridor. The corridor had so many doors as we crossed them. From outside it didn't appear very large but inside it had many rooms.
The boy opened the door and said, "This is the room."
Arashi nodded at the boy as he took his leave but smirked as he took a glance at me.
I furrowed my brows. Why did he smirked at me? I was looking at the boy's back as he went ahead and disappeared after the stairs.
"Get in," Arashi said as I entered the room and it was medium in size. He closed the door after I came inside.
The walls were made with hard woods and one window resided at the opposite of the entrance door. There was a small chimney opposite of the bed and piles of wood were kept at a side. Arashi went toward the chimney to fire the woods while my eyes moved toward the bed.
There was only one bed which wasn't meant for two people. I chewed on my bottom lip.
Maybe I had to sleep on the floor but apart from one pillow and one rag for the cold night, there was nothing that I could use on the floor besides, it was a cold night.
This had to be the punishment for asking him his name. He looked like he really was irritated when I asked him his name. But it wasn't an irritating question. Why did he get angry? Besides, if I didn't ask how would I know who I was married to.
Women should not ask many questions or explanations from their husbands. What a husband does it was entirely relevant even if he did wrong and I had known this since watching the first lady.
If I asked him again about another rag or a floor mat maybe he would get angry or beat me to death. And in this society nobody would do anything if a husband killed his wife out of anger or irritation. It was highly accepted in this society.
I could see he was large compared to me. Regarding his massive size and the cold aura he emitted, he could kill me in an instant. He was taller than me and had broad shoulders. His strength could be felt from the incident downstairs. And I was pale, fragile and short. He could easily break me in two pieces with a snap of his hand.
He got up as soon as the fire started to burn the woods and the warmth could be felt from there. He took off one of his upper kimonos and laid down on the bed.
As he laid, he covered most of the bed and there was almost no place left for me. And I was about to lay on the floor when he looked at me.
He asked, "Was my odor disgusting enough for you to sleep on the floor?"
I was bewildered, "W—what? No, I—I thought maybe you want me to sleep on the floor as there isn't any place left there so..."
"Why would I want you to sleep on the floor?" His hard eyes fell on me as he looked serious and added, "It's cold. Come here. Sleep with me." He pointed just beside him where his arm was stretched out. And I was flustered. I felt my blood was running through my veins as my heart was drumming in my chest ribs.
So, would we sleep together?