Salim knew that Arsia misunderstood him when he saw how her expression and her aura changed frantically. She looked like a lovely kitten then she turned into a raging lion suddenly.
She called him a rude man with her full of anger voice. This is the first time in Salim's life that he faced someone who dared to call him so right in front of his face. If Arsia said it behind his back Salim wouldn't be surprised, tho. For 25 years of his life, he lived in the palace. Let alone people, even walls were whispered.
Salim had no idea about the sudden change in Arsia's temperament. She didn't look like someone who suffered from a mental illness even though her behavior was very unpredictable. Salim glanced at Behram. Perhaps his servant knew what was going on there.
Behram slightly raised his head and stared at his master. That old man caught the implicit message from Salim's eyes to him. But Behram could only look down and shook his head slowly in reply. What Salim didn't know, Behram didn't know it too. Arsia was extraordinary even for an old man like Behram who had lived for 65 years and even crossed the eras.
'That girl unexpectedly exploded like a firecracker', Behram commented inwardly.
Right from the beginning Behram already had a bad impression of Arsia and now it was getting worse.
He already scored her low right after she inappropriately addressed his master. Lucky Arsia, Behram couldn't do something to her because Salim was holding him back.
Through his gaze, Salim told Behram that Arsia didn't know who they were and she didn't have to know so just let her go. Behram was forced to obey Salim's orders even though it drove him crazy because he couldn't give Arsia a lesson. At least Behram was a little bit relieved to thought about them who wouldn't meet her again because she shall leave the house one week later.
What a pity it was just an empty hope of him.
If only Arsia didn't slam the keys in front of them. It wasn't a big deal if it was just that silver key. But the golden key... Arsia had already touched it!
Behram widened his eyes to ensure his vision. Perhaps his eyes were already blurred due to his age. But Behram was right.
He turned to Salim. He saw Salim being silent in his place with his eyes stuck on the golden key in front of him. Clearly, his master also saw and thought about the same thing as him.
'Yıldıray! That doomed boy! How could he give that golden key to this girl?!', Behram was furious. But he could only hold his grudge in his heart. He didn't want to make the situation even worse. Primarily, since Arsia was raging and was about to leave that house.
Obviously, Arsia wouldn't be able to leave. Then how would Salim and Behram explain the cause to her?
What happened was beyond Salim's expectations. All this time, Salim knew that Yıldıray was a naughty boy. But his delinquency was about asking for more money to waste. Now, he surprised Salim that he could go this far.
'The fox cub has turned into a snake apparently', Salim changed his thought about Yıldıray.
It was obvious that Yıldıray neglected his responsibility and tricked Arsia so he could quit the responsibility that Salim had directly assigned to him. If this was Sultanate, Yıldıray deserved to be hanged for betraying the Ottoman's Shehzade (1). Certainly, Salim would punish that boy but at this time he must solve the problem that Yıldıray made.
Now, Salim saw that Arsia had touched the golden key. God knew Arsia could have touched it from the beginning. That meant that the duty had moved from Yıldıray to Arsia. That boy must have it done while Salim and Behram were on their way to 2019. Otherwise, no doubt that Salim could feel his bond was changing with the key holder.
"I'll get out of here right now!"
Salim raised his face looking at Arsia when he heard the girl shouting at him. Arsia really looked like a lion in front of him now. Their eyes looked at each other and Salim could feel the anger burning within Arsia. Then, without giving Salim a chance to speak, Arsia just left.
Salim stood up immediately after Arsia. Certainly it wasn't a difficult job for him. Only with one step, Salim was able to grab her arm and hold her.
'Her arm is so small', Salim thought while feeling Arsia's arm under his hands.
In his grasp, Salim could know if Arsia gasped in surprise. That girl turned to him. Arsia's pair of black eyes clashed with his chartreuse green eyes.
Salim lowered his gaze, towards Arsia's lips. That girl's full lips at this moment frowned restraining a burst of rage within her, compensating for her fiery black eyes.
The fire of hostility was clearly ignited by Arsia. But Salim was stunned. His lips pursed at the sight in front of him. His eyes refused to stop moving over Arsia's face. Salim enjoyed all the expressions shown by Arsia.
'How interesting', Salim thought inwardly.
During this whole time, he only met people who were hiding themselves, now Salim had just found something unique. With no doubt, Arsia showed her emotions vividly. That girl was like a red dot among the monochrome, different and striking. Or maybe, Arsia was the sound of a clock that had stopped ticking.
"What are you doing?" Arsia jolted. Her tone wasn't loud -- it tended to be flat -- but cold and piercing.
"You can't go anywhere," Salim insisted.
"Let go of me!" Arsia commanded him in a hiss. That girl didn't try to pull her arm but Salim could feel Arsia's body tighten.
"I need to make sure that you won't go anywhere," Salim repeated. This time to compromise. His hand was still grasping Arsia's arm, tightly but not hurting.
Arsia sighed harshly through her mouth. Her eyes stared at Salim intently. "Didn't you tell me to get out of this house? Now you're holding me back from staying here? What is it, Mr. Salim? Are you getting tempted by me?" Arsia started to nag again. Her words slid from her mouth like a fire of arrows in battle.
Salim smiled. He wasn't provoked by Arsia's words. Instead, he felt happy that he finally found the cause of her anger toward him.
His pair of green eyes were also still freely moving over Arsia, paying attention to all the expressions shown there. Arsia was angry and annoyed at him so that that girl's face was now bent like an unfolded clothesline and left to lie for years. Yes, right, that tangle in her face, that was ridiculous.
"Why are you laughing? Do I look like a joke to you?" Arsia rebuked.
"No. You look like a crumpled clothesline," Salim replied honestly.
He saw Arsia's lips getting wrinkled. It was clear that she would try to argue with him again. But before that happened Salim had already pulled Arsia's arm and brought her back to the living room.
Of course, Arsia resisted. She was forced to follow him like a sacrificial due to the significant difference in their strength. In the end, Arsia's face hit Salim's back. Harsh enough to make a thumping sound.
Seeing what was happening, Behram was so shocked. Even though he knew nothing would happen to his master, Behram was still worried because Salim's noble body had just been hit by something despicable like Arsia.
"My Lord!" he called out to his master suddenly.
Arsia, with her mouth forming a small letter o, stared flatly at Behram. Then in a low voice full of disbelief, she said, "You guys must be crazy."
And that was how they started a commotion at the house that night.
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(1) Ottoman Prince.