Arsia woke up with tired eyes. She slightly hugged her blanket while turning her body. One of her hand rubbed her eyes. She then stretched her body and yawned wide.
Arsia realized that she was in Salim's room right now. And she didn't bother with that. Exactly, she didn't care at all. Last night Salim smashed her room's window so that Arsia couldn't sleep there. Wasn't it the most natural thing for Salim to give his room as compensation? Arsia didn't even refuse when Salim offered her his room. Even if that man didn't do it, Arsia would have asked for it.
Arsia walked away from her bed. She stepped into the bathroom in that room. In that house, only Salim's room had an inside bathroom, by the way.
Before agreeing to rent that house, of course she had already noticed it. But because Yıldıray said there was stuff that he intentionally left behind, Arsia was hesitant to make it her room. Only yesterday did Arsia find out if the stuff that was there actually belonged to Salim.
'You twister!', Arsia cursed Yıldıray.
Arsia did her things in Salim's bathroom. After that, she washed her hands and face and then wiped them using a small towel that was neatly folded on a shelf. She hoped that Salim wouldn't be bothered about whatever she did there. She wouldn't come out with a hippopotamus face from that room, tho.
From the bathroom, Arsia crossed Salim's bedroom and moved toward the door. Only then did she realize that the door was unlocked. Uh, last night Arsia shall be immediately fell asleep. Her body and soul were too tired. And when touching Salim's cozy bed, she forgot to lock the door just like that.
'Silly girl! What if they came in when you're sleeping?!', Arsia grumbled to herself.
In annoyance to herself, Arsia came out of Salim's room. She crossed the kitchen and continued walking to her room. Arsia was about to take her clothes from there. She wanted to quickly take a shower since her body was s itchy because of the stress she experienced yesterday.
Closing her room, Arsia passed the couch on which Salim was lying. That man was still asleep there with a red sateen blanket covering his body from chest to bottom. From its look, it could be seen that the blanket's price was undoubtedly fantastic.
'A Prince remains a Prince', Arsia sneered. She went to her room and began to collect her towel and underwear.
When she came out of her room, Arsia still didn't care about Salim's existence. She ignored him just as she was about to enter her room before. But suddenly her steps stopped. She was too curious to see that man. Arsia slowly stepped back and stood behind the couch just to look at Salim while that man was sleeping.
'He can sleep on the couch too. Good!', Arsia commented inwardly while seeing how Salim slept like a baby. For a moment, her pity arose for that man. But when last night's accident came to her mind again, Arsia became so irritated.
"Geez! It's your own fault! Who told you to break the window?!" Arsia muttered.
That man whom she had been watching suddenly opened his eyes. Arsia was shocked to death and froze.
'Oh My God! I've got caught', she whimpered inwardly.
"What is it? Do you regret that you chose Behram over me now?" asked Salim who was still lying with a pair of his green eyes attached to Arsia.
Even when he woke up, Salim still looked very handsome. That made Arsia even more nervous after being shocked because she was caught looking at him.
"W-who is regretting?!" Arsia argued stuttery.
"Then why are you looking at me while I'm sleeping?" Salim said.
Arsia's face turned red. "It's just your feelings!" she said in embarrassment.
Arsia turned her body quickly. She must had leave that room as soon as possible before the situation got worse. Unfortunately, she dropped one of her underwear on Salim's belly.
Arsia was surprised. Her breath stopped when she found what had fallen.
In a panic, Arsia looked at Salim. Both of that man's eyes were closed. But Salim must had see her fallen underwear.
'Arsia, how did you drop that sacred thing?! You idiot!', she cursed at herself.
Now Arsia didn't know what to do. For a second her brain stopped working. She was so humiliated by her present condition.
"Hurry take that thing! I'm a straight man and I just woke up," told Salim with his eyes closed to avoid looking at the object.
Instantly Arsia got he consciousness back. Hurriedly she took her sacred thing and escaped from there.
"Straight man he said... What's wrong with a straight man who just woke up?" she grumbled innocently while heading to the bathroom.
Arsia got a goosebump afterward.
***
After breakfast, Behram did his duty to repair Arsia's window. He put down his toolbox and began to remove the cardboard that covered the window. Then Behram removed one by one of its hinges.
Arsia watched Behram from the corner. "You know about carpentry, Mr. Behram," she praised.
Behram glanced at Arsia and continued his work. "Before entering the palace I was a carpenter, Miss," he said in response.
'Miss? Since when does he become that polite? Didn't he want to kill me yesterday?', Arsia felt so awkward.
Arsia smiled wryly at it. "Just call me Arsia."
Behram didn't respond. How could he call Arsia by her name when that girl belonged to his master?
'Women are really the slander of the world', Behram lamented.
It didn't take long for Behram to finish his job. A new window had been installed. Then he bent down to put his tools back into his box. After that, with a serious mimic, he looked at Arsia who had been accompanying him. Behram must accomplish his mission given by Salim
"May I ask you something, Miss?" he asked.
"Of course."
"My Lord told me that you choose to marry me? May I know the reason, Miss?" Behram came in on the topic.
Arsia was surprised. She didn't think that she would get such a question.
Marrying an old man was common nowadays. Many young girls chose to marry a man who was as old as their grandpa. But under normal circumstances, Arsia wasn't one of them. Obviously, she wished to marry a young man, not a man from a different generation and almost a different world like Behram.
Indeed, she had her dream man. Unfortunately, Salim came and ruined her life plan. So wasn't it so natural for her to refuse Salim?
In addition, there was another convincing reason. It was so convincing even it made her disturbed as a woman. Especially when she thought of Salim as if he was going to seize on her this morning. Just by remembering it, Arsia felt like she was experiencing it again. She also shuddered in horror.
"Um, that... because you look so severe, Mr. Behram," Arsia lied.
Behram looked at her. Therefore, Arsia hurriedly added, "I like a mature man."
Behram cast a look of disbelief. "I'm an old man, Miss. Not a mature man anymore," he denied.
Arsia winced. "The more aged the more matured," she replied.
That was her reason for choosing Behram. Naturally, ripen fruit was starting to rot, wasn't it?
"Are you planning something, Miss?" Behram asked suspiciously.
"Planning what?" Arsia escaped quickly.
"Taking an inheritance after I die, for example?" Behram guessed.
'Huh, it looks like he's watching too many soap operas', Arsia whined inwardly.
"Shouldn't I have chosen your master if wealth was my purpose?" Arsia sent back Behram's question. "He even said he could buy Istanbul whenever he wanted," she added in sarcasm.
For a moment Behram thought about Arsia's answer which made sense. However, his instincts still said that there was something hidden by Arsia. Then he listed the reasons why a young girl like Arsia would prefer to marry an old man like himself, who would obviously not be able to perform his duties as a husband anymore.
'Oh, don't say it...', Behram's eyes widened slightly due to the prejudice that had arisen in his mind.
"Do you have another man?" Behram asked again.
Instantly Arsia's face changed in surprise, which made Behram think that his guess was correct.
"That..." Arsia hesitated for a moment. "I can't marry anyone else, Mr. Behram," she admitted.
"But do you have a feeling for that man?" Behram chased.
Arsia sighed. "Never mind. Don't talk about something that won't happen!" she avoided.
Now Behram knew another piece of information about Arsia that could be passed on to his master. But that wasn't enough to answer his question about why Arsia chose him over Salim. To make Arsia reject him, Behram had to find out the reason why that girl chose him, right?
Then Behram thought of another thing that could provoke Arsia.
"I'm not as handsome as My Lord Salim, Miss. Even when I was young," Behram said later.
"Then what's wrong with that, Sir?"
"Isn't it better to sleep with a handsome man, Miss?"
Behram knew that was a very bold and impudent question. But he had to provoke Arsia, right?
His efforts were successful of course. He saw Arsia become restless. That girl was silent for a moment.
That was how Behram finally got the answer. Arsia's answer only confirmed the truth.
"That's what I'm afraid of, Mr. Behram. Salim is young and he may be passionate."