For a few more days, I avoided The Commander, but I always feel his eyes follow me around whenever I see him and turn back or walk in the other direction. I didn't know why he always looked my way. I know he notices me because sometimes when I bump into him talking to any of the other warriors, he always stops, and his attention always stays on me until I vanish.
Since the day I saw his face, I have been dreaming about his face. Sometimes, it gets so furious in my dreams that I scream and wake from sleep. His face was haunting me and I only wished I never saw it. I was still skeptical about why The Commander didn't punish me for breaking so many rules. I break more than one rule whenever I am with The Commander and that was the reason I requested to be swapped from working for him.
But having him watch me wherever I went was a whole level of terror to me. Did Madam Zak tell him what I said? Has he found out I lied? Why did he pick a sudden interest in me? From what I heard, warriors never get interested in anyone, they are just here to win the battle. That was why Madam Zak told us, 'Do not push your luck, you can pleasure them if they wish so, but no strings attached'
As I made my way to my second master's tent, I spotted The Commander a few feet away, speaking to one of the squires. I was glad I saw him first, so I dashed into Master Ziko's tent without asking permission and was relieved he was not inside because I needed to catch my breath. After taking in a long gulp of air, I began to work, trying to keep my thoughts away from The Commander and trying to calm my racing heart.
"Alina!" someone called from outside making me flinch.
It was a female voice, but not that of Madam Zak. I went closer to the flap to get a look at who it was. Whoever it was couldn't come into the tent because it was forbidden to go into another person's tent without the person's permission, except if you are their servant.
I saw a servant standing there looking around. I poked my head out to respond.
"Yes?"
"The Commander requires your presence."
My heart sank to the floor and I gulped to swallow the knot that has suddenly formed in my throat. Once the Tibian girl delivered her message, she left without further engagement. I docked back into the tent and tried to calm my racing heart. I could have an attack if my heart keeps speeding like this. Once I felt I was less of a nervous wreck, I picked up my bucket and my rag and dashed out of the tent.
I almost fell when I saw The Commander standing in front of my master's tent, his arms behind his back. My eyes dropped to his feet immediately and my whole body started to quiver again.
"Alina, go to my tent, now."
"Er...yes...yes Commander..." Tears pooled in my eyes because I know my world has just crumbled. I couldn't tell if The Commander's voice was angry or neutral, his voice was always like that. Gruff, booming, and powerful.
My little legs started to follow him as he went. I made sure I kept my distance from him. He might sway his hand back and slash me in two with that sword hanging off his belt. In a few seconds, we were at his tent. By now, my heart was almost breaking my ribcage and it was a miracle that I was still on my feet. My bladder has swollen with anxiety and any trigger will make it leak.
He dashed in and I followed him, making sure my eyes were fixed on the ground where they were destined to remain.
"Meet my eyes."
I heard that but I thought I was hallucinating or hearing things, not until he spoke again.
"Alina, I said meet my eyes."
"Yes, Commander..." I tried to blink back the tears that were in my eyes. I was such a crybaby. Well, never expect more from an only girl in the family and the last child of the house. I slowly raised my face and let my eyes stare at his chest.
He was bare-chested and although part of his chest was covered in tattoos, I still saw a slash mark on it. One that ran across from his left breast to the right. That cut looked familiar, but it wasn't my problem at that moment.
"I said look into my eyes, not on my chest." His voice made my head snap up and I stared into the pool of grey that was his eyes.
His face harbored a scowl and I blinked as if his eyes were bright enough to blind me.
"Why are you weeping? Did you hurt yourself?" he asked.
I shook my head frantically, wiping my eyes with the back of my palm. "I get teary when I meet people's eyes," I lied.
His brows furrowed into a frown. "Hmm, strange."
He stuck out his hand to my face and I stared blankly at his large, strong palm. What does he want me to do with his hand? Does he want me to shake him? To hold his hand. Does he want us to hold hands? When he didn't withdraw, I started to raise my hand to take his, but he showed me his palm and I saw a purple lesion that ran from his forefinger through his pinky finger.
"I want you to tend to this wound. I got distracted a little while sharpening my sword and I cut myself."
My mind went blank. I couldn't think of anything at that moment. I nodded and made to turn to run out of the tent and release my breath.
"Alina, if it is warm water you want to run off to get, there is enough here to bathe you."
Right. I will die of suffocation then because I can't release my breath as I am standing in his presence. I nodded frantically and dashed toward the bucket in the corner of the room I just noticed steam was evaporating from. He sat on his bed.
I took a bowl, scooped some water from the metal bucket, and took a piece of clean cloth and the pot of herbs sitting on his table. I felt his eyes following me as I walked around picking the items and I searched for a hole to crawl in and remain there forever and ever.
When I turned back, his eyes were still on me and mine dropped to his feet immediately. I walked up to him, set my equipment beside him, and stretched out my hand hoping he would give me his hand.
"Little human, are you going to stand and tend to me?" he asked.
"I...I..." I started to go on my knees.
He grabbed my waist with one big hand, making me stiffen, and pulled the bedside stool towards me, placed it behind me, and lowered me to it. I was still frozen for a while after his hand left my waist.
"Shall we begin?" His voice brought me out of my daze.
I nodded again and grabbed his palm which was now stretched towards me and started to clean it. Silence hung over us like overripe mango as I tended to him.
"Tell me." His voice jolted me, making my whole body alert. Here comes the question, what was I going to tell him? Why did I lie about his name? "Do you serve two masters at a time, little human?"
My heart sat back in my chest. "Yes..."
"Why is that so? Every warrior should be assigned a servant."
"The servant...the servant that was supposed to work for you is sick and is at the healer's place, so I am filling in for her."
"Mmh..."
That sound has never felt so pleasant to my ears as it sounded now. I didn't want any more discussions that will lead to him asking why I stopped working in his tent. I was so nervous that I rushed with the treatment, not giving it the tender care I gave his back wound. He snatched his hand away from me.
"Little human, are you wounding me more or tending to me? I want you to give it the attention you gave my back wound."
I nodded. "Uhm...how is your back wound?" a voice I found out was mine asked.
"It has healed now. You should become a healer instead of cleaning floors."
"Huh?" I shook my head. "I will clean floors." It's not like any Tibian would come to me if I was a healer.
"So, you don't want to show off your gift?" he asked.
The Commander wanted to start up a conversation, but it was too awkward for me. I couldn't even say a word with spluttering.
"No one would visit my tent if I declare myself a healer."
"Is it what you think?"
I nodded before answering. "I have not healed a lot of people before. My first patient was a warrior who needed urgent tendering back on earth and you are my second patient. I don't know if I have much knowledge about healing."
"If you can..."
"I'm coming in, Commander," his servant called from outside and the flap opened.
She looked at us for a short while before walking over to his table to drop his tray of food. It reminded me that I have not dropped my masters' food yet. Without saying anything else, the girl bowed and left.
"Did you eat?" he asked once I was done applying the herbs.
"I...I...will eat."
"You can have this meal." He gestured toward his food with his head.
I shook my head. "I...we are not allowed to eat until we are done with the day's work."
"I want you to eat. Take it as my payment for your services."
The Commander was putting me in trouble. What if someone sees me eating? Madam Zak would surely shove her hands down my throat and make sure I vomit every single food I swallowed.
As if The Commander read my mind, he said, " Eat here." He stood up and went into his inner tent, leaving me there to panic.
After a few minutes, I left The Commander's tent with a full stomach. I have never been this full since I came to Tiba and I was prancing to the kitchen with energy to go and get my masters' meals when Madam Zak yelled my name. My heart tumbled in my chest. I knew she would find out. I walked over to her.
"Yes, Madam Zak..."
"You pathetic liar!" she squealed. "For lying with The Commander's name, no food for three days!"
I was relieved a little that it wasn't about the food I ate. At least one day is gone and I was filled with food to last me the whole day, I will get through the next two days.