For a normal human what Maelys did means nothing but for Damien, who knows what exactly was happening in the entire fort understood what was going on.
Maelys, whose hands resting on the table, lifted two of her fingers and did a delicate motion without even bothering to look at it.
She was signaling. She just gave the order to search the perimeter. Her guards who have been hiding around the room must've already left the room to search for Calen.
Maelys was closely watching the young master. Though he seems naïve and almost idiotic, there was a certain something in his tone that indicated his control over his words. Though, she can't quite put a hold on him.
It was like, he wants to make her believe he was naïve and defenseless. Whatever he was planning she decided to wait to find it out.
"If there was someone like that, we'll surely know about it. Young master don't need to worry about anything. You're safe here." She smiled. Years of experience as a rogue made her smile feels like genuine but for him, it was an open invitation for creeping around her mind.
"You know, you remind me of someone?"
"Oh? Who that might be, young master?"
"Stella, the wind."
??!!!!
All alarms went off in her head as Maleys just looked deadpan at Damien. Her entire façade and years of experience crumpled like a broken mirror.
"Wh-who, young master? I must've heard it wrong."
"Stella. You know, the great thief. You must've heard about her. She was often pointed out in the history books. In a bad light, that is"
"…Isn't she a thief. Why would she reminds me of her?" If she was shocked when she first heard that name, now she was vigilant. She was ready to end this pretty young master's life here and now, if he were to utter any fucked up things about her master.
Damien knows it too. Stella was always a sensitive topic to her. The picture the world has painted about her master was not true nor pleasant. She was made a monster when all she does was harmlessly rob wealthy people and share it with the poor and common people.
"No offense, my lady. Stella might be depicted as a ruthless murdering thief in the history books. Some one who kills and plunders anything shiny but…" He walked over to her side and looked down at her melons--- her eyes. "That's all wrong. History is wrong. What Stella did was something no one ever has done. She indeed robbed people… Wealthy people…" He lifted her chin with his fingers and made her look into his eyes. "...but she never used it for selfish reasons. She donated it to the poor and dirty and undeserving people who made her the monster she was. Stella didn't deserved it. She didn't deserved her death to be like that."
Their face was so close that they can feel hot breaths.
Exploit the weakness. One of the easiest yet most toughest ways to a lady's heart.
Just know where to exploit and make her yours. It's simple as that.
And what he was doing was simply exploiting her weakness. Talking about her master, who trained and raised her through her hellish life was the nail in the coffin. That was the door that opened her heart.
At that moment, Maleys was only able to see him. His fiery red eyes and the red lips like a vampire from the stories. He was a bit blurry, it was because of her being emotional and teary.
"…My lady, I don't even know your name yet." He whispered to her. His voice sang like a rain on a cozy night where she is tucked under the bed.
"…Maelys." Unbeknownst to her, she gave her name away. All the names she thought about giving him were down the drain as she subconsciously spoke her name.
Though she became aware of it, she didn't mind as he was someone who knows what everyone's true face was like.
She wanted to know about him. His glowing eyes and the smile of a million stars.
"…Maelys. Maelys, the Storm?" He whispered again and she would've said yes and given her identity away if it wasn't for the sudden knock on the door.
She suddenly woke up from her dazed and intoxicated state and shook her head.
'Fuck! But, no matter, it is working. At least, I'm not going to die. I hope.' He walked away as he saw her collecting herself.
She looked cute with her panic and the tinge of red on her face.
"Come in!" She commanded almost reverting back to the cold and beautiful Maelys, the Storm. Though the redness was still on her cheeks.
The bulky man, Samuel hurriedly opened the door before limping towards her.
"The-there is an intru—are you okay? Your face is red." He forget about the hurricane in the fort when he saw her face being red, which was unnatural as she doesn't have any expression at all.
"…Ah, yes. I'm okay. You were saying." She suppressed her emotions and tried to maintain a collective face.
"…There is an intruder. He is fighting and defeating the guards single handily. You've to do something." He explained the situation.
"Does he have blond hair and blue eyes, like our beloved Maelys?" The young master asked with concern.
??!!
'Maelys? Did he just call her Maelys? How the heck does he know about her name?' There were so many questions on his mind and he looked at his master for any answers but all she did was nod her head.
"…Yes. He has blond hair and blue eyes."
"Oh my..? It is him. The same person who bounded me and left me in the forest." He looked at Maelys with a worried face. "He is extremely dangerous. You've got to be careful around him." He said with a hint of worry.
"Keep him occupied. I will be there."
Samuel nodded and left the room while Maelys brandished her sword and buckled it back to its scabbard.
"I'll be back after taking care of this…intruder. Stay here. No one will break through here." Maelys said as she rechecked her equipment.
"He is someone who uses the night as a power source. This is his turf right now." He said as she walked away.
"Thanks for the tip. Wait here. We've things to discuss." She turned and flashed him a smile.
"…Oh and one more thing."
Hearing his words she stopped and turned around.
With a smile so pure that the entire room kinda lit up, he said. "Be careful…"