Chapter 3 - The name

Even though she was abused by her father, her mind, her soul was free as a bird. Her thoughts were flying, her heart was crying for everyone who she saw suffering. She usually escaped from reality into her own thoughts or were spending as much time outside in the nature as much she could. And away from her home, away from her father she was happy, she was satisfied with her life. She never asked for more, because she found peace inside of herself. She was a strong woman, who could bear lot of suffer.

And above all of it, as someone who never ever got help, who never ever got saved, she was feeling mixed feelings about the man, who saved her twice in one day. She was feeling relief, even light safeness, but she was frustrated as well: she was frustrated, because someone got to learn what is going on inside of the four wall at her home, because someone got to see her in such a vulnerable situation, because someone had to save her from her father. She was not pleased at all about this guy interfering in her family. But somehow, she was also very grateful for him saving her at the same time.

"How dare you hurt a vulnerable young woman? How dare you raise your hand to your own daughter, who you supposed to protect?" the mysterious man hissed.

"Shall I teach you how does it feels like being beaten up?" his hands were pale on John's neck, as he strongly held him up to the wall. The mysterious man was furious, it was so obvious that he barely could hold himself on his current level of anger.

"What the fuck are you looking for in my house?" asked Dandelions father hoarsely.

"I am here to teach you a lesson."

"Please, don't hurt my father!" Dandelion cried out. Everyone's head turned to her. John, using the opportunity of the seemingly lack of attention towards him from the mysterious man, lifted his hand to punch him on the face, but tit seemed like the man's senses were so sensitive. He immediately turned back, grabbed Dandelion's father hand in the air, and said:

"Don't you ever think about it. You cannot win over me." as he said, he changed his hand on the neck of the father. He grabbed the back of his neck, and force him to walk to Dandelion.

"Ask for forgiveness." he demanded.

"I won't ask, she deserved it."

"Ask. For. Forgiveness. Now." And with every word, the mysterious man squeezed John's neck stronger and stronger, pushing him towards the ground, as how people regulating aggressive dogs.

"I-I am sorry." he said hoarsely.

"It's alright, I guess." whispered Dandelion.

"I am going to pack your stuff now, and we are leaving." the mysterious man was talking to Dandelion with a very caring voice tone.

"What? I can't leave with you like this!" she said

"You want me to leave you here, so that your bastard father can beat you till death, or what?"

"But I don't know you, you acted like a creep in the forest, and then you broke into our house, and I don't even know your name." she said it with one breath, sitting on the ground. She made herself sit up when her father was carried to her to ask for forgiveness.

"If it makes you feel better… I am Wilfred. Now can we go?"

"No, of course not."

"What do you want me to do more? I saved you, not even once, I introduced myself, and I promise you I will never ever hurt you." as he said the last sentence, Wilfred put his free hand to his chest.

"Dandelion. I agree with you." spoke the mother for the first time this night.

"Take the money I collected for you, go to the 'Wild West hotel', and sleep there today. And tomorrow please, go to Maria's place, I will call her right in the morning. And live there till you make enough money to rent an apartment."

"The Wild West is that small pension at the center of the city, right?" asked Wilfred concerned.

"Yes, it's." answered the mother. Dandelion was glad, she did not have to speak. Her mind was so busy with the pain, what she felt all over her body, and her thoughts were a total mess, she felt like a big storm is forming inside her skull.

"Mom, it's a great idea. I will go to Wild West for tonight, and tomorrow will travel to your childhood friend." she spoke finally.

"Okay then, I am going to pack your stuff, and go with you."

"No, it's not necess-"

"Dandelion, you should accept his offer to help. Look at yourself, you cannot go to the town in this condition alone." as her mother interrupted her, Dandelion's inner frustration increased. She hated when someone interrupted her, not even mentioning when someone decided over her head about her. But this time she knew her mother is right, and she had no energy to oppose Rose's word.

"Can you even stand up?" asked the man to support Rose's opinion.

"I guess, I can. My back is hurting the most, I don't think I have broken bones."

"Good. Let me take care of this, and the I will help you. Okay?" while talking, Wilfred pointed with his chin to the father, who was still grabbed by the back of his neck, and was held down.

Wilfred ended up closing Dandelion's father to his bedroom, and when he came back, Dandelion and her mother were already putting clothes to a suitcase. Dandelion seemed fine, other than her wounded lip, a few bruises were visible on her skin. But the way she was walking and moving, it did not seem like she had any of her bones injured.

The mysteriously appearing man helped mother and daughter get ready, meanwhile they were quietly talking. Wilfred and Dandelion explained to the mother how she got attacked by the wolf, and how he saved her. Rose was feeling self-pity, she expressed how sorry she is by what happened after Dandelion arrived home, and she also made sure to let them know that she was believing her from the very beginning, because she knows how clever and strong Dandelion is, thus she knows that Dandelion can escape from everything, even from a wolf. She also mentioned, she saw a big brown wolf on the morning as well.

Wilfred became very aware of the last information the mother mentioned, and he asked her out about every detail. Eventually, he explained how he came to their house to save Dandelion: after he escorted her home from the forest, he stayed outside for a while, to make sure she does not need help anymore. But after a while he heard arguments, and then slaps, as someone was hitting something. He waited till he was sure someone being beaten up in the house, and that is when he entered. The fact, that he did not know really know what is going on inside the house, but still went inside to save the one who is being beaten up, impressed the mother deeply. Wilfred finally won Rose's ultimate trust.

Meanwhile Dandelion… she was wondering why he stayed outside of her house after she went inside. She was thankful for him saving her, but also, found this behaviour very odd. She was very suspicious about this man. Everything he did or said was very weird if someone was listening critically. At this point she was nearly convinced this man is a serial killer, a psychopath, a very very dangerous stranger. Thus, no surprise, she feared him. And very much did not want to let him help anymore. But it seemed like the Rose and Wilfred are inconvincible. So eventually she decided to go with the flow, let him take her to the 'Wild West hotel', but the next morning she was planning to leave as early as possible, so that she could leave the creepy man behind.

But, nothing happened like she planned. After they reached to the pension, they had to find out that it was closed... due sickness, as the paper on the door said. Dandelion freaked out. She knew her plan is failed, she knew she cannot escape from this man and his weird attempts to help her, to take care of her. She was so disappointed. This pension was her only chance, and the owner happened to close it on the only night she needed it. The Wild West was never ever closed, the owner, a workaholic Indonesian woman was always inside, the pension was 'twenty-four-seven' open.

"I will just go back home." she sighed.

"For sure not. You can sleep at my place as well."

"For sure not."

"You being ridiculous."

"You being ridiculous."

"Are you repeating everything what I say?"

"Are you repeating everything what I say?" this time Dandelion was even copying his body language and his voice as well.

"Wilfred, you are my saviour"

"Shut up!" rolled her eyes.

"Wilfred, can I ask a question? Why are you so committed to help me?"

"Because you are a very beautiful, sweet princess, who always needs help. And me, a true gentleman will never miss a chance to help a damsel in distress."

"Wow. You speak like a knight from the medieval area, haha." laughed Dandelion despite the stress she was in.

"Because I was a knight in the Middle Ages. A very powerful knight."

"What?"

"I am joking. Obviously."

"I'm having an accommodation not so far from here. I have three bedrooms, even though I live alone. Let me take you there. Please." he spoke again after a minute of awkward silence.

"Are you deaf? I told you. I am not going to go to your place. Bye." Dandelion became furious, she hated when someone was trying to push down her throat the same thing over and over again, meanwhile she said no. And she grabbed her suitcase, turned around to walk to the train station. She was planning to wait till the morning there, under a camera, so she'd be safer a little bit.

However, she was stopped. Wilfred grabbed her waist, lifted he up in bridal style. Everything became blurry in Dandelion's vision, she felt like they are moving very fast. So fast, that she could not even capture one single object they were passing by. The frightening speed, and the stress, tiredness, the scaredness from earlier made an effect on her: she fainted in the arms of the mysterious man, who was taking her with unfathomable speed to…who knows where.