At last! Arella was all alone. Well, the cook was still in the kitchen, but she was as quiet as a mouse. Arella loved being alone, with no one to bully, pity, or laugh at her. But it was only after Adrian's absence that she realized the huge difference between being alone and lonely.
She loved being alone but hated being lonely. Though she was always an outcast, at least she was around people. Without Adrian, a creepy silence hung over the duplex. It was still more comfortable than her natal home, but it lacked warmth and looked lifeless.
She wondered would her life become like that without Adrian too? Cold, desolate, and lifeless? She never regretted marrying him. Marrying him and the events unfolding after their marriage were the best moments of her life.
She didn't know if she loved him yet or not, but she definitely liked him. She admired his thoughtfulness, consideration, and dedication. She liked the submissive nature of his beast. She liked being near him. Given time, she would be able to accept his advances too. And honestly, she was looking forward to it a bit.
The intimacy that she was craving was just the after effect of the blood oath. But she was also privy to the fact that the intensity depended on the couple. If both had positive feelings and were ready to accept each other, the cravings would increase. And that is what was happening to them.
Whatever was happening, was happening for the better. While thinking and accepting her new life, she walked towards the guest room. It was filled with unboxed gifts. She wanted to pick and use some items to decorate her new house.
Adrian had given her the freedom to rearrange the house as per her preferences. And she liked this idea too. She had never decorated any room before.
Her room was carefully embellished by her late mother. Later, even if she wanted to make some age appropriate changes, she didn't have the means or money. By age appropriate, she meant changes like replacing the pink princess curtains with more sober ones.
But never mind, she has the opportunity now. Now she has the items and a house. Wait! She has money too! She had totally forgotten to check the amount in the cards given by Adrian. She knew it should be satisfactory, but she needed to know the exact amount to plan the renovation.
She wasn't thinking of changing much. The furniture was in a good state. But she wanted to bring in more warm colors. The entire place mostly had white, black, cream, and brown tones. She planned on changing the curtains, bed sheets, and the like. Nothing much, but enough to change the mood.
By the time she was interrupted by the cook, she was halfway done sorting the gifts. She found antique paintings, decorative pieces, and many more items that could be used for adorning their place.
Leaving the half sorted pile behind, she made her way to the dining area. One reason was that she was a bit hungry. And another, that she feared if she continued to work on the gifts, it would be sorted by the night. Then, what would she do for a fortnight? Maybe she should take it slow. Just enough to pass the time.
So, following the idea of idling, she ate her lunch quietly and afterwards, went out to have a walk. Basking in the sun was a good idea too.
Relaxing in the sun, she admired her house from a distance. She felt a belonging to the place. Who would have thought that a place could become so comfortable and homely in just a couple of days? But to live in that house alone was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
She terribly missed Adrian's presence. He has lived in this place for ages. Does he feel lonely too? How old was he when his parents died? Who raised him? She practically knew nothing about him. But she was very curious. She wanted to know him better, to understand him better.
She thought of asking the cook. Maybe she could tell her some mundane things about him? Or perhaps she should go and check his room, maybe she could find some album and peek into his childhood?
Excited about it, she started moving towards the house.
But before she could take a step, a loud voice reverberated in her ears. Startled, she moved around to check the source. She saw a child running towards her from the enclosed forest. He ran and then collided with the semi transparent barrier. Another booming sound could be heard as soon as he collided.
She was stupefied! Who was this child? What was he doing? Where did he come from?
The child continued to collide with the barrier. And for the third time, he successfully crossed it. A sigh of satisfaction escaped him. He thought, 'At last, I am safe!' But as he moved towards the house, he collapsed.
Arella instinctively ran towards the child to check his condition. But before her, another person approached the child and started checking his breath. It was the cook. She should have been in the kitchen and must have come out after hearing the voice.
But Arella was still ahead of the cook. To overrun her, the cook must have been very fast. Looks like she is not only a good cook but also a fast runner! No wonder Adrian could leave her with the cook. She should be capable and loyal.
When she reached the unconscious child, the cook had already checked his condition.
"Madam, the child is exhausted. He was already tired and now, crossing the barrier has consumed his spiritual energy. It would take him some time to recover." The cook solemnly shared her findings.
"But how could he cross the barrier? Shouldn't he be stopped by it?" Arella calmly asked what perplexed her.
"The spiritual barrier protects us from the malignant spirits. Nobody with an ill intention can ever cross it. To think that the child could cross it means that he is here for another purpose." The cook was rational in deciphering the reason for the child's presence.
"Another purpose?" Arella was still doubtful.
"Most likely, protection. The Scott family has a legacy of providing protection to those in need. That is why, the forest behind us has never been opened for general people. It acts as a home to a lot of refugees. It is said that the spirits of Scott family ancestors still roam there. This child came from the forest and could cross the barrier, which means he was guided to this place to seek protection." The cook had been living in the Scott family for ages. She has cooked for the family since Adrian was a baby. She knew a lot more than a normal helper.
"Let's take him inside first." Arella thought of leaving her queries behind.
She moved forward to touch the child but was quickly stopped by the cook.