A breath took a breath left. The symphony of moving chest instilled with fear and more. Sweat dripped from her face and her eyes stilling. If she had not realized it before, she did understand now that she was trapped.
"You are going to question me like this?" she asked, squaring her shoulders. Trying her best to hide that she was afraid now.
His men were gone with the steward and head maid. She was left alone in the name of investigation with him.
"What kind of business deal is your husband craving for him to be absent even when he knew that the agent of the king had visited his lands?" he asked in a cold tone, with his eyes piercing her. She looked away. Not sure of the reply. Either she had no idea what was happening around her or she was good at acting. Like she had acted to be in love with him.
In the rosewood garden, in the land of Adelaide's when she had kissed him in the meadows. What an act it was that he had been foolish to believe in her honeyed words.
"I do not know. And perhaps he did not know either." She spoke through gritted teeth. "You are treating us like our sins have already been proven, my lord." she stared into his eyes with a bold look. Courage, that was close to naivety and foolishness once he had been infatuated with that trait, now he pity it.
"I am only asking questions, my lady. That is my task. Where is your husband?" she sighed and closed her eyes. There was something eerie about her silence. It was common for the nobles to not know where her husband was.
But each time he asked the question, she behaved as if she had been pierced by a dagger. The way she flinched, what she was hiding. His eyes narrowed at her but she refused to bow down.
'
"He must have been to his estate. It is harvesting time." she beckoned to him with her finger, "that made me wonder why are you here in your absence? Do not tell me that you were waiting all this time to strike when the iron is hot." her smile was twisted with a dark look while her eyes burnt.
He felt rage burning his chest. But he had to give it to her. The confidence she was showing was worth a clap. So, he clapped. He clapped with a mocking look on his face.
"I am giving you a chance, take it when you have it. If I found out what your husband was doing and where he was. You will lose your value and then you will regret it. I will make sure that you regret it." his eyes left a chill in her heart. She gulped but she could not accept her fear.
So she looked away. He waited for a minute, two and then laughed and looked away.
"Fine, remember, you have chosen this." he stood up. The chair dragged with his pressure and screeched on the ground.
He left the room but when she stood up, she heard the lock. Her eyes widened and she ran to check the door. It was locked. There was no doubt about it. She took a deep breath and leaned on the door.
Her eyes closed….
"Elara…" Elara opened her eyes and stared at the bright sun. her eyes closed with the intense brightness and she heard him chuckling.
Soon, the light of the sun was replaced by his face.
"You are still a child. Do you not know that it is so hot? Why are you sleeping here in the open fields?" he shook his head. His eyes were shining brighter than the sun. she wanted to say that but looked away. He had always been like that, shining strongly, his smile would melt the mountains.
"I was here for you and you are complaining about it?" she glared at him as she stood up pushing him away. "I am leaving. And even if you call me this time, I will not return." She threatened him as she started walking away.
She did not see his face but she could hear him following her. She could imagine the panic on his face. She did not understand.. What a man like him could see in her. He was so bright and she was a dark cloud.
"Elara, wait. I was only afraid that you would get sick, that is why I called you. I will not do it again. Elara.. Wait please." he held her hands and pulled her back in his arms. His breathing was ragged due to fast running behind her. His smell overwhelmed her senses and she leaned further to feel him.
"But how can you run so fast? I could not believe that you outran me with those small feet of yours." he laughed loudly when she glared at him. She punched his shoulders hard making her wince. She staggered a step back making her eyes widened.
She ran to him to make sure that he was not hurt. She was sure that she did not use much strength.
"Ouch! That hurts. That hurts." he cried hard making her panic. She leaned and blew on it. Checking again and again but she did not find any wound.
"Not there." she looked lower, confused. She was sure that she had only punched him there. "No there too." her eyes grew dark.
"Are you sure I have hurt you and you are not hurt by your training? I am sure I have not used much force." she asked with a frown but she kept looking for the wound.
"Yes, it is you who have hurt me. But the wound is not on my skin." he grinned like a fool, as he pointed at his heart "i am hurt here."