The taste of blood had always been more addicting to those who knew it's true pleasure. The joy of shedding it from a living body until it went limp beneath your feet. Their soulless eyes are not able to beg anymore but the pool of blood would only be remembered as your bravery.
But how it had come to haunt Lenhart often when he slept on his bed. The only peace he was offered was the arms of the woman he hated. Last night when he returned after kissing her, he had fallen asleep without the nightmares he often had.
And tonight when he had retired to his bed, he wanted that feeling again. He wanted her again. The realization had come striking him like someone had punched him hard on his chest and reminded him that he had earned nothing. He was still standing there like a young boy he once was. Either he believes it or not.
He ran a hand in his hair and shifted on the bed. But there was nothing to distract him. The room smelled like her. He had taken the room that belonged to Marquis while placing her in the room that was confirmed as her personal room. One where she takes her love in the absence of her husband.
When he had asked, she had confirmed that live in this room instead and she did not mind if she was given the marquis room. The thought had left a sour taste in his mouth.
He had stopped himself from looking at her directly or talking to her in these long two years. He had always thought it would not serve any of them well. He was a married woman now, a respectable woman in the society and he… he was a soldier, a killer and a dog of the throne.
But now.. He sat up at once as the words of the staff started to echo in his ears mixing them with the shrieks of innocence that had come to haunt him at night.
He found the glass beside his bed empty and sighed.
How many times had he woken up to drink a glass of water already? He shook his head and stood up. If there is no water in his room, he could always fetch more from the kitchen.
He held the candle from the sconce as he walked out. Since then they have dismissed most of the staff. There was no one on the night duty. He had sent his spies behind those staff. Hoping one of them would try to contact the lord and they will find a clue.
To make it more realistic he had hired many. But so far, he has gained nothing. He had thought he would enjoy living here but now, he wanted to end the task and return as soon as possible.
He paused, his eyes narrowing in the dark when he heard the rustling of clothes. There should be no one. His men had made sure that every servant returned to their room and had locked the doors from outside before they retired to their rooms to make sure no tragedy would happen.
It was a habit they have come to develop with time. They have locked every room except one. She had asked him to not be treated like a prisoner.
But he had not permitted her to wander alone. Had he? Anger burnt like fresh molten iron in his chest and he took quick steps toward the direction where the sound was coming from.
He raised the candle higher to see her face but was stunned to see that she was not alone. She was in the company of a man. And the man belongs to his crew. His eyes went cold and the temperature dropped around them.
The man froze at his spot when he saw Lenhart staring back at them.
"I didn't mean to. It was the lady who had called for me." her eyes went wide and she gasped. He paid no attention to her falling night robe and open hair.
No, he would not look at her disheveled clothes too. He would not mind if they did not have a candle in their hands. It might be a coincidence that they met there. They might have come to drink water like him too.
But the words of the man… it left nothing to imagination. Did they?
"That is not true. You have knocked my room and commanded me to follow you. You have said that your lord is looking for me." she spoke at once with a mortified look on her face.
The man gasped and glared at her but she held her ground.
"You have told me that the lord had confronted the servants and now he wanted to confirm his findings with me. I have told you it is already late at night. But you were adamant saying that the lord had always been workoholic and he could not sleep at night anyway. How do I know that it was a lie!" Then she had the gall to look at him.
"Trust me, Lenhart. I only thought that he was bringing me to you." she whispered with the flicker of her eyes when he laughed.
The laughter had nothing warm about it. But it was bone chilling. The man who was about to argue shut his mouth at once and bowed his head.
"You were coming to meet me?" he asked with disgust, "in this attire?" his pointed chin toward her clothes left her flushed. "Or does it make a difference that you are going with him or coming to me?" He meant that a married woman like her should be equally offended whether a common knight would call for her company or a dignified general would.
In the end, they were men and strangers to her. But her reply meant that she did not care as long as it was Lenhart who called for her company.
"My lady, it would be better that you return to your room before I start making assumptions."