When she heard the knocking, Hilsbeth pressed her left palm to her forehead, her right hand on her hip, contemplating for a while before opening the door. Outside stood Panthonia, easing half of her tension but then amplifying the other half with his expression.
"Why did it take so long to answer?" he said.
"You once told me to be more vigilant," she forced a smile. "Well... What's the matter?"
Panthonia pushed the wooden door open halfway and entered. Hilsbeth had to step aside. As he closed the door behind him, she quickly withdrew her fingers wedged in the door frame.
He walked to the center of the room, turning slightly towards the faint light filtering through the side window. There was another person in the room, quieter than when Hilsbeth was alone. She almost said, "I didn't let you in," but stopped herself, wondering why she even thought of saying it. Keeping her hands behind her back against the door, she tried to maintain distance.
"It's not dangerous here anymore," he turned to her. "Salvaney won't come after you. I've had his guards around this house removed."
"Oh," she hesitated for over ten seconds, realizing it was his response to her earlier comment about being vigilant. "Have you caught him?"
"No."
"Then why..."
She didn't finish her sentence, shaking her head, reminding herself she had no right to ask.
"I, I thought it was the Duke's people coming for me. Honestly, I was worried about facing them again... I didn't know how to handle it. So I didn't open the door immediately. If they claim I dirtied that dress and demand compensation, it'll be troublesome. ...By the way, would you like some tea?"
He nodded.
As Hilsbeth fetched the teapot and cups, she felt Panthonia's gaze on her back. Her movements were stiff. In this brief moment, she quickly speculated why he was here, accompanied by an unusual tension. She wasn't afraid, but this unease was almost worse than fear. Did I do something wrong that day in the mansion? I don't seem to have angered any noble. Or did Phipin mention my reluctance to kiss him? Maybe I should ask if he'd like to stay for dinner... But it's already past dinner time. I just ate not long ago, and the dishes aren't washed...
Turning with the teacup, she was surprised to find Panthonia already seated at the table. She placed the cup in front of him and stood for a moment before deciding to sit down herself.
He picked up the teacup, taking only a sip but keeping it in his hand for a long time without placing it back on the table. His eyes seemed fixed on the wall behind the table.
Silence. Even the slight sound of the cup touching the tabletop was part of the silence. Hilsbeth understood silence between them wasn't unusual, but it was typically because he deemed speaking unnecessary, or he was hinting for her to be quiet. Today was different. She felt for the first time he had something to say but couldn't. And where did that impression come from? He was a purposeful person, never one to beat around the bush. His purpose in coming here today couldn't be merely to enjoy her discomfort in silence. Instead of overanalyzing, Hilsbeth decided to follow her intuition.
"Oh, I heard there was poisoning that night. I didn't ask anyone directly, but I overheard people talking about it in the hall. And yesterday at the church, someone asked me if I saw anything that day. I didn't answer because I didn't see anything..."
"How's Stevens?" he asked, still looking at the wall.
Hilsbeth felt her breath stop for a moment. She had fervently hoped to continue the conversation from that day, but never dared to hope it could actually happen, especially initiated by Panthonia. She felt like an adventurer standing before a long-sealed castle, anxious for exploration but finding no way in. Then, one day, the castle gate suddenly swung open, but she couldn't confirm whether it was an invitation or dare to enter. Since arriving in Stormwind Queen's District, she never expected to find someone to share her past with. Even with so many refugees from Lordaeron, who would know her grandfather was a loyal old steward, possessing an extraordinary skill to craft music boxes? Now, it seemed Panthonia did have something to say, and he said it.
She couldn't resist the temptation to step into the castle. After all, she used to be its mistress. She knew what lay inside, and she didn't believe any harmful traps awaited her.
"My grandfather passed away. He... didn't make it to Stormwind. He couldn't handle the climate in the Wetlands and died of illness. Some unfortunate people in the caravan got stuck in the swamps. There might have been crocodile attacks too."
"Who took care of you on the journey after he died?"
"I was already eight at that time. I could take care of myself. The adults liked to listen to me sing during breaks. We started with over twenty people in our group, but by the time we reached Elwynn Forest, there were only six left. Except for me, they were all adults. They probably thought I would be a burden once we reached the city, so they abandoned me not far from the gates of Stormwind. Fortunately, I managed to find my way into the city. Out of those five people, I only met one of them later. We pretended not to know each other... Or maybe he didn't recognize me anymore."
Panthonia nodded silently, saying nothing.
It took Hilsbeth over ten seconds to gather the courage to ask the next question.
"The music box... the one my grandfather gave you, what happened to it?"
"I didn't take it with me."
"You mean it's still at your house?"
"No. At my old home. It was gone when I fled."
"Oh."
Only then did she realize how ridiculous her second question was. Could she really expect him to carry it with him?
"What a pity," she said. "My grandfather told me he made it with great care. He also said if we reached Stormwind and had the tools and materials, he would help me make one too."
"You arrived here earlier than I did," he didn't follow up on the previous topic.
"I didn't know if you..."
"I stayed elsewhere for a few years. When I arrived in Stormwind, ten years had passed since I left."
"I see," she added a meaningless supplement. "The first time I saw you, I knew you weren't a native of Stormwind. When I first arrived here, the Queen's District wasn't under Salvaney's control..." She shook her head, telling herself not to mention that name. "But it wasn't much better. So... do you know anyone else here? I mean, others who came from Lordaeron."
As she began to doubt the audacity of her question, he answered, "No."
"These things aren't really worth reminiscing about," she said.
He stood up. The tea in the cup remained untouched.
"Are you leaving now?"
She straightened slightly, but then sat back down when she saw Panthonia walk around the round wooden table towards her. In the process, his left hand remained in contact with the tabletop, drawing an arc with his body's movement. She could see calluses and faint scars on his hand.
Finally, Panthonia stood in front of Hilsbeth, looking down at her. She lifted her head. His left hand lifted from the tabletop, gently brushing aside a strand of hair from her forehead, guiding it to adhere to the right side of her neck, then removing his hand. She frowned, her heartbeat quickening.
"Koen wants me to take you back to the Queen's District," he said.
"...Why?" She paused for a moment before adding, "So this is why you came today."
"Because Phipin is too infatuated with you, which worries Koen. Phipin told his father they had a pleasant time together that day."
"I don't feel the same way."
"Koen doesn't want his son to meet you again."
"I figured that out. After that day ended, I walked home by myself. The next day, they sent someone to pick up my clothes."
"If you go back to the Queen's District, Phipin won't be able to see you anymore. His father has forbidden him from leaving without permission."
"What if I don't want to go back? It's nice here. I want to stay."
Panthonia didn't answer that question.
"What did you do with Phipin that night?"
"You saw it all. We were in the hall, meeting people who didn't really want to talk to either of us. I've forgotten the lies we desperately tried to remember."
"I mean afterward. When Phipin took you outside the house."
"Why do you want to know?"
"Just tell me."
"We went to the courtyard. Next to the fountain. He said... he wanted to kiss me. I couldn't refuse. He realized I wasn't too keen, so he didn't insist. Later, he asked me to sit with him by the fountain and listen to him talk. It wasn't about me. He said he hated his father. His status, what he did, the people he knew, he hated it all. He wanted to leave, but he couldn't because he was weak and had some kind of illness... I didn't remember it, it was a difficult name to pronounce. I didn't speak, just listened to him. Then later, a guard found us, said there was trouble outside. We went back in. And that's when we ran into you."
"Is that all?"
"I have no reason to lie to you."
"No. You don't have the guts to lie to me."
"Suit yourself."
His left index finger curved slightly, tracing her face.
"Why are you asking me all this?" she said.
"All what?"
"Everything. Not just about Phipin."
"Because I need to know."
"I thought you knew everything. Understood everything."
He lifted her chin slightly with his thumb and index finger.
"Stand up," he said.