章 4: A Stranger and A Snake
Rosalind pursed her lips as she tried to avoid one of the sharp rocks by the side of the cliff. The sound of the rain against the rocks caught her attention. The sun had already set, and the pursuers had left this area, but she had encountered another problem.
The rain.
It was something that she never thought of while running away. Her carelessness was unforgivable. After all, she still has things to do— people that she needed to face.
Still, she considered herself lucky as they found a small cave that must have been formed by the sheer force of the water as it crashed against the side of the cliff.
It was too late for her to realize that this cliff was more dangerous than she originally expected. Without the stranger, she would have hit the rocks and broken a bone— granting that she did not hit something sharp.
She looked at the stranger who was sitting not far away from her. Her eyes focused on his wound. It was still bleeding. Though she couldn't really see clearly because the fire that the stranger made to keep them warm was about to die.
Her eyes found his. She wasn't exactly surprised to know that he, too, had been staring at her.
He was still alive.
Strange, she thought.
Even a man from the North, who were well known for their powerful bodies, would have died by now. After all, they had been here for a few hours. Not one of them spoke since their initial meeting.
Just as she observed him, he was observing her like a predator staring at another predator. He was wary of her.
And she could feel it.
The air between them was thick with something that she could only recognize as danger.
"Why would a sheltered young miss come this way?" he asked.
She said nothing in response. The purple plant that she grabbed earlier was still in her chest, safely tucked against her skin. Unfortunately, its essence wouldn't last very long. A few more hours and it would die, losing its ability to poison her body and forcibly awaken her blessing.
"It— "
"Young lady," she interrupted him when he noticed his eyes on her leg. "And staring at a lady's exposed flesh is rude."
"You have been staring at mine for hours."
She glared at him, she could feel her face turned hot. She was staring at the blood, at his wound!
"And you haven't even thanked me for saving you," he said.
"Thank you."
"Ha… and here I thought you had become mute from fear," he chuckled. His low-pitched voice reminded her of the night, dark and mysterious. And dangerous.
A man who had been bleeding for hours and hadn't shown signs of weakness was definitely someone dangerous.
And if he was indeed from the North, just as she predicted when they met, then he could easily kill her just because she saw him in the lands owned by the Aster Empire.
Northern people are known for their brutal ways. They had been guarding the southern Empires and kingdoms against what lurked behind the mountains even further up north.
Everyone knew them not just for their stronger body, but for their lawlessness. In her past life, she had worked under Empress Dorothy and had learned a lot about them.
"The river will soon rise," he said.
She looked at his shadowed face. He looked very good looking. His nose bridge was high. His eyebrows were perfectly carved, as if it was the goddess herself who made it. With his looks, there was no way that she would not hear about him in the past.
"You are wounded," she said in response. He was still bleeding, even with his powerful body. He won't be able to go that far with this type of weather.
"I don't think that is any of your business."
"You saved me," she said. His blunt tone was irritating her. "I was trying to return the favor." By looking for ways to try to stop the bleeding. Though she wasn't an expert in healing wounds.
He smirked.
"Then heal my wound."
A look of disbelief flashed in her eyes. Then she turned her attention towards the fire. She ignored the man!
So what if he dies from losing too much blood? Once the rain showed signs of stopping, she decided to leave this small shelter and use her purple plant. Once that happens, she could leave this place and go back to Milith.
Milith.
She wondered if her little servant survived. Taking Milith with her would be very risky. Besides, she didn't want to explain anything to her. At this time, Rosalind decided not to trust anyone else aside from herself.
"How did you come here?" he asked as he added more wood to the fire. As to where he got the wood, she didn't know. She was, of course, curious, but she knew it would be more inappropriate to ask him anything. This man saved her from falling and now he made fire.
She was certain that he did all those things to save himself, but she was grateful nonetheless.
"I was lost," she lied.
"Right."
"I live not far away from here. I just wanted to hunt. Then I heard some fighting, and I got curious."
"You liked me to believe that a woman like you lived in this part of the Empire?"
She rolled her eyes. Does she look like she cared?
He was asking a question, so she answered. It didn't mean she was going to tell him the truth.
"How about you?" she asked.
"I fell," he answered almost immediately.
"Right," she said. Both of them are lying through their teeth.
"Aren't you hungry?" he asked.
"I am."
"Then make some food."
"Pardon me?"
"I'm wounded and weak. Vulnerable and dying."
She gasped in disbelief. What was he saying? Clearly, he was far from being weak.
Moreover, where would she find food now?
"I saved you, remember?" he asked. "Where I come from, saving someone means owning their life."
"I am thinking of spiteful words to insult that tradition, but I couldn't come up with one," she said bluntly. "I owe you my life. But that doesn't mean I would run out there and be a slave. I am but a vulnerable woman who doesn't know how to hunt."
He gave her a half-shrug and looked to his right.
"You aren't like other girls," he said.
Almost immediately, she said, "Lady."
He laughed at that. "I'm sorry… my lady," he said, without hiding the sarcasm in his voice. Suddenly, he looked to his right for the second time. "But your savior is starving. There is a dead snake a few feet away to my right. I made the fire. Now it is your turn to make the food."
He glowered at him.
A dead snake after he said he was starving?
Suspicion flashed in her eyes. They were talking, and she hadn't seen him move an inch.
Was it just a coincidence?
Seeing her scowl, he laughed. He looked like he was enjoying her discomfort. Did he expect her to cower in fear at the mention of the word snake?
Unfortunately for him, she had eaten worse in her past life!
.....
QUESTION: Is this connected to the Lycan's Sin?
Answer: NOPE. On Lycan's Sin, I introduced the concept of multiple realms and even included the male lead of Rosie's Games- Lucas! But this is a different story. You can read this without reading the Lycan's Sin!
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