Riding at the front was indeed a good choice since riding down the mountain would have caused her to lean on him and look like she was desperate to hug him. It wasn’t helping that he was wearing nothing on his upper body either.
He was better at sitting upright but sitting at the front, she had to rely fully on her strength and she was getting tired. As the horse jerked she almost fell forward before his hand grabbed her waist.
“I know you don’t like me touching you, but hold on for a while,” he said.
“I don’t like anyone touching me,” she said.
“Why?”
Why?! Why not?
“I don’t like anyone being too close.”
“Why?” He wondered.
“What does that mean? Do you let anyone just get close to you?”
“No, but you are more guarded.” He said simply.
“I am just… not used to it. And people take advantage.”.
Truth was just that she didn’t like people to be close to her because she lost all of them. Nor were there many people she could trust and she could certainly not trust this man.
“Well, you would know all about that.” He said.
She said nothing to that. She agreed with him after all.
They arrived at his quiet neighborhood where everyone seemed to be sleeping still. It was very early so it was expected. What she didn’t expect was to find his brothers waiting at his home. Of course, Saul had to bring his army who didn’t seem to have a mind of their own.
Saul stood up from his seat upon their arrival where he waited in the hall. He had a grim look on his face and looked baffled at his brother. “Have you lost your mind?” He asked him.
Yes. Why don’t you go find it for him?
“Not now Saul,” Malachi said.
Saul shot her a glance before looking at Malachi again. “YOu should not have accepted me to bring her here if you are going to insult her like this. You are being irresponsible.”
Actually, she agreed with him for the first time.
“I am sure you found a good excuse for me,” Malachi said calmly.
Oh, so he already relied on his brother? Great.
Saul’s face hardened even more and then he let out a frustrated breath. “It is enough Malachi. I won’t be cleaning after your mess anymore.”
Good. Maybe then you will find time to clean your own mess.
“And what excuse do you think will work when you have painted her?”
Oh right. She forgot. Her hand went to cover her stomach when all the males looked at her.
As much as she enjoyed Saul’s outrage she knew trouble for Malachi would mean trouble for her. She couldn’t protect her people if he was in danger himself.
A knock on the door interrupted the brothers’ argument and soon after the door opened. Araminta stepped inside with Zoila and Zara.
“I see you are back. I hope we are not interrupting.” Araminta smiled.
Zoila and Zara greeted them and then took notice of her tattoo. Everyone saw it at his point except for her. She couldn’t wait until she got to the mirror.
Zoila pretended like she saw nothing but Zara looked displeased.
“I thought we could have breakfast here this morning,” Araminta said.
So she still had to be around people? Ugh. As they spoke, she tried to find a way out of this but there was none. “I will just go change,” she said as the women went to the kitchen.
“Take your time,” Araminta smiled.
Ravina went to her room and then went straight to the mirror. She was surprised by what she found.
This wasn’t the kind of tribal tattoos she had seen on men and women here. Malachi really painted her. Several dandelions crept from her skirt, the wind blowing their seeds into the air where they turned to birds flying up her waist and then slowly turning into stars as they reached the crescent moon he painted right below her chest.
It was beautiful. He could really draw. She had expected those symbolic tribal tattoos. She stared at it for a while, looking at it from different angles, and once she was done admiring she went to find some new clothes.
She picked a peach crop top with no sleeves and its matching skirt. She wet her hair and combed it back to look slick and she only wore one piece of jewelry. A golden belly chain.
She stopped to look closer in the mirror with a frown. Her face looked different. It was a little less… blue? Especially under her eyes. She stood back, feeling different. The woman staring back at her, dressed differently, with tattoos and better skin felt unfamiliar.
Who was she?
Leaving all of that behind, she went to the kitchen to join the ladies. They were having a good time while cooking and Zoila was her usual overly enthusiastic self.
She was quick to include her and teach her some things. Since she was getting free lessons, Ravina took advantage of it and tried to learn what she could.
Zara was the opposite. She was silent most of the time. Observant. Perhaps she didn’t like what her sister was doing.
They served the table together and then it was time to have breakfast. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be so bad that she would have difficulty digesting the food. But that didn’t become the problem. She became nauseated instead by Zoila’s attempt to feed everyone, especially Malachi.
She baked the bread, cooked the porridge, and made the tea and coffee. Malachi made no comment while Zoila waited to be praised. Ravina just watched her sister who seemed to grow more impatient in silence.
Then she zoned out. She could only tolerate so much socializing. From almost the whole day yesterday until this morning.
“Ravina? Ravina?”
“Huh…” She looked up and looked around the table. Who called her?
“Are you alright?” Zoila asked.
Malachi put away his cutlery. “You should go sleep.” He told her. “She has been a little ill. She needs to rest.” He told everyone.
Oh dear Lord. Thank you.
“What happened?” Araminta asked.
“Um… I am just having a headache and… feeling a little dizzy.” She lied although she really began to feel that way.
“Malachi you should help her,” Araminta said, as he stood up from his seat to already do so.
What… was going on? Help her how?
She stood up and he wrapped one arm around her shoulders as if she was truly dizzy. He led her to her room. “Are you alright?” He asked on the way.
“What are you doing?” She whispered.
“Don’t worry. She knows what she is getting into.”
He pushed the door to her room open and led her inside. She pulled away from his hold as the door closed.
She knew what she was getting into. What? For him to have both of them? That was not going to happen.
She turned to him. “I am only going to give myself when you make me your queen.” She made that clear.
“I know,” he said, his eyes dark and mysterious in a way that made her heart skip.
What was that look? And she noticed the slight curve of his lips. “Rest well,” he said and then left her alone in the room.
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