Chapter 5: Simple Life No More (Part 1)
They have arrived at the clinic, where Martha, with Ed, is working hard to save Henry’s life. Anne is helping her parents, making the concoction of medicine, and also tending to other patients. The other three-man were waiting at their house, eager to hear about their friend’s condition.
“Anne, are you done giving Jacob his medicine?” Asked Martha, while her magic kept Henry’s wound cleaned.
“Yes, mother, do you need anything else?”
“Please stay by his side. His critical condition is finally over. Now, he just needs to rest and heal his wound.”
“Praise the God. Don’t worry, I’ll be here, you should get something to eat with father.”
Ed and Martha gratefully take their daughter’s offer. They went back to the house, and Anne took her mother’s place, keeping a close eye on Henry. While looking at him, he noticed something on his neck, a mark, like a tattoo, with an intricate design.
“Hmm... I could swear that I saw this mark before. But where?” Mumbled Anne, pondering.
.....
“I see that you have a hobby to stare at something beautiful?” Said Henry, suddenly opening his eyes.
Anne squeaked and almost fall from the chair, “By God, you almost make me fall.”
Chuckles at her, Henry apologizes immediately, “I’m sorry, are you alright?”
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. What about you?”
“I feel sore all over the place, but I don’t feel any pain.” Said Henry, smiling at Anne.
“The Rosemaryberry and Aloeroots seem to work. That is good. Now, you need to rest.”
“I’m a bit parched. Could you help me with some water?”
Anne handed Henry a glass of fresh water. The blue eyes only stared at Anne and whined. “I’m a patient. What about tending to this helpless patient?”
Anne rolled her eyes. She reluctantly holds Henry’s face and helps him drink the water. All the time, Henry’s eyes never waved from Anne’s face.
“Do you always stare creepily at a girl, like this?” Asked Anne, squinted her eyes towards Henry.
“Only to the pretty one.”
Her face immediately goes red. Anne goes away holding a tray of empty medicine glasses, while muttering some words to Henry, “Anyway! Let me bring you some porridge... err... you must be hungry.”
“Hey, are you running away?” Teased Henry to Anne, who’s running through the door.
At the door, Anne collided with a hard body of a man. It was Xavier. The tray’s on her hand was on the floor with the medicine glass shattered, shards of glass scattered around the floor. Henry jumped from the bed. Xavier, on the other hand, carry Anne in his arms, while a panic engulfed his face.
“Oh, my God! I am so sorry. I don’t see you at all.” Said Xavier, at Anne’s who’s shocked by how fast Xavier is.
“Uhm... yes, I’m alright, please put me down.” Said Anne, nervously.
Xavier’s face is so close to her that she can even feel his breath, and with a combination of his golden eyes, Anne’s heart beating faster than before. From behind, a pair of hands clasp at her face. It was Henry.
“Hey, are you alright, do you have any injured? Let me see.” Henry is so concerned about Anne’s well-being.
Anne, who saw Henry the injured one, pull his hand away from her face and scolded him.
“What are you doing here? You’re still wounded! Get back to your bed, now!”
“But what about you?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” Said Anne, she then turn her face to Xavier, “Please put me down, I have my slipper on, so it will be fine to walk on those glasses.”
Xavier abided by her request and put her down immediately. She shifted her attention to Henry and helped him to lie on his bed once more. While glaring at Henry, her hands are on her hips, lecturing him about his health.
“Remember, I am the healer here, and you’re the patient.”
Henry smiled while leaning on his pillow. His blue eyes stared at Anne. “I was worried, that’s all.”
Anne took a deep breath, her hand busy tuck in Henry’s blanket, “And, as I said, I am fine. Now, you need to take a rest while I cleaned this mess and bring you some porridge.”
“Alright, be careful with the glass.”
She smiled at Henry, while she sweep the shattered glass on the floor. Xavier is using his hand to pick up all the sizeable pieces of the broken glass. He keeps picking the glass, even though some of it is already cut into his fingers. Anne saw it and was in a hurry to give some salve to his fingers.
“All of you are so stubborn. Just look at your hand. You don’t have to help me, but you insisted.”
Xavier smiled at her. “Because I wanted to.”
She took a deep breath once more. Anne then tended to Xavier’s fingers with no words coming from her mouth. Afterward, she dismissed Xavier away from the room and cleanse the shattered glass. In her mind, Anne just couldn’t believe how her day become more complicated. From picking the medicine herbs to meeting four mysterious men.
“What a day.” Said Anne, speaking to herself. Her face turned to the moon, shining between the cloud in colorful stars.
In the kitchen, she cooks some porridge for Henry and other overnight patients. A shadow came and engulfed her from behind, she pick the ladle and attack the person behind her. The stranger holds her arm.
“Do you need to be so aggressive, even in your own kitchen?”
The moon shines into a familiar face, a red flaming hair, paired with red ruby eyes. It was Justice, still holding into Anne’s hand. She tried to pull her hand from Justice, but the arrogant man never let her go.
“Hey, let me go!” Anne struggled, while Justice seems to enjoy every moment.
“Why? Are you trying to hurt me with a ladle, if I let you go?” Teased Justice.
“Ugh, you’re infuriating! Just let me go, the porridge will burn!”
“Fine, but promised you will not hit me with a ladle, alright?” Justice smirked at Anne and let her go.
Anne glared at him, and stir the porridge again, “So, what are you doing here?”
“I’m hungry. I want you to cook something for me.”
Gasping at Justice’s request, Anne turns her attention to Justice once more. “I am not a maid! I thought the three of you were staying at the inn? They have food for you!”
“I don’t want their food. I want yours.” Said Justice, smiling at her.
This is the first time Anne saw a smile on Justice’s face. His face, though screaming danger all over, but it’s a kind of danger that will lure you in, a dangerous beauty. Without her noticing it, her body walks closer to Justice, trying to capture his smile, to be forever embedded in her mind.
“Uhm... Did you hear what I have just said?”
“What?” Anne woke up from her trance, she squeaked and backed off from Justice, “I... uhm... right... Well, we have porridge, would you like some?”
Justice peaked at the large pot and humming for a while, he took the ladle from Anne and taste the porridge.
“Right, I’ll take some, bring the porridge to your... uhm...” He looks around the kitchen, and sees with his own eyes that the kitchen is too small, he proposes something else to Anne, “Just bring it to the infirmary, I’ll be waiting with Henry.”
When he walked away from the kitchen, the only thing that Anne can do is a grunt. He is a beautiful fellow, but the arrogance and demeaning attitude were too much for Anne, although her desire to touch the arrogant fellow never diminished.
The porridge was almost done. Anne arranges the bowls for the patients, and also for Justice.
“I must admit, you’re a talented girl, indeed.”
A voice came from the door, surprising Anne. She once again grab the ladle and pointed it to the voice. Turns out to be Vale, who is now chuckling at her.
“Why the ladle?”
“Err... oh, nothing.” Said Anne, trying to hide her embarrassment.
“Can I help you carry the tray to the clinic?” Vale politely offered to Anne.
Anne smiled at him, Anne nodded her head, and they walked together to the clinic, through the hallway. The man finally lifted his hood. Anne saw wavy short brown hair, it is really befitting with his mesmerizing green eyes.
“Oh, you finally put off your hoodie.” Said Anne, just being spontaneous.
“Well, to tell you the truth, wearing the hoodie makes me sweat sometimes.”
“Really? So am I, I mean, wearing a hat, not a hoodie, though. Uhm... so, why do you still wearing the hoodie? Do you like to sweat?”
Vale chuckles at Anne’s question, “Not really, but if you like to sweat, I could give you another activity that will make you sweat a lot.” Vale abruptly stops, and apologizes to Anne, “I am so sorry, forgive what I have just said, earlier.”
He walks away from Anne and seems to avoid her, suddenly. As a forty-year-old, back then, Anne knew the answer to that statement. Her face got all shades of red, but she tried to hide it. She feels a bit embarrassed to admit that these four men awaken something inside of her, something that was already long gone from her life.
For Anne, her simple life will become much more complicated from now on.
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