NIGHTS OF HALLOW

”You shouldn’t have done that in the dining room,” Perdita told Sthena.

Breakfast ended with the uncomfortable silence that enveloped everyone after the banter between Sthena and Lady Rosamonda.

Now in the drawing room, Sthena sat behind the desk scribbling words on a parchment and Perdita stood near the fireplace with her hands above it while enjoying the heat of the burning coals.

The weather didn’t relent with the snow that had not stopped falling since it began three days ago, making everywhere frozen with ice and cold. Sometimes, Perdita wondered how the villagers who couldn’t afford enough hays to place over their roofs survive in such weather in their tiny houses.

Sthena looked up from what he was writing and stared at Perdita for a while before he answered with his own question, ”What did I do back there?”

At Sthena’s question, Perdita fully turned to look at Sthena. She said, ”You shouldn’t have told Lady Rosamonda that we are your guests in that way.” She paused and walked forward and saw the questioning look on Sthena’s face.

She went on to speak, ”It’s not like what you said was wrong, but that would also put us on their bad side. I don’t want unnecessary problems.”

Sthena dropped the pencil in his and leaned on the backrest of the seat he sat on, ”If you’re scared of being on their bad side, believe me when I say this, you’re already on their bad side the moment you came with me.”

”What do you mean?” Perdita asked with a frown.

Sthena smiled, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ”It had always been like that, Perdita. You shouldn’t worry about their tantrums, instead, take it as if you’re catching fun with them, believe me, that would be the only way you will survive in their presence.” ℯℯ𝑙.

”You mean to take it as having fun like you do?”

”Yes,”

Perdita nodded though she didn’t quite understand what Sthena first said about being on their bad side because she followed him.

They were his family though she had noticed the friction between them several times, it was still better he dealt with them alone than involve her in some drama that could lead to having their heads on a scaffold. She and Marco already had enough problems on their plates to entertain the schemes of the royal family.

Silence ensued between Sthena and Perdita when no one spoke, and the king continued to write what he was writing.

Perdita walked around the drawing room while admiring the costly things used to decorate the room to perfection.

On the table, she picked a carved animal that looked like a dog and a wolf at the same time.

”You carved this?” She asked.

”Yes,” Without looking at what Perdita held in her hand, Sthena replied.

”A dog?” She continued to question, unsure of what it was.

”Yes,” He answered and finally looked at Perdita. ”And a wolf too.”

Perdita’s brows rose in surprise. A dog and a wolf together. How did he carve that? ”Why did you carve this?”

Sthena tilted his head to the side and regarded the thing on Perdita’s hand. He had carved that when he was about to become the king, and since then he had placed it on the table there.

”I was once called a dog which I didn’t mind. So I decided to become a wolf too that now haunted them in their dreams.”

”Who are they?” Perdita asked now interested to know more about the riddle words of Sthena.

”The people,” Sthena responded. ”Unfortunately, they’re dead.”

”That is weird,” Perdita admitted with a frown.

”It is,” Sthena agreed with a smile that only turned Perdita uneasy with what he said.

Perdita stared at Sthena for some seconds and averted her gaze. This man was mysterious, and each time she tried to figure out what he was thinking or why he did things, he only confused her more.

It felt as if there was an ominous secret he was hiding. A secret that only made her more curious to know. But ignorance was bliss. It was better she focused on why she was in the castle than venture into something that might entrap her forever.

She dropped the carved wolf and dog on the table where she saw it.

”We have been away from Woodbridge for a long time,” Perdita began to speak and saw Sthena nod his head to show he was following what she was saying.

She continued, ”Wouldn’t it raise suspicions from the villagers on why we are no longer in the village?”

Perdita knew that the church was temporarily silenced and any wrong move from the villagers will alert and draw their attention back to them. It was better they cleared every piece of evidence than leave some stones unturned.

”You’re right, it will raise suspicions. That is the reason why I’m doing this.” Sthena answered and signaled to the parchment on his table.

”What is that?”

”Come,” Sthena gestured with his hand and Perdita obliged and walked around the table to where he sat.

Sthena raised the parchment for Perdita to read.

”You’re writing to head warden Humphrey?”

”Yes,” Sthena said and kept the parchment on the table. ”It will be an effective way to divert their attention from you two.”

”Hmm,” Perdita nodded. Saying that they were employed in the castle and that their names should be included in the list of those out of the village was the best way to stop unnecessary rumors that would go around the village, that is if they haven’t made it their top topic for gossip.

”Thank you,” Perdita suddenly said. The sincerity in her voice didn’t go unnoticed by Sthena.

He smiled, ”You shouldn’t thank me, Perdita. I would have done this for someone else.”

”Lies,” Perdita blurted and bit her lower lip when she realized what she had said.

Sthena’s eyes squinted in mirth and a sly smile on his face. ”Lies?” He questioned back, waiting for Perdita to explain herself.

Perdita cleared her throat with her gaze averted. She began with a stutter, ”I...I mean. Uhm...what I mean is that you are too cruel to help another person.”

”Too cruel?” Sthena chuckled. The rich and deep sound vibrating in his chest messed with the already muddled head of Perdita. It distracted her for a moment as she turned to stare at the man seated beside her.

His next words made her avert her gaze once more.

He said, ”But I am helping you and you said I’m too cruel?”

”Well that is because we are friends,” Perdita hurried to say and realized herself for the second time.

What is wrong with you, Perdita?! She internally smacked her head.

”Friends,” Sthena repeated, obviously liking the conversation. ”I like the sound of that.” He said to the surprise of Perdita.

Perdita rapidly blinked to let her green eyes become focused again. ”Uhm...I think I should go see my brother.” She spoke wanting to escape but her dress had another plan for her.

Unknowning to her that her dress was hooked with a nail on the table, she hurriedly and swiftly turned to walk away and at the same time, the nail drew her back.

The speed she wanted to escape with, was the same force the nail used to draw her back making her lose her balance and before she knew it, she fell on Sthena’s lap with her mouth on the bared neck of Sthena.