Night of Eden 73

 Chapter 73

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Sponsored chapter by  Cebiyb. Thank you ❤️ (2/2)

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The outbursts of crying gradually subsided into sobs, and a little more time passed before they stopped altogether.

Her frozen body was melting like wax. The ear-pounding heartbeat and regular shaking also contributed to the rapid thaw.

Theodore was a very good rider, as he had been on the day of the torrential downpour.

He was steady on steep paths and didn't falter over uneven stones.

Dana felt her eyelids grow unbearably heavy as her body melted and she cried herself to sleep.

Before she knew it, she was dozing off, her head buried in the man's chest. Suddenly, her consciousness slipped away.

Dana flinched in surprise, and the man's large palm wrapped around her cheek to keep her from slipping. A firm chest pressed against her flushed cheeks through the thin fabric of his shirt.

Dana was lost in an indescribably good feeling.

The glove pressed against her cheek smelled of heavy leather, the other of Theodore's strong scent.

Her senses were lost in a state she could neither understand nor define. Her heart pounded for some unknown reason, and the darkness that had been so terrifying enveloped her.

Blinking, Dana tried to move her eyelids, to somehow regain the light. Through her blurry vision, she saw the lamp he held with the reins.

...This is going to be uncomfortable.

But I'm glad I have a strong arm to keep me from slipping.

Dana felt herself shrinking.

Darkness, and then light, Theodore, darkness again, and then light... and... Theodore... Theodore…..

A few moments passed, or perhaps an eternity, she couldn't tell.

Dana floated on the edge of consciousness and unconsciousness. The world faded away, and all that remained was Theodore's arms around her.

As she soaked in the pleasant coziness, a sharp light poked through the corner of her eye.

Dana furrowed her brow and opened her eyes.

"Master...?"

It was the hut keeper, running out in alarm.

Theodore had ordered a doctor to be sent for first. He made sure they had enough firewood and warm water.

"Yes, sir, yes, don't worry."

The hut keeper nodded as if his head was about to fall off, grabbed his lamp and coat, and untied the boat from the bank.

Meanwhile, Theodore dismounted from his horse. Dana had recovered enough to dismount herself, but before she could do anything, the man's hands grabbed her. Dana tried to say that it was okay, but then she complied.

He was acting as if this was all perfectly normal, and she didn't have the energy to argue.

Cradling the tiny body in his arms, Theodore strode away and pushed the door open with his elbow. Inside the hut, the familiar smell of wood and the glow of the fireplace greeted them. Deena felt herself melt again in the warmth.

"Can you stand on your own?"

"Yes."

Reaching the fireplace, she carefully moved her hands from his embrace, her feet touching the plush rug. Unlike in the forest, she felt a dull ache in her ankle. Dana frowned to herself.

Meanwhile, Theodore had gathered towels, a thick blanket, and a robe.

"Take off your clothes."

Dropping the pile of cloths in front of her, he headed straight for the kitchen. He checked the kettle on the stove and found cups and tea leaves. He didn't forget to retrieve the wine and glasses from the closet.

After a moment's hesitation, she unbuttoned her coat and shrugged out of the damp garment.

The fabric felt lukewarm against her skin, the tips of her hair dripped with occasional droplets of water, and the unrelenting chill shook the depths of her body like an aftershock.

Dana diligently dried herself off. She twirled and twisted her hair in the towel and scrubbed her hands thoroughly, down to the knuckles and between her toes.

Her hands felt so soft from all the hard work. The dying wood fire felt a little hotter now.

Hearing the water boiling in the kitchen, Dana fished through the pile of cloths for something to wear.

"Are you done?"

"No. Not yet."

Dana was just threading her arms through the robe. The robe was too big for her limbs, and as soon as she pulled it on, she smelled a familiar scent.

Could it be his?

The thought sent an odd shiver up her naked body.

Dana hastily pulled the blanket over her robe.

"I'm... I'm dressed.”

He turned around to face her. Dana lowered her head, somehow finding it hard to look him in the eye. Unknown eyes hovered near the crown of her head.

In the awkward silence that followed, Theodore handed her the mug.

"Thank you."

She stretched out her arm to take it, but her clothes were too big and her fingers wouldn't come out. Neither did the other arm that was raised to pick it up.

“….”

“….”

Both were speechless for a moment.

Theodore looked down wordlessly at his billowing sleeves. The sight of her, buried in the bulk of his clothing, was enough to make his pulse quicken.

His wavering eyes wandered feverishly between her disheveled hair, flushed cheeks, and wet lips. Then they returned to the sagging sleeves.

He quickly set down his cup and began to roll up the sleeves.

"No, I'll...."

It was too late to pull them off. The dark blue cuffs curled up, revealing a small, slender fingers and wrist.

Theodore bent and folded the loose cuffs sideways, then pinned them tightly to her forearms. It was a careful, meticulous touch.

"...Thank you...."

Dana couldn't say more.

Because he'd grabbed her hand without warning. Dana nearly screamed as the man's gloveless hand closed around her fingers. Her eyes shot up to his face in surprise.

Looking down at her hand, the man's eyes were serious, even grave.

"...It still feels like ice."

"Uh... it's... still... much better... ."

Her pulse raced, and the fireplace light fell hard on her face.

"......you don't seem to have a fever.”

"....yes."

She was out of breath, even though she wasn't on horseback. Dana quickly grabbed her mug. 

"Sit down."

Theodore jerked his head toward the couch. Dana did as she was told.

He knelt down directly in front of her, as she was pressed against the plush cushion. His hand reached out again, roughly, and pulled back the flimsy blanket.

Her ankles were exposed, but Dana didn't back away this time. It felt even stranger to hesitate in the presence of a serious man, as if he were a doctor.

He examined the instep, the ankle bone, and the shin. There was nothing particularly swollen or bruised.

"A doctor ...... would know better."

He concluded, and let go of her foot. The thick woolen cloth dragged loudly on the floor.

Theodore leaned back against the couch. He propped himself up on one knee, rested his arm on the armrest, and sipped his drink.

Side by side, he on the floor, she on the couch, they stared into the fireplace.

Crackling, the logs burned.

Suddenly, something caught Dana's eye.

The front of his shirt was damp. It was the part of his shirt that had been crushed by her head during the horseback ride earlier. She remembered the hand that had pulled her flailing head to his chest and felt a rush of molten heat again.

Dana took another sip of tea.

Suddenly she realized she hadn't even said thank you properly.

Whoever he was, whatever their relationship, he had saved her from certain death. She shouldn't be so ungrateful to someone who had done her a favor.

What should she say?

‘I know it's late, but thank you so much for saving my life.’

Should she just say that?

She moved her lips to form the words, but he was faster.

"......What the hell did Liana say?"

The sudden question made Dana pause, for all sorts of negative emotions were flowing from him: anger, displeasure, and more.

"Did we get caught? That I touched you?"

She felt a stabbing sensation in her heart and heat radiated from her chin.

"Oh, no. That's not... No."

The answer made her feel even stranger.

I touched you...

I touched you…

What a lewd and strange expression.

"So, she just told you to go find the horse, a woman alone in the woods, looking for a horse that ran away?"

His voice continued through gritted teeth.

"I can't believe my fiancée was that stupid."

Dana's mouth dropped open.

Stupid?

No way... She's his fiancée.......

It made her feel strangely sad, in front of his fiancée’s handmaiden, how could he be so blunt....

She was sure everything in the world was insignificant to him.

His parents, his friends, even his fiancée.

Everyone was at his feet.

The flurry of emotions created a strange repulsion. Dana forgot to thank him and opened her mouth with a cold face.

"No, I don't think so."

Theodore rolled his eyes.

"It's not all the Lady’s fault, and Master shouldn't blame her like that.”

Dana noticed the man's gaze hardening.

"It's also my fault that I spoke so lightly, that I said it would be easy to find Rothesandra. She had every right to misunderstand, and I couldn't refuse, that's all."

A coldness grew on his stiffening face. Dana knew it all, but she couldn't stop herself.

"The fog was unpredictable, and I was partly to blame for wandering too far into it, lured by the hoof prints. She told me to look for a bit, and if I couldn't find it, just come back."

“…”

"Please don't talk about her like that. Please."

Theodore's brow was now fully creased.

"I was just helping my Lady, doing my job, and if you hate me or resent me, those are just natural feelings that arise for their own reasons, and you shouldn't interfere with that. Just leave it alone and......."

Dana took a deep breath and continued.

"You have no right to blame her, and I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think you should."

Theodore felt anger bordering on shock.

His cold eyes turned to the fireplace. With a crackle, the logs crumbled and embers sparked.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and the more angry he was that he couldn't figure out why.

"You know what?"

Theodore said through gritted teeth.

"Edwin Hastings is only worried about his sister, and he wants me to understand Liana’s action. You are far below her in his priorities."

It was Dana's turn to narrow her eyes.

What was wrong with that?

"It's only natural for a brother to defend and look out for his sister."

Theodore stiffened further at the low whisper. He sucked in a quiet breath, then opened his mouth again.

"For you, it doesn't matter what kind of bastard he is."

"The young master... is only thinking of... how to bring him down."

The moment she muttered something that sounded like she was too weak to fight, Theodore couldn't hold it in and whipped his head around.

A thudding, pounding knock on the door saved Theodore from being engulfed by the roaring flames.

"Master, I've brought the doctor!"

The door swung open and the hut keeper, the doctor, and Tilly poured in at once, the chill of the early morning forest in their wake.

"Good morning."

The doctor immediately dropped his bag at Dana's side and pulled out his stethoscope.

"Let's see."

Tilly stood in front of him.

"Rothesandra is well on her way to the Shore, so...."

His eyes drifted to the sky, which was beginning to dawn.

"Why don't you go back to the Shore, Master? I'm sure I'm not the only one worried about you. You’re not going to get any sleep with the tournament coming up."

Tilly glanced at his Master. As expected, he wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention, his gaze focused on Dana.

Tilly swallowed the sigh that threatened to burst out and blocked his path with his size. Perhaps he should start by blocking his gaze.

"I'll take care of the rest," he said, "so go on. You have a match."

Theodore wordlessly shoved his hands in his pockets. His gaze drifted from Tilly to the couch like a magnet.

Dana was nodding vigorously at the doctor's words. The color had returned to her bloodless cheeks, and the corners of her mouth were tugged up into an invisible smile.

The backs of his clenched hands in the pockets were streaked with raised veins.

"Master."

Tilly called out one more time.

Theodore didn't answer, but turned and strode out of the hut with brisk steps.

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