Tangled With Swords And Roses

The Handsome Stranger

I felt a sharp pain when my eyes opened. I quickly closed my eyes, then slowly opened my eyes again. I was in a bed with white bed sheets and a very soft cover that smelled like honey and roses. For a minute, I thought this is what heaven felt like. I looked around. There was a chair beside my bed, a window, and a bedside table. It was early morning, and birds sang. I threw off the covers and spotted a neatly rapped bandage around the area below the knee. There was a little blood, but it didn't hurt as much. My cuts were also cleaned and taken care of.

The door swung open, making a loud noise when it hit the door. A man who was holding a tray with food and drink walked in. My tongue began to produce saliva. I should have eaten before leaving the farm. To say that he was handsome was an understatement because this was one of those men that spoke forbidden. His dreadlocks stopped somewhere around his shoulders, tied in a half-puff with a red tie. His eyes were a beautiful kind of brown that made you think he held many mysteries. He was taller than the other men I had seen. He wore a shirt but four of the buttons were undone, leaving some of his sun-baked chest exposed. It had so many scares, new and old. His trousers fit like a glove. His skin could be compared to the night sky but with a mixture of earth brown. He had a bandage wrapped around his right wrist. I think I need to see a physician because my temperature just shot up. And my heart is pumping way too much blood. My breath is coming faster. The man took large steps soundless across the wooden floor, setting the tray beside me on the bedside table. He studied me, and I was suddenly aware that I wore a white cotton negligée.

"I believe I now deserve a painting from you." Why did his voice sound so familiar?

He sat on the chair besides the bed and handed me the drink. I looked at it for a long time before he rolled his eyes, "Drink." He ordered in an impatient tone. I lifted the cup to my lips and took a sip of the cool water. It felt refreshing because I needed it.

" Wh...ere?" I began, but my voice was hoarse. This man brought a cold chill to my back, one that begged me to run from him, but his eyes put me in a different trance that made a warm feeling grow in my stomach. I drank another gulp of water, needing it to help me think. This man smelt like roses, sweat, and morning. It was a beautiful mixture that reminded me of the spring when I worked in the gardens. When I looked up, the man was silently observing me. I rushed to pull the covers up over my bosom. He pretended to not notice, but he was wearing a smirk. Needing a change, I cleared my throat, "Wh...o...? ...are" I tried to talk. He picked up the tray, placing it on my lap, then sat back down. "Eat first." Then he added, "Or do you need me to feed you?"

I sat up straighter in the bed and leaned my back against the plush pillows. I looked down at the carpet that covered the floor. My hands griping the tray. I was about to tell him I was not hungry, but my stomach betrayed me. It let out a loud growl that filled the silence in the room. I glanced up at the man, and his hands were crossed across his chest. I looked down at the tray, breathing in the golden bread. They were two hard-boiled eggs, fruit, and honey. I picked up the bread, dipping it in the sweet looking honey. I took a bit and swallowed. The man handed me a cup with creamy milk to drink with my breakfast. After finishing the bread with honey, I looked up at the man. He rose slowly and brought the back of his right hand to my forehead. He towered over me, and I stared at him, shocked.

"Should I send for the physician?" He asked, his voice filled with a little bit of concern written in his voice. His right eyebrow was arched and his hand was still resting on my forehead.

"N...o." I answered.

"Then why not finish your breakfast?" He said.

" I..I..a..m...full." I looked at him.

"Eat some more. "Lunch may be late."

I looked down at the tray and took some fruit.

"Someone's a picky eater." He grinned but quickly raised his hand to cover it. That did not mean that I missed the pearly white of his teeth. All straight and perfect. Heat rushed to my cheeks and an unwanted smile came to my lips, which I quickly covered by chewing the fruit. I didn't know this man, but he was upsetting the balance in my body.