Worlds Apart: Back to Drevothia

Episode 6

To Give, To Receive

She brings back her eyes on him. He removes the cloak looking cloth that is covering his head. His dark hair sways along with the cloth's removal, it reaches at the back of his nape. His unkempt hair from his deep slumber are covering the vivid sight of his forehead and eyes but now it is better than it was last night, his dark orbs as dark as his hair, sans emotions however, she does not feel scared watching him no matter how strong and brooding his eyes are.

She is suddenly lost in a trance. Lance clears his throat to catch her attention. The feeling of intimidation slowly creeps in her soul when she realize she has been staring at his dark orbs for a while. 

"Is this enough, Viktorina?"

"Ah, yes..." She smiles, unable to gather proper words to speak. Her mind is already wavering after seeing half of his face. She might had a slight sight of his face last night but because the light was out, she only remembers his large frame and tall height. He sure is huge, she thought. Caiwen is already tall, her height reaches only his shoulders but Lance is even taller. She only stood below his clad chest. His hair is as dark as midnight, that, she knows since last night because of the locks peeking from his hood.

When she thinks about it, she doesn't sense danger last night when he came home. She was only aggravated that he had to interrupt her lazy life. It could be that she was only using Caiwen as a reason to retort. He might feel dark and dangerous but she knew then that no harm will happen.

Viktorina spent few days after she woke up inside Caiwen's house. It's not that Caiwen is restricting her to go out, it's just that he never had the chance to tour her around and let her see what the world outside is like. For all those days spent inside his house, she watches movie series and not just an hour or two spent movie. Yes, she has leveled up from watching different movies into watching a whole series. Although she wants to spent her time with the boys, Lance's illness has worsen. He has to skip his work because of that. On the otherhand, Caiwen is busy during night because of his studies, during mornings he spent his time studying his lessons and taking care of Lance.

She should have been of help if she also learned house keeping and taking care of the sick back when she was at Drevothia! She only learned what a noble woman has to: the modesty of a lady, education, histories in their land, memorizing and familiarizing insignificant nobles' names, horseback riding that would seem a skill for every noble in equal to running, and sports. Since her mother was once a knight of Persia before her demise, she also pursued what her mother had been through. She asked for her Father to put her into training on barracks. He agreed to it in exchange of her good work and not shaming the name of Bermonte.

Viktorina has different mother among his brothers but she has been treated well and fairly. She is dressed fancily, given shelter, food and anything a noble would need.

She sighs and glances at the transparent divider. The porridge Caiwen is making is already boiling, the pot is seething in heat and screaming sweet smelling dust. She gets up and decided in helping out to lessen Caiwen's work and Lance's burden. She goes to the kitchen to check the food, although she has failed once again in turning off the television.

The sweet aroma from the porridge seeks an entrance to her nostrills. She felt happy looking at the boiling pot. She once had seen Caiwen making one so she thinks she could be a help now, somehow. She twists the switch from medium heat to off. Thank God, the off is written in flashy red and she remembers that red is for turning off. If not, she would be setting an unnecessary fire in Caiwen's kitchen!

"Hm-mmm..." she hums happily, imitating Caiwen's humming before, gathering the crockery and utensil needed: a bowl made of china glass, an underplate to support the agitating heat of the porridge from the bowl, and a spoon. Caiwen reminded that she does not need the complete set of utensils when eating in his house because they are not eating in full courses.

She knocks on Lance's room before opening to give him notice. Lance is coughing with his mask on. He just sits on his bed despite his blurring vision to give respect to the lady inside his room. He leans his back on the headboard to support himself.

"Lance!" Viktorina exclaims after gathering her focus for being lost in trance. She brushed her eyes on Lance, however huge and overbearing he may look, she can catch his weary eyes behind his dark locks. She hurries on his beside table and placed down the hot porridge in a bowl.

"What brought you here, Viktorina?" Lance says in between his coughs. He tilts his head to the other side in order for her not to have a clear sight of his pitiful state.

"I am sorry, I might had interrupted your slumber. Do you still have fever? I brought you a hot... uhm..." She could not remember what it is called. She bit her lower lip and momentarily took a step towards Lance. Lance scurries away but she seems oblivious that she sits on his bed beside him and put her palm on his forehead.

"Oh my... Your fever is still rising up. It must have been hard for you." She says out of concern. She is forgetting what she should be more concern of! She is inside a grown man's room, touching his forehead shamelessly! And what is making it worst is that the man she is with is not so very good at handling women! Lance might be harmless but she is certainly not!

"Uh..." Lance coughs. "Porridge," he mutters.

"What?" Viktorina gasps. She looks down at the gap between them. She immediately back away, finally realizing what she has done. Her cheeks and ears are tainted with crimson colour. "I... My apologies!"

"No, it's... fine." He breathes heavily. "You brought me porridge?"

"Oh?" She glances at the bowl. Her eyes widened at realization. "Yes, I did. It is Caiwen's cooking but he seems busy so I took care of it." Suddenly, feeling proud after doing something productive, Viktorina beemed. Her smiles is blinding, almost making the sun out of job. It's as if she has done the whole cooking when the only thing she had done was to turn the stove off.

They heard a hem from behind that broke the conversation between them. Lance looks behind Viktorina while she turns her head to see who's behind her.

Caiwen stands beside the bedside table, stirring the porridge with the spoon provided like he is examining it. Viktorina hastily stands up and bows down at Caiwen's presence. Lance averts his gaze from them and starts coughing and hiding himself in the blanket.

"Viktorina..." Caiwen started. Viktorina stiffens in her place.

"Yes, Lord."

"The porridge... is not yet edible."

"P-Pardon, Lord?" she stutters, blinking her eyes thrice to clear her mind.

"It is not yet edible. We need more minutes before we present it to Lance."

"Oh..."

Caiwen sends Viktorina a gesture that has her coming out of Lance's room with Caiwen. He brings the bowl of porridge with him as they struggle their way to the kitchen to prepare Lance an edible one.

"Lance is rather not comfortable around women. That is probably why he isn't talking much to you. He often gets sick too, he cannot let go of those things he wear. He is quite the meticulous man." Caiwen says in the midst of the brief silence to explain Lance's indifference towards Viktorina. He just thinks it is the easiest explanation to give to avoid misconceptions. He chuckles and shakes his head gently. "Or that might be not the case. Lance is normally quiet no matter who he is with. That, only is based on my observation. He might not have been with someone who can make him talk too much."

Viktorina understandingly nods her head. "Have you been there for too long, Lord?"

"Yes. You were both having your alone time so I gave you a minute. I only stepped in when I sensed that he is at the thread of his wits."

"I-I see... I am sorry for making your friend uncomfortable, Lord." She sighs.

"Oh, and also," Lance raises a finger, remembering something important. Viktorina's head turns toward him. "Do not call me Lord in front of Lance. He will get suspiscious of your real identity." She nods. Viktorina watches Caiwen prompt the bowl in the countertop. The fire lit at the turn of the stove's knob. Viktorina gasps in amusement that she has to cover her mouth in haste when Caiwen's head moves towards her.

"Lance's identity is rather mysterious to everyone. He just appeared in everyone's lives, no one had known him since before. All I know is that he is a runaway. He seems to came from a rich and honorable family but he run away for unknown reasons. He cannot even understand how the world of our standing works because of his status but he is gradually learning. I let him stay with me because he is fun to be with and I am lonely."

Caiwen does not want to dwell on the last part where he is lonely that he take in Lance. It is true that he is but it is just a small part of his reason. He just can't leave Lance behind and he can see that he is earnest in what he do. He needs to guide him.

"Why are you telling me all of this, Lord?"

Caiwen shrugs, unbothered by the question. "Because you seemed interested in him. I will have to introduce him myself if he is not going to do it. After all, he is a dear friend of mine."

Viktorina's cheeks flush, and the heat slowly creeps to her ears and nape. She averts her gaze. She never knew other people might take it in a different way than she actually means. She only wants to get along with him while she stays here and he seems lonely that she feels the sense of responsibility surging within. She forgot that people have different interpretations of what they see, hear and understand.

Or Caiwen probably mean "interested" in a different way and it is her who misunderstands and put it in a romantic way! Maybe there is nothing malicious with what Caiwen pertains! She is just so used of the Lord sending banters, devious hints and stimulating commentary that she cannot imagine him giving a non suggestive. For a Lord, he seems very playful and for a man with twisted mind, he seems smart and discreet too.