Secrets in the Shadows

Chapter Seventeen

Kramer rolled over in his bed, stretched his arms, he took in a deep breath. The smell of wildflowers in the summer filled his entire bedroom. The smell was everywhere, on his pillows and bedsheet, he quickly sat up. He grabbed one of the pillows and held it to close to his nose and the memories of last night came flashing back. He threw the pillow on the floor,

" Why... why did I do that?! It shouldn't have happened!", he scolded himself.

He was feeling angry, upset at himself, he walked over to the bathroom and turned on the tap water. He let the water run on his back whilst he leaned his forehead head against the bathroom wall.

" Imbecile!", He said to himself as he slammed his fist on the wall. He let himself get carried away in a moment of ecstasy. Was it part of his revenge to take away something precious from her .. her virginity!? Or he wanted her?!.. The way she was provoking him last night was not arousing only anger in him, she was seducing him which drove him to the point of doing something which he shouldn't have done. He remembered how she had asked him to make love to her, though a part of him wanted to tell her to leave his room, she had enchanted him and he couldn't resist.

He didn't want to run into her this morning, he wouldn’t be able to look at her in the eyes and might even say things that will hurt her. He walked downstairs and made his way towards the kitchen.As he entered he saw Amelia preparing breakfast,

" Good morning, Amelia. I'm heading out. Please tell Maev that we will be leaving today. I'll pick her up at 12", he quickly said to the maid and then walked away. He grabbed his coat, he paused before he opened the front door and then he walked out. He could feel that she was close to him, but she hid from him. He could feel that she was avoiding him as well. He got in the car, glanced back at the cottage for a few seconds, and then he drove away.

Maev stood in the corner of the corridor and watched him as he walked out.

She hid so that he wouldn't see her. But, she was sure that he had sensed that she was there but he pretended not to be aware of her presence.

She was relieved that he had left the cottage, she didn't want to face him after what happened last night between them. She couldn't get a wink of sleep and she had rolled around in bed all night. The memories of his touch, kisses and his body rubbing against hers tortured her all night. Sometimes those memories which you want to forget are the ones that remain vivid and unforgettable.What happened should never repeat itself! I have to admit I was drawn to him and for a minute I forgot who he was and who I was but that will never happen again... It was just a moment of passion mixed with hatred that had burned the both of us! Maev said to herself as she walked towards the dining room.

Maev found Amelia setting the table for breakfast, they greeted each other and the maid gave her the message from the Master. Hmm, Home... I don't know the meaning of home anymore, Maev said to herself and gave Amelia a shaky smile as tears burned her eyes. She will never be able to feel at home in a place where she was surrounded by enemies!

" Are you ok ma'am?", Amelia asked worriedly.

Maev took in a deep breath, she nodded yes and smiled softly at the maid who left her alone to eat.

Maev sat down in the sitting room , her eyes were glued on the clock on the wall. It was nearly 1 pm and Kramer had not come back. She sat there playing nervously with the little golden ring on her finger thinking what will happen when they will come face- to -face later.Lost in her thoughts, the sound of a horn honking from outside startled her, she stood up and grabbed her bags. She took in a deep breath and walked to the door. She looked around for Amelia but she was nowhere to be found." Goodbye Amelia", she shouted and she heard her replying from somewhere inside the house .Maev opened the front door and walked down the stairs slowly.

" Hi", she said softly as she buckled her seatbelt but he didn't reply and she didn't expect him to. Maev looked out of the window, this would be one awkward drive, she thought as she folded her arms.Maev counted the tiny droplets of water as they fell on the car window. She yawned as she reached the hundredth droplets and she started to feel the effect of the sleepless night, she closed her eyes and Maev dozed off. Kramer took one glance at Maev and noticed that she was sleeping. Her hair was all over the place and some had covered part of her face. He wanted to brush it back but he forced himself to look back at the road. What's wrong with me? I cannot show any tenderness towards her again. Now we are going back home, I'll be able to stay away from her ... I might even allow her to go back home for a few days and send someone to keep an eye on her every day... maybe we could learn something about Oliver’s death if one of us is there inside her kingdom, Kramer thought as he glanced back at her.

Maev woke up and realized they were back at Bloodsworth's kingdom.

" Oh joy.. back to hell!", she whispered.

Kramer was already out of the car removing his bags. Maev stretched her arms and got out of the car. She grabbed her bags from the back seat and walked slowly behind Kramer. She saw the woman who was making out with Kramer on their wedding night coming out to meet them and she ran straight to Kramer and hugged him tightly.

" Glad to have you back", She said out loud as she kissed him on the cheek.

" Hi Mara", she heard him said.

Her name is Mara, Maev thought as she

walked past them and she looked at Kramer, he didn’t even see that she was looking at him as he was busy smiling at Mara and then she gave a handshake to the young man who came with her. Maev hurried inside the main mansion, she walked fast trying to get further away from Kramer and his lover. She stood and looked around her,

" Now where the heck is my room?", she said to herself angrily.

" This is your home and you don't know your way around ?", someone said from behind her and she turned to see the man was known to her now as Octave, Kramer's uncle.

" I spent only one night here, how do you expect me to know my way around ?!... and please don't refer to this place as my home, This Kingdom.. will never be my home", Maev said to him with a serious tone.

" Whether you like it or not, this is now your home until your faith will be decided by the King", Octave replied with a smile.

Maev looked at him, from behind him she could see Kramer coming their way with one of his arms around Mara and she got more upset.

What's wrong with me.. why am I upset .. am I jealous of that woman, she said to herself.

" I'm not!", She said out loud and then covered her mouth.

" You are not what?", Octave said to her and turned towards where her gaze was fixed.

Maev looked at Octave hoping he didn't understand what she meant by what she had said out loud, she noticed a frown on the old man’s face when he saw Kramer walking towards them with his arm around Mara.

" Kramer my boy, welcome back", Octave said walking towards his nephew.

The two men hugged each other and patted each other's back.

" Julio please take the Queen to her bedroom", Octave ordered the young man who was standing close to Kramer.

The young man quickly obeyed as he walked up to Maev and took her bags.

Maev briefly glanced at Kramer and then walked away following the young man. When she was alone in her bedroom, she locked the bedroom door, climbed in bed, and laid down staring blankly at the ceiling." He didn't have any respect for me in front of his people. Hugging that woman like that as if I wasn't around!", she said angrily, she grabbed a pillow and covered her face as she let out a big heavy sight.What's wrong with you Maev! Pulled yourself together ... you will not allow one evening of supposed passion to fool you. You know very well Kramer is a man and he has needs .. and you happened to be there. He clearly showed you that what happened between the two of you was nothing special to him... he probably found it amusing taking away your maidenhood!, Maev said to herself as she sat up in bed and crossed her legs.

" Why do I feel like this!?", Maev asked herself.

" I shouldn't be bothered by what he does or not... We are enemies and that's the way it will have to be!", She said getting up and walked to the wardrobe.

She grabbed all of Kramer's clothes from the wardrobe and walked over to the door, she opened it and made her way to his room.

She threw all of his clothes on his bed and went back for the rest of his things.After she was satisfied that she had taken some of her anger out, she got into her room and locked the door. She walked to the bathroom and ran her bath water adding some of her oils to the water as she chanted some magic words and the water turned blue filled with wildflowers. When the tub was half full she got in and relaxed in the warm water.

The warmness of the water relaxed her tired muscles and she leaned her head against the tub and closed her eyes. As she soaked herself in the warm bath all she could feel was his hands on her body.

" I don't want to remember his touch!", Maev whispered over a dozen times but she knew that was a lie because her body was reacting as if Kramer was touching her!