A MAZE OF GREED

After the physician left Edwin's chamber, Rees also left as he had to take care of many things. Edwin was waiting for Ruth, and when she came, she did not look in a pleasant mood.

A cute frown adorned her round face as she walked into his chamber. Edwin saw her lips moving in some incoherent mumbling. He tried listening to it but could not understand a single word she said.

"It took you long to come back." He said, pulling her to his chest.

The warmth spread in his chest with her presence!

Edwin thought how he had lived so long without her?

"hmm"

Ruth relaxed in his arms, the creases on her forehead smoothened as soon as she rested her face on his chest.

Edwin hid his face in her long toffee brown hair and dragged in a long breath. Her distinct flowery scent tingled him softly. He could dive in the pool of that scent and not come out for aeons.

He played with the loose strands of hair on her back.

"You are annoyed." He noted with a muffled voice.

"Because Thea just makes me go crazy at times!" Ruth finally told, bringing back the previous frown on her face.

Edwin grinned knowingly, but she could not see him doing that as he was busy relishing her scent.

"Do you know what she made me do?" Ruth asked in an unbelievable tone.

Edwin's grin froze. "What?" Suddenly his voice came hard.

Ruth pulled away from him and cried, "She made me choose between the two green scarfs."

"What was so annoying about it?" Edwin asked in confusion.

"They both were practically same shades Edwin! And it took me an hour to push that into her thick skull!!" Ruth told exasperatedly as if she had to climb the highest mountain in the world.

Edwin stifled a laugh by pressing his lips together. Thea Welby never disappointed him!

"Ohh! That is brutal!"

Ruth narrowed her eyes at him. "You are making fun of me, aren't you?!"

Edwin held his hands up in surrender. "How can I dare, my Luna?!"

Leaning down to look into her eyes, he whispered seductively. "Well... I know some interesting ways of uplifting your mood!"

With that smirk on his lips, he looked dangerous. He always had that dark aura around him that intimidated Ruth. She instinctively took a step back in defence.

"N-no need! My mood is just fine." She quickly added.

Edwin shrugged his shoulders in an attitude that said- your loss.

"I heard you called the physician." Ruth changed the topic before Edwin came up with another way of making her heart race.

The walls of 'the great manor' had sharpest ears and uncontrolled mouths, Edwin thought.

"Yes. I just wanted to ask about my health." He replied casually.

"Did you... did you ask him about what happened yesterday?"

Edwin thought for a moment longer before answering. "It was nothing. He said it happens sometimes and everything is going well."

Ruth was not convinced by his answer. She could tell that he was not telling her the truth. Before she persisted it more, Edwin said, "Come here"

He was sitting in a large chair that faced the open balcony of his chamber- their favourite part of the extensive room.

Ruth walked towards him. As soon as she appeared in front of him, he pulled her down on his lap.

"Edwin! What are you doing?" Ruth wiggled on his lap to get up.

"Is it wrong to keep my woman close to me?!"

Ruth blushed when he called her his woman. She still could not believe how the dynamics of their relationship changed over such a short time!

"But... what if... someone walks in?"

"That is not going to happen. By the way, thank you for the reminder that now my private chamber has lost the word private from it. It has become a vegetable market where anyone comes and goes at their will."

Ruth laughed at his words. Relaxing on his lap, she touched his face with her hands. Edwin had noticed that her hands were not soft like the women he had been with before.

Instead, her hands were rough and hard, due to the hard work she had done all her life. She was not a soft petal of a rose, she was like that pointed thorn on its stem that protects the rose.

And that was why she was so special to him!

"Then why don't you do something about it?" She asked with a smile.

Kissing the palm that rested on his cheek, he replied, "I am thinking about a way of turning my chamber 'private' again. Lets see how long it takes to execute it."

Ruth cast her eyes down as an adorable blush painted her cheeks in pink.

"Is this why we are sitting here in this position?" She asked after clearing her throat.

Edwin instantly turned serious. All the humour from his face vanished within a second.

"I actually want to ask you something Ruth."

Sensing the change in his tone, Ruth replied. "Of course. What is it?"

She only hoped that it was not something negative. She was emotionally tired of constantly dealing with shit.

Did Lady Theodora or Lady Eloise say something? Or was it Lord Augustus?

Edwin heard her raced heartbeats.

"It is about your dreams. The one you saw last night."

Ruth was partially relieved that it was nothing problematic. Yet the other half of her did not want to revisit that dreadful dream.

"Can we not talk about it please?" She asked in a low voice.

Edwin knew that it must be disturbing for her to talk about the dream that had shaken her from the core. But he had to test his theory, and it was more important in the given situation.

His fingers moved to play with her hair out of his newly grown habit.

"I know that you do not want to talk about it. But if you keep it inside, then it will keep disturbing you. I want you to tell me every detail and let it all out.

You had no one to listen to you before. But now you have me, Ruth. I want to share your fears, your pains, everything that you are willing to offer me!"

And he meant it!

Ruth was touched by his sincere words. Giving him a thankful smile, she asked. "Okay! What do you want to know?"

"Describe your complete dream."

He saw the hesitation on her face. Tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear, he assured, "Trust me, Ruth!"

She nodded. And after releasing a shaky breath, she began, "It is an unknown place that I have never been before. The green grass feels wet under my bare feet as I slowly walked on it. A dense forest sprawled to one side, leaving dark shadows around.

It is morning time, I guess because of the fog covering the place."

Edwin listened without interrupting her. His bows were pulled together.

"Then I hear a muffled sound." Ruth pointed to her ear with a shaky hand as if she was desperately wanted Edwin to understand what she was saying.

"It... it gets louder and louder as I try to look around for the source. And then I realise that... that it is not just any sound but a cry for help. Someone is crying for help."

Edwin rubbed her arms as he saw goosebumps appear on them. Ruth was so invested in putting her visuals in the words, that she did not care how her body reacted to her emotions.

"I want to ask who is it. I want to tell that person that I want to help them but I can not utter a single word. As if... as if I am there yet I am not there. I... i dont know how to explain it."

"Shhh... its fine. Just continue as you can." Edwin told.

"As the time passes, I realise that it is a girl... a small girl. Possibly eight or nine years old. Her cries... haunts me, crushes me under the weight of her agony and helplessness.

And then... then the air suddenly gets chiller than it already is. I turned to feel the fog that clouded the view of the forest, carrying an unsettling vibe. As I see closely, I watch it getting thinner at a particular spot.

And... then..."

"Then? Then what Ruth?"

It pained Edwin to put her through that condition. Her eyes again had the same fear he saw yesterday. Her breaths came out in short pants. The brim of her eyes moistened as she described her dream.

"Then... I see a silhouette walking in my way cutting the fog."

"Who is it? Do you see the person's face? Is it a woman, a man or... an animal?" Edwin was now desperate to know.

Ruth shook her head. "I d-don't know who it is. All I see is... red lips slowly stretching to break into a smile. And it is not a friendly smile. And... the most unsettling part is that... that that smile shows fangs!"

Edwin stilled immediately. Red lips, fangs?

"Do you remember anything else Ruth? About that silhouette or the girl or that place?"

Ruth shook her head again. "Please Edwin. I beg you do not make me recall all of it! I have told you as much as I remember."

A tear rolled down her eyes. Edwin realised that he had already pushed her over the edge.

He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his muscular arms around her protectively.

"Do not worry Ruth. I am here! I am here!"

As Ruth sought comfort in his arms, Edwin's mind had chosen a particular direction to run.