Like what she said before left my room, it does not take a long time before she returns with Claire and Carina.The dishes are the same as lunch dishes. It seems to reduce some expenses, the castle only makes one menu for lunch and dinner. Like lunch we also have dinner merrily, the girls look happy, no trace of gloominess can be found on them, not like when the first time I open my eyes to this world.
Since financial crisis arises, the night activities also reduce because need many lights. Dinner is the last activities for most people in the castle. After having dinner most of them are going to bed and sleep. Only some certain places that still have light and doing activities like my father, my stepmother, my sister and my room of course. For strategic places like castle gate, we use bonfire as the light source and if the guard goes patrolling, they take the burning wood in a bonfire as the torch.
After dinner ends, Clara takes Carina to return the dish to the kitchen. She left me and Claire together as she promises to her. After locking the door, Claire tidied the bed while I"m sitting on the couch enjoying some tea.
Not take much time to tidy the bed. After finishing that, Claire walk to the couch where I"m sitting at and stop few steps in front of me. Under the dimmed light of the candle, I can see she have something in her mind.
"Henry …."
"What"s up, Claire?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Um, between me and sister Clara, which one is more beautiful?"
Ugh, what should I say? Although there"s a close relationship between them, there"s always rivalry or jealousy between them. Maybe the recent changes in Clara make her feel inferior or defeated.
"Both of you are beautiful on par. You have your uniqueness, she has her own uniqueness"
"But I feel sister Clara suddenly getting more charming Henry, what you do to her? Can you do that to me too?"
"Huh? I didn"t do anything specific to her. I just told her to be more honest with herself and not hiding her feeling"
"Only that?"
"Yes, only that. You can ask her if you don"t believe"
"No, I believe you. But can I express my feeling openly?"
"Why not? Try me"
"You would not think I"m a brazen girl?"
"Of course not. I like to see that"
I"m chuckled to hear her roundabout talk. She"s really a different type from Clara, if Clara like to be direct, she prefers to take a long trip before get into her destination.
"Can I ask you to do something?"
"Name it, If I can do it, I will do"
"Umm…can you…do.." she a bit hesitate and blushing when about to say her wish
"Don"t be shy, just say it"
"Can..can you spoil me tonight?"
I take a deep breath, so it"s like that. I can understand her wishes. She already lost her parents for long and no one ever spoils her since that. She thirsts for affection and romance.
"Sure, I love to. Come"
I pat my tight and ask her to come closer. She smiles timidly and approaching me then sit on my lap. After that, she leaned her head at my chest with her hands rest on my other side chest.
[ill.u.s.tration link on author thought]
"Henry…"
"yes?"
"can you also rub my hair like you do to Carina yesterday? she said it"s so comfortable"
"Why not"
I start to rub her long golden hairs. It feels so smooth like a silk. I wonder how much time she uses to comb her long hair to be able to make this smooth. She closes her eyes and enjoying my rubbing hands for a while before start speaking again
"Henry…do you know?"
"What is it, Claire?"
"When you injured and unconscious a week ago. When I wipe your body to clean it, I also lean my head like this to hear your heartbeat. Back there, the beat is so weak and almost unheard. But know I can hear it beat vigorously and I happy to hear it"
"Umm"
"When I"m a little child, my parents sometimes tell me stories before I go to bed. One of the stories I like is when a prince save a princess from bad guys, sometimes I imagining myself as a princess and attacked by ferocious beast when she going outside then a prince riding a white horse come to my savior. But I"m only a daughter of the traveling merchant, not a princess, so that was my wishful thinking. But when our caravan was attacked by the bandit and you come to save, in my eyes you"re like that prince. I can"t my eyes off from you since then. I"m so happy that I can have you tonight even if it"s only for one night"
I stop my rubbing activity and poke her forehead. She startled and opens her eyes and stares me blankly
"Silly girl, what do you said? Why only one night? It"s not like me or you will die tomorrow right?"
"Henry…."
"You"re my woman now, and always be my woman. I won"t let anyone else take you from me"
She stared at me with unbelief expression on her face, I can see crystal tears start dripping from the corner of her eyes and make a stream down on her cheek.
"That"s … that"s for real?"
I just nodded. She wraps her arms around my neck and rest her chin on my shoulder and start to sob lowly. I can feel tears from her eyes dripping in my cheek too. Finally, she makes a soft whisper in my ears
"Thank you…for a moment, I"m feeling like I"m the happiest girl in the world"