2 Wounded- Part 2 (2/2)
”The Curtis have my gratitude, for taking me in when I had no roof. A child who was in tattered clothes and barefoot with no identity. Sometimes gratitude is too heavy to bear with and it takes time to repay it.”
”I think you have repaid your debt enough to the late Madame by being at her side.”
”Maybe. Maybe, I am just holding on to our precious memories that the lady left,” she knew that the love Helen Curtis shared with her was something priceless and didn't need repayment, yet a part of her felt indebted.
”You have turned into a fine lady, Ms. Heidi,” she heard him say as she began walking towards the back door of the house and she turned back.
”I think I still have a long way to go for that!”
”It isn't the status that makes one into a lady but the manner in which how you carry yourself and how you treat others that turns you into one,” Heidi smiled at his words.
”You have always been too kind with your words, Howard,” and with that, she went inside.
The following week like Daniel had said, her father and her siblings left to the capital town of Woville to attend a ball there so that Nora could place herself an eligible bachelor for herself. Many suitors letters came to their houses but she rejected them all, the way it looked to Heidi, Nora was trying to aim the Lord of the north as no matter who showed up in front of her, she would turn her face away from them like they were nothing but dirt.
Heidi did her work leisurely as she had to cook dinner only for her tonight. Deciding to pick up the groceries she went out. In the evening, the clouds were dark and heavy, the time already past dusk as rain pelted down the roofs of the houses and the hard ground. The trees shook as it rained, letting the drops of water fall down one after another in a trail. It had been some time since the people of Woville had seen such heavy rain in the northern empire.
Most of the men and women who had been on the streets walking and talking leisurely had already gone into their homes once it had begun raining. Some ran for shelter, standing under the buildings which got them drenched anyways. Out of the people who were there under the rain was Heidi, her footsteps splashing one after another on the rainy ground as she ran towards her house.
When Heidi had finished buying groceries and had only exchanged the money with the shopkeeper in the local market she hadn't expected it to rain, especially when it had only been sunny with a clear sky when she had stepped out of the house. Her dry clothes were now soaking wet, the dress sticking to her body as she ran while covering the vegetables in her arms. On her way she saw a few men standing under the barely present roof and decided not to wait for the rain to stop, taking a left and going through the dark deserted alley. It was an alley that connected the humans from the dark creatures residence which she rarely used and she wouldn't have picked it if it weren't the shortest route to her house.
As she took another turn, she stopped in her tracks to only realize that she had already run past this place. Unfortunately, it had been quite a few months since she had last come here in these dark streets and the way she knew had been closed for some time now. Thinking it was better to go back the way she came from, she walked this time carefully seeing her way out not wanting to get lost in the dark. Just as she was tracing back her footsteps she suddenly felt herself crash and pull towards a firm, muscular body to the nearest wall. At the same time, she heard footsteps of people heading towards them as though they were chasing someone.
Alarmed by whoever had caught her she went to scream for help to only find a hand covering her mouth to prevent her from making any noise. She struggled to get away but this person was too strong, like a vampire who didn't budge even an inch. At the thought of vampire more alarms began to ring in her head, and as though feeling her fear the man leaned over to whisper.
”Stay still and I won't harm you,” his voice was gentle like the air itself.