Chapter IV: Stories In The Dark

I arrived into Dimitri's room and Madam was yelling orders at an older gentleman with peculiar glasses and a black trench coat. He did not look amused. Why weren't they taking him to the hospital? They seriously had time Travellers, but they did not have the tech to ensure he was ok?

"The boy should survive, but constant care should be taken. Ensure he keeps breathing. I will return in the morning," the man spoke and scuffled past. Madam spotted me and I wanted to shrivel away.

"Ah, well, at least you're here. For once, not so useless after all. You keep him alive and breathing. If he dies, you die," Madam strolled out of the room before I could even respond and closed the door. I raised my brow in surprise. She certainly did not seem too concerned for his well being, if she left him in the care of a disposable and new servant?

As I walked closer I gasped. He was there, propped up on pillows, bandages wrapped around his waste, and a black eye sealed shut. I approached him, and checked his hands. Surely enough, they were bleeding, freshly there.

"You sir, did not fall off your horse...did you? " I asked as I stared at the unconscious Dimitri. I fetched a bowl, and filled it with warm water. I grabbed a cloth and dipped it. Then I sat on his bed, took his hand, and started wiping it. I wiped his other hand, and checked for any other wounds that were left unchecked. I was horrified how careless his own mother was, and stressed. I needed to keep him alive, but I barely knew what was wrong with him. I severely hoped that the man in the trench coat was accurate, and that he should survive. I looked at his breathing, trying to reassure myself it was all normal. He was going to be ok.

I knew, clearly, I was going to have to remain here all night. I could not afford to fall asleep or pass out. Even if I was in extreme pain, and exhausted. I'd find some other time to sleep. Considering he was unconscious, I decided to keep myself occupied by talking to him.

"Did you get into a fight? A fist fight or what?" I asked him as I stared at him.

He took slow deep breathes, and I fetched a new cloth. With this, I placed it on his forehead. "You know, back home, I have a younger brother. He's only ten, well, was only ten." I started. "But he stood up to bullies twice his size. He always came back home with a bloody nose or a black eye. The worst was when he cracked a rib and broke an arm...so I walked with him to school one day. The group appeared, and I fought them. I got a split lip and a few bruises, but they were a lot worse. Luckily, they didn't report me, because they were to ashamed to admit that they got whipped by a girl..." I wiped his forehead again and stared at Dimitri. "Are you a bully...or are you a guardian angel? That I would love to know." I sighed and laughed.

"Soon after the bully problem was resolved, my brother broke his leg in a biking accident. He wanted to impress his crush by doing some silly trick on his bicycle on a bridge at the brook near our house. "Let's just say that did not end well."

I laughed again. Tears started streaming down my face. "And you know, when I got to him, the first thing he said, was not that he hurt, or that his leg looked all wrong. Oh, no..." I shook my head as I stared at the painted family portrait hanging on Dimitri's wall. "He asked me, whether or not his crush saw this, because it was so embarrassing...I bet he is married now, or was any how..." I slowed my movements. I pressed my fingers against his neck to check his pulse. It was steady. That was good. "You're so lucky to have a family, you know..." I stood up and headed towards the bookcase. I was normally so stressed to clean everything, I could never fully observe what he had on his bookshelf. To my surprise, I saw a novel I recognized: Grimm Fairy Tales. I shook my head as I saw this. I used to love all fairy tales. Turns out, mine might end up like the little matchstick girl, or something close it it anyhow.

"What was his name?"

I gasped as I turned around. Dimitri's one eye was open, and he grimaced.

"Sir, you're awake..."

"Have been for a little while," Dimitri grunted. "I wanted to open my eyes...well, eye, then you started talking. Things got interesting."

I stood there in fear. My heart pounding in my chest and I took a step back. Was I going to get a beating? Was I going to die!?

"Your brother's name...what was it?" Dimitri asked me, and I swallowed.

"Archie, Sir, his name was Archie," I took a step forward then stopped. "Must I call Madam?"

"I'd rather you not," Dimitri answered. "Otherwise this is going to be a really long night...you read?"

"Yes, Sir..."

Dimitri. "Good, read me a chapter from the book you were ogling."

I rushed to get the book, and pain shot through my waist. I winced, and hugged it with my one arm as I took the book and walked towards him. I opened the book.

"Sit down, on the bed, you look sore...can't have you groaning out a story," Dimitri spoke. "Did you deserve it?"

"I suppose any punishment I receive is deserving, Sir," that was one of the responses I was told to say in light to such a question.

"Really now?" Dimitri raised his brow. He shook his head. He took a few moments, just staring. However, it was hard to tell what he was thinking. Just then he looked away and motioned for me to start.

"There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child. At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant her desire. These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs.-Grimm's Rapunzel"

I started and finished the story of Rapunzel. Dimitri was frowning all the way. It was hard to read his emotions, but I could see he was listening intently. "Well, I guess the story is accurate to the author's, very Grimm indeed."

"You haven't read these stories before?

Dimitri glanced at me, and I looked down in utter shock. "I am so sorry, Master."

"No need to apologize...in this room, when you are alone, you can speak more freely...but you may not utter a single word that I have said. Or I will cut out your tongue, understood?"

I nodded and glanced at him. Even beaten up, he was breathtakingly handsome, but also extremely intimidating. His other eyes was still swollen, but I could already see some improvement. A reduction in the swelling, his breathing become more stable. He grunted as he moved to sit a little straighter. I helped him by placing another pillow or two behind his back.

"So, to answer your question, no I have not read these stories before...I don't read a lot...my father saw it more fitting to train me in...well, other skills..."

I nodded and closed the book. My hands were shaking and I rubbed my tired eyes. Pain pulsed through my face, and I recalled the blows I had taken today. For a short and sweet moment, all my pain had been forgotten.

"If you leave the quarters now, Madam would have you skinned alive for sure, before checking to see if I was conscious."

"Of course, I will keep an eye on you all night,"

"It's me that's got the eye, you've gotten both, and why don't you use them to patch yourself up in my bathroom. You have my express permission to use it...you stink,"

I bit my lip and nodded. "Thank you, Sir."

I stood up and placed the book carefully back in the bookcase.

"Ava..."

"Yes Sir?"

"I really appreciate your care... I know it was done out of forced obedience, but you could have just left me and rested..."

"But that wouldn't be the right thing to do, Sir," I nodded and walked into the bathroom. Those were Dimitri's kindest words to me thus far. I would take it with a pinch of salt. I just needed to do one thing wrong, even by accident, and he would end me. No matter what I did in the past. I had to believe that to survive. However, I was not going to deny his offer for me to use his bathroom and clean up. Tomorrow was going to be a hellish day, and with this exhaustion, I do not know how much further I was going to make it. But I'd have to, because one day, I will see Archie again. I had to believe that.