There was no trace of burning. No feeling of calefaction or the needle-sharp glare from the sun. A fresh midday breeze lurked around the jasmine bushes, outlining the front of him. Behind the neatly kept jasmine bushes were tall trees. Pine, Mahogany, and Giant Java fig trees. These creations of God gave the grounds in front of his eyes a sense of gratification. He spotted the bright colors of the Frangipani trees, specifically brought from Sri Lanka. His mother loved them as her own and nurtured them in care. The vastness of the ground was pleasing to the eye, but what let his soul smile in relief was the woman.
Nothing…no element of nature upon this place could make his heart flutter so heavily. far-reaching eyes, that beautiful aurulent hue which was hidden inside. Only the warm glare of the sun revealed it occasionally. face stretched into a full smile, even with her teeth that were a bit uneven. Those lips, plump and full, naturally carried a human purpleness. She used to say that it was because the blood in her lips is thicker and therefore, she naturally possessed a lightly dark set of lips.
"The sun isn't burning the skin at all today."
He was sitting a few feet away from her, casually holding a cup of chilled watermelon juice. The taste of it tingled his senses. Odette had a voice that put him at ease. At first, when he saw her, he wondered how she would have sounded…there was confidence in it. Her voice carried a nebulous solidity. She spoke every word clearly. Every word is as beautiful as her full cheeks. There were times when she would speak in a squeaking voice when she saw cute things that she adored. He loved listening to every variation that flowed through her mouth.
With gratitude and a feeling of bliss, he stood up and walked towards her. Upon nearing her, he looked up at the sky, light blue with no threat.
"I like this weather too…I can bring you out without having you hurt your skin."
Murky, lifeless eyes now filled with glee.
She walked closer to him, holding a cookie. This made him chuckle.
"Why are you laughing, Caius?" Confused, her eyes looked around and then fixed upon his gaze.
Slowly, taking his time, he drew closer, weaving one arm around her waist and pulling her to his chest. This took her by surprise, but she did not fight back. Awe-struck eyes stared up at him.
"You laughed, and now you're trying to be cheesy." Her eyes shrank as if integrating him.
With a smile, he leaned in and kissed her cheek, their faces only inches apart. All she could do was stare at him, a hint of shyness in her eyes.
"Every time I see you munching on something, I find myself wanting to pinch your cheeks." Caius chuckled and poked her cheek with his free hand. This made her falter and join the laugh as well.
With one hand, she covered her mouth so she would not drop the cookie she was eating. In that moment, waves of affection surged between them. He shifted the hand that had poked her cheek to gently hold her chin. With a quick move, Caius tilted his face and kissed the fingers resting on her mouth. Before he could pull away, she slid her hand up his chest, grabbed his collar, and pulled him down. Their eyes met, and instinctively, she closed her eyes and pressed her sugar-coated lips to his.
When she drew back, however, the entire place around him was raven inky .
Odette was no longer there. The loud echo of the untenanted cellars sprang against his ears. Angry soul numbing eyes opened every so slowly. He was losing blood. His wounds were causing him great agony. Hands bleeding from the shackles, and his body was wheezing up rusted air. What he saw in his state of pain and unconsciousness seemed so sweet…it was heaven. He wished that he could dream of this more.
"Caius."
His dreams were not over yet.
"Hello?"
He could hear her very familiar voice. It seemed that he was probably losing his mind again.
"Caius…" the voice drew closer. His eyebrows furrowed as he turned to look in the direction from which his name was called.
Words cannot explain how much grief thawed into tears and consolation as he saw her step into his vision. Followed by Kingsley, Odette has come to find him. Upon seeing him, she faltered in her steps, but upon seeing his chest bleeding and rusted with old wounds, she could not help but heave in distress.
"Caius." She ran towards the cellar and knelt in front of it. Holding the bars, she took a moment to see what they had done to him.
Caius stared at her…after many days, he desperately needed to take some time and look at her.
It was horrifying to see how tears welled up in her honey-brown eyes. Every tear carries bitterness and astonishment. She wore her hair in a loose plait. Her lips trembled at the sight of him. Caius was aware of how he looked. Breathing in clogged his throat and brought a piercing pain into his chest. His ribcage ached when he breathed out. Eyes were tired and sleepless. Lips chaffed and wounded with the everlasting taste of metal and rust. Every time he swallowed, it was a great achievement.
"You…" She could not come up with any words to say right away. Fear and grief swept over her. The memories have not stopped haunting her at all. "You're hurt." The last word was hushed down by a crack in her voice
"I'm so glad." Caius forced a smile and began to stir. "Glad you're safe." He had only said this much, but a violent chain of cough followed. She watched as he hunched over and spat up blood. His eyes were bloodshot with rage and pain.
"I'm-"
"Don't talk." Odette cut him off and drew closer to the cellar. "You will cough up blood, so don't push yourself to talk."
She wore a loose denim and an unpigmented T-shirt. Caius wondered how her life was during these days. His heart ached to draw closer. "I want to." He said slowly. "I want to talk …to you." His stern eyes softened at the last words as he tried his best to stand up.
Watching this, Odette stretched a hand into the cellar through the bars – " You might fall…be careful,"
Upon seeing her grin through tears, he trembled and fell back on the ground just as she said.
Couldn't even wait a few minutes… these legs of mine.
His shoulders gave way. Every time he heaved, the pain became worse. Unbeknownst to him, Kingsley, who was silent behind Odette, began to work on the locks using a small weapon that looked thin and sharp. Caius slowly crawled towards the entrance, her scent ,her voice, every inch of hers, every atom of hers…he desperately wanted it all to himself. He could hear her urge Kingsley and mutter words of vigilance towards him.
"Let's hurry Mr. Kingsley." she muttered, "it might be helpful if we hurry. I don't know when they will set this place on fire." Her worried tone and her fear-struck eyes enticed him.
Set this place on fire?
His eyebrows furrowed.
Odette was focused on the lock, and Kingsley put all his attention on the task. A chill ran up her spine as she heard heavy breathing getting closer. When she looked inside the cellar Caius was closer to her than before... His calloused, sweaty hand slithered towards hers. She could feel the cold lifelessness of his touch when their fingers began to collide.
"Caius." Odette forced a stern tone. "You're going to make it worse if you move." She wanted to help Kingsley take him out and leave as soon as possible. Her heart was tingling about the next thing she was going to do.
Odette watched him intertwine his bloodied fingers with hers. It sent goosebumps through her skin. She did not know what to feel. So many emotions swelled up within. Caius held their intertwined hands closer to his face ,
"Once again," he looked up at her, "you have come to save me." A sinister smile, woven in pain and humiliation, drew upon his face.
It was as if he were mocking his own strength. "Thank you, Odette." Eyes yearning for a single touch from hers.
She stared with no words to say, only smiling half-heartedly and nodding.
The sound of breaking locks brought so much joy. It had been ages since anyone exhaled in joy within the dark walls of the cellar. Kingsley wasted no time barging in and looking around for something to break Caius' chains. Odette wanted to take her hand out of the bars, but Caius held on tight. His eyes never forsaking her.
She blinked in confusion,
"The door is open." She gave him an obvious look. "You can let go of my hand now."
He did not even budge. His hardened thumb drew circles on her hand, slowly drawing closer to her. Through the bars, he stretched his free hand despite the sound of the steel needles ripping at his wrists. Odette could feel her heart begin to pound loudly. Her mind felt numb at how much this man could ignore his own pain to just draw close to her. It left her speechless…and in fear.
Fear of being his obsession.
"Odette…" voice fervent, meaning every word he said, "During the days I was kept here…I missed you." His gaze traveled all over here, taking ample time to breathe in every detail of hers. "Tell me…" his hand slithered up her neck, stopping near her jawline.
"Did you miss me?"
She could feel his cold fingers caressing the side where her face and neck met. Nothing in the world was able to stir those eyes away from her. No amount of chains, no amount of beatings were formidable enough to scrape his yearning stare upon her. She took a shaky breath.
I was worried…
I did not want you to die…I didn't like the fact that you were suffering.
"I did not miss you Caius."
…
He never knew that a string of six words, mere words, would deafen his senses all around. In the spur of a moment, his ears were benumbed to Kingsley's voice and footsteps next to him. Her unforgiving eyes carved into his gaze like a knife slicing up his back. The pain he had to bear disappeared because deep down, in his chest, a gut-wrenching twist jolted him to a dejected reality.
"Ahh…" his trembling fingers intertwined with her tightened, almost sending a slight pain through her arm. "I see."
Odette blinked faster, fat tears rolling down her face. She looked away…gazing up at the dark corners of this basement. Closing her eyes , Odette took a deep breath and looked back to seal this plan off successfully.
It was really difficult, however…when his eyes that were brimming with desperation had now permanently drowned in confusion and decline.
"Who are you to me?" Odette tugged away the hand that rested on her neck.
"You're nobody." Her words were poisonous and clear-cut like a two-edged sword.
"Should I be missing a nobody?"
Kingsley searched the room, but his ears listened intently. He knew what the young miss was doing. There are certain things that should be done even when one is unwilling, deep in their hearts. This is for the better future of both of them. This is a sacrifice she bore…a strong sacrifice she bore for the sake of their master and them in general.
Caius could only stare in disbelief as she spat those words.
At the end of her sentence, she forcefully dragged her hand away, leaving his fingers seep in the coldness and the murky floors. Unending sorrow flushed into his head so much that he began to hear the blood rush into his brain. However, all senses of his mind froze when she looked away and spoke the following words to Kingsley,
"You have opened the locks now, Kingsley…" With a heavy breath, she stood up, dusting her pants and hands. "I believe that you have everything under control now." A forced smile stretched on her lips. "I'll leave you to the rest of the plan."
Kingsley only nodded and bowed beside Caius, "I am forever grateful for the help you gave me today, young miss." In his hands was a huge rock which he intended to use to break the chains. "With so much gratitude, I bid you farewell."
"Farewell?" Dreadful voice paired with a slowly distorting face. "What do you mean, farewell, Kingsley?"
The man who sat there dumbstruck finally snapped. His body stirred, and his legs moved despite the chains and the hurdles his physique threw at him. Kingsley felt a strong hand grip his shoulder as his master staggered up to his feet, leaning ever so slightly upon his own shoulder.
"What. Do you mean when you said that!" Turning to look at Caius, Kingsley was jolted awake.
A newfound abysmal rage danced in those obsidian eyes. His bloodied hands still draped by chains, he gripped Kingsley by his collar as he was pushed against the cellar wall near the entrance. Heavy breathing sent waves of a rustic, bloody scent.
"Let Him go Caius." Two hands struck his chest, and Caius staggered back.
Was this how bitter it tasted when the person you loved the most in this world dragged you down by your leg? If it was, Caius wanted no part of it.
His throat let out a wince as he looked up at her. She was angry, her eyes held fear and alertness, which was directed at him? Her gaze was loathing every fiber of him; he sensed it.
"After everything that happened between us…" Caius stood tall, one hand trying to stop the bleeding from the wound on his chest, now ripped open due to the push. "You are leaving now?"
Odette puffed out air full of mockery, "What do you mean, everything between us Caius…Do you really think a few polite conversations could be such a huge thing?"
His anger flared up. "They were huge for me…" eyes bloodshot, pooling tears, warm and laced with grief. He stepped forward, but as soon as he took up the burden of walking , his knees gave way. Yet…before he fell, Kingsley rushed from beside Odette and helped him up.
Watching this…seeing his betrayed face churning into a spiraling sadness…she felt guilty from the bitter depth of her soul. There was nothing they could do; however, the men must have regained consciousness by now, sending the team to light this place up, burying everything to the ground.
"I told you once…" she turned away. "I don't want to be a part of your world."
Muttering this was the last straw. Her tears began to fall endlessly as she started to walk away.
CLANG!
RIIIPP!
At the mention of those words, Kingsley felt a strong hand push him aside and the loud deafening sound of chains ripping across the walls exploded into his ears. He felt the specks of cement and marble fall on his face as he could only watch Caius lunging out of the cell…ripping the chains away from where it was prior attached to.
She had not even gotten away to a reasonable distance when that loud metallic sound made her jump up. In surprise, she looked back to see Caius walking towards her.
"What…how did…"
His long strides wasted no time closing up the distance between them. Two heavily bloodied hands grabbed her by her shoulders. Her eyes fell upon the long, ripped-up wrists. When he dragged the chains away, the thorns dug deep into his hands, now letting crimson dark blood flow.
"You can't leave." Voice reverberating in rage carried a threatening pitch.
Her eyes, by instinct, looked up at his.
Now that Caius was up on his feet, his height loomed over her. He leaned closer to her, "I don't care whether it's by your liking or whether it's not…" he hissed out words enunciating every syllable.
"When you saved me that night, you already sealed your fate of being with me." A demonic smile etched into his lips , his hands grabbed her shoulders, tugged her closer, and she could only struggle in fear.
"I don't want to be here!" Odette used both her hands to pry his hands off; however, his fingers dug into her skin tightly. Her white shirt is now stained with blood. She felt a slight pain creeping up her shoulders.
"From the first day you came here, that's the only thing you say!" he snapped.
His eyes held no regard for her rising tears or her pounding heart. Those words she uttered cut deep, and he was about to make sure she never left his side. Face smiling ever so gently, mocked her for even thinking that she could have a life without him.
"Ette." Hearing that nickname gave her a headache. "Remember those days when you and I would make desserts…" he used one hand to gently trace her face. "Those days when you and I would do a little gardening in the evening."
Caius noticed the tears running down her cheek, and he gently wiped them off, waiting for her to say something. However, seeing her fight him back and turn her face away from his grasp angered him. With a swift motion, he turned her face to meet his rigid eyes and clutched the sides of her jaw, locking her alarmed face inches away from him.
"None of that matters to you?" his eyes shifted from grief to confusion, "Tell me, does that none of that mean anything to you?!" A gentle wind of begging left residuals in his face.
Odette struggled against his chest, she held the hand that clutched her face, and with great force ripped it off of her. "I hated every second that I spent with you…" she hissed out. "I want nothing but to see you out of my LIFE, I wan-"
"You have no choice!" Cutting her off, he grabbed her face with both bloodied hands. She closed her eyes, ready to embrace a certain roughness, but his hands molded her gently, painting her skin crimson. Opening her eyes, she met two raging eyes. She was breathing in and out very loudly, but for him, all he could sense and see was her pure hatred and disgust for him.
"You have everything you need in here…" thumbs tracing the tear-soaked skin. "Whether you like it or not…" jaw tightening in anger,
"…whether you like me or not." his eyes traveled down to her bated lips,
"I have decided that I will not let you live even a second without me!"
She could only cry and stare at his face change from anger to sadness. That expression of desperation was once again etched in his eyes. "Come be with me, Ette." He drew her closer and rested his forehead against hers. Wishing – "Please don't leave me here."
When he drew back, he looked as if he was ready to do whatever she wanted if it meant that she would remain with him. "I will never hurt you, I swear…live with me, be happy and sad with me…I will make sure-
"I WISH I HAD NEVER SAVED YOU!"