Chapter five
Lyraina stood there frozen,she wanted to run real bad,she was scared really terrified,she took a step back watching his eyes follow her footsteps, without a second thought she dashed towards the front door,her hands gripped the door knob tight but it was locked,she let out a gasp.
Whisking her head to his direction,she found him standing two feets away from her, instantly she fell on her knees crying tearfully.
"Let's discuss this,I promise I didn't try to run,I swear I was just trying to deceive the Earl, nothing more nothing less"
"Really?"
"YESSSS"
He let out another chuckle,no one male or female ever amused him in such a manner.
"Hmm"he checked his watch,it was 9pm already.
"Get up,it's time to be sold"
"Who are you selling me to?"she knew she shouldn't be asking questions and she was instantly met by silence by the glare he gave her.
"Stand up!"
Lyraina picked herself up, "follow me" he commanded instantly she held a piece of his clothing, "please I am terrified I do not want to die,let's discuss this what do you want,is it wealth?"
He froze instantly on that spot, taken back by her touch, "DON'T EVER TOUCH ME"she instantly redrew her hands,Draven looked at her like she was a mad woman.
Men and women ran far from him and here she was holding him like he was her only salvation when it was clear he was the one in desperate need of salvation.
"I'm so…rry"she instantly panicked,she didn't know what to say again or what to do anymore.
"Come"he commanded, "bring your gifts too along with you" Lyraina tried her best to pack whatever gifts she could carry as they were too heavy for her,she knew she had to comply as there was no escaping for her.
He led her to a room that was dark and his loud voice instantly commanded, "sit!" And she sat down without a second thought.
He brought out paperwork with ink writings on it, "Here is the agreement to be bought sign there"he gestured his fingers indicating where she should sign.
She didn't answer him, "please I am begging you" Draven looked at her irritably,he instantly took her hand and damp some ink on the quail feather, signing for her and surprisingly it matched her handwriting.
A realization suddenly hit him,he touched someone,a girl for that matter and here he was shouting at her not to ever touch him.
What was wrong with him?
"So you can touch me but I cannot touch you?"Lyraina asked a question that took him by surprise,he couldn't say anything.
Despite them sitting opposite each other,he felt they were too close, suddenly he felt strange,was this shyness?
No it couldn't be.
"Such would never repeat itself"instantly he removed the gloves on his hand, wanting to replace them.
Her eyes caught the burnt marks on his palm,they were rough and she wondered why.
Standing up,she instantly went towards him, forgetting his warnings and due to pure curiosity she stopped him from wearing a new glove,she took his hands in hers carefully examining it.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Don't move,I need to figure this out"that immediately silenced him,was this woman not afraid to die?,it seems at that moment she forgot her situation.
Something felt off to her? What marks were this? She tried using her powers to heal it but nothing,Draven however too shocked couldn't react,out of frustration she recited some chants wanting to fix the wounds and it healed.
Draven was taken back? Since when did holy warriors' healing powers work on demons?
"There you have it good as new"and then she let out a smile.
What person smiled in his presence?
He felt weird, experiences like this where things were different,he didn't want it.
He stepped away from her, "I I I touched you,you touched me,we should never allow such again"
She looked at him dumbfounded, "what if your life is in danger?"
He squinted his eyebrows at her,
"Let me die"
"Do you hate me?"
"Yes"
"Why?"
He didn't answer her,he simply went to take the paper he forced her to sign,he handed it over to her.
"You can go"
"Just like that?"was she daydreaming?
"You won't haunt me?"
He look at her with an eerily smile beneath his mask, "you can only haunt what's not yours"
"Excuse me?"she asked again,was he indicating she was his? Since when.
He didn't respond to her, "before I change my mind go away"
She instantly took it as a sign that the heavens had favored her,she ran away despite not knowing the mansion well enough,she was able to escape.
"You have not told me who you're selling me too please"
"I do not plan on selling you…he paused and she let out a relief,one of joy.
"Thank you thank you so much"Lyraina repeated bowing her head with gratefulness
.
"You were sold to me long before you wrote the marriage proposal " her eyes widened in shock, "By who?"This was worse,she feared him.
He looked at her uninterested, "the maids will escort you out,goodbye"
Then he ordered carriages to carry her to her house.
As soon as she stepped inside,her father instantly asked her, "Lyriana, where is the money you earned today?"
Oh shit! She forgot,her father was going to beat her now, "I I I …
Her words were cut off by the sound of the gold coins that was heard,it seemed the gold coins fell from her pouch but where did they come from?
Her mind went to the time,Draven appeared behind her. That must have been when he snuck it,but how did he know she needed money?Was he a seer or something?
Putting all thoughts behind her,she crouched to hand pick the gold coins, "beautiful beautiful my dear, your mother would have the finest dish prepared for her,you many go visit her"
After giving him all the money with her,she dashed to see her mother,who was locked in the store room. As soon as she stepped inside the dark room,she lit the candles up and saw her mother holding her knees against her chest, shivering from the unknown.
"Mum?, mum? Mum?"Lyraina called thrice but no response,so she ran to meet her mother, "talk to me what's wrong?"
She was a direct copy of her mother,the same red hair and emerald eyes, "I I I I am..mm sca…rrr..eee..ddd "
Her mother shivered uncontrollably making her worried,soon tears began to drop from her eyes, "is it because you are hungry?"
Her mother looked at her,then began laughing uncontrollably, "no no no"she then started sticking her tongue out her face and licking her hands.
"What are you doing mum?, please stop"
"They won't give me food…. taste my hand it's salty"she let out another laugh.
Soon Lyraina began to cry,she was exhausted emotionally,a look of worry plastered on her mother's face, "why why why are…y..uu..crying?, I promise, me..not hungry"
She hugged her mother, sobbing uncontrollably, "I pray you get well mother"
"Is there some…thing wr..o..n..g with me?"her mother questioned?
"No no you are perfect"
"Lyriana it's been long you played with me,why is that?"
"I have been busy,I am sorry mother"
Her mother folded her arms and pouted, "it's okay I forgive you but next time you come please can you bring sweets for me?"
"I will, I promise too"as soon as she said those words her mother jumped up in the air, jumping happily.
"I am going to lick some sweets,I am going to lick some sweets,yippee"
All of a sudden,the glow from her cheeks dulled and she sat down back,as if unhappy.
"But I won't be able to see you"
"Why do you think so? I will forever be close to you?"
"But that wicked man that starves me and beats me said you have been sold to an Earl,and he said you will go and marry him, Ly..ra..ina would you…ta..ke me? To…join you too, he told me sold means ' in love',why didn't you tell me? You have…been in l..ove with the Earl"
Lyriana's eyes widened in shock,so the person she had been sold to was the Earl by her father all along.
So why was her father so stubborn to her getting married to the prince initially ?
What was going on here?
She was confused?
Everything was adding up and a sudden realization hit her,this was all part of his plan,the main plan was never the Prince but the Earl and she fell into it.
"Arghhh" she screamed out of frustration walking out of the room her mother was kept into and went to her father to lash out.
"How could you !!! Sell me to the Earl"
Her father looked at her with a mischievous smile, "how would you willingly request to marry the Earl if I didn't make marriage to the prince seem hellish?"
"So why sell me?"
"He had something to offer and moreover…
"Do you want people to say a father sold his own daughter and tarnish my image so let it be known you offered to get married willingly"
Her anger was reaching its zenith "so why not the prince? Why the Earl?"
"That mystery is left for you to find out my dear"
She knew she was a puppet but who were the true masters? Or was everyone a puppet too?
"Whose rules are you bending to father?"
He looked at her with a downcast smile, "Do you want to get punished again?"
"Father you disgust me" Lyraina shouted at the top of her lungs.
"And I will disgust you more when your sister marries the prince"