Chapter 29: Chapter 29

A TASK!

Avan raised his eyebrows questioningly. "I beg your pardon?"

"May I work in the kitchen?" When he remained silent, I spoke quickly. "I need something to do urgently so I can protect Kora."

Avan cocked his head thoughtfully. "I don't want you to be below Brenda."

"And I want to get my hands on this woman..."

I clutched his waistband and looked at him through my winks. His smile that followed was stunning. "Break her fat neck."

Kora was nervous when Bea wanted to meet him in the knight's hall the next morning. The sun would be up any moment and he had a lot of work to do. Whether it was so good that Bea wanted to help remains to be seen. He didn't know her and didn't know how to assess her...

"Morning."

Horrified, Kora jumped. He hadn't heard Bea coming when she suddenly stood behind him.

"Morning." Bea wore her trousers, a white shirt and her long hair tied and braided in a high ponytail. "We should start or Brenda will kill us."

She nodded silently and followed him into the lonely kitchen, where only his fat mistress sat on a stool and stuffed little cakes into her mouth.

"Morning, Master." Immediately her eyes shot to Kora. And the next moment some wooden bowl flew towards him. It hit Bea in the chest, but she didn't even flinch.

"Good morning, Master." She grumbled calmly and pushed past Kora into the kitchen. She pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Brenda. "Avan ordered me to work here, I hope I will do for you."

Brenda scanned the paper with her mouth open and her face flushed. The next second she threw the piece in Bea's face and rushed towards Kora. "Start! And don't you dare forget anything!"

As she dragged her round body up the stone steps, Bea snorted like a bull and licked her front teeth.

"Are you alright, Bea?"

She smiled at him darkly, it looked like a declaration of war. "I am doing well."

My god, that goes well with Avi, was his first thought. The next thing was immediately how much work they had! He quickly showed Bea how to make the dough for the bread and how to prepare the dough for all the tarts and rolls for lunch. It was exhausting, but he didn't want to force her to do the really annoying tasks. After all, she was here to help him.

A few minutes later there was shouting and a chair thrown, then Brenda appeared like a fox. She grabbed her long wooden spoon and stared across the room to choose one of the two. Kora could almost feel her gaze as he peeled the potatoes as fast as he could.

"Why do I have to put up with such a princess!?" she yelled. "But I don't have princesses. You are married to the lords of the castle? What should I care!?"

Suddenly he heard the wooden spoon hit. He met Bea's floury hand, but she still didn't move a bit. Although the hand turned red... Kora felt guilty...

"Oh?" Brenda opened her muddy eyes wide. "Are you playing hard? Some have tried that..."

Brenda lifted the spoon and was about to hit her hand again when Bea's hand shot up, snatched the spoon from Brenda and snapped it in half.

"I don't just play." A really cute angelic smile appeared on her face.

Kora was incredibly impressed. He even forgot to keep working... Which Brenda noticed. She charged at Kora and almost reached him when the fragments of her spoon flew around her ears.

Arin was dissatisfied. If Taran bragged about his damn reading one more time, he'd rip his slimy black hair out!

"Now don't pout, you don't want to study." Eric nudged Arin, but it didn't cheer him up.

"I don't want to study with Avan. He's so picky..."

Suddenly there was a crash from the kitchen. As if pots had fallen over. Followed by a thud and the sound of logs rolling.

"What in three gods name was that!?" Eric stared at the kitchen but was too scared to move. Unlike Arin.

He ran to the stairs and heard another bang. As soon as Arin reached the top of the stairs, he pushed Kora aside and ran away from him. Eric was now standing behind Arin, staring after Kora.

"Kora!?"

"Wow! I want to go down there!" As Arin started to run because he really wanted to be a part of this row, Eric grabbed him and lifted him away. Thank goodness because Brenda stormed out of the kitchen and would have crushed Arin.

While Eric stood there completely disturbed, Arin thought the whole thing was wonderful! Otherwise he always caused a ruckus. He really wanted to see that!

"Avan!" Brenda huffed and dove for the stairs that led to the study.

Arin routined in Eric's arms. "Let me go! Let me go! I want to see that!"

Then Avi dived down the stairs with Kora. Avan's bewildered look looked just as goofy as Eric's.

"Hehe..." Arin giggled. Kora looked like a ghost as Brenda yelled swear words and pointed wildly at Kora.

"Shut up, Arin..." Eric muttered absently.

Avan stared at the kitchen in surprise, but only his brothers saw that. Because Avan was very difficult to read.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" Avan growled in surprise, glaring at Arin. However, he only laughed.

"Unfortunately not!"

Avan's face lit up as he stared at Brenda again. "Get out of my way, Brenda."

As Avan tried to pass them, Arin grabbed his sleeve and pulled away from Eric, who was still listening in shock to Brenda.

The kitchen looked like a pigsty. Flour was everywhere, the logs had rolled everywhere from the stove, food, pots, broken wooden spoons... And like an innocent lamb with black hair, Bea stood under the window in the sunshine. As if nothing had happened.

Arin was impressed. Avan stood and let that sink in. "How was the first day at work?"

Bea shrugged. "I think they like me."

When Arin bumped into a stool, Flour flew up and landed on Avan. He grinned obsessively at Bea and put his arms on his hips. "Do you think?"

Bea pointed to Arin, who apparently hadn't even noticed Avan. "Is he coming to beat me up?"

In fact, Avan was only now noticing Arin. "What are you doing here?"

"Well. Planning my next move. I have to top that."

Avan probably didn't know what to say to that. He knew it wouldn't make sense either. Arin even had an idea...

Bea laughed and touched her forehead. When the two brothers saw their swollen and red hands, words were superfluous. The seven-year-old boy knew this had to be serious. So he left the two alone...

I caught my breath. I walked over to her and took her hands in mine. "What has happened there?"

Bea wanted to withdraw it from me nonchalantly, but I wanted an answer. "Avan, why do you think it looks like this? Certainly not because we got along so well."

"What you do not say."

She smiled. "I'm tired, don't be mad at me."

how should i "Do you want to go upstairs? You avenged Kora."

"Well, actually, I just really broke him in. So I'm going through with it."

He didn't like it, but she was right. "Apparently you have the old one well under control."

After Kora and I had to clean the kitchen, we quickly prepared some eggs and served them at the table. After that we had two hours before we were supposed to turn up again for lunch.

Kora said he wanted to find Arin and Taran, so I stayed behind alone. Avan would probably be busy so I just decided to sleep on a chair until Kora got back.

It felt good to finally be able to sit and shake out my throbbing hands. They hurt and swell. First she had hit it, then pressed boiling hot towels on it and then dropped a pot on it. Not to mention what I had done to her.

"I heard what you did in the kitchen."

When I looked up, the bald man in his light blue robe was standing in front of me. I honestly wasn't thrilled to see him.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm tired and I want to rest." Avan didn't want me to be alone with him. I would like to just walk, but I was too tired.

"You haven't been here five days and you're already causing trouble..." His eyebrows shot up in disapproval. "Henry would be disappointed in Avan."

I had only seen Avan's father Henry once. Everything I know about the man, Avan had told me. So I was sure that he loved Avan very much. I wasn't interested in any more.

"Noted, see you." I murmured, shaking out my floury hair. When I threw the flour sack at Brenda, a huge cloud whirled up.

"You're not good enough for Avan." His menacing tone made me look up. "Henry gave everything to raise Avan. All his effort, all his work. You don't suit him. You will spoil him!"

Now I got up and stood my man. "Go away."

"You'll see. Avan will soon be fed up with you and look for other women. You'll be left alone."

He smiled maliciously and turned away. His footsteps echoed in the great hall until he was gone. Blind anger gripped me. Those were all lies! After all, Avan chose me himself! I would still be a good wife!

And what annoyed me the most was that Avan hadn't asked me to speak to him. And I was too tired to stick to it!

I grabbed the edge of the table furiously and knocked over the heavy wooden slab. It banged loudly, but I felt better...

Avan got me himself and made me feel safe. And this old man, whose name I still don't know, wanted to sit me. And he had done it. Damned!

"And you think there's no more hope?"

Eric shook his head sadly. "Arin will be devastated."

The seven-year-old had had this foal just a few days ago, and now it seemed to have become ill. The little black foal was steadily losing weight, wouldn't eat, and had a dangerously hard stomach. Apparently it wouldn't survive.

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. My little brother would never understand that. He would hate me if I had to kill it now. But there was no other way out. The colt wasn't allowed to suffer just because a child didn't understand it yet.

"He doesn't even have a name for the animal. Maybe then he'll survive better?"

I couldn't take my eyes off the sleepy animal. "Would it help you?"

Then the stable door jumped open and Arin came in with an apple in his hand. He looked at us a bit confused. He had to expect something, I was hardly ever in the stable after eating.

"Hi." He said awkwardly and shuffled past me into the colt's box. "Look, I brought you something."

The animal didn't even raise its head. Arin swallowed in concern, but tried again. So tireless that it threatened to break my heart.

"What do we do now, Avan?" Eric's usually bright blue eyes turned as dark as my own. As always when he became distressed or stressed. We always looked very alike back then.

Arin summoned a blade and parted the apple. "Is it too big for you? Better this way?"

That was not to be seen. "Arin." He had to stop getting his hopes up. Sometimes I really hated being the big brother. I wish I could just let someone else take care of those awful moments. Like a father. Which was never a help either.

"Yes?" Arin looked at me with his big dark eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"The foal. It's sick."

Arin's face went blank and he clenched his small hands in the hem of his hands. He guessed what I would say next. This was going to be a tough fight. "He'll manage."

"No, Arin. He doesn't even manage to eat."

"But-!"

"Sorry, Arin. He's not getting better. And we can't let him suffer."

Arin's expression crumbled and tears streamed down his cheeks. "Please don't, Avan! Let me try!"

Eric, the bloody traitor, looked at me pleadingly. He knew very well that there was nothing the little one could do!

"No Arin."

Anger took over and he grabbed a bucket and threw it through the box, making the weak animal jump behind him. This stupid animal, can't it just be healthy!?

"That's unfair!" Arin yelled reproachfully right in my face. As if it was my fault. When he didn't do anything with it, Arin ran out of the stable, leaving us both behind...

I stared at Eric like he was the devil. He shifted guiltily from one foot to the other. "Sorry, I just wanted to die."

"And for me it was pure joy."

Sometimes there were just days when I would rather not have a brother. On days when they betrayed me and I had to break their hearts...

Still angry, I cut apples for a cake while Kora was busy washing the dirty pots. Brenda took a long break. Would we see her again today? A bitter sob made us both stop.

"Who is this?" It hurt my soul how painful this crying sounded.

Kora dropped everything. "My little brother!"

I still hadn't quite grasped how many brothers there were now. I still had a lot to learn. This whole castle was a mystery to me, although I had already experienced quite a bit. In just two days...

Kora stood at the stairway. "Arin! What happened?"

The next moment, a black-haired boy rushed into the kitchen, gritting his teeth and crying. "Avan wants to kill my horse!"

What!? Shocked, I dropped my apple and knife. He couldn't do that. He would never do that!

Kora frowned, but didn't seem surprised. "Honestly? Then he must be in a bad way..."

"It's my foal!" Sobbing, he glared at Kora. "I want to decide! I want to save it!"

Kora looked at him regretfully. "But Ari, do you think he would do that if there was help for your foals?"

And the eleven-year-old was right about that. I didn't know a lot about Avan's private life, but he had proved many times that he would die for his brothers. Arin growled angrily.

"Avan is so unfair... he can't just do that..."

Then his anger melted into a desperate whimper. Normally I wasn't a person to interfere, but what chump could save a crying child? I walked around the work table and knelt in front of him.

"Calm down, Arin. I can promise you that Avan is suffering right now."

"I don't care!"

When I put a hand on his back, he didn't resist and stroked his wet cheeks. Kora rubbed his hair and looked at me pleadingly.

"Come on... eat!" I've tried for the thousandth time to stuff the food into the animal's mouth. But it always paid off.

Eric sighed in frustration. "I don't know..."

I only stepped out of the box in pants and completely sweaty. "Neither do I..."

"Should I keep Arin away?"

"No, he must know that himself..." I wanted to scream. All of this really pissed me off. "Ari will never forgive me for that..."

As if on cue, Bea came into the stable with Arin. The little one shook, but he bit back his sobs bravely. Bea had an Amazon-like demeanor. Right now she looked like she would be ready for an attack at any moment. "Avan?"

They approached me. "Yes?"

"Arin suffers like a dog and-"

Was she fucking serious!? "Oh no! I thought he was looking forward to a dead animal!"

Everyone but Arin flinched. The stubbornness of this bug would surely chase me through the country for two years one day...

Bea got angry and drew her eyebrows together. This is what cats looked like before they ripped people's faces off. "Now listen! I know you don't want to kill that animal and you're looking for a solution to help it! And I probably have a solution! So don't interrupt me again!"

Did she threaten me!? "Repeat that."

She took a breath to say something, stared straight into my eyes and... shut up? Stock stiff. Then she looked down and swallowed hard. "Please let me try, Avan..."

Arin's hand grabbed mine and tugged. "I beg you, Avi..."

"As long as the animal doesn't have to suffer." Or Arin. He shouldn't get too hopeful. I knew from experience how painful it was...

Bea nodded once in resignation. "Thanks... I'll stop by after dinner."

Then she turned and ran back into the castle. What was that? We were just arguing when she calmed down and fled. Was she afraid of me? had i done something Should I remember that?

Arin tugged at my hand again. His face twisted sadly. "I promise I'll try!"

Eric ruffled his hair. "Come on, we're going to look for Taran. Michel wants to show you the rabbits..."

So there I was. Half naked, sweating and confused. I should run after Bea and talk to her... although it's probably healthier to let her vent. In the kitchen. Of dough. And not on me.

It was embarrasing. Deathly embarrassing! I wanted to stand up to my husband, defeat a beast... I looked into his eyes and forgot my name! I had forgotten what had upset me and what I wanted to say. That's why I ran away. That had never happened to me before...

Kora looked up agitated. "Is Ari okay?"

"Of course..." after that he didn't speak to me anymore...

We kept Brenda in the kitchen for lunch and berated that discipline had slacked off since Henry's death. She tried to attack Kora again because he had tripped over her leg, so I quickly said "I think Avan called you, Kora!". Since then I've been sure that Brenda hated me and had me on her black list.

In the evening, Avan ordered us to have dinner with them upstairs. I didn't want to face him yet. What had happened in the barn made me nervous... I'd never flinched from anyone before. Avan hadn't even behaved very differently from what I had expected.

Kora immediately took a seat between a guard and Ben. I didn't find Arin, he was definitely with his foals. I recognized Avan next to the head of the tablet. I could have relaxed somewhere else, but I would have made a fool of myself. So I heave up to him and sit down next to him.

Avan gave me a full-mouthed nod in greeting, otherwise he continued to eat in silence. Was he bad? I had yelled at him. He, however, me too. But he was also my man.

"What is?" Avan suddenly muttered from the side. "Why are you making a face?"

I shook my head silently. So he left me alone again. Did I make it worse now? Was Avan the type of man to hit his wife? Well, I wouldn't say I knew very much about him. Did I have to reckon with him taking me through the wringer?

I let my eyes wander over his strong arms, his strong and broad back and that firm jaw. I had to swallow hard. Well hopefully he wouldn't hurt me. I didn't know if I would survive a single blow...

Nonsense! If he wanted to beat me up, he would have asked me into our room. Since that hadn't happened, nothing would happen to me.

Nothing could have prepared me for what followed... Avan didn't look at me, but I heard him clearly.

"I want to see you in my study after dinner, Bea."

I got hot and cold. Workspace. Then he would just want to discuss something, for sure.

"Better meet in our bedroom." Avan corrected himself and drank his cup...

I'm going to die...

Avan finished eating long before I did and said before he got up that he would go ahead. Suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. Nevertheless, I stayed seated until the last one had actually gone. Then I found no more excuses and climbed up our tower...

Avan sat on the windowsill and watched the stable. He had his shirt and boots off and his hair hung slightly over his forehead. When he heard me, he immediately turned to me. "That you finally appear."

I leaned against the door as soon as it closed behind me. Like on our wedding night. Avan stared at me blankly. Oh God, why can't he get it over with!

"I've been waiting the whole time. I honestly can't stand it."

"Sorry."

He stood up elegantly and moved towards me. His tight abs worked, as did his broad arm muscles. I couldn't believe how good it looked and scared me at the same time.

"What was that before?"

"It was about the foal of a child. I must have exaggerated there. I'm sorry."

Avan cocked his head. "What's the point of apologizing? Don't you stand behind it anymore?"

Was that a trick question? "Actually, yes. I'm sorry."

"What shoud that?" He frowned his perfect brow. "If you don't want to talk to me, say so."

"To be honest, I want to finally get it over with."

Avan stood so close in front of me that I could feel the heat emanating from his body. His dark blue eyes got even darker. "I'm really not forcing anyone to talk to me. You don't want to? Then just go away."

Talk? I thought... "Wait, I thought you were... well, rattling me."

Avan's face reflected pure anger. "Do you think that badly of me!?"

Oh my God. "Avan..." I was speechless after looking into his eyes. Unbelievable. Why couldn't I get a single word out?

"What? Did you really think that?" When I nodded silently, he spun around and stomped towards the window. "So you were afraid to come here. Why it took you so long!?"

"I'm sorry..."

Avan spun around again. "Stop apologizing! I won't hurt you. Ever."

"I didn't mean to upset you any more."

"I'm shocked, not upset." He shook his head. "Is that how your father handled it?"

"But loves my mother." I knew that.

"Not mine... I can't imagine doing something like that."

Thank God! Relieved, I relaxed my posture and sat on the bed. How stupid I was!

Avan sat down on the bed next to me and wearily ran a hand through his hair. "Making you cry would kill me."

I smiled at my hands involuntarily. It felt so nice when he said that. Like I'm floating It was like Avan set me on fire and saved me right away.

His nose touched mine as he planted a kiss on my cheek. His chest hummed as he did so. "I just wanted to make sure I didn't offend you."

How was it possible that I fear him in one moment and adore him in the next? Was that love? Was it that complicated?

"I'm sorry I gave you credit for that." My voice sounded higher than usual.

"Now you know better." His hand ran up my back to my neck and gently kneaded it. "You just have to get to know me better."

"Willingly."

Avan smiled darkly and pushed me onto the bed. "Secure?"

"As my husband commands." I tried to smile innocently, but Avan's sneaky glint in his eyes was contagious as he braced himself next to me.

Arin was desperate. His foal wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, wouldn't even open his eyes! He had the animal's head in his lap and was scratching it between the ears. Why did life want to hurt him so badly?

Footsteps sounded on the wooden floorboards and Bea appeared in the box. Arin was glad that Avan had a wife he loved and who seemed interesting. However, he himself didn't know what to think of her. And his short life had taught him not to trust anyone too easily.

Bea had a full bucket of wheat porridge and fresh warm milk with her. "Hi."

Arin just nodded and continued to scratch his foal. Bea sat down close to Arin and whispered soothingly to the foals. Speaking softly, she took a little porridge on two fingers and pushed it, trying to feed the horse like this, but it was too weak.

"Are you still mad at your big brother?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Arin nodded. He was evil, very! His brother was mean to just heartlessly want to shoot such an innocent animal...

Bea opened her mouth to say something when a much deeper voice rang out. "Will you leave us alone for a moment, Bea?"

Avan stood in the stall door with a blanket in his arms and stared intently at Arin. Bea nodded and grabbed the bucket of water. "I'm going to fill this up."

When the two brothers heard the stable door being closed, Avan came into the box and put the blanket around Arin's shoulders. He shouldn't be nice to Arin. How could he stay evil then?

Avan sat next to his seven-year-old brother and his sick pet. "Are you blaming me that he's sick?"

"No. But you don't want to help him." And that made Arin angry. Because Avan was his hero. The one who could always help him. It made him sad that it wasn't possible right now...

Avan grimaced in pain and rested his arms on his bent knees. "Arin, I just want to save you a lot of pain..."

When Arin didn't answer, Avan pulled him between his legs. Arin didn't like to admit it, but he enjoyed being around Avan. He was afraid for his foal and could use his hero now.

"You know, when I was about eight years old, dad gave Eric, Ben and me a puppy. A wolf pup. I loved him and always had him with me. Then we went boar hunting and he Pocket got caught." Avan absentmindedly stroked Arin's forehead. "Father forbade me to help him, I should go away and leave him alone with the puppies. But I knew he would rescue him. And I wasn't ready for that."

Arin nestled against Avan's chest. He hadn't known. Avan smiled wryly.

"I did everything to help him. But I had to watch every day as he slowly and painfully died. Father was so upset. He felt sorry for the animal. And then I realized that father didn't want to kill Pocket, but him and wanted to save myself pain. I always regretted not listening to him."

Arin understood what Avan meant by that. But he didn't want to accept it. The thought of losing his beloved foal brought tears to his eyes. With a soft hum, Avan scratched his back. When Arin's father was alive, Arin had always been such a comfort to him, Taran, and Kora.

"I'll help you as long as I think it's okay. But as soon as it doesn't work, both of us will finish it."

Arin agreed with that. He would never give up without a fight. And he was so glad he got at least a little bit of Avan.