An hour later, the nun realized, not without a failing heart, that she really needed to escape. She didn't think she could stand another minute of having to sit still inside the carriage, doing nothing. Nothing, in the sense of just watching her abductor sleep soundly in the seat opposite her. It was unnerving, especially when her eyes would fall on the exposed ripples of muscles his mantle couldn't cover.
Her cheeks turned hot. She really had to get out of here before she loses her last tight grip on her moral sanity.
Her ruby eyes fell on the group of people seated outside, standing guard. Their faces were blank; not one sign of boredom was apparent. Total devotion for her kidnapper was shown by how they dispensed their duties of standing guard—as if their lives depended on it.
I suppose trying to sneak away from them will be an absurd idea, she mused. She sighed, then leaned back on her seat. How long would she be under his custody? Did Lyserg already know what happened to her? What was he doing now?
The thought of the kind-hearted Lyserg Diethyl filled her with the serenity that she had sought for desperately. It soothed her, especially when she knew that right now, the dowser must be moving heaven and earth right now to locate her.
He would save me, that's for sure.
She groaned when she felt her tummy ache. For now though, she had to keep her strength, or Lyserg's rescue would be futile.
She got out of the carriage, earning the unison of silent, watchful glances from the minions.
She cleared her throat. "I…I'm hungry."
For a moment, no one spoke; no one moved. They were eyeing her critically.
Just then, Opacho got up, nodding. "Opacho will get you food. Now what will Master Hao's mistress want?"
She felt her face redden. "I am not your master's woman!" She coughed self-consciously, then in a calmer voice, continued. "Please refrain from addressing me that way."
The little servant shrugged. "Master Hao says you should be treated as a mistress. Opacho obeys Master Hao always."
"Oh." She clasped her hands together. "Well…call me Jeanne then."
"Jeanne-sama then." The minion nodded. "What does Jeanne-sama want for dinner?"
"Water…and fruits."
All at once, the minions broke off in their own paths.
"W-Where are they going?" she asked, somewhat feeling stupid.
"They are and veneration from these people. They treated him like how pagans treated the sun.
"Will he hurt me?" she asked instead.
Opacho paused, then looked at her. "Master Hao decides justly on how to deal with matters. If you oppose Master Hao's ideals, I know that he will not spare anything to correct you. But if you will be a good girl, Master Hao will reward you with kindness too." She stood up quietly. "I've said too much, Jeanne-sama."
Barely enough! Her mind cried, but she decided to take things easy. It wouldn't do for Opacho to realize that she was on to something. However, what Opacho told her marked her mind.
If I act submissive, maybe his guards would loosen, then I can escape!
She was already eating her dinner when Hao joined her, looking fresh and recharged from his sleep.
"Good evening, Jeanne-san!" he greeted cheerfully. "My, you started dinner without me. How rude."
She rolled her eyes, but stuck to her promise to be civil. "My apologies. Next time, I shall wake you up to call you." She looked down at her papaya slice. "I didn't want to ruin your perfectly good sleep," she couldn't resist saying.
He chuckled. "You're grumpy. I sure hope it's nothing about the fruits' constituent or anything."
"Do you think I could do chitchats with you when in fact, you just abducted me and held me for hostage?" She looked at him in disbelief.
"Well, as a matter of fact, I don't see why you couldn't. I mean, we will be together for days…weeks even, depending on how gentleman Diethyl would react to this. It will be nice if we would be able to get together without one of us bursting into homicidal flame."
"You are not worthy enough for me to sin by homicide," she said frostily.
"Well, lethal looks count as homicide too," he said lightly. "And I'm getting lots from you." His face softened. "Can't we be friends?"
She paused, taken by surprise. But when she saw the twinkle of mischief in his eyes, she turned away from him, annoyed. "Never. You are the last man in the world that I would want to befriend."
He laughed. "You and my sister-in-law act exactly the same, although she had already gone as far as slap and curse me."
"Don't compare me to some other woman, will you please, Mister?" she asked before she could stop herself.
He grinned. "If you and Anna meet, you will kick off with each other instantly."
Anger was building up within her again. "Really now, must you be rude over meal by talking about a person I do not know at all?" she asked, voice belying her emotion.
He shrugged. "Oh, alright. I'll stop talking about her."
"Good."
He threw her an amused glance, then looked back at the fruit. "Ah, I miss the noodles that I manage to sneak out from the house everytime."
"Noodles?" she echoed.
"My favorite woman always makes it for me," he said.
"Your mother?" she guessed.
He smirked. "My sister-in-law."
"I thought you would stop talking about her?"
"I lied."
She rolled her eyes as he continued to speak.
"She rarely cooks, if ever she does at all. She makes my brother do the cooking…the chores…" His eyes suddenly turned nostalgic. It went and go like a flash, but she knew she saw it. The mixture of fondness and amusement, and sadness at the same time. "She was one woman whom you wouldn't want to anger." He tipped his finger to his chin. To her surprise, his eyes flew to her.
"In fact, you really are like her!"
She eyed him warily. "I am my own person, and I do not like comparisons." With that, she dabbed her mouth daintily with her napkin and headed for the carriage, but not without hearing him laugh in his annoying way again.
That night, Jeanne couldn't sleep. Yes, Hao had allowed her the consideration to have the coach for herself as her bedroom every night, but still, sleep remained elusive. She was still seething from the conversation over dinner awhile ago.
Just then a knock came on the door of the stagecoach. She peeked through the window and saw no one.
"Down here, Jeanne-sama."
She let out a chuckle when she realized that it was the dwarf, Opacho. She opened the door, hugging herself. "Yes, Opacho?"
"Master Hao sent me here to check if Jeanne-sama is comfortable," she informed the nun.
Jeanne blinked. Now why would he do that? He couldn't be concerned, could he?
She decided to test it. "I am cold," she lied. "But if you will be bringing me blankets, please do not do so. I think I would like the prospect of chilling to death than to have another day with him."
"Master Hao sent me instructions. Master Hao told me that if Jeanne-sama feels cold, she can take this." She showed her a familiar-looking cloth. "Master Hao said that his male scent would keep her warm all throughout the night."
She felt her face flush when she realized that indeed, it was his mantle!
Opacho was still speaking. "And if Jeanne-sama still is not satisfied, Master Hao shall be willing to keep her warm himself."
She suddenly felt the urge to strangle someone, but she quickly suppressed the thoughts. True servants of the Lord do not strangle, no matter how strong the temptation was.
"Then tell your Master Hao that his concern is not welcome. Please give him back his mantle too, along with a message from me." She whispered the words to the minion's ear.
This, in turn, Opacho relayed to Hao. In the end, the master was already doubling over with laughter.
Jeanne had told him that if she had wanted to keep his scent, she should have embraced a swine instead. A dirty, worm-infected, road-killed swine for that matter.
It was the first time that Jeanne had expressed her dislike for him vividly, and he still couldn't get past the fact that she still had her poise with her statement.
He grinned. Well at least the extraordinary nun could entertain him. Only one woman was able to make him laugh this hard…
His smile turned sardonic. But that woman was hands-off.
Nichrome approached him. "Master Hao, Lyserg Diethyl was informed already of the abduction."
Hao nodded. "And it's just a matter of time…before my plans materialize…" He grinned. "I can't wait."
tsuzuku