After that night, the two lived through a wonderful cloudless two weeks. Maria was told to stay in the house while Basta was away working. He usually came around five in the afternoon, and Maria never asked him where he was or what he had done because she didn't care. The only thing she knew was that someone loved her truly. Basta then took her out for a walk in the village or round the woods. Then they would go back to the house and talk for hours : for what happened in their lives in the past.
What they didn't know was the bitter thoughts running through Cockarel's mind. For one thing, he felt angry at Capricorn for taking his cat away. One the other, he grudged against Basta and Maria's happiness. Cockarel had decided that he wanted to have her. He had even decided how he meant to kill her. If Basta knew the danger, he would never have kept Maria by his side.
It was two weeks after the girl's arrival that something was about to happen. The superstitious Basta felt "evil" in the air and offered his beloved to take her back to the civilized world. However, she would never hear of it and just cuddle on his lap, her hands around her neck. He quickly learned he could never say no to her. He was definitely worried because he was about to go on a mission for two- three days.
"I don't want to leave you here, on your own."
"What are you afraid of? I can take care of myself! I always have."
"You're still new here; you don't know anyone."
"I know all the maids," she smiled lovingly as she kissed him on the cheek. "An anyway, what does that have to do with anything. I'll just stay at home for the time you're away. Nothing can happen to me here!"
He was still uncertain as they kissed for goodbye and he went out of the door. If he knew that Cockerel was not going he would never have left her in that cursed village.
Basta left in the morning, and Maria stayed looking through the window for a long time, tears running down her flawless face.
"This is stupid! I'm freaking out for him, he for me… nothing's gonna happen to either of us."
She went back to the inside of the room and started reading a book she'd found in Basta's room.
"Of course, a book of superstitions … what else could I expect," she laughed. "That's way he's always so afraid of everything… I hope living with him want make me that way…"
She was reading calmly a book, while someone was watching her carefully, an evil smile on his thin lips.
"Basta finally has left his precious treasure unguarded. Just the time for me to make my revenge and break his little old heart." A cold laugh escaped his lips.