The Dark Monster

11. Cottage

His arms were still around me as he glared at the girl in front of us. She was one of the prettiest girl I have ever seen with red hair and ocean blue eyes, not that I have watched Ocean, but I know how it looked like from books.

But she was eyeing me with disgust as if I were a filthy thing. I felt a little uncomfortable at her heated gaze. Achilles seems to feel my uncomfort as his hand tightens around me as if to assure me.

"You chose her instead of me," she all but shrieked, even though she is pretty, but her voice is very annoying.

"She is not even that beautiful, I am prettier than her," she said with arrogance. I felt him glaring at her, warning her to stop talking, but she wasn't stopping anytime soon.

"Say one more thing about her, and I will cut your tongue off," he warned in a firm voice, his face stoic.

"You punished my brother, your most loyal men, for this little girl," she said. Hey, I am not a little girl. I am 20 years old. I wanted to say that aloud, but the anger and pain radiating from her made me stop. There was so much pain in her eyes, and she was eyeing him with so much want and desire, whereas he was looking at her with anger and menace. Poor her! I felt pity for her. How could she love this monster? How can anyone love him? She might be crazy.

Wait, her brother? Is she talking about sage? She is his sister!

"You can't do that to me, Achilles. I have always loved you. I have always desired to be your wife. Don't do this with me. She is not suitable to become a queen. Please give me a chance, I am the only one who deserves you, not this pathetic girl. " she again insulted me. She is testing my patience. I won't stand here letting her disrespect me when I didn't even do anything to her.

Achilles was about to speak, but I beat him to it. I pushed him away from me a little and took a step towards her.

"Listen here, you, whatever your name is, don't you dare belittle me, I have not done anything, nor do I know you, so stop insulting me. And if you want him, " I pointed towards Achilles, who was eyeing me with curiosity.

"You can have him, I don't want him at all. I am here by force, I don't even want to be here in first place" I said and the girl looked at me with wide eyes and open mouth, some people were also listening to our conversation. They also gasped at my words, so dramatic they are. I thought.

"Enough," Achilles boomed and came to stand in front of me.

"Get out of my sight or I will kill you, don't ever talk to her or me like that again" he warned her sternly and she gulped as she ran away not even gazing back at us once. 'Crazy girl'

"And you stop disrespecting me in front of my people, or else I will make an example out of you." he threatened me, and I huffed at him.

"I want to see your mother," I said, ignoring his words. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, probably to contain his anger.

"Come," he said and grabbed my hand in his.

"Hey, don't you dare touch me," I said, trying to free my hand out of his grip, but he didn't plan on leaving it as his grip tightened.

"Quiet," he said as we reached a small cottage. He knocked on the door, and Beatrice opened it, a smile illuminate on her face as she saw me.

"You are here," she said as she hugged me, and this time, I hugged her back. Now, I am warming up to her a little because I know that she is doing whatever she can to help me.

"Come, I will show you my cottage," she said as she pushed me inside with her hand gently.

"Mother, have you seen Fin?" He asked his mother with a raised eyebrow.

"Uhmm yes I sent him to fetch me some herbs, he will come back any time now" she told him and gave me a sideway glance and I understood quickly that Fin is the one she sent to my village to know about my father's health. I was so grateful to her for lying to her son for me and helping me behind his back.

"I am leaving. Keep an eye on her," he said, glancing my way with a hidden warning to tell me that he would hurt me. I ran away, and I scowled at him.

"Achilles King," she said in a stern voice, and he broke the eye contact with me and then turned around, leaving us alone.

"My boy is crazy," Beatrice murmured under his breath, and I chuckled. She looked at me, and a smile came back on her face.

"Come with me. I will show you my small clinic," she said excitedly and pulled me towards a room on the right side, which had a door that opened to outside, but it was closed now.

The room was not too large and not too small and average sized. There were big shelves on the walls with glass jars on it. The jars were filled with different herbs and medicines of some sort. There was a small bed on one side, a desk on the other side with three chairs around it. Some herbs were also kept on the table. There was a mortar and pestle too on the table. There were some dried herbs inside it, ready to be crushed.

"Did you like it?" She asked with excitement, and I nod happily with equal excitement.

"Come, I will tell you about some herbs and their uses," she pulled me towards the shelf start telling me the names and therapeutic uses of different herbs. I listened intently to her, I was intrigued. She seemed to have so much knowledge about it. I enjoyed the rest of my time with her, knowing about different herbs and their uses. Maybe someday they will come in handy.

I also helped her in making the powder, and she praised my work, telling me that I did very well and she promised me that she would teach me everything she could, which I was happy to learn.