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⊰ chapter four ⊱
The Western house was busy with the chimes of the children before everyone settled down for the morning prayers at the dining table. Yoongi walked through the hallway, glancing at the red hair who was seated at the table with a glum face at her platter of food. Jungkook sat across her, watching her as he chewed his food-how her dry lips and pale hands had no energy to pick up the food in front of her. She could barely keep her eyes open but she wasn't ready to sleep either. Jungkook never returned to his chamber to check on Dara after their heated conversation. Dara had only agreed to come out of the chamber when Wineri had talked to her through the morning, no wonder the family was starting the breakfast a little late. Adona had refused to attend the breakfast as she would rather attend to baby Theodore in her given chambers across the warmth of the fireplace.
Wineri gazed back at Jungkook after tearing her concerned eyes from Dara. Jungkook, suddenly, was unable to eat. His jaws tightened as he saw Dara's blurry eyes zone out at her plate. He couldn't eat. For what reasons, he did not know. This only got more depressing when Yoongi came back from the kitchen, his boots knocking against the hardwood, making the heads turn to face him. The bruise Jungkook gave him across his face a day ago was now blue-but nothing ruined his composure.
"If the woman is not your wife anymore, Jungkook, you better return her to the South to the Southern government," Yoongi said, walking towards the front door, his voice still loud and audible against the windy snow outside as he opened the door wide, "If I were you, I would sign her under the dangerous animal warrant."
Wineri sighed, dropping the loaf of warm bread on the wooden table as she looked at Dara with wounded eyes, "Dara. I am sorry you have to-,"
"Sam, you wanted to visit the market to buy your stuff for the ball?" Jungkook stood up, kicking his chair away behind him as the short haired girl with the bold features had her eyes lit up and nodded quickly, "Great. Then get ready. Koveski, you too."
Dara pretended she did not hear that.
Winery frowned, "She is not in the state to even attend the ball-,"
"The fresh air will help her ease her mind. Besides, attending the ball will improve her impression if she has to stay in the West. It's the law. She will be fine." Jungkook said with a quick glance at Dara before looking at Sam, "I will see you both at the doors."
Sam clapped her hands once Jungkook was gone and ran to Dara, grabbing her shoulders as she peeked into her green eyes, "Okay, beautiful, you are in my service. Would you like a blue hood or a green to match your eyes?"
Dara found out how she did not have a say if she wanted to go at all or not, but maybe it was all her fate and she had no right to deny. Dara pulled a forced smile at Sam, "Blue."
The snow was amusing.
Dara realized how much she loved watching snow in her little melancholy world. When her entire life came crashing down against her feet, all Dara saw was the crystal snow holding her head afloat-or at least, it was what she felt. Jungkook's chamber that was lent to Dara had a big window. The window opened to the backyard of the residence, covered in snow was a little garden with blue roses and a frozen pond. Further ahead the yard was the gathered trees, making way for a shedy forest with snow. The smooth white snow covering the roofs and the dirtier snow on the ground, which had been plowed up in deep furrows by the weight of carts and wagons, contrasted with the blackened house fronts and darker windows. The furrows crossed and recrossed hundreds of times where the great streets split off, and they created intricate channels that were difficult to trace in the thick white mud and icy water.
