Duchess Of Sebria ✔️

Betrayed & Attacked

46

Two Days Later

The sun was rising. There were hues of first light seeping through the cellar, falling on a barely alive human.

Renai was laying on the floor, her eye sockets were heavy-lidded and her whole face was perilously swollen. She was staring at the daybreak with absolutely nothing in her mind. She could tell her soul was gradually leaving her body, her lower body was almost deprived if any sensation. It had been three days since she last ate something, not precisely ate but tried to. It was stale bread and some dry beans. The food was so bland that she ended up disgorging all the contents out. Tears were unstoppable. She put a hand on her stomach and stared at her dying child with pitiful eyes. She wouldn't have feared death if this little beat hadn't been in her womb. The baby was too weak to survive malnourishment. She was sick worried she would lose him if she didn't eat anything.

She blinked at the rising sun before hearing the creaking sound of the door. Someone was here.

She weakly closed her eyes and heard the footsteps creeping in. They were heavy enough to tell her it belonged to some man. Her eyes opened up when that foot blocked the sunlight from her face. Renai feebly raised her eyes and tried to get a glimpse of the man's face, but her vision was blacking out. She blinked recurrently to keep herself in her senses.

The man crouched and put a steel tray close to her chest. The aroma of food invaded her nostrils. He was gazing at her with concern. Renai felt too light-headed to glance at him and he noticed that. She would die if she wouldn't eat something, but he knew she wasn't strong enough to help herself with the spoon. He scooped a hand under her back and pushed her to rest against the wall. Renai slumped and looked at him. He was the same man who abducted her.

Kolton picked the spoon and brought it to her mouth. Renai glanced at the spoon and then back at him. She couldn't bear another eating-trash torture, but she was also hungry to death. Tears of helplessness flooded her eyes. Kolton frowned and scooted closer.

"You should eat something, it has been too long," He said earnestly. Renai just blankly looked at him. There were no emotions, no resentment for him.

He extended the spoon. Renai unwillingly let it slide through her seam and took the bite. She chewed it and swallowed. Kolton followed her movement while spooning another bite. The flavour of wheat felt like a blessing at that time. He was feeding her oatmeal. How come?

Renai felt the boost of glucose blending in her blood just by one bite. Kolton put the spoon near her lips. Renai was staring confusingly at him. Wasn't he also the one who wanted to punish her to death?

Kolton waited for a moment but she didn't open her mouth. "Please, don't refuse food. Your baby needs it," He said sincerely, confusing her even more. Since when had he started caring about her baby?

She quietly took the bite.

After almost finishing the bowl, she couldn't resist asking him. "Why are you doing this?"

Kolton brokenly smiled while passing the spoon and sighed, glancing down at the bowl. "I'm sorry," He apologised. Did she hear it right? This man was confusing her every time he spoke.

"S..sorry?" She repeated. She sure misheard him.

"I shouldn't have taken you here against your will. I shouldn't have betrayed the majesty but I was desperate to help her. I couldn't refuse her," He told her resentfully, as if his sincere confession would repair the damage. Renai went into denial mode. Either she had gone mad or he was playing with her feelings.

"H...help her? Keeping me here? How does it h..help her?" She asked dumbfoundedly, her voice lighter than a whisper and even that was taking too much effort. All she was feeling was shallowness filling her chest and this man wasn't helping either.