Ink: Living Life as Serena Gleis

IX: Uninvited Guests

"Are you hurt anywhere? Where did you go? Do you know how—" I put my fingers on Noelle's lips, I know I made her worry but this isn't the priority at the moment.

"Can you help me first, please?" I asked, hoping that she'll let it all go. Noelle took a deep sigh.

"Derek! Come and help me." She called Derek who went wide-eyed when he saw the scene. I mean who wouldn't be surprised? I am missing all night and I just showed up with an injured child.

Derek tried giving the kid a piggy back ride but he refused. "I still can walk, thank you." He insisted.

"Let's go to my room." I said and started walking.

"My lady! you absolutely cannot. He's a boy and—"

"My room is better than Emyr knowing." I said and I knew she understood as they diligently followed me to my room.  When the Duke is away, he leave Emyr on charge of the duchy as to train him how to handle it his own and boy, he's always in character whenever it happens so I wouldn't risk it.

"Please get the medicine box, thank you." I asked Noelle. It's very fortunate that I personally requested to only have Noelle and Derek near my chamber, if not, the word will spread like wildfire in the manor.

I made the kid sit in one of my couches as Noelle handed me the medicine box. Medicine kits here isn't as fancy as the modern ones but it still do its job. I gently cleansed the kid's wound and disinfected it. Disinfectant here hurts like hell but I haven't seen this kid even flinch.

I bandaged the deep ones and put an ointment to his smaller wounds. It took a while to finish. I let him go to my bathroom to change clothes, I made Noelle get some clothes from Emyr's laundry. He has a lot of clothes so I hope he'll never notice that some are missing.

"Who is he, my lady?" Derek, who refused to leave me alone with the kid asked. As if I did not stay the whole night with the kid and came back unharmed.

"I honestly don't know. He's just some random kid I happen to cross paths with a few years ago." I said and rested my back on the couch.

"Is it okay to let him stay here?" Noelle asked.

"It's fine, he doesn't want to go back and I won't force him to go away. I'm sure he has reasons." I said. Who knows what this kid is going through in his home.

After a while, the kid finished changing and I asked Noelle to serve us food. Even if I munched on a lot of daisies earlier, I needed to eat to replenish the precious energy I spent doing something out of my business.

"You need rest." I said as I sat on the couch, just infront of him.

"My name." He whispered.

"What about it?" I totally forgot so please don't make a fuss about it.

"You forgot it, did you?" He looked so down.

"Yeah. Sorry."  I am not in the right state of mind to deal with trivial matters.

"It's Luca."  He introduced himself. Oh, yeah that sounds familiar.

"Nice to meet you, Luca." I said and offered him a small smile, that's the least I can do. I slightly leaned in the couch, it's early in the morning and I am already exhausted.

"What's your name?" He asked as he looks at me with great interest. I can sense that he's a little anxious as he kept on playing with the hem of his shirt.

"Serena." I answered. He just nodded and looked out the window.

"You can use the bed, go and rest." I said and he looked surprised and refused in instant.