Allure Of The Witch

Knowing Each Other Names

"Hey...don't cry."

Rayan whispered gently as he approached Aria. He wiped her tears with his fingers and caressed her hair.

Aria stared at him silently as she hiccuped after every few seconds.

Rayan suppressed her smile because she looked so cute at that moment, but he couldn't help but feel concerned when he saw her red-swollen eyes.

He continued patting her head gently until she stopped shedding tears.

At that moment, he felt most frustrated with the language barrier between them. If only he could know what made her cry...

Was it something that Tristan did?

Standing outside the hut, Tristan suddenly felt a chill behind his back and shivered.

"The hill is too cold today."

He whispered unknown to so many things.

On the other hand, inside the hut, Rayan sighed in relief, seeing that Aria had finally stopped crying.

As he sat back on his seat, he looked at her and Aria did the same. At that moment, no one out of both felt any shame or fear of doing that, and they didn't even try to wonder why.

A moment later, Rayan suddenly pointed his finger to himself and said

"Rayan."

Aria frowned in confusion and focused on the movement of his lips. Seeing this, Rayan uttered again.

"Rayan."

He had realized that he didn't even know her name when at first Tristan asked him who she was. The fact had bothered him greatly and, since then, he had been wanting to know her name.

"Rayan."

He said again very patiently, waiting for her to understand.

And finally hearing him, Aria also tried to speak

"Ra...Rayan..."

Rayan's hand stopped moving when he heard her. Slowly, a soft and gentle smile spread on his lips that was completely different from the intensity of his eyes.

"Yes...Rayan."

He said, pointing to himself and encouraging her softly to say it again.

"Rayan..."

Aria whispered again.

Was it his name?

Then she realized that she should tell him her name also. So she pointed to herself and tried to tell him.

"Aria...."

As if afraid that he wouldn't understand, she spoke it slowly for him.

"Aaa...riii...aaa"

Rayan was completely focused on her, and he finally said what he understood.

"Aria!"

Aria smiled widely when he said it. Looking at her beautiful smile, he couldn't help but say it again.

"Aria!"

"Yuo!" (Yes!)

She said cheerfully, making Rayan smile again. He had never heard such a name before. Her name was beautiful and unique ...just like her.

She looked so happy at such a small thing. Why was she crying earlier? He wondered silently.

Just at that moment, a knock sounded on the door of the hut.

"My Lord! Is everything alright?"

Tristan shouted from inside.

Rayan immediately composed himself. The earlier smile from his lips vanished and all the gentleness left his eyes as he said

"Yes, come inside."

Tristan immediately opened the door and stepped inside the hut.

As he looked towards his master and then Aria, he first frowned and then looked confused. Because the atmosphere looked completely different from what he had felt before leaving the hut.

"My Lord, wasn't the lady crying earlier?"

At his question, Rayan looked at him coldly and asked

"So?"

Tristan opened and closed his mouth and then shook his head. What could he say in reply to such words?

Rayan didn't pay him any attention. He took the bowl from Aria's hands, seeing that she was trying to serve the soup.

He was afraid that she would pour the hot soup on her hands by mistake.

Aria didn't resist.

She looked very cheerful.

He tried to find out her name. He also told her his. Did it mean that he wanted to become her friend?

The fact made her feel so happy that she forgot all her old thoughts.

Rayan looked at her after every few seconds as he served the soup in bowls to ensure that she was not crying again.

A few minutes later, the three of them were seated on the ground around a small wooden table to have their meal.

As they had their meal, Rayan asked Tristan.

"Where are others staying?"

Tristan, who had been silent and confused until now, composed himself and answered with all seriousness.

"We have been on the run constantly, My Lord. It seems that Ulrik soldiers have been informed of our presence here."

Rayan didn't say anything and continued eating, but his eyes were deathly cold.

They were very careful with their appearance and language. It was almost impossible for Ulrik soldiers to know such a thing unless and until someone else told them.

Tristan continued speaking.

"We have been suspicious that there might be a spy, My Lord. So we made a small group which only trusted knights and decided to look for you in various directions."

Rayan nodded his head in approval.

"Tonight, I will light a fire and wave it on the top of a hill. That would be my message to Lenn that I have found you."

"I will go with you."

Rayan said and then looked at Aria, who had suddenly started coughing.

He frowned in concern and approached her immediately to pat her back. As he did that, he even wiped the corner of her mouth with his sleeve.

"Careful..."

Tristan watched this scene with a still body. His eyes were full of surprise, and he didn't know if he should continue staring, or he should look away.

This version of his master had been completely unknown to him.

So gentle...did his master even know how to be gentle?

This girl choked on the food and her master was patting her back. If it was one of them, then he would have scolded them for not even knowing how to eat and Tristan even knew what his further words would be.

'Go and run Ludwig five times.'

That was the punishment for a soldier working under Rayan for choking on their food. Tristan knew because he had seen such a scene. Scratch that! He had been a victim of this.

Now looking at the scene in front of his eyes, why did he feel a slight suffocation in his chest?!

His master...didn't he treat this lady a little differently?

It must be because she saved his life.

Yes. That must be the reason.

Tristan assured himself and somehow continued eating.

If only he knew...