Deviance and Destiny

Chapter 3

 Rue Avalon was constantly looking over her shoulder, the man whom she saved and identified himself as Achenarii Kentaurus, was an enigma. A lot of stuff, yet to be unfold through this man, his presence alone pricked her attention.
That unnecessary blindfold of his, she doubt that he was telling the truth about his eyes, yet she couldn't discern the reason. Her hands were sweaty from the terrible heat of the sun, her mind was fixated on his rescue; he was found unconscious in the middle of the bushes and shrubs, beaten by possibly a gang consisting a minimum of five people, and his ability to subtly move despite the bruises and punctured skin and muscle.
Rue veered right through the big market taking a shortcut all through this busy and rutting crowded place. In their way, they had to pass through the slum areas wanning in sanity. Without directly looking at the people, the children came forward to greet her. She would often come to this place and give them food that she had cooked for them, she pat their heads and told them to move along.
Still on their way, with him following behind back. Her mind pivoted toward the chase, his gait and long strides in the run was delicately refined and his speed – his speed was entrancing. His actions and movements were disciplined, looked trained under different conditions. Managing to escape from Lori and Cain without notice wasn't a docile matter, he also doesn't seem to be a spy nor a rogue from another kingdom, she might have stumbled upon someone interesting.
Finally arriving at the bakery house, she peered through the open blinds and saw that a lot of customers had dined in. She looked up behind, her chin up high and nodded at Achenarii before turning the door knob and meandered through the door.
The sweet smell of bread and caffeine met her nose, triggering her hunger for some. The people inside greeted her warmly and she replied with a hospitable tone. She tucked the sachet beside her and motioned Achenarii to follow her upstairs, he complied.
When they reached the second floor of the house, she veered right – the lounge. Upon entering the room, a swift attack with a fist welcomed them, it wasn't aimed at her but at the man following behind her.
Rue stopped the attack and held Cain's wrist, his fist approximately two centimeters away from Achenarii's face. Achenarii didn't flinch or even try dodge his upcoming attack, he just stood there with half smiled lip.
"What did you do?" Cain asked, the question directed to Achenarii.
"Relax, Cain. He didn't do anything." Rue assured and she let go of his wrist, his arms now slumped to the side.
"Why is he here? He ran away in the first place." Cain sighed and crossed his arms, looking dead straight at Achenarii.
"Woah, man..." Achenarii simply waved his hands in front of him in dismissal to Cain's look.
"I offered him sanctuary here. And if you're going to ask why, it's because I want to help him. He's been walking around without a single drop of silver in his pocket." Rue said and Cain darted his eyes over to her.
"I know. I figured that much that you are so kind to help him." Cain simply said and sighed under his breath. "However, what the hell is up with your blindfold?" His right eyebrow rose at Achenarii.
"I have high sensitivity towards the light. And, yes, I can see through it, if that's what you're going to ask next." Achenarii smiled.
"He might be a spy or even a wanted rogue." Cain circled Achenarii with eased footing. "His way of handling himself is too suspicious. Besides, he went under the senses of Lori and mine."
"He's good – "
"How can you be so sure, Rue?" Cain interrupted Rue.
"If I were to be a spy or even a wanted man, why would I start to work in a little bakery in a well-known city?" Achenarii countered, his blindfold only made his expression more mysterious.
"Shouldn't you be going by now?" Rue played with the ends of her curls looking unamused by the situation.
"I was going to, earlier, but then Lori found the room he was staying in empty, we figured he might be a danger. So, I stayed on guard while Lori attends to the customers downstairs."
"I already packed the goods you need. It's in the cabinets near the sink." Rue walked up beside him, "Cain, I can handle myself. You take care on your way." She tapped his broad shoulder and met his eyes and smiled at him.
"Fine, madam." He sighed in surrender.
He stalked his way past Achenarii and halted before he ascended the staircase.
"You haven't told me your name yet." He whispered, enough for only Achenarii to hear.
"Achenarii Kentaurus." Achenarii whispered in the same volume but with politeness.
"If you make any trouble or if you hurt her, you're as good as dead." Cain's tone was stone-cold that most men shuddered in their spines but Achenarii held his composure and Cain was met with silence.

Rue was tired of dealing with Cain's worry but all the more she understood why. After Cain left, Rue dragged Achenarii by his wrist and showed him his room – it was small but not too cramped, it was well-maintained that the floors and ceilings were clear of spider webs, termites and other infesting insects. Through the door; there was a single bed to the left in a white mattress with blankets and pillows on it that leaned against the wall near the windows decorated with brown curtains, beside the bed is a side table where a lamp sat in place, an empty dresser opposite to the window, and in the space in between the dresser and the bed was a desk and a chair.
She stood there beside the door and crossed her arms against her chest while she watched him examine the room. He went to the bed and sat on it, he placed the paper bag on the side table, the half-smile on his lip meant to her that it had been long since he had a good place to stay. He tapped and rubbed his hand onto the mattress, feeling its softness, unwittingly, she wanted to touch it too.
She turned to exit the room and said, "Just rest for the time being, Lori and I will call on you. We'll be teaching you the necessary things you need to know in a kitchen."
Before she could step outside the perimeter of the room he abruptly said, "You kept on asking me who I was and that man, Cain, even suspected me to be a spy. I am in the same case as you all. The way you handled yourself during the chase was refined, you managed to keep up with me, not that I'm bragging about myself but to me, that is rare."
He took a breath and continued, "The way Cain handled himself, his movements were tactful and calculated, despite with that you managed to block it with your hand or probably he held himself back but a normal person – no, a chef wouldn't be able to handle that." He turned his head toward her and said, "Who are you exactly?"
She sighed and prompt her head to his direction, "You'll find out, soon enough." She closed the door behind her and walked downstairs.

"How's the foundling?" Lori giggled, her zinging personality oozing out of that little laugh.
"He probably isn't – "
"Considering that he's the same age as ours, or maybe close. I will be surprised if he isn't."
Lori's lip was a straight line, and Rue bit down the urge to comfort her.
"Well, let's get to work." Lori simply said and Rue just gave her an apologetic look.

Rue cooked in the kitchen while Lori attended to the customers, it was hard when there were only two people managing the shop but under these circumstances their abilities were in handy. Time was passing, she was washing the dishes on the sink and that the time was coming near for her to teach Achenarii about his duties and responsibilities but she guessed that giving the guy a little more rest wouldn't hurt.
The steaming pots and the ringing timers filled the packed kitchen, it was rare for so many orders to come, not that she was complaining – more customers more income. She had to multitasked; waiting for some of the pies to be ready while prepping for the next set of dishes. Lori barked orders to haste the process and some that hadn't been set, she noticed that her tone was a bit odd. Rue thought to herself, she was still probably upset about the conversation they had about Achenarii.
Lori has that sweet yet sensitive personality, she deeply cared about the feelings of other people, especially about their past. She often thought about life, letting them survive previous events only to be faced by a worst problem.
Dishes were served and laid out on the squared pantry that goes through the counter area and the kitchen. Thankfully the customers were still equipped with their patience when the orders were done, Rue sighed in relief as she saw the people ate in satisfaction.

Achenarii simply laid on the bed, savouring the smooth fabric, and soft welcoming mattress. He doesn't exactly full trust anyone yet, but with what he knows he can do, and what he thinks they can do, he feels secure enough.
His blindfold was clutched in his hand, he had put a free hand over his eyes shielding the afternoon sunlight that swept through the flowing curtains. He had let the windows open, letting the afternoon breeze in the room – it comforted him enough that he was starting to drift off to sleep. All the events that happened so fast today had crossed his mind, and he was smiling – genuinely, about it.
Amidst the wind that ruffled his hair in one direction, he lifted his index finger in line with his eyesight and his eyelids fluttered open. He wondered if the letter he left in her room was found, and why was his speechcraft did not seem to work on Rue, not even a little bit, or he was probably overthinking it. After all, no one can live in words alone.
He already ate his fill; lunch and snack that was offered to him earlier by Rue and the bananas that he bought from that certain lady. Silence filled his room and his consciousness began to slip away like the fog swept away by the wind, the door gently creaked open and the silence that he didn't know that was precious, not until now – was gone in a mist of a cloud, consciousness awakening at the sound.