The Red

Chapter-32

Stella's p.o.v.

I rubbed my feet with each other. They were freezing. It was a cold place to begin with and it was still cold, inside or out. It just took me sometime to realize depth of this coldness.

I hadn't been fed for two days. My body was getting weaker with each passing hour. I could only feel my shaking fingers. I was cold and starving. It was given that I could feel my body's condition.

It was dark in there. No shred of light passed that four walls. Being captivated for two days without light, I had forgotten how it felt to see things.

I had started to consider food and warm clothes as the luxury. I would have appreciated it even if they fetched me some water. Thirst. Cold. Hunger. They weren't good match. I had been through similar situation sometime before in the water kingdom. But it wasn't this extreme. Or, maybe I found it extreme because I hadn't vision such turn in my fate.

CLANG! CLANG!!

I could hear the metal colliding to each other and it wasn't a bit pleasant. But it was the most anticipated moment of my life.

Water? Food? Or a piece of cloth to cover myself? I expected something; at the least, something.

Though each corner were filled with darkness, my each widened. My hands that were wrapping my legs suddenly met the ground. I crawled a little with the help of my knees and waited for the person to give me something.

I waited for quite a moment. There was no more sound of metal colliding. All I could hear was people humming in their low masculine voice.

Guess, they changed their mind. I thought and crawled back to the corner. I had finally warmed that cornered with my body's heat. But the warmth had oozed away, and my body wasn't capable to warm it anymore. I regretted living that spot.

They said, "Do not expect the expected, expect the unexpected". I did neither. I wanted to expect neither.

"His majesty is entering. Pay your respect." Said a guard in a loud voice as he opened the door.

My eyes pained with first ray of light that entered that four corners. After those two days, my eyes had embraced the darkness. Now, the light felt like its enemy. I squealed and turned my head toward the corner to protect them from the light; from the pain.

"Stella." He called. It was more like a whisper that got lost in that four corners.

I paused; wondering if I had started to get illusion due to my weakening condition. My head that was facing the corner moved a little; it faced the direction of the voice. But I wasn't brave enough to open my eyes. They were still not used to light.

"Stella." The voice called me again. It was a little louder this time. I got fully aware, it wasn't illusion. He was there; in front of me. After months, he was in a reachable distance. Getting overwhelmed, I tried looking at him but again ended up covering my eyes with my hands.

It was too bright. Erwin had a lantern in his hand.

"Close the door and you can leave." Erwin commanded.

In no time, I heard the metal door shut. Then, the place was filled with silence. It was quiet enough to feel and hear my own heartbeat. Yes, my heart was in chaos and it ached too. I knew the reason for the chaos was Erwin. But I didn't know why my heart ached. Was it because I loved him? or because I could never grasp him?

"I will dim the light." Erwin said in the mid of my chaotic heart.

I could feel every action of him. I could hear him put down the lantern. I could hear him releasing the fuel pressure. I could hear him put it aside and slowly approaching me. I could hear everything including his breathe.