Chapter 4

As we kept on walking, we crossed many fields of wheat, rice, corn and other vegetation. We crossed a few villages and each village had its own uniqueness to offer. We didn't stop anywhere in those villages and my feet ached. Pedestrians passed by us, giving us looks. I knew I looked some weak woman slave while he looked like a merchant. Whenever we crossed any group of men or women, they would start whispering among themselves the moment their eyes fell on us. 

I looked behind and they occasionally glanced at us. Then it struck my mind. What if he sold me? My eyes went wide with fear and my already weak limbs felt weaker. 

I moved my head toward the man before me and he was still walking ignoring every stares or gazes. 

We were crossing another village and by now I could barely feel my feet. A few women crossed us and the moment their eyes went to him, their cheeks turned red. They were admiring the beauty in him. He certainly was a man of every maiden's admiration.

Some were coming from their works and some returned from fields with their oxen. All were returning as the sun had almost reached the end of the sky.

I turned my gaze away from them as the green fields unraveled before my eyes. It soothed my heart in its peaceful glory. I decided to live this moment while it lasted. 

My stomach ached as my body felt heavy. I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. As the physician was in a hurry to leave, only the men had their breakfast. The ladies of the house could have given me food before our departure, but they were in a hurry to throw me out of the house. 

I was thirsty and hungry and the man didn't even look at me once. He kept walking with a straight face and as if he was accustomed to the heavy traveling, he had no trace of tiredness on his face. I looked at his broad shoulders as I followed him. 

I didn't dare to ask for food or water as my lips dried and I felt my knees weakening. 

"You look pale," a voice startled me as I snapped my head at the physician. 

I said with a low voice, "I am fine."

He closed the distance and came near as I was about to step back but he took my chin and lifted it up as it made me freeze in my place. Was he going to slap? 

He looked at my face for a moment and said with a cold voice, "If you were thirsty, you could have said so." 

He left my chin and put the luggage on the ground as he brought out the wrapped clothing and as soon as he unwrapped it, it revealed a clay pot with a leather cover. He opened it and gave it to as he ordered, "Drink up."

I took it and immediately drank it as colours came back to my face although I was still hungry and exhausted. He must have sensed it as he brought out another wrapped cloth and it had three rice balls although it was scattered on the cloth. He sighed but gave it to me anyway.

I took one and devoured it immediately as my growling stomach calmed down. 

He took one as well and ate in silence and he asked, "Did you have your breakfast?"

I shook my head.

"Why?" I heard annoyance in his voice as I stepped back a little and didn't answer him.

He didn't say anything as he packed his bag and took my luggage and said, "Let's go. We need to reach the next town before the sun goes down." As we started to walk again.

Soon, we reached the end of our state in a town. It took us one whole day to reach here. I was extremely fatigued and cold. I wanted a futon to sleep on and a rag to curl up inside. But he might not want to stay the night anywhere.

I looked around with my tired eyes. The town was a happy hug of houses that had expanded as the years went on and almost every house had shops from the ground floors to the higher floors. 

As we walked on the road between two rows of stores, my eyes took in all those things I had never seen before. It was the first time I had seen that many people gathered together.

Each shop had something to offer to their customers. Some had clay materials for kitchen use some sold wooden materials, some had plays for the children, some showed their expensive clothes collection and some had fruits. 

My fatigued lids wanted to close themselves but my heart wanted to savour the things they were selling. My eyes sparkled when I found many ornaments in a few stores. From red to blue, many floral ornaments are set up in front of the sellers. They were beautiful and elegant. I had never used any ornaments that was why I kept stealing a glance at them.

"Do you want anything?" He asked and immediately I shook my head as he said, "Good." 

And he started to walk again but as the sun went down, the streets lightened with lanterns and the whole vicinity flourished with light. A small smile tugged on my lips because I had never experienced that. My father never took me with him and even when they went, father and first lady only took my elder sisters.

The crowd grew with people and as if it was a festival, many couples, young to old and families came to buy. 

The more the sky darkened, the colder it got.

It was freezing as I was shivering from it but suddenly, the young physician took off his warm cloth and wrapped it around me. 

I looked at him with a pair of surprised eyes and asked, "Aren't you cold? You will get cold if you take off your warm clothes."

"You are the one who is shivering yet you are asking me?" 

I was speechless. He really had a sharp tongue. There was no way I would win with him in words with him. He spoke little but his words were always to the point.

"Let's eat something. And we had to stay here for the night." He moved his eyes everywhere until it stopped at a motel and he added, "I hope your elite lifestyle would not get in the way." His face was devoid of expressions and he was really rude to me.

It was hurtful but he didn't know that I never led an elite lifestyle. Did he even know that I was an illegitimate child? 

My thoughts ran as it struck that maybe father didn't tell him. If my father had told him he wouldn't accept me. 

Maybe I should tell him before he gets angry and offended. But his cold attitude toward me made my heart thump before I could tell him. What if he sells me here? 

My hands froze and cold sweat appeared on my forehead. I had heard from all those maids in my father's house how people sold their young wives. They married them and when they found out the women they married were not from first wives, they either beat them to death or sold them.

I decided, for now, I would try to tell him that I was a child of the second wife of my father.

My eyes looked up at him and I saw he was watching somewhere in the distance but he mumbled to himself, "Where to sell?"

A gap formed in my mouth as my whole body froze. I dared to ask him if he was going to sell me so I kept quiet. 

He hummed and looked at me as he said with a cold gaze, "Let's go." 

Seeing me looking at him with scared eyes, he asked, "What happened?"

I shook my head as I turned down my eyes and he started to walk as I followed him with my shaky limbs. My exhaustion evaporated as fear came crashing down on me. I bit my quivering lips for I knew that I had no choice.