A Leap Of Fate

Chapter XXVI

Chapter  26

The sky was already lilac and pink as the sun slowly rises.  The air was still chilly, but a little warm now.  After Leonel left, Ciro came in no time. He was sleeping when I left the house so it was a wonder how did he know that I was here. But I didn’t bother asking. I felt exhausted and all I wanted to do was sleep and forget all that have happened.

Ciro climbed down his mare and walked towards me. He was looking at me straight in the eye. His face was all calm and quite blank. But I can read the sympathy in his eyes.

I clutched Leonel’s cloak that was still with me tighter around me, breathing the scent he left and feeling the remaining warmth of him. I bit my lip. I wanted to cry, but I can’t now, I must not.

He stopped a few feet away from me. With his eyes still on me, he shook his head.

“You are quite stubborn, Alix.”

I broke my gaze and bowed my head.

He then walked closer to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“I understand. You do not have to say anything.” He said so softly.

I raised my head and bit my lower lip. I nodded. “Let’s go home.”

He helped me mount the horse and we were riding home in no time. I gently clung to his waist and then closed my eyes and inhaled the fresh air.

“Are you all right?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Weren’t you hurt?”

“A little. I’m just tired.”

“You can’t go home in a state like this.” He said then we came to a halt.

He climbed down the horse and held the hem of my skirt. He looked at me as if asking permission.

“I have to see your wounds. I know you climbed and fell from the balcony.”

I just nodded.

He carefully, very carefully raised my heavy skirt just up to my knees. Suddenly I felt colder. And the wound in my knee that I first thought to be just a mere scratch was actually a big skinned part. It ached the moment the sharp and chilly wind touched it.

“Oh my… Alix.”

“Can’t we just clean it in the house?”

“They can’t see it, and papa certainly can’t know that you got out of the house. He will know that you met Leonel.”

He then stood up and put my cloak’s hood up. Then he ruffled his hair and removed his sack coat and waist coat so only his white shirt remained. From a finely dressed young man, he transformed into a plain boy.

Then he knocked on the door of an establishment where we stopped.

A woman in her twenties opened the door. She had a long, dark brown hair that was hanging down her back. Her skin was tan, a little brown and she had a figure that was shaped like an hourglass, though she wasn’t wearing any corset. Her off white puff sleeved top had such low neckline that it revealed the upper of her breasts. Her lips were plump and red. She was beautiful. She smiled when she saw Ciro.

“Good morning Señorita.” Ciro coolly said.

“A good morning to you as well, Señor. What can I do for you?” She smiled beautifully.

“I am travelling for a couple of days now but then we encountered an accident. Because of that, our litter was destroyed and my company here,” He turned to acknowledge me. “Has some wounds that are needed to be cleaned. Can you let us in? I have money to pay.”