On the day of her day off. She take her horse and ride off to the nearest town. She walk around and book a room. She needs a place to wash up without people walking. The inn is quiet and less people around. She walk up the room and request for hot water in a bath tub. The waiter make a few trips just to fill up the tub. After he left, she lock the door. Finally she undo the cloth wrap around her chest. She wash them and hang it on the folding screen. She enter the hot tub and soak herself to enjoy the feeling of being clean. Er Yin maybe born as a farm girl but she also wants to be clean and neat like those girls in the city. Working under the hot sun is not a choice but a must thus she try to be clean after farming work. After awhile she start to scrub herself and make her hair and skin look clean. After that she wash her clothes too with the spare clean water at the side. She hangs everything on the folding screen. Putting on her clean new clothes from her bag. She sit by the window to look outside while combing her hair. This is indeed a fresh new sight for her. All the time she spend is either at the lake or the rooftop at her house. Now sitting by the window, she feels that she is normal. She doesn't have the nightmare that months ago that haunts her nights. She sit up at night with an illustrate book she bought at the street vendor. After a long time at day break, her hair is dry and she comb it up as usual. With her boots on she walk downstairs and return the key to the inn keeper and pay for the room. He smile and bow to her. She lead her horse to a restaurant. She have breakfast and after that she walk around before she hop on her horse in the afternoon and begin to ride back to camp. This time her mind and spirt is clean. Feeling and hearing the wind on her, she smile.
She is frowning when the Duke is demanding for more hot water. She walk back to the kitchen and fetch two more tub of hot water. She walk in to the bath area behind th screen. She look at the the Duke who is naked at his top. He have his eyes close.
"Your Highness, the water is here."
"Pour it."
"Sir, water might be too hot for you. Let's wait for awhile."
He open his eyes and look at her.
"I said pour it..."
She sigh and pick up a tub. She can see the steam from the tub. Why can't the Duke see it? His eyes are too small?
She walk near but she avoid seeing the private area. She stare at his legs in the tub in the water. She pour it in the tub slowly hoping it won't burn him. She doesn't want to loose the money for working so many days.
After pouring the two buckets, she is walking off when he call her back.
"Yes sir. Do you need anything else?"
"Do you know how to massage shoulders?"
"I used to ..."
"Good. Do by left shoulder. It's killing me this afternoon after i swing the sword."
Er Yin stand behind him. She hesitate but yet doesn't want him to be angry. She reach out and touch his shoulder. She finally decided to apply some pressure as she knows that the longer she hesitated the longer she will stand in the same room with him.
"Haven't you have dinner?"
"Yes i have dinner."
"When why are you not applying any pressure?"
"You said you are in pain, sir."
"Apply pressure!"
She use all her strength and massage. There isn't any complaint from the Duke. He is quiet all the time. The steam from the hot water soon dispersed.
"Fine, you can stop. I need to finish my bath. Yi Jin, go get my tea and a plate of chicken for me. Debone it."
She roll her eyes behind him. She walk in front of him and bow. She walk out with her mind cursing. When she arrive at the kitchen, there is a chef there. It seems that the Duke had given instructions before the bath. Thus the Chef is doing everything and the debone chicken is plated. She hurry to prepare the tea. She walk back with the tray of food and tea. Placing on the table, the Duke walk out while putting on his pants. He is again naked on top and Er Yin is already use to it. She just don't look at him and do her work. They don't talk while he eats and she cleans the mess in the bath tub. After empty out the tub and cleaning it. She walk out and start cleaning his amour and boots.
"Yi Jin come here."
She stand up and walk to him. She bow and ask what is his instructions.
"Squad down."
He point to the space next to his chair. She sigh and wonder what he wants this time. She squad down and look at him.
"Open your mouth."
She slowly open her mouth and he stuff a piece of chicken into her mouth. She open her eyes wide and look at him. He smile and move near to her.
"Delicious isn't it?"
She nod her head and chew her food.
"You are cleaning with a dirty rag. I don't want you to get your dirty hands on the food. So i feed you. Want any more?"
"One more?"
He pick up a juicy piece and put it in her mouth. She smile and chew.
"Go and clean the armour."
She nod her head and get up. She walk to the armour and start to clean it while chewing. He look at his new assistant and smile. He eat and left a few pieces. After she is done with cleaning, she tidy up his desk. On his desk, she see an open case with an arrow head with blood stain. A name tag is in the case too. She cannot see the Chinese character but the color and border design is clear. The arrow probably have probably hit the name tag judging from the size of the hole. She look up to see the Duke is reading a book and a piece of pastry in his other hand.