Whether it was changing the water used to wipe her sweat or simple things like warming up the herbal teas for her... he took over every responsibility and carried it out faithfully. It was the second day of her still suffering from the high fever. Caius felt thin needles tug at his chest whenever he woke up to her heavy breathing.
Toby stood beside the bed and diluted the medicine into a clear cup of water, letting it simmer into nothing. He watched as Caius entered with a basin of warm water infused with herbs once again. This was the third time he was cleaning her up. No one dared to change her clothing except the maids, yet anything beyond that task was burdened upon their master, who kept a keen eye on any opportunity to tend to the young miss... almost as if he was guilty.
"I've diluted it, sir." Toby stood up. His eyes followed the exhausted man.
"You can leave now." This was his sign to let them be.
Her fever had increased due to the heavy rain and cold. Memories of his mother's last days on this earth flashed before him, louder than any crackling thunder. With a hitched seep of air, Caius shook his head, getting rid of the horrendous thoughts.
"Let's take your medicine now."
He gently smiled at the woman lying on his bed, brushing a strand of sweaty hair from her forehead. Holding her with one hand and supporting her back with the other, he propped her up against his chest, carefully laying her throbbing head on him. With eyes on her, he grabbed the cup of medicine and held it close to her dry lips.
Odette visibly shook under the loud rain and mist. Even with the furnace running high, she was freezing within. He tipped the glass slowly, letting her throat adjust to the medicine. One sip... thankfully taken. Second sip... not so much. Her violent coughs spat out the third sip.
Seeing this, his eyes clouded. "Please get well soon, Odette." He held her close to his chest and kissed her forehead. "You have to get better, at least to shout at me or hit me... or—or run away from me." Panic overtook him, and her coughing increased. She instinctively held his shirt in a tight fist and doubled over.
When he collected her into his embrace once again, Gideon ran in.
"He did not want to wait, master." Daniel ran into the room a few seconds later.
The child stared at his mother... eyes bloodshot and nose swollen from crying and being wiped constantly. His small hands shook, and those innocent eyes glared at Caius almost as if he were blaming him.
"Gideon..." Caius sighed and gestured, "Wait outside until I feed her the medicine."
"You wait."
His younger stepbrother had never spoken to him. Ever since he was born into this family, Caius has only provided him with the necessities and never visited or paid special attention to the child. He was surprised at the confidence this child carried.
"What?"
Caius watched the child stomp forward and grab his arm tightly with both hands. He looked at the master of the household with no fear whatsoever and forcefully pried his hands away from Odette, letting her rest on the bed.
"Who do you think you are talking to?"
At his eldest brother's frightful demand, Gideon responded with a sharp slap to the head. It was so fast and done with no warning that both Caius and his guard stared in shock. If the child had not been overpowered by a strong will to protect his mother, and if this were a normal day, he would have sensed fear take over his heart in an instant with the look Caius was giving him. But not today. Enough was enough for the little child.
"You wait outside!" he pointed his small finger at him and forced himself up with great effort. When he sat next to Odette, he slowly yet gently lifted her by her arms and then carefully placed her on his lap.
"You..." Caius was amazed at the sharp attention to detail of this child. He did have trouble propping up her body, but it seemed as if this had happened before, and he was used to it. Caius could sense a possessive pattern of behavior the child showed, only letting himself tend to his mother and never letting anyone he deemed harmful near her.
"Caius." While patting her head gently, Gideon muttered, "Don't hurt Mama." His eyes, glued to her, were tearing up. "I'll shoot you."
The eldest could only look at this chain of words flowing from the child's mouth and wonder in surprise. He watched very intently as Gideon used one hand to hold Odette by her shoulders. Then he used his free hand to slowly brush his fingers across her hair, humming and muttering words of affirmation to the extent he could.
This was the first conversation they had ever had, and it was his little brother threatening to kill him.
"Has she... your mama... been sick before?" It was a genuine question. He was curious.
Gideon hummed.
"Who takes care of her then?" He couldn't help but imagine the life they both lived before he crashed into their home.
"Me and Nana."
"Nana?"
Gideon nodded. "Nana and my bros."
At this answer, Caius could not help but chuckle. "Your bros?"
"Why you laughing?" the child glared at him. Through the sunlight dimmed under the sky shining upon her face, Caius saw Odette heave a sigh of relief and snuggle into Gideon's lap.
"Are they your guards?" Caius shrugged and earned a disdainful look.
"My friends! Not guards."
"Okay, okay... jeez."
Daniel stood to the side, eyes fixed away from what played in front of him. He saw Caius raise his hands in a gesture of surrender when the child spat back with insult. He knew exactly what drew them apart and what exactly happened for his master to be disgusted by Gideon. It would have been easier to forget if it were a matter of no importance...
"Thank you, Gideon." Caius cleared his throat.
He looked at the child who did not even bother looking back at him, and, feeling thankful for the respect he had shown just now, Caius' eyebrows scrunched up. He cleared his throat again and repeated, "Thank you... for taking care of her like this."
"Let us go, Caius." This was the child's answer.
For a moment, he stopped his train of thought and pondered... how her days in here had been faring well and some days being the darkest of her life. There were so many messy feelings untangled and clutching at his heart. He wanted to see her every day... be where she was, stand beside her, and listen to her voice. Whenever he found himself looking at her or watching her from afar, he wanted to know more about her.
"You won't understand what I am feeling right now." Caius stood up, tucking Odette into her warm quilt. He took one loving glance at her and strode out.
"What I feel for her is something similar to how you feel for her, but also entirely different. You wouldn't know... grow up. Then you will."
As he walked down the lonely hallway, he stepped into that horrendous might of a memory...
"Caius, wait!"
Even though he had turned away from her, facing the lifeless body of his own father... he could hear her pleading sobs. "I'm sorry, I... I was tempted." She cried and begged him.
"Please let my child live on in this place." Her hands, stripped of skin, nails chipped down to the fingers, bled as much as her heart did. Amber eyes wailed and begged.
He held his gun in one hand and, with the hammer in his other, turned around before anyone took their next breath, slicing at her shoulders. A deep line cut through her flesh, passing her bone, nearly missing it.
When blood spurted onto his face, everyone around silently shook — some even wet their pants. The fear and darkness that crept within this young man, who had crawled out of his prison, was unforgettable.
He took one look at her, tattered and deeply wounded. With a gentle smile on his thin lips, he chuckled,
"Since you chose him over me... then die together with him, by my hands as well."