CHAPTER 170: COMPLICATED

Percy paced back and forth inside the small room they’d assigned him. He had fled the bathhouse covered more in shame than in the scent of soap.

The words he said to Kali weren’t planned, and only after they had left his lips did he realize what he had done and he couldn’t take them back. Also, he had to run because Kali was unpredictable.

"That woman..." Percy bit his fingernails, his eyes locked on the door. Even after he had bolted, he’d thought Kali would run after him with a real dagger this time, beheading him and discarding his body in the woods. The frown on Kali’s face while he spoke made Percy know his fate if he had stayed there any longer.

Whatever had come over him to say something so foolish? Whatever it was... Percy rubbed his chest and sighed. He needed Jenna to return so he could go back to her side and serve her, as that had always been his work and life. The change of things now had complicated matters. Percy stopped moving and sat down. Using his hand to hold up his chin, he stared blankly into space.

Complicated...that was it. Everything including his feelings were no longer same.

He didn’t have a big dream, never did. His life, purpose and death were already predetermined, to serve Jenna and her children until the day he died. Follow her everywhere until he could no longer move. That was why he had been bought into the Brown family, and doing otherwise would mean he no longer had a purpose.

Percy had seen what having no purpose did to his kin. They lost their minds, ended up in the streets as beggars, or died out of frustration. They needed a master... in his case, a mistress. But why...?

What were these thoughts going on in his head now? Percy pushed himself up and turned to look at the open window. When he noticed a bird sitting on the windowpane, Percy stared at it longingly. These thoughts were slowly clouding his mind. He didn’t know when or how it started, but it was causing an inexplicable ache in his chest.

Percy wanted to always stay beside Kali and have his arms ready if she wanted a hug. The thoughts he used to have of returning to the merchant village, being on Jenna’s side, and helping other servants no longer enticed him. He wanted to be here... with Kali.

It didn’t make sense to Percy, the more he thought of it- why he would suddenly forget everything his life used to be. How perfect it was with Jenna and the others and decide to change just because he wanted to be the person Kali hugged.

Was he that hug starved?

Percy rubbed his chest again. He hated this feeling. It choked him even when his throat felt dry. It felt like he was sinking in a deep well, with his head under with no rescue in sight. He didn’t even feel this way when Jenna was hurting because of her failed marriage, neither did this overwhelming feeling threaten to knock him out when he almost died.

Why now?

"Little man, are you in there?" The burly man who had picked Percy up earlier peeked inside his room. "There you are... what are you doing? Let’s go!"

Percy stared at the man with his brows furrowed. "Go..." he cocked his head to the side, "where?"

The burly man entered further inside the room, a grin dancing on his cheeks. "To crush the best ale, eh?"

Percy took a quick glance outside again, then turned to look at the man. The day was still crystal clear for them to be drinking. "What if we do this at night? Look, it is still morning, and the birds are up." He pointed at the bird that had just flown away.

The giant man threw his head back and roared with laughter that made Percy jerk. When he stopped laughing, he closed the distance between them and grabbed Percy’s shoulder.

"Happiness don’t have time, aye. We dance even with the birds awake and sleeping. Let’s go, friend." He shook Percy, pushing him forward.

Left with no choice, Percy followed the man with his shoulders stiff, despite knowing the man was being friendly. Percy knew better than to relax— these men only answered to Rhane and Kali, and those two didn’t bat their eyes when it came to taking a life. Of course, their servants would be like them.

"The new man is here!"

Before Percy could say a word, the men dragged him to sit down. He looked around and noticed the men already had barrels of wine lined up in a corner.

"After pain comes praise," a cup was passed to Percy. "If we live this way, then we can die as great men."

Percy held up the cup, watching as red liquor trickled into it. Now it all made sense why Rhane didn’t give up even when he was in pain. They don’t give up around here.

"Drink up!" they cheered for Percy.

Percy sniffed the wine, and his eyes itched. It was a strong one. Pushing the cup back on the table, he smiled nervously at the men.

"I’ll take this later," Percy explained when he saw that they were all staring. He watched in awe as the men downed two cups in one breath, and the room filled with their laughter.

As the day streaked by, Percy sipped his wine and listened to the men’s stories- their lives before Rhane and after. The harshness and wickedness of men that Percy could never have imagined. To his surprise, these men laughed about it and even made jokes about it.

"Will you not return home before another nobleman takes your new wife in front of you?"

Percy was no longer surprised; he’d heard worse, and slowly he was beginning to laugh about it with the men. When his drink was almost finished, Percy decided to rest for the day. He needed to be sober when his mistress returned, and that wouldn’t be possible if he got drunk.

"More wine for Percy!" the men cheered and clapped.

Percy waved his hand, stopping them before they could pour more wine. "Thank you so much, but I’ll be going back to my room now."

The men gasped, then gathered around, speaking in hushed voices, looking at Percy’s face intermittently, like they were plotting to overthrow a king.

Percy rubbed his neck nervously. "I didn’t mean to—"

"It’s sad, Percy... the drink would have helped you since we picked the best woman for you."

Percy opened his mouth, seeing the knowing grins on their faces. He was about to object to their plans, but a small door in the room opened and a young, beautiful woman in a red dress stepped forward.

"I..."

"Little man... remember it’s your first time. Avoid looking into her eyes. There’s evil there... take your time." The giant man interrupted Percy as they all left the room, leaving him alone with the woman.

The woman in red moved with grace, her face adorned with gold jewelries and a piercing on her nose. When the woman smiled at Percy, her red lipstick curved her lips.

"Are you Percy?"

Percy felt goosebumps down his spine at the sound of her voice. His ears burned crimson, and he blushed.

"I... y-yes, I am," he stuttered.

The woman drew closer, using a white piece of cloth to wrap seductively, then leaned closer and pecked his neck.

"Mm..." Percy shivered. He rubbed his palms together and gulped. He had waited for this day- when he would have a woman to himself. The day had almost arrived the first time he came to the estate, but Percy had abandoned it to help Jenna.

And now it was finally happening... it was happening right now! Percy’s face reddened even more as his thoughts ran wild.

"If you can relax a little, I will take you to my room... or maybe, do you want me to..." The woman took Percy’s hand and placed it on her face, bringing her face closer for a kiss.

Percy gulped audibly, his heart pounding in his ears. He didn’t know why he was panicking. As a normal man, he was supposed to be excited, as he had looked forward to it, but why was he—

"Wait!" He tried to push her back but accidentally grabbed her chest. He yanked his hand away.

She giggled. "I knew you had roughness in you. Tell me, do you like what you see?"

"No, I—" Percy stuttered. It wasn’t what he’d meant to do, but it was too late to explain.

"I can show you more," she purred, slipping her dress down when the door opened.

Kali stood there, her eyes shifting from Percy to the half-naked woman.

"Master Kali," the woman bowed.

"K-Kali, it’s not what you—"

Kali shrugged, walked to the wine jar, grabbed it, and turned to leave.

Percy couldn’t look away. Even with the woman’s fingers tracing his chest, his eyes stayed on Kali. He felt caught, guilty even— but Kali didn’t seem to care. Maybe he was the only one who did.

Maybe things weren’t as difficult as he had presumed.

Kali stopped at the door, with her hand on the knob. She turned. "You..." she pointed at Percy. "I said not to leave my side, did I not?"

"Y-yes," he stammered, nodding quickly. He’d stopped breathing when Kali turned.

Kali dropped the jar, striding toward him. "Move," she ordered the woman. When the woman obeyed, Kali grabbed Percy by the neck and crushed her lips to his. The kiss was rough, tasting of anger and wine.

Then she pulled away, growling low.

"You’ll stay beside me," she said, her eyes glinting, "until I decide how to kill you."