The enlightenment came to him with a stab of regret as he stared at the soldiers with his handsome eyes. The brown in them engulfed the longing for joining the fighting pit to prove his strength yet the dilated pupils tamed the emotion, telling him that the day would come when he would recover from his injuries and join them soon.

"Hey! It's good to see you here, Hampton."

Samuel smiled at one of the colleagues, Jeffrey and joined him but made sure to glance at the Lord Commandant who was assigning the team of eight warriors again, to look out in the woods.

"It's convenient for air to pass through you, having so much holes." He laughed along his friends while Jeffrey added, "Though, I am glad. You managed to fill them again." He patted his shoulder.

Sincerity shown on his face as he gave his friend an obedient nod. "Blame my Hamptons," he grinned.

Suddenly, Jeffrey's eyes shifted to his shoulder. "Rodwin, is it?" He asked Samuel who immediately turned his head to check.

Wild hair messed up in dirt, Rodwin patted his butts to wipe off the sand. Samuel's eyes zoomed on to him as he focused on the soldier's height.

"Rodwin has been doing really well. He has beaten Dorian, Felix, Philip and Lord Commandant is watching over him," said Jeffrey while noticing how the bald man gave a pat on the young soldier's back. "It would have been clear if Davis was here. We would have known, who's the strongest. His strength was defined already, until Sherfield happened."

Samuel's eyebrows raised but relaxed when they caught Logan who was approaching Rodwin with a laughing face. "He will be fine. But what about that fucker? I heard, Swanson's daughter is after him."

Jeffrey grinned, "I am fine as long as it's not my woman. You should too. Though, we can't blame him. He has always been the one doing the task where communication is needed. He is always in sight and it's the attention that seeks him. He was the one who passed wounded ones with the horses. Day before yesterday, he went to the castle to inform the shortage of wood."

Surprise caught his face yet Samuel nodded in agreement. But suddenly, he looked back at Rodwin and Logan, his eyes narrowing. "Did he inform the castle of murders happening?"

Jeffrey nodded. "The King has only blocked his decision by ordering for the searching party. Will see to what comes next. Two murders have happened yet a village whose largest section of population is in army, hasn't found the killer."

Samuel's eyes lowered in thought and suddenly, they stoned when he realised Rodwin was looking at him only, followed by Logan.

No glint of friendship, not even the likeable pretending exterior covered their eyes. But all the blankness of those brown orbs gone and were coated with acceptance and encouragement for the little victory when Rodwin gave a polite nod at him.

Samuel nodded back.

"You can practise the archery till you get well," suggested Jeff making him scoff.

"I would have. But limbs to limbs tear up when I stretch my arms," he explained.

Jeff scratched his head. "That is bad, Hampton. Heal yourself or you might lose the chance of getting the rank."

Samuel breathed out and started walking along with him as they sat aside, joining others to watch the second group training.

"It's easy to heal the wounds," he said while grunting as the muscles of his arm filled with excessive blood when he leaned. Immediately, he sat down and held his arm stable, positioning it near his chest. Feeling someone's gaze on him, he looked back at the boys and caught Logan staring at him.

Samuel's eyes narrowed, displaying an unreasonable intimidation making him gulp and look away. Finally, he looked back at Jeffrey and smiled.

"Forgetting them, is not."

________

Her eyes were withdrawn from the actual task, instead staring far in the heart of Rodwin Lester. But nothing came in her sight except for the hatred he showed her, yesterday. Her heart squeezed again at remembering how those sea green eyes were furious at her.

"You really are planning to crack this table," came the tired voice laced with humour.

Samara sighed heavily and got up from the damn table. Her hands fisted in faint anger and that was when she realised the presence of white cloth in her hand.

Her lips parted in shock. She couldn't believe that she was frozen in thoughts of Rodwin, leaving her tasks incomplete.

"It happens," said her brother while sitting on the wooden chair and removing his bandaid from the arm. "When your mind is blank and heart is full."

Samara's eyebrows furrowed while she continued her task which was to clean the table and nearby showpieces. "What?"

Her brother only chuckled in response. His gaze stabled on his arm and checked the red skin that was yet to heal properly and still needed to be covered.

"The heart gets so full of emotions that it starts swelling in our chest while the mind is blank because it doesn't know what is happening to us," he explained.

Samara rolled her eyes and started wiping the dirt off the paintings. "How do you know all these things?" But then, she squeezed her eyes in obviousness.

"I know everything, Samara."

Her eyes opened and she shook her head in thought. Again, her brother had said those words with much depth. She blinked and bit her lip, thinking if she should even dare to ask about from where he got such vast knowledge.

"Samuel?" she stepped aside and cleaned another painting which was a portrait of her father in his Warrior's uniform.

Her brother hummed and she nodded in thought. "How was your training? Did you participate or again you have opened your wounds?"

For a moment, she didn't hear anything. The curiosity risen in her stomach and she turned to look at her brother who was now removing his shirt. She watched as he opened the knot of bandaid and on his torso and started unwrapping it too.

"Useless," he replied and immediately winced. Samara went at the back door of their house to enter the backyard that immediately reminded her of the moments with Rodwin.

The moments of unnecessary argument.

She gulped and washed her hands quickly. Going back inside, she smiled while noticing her brother grunting who was struggling while unwrapping his wounds.

"Here, I shall do it." She walked towards him.

Samuel left the wrap immediately and panted while leaning fully on the chair. He closed his eyes while Samara kneeled beside him, taking the white roll from his hands.

Her eyes roamed over the gashes which had joined but were still too sensitive to put any pressure on the body. She gulped and picked the paste from the mini table that Samuel had already decorated with the little bowl of the paste, their mother had made last night.

She dipped her fingers and muttered, "I am doing it. Careful." Her eyes observed the pain on her brother's face yet it didn't weaken the will to cure him. "Brother?"

Samuel nodded grimly. "Just do it."

Suddenly, it came to her mind as she thought it was the golden opportunity to ask the source of his knowledge, his mysteries. Father was in the woods for the search while her mother was gone to collect some clothes which she had given for stitching.

Moreover, he would be too distracted to measure the pain.

She blinked rapidly in hesitation and finally breathed out. "Samuel?"

He hummed, still in pain as she massaged the paste on his still-healing skin. "You heard the howls that night."

Samara swallowed down a gulp when the obvious alerted look coated his face. "The murders have been happening since the day the men have returned from the war." She watched as his gaze searched the curiosity on his face.

She wasn't intimidated and she was curious enough. "I know, there is something wrong. Very wrong — a killer has entered our village. He is not just a killer. He is a dangerous creature. Someone who howls," she exclaimed.

"Someone who rips people using his claws, just like father had said." But Samuel still didn't want to comment even.

Digesting the ignorance, she massaged the paste on other gashes one by one. Her hands shook as she thought of her next words. Her face stiffened yet she held her courage.

"I am afraid that you know something about this," she muttered, "And it may stop the murders. Maybe, you know who's the murderer."

Her brother heaved a long sigh while giving her a sympathetic gaze. "I don't think, every other girl in this village will be curious like you."

Samara shrugged. "Their brothers don't give them those mysterious looks."

Samuel flinched as the wound throbbed in pain. "Careful," he requested.

"I am. Tell me, Samuel. What happened at the war?"

A chill ran down her spine when he raised his head to give her a blank look. Samara couldn't describe the faint horror that surfaced her heart because of the obliviousness. Why was she the only girl thinking that deeply about it?

The seer must be knowing the answer since she was expressive enough in front of her about the murderer.

For once, she wanted to share that incident with her brother too. But then, he spoke up making her breath in uncertainty.

"Something happened at the war," said Samuel in his deep voice. His eyes wavered over hers to show that he wasn't willing to keep that a secret. But he was helpless. "The fights, the battle, the arrows, the swords, the dead losers, the roaring winners. Yes. But, something more happened."

She nodded while he further explained, "Guarding the tents, hunting rabbits to grab energy for the next war attack, singing war songs, sharing war stories, sleeping in uncertainty, missing home, staying awake and hearing the jungle. Hearing the howls." She couldn't deny the horror that crept her spine as she shivered.

Samuel blinked while looking far at the floor. "The creatures who howl and have claws are wolves, Samara. Sinister, dangerous, ferocious and frightening wolves."

Samara's eyes frozen on his face. "There's a wolf in the village-"

"In the woods."

Her mood was chilled to the core. "H-How?"

Samuel breathed heavily while looking back at her, remembering his own share of war moments that included those howls which still echoed in his ear.

"Either the wolves have chased us here or someone had chased the wolves."

________

Her mind was beaten to a mess by her brother's words. Samara couldn't clear it up. She already was terrified by the seer's words and now, Samuel had only raised the terror.

Nothing was clearing her mind. Not the food, not the planting, not cooking, not even talking. She twitched her lips in frustration. Maybe, her stars weren't good.

Every thing would end up bad for her anyhow. Till yesterday, she was upset because of Rodwin. . . His sudden thought churned her stomach. She blinked softly while staring at the ceiling. She didn't want to think about him again but couldn't stop.

His words yesterday, had left a deep press on her heart. They held such weight that she was confused.

But then, she had Nathaniel. What if Rodwin was really angry with her? He had the full right to be angry and it was his choice to stay in her life as a normal person or not. She shouldn't care.

Humming to herself in agreement, she closed her eyes. A sudden noise from the right side of the room caught her attention. She immediately looked at the window and gasped.

Rodwin.

Sitting on her window like that? Samara cursed herself while looking back at the ceiling. She was becoming so messed up because of him. Shaking her head, she breathed and closed her eyes back.

How he could just play with her mind!

Even a moment hadn't passed and a hand covered her mouth making her gasp. Samara's eyes widened at founding a pair of sea green eyes just inches above from hers. She squeezed her eyes shut and was about to scream when he cupped the slender curve of her waist from above the covers.

"I will kill you before you can even scream," he whispered while glaring in her eyes.

Samara's breaths quickened while eyes moved erratically over his face, observing how serious he looked.

"I am going to remove my hand, Samara. If you scream, you die." She nodded immediately while feeling her eyes getting pooled with tears.

Her bosoms heaved up and down as her heart was pounding so hard. He slowly removed his big hand from her mouth, letting her breathe properly and technically, it was fanning his face. Yet Rodwin kept the mere distance and didn't move. His eyes didn't leave hers while Samara fisted her hands in fear.

"My father's a warrior and so going to be my brother, Rodwin. If you even touch a hair of me, they will rip you," she whispered while staring at him, fear displayed fully on her face.

A taunting smile curved his sharp, blushed lips and he caressed her waist making her lips parted.

"What do you want? What are you doing here in my room?" She asked in a whisper, her voice turning shaky.

Rodwin hummed and nodded softly. "I am here . . ." Her mouth opened questioningly when he added,". . . to show you something."

Her eyebrows raised. "What?"

Rodwin nodded sincerely. "But if you scream, you know . . ." He said while covering her neck with his big hand but Samara nodded hurriedly.

"Yes. Please. Now, remove your hand. I won't," she whimpered.

Removing himself from over her in a jerk, he stood straight and held her wrist. Putting his finger on his lips, he stared at her baby blue eyes full of nervousness.

"Don't make noise. Just see what I show you," he whispered while she slowly got up from the bed.

Rodwin immediately looked at the window and stood behind the white-lace curtain, hiding himself and letting Samara stand ahead of him.

She tried to turn her head, "What do you think you are doing-"

He twitched his lips in annoyance. "Samara, shut your mouth for once and look at the well for a while or I'll do it myself. Trust me."

Hiding herself behind the curtain, she bit her lip in anger and peeked at the well.

"There is nothing," she whispered curtly. "It is all clean and silent."

For a moment, silence hung in the air until she felt warmth from behind. His chest touching her back and big arm wrapping around her as he was holding the frame of the window.

Samara shuddered at feeling him from so close. His breath unknowingly fanned her bare neck and shoulder, making her breaths rapid.

"Rodwin, are you playing with me?" She whispered nervously.

He chuckled darkly while palming her stomach barely wrapped by a thin layer of cotton.

"What do you think, Samara?"

_______

"What do you think?"

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