I walked down the passage till I saw Tatiana
cleaning the dining table with a soft towel, lost
in thought.
I hugged her from behind.
"Tatiana!"
She gasps softly at my touch before smiling
down at me.
She kept the towel and turned to speak.
"Hey! How are you feeling? Are you much
better?"
I smiled and nodded.
"Yes. I am. Just a slight headache."
She touches my cheek softly with a smile.
"I'm glad you're okay."
I looked at her neck, noticing a scratch.
"Hey Tatiana, there's blood on your neck. Are
you okay."
She touches her neck. Surprised how it got
there.
"Ahh… that's strange. I didn't notice anything."
I collected the towel from her.
"Let me help you with that… just… just attend
to the scratch."
As I turned, I felt her body go limp.
"Tatiana! Tatiana!"
I caught her before she hit the floor.
"Help!"
The servant nearby rushed to her and took her
to a nearby bed.
The head maid, Masha, comes. Speaks sternly.
"Give her space, everyone."
They all stepped back as the doctor stepped
forward, he was around his mid forties. No gray
hair but a slight gray beard. He was a little tall
with dark brown eyes. He was the doctor of the
mansion.
He checks her body. Removed his stethoscope
to speak.
"I'll have to run some tests. Take her to a more
private room."
I was worried. I held the doctor's hands.
"Is she going to be okay, doctor?"
He places his hand on mine.
"I don't know. Who was here when she passed
out."
I speak loudly.
"Me!"
He nods.
"Tell me what happened."
I narrated it exactly as it happened.
He strokes his chin.
"That's strange. That's oddly strange. I have to
discuss this with Mr Aristarkh."
I held his arms as he started leaving.
"Hey doctor Elian. What really is wrong?"
He turns abruptly.
"Look Miss Ana. Everything is fine. Just
something is strange and I have to discuss it
with him. I'll be back with more things to run a
test."
He leaves after that word without turning back.
I sat next to Tatiana, using a wet towel to press
against her forehead. Other maids comforted
her before leaving.
The head maid, Masha, speaks softly.
"Ana. She'll be fine."
She places her hand gently on my shoulder.
Tears well up in my eyes.
"I mean, she was just fine right now. I don't
know what happened. If it was me she would
have been so worried."
She sighs softly.
"It's okay. She'll be fine. Are you staying?"
I nodded.
"I'll stay. Don't worry about me…"
She left, the door clicking softly behind her.
"I lie beside Tatiana as she sleeps…
The doctor arrives at Mr. Aristarkh's office.
He knocks softly on the door.
Aristarkh scents him and tells him to come in.
He enters. Bows and approaches his desk.
"Mr Aristarkh. There's been some problems
lately. But just now. Tatiana, Anastasia's
companion, passed out.
Aristarkh looks up from the potion he was
making, turning to face him.
"You said what?"
He takes his seat behind the table.
"Is ana okay? And what about Tatiana?"
The doctor inhales slowly before speaking.
"Anastasia is okay. But when she was with her
maid, her maid suddenly passed out after Ana
saw a scratch on her neck."
Aristarkh leans forward. So what is the
problem? What is wrong?
"What I'm saying is that, I can't find any source
of what is wrong with her. I'm yet to carry a test
on her but I think it's the crimson altar. They've
striked and they're starting with your mansion
Mr Aristarkh."
Aristarkh's hands clenched tightly.
His jaws clenched.
"Carry out some tests on her before I heal her.
Compare it to the portion we're making.
And put on a barrier in the mansion.
I'd hate to see anything happening to
Anastasia. It must be the snakes behind it so
try out the snake portions. And I found out
something. They're fast and I'll catch one and
make an example before they do more harm."
Doctor Elian nods. Taking his bag to leave.
He stopped to speak.
"Ana looked very worried and sad. It was the
first time I saw her that way."
Aristarkh's jaw clenched in anger and
something else…
The doctor leaves.
Aristarkh comes out in his suit jacket almost
after an hour and leaves his office. He sped off
to the mansion..
"Ana." He mutters softly.
Back in the mansion. I came out to change
towels for Tatiana.
"Ana!"
I turned. Startled to see him.
He approaches me slowly, his hand going to
cup my cheeks.
"Follow me to my room."
"Sir. I want to tend to Tatiana's injury."
He nods.
"I heard about her. She'll be fine. You look pale.
When you're done, come to my room."
I nodded, walking away to tend to get a new
towel. He looks at me. Really look at me
before walking away.
After that, I tended to Tatiana, I knocked on his
door softly.
"It's anast—"
"Come in. He interrupts."
I entered, seeing him without his shirt, tattoos
on almost everywhere. and only pants. His
back turned to me.
"Sit on the bed and wait for me."
He didn't wait for a reply as he entered the
bathroom.
I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting quietly for
him.
The sound of the shower ceased, implying he
has finished showering.
He came out, a towel wrapped around his waist
only.
I turned my face from the sight.
He smirks.
"You're sleeping here tonight with me."
"Why sir?"
He's now in his pants.
"Because I said so."
He sits on the other side of the bed.
"Lie down."
It wasn't just a statement but an order.
"But sir. Tatiana–"
He interrupts softly.
"The doctor. The doctor will handle her. He's
here. And he'll run some tests. So lie down
before I make you. And you won't like how I'd
make you lie down."
I lie beside him. My back turned against him.
The only sound, being the ruffling of sheets as
he turned to stare at my back.
He reached out, wrapped his arms around my
waist and pulled me back against his chest.
"Ahh. I trembled."
"Shh. How are you? Don't worry, Tatiana will be
fine. I'll heal her if the doctor can't find out
What's wron
g with her?"
I smiled softly.
"I'm okay. Just worried. If it's me, she'd be there
too. I don't want anything to happen to her."
He kisses my neck softly before licking my
neck.
"It's okay. Sleep now."
His deep voice was surprisingly soothing and
calming me.
I slowly slept off as he kept whispering sweet
words to me.