"Carmela, could you do me a favour please?" Sarah asked, nicely and softly as she comes out of the kitchen. I was at the restaurant, cleaning the counter.

I turned around and saw that Sarah is holding a tray with a plate that has a lid on it and a glass of hot coffee.

"Yes?" I walked closer to her.

"Can you take this room service upstairs? I am currently cooking a steak and I can't leave it at the fire."

"Um...sure?" Otherwise, my voice sounded so unsure. She carefully passed the tray to me and I took it. Luckily, I grabbed it nicely with both hands.

"Careful." She stated before coming back to the kitchen.

I was walking slowly to the stairs, really careful because the tray is heavy. What kind of food is this anyway? I was about to put my foot on the first step when I heard someone calling me from behind.

"Carmela, let me help you!" The tray was removed from my hold, swiftly by Clyde.

Not him again.

"Clyde, what are you doing?" I frowned, trying to get the tray back but he was swinging it far so I can't reach it.

"I will help you. You look like you will drop the tray halfway so let me carry it for you. Just tell me where the room is."

"No."

"No room?"

"No! Give it back! I'm working here, Clyde."

"I know and I am not disturbing you. I'm just helping you out so nothing bad will happen to you." He smiled widely as he started his pace up the stairs.

"You're so stubborn!" I groaned.

"So are you." He winked.

"Just the stairs, Clyde. I will be carrying it to the room." I told him as we finally reached the second floor. I took the tray from him and passed through the doors until I reached the number five.

Knocking on the door very kindly and softly. "Room service."

The door opened immediately and I saw that it was an old man wearing pyjamas. It looks like he is also one of the travellers who stays here for the night. "Oh, thank you so much, beautiful." He told me taking the tray from me.

"Alright. Good night." I smiled at him before he closes the door. I went back downstairs to continue cleaning the counters but Clyde won't stop following me behind.

"What are you doing here, kid?" Frank narrowed his eyes at him. "You are distracting Carmela."

"I'm just here to watch her, Frank. I'm not doing anything." Clyde smiled cheekily at him and went back to me. "I will do that for you!"

He was about to get the cleaning scrub from my hand but I was fast enough to avoid it. "You are starting to annoy me, Clyde. You better leave before I shove this stub down your throat!"

"Ooh, feisty. I like it." He winked.

"Get out of here before Red sees you flirting at his wife, stupid." Sarah came out from the kitchen to join us at the restaurant.

"I'm not afraid of Red." Clyde scoffed.

"Yeah, but be afraid if he sues you. Carmela is married to Red. Get that in your thick skull." Frank defended me.

I stocked my tongue out at him. "You have no chance, Clyde. I'm married." I told him with solid strength in my voice.

Clyde sounded so hurt. "Ouch. I just wanted to be friends with you."

"Friends? Really?" Sarah raised an eyebrow at him.

"I admit, I thought she was single when she came here the first time. But since you are married, I'm not asking for anything." He smiled. "So, what do you think?"

I rolled my eyes at him and turned around. I don't like you to be my friend, I'm sorry. But can I say that to his face? Absolutely not. "Better work hard for it, lad." That was the thing I said before I continued my work.

I didn't notice the time until I found out that the restaurant is about to close down in a few minutes so I helped them mop the floor and clean the tables. Clyde left an a hour ago and he is still teasing me about being friends with me.

"Thank you for helping us, dear." Frank waved his hand to me as I head the exit.

"See you later." Sarah smiled at me which I returned.

I got out of the Inn and as expected, Rune was there, standing and waiting for me at the pathway. He had a small side smile. "Tired?"

"Not at all." I proudly responded as I walk ahead of him.

"Good. Come with me, again."

"Where?" I groaned. "Rune, its the middle of the night."

"Yep, I'm aware of that." He stated before grabbed my arm and showing me the way until we walk side by side.

"Okay, where are you taking me?" I asked.

"You will see." He answered, keeping his hands buried inside his jeans pocket. "It's just a few walks from here."

"You are always the one who wants me safe but do you think walking alone at the middle of the night is safe." I muttered. "You are so twisted."

"Say everything what you want."

You wish.

I followed him around through the corners we passed through and some paths that I didn't know there is a way through. He knows every part of this village, I see. He really did a good job since he has done a mission here before.

Until we reached this steady and quiet place. As the amazing night view came into our vision. This spot looks hidden honestly and the fog covering almost all of the village is light in this part. I can see the whole city lights down there and it is a great view from above.

"Wow, how did you find this area?" I asked him, still drawn to the view.

"I don't know." He chuckled, sitting down on the huge rock. "I was just walking around then noticed this place when I started missing home."

"Oh, so you agents also misses home?" A small laugh escaped from me. I thought they are used of their job being away for a very long time.

"Of course. My friends and family lives in the city. In this view, I feel like I am very close to them. That I am not that far away." Rune stated, his eyes are focused on the view as I stand just a little closer to her, admiring the same thing. "You can come here if you misses your Dad, my lady. Crimson City is just that part." He stood up and pointed a part of the view that is far from here.

The sad feeling of missing my Dad comes back to my system. I miss him so badly and I want to know if he is okay and if he is feeling well. But I can't do that because I have to take risks if I want to be safe.

"You missed your Dad so badly." He murmured, seeing the reaction in my face.

"Yeah, he's the only one I got." I weakly chuckled. "Dad always forgets to take care of himself. To the point that, there is someone who should always be the one to remind him that he needs to rest. He may be an old man but...he is like a child."

"Well, that sounds very like him."

Slowly, I turned to Rune and sat down next to him at the rock. "It is making me wonder, why are you so close to my Dad? I mean, you treated him like you have known him for a very long time even at the moment of your absence."

Rune looks down and a small smile creeps in his lips. "Your Dad...well, the only thing that I can say is that...if he didn't save me that night that we met...I would probably an evil man or worse...I'm dead."

My eyebrows touched in confusion and also curiosity. "What do you mean?" What is his bond with my Dad to the point that he treats him like his own son.

He smiled weakly and looked up to the stars at the sky. "It's a long story, my lady. You don't have to know about it. You might get scared of me when I told you." Rune was avoiding the topic. Slowly, he stood up from the room and continued looking at the sky.

"You come here often?" I questioned.

"Before. The last time I was here, it was my first solo and a long term mission. I missed home so I kind of wander around and see this place. In this view, I feel like I'm so close to my friends at home."

"You're a little sentimental, aren't you?" I teased causing him to let out a chuckle.

"Let's go back now." He faced me and helping me stand up from the rock that I was sitting on.

We walked back to the house and as always, with an awkward silence. When we arrived, I happened to caught a glimpse of Clyde on our way home as we pass through their house.

"Hey, you two." Clyde greeted with his usual grin smile.

"Why aren't you asleep yet, Clyde. You still have a lot of work to do at morning in the farm." Rune stated.

Clyde just shrugged. "I am making sure that you will return Carmela safe."

"I'm her husband, of course will be safe." Rune told him.

"I know, but if something happened to you, then I will go and take her back home." Clyde teasingly remarks before he runs inside their house.

He is so weird.

"Don't get too close with that guy." He warned me. "Even if he is not from the Black Phoenix, he is very dangerous."

I laughed at his caution. "Dangerous? In what way?"

"He likes you."

I scoffed. "But I'm married to you, that's what everyone knows."

"Yes, but we both know that it is not true. Maybe you will be the one who will fall for him."

"You are not thinking straight, Rune. Guys like him are not my type." I assured him as we walk back inside the house.

"Good to know." I heard him mutter as we walk inside the house.

We take turns in the bathroom. He was the first one to use it before he changed into some comfortable clothes. "Aren't you going to change?" He asked when I was still unmoving from sitting on the bed.

"I'm waiting for you to sleep first before I go to the bathroom."

He arched a brow. "Why?"

"Because I will be removing my makeup." I told him, as he started to get himself comfortable on the sofa by the window.

"Is makeup that much big of a deal to you?" He questioned.

"Yes, and I don't want anyone to see me without them." I answered. "Just close your eyes and go to sleep."

I heard him scoff and turned away from me. "I hate it when girls thinks that they are ugly when they don't have any makeup on. I bet you look so beautiful without them."

"You don't know what you are talking about."

"Of course I do. Women like you, should know that you are so much beautiful with all of those things on your face." He told me, seriously. "It's not bad if you wear them on some occasions but...you don't need that much in a place like this."

"You don't know what I've been through, Rune. Once you find out, you will understand." I responded before walking out of the room to go to the bathroom.

While I was inside, I washed all of the makeup off my face and stared at myself in front of the mirror. My dark circles has been visible because of the lack of sleep. But still, I can't bring myself to look when I don't have anything on in my face. Well, my boyfriends loved me because of my flirty looks and body. They never said that I am beautiful.

But, I know men are different from one another. They have different types and wants when it comes to women.

But I really don't have any confidence if my face is bare.

And I hope, one day I will learn to gain them.

Coming to the room, I quickly hopped on the bed and let the soft mattress touch my skin. And I finally felt so comfortable causing me to drift into sleep quickly.

The next morning, I woke up and my face is almost buried in my pillow and the sunlight in the room is different. It is actually brighter causing me to sit up straight and look around. Rune is no one to be found so it must be late.

I checked the alarm clock that was on the bedside table and it is already eight in the morning.

Getting up, I felt how the temperature of this village is increasing every passing day. It's getting colder and colder. Standing up, I decided to take a bath. I grabbed my towel and some of my makeup before I turn to leave the room.

But as I open the door, I heard Jane and Rune talking. Their voices were soft, like it was something hidden. I peeked through the small gap opening of the door and listened carefully.

"She doesn't have to know, Red." Jane seems to be lecturing him. "But it seems like you have been getting closer to her."

"I know what I am doing, Jane. You don't have to tell me what to do." It almost come out like a hiss from Rune. I can see how he narrows his eyes at Jane trough the small space that I am looking at.

"I am not telling you what you should do because I know you can do this mission. But, let me also remind you that we have rules before we accepted this mission." Jane retorted back.

"And let me also remind you that, the rule is also for us. So don't go coming just to talk to me about this. My lady is my duty and I am willing to do everything for her safety." That was the last thing he said before I heard him walk away from her.

What are they talking about?

"You are breaking the rules, Red. You have to stop this." Jane added.

Rune just scoffed. "That is none of your concern." I heard the front door slammed close. He must have finally left to go to the farm.

Wait, does that mean that I have to spend the whole morning alone with Jane? Oh crap.

Opening the door, I didn't say anything as I just had my head down, staring at the floor as I walk inside the bathroom so Jane won't see my face.

After my half an hour bath plus another half an hour of makeup, I am finally done. I got out just to see Jane doing something in her laptop and there are tons of connector connected to it. I think she is doing her work.

"There are breakfast on the table. It is your choice if you want to eat it." Jane told me, not taking her eyes off the screen.

"I will just take an apple." I said, grabbing the apple on the basket then I was planning to go back inside room when Jane called me.

"Ms. Waylord, I will just inform you that Jay and I will be going back to the headquarters in Italy at noon."

"Why? Is there is something wrong? Do you have any lead?" I asked, chewing some apple.

"The Chief called us this morning. He wanted Rune to return but he refused to leave you so as a replacement, Jay and I will be coming home." She explained.

I suddenly gulped realising something. Does that mean that...?

Me and Rune will be alone in this house?

"Have they found the Black Phoenix?" I asked.

"Not yet. The one that tried to kidnap you the night you escaped from Red killed himself while they kept him." She stated, standing up from the chair to take something in her bag that has something to do with the laptop.

Shit.

I don't know but the fact that Rune and I will be alone for God knows how long has corrupted my mind. Is this nervousness? Or is this some kind of irritation? I seriously don't know and it annoys me. I bit my lower lip and tried to think of something else and I went back to lock myself inside the room.

Fuck. Fuck.

I don't know what I am feeling!

To be continued...