(Author’s POV)
"You are here to relax, Myra. Not to overthink," Fabian said, while handing her a can of beer. Myra looked his way, accepted it and said with a sigh, "I just couldn’t help it."
"I understand you had a long and tiresome day, with all the emotional toll with it. Everyone has these kinds of days in their lives. But know that you haven’t done anything wrong. No matter what someone says or questions you. Never blame yourself. Got it," he advised her. These were the same words Jacob told him when he was young. He always used to blame himself for not stepping out of that damned wardrobe and defending his parents’ lives. But he hid there like a coward, with his hands covering his mouth so that not even a sob or the sound of his breath got out. He witnessed every single thing those fucking barbaric wolves did to his mother and father, but couldn’t muster the courage to step out even once.
Even without his mother’s promise, he knew, he wouldn’t have been able to go out and confront those murderers; he fucking knew it.
And that thought has always gnawed at him, eating him alive. In his early days at the Larson mansion, a few of the housekeepers would always gossip about how he left his parents to deal with that situation and didn’t die instead. How much of a monster he was for hiding and not coming out. One guy even said, "It would have been better if he died an honourable death and defended his parents’ life than being a total weakling and chicken out at the crucial time. If I were there, I would have chosen the former and died with dignity." All the other house helpers agreed with him.
Hearing these words, he wanted to die instantly from utter shame and disgust. The words, combined with his own guilty conscience, amplified and made his already fragile condition even worse. At some point, he stopped eating and drinking altogether and never left his room.
When Jacob learned about this situation, he left everything and came to the mansion, rushing from an urgent meeting that was taking place overseas. He went straight to Fabian’s room and comforted him with those words, "Never blame yourself, no matter what someone says. You did nothing wrong. All you did was survive, and that’s enough."
Needless to say, none of the gossipmongers was left unscathed. They all witnessed Jacob’s wrath and cruelty. Everyone was sentenced to death. Their tongues were cut off by a blunt knife repeatedly, which was laced with slow poison. It was gruesome to say the least.
Myra took a sip of her beer and gazed at Fabian, "Okay, I won’t. But thank you for everything you did for me today."
"You don’t need to mention that. How can I~ .... not protect you, hmm?" he remarked and shifted his gaze to the vast water in front of him. Then he added, "We are friends after all."
"But it is risky for you to lie to someone like the Everests and cover for me. It may harm your position," Myra mentioned her concern.
Fabian gave a light laugh and uttered, "Don’t worry about me. And~ ... I am glad and will be thrilled if I can help you in any way again. Feel free to use me~," his voice was calm, "~however you want. I will always back you, no matter what."
His raspy, assuring words tugged at Myra’s heartstrings, her eyes turning misty. She took another gulp of her drink and then changed the topic.
They both talked for hours and hours about their worries, about those little things, about life and gazed at the impeccably beautiful landscape. The black clouds were once again looming over them, so Fabian suggested, "I think it is going to rain again. We should go now." By this time, Myra had emptied quite a few beer cans and was completely wasted.
Fabian had tried to stop her, but she was adamant about getting drunk. So, in the end, he had to comply with her request.
"Ummmm~ .... Nooooo. I don’t want to go, hmmm~ .... Stay here~ ...... stay here, Fabby. Let’s stay here for the night," Myra said in a cutesy voice, making a pout.
Fabian’s breath hitched at her words, his heart beating faster than usual. His mind was racing with amorous thoughts. But he dispersed all those rash thoughts and restrained his emotions somehow. With a suppressed voice, he said, "Myra~ ... you have drunk quite a lot, and it is going to rain soon as well. Plus~ .... your parents~ .... they must be worried about you, too. We will come here again some other time, okay?" He extended his hand for her to take it.
"Ummmmmhmm~" She held his hand and shook it like a toddler. "I am tired."
"I have a solution for that~" saying this, he crouched in front of her and, without giving her any warning, carried her swiftly, princess style.
A yelp escaped Myra’s mouth, followed by a giggle.
Fabian asked, "Why are you laughing, hmm?"


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