MILAMany years ago… almost thirteen years ago…“Mommy, will we be safe here?” Mila asked. She had just moved to this new location with her mother and felt excited. The last place she was living with her mother was very bad. Her mother had to keep her hidden in a basement, and she sincerely hoped that this hut, where her mother was putting up their things, had no basement at all.“Yes, my love, we will be,” her mother spoke lovingly as she pulled up the hood of Mila’s cloak over head to hide her.“Do I need to hide here as well?” Mila asked, disgruntled.“We know what happens when someone sees you,” her mother sighed. “You know what happened last time.”“That bad man saw me…” Mila whispered. “And?” her mother insisted.“And you had to kill him!” Mila spoke, wide-eyed.“And killing is bad,” her mother stressed.“Killing is bad, but sometimes, we have to do it to protect the ones we love,” Mila chimed happily.“Yes, my dear. And I love you and there is not a thing I won’t do for you…”
MILAPresent Day “So how was the trip down that horrible memory lane?” Grace asked, annoyed.Mila didn’t blame her. No amount of trauma, no level of horrific scenes in life could trump seeing your mother murdered in front of you.Mila sighed as she stepped out and made way around. It was dawn now and with the first ray of Sun came another feeling. A feeling of him.“He found you,” Grace whooped with joy as Mila headed out. The hair on her body stood up as she felt his scent settle on her skin.She could tell he was directly heading towards her. His footsteps echoed in the silent halls, and before she knew it, he was standing in front of her, fully dressed in his armour and cloak, holding a bag.“How did you find me?” Mila asked, unable to take her eyes from his gorgeous face.“What are you doing here?” Arthur asked, worried. He dropped the bag on the floor and looked around. “Do you have any idea how many horrible scenarios ran through my mind when I realized you had gone?”“How did
ARTHUR & MILAIf Mila was depressed with the wave of nostalgia that had erupted within her, Arthur was dumbfounded.The enclosing was barely ten feet wide, which was completely cut out from outer world. There were tall walls around in a circular pattern and in the middle of it was a four-storied tower. The tower in itself was no more than five feet in diameter and its entrance was barricaded by iron wrought gates.“What?” Arthur couldn’t comprehend words. “You lived here?”Mila didn’t reply but just walked to the tower and opened it.“Wow, it looks even smaller now,” Mila chuckled dryly. Her eyes were wet with tears now. “I still remember when these walls were put up!”“What?” Arthur was so shocked that he couldn’t form sentences now. He looked around, it was worse than a hovel. His horses lived in better condition, and Mila lived here… He had so many questions but he didn’t know where to start.Mila entered the tower and Arthur followed quietly. A damp, rotten stench met their nostri
ARTHUR & MILA“This was my mother’s hut,” Mila informed as Arthur looked at the dilapidated hut with some confusion. “When we moved into this kingdom, my mother and I lived here…”And the confusion cleared up.Arthur smiled with her as they both stepped in the most bizarre hut. The small hut was in the worst state possible, but the small garden, which Arthur was sure no one was tending to, was blossoming.“You know I used to sleep during the day and play around during the night,” Mila smiled as she walked around. She could see her mother sitting by the door, watching over her when she used frolic around in the dark.“Really?” Arthur asked with deep amusement. He could not imagine a five-year-old Mila. “Yes, my mother kept me hidden always. And if any accident used to happen, we would change kingdoms. A butcher had seen me in the last kingdom, and my mother had to kill him. Once that was done, we had packed up and moved,” Mila informed casually.“Kill him?” Arthur was surprised.“Yes,
ARTHUR & MILAAs the day progressed, Mila and Arthur roamed around the deserted city.“How often do someone return to an abandoned city?” Mila asked Arthur as they sat near the entrance to the citadel. Arthur had amused himself a while ago and had ventured inside the soldier’s compound. He was stunned. There was nothing there.“They either took everything with them, or they never had anything,” Arthur spoke.“They didn’t have a lot… not a lot of soldiers, not a lot of weapons and not a lot of training. I remember a few generals complaining that Hanna placed too much faith in one person. One of them often asked Hanna to have fight worthy candidates in the troop so that in case her ‘secret weapon’ fails to deploy, they have back up,” Mila sighed.“Well, they paid heavily,” Arthur nodded.“I know, given the number of times I had run away from this place and how many enemies Hanna had made over the years due to her arrogance, she should have raised an army of demons,” Mila smiled.“Demons
ARTHUR “Are you kidding me?” Arthur was stunned. It was as if she had slapped him. “What do I need to do to earn your trust?” “Have I earned your trust?” Mila asked in an off-handed fashion. “Of course, I trust you with my life,” Arthur spoke wide-eyed. “Why do you trust me?” Mila asked simply as she walked from one chamber to another, selecting which one she should be sleeping in for the night. “Apart from the obvious,” Arthur started but she interrupted him, “What is obvious?” Mila asked. “That I…” Arthur started but stopped abruptly. “That I…?” Mila insisted. “I like you,” Arthur spoke. He wanted to say I love you, but he didn’t know if it would be the right thing to say just yet. “You like me?” Mila asked with raised eyebrows. “I do, yes,” Arthur nodded hastily. “Well, for someone who has been hated and imprisoned all her life, you have no idea how nice and warm it feels to hear someone say that he likes me…” Mila smiled joyously. “Especially when the feeling of liking
MILA Yes, she dared it and she said it. Thing she had been dying to say ever since she had first sense his presence. “I love you, Arthur Collins,” Mila repeated as she stared in his golden eyes. His eyes… his beautiful eyes first contracted, then as the words sank in, they widened. She could see the pupil of his eyes dilate with desire, she had seen this happen every time a man was enchanted by her, but it was the first time she saw it in a man who was not enchanted. He licked his lips nervously. What was he thinking? Mila wondered. Arthur rubbed his face urgently, and then without as much as a word, he grabbed her neck with one hand, cupped her chin with another and pressed his lips firmly on hers. It was as if he was saying he loved her too by her lips, well not in words, but through passion. Unsure of how to react, Mila sat rooted on the bed. Part of her was confused as to what to do, but another part, the more animalistic part which was dominated by Grace, wanted to pull him
MILA Arthur woke up the next morning as the effect of Mila’s charm faded. Mila didn’t wake him up as she feared what he might remember, what he may have forgotten. “Good morning,” Mila smiled at Arthur as he stared at her confused, bleary eyes. “What are we doing here?” Arthur asked as he looked around. “Umm…” Mila was worried now. Did he forget everything? “When did I fall asleep?” Arthur spoke as his eyes came into focus properly. “What do you remember from last night?” Mila asked tentatively. Arthur thought deeply as he sat up. He walked up to a window and touched it, he felt the barrier cast by Mila. “So it wasn’t a dream,” Arthur mumbled. Mila shook her head. “And neither was you charming the whole room against dark power,” Arthur enquired. Mila shook her head again. “Did you say,” Arthur hesitated a bit. Mila nodded. “Did I say it too?” Arthur enquired. Mila nodded again. “And then I fell asleep?” Arthur was confused. Mila nodded again, feeling super relieved an