Edie

Edie

SasatheShy

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Chapter Eight: Opposite Touches

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Cain had welcomingly accepted Tonisha’s gesture to visit with Pig Thigh’s Inn’s all-star chef. He made his way through the back door and down the few steep stone steps into the manager quarters. To the Captain, it was off-appealing. Plain walls with few damaged stains and cracks greeted him as he roamed the narrow hallway.. He turned his head to the left, easily making out the small kitchen. Grinning, he gradually walked over to the entrance and took a peek inside.

A warm, familiar aroma filled his nostrils. A mixture of onions with potatoes, perhaps a few carrots, as well. It was a scent he knew from so long ago. From a time when he had greeted an enchanting beauty and had his way with her. This very scent had been within that very room -- and now he knew what it was.

He watched on, viewing Edie’s backside as she stirred a large pot of stew over a boiling fire. The very same recipe she had learned from her mother. She had not noticed Cain’s presence as she closed the lid, preparing the stew for the next day. It was most popular during mornings and afternoons, which made her decide to prepare ahead of time. She left Cain impressed. She was not ordinary. She was a fighter and a worker. And so beautiful.

The captain folded his arms behind his back as he leaned forward, watching her take the pot of stew over to the freeze box. She placed it inside and closed the door, then turned her attention on a pile up of dirty dishes. She pushed up the sleeves of her dirty yellow dress and went over to wash them. Cain took this time to enter the small kitchen. He looked around the workplace, getting a good idea of the difficulties Edie faced. The moment she picked up a wooden bowl was when he decided to present himself.

“You’ve done exceptionally well,” he said. “I’m impressed.”

She had jumped from his sudden voice, dropping the bowl. It landed with a huge thud at her feet as she twirled around, facing him in horror. She pressed her back against the small sink, cowering before him as he let out a remarkable chuckle.

“Yes, very nice,” he continued, taking a step closer. “I am very surprised at you, Edie. You’ve come such a long way… I never thought that a woman could contain such strength and power.”

Edie quivered. Why was he there? Why alone? Why was he torturing her like this?

“Oh, but listen to me,” he said. He had stepped even closer still, admiring Edie’s figure. “I’m only rambling. I confess, I am surprised. When I looked up from that table and spotted you -- it made me feel -- bizarre.”

He kept his hands folded behind his back, though a part of him desperately wanted to reach out to Edie and touch her. She appeared as innocent and soft as she had seven years ago.

“You haven’t changed,” he added.

“I -- I’ll scream,” Edie managed to whisper, earning a perplexed chuckle from Cain.

“Whatever for?” he asked. “I’m doing nothing but speaking to you.”

Quickly, Edie peered down, avoiding eye-contact. She knew he was right. If she did call for help, Tonisha would not believe her, anyway. Cain was -- popular here, she supposed.

“Come now, Edie,” she heard him murmur. He sounded even closer. “I am not here to cause you any trouble. I just want to talk.”

The sudden contact of his fingertips grazing her chin caused Edie to tremble. Instinct told her to close her eyes, but she just could not. She tried hard not to cry as he forced her gaze to meet his.

“P -- please,” she begged. “Please d -- don’t touch me.”

His hand cupped her cheek, ignoring her plea. He simply grinned. “Relax -- I am not going to harm you.”

“Don’t…” she whimpered. With her relief, his hand pulled away. She sighed as she blinked back tears fighting to leave her eyes.

“Humph,” snorted Cain. “You disappoint me. Here I am, trying to be nice, and you’re being disrespectful. This is not good, Edie. I hope your behavior is better when you join me for dinner this weekend.”

Dinner! Immediately, her jaw dropped and she stuttered. Her reaction caused Cain to chuckle rudely.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?” he questioned. “It is still on, of course. Hmm…” he eyed the dress she wore. The lower portion had tares and there was splotched, dried-on food stains here and there. He shook his head with disgust. “Of course, I expect you to wear something more -- clean and bright.”

“I…” Edie began, but froze. She was certain there was no talking herself out of it.

Cain knew this. “It will be a magnificent night, I guarantee you. A night to remember. A good dinner. A nice setting. Everything will be wonderful.”

Closing her mouth, Edie focused her attention on Cain’s clothed chest. Would it really be wonderful? For a few seconds, she believed him. He seemed sincere enough.. But this did not leave Edie convinced. She was certain it was nothing more but a cover up for what he really had planned.

She felt so confused.

“No,” she whimpered, shaking her head.

“Please, Edie,” said Cain. “I promise you it will be fine.” He leaned down to her level, causing her to gasp. “Edie -- believe me. I do not want to hurt you.”

Edie’s voice caught in her throat. She felt unable to breath as she stared him face-to-face, getting a good view of his deep, dark eyes. His hands slowly moved upward, ready to cup both her cheeks… She stiffened, unsure how to react. All she could do was close her eyes and pray.

A sudden crash caused her to jump and Cain to jolt upright. He turned, seeing a young girl rushing into the kitchen and kneeling. She had dropped a few bowls. None of them had broken, but the noise they had caused had been cacophonous.

“Amana,” Edie sighed with relief. She hurried past Cain and went over to help the teenaged girl.

Grinning, Cain turned and walked over to them. “Gracious. Are you all right?”

“Yes,” Amana nodded. “Thank you, sir.” She peered up. When she noticed that it was Captain Cain hovering over her, Amana flushed bright pink. “Y -- you’re…?”

“Let me help,” Cain offered. He knelt beside Edie, taking a couple of the bowls in his arms. “Goodness, there are nearly fifteen bowls here. You tried carrying these all down here by yourself?”

“I -- usually can,” Amana softly squeaked. “I just -- took a bad stumble.”

“Yes, so we heard,” he joked. He stood and helped carry the bowls over to the already filled sink. He placed them atop some dirty dishes, then wiped his hands on his uniform. He noticed that Edie had stayed silent throughout this time.

“Thank you, Captain Cain,” Amana blushed, bowing. “And thank you, Edie. There are actually quite a few bowls left and some tables I need to wash. Edie, would you mind helping me? I promise I’ll help you with the dishes.”

Not wanting to be alone with Cain a moment longer, Edie agreed. “Sure. Let’s go.”

Cain nearly frowned. He had hoped his and Edie’s meeting could have been longer. However, knowing she had not gotten out of what awaited that weekend, he kept his posture as he followed her and Amana upstairs.

Amana kept looking back at Cain, still having some pinkness aligning her cheeks. She eyed Edie, showing she was somewhat interested in finding the two alone in the kitchen. Edie made sure to keep her head bowed, not wanting to speak of it.

“Hmm, I suppose Mark is still upstairs with Tonisha,” said Cain as the three stepped into the main room.

Mark? Edie raised her head. That name --

Turning her head, Edie heard Tonisha chatting away with a man while the two descended down the stairs. Edie’s eyes widened as she recognized Mark’s gentler face. He was one of the two Cretchens that had first found her in the cramped hiding place her parents had forced her into… Seeing him made Edie tense even more.

“All finished?” Cain asked, causing Mark to turn red.

Clearing his throat, Mark straightened his uniform jacket. Sensing his embarrassment, Tonisha patted his shoulder gently. She gave him a hearty smile before turning her attention on Cain and Edie. “Have you two been talking?”

“Somewhat,” Cain answered. “Edie is still very shy. However, I hope to change her view of me this weekend.”

Edie? Where had Mark heard that name before? Turning his head, he viewed the two ladies standing behind his captain. The first girl with dark brown curls was not familiar to him. He turned his head more, landing on the lady in yellow. At first, he was not sure about her. She had lowered her head for a mere second, but it soon rose, and as her cold eyes locked with his, he remembered.

Mark gasped, causing all heads to turn on him. He went red and noticed Cain was about ready to give him a stern glare. His captain knew he remembered her. The young, fragile girl crying for her parents. That very girl his captain had dragged into a hut, doing only God knows what to her. He was stunned to see her standing there. He frowned as she looked away.

“Well, I’m sure Edie will enjoy her dinner,” said Tonisha, interrupting Mark’s thoughts.

“Yes,” Cain agreed. He straightened himself up. “Well then, I suppose Mark and I should be going. I have a feeling Hyatt will be staying the night like last time.”

“No doubt in my mind,” Tonisha complied. She placed her hands on her hips as she gently nudged Mark. “Tonight was fun. You two are welcome here any time.”

“We know,” Cain said. He stepped up to Mark and gestured him towards the door. “Shall we?”

Blinking, Mark nodded. He stood beside his captain, following him out of Pig’s Thigh Inn. Once the two had gone, Amana quickly spun to face Edie.

“You’re so lucky,” she said, not realizing she had just stabbed at Edie’s heart like a dagger. “Captain Cain is so handsome.”

“That he is,” Tonisha chuckled.

Edie shrugged her shoulders. “He doesn’t seem handsome to me.” She looked up, witnessing the two staring at her in disbelief. They almost seemed offended by her words.

“Really?” Amana asked.

“She has a right to her opinion,” Tonisha said, giggling. “Now, it’s getting late. Don’t you two have some work to finish?”

The two nodded. Edie walked with Amana over to a few dirty tables. They collected bowls and glasses before heading back downstairs to do the dishes.

--

Mark walked alongside Cain as they headed back for home. However, the sharp silence was making him agitated. He wanted to discuss what had occurred back at the inn.

“Captain?”

He jerked as Cain halted. Slowly, Cain stared at him, glaring. “What you saw never happened.”

“But my Captain,” said Mark. “That girl was -- was --”

“I know who she was,” Cain said, aggravated.

Biting his lower lip, Mark shook his head. “And what you said about -- the weekend..” His eyes suddenly widened as he peered his captain in the eye. “She’s your personal guest?”

Cain sighed. “Well, now you know.”

“My captain,” Mark gaped.

“Mark, not a word of this to Verity,” he said coldly. “Do you understand me? I want this weekend to be perfect. I want -- Edie to trust me.”

This was all too confusing for Mark. He shook his head again. “But my captain, why?”

Lifting his head, Cain whispered, “Not your concern. Come, it’s fucking cold out here. I want to return home and take a steaming hot bath.”

As Cain began walking, Mark paced behind him. His captain was acting strangely. It was that girl’s fault. It had to be. What sort of spell had she cast on him?

--

Lavan and his friends swiftly entered the inn some time later. The four were covered from head to toe in snow. They wiped their boots against the provided rug, shivering badly. Blythe was the worst. Roddy wrapped his arms around her as he sighed.

“What shitty luck,” Roddy said. “Instead of catching critters, we’ve caught cold!”

“Y -- yeah…” shivered Blythe. She cuddled close to Roddy, thankful for his and the inn’s comfort and warmth. “All I want to d -- do is get into bed. Let’s go R -- Roddy…”

“Sounds like a plan,” Roddy nodded. He turned to Lavan and Pip. “Night, you two.”

“Bed sounds good to me, too,” said Pip. His spectacles had fogged up. Removing them, he began wiping them on his cold shirt. He started following behind the two, but when he noticed Lavan wasn’t coming with them, he turned. “Lavan?”

“You go ahead,” Lavan shivered. “I’m thirsty.”

Smiling, Pip waved goodnight before taking the stairs two steps at a time.

Once his three comrades had gone, Lavan headed over to the empty bar. He got behind the counter and made his own drink. He filled a glass to the brim with ale, then he took a long jug. He sighed as the warm, strong alcohol reached his stomach, warming him from the inside. He tugged at his collar, feeling uncomfortable and about ready for bed. But his feet hurt like hell. Turning, he went to sit at a table.. When he realized he was not alone, he cautiously peered over at the person.

There, at the farthest back table, sat Edie. She had remained quiet, not wanting to bother Lavan or his friends. However, when she was spotted, she went red and lowered her head, apologizing softly for her quietness.

Lavan went over to join her. He sat down and set his glass on the table. He eyed her. “Why are you sitting up here all alone? And in near darkness, at that?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she said honestly. She slowly looked up at him. He was still covered in leftover sticky snow. He had some white even in his messy hair. And he smelled of outdoors, like usual. A scent Edie was used to. “I -- I’ve been thinking…”

“Thinking?” Lavan asked with interest. “May I ask about what?”

Sighing, Edie knew she had no choice but to reply. “Well, I’ve been thinking about -- Captain Cain’s invitation to dinner. I saw him again today.”

At the very mention of Cain, Lavan’s blood began boiling angrily. He scooted a bit closer to Edie, showing her he was keen on hearing more. “Do you want to go?”

Edie looked down at Lavan’s drink. She truly was unsure about this. And it frightened her. She knew she had to hate Cain for what he did, but she felt as if there was no escaping his invitation. “I -- I don’t know.”

“Oh,” Lavan said. He sounded disappointed. Edie looked back up at him. She noticed he was growing a few hairs on his chin. Somehow, those few little hairs made Edie’s body tense up. Her fingers shook beneath the table, tempted to reach up and take a feel. She kept herself in control, however, even though something inside her was strongly trying to get out.

“I -- guess I’ll be going,” she finally said as she pressed her fingers between her legs. “It is quite late.”

“Edie…”

Momentarily, Edie became scared. She shook as Lavan’s cold fingertips found their way under her chin. It was a similar circumstance to the one she had had with Cain down in the kitchen. To her bafflement, these fingertips made her feel safe. She allowed them to raise her chin, and she felt no fear as her eyes met his. She began feeling fuzzy and light-headed.

Lavan gulped. Edie was so -- beautiful. He slowly leaned his head down, it inches from hers. “Edie -- you do not have to go…”

“N -- no…” Edie whispered. She slowly pulled away, ashamed with herself. She stood to her feet and turned her back to him. She hugged her body, trying to escape this confusing warmth. “I must go.”

Standing to his own feet, Lavan walked up behind Edie. He placed his hands on her shoulders, massaging them gently. “If you feel that you must, then -- you must.”

Holding back a moan, Edie quickly turned and stepped back. She stared up at Lavan, concerned about her sudden behavior. She sniffed, trying hard not to cry.

“G -- good night, Lavan,” she whimpered. “Um.. Enjoy the rest of your drink.”

She raced towards the back door, not taking a single glance back. She did not hear him following her, which she was surely thankful for. Going down the hallway, she turned and reached out for the door handle leading into her bedroom. She pulled open the door and entered, quickly closing the door behind her. She cried out as she ran and laid on her stomach, hugging her pillow close. She gasped and whimpered as she closed her legs shut, rubbing them together as she tried calming down.

“W -- what’s wrong with me?” she cried. “Why -- do I --?” she shook her head and closed her eyes. “Why do -- I feel this way when I’m around him?”

Slowly, Edie opened her eyes. She sat up and looked over at her door. She was thinking about venturing back upstairs to stop Lavan before he had a chance to go upstairs for the night…

But why? She did not understand. Her mind was racing, repeating images over and over of two opposite men. She could not stop thinking about Cain. She could not stop thinking about Lavan.

Why?

Struggling to stand, Edie removed her dress, readying herself for bed. In only a few short days, she’d be visiting the home of a monster. And in only a few short days, she had met a man like an angel. Both were so different, yet both pierced at her brain like needles.

Getting into her nightclothes, Edie pulled back the covers on her bed and laid down. She snuggled under her covers, bringing her legs up to her chest. Suddenly exhausted, she slowly fell into deep slumber as Cain and Lavan’s shadows plagued her mind.