Villains also get Second chance

Marianne pov contd..

We both sat under the tree and I took his hand in mine. After cleaning as much as i can, i took one strip and bandaged it on his hands. Then I tried on my hands but my right hand was injured so the left did not work that well.

"Don't be stubborn, Marianne, give me your hand." he said as he held my hand.

He picked up another strip and bandaged me like before, it always surprised me the way he did it so meticulously. Did he get too many injuries in the past! Why did I not seem to remember it?

"You want to rest further, or shall we go?" he asked and I shook my head. It was already noon and we should hurry.

"No, I am fine. We should start walking Cassius." he nodded as he stood up taking the hold of the tree and then forwarded his hand towards me.

For a change, I took it easy as there was no time to waste on foolish arguments. Let us reach the palace, then I would see him well and set him straight.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" He asked me for the umpteenth time in past one hour.

"I don't know Cassius. I have never been to this palace in a long while. It has been ages since I have been here, ``I replied tiredly. My whole body was in pain and yet the man thought I was a map! To know everything perfectly and show the path to him.

"I know Marianne. It's just.. Look at the grass. It's getting long and untrodden. If it would have been a used path, shouldn't there be a proper route and grass would have  been trodden well." he said, squatting on the ground and checking the grass.

I sighed, now that he pointed it that way, I could see so too. But I had never been to deep forests before, how would I know!

"I think we need to change paths. Look at the excrete there. There would be animals nearby" he said and my eyes widened.

"And all this is because of you.'' I replied with anger and he looked at me and sighed.

"Am I blaming you for bringing us so far on the wrong path?" he asked and I glared at him.

"It would not have been needed if we had not been here in the first place."

"And we would not have been here if you would have noticed that we have crossed the door. How would I have known? I have never been to this part of the estate before,.it is only my second visit here Marianne."

"And last time no one paid me enough attention to show me the estate.'' Was he accusing me now for everything!?

"No one showed you the estate because you were sitting in a corner with your head held high like you are superior to us and did not entertain our conversation. You even left me here alone, leaving a few hours after coming here. So how were we supposed to be courageous enough to show you around?"

"And about not noticing the door. For your kind information my eyes were closed. How am I supposed to see with closed eyes?" I asked in anger at the audacity of the man in front of me.

"Why are your eyes closed?" he asked, tilting his head and finally standing up from the ground.

"Why! Because of your hands and your ki.. Whispering in my ears." I stammered and my face burned as I remembered his peppery kisses on my neck.

"Are you sure it was just because of my whisperings?" he asked as he moved closer and I took a few steps back.

"What.. what else could be. You have become shameless these days' 'I retorted and he chuckled.

"Am i.. How? Have I ever held your hands like this?" he asked as he intertwined our hands.

"Or have I ever held you like that?" he added as his other hand held by back and pulled me towards him, "have i ever pulled you like this, Marianne?" His hot breath touched my face as we were just inches apart.

"Have I ever cupped your cheeks or moved my hands on your face?" he asked again as he let my hands go and cupped my cheeks but his hands did not stop there. It moved towards my hair.

He took a tendril of my hair and then gently swirled it between his fingers and then smelled it, it was nothing intimate yet I felt so embarrassed the way he was moving his hands over my hair.

I tried to move but he did not let me. 

"Let me go." I whispered and he shook his head.

"We are not done with the definition of shameless yet. In case you take me as one again, it is my duty to show you and explain to you well how a shameless man behaves' ' he replied so seriously and rigorously that my mouth turned agape.

My eyes widened as I could not believe that he could be like those too. Surely he was taking benefit and then claiming it to be the teaching.

"You.. don't be so over smart!! Let me go" my pitch turned one octave higher this time.

"What did I do this time? If i would have been trying to be over smart. I would have kissed you so hard that your breath would have turned shallow a long time ago. I would have nibbled your lower lips and then would have licked it. I would have touched you in so many ways that you could not even think and imagine. Yet all I did was leave a few pepper kisses and hold your waist. Do you even have any idea what else I want to do? How much i am thinking about it, yet have i ever crossed the line, Marrrr Iii Aaaa Nnnn Eeee"