Finally, Beth thought, as the sun started to disappear behind the roofs of the houses and shops across from hers. It had taken forever for this moment to finally come, but now, she could with good spirit close down the shop for the night. And thank God, too.

Her breath was shaky, as she walked around and closed the curtains. She could not wait to go check up on... Caydrick. Thinking about him made her stomach flutter with butterflies. He had such a beautiful name. She had never heard it before, it sounded foreign. Perhaps he did not stem from Venice?

As much as she had discovered about him, there was still much to learn. He was a bit of a mystery to her, and she so desperately wanted to know more about him. Her biggest wonderment was the device he wore to cover his eyes. What had happened to him? And why?

The questions floundered in her head, as she started walking up the stairs, trying to keep a normal pace. She did not want to admit it, but she was beginning to like him. A little too much for her own good, in fact. The thought of him leaving tonight hurt, and that was crazy. He had been here just one day, and yet he had made such a big impression on her humdrum life. Take this day for instance; All she had done was sit behind a counter, besides making bread and washing his dirty clothes. That was all she ever did. She never had time to meet a nice man, and honestly, with the selection there was these days, she had begun to give up.

She reached the top of the stairs, pausing outside her door. It was almost dusk.

God, she wanted him to stay. Why was that? He was dangerous, and the longer he stayed, the bigger the chance of her getting caught, got. But for the first time in a year, she was not alone. She liked the company. And especially the company from a very attractive male. Was that wrong? Of course it was.

He was just so... Muscular. His face was so beautifully sculpted, his neck and collarbone so defined. His hands were rough from hard work, yet the rest of his skin was smooth as silk. Even the scars, as traumatizing as they were, had to be considered attractive. It showed his battles. It showed what he had survived. That he was strong, and that he had healed from whatever pain had been afflicted on him.

Speaking of which...

Beth opened the door slightly, expecting to see him lying on the couch, recovering from his new wounds. But her movements froze, when she saw Caydrick on the floor, pushing his body up and down in a form of exercise. He had his hands placed on the floor, and his body stretched like a plank, as he repeatedly lowered and pushed himself up.

Oh, sweet Lord have mercy on my soul.

His muscles worked in a way she had never seen a male body work before. The sensual way his shoulder blades moved the skin on his back, stretching and folding, and the tightening of his biceps, which each lift he made.

She grabbed the wall to steady herself, not wanting to faint. Her mind started forming images so sinful she feared God would punish her for having such impure thoughts about a dangerous man. But she could not help it. She was hypnotized.

Suddenly Caydrick stopped in the middle of a push-up, and crooked his head towards the door. "Beth, what are you doing?"

Beth gasped and blushed, feeling embarrassed. She quickly pushed the door open and got in, just as Caydrick got up from the floor breathing heavily. "I am sorry, I was just.. I did not want to.. disturb you."

He frowned. "Beth, this is your house. You cannot disturb me."

She tried to make a careless smile, but somehow it got stuck halfway. Her body felt tense and a strange soaking sensation between her thighs had her awkwardly squirming. "What were you doing?"

Caydrick slowly exhaled and went over to the couch. "I was just getting myself ready for when I... leave."

Beth nodded, but felt a tightening in her throat. God, why was she acting like this? It was mad, it was mad, it was mad... "Where will you go?"

Caydrick did not seem to notice inner struggle. He simply took a seat on the couch and sighed. "I am not sure yet. My goal is to get out of Venice, across the border. Away from..." He froze mid-sentence, his jaw locking up firmly.

Beth felt a whoosh in her stomach. "Away from what?"

Caydrick chewed on something, before he finally blew out a breath. "Away from this hell."

She felt a sinking feeling now, knowing that his words were not how his sentence should have originally ended. He had been close to giving up a piece of information he should not share. Or so he thought so, anyway. But Beth was dying to know.

"Right," She sighed quietly. Caydrick mistook her sigh as hurt, and softly tilted his head.

"But even in hell, I managed to find an angel," He stood up from the couch and slowly walked towards her. Each step seemed measured. "I cannot thank you enough for all your help, Bethia. You truly have been my savior. Thank you."

Beth felt heat alight in her body, as he stopped in front of her. Whenever they were this close, it was like she could feel his warmth leaking through her body. It penetrated her own, making her fidget in anxiousness. "Do not thank me. It was my pleasure helping you back on your feet. I can only imagine what you must have been through," She slowly looked down to his chest, and looked at the bandage that covered the cuts he had made. "To do something so painful to yourself, when you have already experienced so much... you must really have had to do it."

A muscle in Caydrick's jaw started working, but then he softly reached for her hand, trailing down her arm to finally palm her hand in his own. "You are so understanding about everything. I just cannot..." He frowned and pressed his lips tightly tougher. "I feel like I am leaving you without a proper thanks."

Beth tried to ignore the tingling sensation that shot through her body, as his hand curled around her own. It lit a spark inside her, waking up a part of her she did not know existed. "Stay."

The word left her mouth before she could even think, and the next second she saw Caydrick tense up. His hand dropped hers, and he looked as if he had been whipped in his face. "What?"

She swallowed a lump and a good portion of nervousness, as she met his eyes through the shades. "I want you to stay for a while. Do not go."

He still looked shocked, but another expression slid across his face. An expression she could not decipher. "Bethia..."

"Your wounds are still fresh," She said, and placed a hand over his bandage. He flinched ever so slightly, but not from pain. "They could infect, and you could die. Plus, you are still not fully nourished. You need more strength if you are going make it to the borders. Please, Caydrick, stay. Let me take care of you."

Caydrick's mouth slightly parted, and suddenly he wobbled on his feet. Beth looked worriedly up at him, grabbing his hand to support him. "Caydrick?"

He took a deep breath and pressed his lips tightly together. "You... You want to take care of... me?"

She looked at him with a soft smile. "Yes. Will you let me?"

He blew out a breath, and before she could stop it, Caydrick sunk to his knees.

"Caydrick! Are you alright?"

He released a shaky breath, and that is when she saw it. It was just the tiniest tear, that fell from the out corner of his eye and rolled down his cheek. He started to shake.

"You want to... Take care of me..."

"Caydrick," Beth whispered and knelt down next to him. She placed a hand on his cheek, making him look up at her. His voice was so gravelly. Moved. Why was it so hard for him to understand? "I think you should lie down for a while. You look pale."

He blew out a breath breath and pressed his lips together. "Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen."

He was praying Hail Mary. Bethia slowly stroked his cheek with her thumb. "Come on."

He let her lead him to the couch, let her gently push him down, until he was seated firmly on top of the soft cushions. He finally took a deep breath, releasing it just as heavily. "Bethia. Why are you so nice to me?"

She softly took his bandaged hand and started to untie the knot. He needed new ones. "I already told you, I was raised to be good to one another. You are a good man, Caydrick, whether you want to believe it yourself, you are. You deserve help, just like any other, and it should not shock you as much as it does."

"Nobody has ever wanted to take care of me before," He silently whispered. "You are the first who has ever shown interest in my well-being."

Bethia froze in the middle of unwrapping his hand and looked up at him. Was that true? Had nobody ever taken care of him before? "What about your mother?"

He shook his head. "I never knew her. I was taken away from her, before I was even a day old, I have been told."

Bethia did not know how to respond. A child, an innocent baby should never have to go through the hurt and pain of missing its mother. If there was no mother to teach him the values of life, how had he become the gentle, sweet, humble man, he was today?

"What about your father?"

He shook his head again and scoffed. "Never knew him either. My mother was a maid to his staff, I think he was an Earl. When he found out she was pregnant, he had me taken from her."

She stared shocked at him. Was he a possible heir to some sort of land? "Caydrick..."

He shook his head a third time, this time to clear it. "It does not matter anymore. My past is in my past, and I only wish to move forward."

Beth swallowed and picked up her task of taking off his bandage. "Will you stay here? Will you let me take care of you?"

He pressed his lips together, dipping his head down. He ran his good hand through his blonde locks. "I wish I could. Each moment I stay, I am endangering you and everyone related to you. I cannot risk it. I could not live with myself, knowing I got you involved in my mess."

Beth paused for a moment, letting the dirty bandages fall to the floor. "Caydrick, please. Tell me what happened to you? What did you really do to end up in prison?"

Her words made him tense up, and he looked away. "Please, do not ask me, Beth. If I told you everything, you would be scared of me. And I do not want be there when that happens."

"You could not scare me," Beth said, placing a hand on his arm. She noticed his arm tense up as well, like it always did when she touched him. "I can handle whatever you are hiding."

Caydrick shook his head and abruptly stood up. "No, Bethia. You cannot. Please stop asking me."

She felt her heart sink into her stomach, and an emptiness formed where her heart used to be. She tried.

"I am sorry," Caydrick said, turning to her. "I just cannot."

She had to respect his wishes. It was his past, and she should not dig into it. It was not her place. "It is alright. But I still think you should stay. Just one more day, until I am sure your wounds have properly closed."

Caydrick pressed his lips together, the decision weighing in his head. She could tell he was still unsure.

"I will cook you a nice dinner," She offered and stood up. "I will even make a pie."

He let out a bark, which could have resembled a laugh if he was not so serious. "Are you trying to bribe me into staying?"

She smiled carefully. "That depends. Is it working?"

He smiled softly. "Yes, but that is not why I going to accept your offer," He said, coming up to her. "It is because of you. And just to prove I am not here for the bribe," A smile slid onto his face, "With your permission, I would like to cook you dinner. As a thank you."

Bethia froze.

He wanted to do what?

-*-

Bethia watched speechlessly as Caydrick kneaded a dough with his one good hand, while the other stirred a simmering pot.

How the hell had he learned to do that? Cook, that was. Men did not cook. Not those who grew up on the street. Nor the ones who spent three years in prison.

So how did he learn to cook? She watched as he picked up the dough and placed it on her baking stone. He plopped it into the blazing oven and turned his attention to the pot that was beginning to boil. He stirred it with a wooden spoon, and after sniffing the air, he reached for a leek and brought it to the chopping board. He started slicing it up in thin slices with skilled hands.

She had to ask. "How did you learn to cook, Caydrick?"

He had his back to her, but she still managed to catch the slight tensioning at his jaw. He was still shirtless, since his shirt was not dry yet and her father's shirt had been too small for his broad shoulders. The scars on his back had never looked so hauntingly beautiful in the dim lights, down in her kitchen. He waited a moment before hesitantly replying.

"I learned in the army."

Bethia had been sipping a mug of water, and nearly choked on swallowing. "What?!"

Caydrick sighed and stopped chopping for a second. "I was a soldier in the Queen's army. They taught us how to survive, in case we ever got stranded somewhere."

Beth dropped her jaw in shock. "You were a soldier?"

He slowly picked up the knife again and started slicing the leek, before tipping it into the pot. "Yes."

"Why did you not tell me?" Beth breathed. She let that piece of information sink in. She did not know what difference it made, only it seemed to change everything. She had always thought that soldiers were scary and intimidating. They looked like they would kill you, if you did not bow your head when walking past them. And the way most of them looked at the women... Well, it was why she stayed inside her house most of the time. But Caydrick did not seem like that sort of man-- no, she knew he was not that kind of man.

Caydrick shrugged his shoulders. "I did not think it mattered. Does it scare you to know that I was in the army?" He asked, a concerned tone in his voice. He carefully glanced over his shoulder and looked at her, through the shades.

"I-I do not know," She mumbled. "It certainly explains why you are so muscular."

She realized what she had just said and started blushing profusely. How could she say a thing like that?

But to her surprise, she heard Caydrick let out a mild, indifferent scoff. "That does not really matter. I only use my strength to keep myself safe. And others, if they deserve it."

A thought suddenly popped into her head. "Wait... Why would you get thrown into prison, then? The Queen does not send her soldiers to prison for disobeying. Does she?"

He scoffed darkly again. "No, she certainly does not. She has other ways of making a man wish he was never born."

Beth frowned at his words. He had to be talking about the whipping. She assumed. "I cannot believe it. I thought you were a vagabond, and was thrown in jail for stealing or something."

Caydrick immediately turned around and glared shocked at her. "That is what you thought? That I was a thief? Bethia, why the hell did you let me sleep on your couch, then?"

Beth squirmed uncomfortably. "Because I believed in you."

Caydrick pressed his lips tightly together, still looking at her. "You are too kindhearted, Bethia. I could have been a killer. I could have raped you in your sleep. Why did you trust me?"

She looked down at her feet, fumbling with a loose thread in her gown. "The same reason you trusted me, I hope. Because I could tell you were a good person."

Caydrick was quiet for a moment, until the pot started to fizzle. He slowly turned back around again, stirring the pot. He sighed. "You are right."

Beth looked up at him, and watched him work again for a minute. "So... Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"How long were you a soldier?"

He sighed again, before replying, "One year as a trainee, two years as a soldier."

"So three years?"

"Yes."

Beth did not ask any further questions, when she could sense he was not thrilled of talking about it. Perhaps there was too many bad memories connected to the subject.

Her mind started to drift, and she could not help but bite her lip, as he stood there shirtless in her kitchen, resting his strong body up against her kitchen table. His body was tense as he quietly stood there, stirring the pot. So strong, yet so fragile inside.

Like her.

Sighing, to get herself distracted from her sinful thoughts, she asked, "Have you given more thoughts to where you might go after tomorrow?"

"No," Caydrick quietly replied. "Maybe I will swim through the canals, to avoid getting seen."

Beth frowned worriedly. "Are you sure you are strong enough for that? You need to think about your wounds." She said and gave him a pointed stare against his chest.

Distractingly, Caydrick ran his hand over his left pec. "I am. Constantly."

It was shameful to admit she found him attractive. Even the slightest movement he made could drive her mad. Right now, for example, all he did was touch his chest, but she could not help but think if that had been her own.

Clearing her throat, as she blushed, she continued, "Well, in any case, I hope you end up somewhere nice."

A thin smiled stretched on his lips. "I hope that too." He then blew the flame out under the stove and grabbed the now golden bread from the oven with his bare hand, before laying it out on the table. "Dinner is ready."