I lie down when I realize Igor isn't coming back soon. I wonder where he is. My body shivers as the day goes and I see it starting to get darker. My body was really beaten up, I hardly have energy for much. Sleeps steals me away.

The next time I wake it is because of some rustling in the room. It takes me a blink to remember everything when I see the massive creature in the middle of the room.

I shake and I clutch the blanket tighter like that will make it get warmer. Igor places a container with burning logs in the middle of the room, a heater.

Last time I saw one of these I was a child visiting a friend from the less opulent part of town. Igor moves around the room; I don't even know what he's doing before he goes out again. In a matter of minutes, the room gets warm, and it stops feeling like there is no roof in this house.

I finally am able to sit up and I hold the blanket on my chest, and I lean on the wall with a pillow to cushion me. I am still sore everywhere and a little tired, but I am also tired of sleeping.

Besides, I think I have finally gathered the courage to ask Igor some questions. When some time passes, I knit my fingers together. I really wish there was a book around here.

Igor walks in with a basin, and he places it on top of the heater. I watch him move around. He then takes his seat and his eyes land on me. This time I don't cower from his gaze, I meet it head on.

I'm figuring I almost died once, if he hates being stared at then with those arms, I'll be dead in moments anyway and out there I'm dead meat anyway, might as well be bold. I choose to hold on to the questions and I engage in the staring contest.

I take him in. He has a form like humans, but he is much larger than any human I've ever seen, taller I think almost 7 feet, plus the tusks that protrude his mouth. He has long black hair that goes past his shoulders. His skin is almost as pale as Shepherd's, and he is still topless. I wonder if he feels cold anyway.

"Who tried to kill you?" his deep voice rings with a rumble unlike I've ever heard. It alone – without seeing the creature – would scare anyone.

But why is he asking me. and why does he look angry? I look away from him. I am not ready to talk about that.

"Aria."

My head snaps to him. He just called my name. I lick my lips and his gaze follows the movement. My lips part at seeing that. I don't know why but that felt like... something. Maybe something significant. But I push all that aside.

I shake my head at him. I don't want to talk about it. And it's not like he's been forthcoming with information too. He hasn't told me anything. Like why he brought me here if he found me at the riverbank and why he saved me and what he plans to do with me.

"Why did you save my life?"

My question looks like it offends him. He tilts his head to me slightly. I don't know what that means. But it looks like a challenge of some sort. I don't know why but I am taking it.

"What were you doing in the river in the middle of the night?"

I don't know why but this excites me a little. He is talking more and more. Maybe I can get him to say more.

"What are you?" I tilt my head to the other direction opposite his a little.

"What were you running from?"

"What are you planning to do with me?"

Silence.

He looks like that question caught him off guard. Like he wasn't expecting it and a little hurt, or maybe he doesn't know the answer himself. The silence stretches for a few minutes.

He finally breaks our contact.

"I won't harm you. You are not a prisoner. You can go back to your kind when you are well." With that he gets up and he leaves. Leaving me with my mouth on the floor. That sounded like he was hurt. Did I hurt him? Was my question offensive?

I feel bad. Here is this creature who took me probably lying there almost dead and he saved my life, gave me medicine and fed me and here I was offending them.

First, I screamed like they were a monster and now I am asking rude questions. Questions like I think he will do something to harm me because of his appearance. That isn't nice of me. I have to do better.

This creature has done nothing but be kind to me. Far kinder than any of my own people have been. Even kinder than my own family and my own husband. It makes me really uncomfortable that I offended them. I have to apologize when he returns.

I wait and wait, and Igor doesn't return. Hours maybe pass until I lie on my side foolishly thinking I will wait on my side and the heater goes cold and sleep steals me away.

Next time I wake, morning light has seeped in the whole room. I am still alone in the room. I wonder where my savior is. I try to get up and I notice its easier today. I see a dress on the bedside table. I take it. It's a little bigger than my size and a little worn out, but it is something.

I wonder where he got it. Or maybe it belongs to his wife. But how could he have a wife when I haven't heard anyone else here. Surely if there was a wife, they would have come check the human too. When I sit on the edge of the bed, I see a basin with water and a cloth. Maybe that's for me to wash. Well, I hope.

I wash my body and I welcome the relief of feeling clean. I keep my hair covered. It needs a lot more water and I need to wash it properly. I wear the dress, all in haste, in case he comes in and finds me naked.

I find that I am able to move without feeling like my body wants to scream at me today. Though I'm still slower but I can move. Whatever was in those leaves is magic. I'll have to ask him what they are.

On top of keeping me from books about learning anything, Shepherd didn't even let me learn medicine. Probably afraid I'd poison him if I knew too much about herbs. How I once loved that man. What a fool was I? Just a foolish child.

I pull the basin to the door. I don't have enough strength to pick it up yet, so I pull it. I open the door and I shiver a little. Today is not as cold as yesterday but it's a bit chilly but I can go outside. I pull the basin out and I stand to collect my breath a bit.

I take outside in. this place is surrounded by all trees. Its like a house just built on a clearing in the middle of the forest. I can't see anything beyond the thick trees. It's just trees. The yard is nice and reasonable and this house.

I take a few steps and I really look at it. I descend the three steps and my feet touch the grass, the sun is out a little and I inhale deeply.

I'm alive. I really lived. I thought I would never wake after the blackness swallowed me and I sank into oblivion. But I guess not yet. I wonder where Igor is. I take a tentative walk. Aware that my husbands' people could show up at any moment as I don't know exactly where I am.

I circle the house and then I decide to venture a little into the woods to look for him. I take a path and I walk a little before I realize what a bad idea this is.

The forest is a little thick, and I will get lost. I walk back. I am met with Igor's angry face when I come into view of the house, he was coming to where I am. Was he looking for me?

"Where did you go?" his tone isn't nice.

"I—I was looking for you." I can't help feeling like a scolded child. Is he mad at me? I don't know but I don't like that he's disappointed in me. He looks at my body over and he lands on my feet.

Then his face softens.

"You are still hurt." He comes to me, and he picks me up. It takes me a few moments for my mind to come back to me.

"Igor, I can walk. Hey." I try to protest in his arms.

"You shouldn't." he grunts then he places me on the porch on my bottom. He wants me to sit.

"I am not a baby. I can take care of myself." I pout

He doesn't look at me. But I see he collected wood. I watch him cut the wood into smaller logs. When he is finished, he takes some in and he uses the other door which is his kitchen.

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