Rhane passed the stalls until he entered the one Beth led him into.
"Help me lift the bag of salt and then move these ones outside," she instructed with a cheerful smile.
The men who were already lifting the bags gave each other a confused glance, wondering why someone else was here to take their work.
"You all can leave for the day. Come back by night for your pay," Beth shooed them away, making sure she was the only one in the shop with Rhane.
Rhane got down to his work. He moved the bags with ease, going back and forth.
Beth sat down, adjusting her body at intervals. "You don't need to do it all now... you can rest and continue later," she suggested.
The shuffling of heavy bags was a blanket for the silence that followed. Rhane was neither looking at her nor even listening.
"I made food from the house. Do you have something you enjoy often?" Beth tried again, searching the young man's face.
Silence.
"Do you always work this hard when you're with Jenna?" Beth asked, her voice slightly raised. She was beginning to get annoyed and impatient.
"What part of the body do you enjoy touching the most?" Beth no longer held back. She stood up and pushed her dress to the side, walking over to Rhane.
When Rhane tried to move, she stood in his way. He moved again, and she did the same.
"Say something to me. Say my name. Say Beth... or even call me master," Beth requested, stretching her hand forward to touch Rhane's chest, but Rhane moved back.
"Why do you look at me like that? It's not how you look at Jenna. I want you to look at me the same way..." She tried to grab his chest, but Rhane hit her hand away.
Beth almost lost her balance. She pinned her hand to her chest. "You... you didn't lose your mind or memory, did you?" Her eyes darted around Rhane's face.
"Is your name even Anne? Either you're tricking Jenna, or Jenna is in it with you!" Beth scowled, flipping her hair to the back.
"If you don't say something, I'm going to scream. You know my father is the chief around here, right? If you don't touch me... I'll tell everyone you were forcing yourself on me! Now, if you love that master of yours... you'll do what I say."
Beth moved her hand again. This time, Rhane didn't move. He let her touch his chest and trace her fingers down his body.
"So tough..." Beth exhaled sharply. The young girl could already imagine how it would feel on her.
"I knew you understood just fine," Beth grinned, closing the distance between them. She moved Rhane's shirt to the side and kissed him, her hand undoing his button.
"What are you doing?"
Beth jerked when she heard Jenna's voice. She quickly moved back and cleared her throat.
"It seems Rhane has learned a little trick. He asked me to kiss his chest," Beth giggled, covering her face with her hands.
"You say he knows nothing, but a man is still a man, don't you agree?"
Jenna stared at Rhane, who was also staring back at her. After he had left with Beth, she was restless. She felt so much guilt for letting him go because she was ashamed of herself. And finding him here right now... like this.
"Anne asked you to?" Jenna repeated what the girl had said.
Beth nodded, a coy smile on her lips. "I was too shy... I mean, Anne, you're such a bad servant." She hit his chest.
Rhane didn't look away from his master, his brows knitting like he was waiting for her to ask him, but Jenna didn't.
"I guess I was worried for nothing," Jenna nodded.
Beth smiled. "No need to worry, Jenna. It's not like I'll suddenly force myself on a man. Hah," she huffed a laugh.
Jenna glanced at Rhane one more time. "I'll be at the stall if he's done." She turned to leave. Jenna's mind was too occupied; she hadn't noticed the man with the wheel dragging a lot of goods.
"Master!" Rhane called almost immediately.
Beth tried to stop him by holding his wrist, but just one shove was enough to have her on the ground, and she winced.
Jenna and Rhane fell to the ground, with Rhane's body breaking the fall.
"Watch it, lady!" The one who had caused the accident barked, sweat trickling down his angry forehead as he pushed his goods forward.
Jenna slowly opened her eyes, which she had closed just before the fall. Seeing that she was on top of the young man, she stood up quickly.
"Are you okay, Master?" Rhane asked worriedly, checking if she was hurt anywhere.
Jenna touched her face. "Stop putting yourself in danger for me," she scolded, trying to stand straight and not look flustered.
Beth, who had regained her balance, stood in front of her stall. She had been begging this same man to speak to her, but with Jenna in danger, he had not only spoken, but his gaze had softened.
The young girl gripped her dress tightly, her eyes on both Jenna and her servant.
"Jenna, here you are. Your goods are being destroyed right now. You should return back," one of the merchants passing by announced to Jenna.
"My goods?" Jenna raised her brows. Her goods were fine just a few seconds ago.
"Yes, those young men... the ones that take money from stall owners. They said you have refused to pay and are in your stall right now."
Jenna forgot about Rhane. She dashed back to her stall, but it was already too late. Even Henri and Percy, who had tried to stop them, were receiving the beating of their lives.
"Next time we come here, we are going to destroy the whole stall. You pay to earn your keep!" The leader of the group warned, his eyes looking dead serious.
Jenna pushed through the crowd. She ran to her servants. "Are you okay? What happened?"
"They destroyed everything, everything. They said we have to pay to remain here," Mabel replied amidst sobs.
The culprits walked around other stalls. People didn't hesitate to pay them after seeing what had been done to Jenna's goods.
"Pay or have ya goods kiss the earth!" The men threatened, showing their weapons to everyone in the crowd.
Rhane was among those in the crowd. He watched his master struggle with what was left of her goods. He slowly looked away. When his eyes fell on one of the ruffians, he tilted his head.
"Anyone wants ta challenge us? Then don't pay for ya keep."
Rhane didn't stay there any longer. He quietly turned and left.
One person had seen Rhane in the crowd, it was Percy. The young man could have sworn he saw Rhane smiling before he left, but he wasn't sure if it was the swelling on his head playing with his eyes or what he had actually seen.