When Fire meets Earth เมื่อไฟพบดิน

Arya was consistently checking on Thornin, he was asleep now. She constantly wiped his body and checked on his wrappings.

The door opened, it was Pim.

"Arya, I am so sorry." she said as she sat beside Arya.

"It's okay, stop blaming yourself."

"How will I not do that? If only the Lady hadn't seen me bringing you food, all of these could have been avoided."

"It's okay Pim, stop blaming yourself." Arya scolded her.

"I can't believe Master Akkhi would do something like this." Pim said angrily.

"Neither can I, I know he was mean sometimes and I saw how he treated Thornin the few times I saw him at college but I didn't know he was this evil. Thornin's back was completely destroyed."

"What he did today was so bad, the guards said he made offensive jokes about you and Thornin got angry."

Arya wiped away her tears. "He shouldn't have, worse have been said about me. I don't really care anymore about such stuff."

"The fact such things were said about you doesn't mean it's okay. Thornin was right to defend you."

"I just hope he gets better."

"He will get better, luckily Lord Adisorn came back today and he was able to get treatment quickly."

"Lord Adisorn surprised me, he personally took off Thornin clothes and cleaned his injuries." Arya observed.

Pim smiled. "Lord Adisorn is a just man, he cares for all of us but especially for Thornin. When he is home, the lady and Master Akkhi do not do anything to Thornin. He really likes him a lot."

There was a knock on the door.

"Could that be the doctor's assistant?" Arya asked.

"Come in." Pim spoke.

The door opened and Phayu and Nam came inside.

Pim stood up, "Master Phayu, Master Nam."

Arya stood up as well. "it's okay, sit down, the both of you." Phayu told them.

Arya and Pim went back to their former positions.

"How is he doing?" Phayu asked.

"He is currently sleeping. The doctor gave him a sleeping medication." Arya replied.

"Well, we just wanted to check on Thornin. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask, okay?"

"Yes, thank you." Arya appreciated them.

The brothers left.

"That was kind of them." Arya observed.

"They are probably trying to get in their father's good books. Lord Adisorn is very angry." Pim replied.

Arya went back to caring for Thornin. "I just hope he gets better soon."

"He will." Pim assured her.

Pim stayed with her for a while and left. And then it was just Arya and Thornin.

Early in the morning, Thornin woke up.

"Arya." he called out to her.

"Yes, I am here" she told him holding onto his hand.

"What happened?" he croaked out.

"You were whipped and became unconscious. Lord Adisorn sent for the doctor to take care of you." she informed him.

Thornin reached out and wiped her tears away.

"Why are you crying? Did anything happen to you?"

She glared at him through her tears.

"Something happened to you, that's why I am crying"

"Arya, you were almost hanged and you didn't cry. Why should this make you cry?" Thornin asked her gently.

"Because you were hurt for defending me. Don't do that again Thornin, I was so scared"

"I am sorry, I won't make you feel scared again. I am sorry." Thornin tried to console her.

"I will call the doctor assistant to check on you now." she tried to stand up but he pulled her back.

"Wait...stay with me for a while." he told her.

She nodded and sat down back, holding his hand.

They stayed like this for a while until the doctors assistant came in on his own.

He changed Thornin's wrappings and told Arya to get him food.

Arya went to the kitchen and got him food.

After Thornin managed to eat a little with her encouragement. He was given another dose of the sleeping medicine and he slept off again.

....

DHARAVATI COLLEGE

Today was Wanna's first day back at school after the whole incident and she was a bit nervous.

Saran held her hand. "it's okay, remember I am here for you." he assured her.

She freed herself from him.

"We shouldn't show so much affection in public." she told him.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Saran, you know why."

"I really don't. Wanna, we are together, why can't we show affection in public?"

"what will people think? That I am with Arya's ex fiance after she almost died?"

"Why do you care so much about Arya. She obviously didn't care about you when she was stabbing you. You almost died Wanna."

"i betrayed her, we betrayed her. We pushed her to that."

Saran looked at her in disbelief. "I can't believe you."

"Hey Wanna, welcome back." someone said in a chirpy voice. It was Yui. She had been an acquaintance of Arya, they had been in the same social circle. Previously Yui liked to pretend that Wanna didn't exist.

"Hello Yui." Wanna replied.

Yui hugged her tightly. "Oh my poor Wanna, I am so happy that you are okay. We were all so scared."

"Thanks for your concern."

Yui held her hand, "Come on, let's go sit down." she told her.

Yui led Wanna to a table in the courtyard and Saran followed.

Yui sat down, pulling Wanna to sit beside her while Saran sat beside her.

Wanna remembered how Yui and the other girls didn't let her sit here and Arya had left the table entirely. The three of them had sat on their own. Guilt choked her.

"So Wanna, I want you to know that we are here for you," Yui told her.

"Thanks everyone, I really appreciate this."

"I never thought Arya could be so evil, and she showed no remorse. I was so happy that she would be hanged and you would be free of her. And then she was saved by that servant." Another friend said in distaste.

"You mean that lackey that used to follow Akkhi like a stray dog when he was here. I hear Akkhi has been dealing with him." someone else chimed in.

"Dealing with him? How?" Yui asked.

"Yesterday, Akkhi whipped him till he lost consciousness. And Arya herself was also beaten by Lady Amara." the person replied.

The table was filled with excitement. "How did you know this?" Wanna asked.

"Servants gossip, my servant told me this morning."

"Well serves them both right, Arya is a criminal and should be treated as such. She probably went there to act all high and mighty and as for the servant, he deserves more for saving a criminal and obstructing justice." Saran said.

The table agreed with him.

As for Wanna, she bit her lip and remained quiet.