Woodchoppers Secret

Chapter Six | Empathy

"No." He said, straightforward. I nodded my head understanding where he was coming from, I put down the food basket and itch the back of my neck as I rub onto my ears. I tend to do that when I am nervous or mostly upset. It has become a thing of mine that no one notices.

"Understood, well thank you once again for helping me. Good night." I am utterly embarrassed, thinking I would make a sandwich for him in a way of saying thank you, how desperate could I be? I swift my body and begin walking towards the woods, ready to forget all about his man until his voice interrupted me.

"I don't want the Queen ripping my books to shreds, you can read them here instead." He offers, my eyes widen in surprise before I rush towards him wanting to engulf him into a tight hug. Instead, he holds onto my face within arm's reach. "Don't touch me." I chuckle awkwardly nodding my head as he removes his hands.

"Thank you, what is your name?" I ask.

"It doesn't concern you," he lifts the big chunks of wood and throws them into a carrier.

"Okay, then I will call you Axe." I whisper as I go to help him, I lift up one piece of wood and drop down with it.

"I am not a dog to be named." He seethes as he pulls me up on my feet and picks up the log that dragged me down with it, in one hand.

"Well, you are not really giving me your name, so this is the best possible outcome." I say, settling down onto the one of the chopped logs. I watch him throw the logs into the carrier, resting my cheeks into the palm of my hands. "Can you give me the first letter of your name?"

"Are you this bored? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I should but no one would notice I am gone."

"Didn't seem like that earlier on."

"Right, that was a misunderstanding, see the future queen has the same name as me, she went missing and I had to go look for her." I lied. He scoffs as he throws the last bunch of logs into the carrier and covers it with a black blanket. He picks up the rope and wraps it around his fist as he begins dragging it into the forest, I tag along with him and stick by his side.

"Why are you following me?" He noticed.

"Where are you going?"

"To put this in my cabin." He spoke.

"Do you need any help? I can start the fire for you or I could-"

"Go home, and only come if you need to read, that is the only acceptance." I stop walking towards his cabin and nod my head. I did not want to go back to the palace, I would have to force myself to sleep. I like his cabin, it felt so homey and comfortable. My room is just, a design. I am not allowed anything colourful except for golden yellow, white, and that is pretty much it.

"I want to read then, please." He gives up as he flings his door open and pull the carrier in with him, I smile and take it as my invitation to come on in. The moment I do step in however, it was freezing. Is this how commoners sleep? Having to buy logs and-

"Are you going to read or what?" I nod my head as I settle the basket onto the counter of the kitchen, I then turn to see his pile of stacked books besides the fireplace.

"Your home is very dirty," I notice as I rub onto my ears slightly, feeling the urge to clean it. I dislikes dirty homes, I guess because I am so used to my palace being clean, you would not even find a speck of dirt.

"I have no time to clean. I am going to go have a shower, don't touch anything except for the books." I sign my head; he walks past me and enters into another room. I immediately rush to the dishes, grabbing an apron from the cupboards after looking for dish soap and a washer.

I tie the apron around my waist and begin washing the dishes, cleaning them before drying them and placing it into the cupboards. I wipe the counters and sweep the floors which had mud, due to his dirty shoes. I open the door and clank them together, to clear of any dry mud. I leave them outside, where shoes do belong before grabbing the sweeper.

I chuck the pillows back onto the couch with one hand, fixing the coffee table and shoving some wood into the fireplace before lighting it up. Allowing it to heat up the home. I sweep the floors once more and chuck the dirt outside.

I then continue to make him a sand which along with a glass of water, the moment I finish I look up and see Axe shaking his head as he looks around. "What did I say?"

"I know, I just thought you were tired, and I made you something to eat." His soaked curls rolling into baby ones as he pushes his fingers through his hair.

"You expect me to pay you or something?"

"Oh, no not at all."

"What did I say?"

"I just thought-"

"You thought what? That you can just go around cleaning peoples houses without them knowing, I like my things the way they are and I don't need you messing about." He looks around, angrily. I untie the apron from around my waist. "Where are my boots?"

"They're outside-"

"Why? Do you want them to get stolen?" He pushes past me and flings open the door as he grabs the pair of boots and throws them onto the ground.

"No, no, of course not. I just-I thought-" I begin rubbing onto my ears slightly.

"You thought what? You barely know me, I think you should leave, now."

"I did not mean to over stay my welcome-" I feel my body hair slightly forming to the sky, Goosebumps arriving all over my forearms. I do not understand why he was having such a fit over the fact I cleaned, I thought he would be relieved since all he has to do now is rest.

"Well, you did, now get out and don't come back, ever. Why did you put the fire on?"

"It was cold and you were having a shower so I did not want you to catch a cold,"

"My mother died ages ago, stop acting like her and leave." My lips were quivering, I fold his apron and rest it onto the counter as I grab the basket.

"I do sincerely apologise, if I offended you in any way-"

"Leave." I walk past him, feeling a brush of tears slide down my cheeks as I rush out into the night. I hurry my walk and accidentally drop my necklace onto the ground but did not want to stop so I continued strolling down the woods. Passing the tree that looks like a watermelon and back to the Palace. Where I belong.