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Chapter 33: A slave forever?

As they rounded a corner, the path opened up to a small clearing where two familiar figures were gathering firewood. Zafron\'s heart skipped a beat as he recognized the twins from the previous night.

\'Oh no,\' he thought, tension creeping into his muscles. \'What if they say something about last night?\'

To his surprise, Matilda\'s face lit up with recognition. "Ah, Giselle! Vivienne! How lovely to see you both," she called out, her voice warm and welcoming.

The twins looked up, their faces breaking into identical smiles. "Mistress Matilda!" they chorused, quickly setting down their bundles of wood and curtsying respectfully.

\'They know each other?\' Zafron marveled, glancing between Matilda and the twins.

"Girls, how is your mother? I hope she\'s feeling better," Matilda inquired, genuine concern in her voice.

Giselle nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes, Mistress. The tonic you sent over worked wonders. She\'s almost back to her old self."

As the conversation continued, Zafron couldn\'t help but notice Giselle and Vivienne stealing glances at him. Their eyes would meet his, then quickly dart away, a forced smile plastered on their faces as they pretended this was their first encounter.

\'They\'re acting like they don\'t know me,\' Zafron realized, a mix of confusion and relief washing over him. \'But why?\'

"Oh, where are my manners?" Matilda said suddenly, turning to Zafron with a smile. "This is Zafron, my new... assistant. Zafron, these are the twins, Giselle and Vivienne."

Zafron bowed slightly, playing along with the charade. "It\'s a pleasure to meet you both," he said, his voice steady despite his inner turmoil.

The twins curtsied again, their movements perfectly synchronized. "Welcome to the village, Zafron," they said in unison, their voices overly bright.

\'This is bizarre,\' Zafron thought. \'Last night they were spying on me, and now they\'re pretending we\'ve never met. What game are they playing?\'

As the conversation wound down, Matilda bid the twins farewell, her hand once again finding its place on Zafron\'s elbow as they continued their walk.

"Such lovely girls," Matilda commented as they moved out of earshot. "Their family has served this community for generations. It\'s important to me that everyone here feels valued and respected, regardless of their station."

Zafron nodded, his mind still whirling from the encounter. "That\'s very admirable, Mistress," he said sincerely.

As they continued their stroll, the encounter with Giselle and Vivienne lingered in Zafron\'s mind. He marveled at the way Mistress Matilda had interacted with them, her kindness and genuine interest in their well-being evident in every word and gesture.

"Mistress," Zafron began, his voice soft with admiration, "I must say, I envy how effortlessly kind you are to everyone. The way people respond to you, the love and respect they show... it\'s truly remarkable."

Matilda smiled, a hint of color rising to her cheeks. "That\'s very sweet of you to say, Zafron."

"I mean it," he continued earnestly. "If I ever become a man of means, I hope I can be just like you. Treating everyone with such equality and compassion, regardless of their station."

Suddenly, Matilda stopped in her tracks, her hand slipping from Zafron\'s elbow. She turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "And what if you did have all the money in the world, Zafron? What then?"

Zafron opened his mouth to respond, but Matilda held up a hand, silencing him. "No, let me rephrase that. What would happen to me if you suddenly had all the money in the world?"

The question caught Zafron off guard. He blinked, trying to process her words and the strange intensity behind them.

\'Wait a minute,\' he thought, a chill running down his spine. \'Is she implying... does she want me to be her servant for the rest of my life?\'

The thought was unsettling, to say the least. Zafron had been grateful for Matilda\'s kindness and protection, but he had never considered that it might come with such strings attached.

Before he could formulate a response, Matilda turned on her heel and continued walking, her earlier grace replaced by quick, agitated steps. The sudden shift in her demeanor was jarring, leaving Zafron scrambling to keep up.

\'What just happened?\' he wondered, his mind racing. \'One moment we were having a pleasant conversation, and the next... it\'s like I\'ve offended her somehow.\'

As they approached the garden, the tension between them was palpable. Matilda\'s shoulders were rigid, her gaze fixed straight ahead as if Zafron had ceased to exist.

\'I can\'t let this continue,\' Zafron thought desperately. \'She\'s risked so much for me. I need to fix this, but how?\'

The garden came into view, a riot of colors and fragrances that would typically invite relaxation and joy. But at that moment, it felt more like a battleground to Zafron, a place where he needed to make things right or risk losing the only ally he had in this strange new world.

\'Think, Zafron, think!\' he urged himself. \'What can I say to quell her anger? To show her that I\'m not... what? Ungrateful? Ambitious? What exactly is she afraid of?\'

As they entered the garden, Zafron made a decision. He couldn\'t continue this uncomfortable silence any longer. Taking a deep breath, he spoke up.

"Mistress Matilda," he began, his voice steady despite his inner turmoil. "I fear I\'ve upset you, though I\'m not entirely sure how. Please, allow me to clarify my earlier words."

Matilda paused, turning to face him with an expression that was equal parts wary and curious. Encouraged by her attention, Zafron continued.

"When I spoke of aspiring to be like you if I ever became wealthy, it wasn\'t out of a desire for power or status. It was because I admire the way you use your position to help others, to make the world around you a little bit brighter."

He took a step closer, his eyes earnest. "As for what would happen to you if I suddenly had all the money in the world... well, I hope nothing would change between us. Except perhaps that I\'d finally be able to repay some of the kindness you\'ve shown me."

Matilda\'s expression softened slightly, but there was still a guarded look in her eyes. "And your position here? Would you still want to... stay?"

The question hung in the air between them, heavy with unspoken implications. Zafron realized that this was the crux of the matter. Matilda wasn\'t just his protector; she was also, in some way, afraid of losing him.

"Mistress," Zafron said softly, "my gratitude and loyalty to you aren\'t dependent on my circumstances. Rich or poor, I would always want to be by your side, helping in whatever way I can. Not out of obligation, but out of choice."

He paused, gathering his courage before adding, "You\'ve given me more than just shelter and protection. You\'ve given me a place where I feel I belong. No amount of money could replace that."

As the words left his mouth, Zafron realized how true they were. Despite the mysteries and tensions surrounding his position, despite the strange dynamics of this society, being with Matilda felt right in a way he couldn\'t fully explain.

Matilda\'s eyes widened slightly, a mix of emotions flitting across her face. For a moment, Zafron feared he had said too much, revealed too much of his own confused feelings. But then, slowly, a smile began to spread across Matilda\'s face, like sunshine breaking through clouds.

"Oh, Zafron," she said, her voice warm once more. "I\'m sorry for my behavior. I shouldn\'t have let my fears get the better of me. It\'s just... you\'re very special, you know. Not just because of who you are, but because of who you could be. I suppose I was afraid of losing that potential... of losing you."

She reached out, taking his hand in hers. "Thank you for your honesty. And for reminding me why I brought you here in the first place. You have a good heart, Zafron. Never lose that, no matter what the future holds."

As they stood there in the garden, hands clasped and an understanding reached, Zafron felt a weight lift from his shoulders.