White And Empty
He stepped forward, ignoring her retreat, and held her bare arms with some force. Her inhalation was soft, but he was listening for it, her every expression was like a treasure in this moment.
"You are planning to give your life to save your family again? I do not understand whether you are brave or a fool!" her lips quirked softly, the shadow at the corner of her lips that suggested she bit the inside of her cheek.
Two years ago he had devoted himself to study of her, collecting her every look, her smallest habits and gestures, as miraculous clues. As if she was his world, the great Elara Morning star.
In that moment, he knew that she had come with the objective of sacrifice as if she was nothing but a pawn that was needed to save her family. The idea had struck him hard years ago. It made no other effect today but a rage boiling in his chest.
"You want those proofs, I am willing to give them. Why are you hesitating?" she asked again when he did not reply. His eyes watching her, the curve of her lips, the freedom she felt in sacrificing herself, he would never feel that in anything he had done.
How a woman much weaker to him had the power to feel liberated while he felt nothing but chained by the rules of the empire and by her gaze. Did his touch leave no impact on her or she was ignoring it for her assumed greater good?
"Tell me what proof do you have then? I will think about it after seeing if they are valuable or not." she nodded, as if she was already prepared for his doubts. If only she knew, he had never doubted her intentions or actions. He had always been afraid of them.
She took away her hands from his grip and took out a parchment from her bosom. It smelled like her. He ignored the fact and tried to read it. All his attention was on the parchment when he heard rustling of trees and frowned.
He would have believed that it was a reptile or an animal. Perhaps he did not know but the bees are able to make such a sound. But when he saw her expressions changing, he knew that was not the case.
"You tricked me." were the last words she heard before he held her and pushed her to the ground. Before she could understand a large arrow came flying to their direction. It would have stabbed his back but it landed on the tree on the other side since he had already pulled her to the ground.
The shock registers before she could feel his hatred seeping into his bones.
He whirls around and slink into a defensive position. She did not remember when he had taken the sword out. Another arrow came flying and this time he was prepared. He cut the arrow with his sword as if it was made of butter.
Her eyes had widneed now. Six men had surrounded them. She didn't notice them coming. But they smiled at her as if they had known her all their life.
"We will handle him from here, my lady. You have done your part." they nodded at her with a curve of smile. Her eyes widened.
"Ha! So it was true." he did not wait for her reply. Perhaps he never needed it. And he did not have time for it because they had already launched on him.
He fought back and she took a step back shocked. A symphony of cries echoed in the air as he fought with them and a jolt of electricity started to run in her nerves.
She threw out her hands freely and bent to pick up a dagger fallen on the ground during the fight. Holding it tightly, she felt the curves of the weapon.
It had felt like ages since she had last held one. Lenhart had given one to her when she had told him that she wanted to learn using it. He was the first man who did not laugh at the idea.
But did he even need her help? They were six but they were tumbling over each other on the ground as if they were nothing but the rugged piece of toys who hold no weight or strength. He was going to win with ease.
But just as she was sure she did not need to use that dagger, she felt someone moving in the shadows and noticed five more men coming for him. One of them is already aiming an arrow toward len. Without thinking twice, she aimed the dagger and hit his shoulders.
Her aim was not that better now. The dagger hit the chest instead but it helped the goal.
His bow fell on the ground and he creamed in agony. The sound was enough for Len to notice more men. He gritted his teeth like a beast. He tore the arm of the man with his bare hands.
Elara closed her eyes at once at the beastly act. Her pulse was growing but she bent and picked up a sword this time.
She never got the time and freedom to learn this one. Today would not be the right time but she could not find more daggers.
"You are going to stay here." he warned her before she could take another step. The darkness in his voice struck her herd but as if it was not enough, he slowly added,
"You would be the last one I would deal with. And trust me Elara, it is not going to end well." With that, he threw the parchment she had given to him. Her frown grew deeper? He did not need it anymore?
The parchment she had collected from her husband's study. It took a great deal of effort to steal it. But when she opened it… her face matched the parchment. Both ate white and empty!