Destined to the Traveler

09

I had just finished planting a new batch of tea seeds into the moist soil after yesterday's rainy evening. My beige dress, along with my arms was spattered with brown mud. I went to the nearby stream and washed the skin that was exposed and dirty, as I looked out to the horizon.

I could hear the whooshing sound of the waterfall and its view on the peak of the hill. Before meeting him it was just a waterfall, another body of water that was along my path. Now it held a different meaning, one I still couldn't decipher.

Wiping my hands on my already ruined dress, I began gathering my gardening tools and heading to my cottage. It was only the afternoon, but the beating sun on my back after a morning of hard labour was exhausting.

I ate a piece of my fruit cake from a week ago on my porch, not wanting to dirty my home but too hungry to bathe and change out of this dress. I saw Athens from my peripheral vision as he sat by my side.

"I don't have any fish today buddy."

He simply purred, while rubbing his head on my thigh. I petted his head and enjoyed the break. I felt the cougar move as his muscles tensed. His head was focused to the left, as he stared at something that I couldn't see with my human vision.

"What is it Athens?"

I said as I got the sword that the men left behind. I knew there was some risk o saving a King and keeping him as his guest, especially from the people that intended to murder him.

"Who's there?"

I called. There was the possibility it can be an animal, as I did live in the forest, but it felt different. If it was a prey it would have run off after smelling Athens and if it was a predator Athens would have attacked it ages ago.

Wolves were pretty common in the forest, but I never encountered them face to face. The more I thought about it, the more anxious I became.

A large silhouette emerged from the trees with his arms up in the air in surrender. Athens growled lightly, only for myself to hear, as my hold on the weapon tightened.

Coming a bit closer, I froze at the face that stared back at me. He was conscious, unmarred, composed, and stood strong as he looked back at me. He glanced a quick look at the cougar, then back at me.

"Athens it's fine."
I confirmed, still unsure if the friendly cat understood some of the human languages. I petted him in reassurance and dropped my weapon. Athens sent a look my way before running to blend with the brown of the tree barks.

My head and focus shifted back to the man who invaded my thoughts since I first saw him. He walked closer and we were just six feet away from each other.

"Adrianus?"

I gasped out, still surprised by his presence and half convinced that I overworked myself to hallucination. His lips curved up into a smirk and my eyes snapped to his own.

I realized he was a King and I just addressed him by a nickname. We might have talked and I might have saved his life, but he was a King nonetheless.

"I apologize, I-I mean your majesty."

I blabbered out like a fool. I most definitely knew that I looked like a mess after a day of gardening and now I acted like a fool.

A chuckle escaped his lips and I felt mesmerized once again. He walked closer until I had to bend my head up to see into his crystal blue eyes, which stood in contrast to his bronze skin.

He leaned down to my ear and whispered as I closed my eyes on their own accord.

"I believe I clarified that you call Adri or your personal nickname for me, Shouwang, Enkeli."