Innocent

~11~Xki

When I returned to the camp Azalea was wearing new clothes and some of my soldiers look very pleased with themselves. I send them questioning glances but they just wave me off. I walk towards Azalea and send her a sympathetic smile, she doesn't acknowledge me at all.

"What's going on?" I snap my fingers in front of her face to break her out of her trans.

She snarls at me, "What the fuck do you want?" 

"Are you always like this while traveling?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"I've only traveled when I was younger, I wouldn't know." she glares at me, "Why are you still here?"

I chuckle at her words, "You're the one in shackles and you're getting angry at me for being in my camp?" she shakes her head, "So, what is it then?"

"I just need sleep," she repositions herself.

I gape, "What the fuck happened to you?" I say looking to her then pointing to the blood on the tree.

"Can I ask you a question?" I nod, "Have you ever heard of the female anatomy?" I nod, "Do you know the differences between male and female anatomy?" I nod, "Are you aware of what happens to us females every other month that happens to only females?"

"Oh, shit!" I cover my mouth with my hand.

"What?" she continues to glare at me.

I stare at the blood, "W-we don't have anything for t-that," I say pointing to the blood, "I mean we planned for a man." she raises an eyebrow.

"And you point is?" she motions for me to continue.

"Do you need anything for t-that?"

She scoffs, "This," she says make a gesture at her body, "Has a name. Do I need to teach you a lesson? You know what never mind." she pauses, "You know what I need? I need for you to walk over there and leave me and my bleeding vagina alone, ok?" I wince.

"Listen, I'm constantly surrounded by men and the only female friend I've had was when I was like seven, I don't know about this kind of shit. I've heard that it causes cramps, is there anything that can help with that?" I sit down in front of her.

Her eyes soften ever so slightly, "Just warm water." I stand to go and retrieve some warm water when she clears her throat, "And Xki?" I turn and nod at her, she clears her throat again, "My thanks to you." she looks as if it physically pained her to get those words out.

~~~

The next day we move forward and Azalea teaches me more about the Arabic culture. She is still very stiff around anyone, that was to be expected. 

We spent our day walking and she looks weaker with each mile we travel. I try and get her to take breaks, she never listens. She barely even eats, she just says that she's used to eating less. Azalea is literally the definition of stubborn.

"Do you like to sing?" I ask in a poor attempt to make conversation.

"I used to, when I was a child." she just looks at her muddy feet.

I keep looking ahead, "Why not anymore?"

"I grew up, you know a sliver of my story, you know that I was never show weakness, and you know I was never a child." I glance back at her.

"Why would they make a woman as powerful as you?" it's a question I've been wondering for a while.

"People underestimate woman. You thought I was a man, you can see how helpful it can truly be. And because well, my father had a child at his disposal, after my mother's death that is." she looks up at me.

Her father is an awful man, I hope he's dead, "Why would your father torture you? That's not very fatherly."

She laughs but it's empty, "You don't know my father. He likes to break things, after they're broken he like to shatter them even smaller, after they're shatter he likes to throw them in the fire to mold them to his liking." she looks as if lost in a memory, "When I was younger, my father would have me cut myself with the blades I sharpened, you know just to make sure they can cut through flesh when needed." her gaze looks distant now, "He also said that each blade I sharpened was put into a collection. He hid the collection in the castle somewhere along with the clothing of a true warrior." she says the last two words mockingly, "He gave me a riddle to solve, told me that I would find the hidden place when I came of age to understand the riddle." she looks straight at me, "Little did my father know that my mother was in fact extremely smart and taught me everything she knew. He gave me the riddle, I solved it almost immediately, he doesn't know that I know where this place is." she smiles at that.

"I can't help but notice that you use present tense when speaking about him, is he alive?" she nods, "How do you know?"

"Believe me, I'd know if my father was dead." she smirks.

He must be high ranking if she would know if he is alive or not after eight years, "What's his ranking?"

"High." is all she says.

"A specific title?" I pry.

She pouts, "That would take away all the fun and you know how much I love to have fun." A twisted smile finds its way across her face.

~~~

I am becoming honestly worried for Azalea. Each day her face gets more and more pale. Her beautiful tan skin is now a ghostly off white, it's scary to look at her. Her body is getting more frail but she stills says nothing. We still have to travel for three more weeks and I don't think that she'll make it back. 

Every time I question her about her appearance she just ignores me and looks away. She never really talked that much, now she almost never speaks. 

Yesterday I saw her throw up the small amount of food she had eaten, she caught me staring, glared, sat down, and slept until me had to get up again.

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A/N

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