Ruth: Reimagined

Eyes

🍁🍁🍁
Eyes
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One moment she was dancing, leaving the audience hushed in awe, leaving him mesmerized, the next she was smiling, a gleam in her dark eyes, as she bowed, then she froze, started walking, until it developed into a run.

Mahlon's stomach fluttered as a chuckle poured out of him. She left the crowd in a daze of confusion, as she ran, her anklets jingled behind her every step, the guards tried to stop her, the King himself even called out to her, confused, but she was a woman on a mission.

The laugh died in his throat when he saw the woman running towards him, his heart dropped to his stomach when she collided into him, almost falling over, if he hadn't steadied her in his arms.

When their eyes locked, it felt like it lasted longer than a second, his mouth went parched. She was so, so beautiful.

The fairest of them all.

"Why are you running, milady?"

She withdrew from his hold and ran, past him, past the stairs, towards the open doors.

He turned, and that was the moment the guards came, running towards him. There were about six of them.

"Where did that woman go?" They asked, breathless.

A thoughtful pause ensued for Mahlon.

"Quickly, she headed up the stairs and made a left turn." Mahlon pointed, and the guards were off, running up the stairs.

Mahlon stood indecisive and dazed. Behind him, the wind blew in powerful waves past the doors the woman had ran past.

Slowly, without a thought, he turned and walked to where he saw her running. Her eyes, the image of them stayed engraved in his mind, the way she had danced, left him shaken. When he stepped out into the night, the moon's light met his skin, and the silence left him questioning himself.

There were five possible routes she could have taken. It was unlikely that he'd ever see the woman again. Even if he did, what would he say.

Think logically about this Mahlon, he chastised himself, trying to get back into his senses.

"I should go home."

He looked back at the palace, one more time before leaving, walking down the fourth trail, one he was certain he came using.

~🍁~

Mahlon rubbed his eyes, trying to adjust to the thick darkness. He could barely see a thing, except when he looked up at the sky with the stars encompassing the heavens. He had walked past the same maple bush eight times.

He was exhausted, and everything looked the same.

He hadn't bumped into a person since the banquet. He could feel foreign anxiety coiling around his stomach.

His mother was worried about him.

It felt like he was going in circles.

When he passed by the maple bush for the ninth time, he groaned, cursing out into the night. He tried to retrace his steps, to remember the route but nothing.