Allure Of The Witch

Was She Unmarried?

A girl lay sleeping on the bed, her long red hair fanned out like a vivid sunset across the pillow. The soft strands glistened in the dim light, creating an almost ethereal glow around her. Her pink lips formed a small pout, as if she was slightly upset about something even in her dreams.

As he looked at the figure, something flickered in his eyes. Something that he himself couldn't decipher. 

The figure moved again restlessly and now had her back to him. 

Rayan looked away realizing that he had been staring. That was unusual of him.

He looked around the hut, which was sparsely furnished, devoid of any unnecessary decorations or comforts. There was no other room, no one else in sight.

Rayan frowned, a thousand questions swirling in his mind. Who had brought him here? He couldn't remember how he had ended up in this secluded place, and the lack of answers gnawed at him.

With no one around to satisfy his curiosity, he made his way to the only window of the hut. He peered outside, and his frown deepened. The weather looked menacing, but it was more than just the clouds overhead that unsettled him. 

The stark realization hit him.

The hut was completely isolated. Where exactly was he?

After a moment of fruitless pondering, he returned to the wooden board where he had been resting. Weakness was settling into his bones, and the pain in his chest began to throb more insistently, a cruel reminder of his current state.

Rayan leaned his elbow on his forehead, surrendering to fatigue. He decided to rest for a bit longer, planning to question the girl when she woke up. He needed answers—he needed to understand what had happened before he could figure out how to return to his people.

Just as he began to drift into sleep, a light touch on his arm jolted him awake.

Instinct took over. Years of training as a martial artist had instilled in him a reflex to resist any unseen touch, as it could belong to an enemy. Without thinking, Rayan twisted the person's hand behind his back and flipped their positions, pinning him down with a sudden, swift motion.

"Ah!"

A scream filled with fear sounded inside the hut. 

A pair of brown eyes, wide with shock stared back at Rayan.

Rayan's expression was hard and cold, his gaze steely and emotionless. He felt the rush of adrenaline surging through him, his body poised for combat. His other hand instinctively moved toward the person's neck, ready to defend himself from a perceived threat.

Aria trembled beneath his gaze, her fear palpable in the tense air.

Eventually he recognized her as the girl he had seen before drifting off to sleep. 

And hence, he eased his grip slightly. Slowly, he released her, and she seized the opportunity to scramble away, retreating to the most far corner of the room. Caution clouded her eyes as she cradled her wrist that hurt from how he had twisted it.

Rayan rubbed his face with his hand. His rigid body relaxed slowly and his wound started hurting again because of all the movements he made just now. However, ignoring the pain, he looked at the other person present.

Seeing her trembling form and fear filled eyes, Rayan cursed himself under his breath.

'You bastard...'

That was not how a knight was supposed to behave.

He collected himself, determined to reassure her.