𝑷𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔

𝐍𝐎𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 📯

As I took a deep breath, I pushed the fear aside and steeled myself. I couldn't ignore the pull he had on my heart, no matter the risk. But as I moved toward the edge of the city, the shadows deepened around me, mirroring the turmoil inside. Memories of Hector flooded my mind, reminding me of his promise to protect me. Yet his words from the night before echoed with haunting clarity: "Your purity must be protected." I scoffed at the notion. I was not some delicate flower to be shielded from the world; I was a woman who had faced death and emerged stronger. Slipping through the narrow alleyways, the weight of his protectiveness settled on my shoulders like an unwanted cloak. The tension between us had shifted, morphing from admiration to something far more suffocating. He was no longer the man I remembered; he had become a figure of authority, treating me as a possession rather than the person I aspired to be. But then I thought of Achilles—his fierce gaze and the passion that radiated from him like fire. He saw me for who I truly was, not a pawn in some political game but as an equal.

Just as I rounded a corner, my thoughts were interrupted by footsteps echoing off the cobblestones. I turned to see Hector emerging from the shadows, his expression serious. "Sabryna," he called, his voice smooth yet heavy with unspoken words.

I halted, my heart racing. "What do you want, Hector?" I snapped, anger rising within me like a tempest.

His brow furrowed, and concern etched deep lines across his face. "I want to make sure you are safe. You cannot wander off into the night, especially not after what you've endured."

"Endured?" I echoed, incredulous. "You think I'm some fragile thing that needs your protection? I can make my own choices!"

"Your choices can lead you into danger, Sabryna," he countered, stepping closer, his intensity almost suffocating. "Achilles is not who you think he is. He's a warrior with a dangerous reputation. You need to be careful."

"Careful?" I laughed bitterly, disbelief thickening my voice. "You think I don't know danger? I've faced more than you can imagine, Hector. I survived for months, and I won't let your mistrust cage me now."

His expression shifted from concern to frustration, the tension tightening around his jaw. "This isn't just about you; it's about Troy. We cannot afford to lose you again."

"Maybe I don't want to be part of your plans anymore," I said, my voice barely above a whisper but laced with conviction. "Maybe I want to choose my own fate."

He stepped back, hurt flickering in his eyes. "You think that's what I want? To keep you from making choices? I want you safe—"

"But I am not a prize to be kept on a shelf!" I shouted, my anger spilling over. "I will not let you dictate my life, Hector! You've lost sight of who I am."

The silence hung between us like a chasm, my heart twisting painfully. The warmth of his concern felt like chains rather than comfort. The weight of his expectations bore down on me, stifling my breath.

"Do you think I don't care for you?" His voice softened, vulnerability breaking through his stern facade. "I want to protect you from pain, Sabryna. The world out there...it's dangerous. You're too precious to me to lose again."

"Then let me choose my own path!" I cried, my voice echoing off the stone walls. "You have no right to dictate what is safe or what is not. If I choose to face danger, it's my decision, not yours."

He stepped forward, closing the distance between us, his gaze searching mine. "And if I lose you?" he murmured, the raw emotion in his voice igniting a flicker of doubt in my heart. "What if this is the last chance I have to keep you safe?"

In that moment, the air around us thickened, charged with unspoken feelings and the weight of our shared past. I could see the pain etched in his features, the battle raging behind his eyes. "I cannot stand by and watch you make a mistake," he said, desperation creeping into his tone. "You don't know what you're getting into."

"Maybe I do," I shot back, desperation rising in my voice. "I've seen things you cannot imagine. I am not the same girl you once knew, Hector. I am stronger than you think."

His hands trembled slightly as he reached for me, his fingers brushing against my arm. "Then why do you resist me?" His gaze locked onto mine, a storm of emotions swirling within him—fear, longing, frustration. "I want to protect you, but you make it so hard."

The intensity of his stare sent shivers down my spine. I could feel my resolve wavering, torn between the desire for freedom and the warmth of his concern. "You think you're protecting me by suffocating me?" I whispered, tears pricking the corners of my eyes.

"I just want you to understand..." he began, his voice breaking slightly. "I can't bear the thought of losing you again."

With a sudden, fierce determination, he closed the distance between us, pulling me into his arms. His lips met mine, and the world around us faded. In that moment, the heat of his passion ignited something deep within me—a tempest of emotions that I could no longer contain. I felt the weight of our shared past, the connection we had forged through pain and longing, enveloping us in a whirlwind of desire. But just as quickly as it began, he let me go, stepping back with a pained expression that mirrored my own. The warmth of his touch lingered on my skin, and the ache in my chest intensified, caught between longing and the harsh reality of our situation.

"Sabryna," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper. "I cannot lose you."

The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken feelings and the weight of what lay ahead. "Promise me you'll be careful," he pleaded, his vulnerability laid bare before me.

"I promise," I replied, my heart aching with the weight of our unsteady connection. "But I have to go."

With that, I turned on my heel, determined to shake off the shackles of his concern. As I continued my journey, I could feel his gaze burning into my back. The ache in my chest felt more like longing than anger now, but I refused to look back.