Behind My Blue Eyes

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Helping

“Your majesty I’m sorry but I can’t do that.”  My voice faltered a bit.  How on earth did this just happen to me?  I knew my eyes were wide the whole time.  They normally where in pressuring situations like this one.  

He simply looked at me as if I was speaking dutch.

“I believe what she means is that you do not know anything or this girls origins or her place.”  The Water demon with the beautiful face work said aiding me in helping the high handed aristocrat understand why I was refusing. 

“Hmmm,”  was all he said. 

Xander in the mean while was just standing slightly behind but next to his father, sizing me up.  My grandfather still had a few inches to grow from looking at him now and comparing him the mental image I had of him.   Iola had said I was the same age as his son, so this must be the teenage version of Xander. Wow, who got the meet their teenaged grandparents? Lucky me it seems.

“Lizaek you have a point but I have the feeling that her parents or whoever control her will not be in the way of this plan of mine.”  He said all the while looking down at me.  These people had a nice way of making me feel short.

“Your majesty, if you approve, may I get the girl back to her guardian and seek permission there on your behalf?”  Rae put his hand on my shoulder as he spoke.  I realised that he was my way of getting away from here. 

Xander scoffed.  “Sure trust him with a female.”

I couldn’t help the worried look that crossed my face.  I was out of my element and very uncomfortable with these people.  What did Xander mean by those words?

“She will be safe with me.” Rae’s eyes hardened as he looked at the prince.  “No need to worry my liege.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?”  I said finally tired of being talked over.  It was somewhat irritating to have people talking about you when you’re standing right there.  “I’m travelling on my way through this city and my parents left my care to my guardian, whom I lost sight of when my night-crawler went chasing a cat and the ogre attacked.”

They all looked at my gravely for a few seconds then Iola turned and looked to Rae, “See to it that she makes it back to her guardian and make the request on my behalf.”  Then he turned and walked away with his son trailing behind him. 

I felt my frame relax and deflate with the whoosh of relief that came to me.  I hadn’t realised I was so tense.  They were letting me go back to Michael. I was sure he would know what to do.  Kelan leapt from my arms, which had started to tremble trying to hold him, and onto the ground around my feet. 

“Come along.” Rae said gently grasping my forearm and leading me away from the gathering outside of the tent. When we reached almost 50 yards away he stopped.  “Were you staying anywhere?”

“Yes, I think it was called The Blue Silky.”  I shifted my weight from one foot to another.  I saw him glance down at Kelan then look back to me, directly in my eyes. His eyes were amethyst I noticed for the first time. A beautiful purple hue that I liked. 

“Why do you look at me with your blue orbs like that?”  He asked still locking his gaze with mine. 

The question startled me a little.  “What do you mean?”

“You look at me as if you’re scared I’ll bite you.”  He finally looked away towards the path to the side of us.

“I didn’t realise that.”  I said holding onto my right elbow with my left hand.

He shook his head.  “I know where The Blue Silky is,”  he said changing the topic abruptly.   “I can take us there but you’ll need to close your eyes.”

“Um, why?”  I asked hesitantly.

“You might get dizy.”  He stretched out his hand to me. 

I looked at him, unsure of what to do or say until I realised that I had no real choice.  I put my hand in his, holding on tightly to Kelan.  Then I closed my eyes.  As soon as my eyelids shut I felt like I was spinning and twisting.  The movement was so quick and jolting that I felt my stomach react a little to it.  Just as soon as the spinning started, it stopped.

Now we were standing in front of The Blue Silky.  I stumbled a little when Rae let go of my hand but regained my footing just as quickly.  I looked around the entrance of the inn wondering where Michael was.  My thoughts seemed to have summoned him because I heard his voice calling out my name.

I turned and saw his tall figure striding toward us with an angry snarly aura around him.  I felt my eyes get as wide as saucers the closer he got until I was sure I looked like an anime cartoon.  I shrank back when he finally stood towering over me.

“What happened?”  He bit out each word between clenched teeth.  I could feel the anger seeping out of him and it scared me. I wasn’t scared of him when he had that light sword in action but when he was angry I was petrified.

“I- I,”  I stuttered like fear had a hold of my tongue hating that I couldn’t just speak normally and tell him what had happened.  

“Let me explain please.”  Rae said pulling me back to he could speak to Michael.  “Perhaps we should go inside and have this conversation. I don’t think it’s very wise to speak about business on the street side.”

Michael’s face, still set stony and grim with anger seemed to calm a bit.  He nodded.  “Of course.”

I followed them slowly as they went back into the Inn.  We sat in the most private corner of the parlour that there was and Rae told Michael everything including the King’s proposal.  I kept my eyes averted and my thoughts weary as I felt Michael’s anger die down.  He must have been thinking about something deeply from the way he looked through the window with an unblinking cat like stare. 

Whatever decision he made would either benefit me or make me miserable and I had the most doom-like sensation that it was the latter.  At that moment while they talked I just felt so tired.  The earlier events must have taken more of a toll on me than I thought because the edges of my vision got black and fuzzy; my head felt like it was carrying bricks that kept swinging around.  I closed my eyes and fell asleep right where I sat barely hearing the shouts as I faded into unconsciousness.

~   ~  ~

I felt sleepy even as I gradually surfaced towards consciousness.  I peeked behind my half closed eyelids and saw a face very close to mine. So close I could feel their breath on my face.  My addled brain was trying to make sense of this when I felt a soft pressure against my lips.  The pressure got harder after a second then I woke up fully.  The small scream that made its way up my throat was muffled by the other person’s mouth.  I brought up my knee and tried to push them away.  They were heavy and strong as well but after a second they moved away from me.  I sat up quickly and looked at Rae. He looked as shocked as I was.

“What the fuck?” I said as a way of questioning him. 

“I – I don’t know what came over me. I am so sorry. Please, please forgive me.” He said frantically. His amethyst eyes were full of fear and schock.

I drew back my hand and slapped him.  I was not as strong as usual but his face still held a red mark to it.  He held his hand to his cheek and looked at me.  “You’re forgiven.”  I didn’t want to think too much about what had happened back there. Or what had almost happened.  His touch on me had felt so wrong I just wanted to remove it from my memory.

He simply looked at me with a dazed and still shocked expression and nodded.  “Again, I’m sorry. I didn’t  think.”

I just looked at him not really knowing what to say.

“Isabel, you have to know, I am very attracted to you.  You’re beautiful.  I love the way your skin looks like a baby’s; untouched.  Your lips, I want them against mine so badly – “

“Shut up.”  I said wearily running a hand through my hair.  “Just leave.”