The Protector

Chapter 10

It had been about two years since he first saw her and Theon accompanied his brothers every time they went to watch Zaphina dance, just to catch a glimpse of the beautiful girl who had called him a murderer.

She was right in a way, because his brothers were murderers, but he wasn't like that.

At least he hoped so.

If he were like his brothers, he reasoned to himself, he would have commanded her to talk to him. He wouldn't have been sitting and waiting for a glimpse of her like a hungry man waiting for a morsel of food.

Was she really that special? He didn't even have to answer that question. She was probably just one of the common folk, judging from her poor dress. But only the gods knew what was so alluring about her that he kept being pulled towards her.

So despite everything, he would come along with his brothers every time, only to sneak out of the hall at the first chance to go look for the girl, sometimes only catching a quick look before she disappeared again. It was like she knew he was waiting and she was torturing his sore eyes purposefully.

This time, he told himself, he would catch more than just a glimpse. He was going to ask her name.

So as his brothers sat in the hall, half drunk, he went to his usual hiding spot near the trees outside and waited.

After what felt like hours of waiting, she appeared there, like an apparition behind the curtains, her face still covered by a veil.

She looked around, making sure no one was watching her, hesitating a little before she came out from behind them and swayed a little before the music took over her.

Her thick, ill fitting dress hugged her curves when she swayed her arms with such grace that it seemed like the air was water, and she were some sort of mystical water sprite. Her feet played hide and seek with the shadows, sometimes making her seem like she was floating. Her wild, restless hair ran in thick, dark waves along her shapely back as she swayed, moving with her.

Her beautiful hazel eyes with that mysterious cyan glint seemed even more mischievous than they did the last time he laid eyes on her. The light from the torches seemed to kiss her shapely brows as one of them raised as she moved, and he felt like it shot an arrow into his heart.

He sat there speechless, mesmerized. How could someone so pretty have become even more beautiful?

Her veil was thicker than before, but he couldn't help but notice that her body had became more curvy, filling out the ill fitting old smock. A strange pain went through his heart, wondering how he lived so comfortably while she didn't even own a fitting dress.

He hesitated, then took a tentative step out from behind the trees in a trance, making his way towards her as she was engrossed in the music.

***

Dnarza's body had taken to the beat of the drums, but her mind was elsewhere. Was he looking for her again? She always caught him trying to catch a glimpse of her, but she would escape before he could call out.

She wondered why he was showing so much interest in her. She was a plain faced girl, a court dancer's daughter at that. And royalty never associated themselves with the likes of her, unless it was to use them like his brothers used her mother. No. She was not going to let that happen.

Destiny wanted her to become like her mother, but she was bent on changing that. She was addicted to reading, gaining knowledge. A strange desire for power dwelt in her, and she tried her best to suppress it. What could a girl like her do with desires like those? It would end badly.