The Edge

Awakened

"Bonta er O?!" The man shot up surprised at his surroundings. I peeled his hand off of my arm in defense.

"Woah woah woah! You're okay," I screamed as I threw my palms up.

"Bonta tra lyach er O?! Treban tel vush," He continued to yell.

"Calm down! I'm here to help!" He froze, glaring at me with piercing, sapphire eyes. He slowly slipped off of the bed, looking me up and down with curiosity. He stepped closer and closer to me, backing me into the wall until he was mere inches away from my face. He stared into my eyes, never breaking contact. My breathing started to quicken, and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. Why the hell was he so close? Doesn't he know anything about personal space?!

After a few moments, his eyes widened. He brought his hand up to my face, nearly grazing my cheek with his fingertips, but instead he froze. I turned my head away from him. I was not about to let a strange man touch me. My actions seemed to offend him, because a slight scoff escaped his lips. Good, I hoped he was offended. He had my back against a wall after all.

"Balich sa vushesh nirik," He calmly said. My head flicked back to him.

"Nirik? Where have I heard that before?" My eyes shifted back and forth from each of his.

"Wait, are you speaking Grim? You're speaking Grim aren't you?! How do you know how to speak Grim? Only the Chiefs know how!" No reply. He just stared at me.

"I order you to answer me! As the Heiress of this village!" His eyes narrowed and his brows lowered. Now I really made him angry. He aggressively slammed his hands on both sides of my head, but I stood strong and never flinched or showed fear. If his goal was to intimidate me, he would lose that battle.

I didn't realize how large he was until he was close and towered over me. He definitely would be a difficult opponent if it came down to a brawl between us.

"Speak up or I'll have to detain you," I said with a soft confidence. I didn't want to escalate the situation more than it already had. His gaze softened, but his hands still firmly kept me from my escape. We stood there, with my back against the wall and his body blockading mine. Then, suddenly he turned and searched around the room. He finally released me from his barricade and headed for my desk in the corner of my room.

"Did you not hear me?" He ignored me and began searching through any papers and books he could get ahold of. He was too large, and his fighting experience was unknown for me to try and take him on. I needed my warriors and fast.

I kept my eye on him, slowly stepping closer to the door to try and get reinforcements, but before I could make my escape, he swiveled his head and glared at me as if to tell me if I moved, I died. His glare was so intense it froze me in my tracks. Once I stopped, he continued quickly flipping through the book he held. His eyes flickered around as if he were reading, but it was impossible to read a book at the pace he was going. It took him only about thirty seconds until he finally came to the last page. Once he was through, he slammed the book closed and turned to me.

"What is your name?" He finally spoke. I just looked at him in confusion. Everyone in this village knows my name.

"I mean you no harm. I'm sorry if I scared you. I was just. . . Surprised."

"So, you do speak my language?" I crossed my arms.

"I just learned. Hence why it took me so long to respond." He leaned against my desk.

"What are you going on about? What do you mean you just learned?" He just stared at me. I looked at the book behind him. It was a book of our language and all the words within it. It was gifted to me as a child.

"You mean to tell me you read a book in under a minute and now you know my language? Do you really take me for a fool?" I scoffed at him.

"Not a fool, just naive."

"How dare you?! I am the top warrior and scholar in this village! I know more about the forest and the history of my village than anyone here! I have worked harder than anyone and studied my whole life to take on my father's place and you have the audacity to call me naive?!" I gritted my teeth and took an assertive step forward.

"You know nothing!" He swiftly approached me. "How pompous! and you're supposed to be the next Chief? How weak minded you are. Maybe you truly are a fool," he spat back.

"For someone who apparently just learned my language you certainly know how to use your words. Pompous. . .Ha! If I know nothing, then please, enlighten me."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"And you haven't answered mine!" He looked through his brow.

"What makes you think I would want to answer any of your questions if I don't even know your name? Is this how you handle everyone in your village? You hold an interrogation anytime something goes array? Do you treat your people as though they are some sort of animal? Some Chief." He was right, I was letting him play with my emotions. A Chief should never lead with emotion, but rather what was best for the clan.

"Fine," I said, hesitating. "Maeli Kelia Pavel." He started to relax and for a split second, I could have sworn he cracked a smile.

"Maeli. That name suits you." He smirked. I glared up at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Strong, graceful, most beautiful. That's what your name means, does it not?" The tilt of his head and flirtatious, shallow, smile involuntarily flushed my face red. I turned away so he wouldn't see me flustered. It wasn't normally this easy to charm, but his words were so unexpected, I had no time to think of a reply. He just insulted me and now was trying to soften me. He had to have something up his sleeve.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere with me." I tried my best to hide my smile. I had never been called beautiful before. I was a warrior and the daughter of the Chief. I was tough, rigid, dominant. I always thought my name didn't suit me, but hearing his words made me hate it just a little bit less.

"Now, to get back to business." I shook off contentment and spun around on my heel towards him.

"How do you know how to speak Grim?" I crossed my arms.

"It's my native language." I began to laugh.

"Oh, that's funny! Come on now, stop toying with me." Instantly his face went dark.

"Do you see me laughing?" He stood over me, staring at me again with those intimidating blue eyes. His seriousness stopped my laughter. I tried my best to evade his scowl, but he slowly and softly lifted my chin with his fingers.

"Do not take my cooperation as weakness little lamb," He scolded. His gaze held mine for a moment before I smacked his hand away from me.

"Touch me again and this 'little lamb' with bite your fingers off." He chuckled at my response.

"If you were anyone else, you would have already been dead," he scoffed before escorting and propping himself against my desk. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. The energy in the air was heavy. I couldn't tell if he was a threat or not. Even though his mannerisms were harsh and aggressive, I never felt as though I was in danger. Despite what he said. It was an empty threat. But what did he mean by 'anyone else'?

"They warned me about you. You definitely won't make this easy, but it seems as though I have no other choice," He muttered. His first plopped under his chin, He fixated on the floor in thought.

"Who is 'they' and just who the hell are you?" I managed to finally find my confidence again. He looked up at me, leaned into his crossed arms, and slyly smiled.

"My name is Killian. I am your Irric. Your fate."