The Rise Of A Queen

Chapter 15

They walked for forty-five minutes until they came upon the wooden structure of the cabin. It was a normal oak cottage, it was small and looked like it could only fit at a maximum of two people at one time.

It was dark and dusty on the inside, it looked like it wasn't used in months, yet she couldn't really tell because she couldn't really see.

Kalmin locked the door once they were both inside and they stood in silence.

Finding with her hands what felt like a couch she plopped down on it and stared into the darkness with her hands on her lap. Kalmin still stood at the door, watching her with the little silver light that the moon provided.

The silence helped bring her fears to life, another was darkness. A rustle in the leaves outside made her eyes dart around wildly. She waited until she heard the sound of loud pops ringing through the forest. She jumped at the ear-splitting noise and sunk to the floor. Kalmin watched as she folded in on herself, starting to rock herself back and fourth.

She didn't like that noise.

He knew that she wasn't in the right head space, that things happened so fast that she became overwhelmed, yet he didn't know how to help her and he didn't want to see her like this.

"Adira." He said softly.

She didn't listen however, her ears became filled with the sound of her harsh breathing even when the gunshots stopped. She stayed on the floor, curled in on herself with her eyes shut. Her breaths came out faster, she was hyperventilating and she couldn't stop herself.

A presence next to her made her break down completely, sobbing, gasping and choking. Kalmin watched as the girl next to him became totally undone. It was almost like he was in a bubble and everything around him moved in slow motion. He couldn't quite comprehend what was going on, neither could he comprehend when his arms encircled her and he brought her head to his chest.

She was shaking, her sobs racking her body causing tremors to vibrate through. It was when she could barely get one breath in her lungs, he decided she needed more help.

Prying her loose he took her face in the palm of his hands and started stroking her cheek.

"Adira, look at me." He said calmly, gently shaking her. She refused to open her eyes.

"Hey, come on. Look at me." She sobbed even more, heaving instead of taking steadying breaths.

He started becoming annoyed with her noncompliance.

"Adira. Calm down. Hey, if you don't stop we are going to be found."

Slowly she started to calm down, tears still streamed down her face and her breathing was jagged but she wasn't like this before. When she was calm enough he tried again.

"Look at me Adira." He said gently.

Honeyed eyes popped open to stare right at him. He was taken aback with the forgotten intensity they held. It shook him, right there on that old wooden cottage floor. He felt it pull deep within him.

"W-what is h-happening?" she asked locking her eyes with his, ensuring they stayed there, rooted in place.

"I think they were shooting into the tree line, just in case we were really there. To be sure, we need to stay here until things get a little more quiet. They shouldn't find us this far in."

She breathed in deeply and then released it. Nodding she tried calming herself further.

Kalmin was in the process of letting go and getting up when her hand on his forearm stopped him. Piercing yellow orbs stared at him frighteningly in the dark.

"Please Kalmin, don't leave. I just need someone here with me, right now."

He contemplated, usually he wouldn't do such acts of charity, but this was a different story. He felt unusually caring today so he decided to let her sleep folded in his arms, just this one time.