Evelyn

❈ Chapter Fourteen ❈

- Kai -

He had decided to perch himself upon a rock. The Sun had emerged and it's warm rays were peeking over the trees of the wide forest. Kai had lain Evelyn beneath the large oak tree he had first met her at. It had been the closest he had been to her since that day. Her heart thumped in accordance with slow, shallow breaths.

Serenity was plastered across her face as she lay beneath the winding roots.. At peace, her consciousness swirled in the land of dreams, oblivious to the physical world. Kai wished she could stay like that. It was not only because of his duty to protect her; he wanted to. The way her hair had fallen out of the perfectly crafted bun and into her face was like looking at a different person. She seemed young, so much younger than the person who was meant to become their ruler.

He closed his eyes, trying to forget Evelyn's scream as she fell.

The world rushed by in a blur and he knew the pain was coming. Coming for her. For Evelyn. It went by fast, yet slow, almost suspended. Then impact. Her bones moved in a way they shouldn't, jangled. She struggled to look at her ruined skin although she knew there was blood seeping from skin that seconds ago was smooth. She gave up moving. Anything to delay the part where she would have to take in what she looked like now. Torn and dirty skin, reddened, weeping. The tears were short lived. Seeing the blood on her shaking fingers, she closed her eyes, head lolling back. Kai had of course jumped after her but he was ready for the impact. The branches from the trees sliced at his skin as if to slow him down but all he could think of was how he could only try to protect her from now. He fell to the ground off balanced, gritting his teeth against the pain. He stumbled towards her, the beautiful broken princess with the lovely-

A scream was ripped from Evelyn's throat as she woke. Kai stumbled to reach her. He remembered the way her skin had blossoms of purple and blue so he tried to be careful when he reached for her. He covered her mouth with his hand as he watched her take in another breath to scream. Her head turned, beautiful but tangled mahogany curls shifting as she did. Her eyes widened with recognition and she scrambled to push his hand away; it was then Kai realised how improper he was being. But Evelyn wasn't all that proper either. She was staring at him, taking him in. He crouched in front of her, smiling gently.

"Who are you?" Evelyn demanded, wiping a crystal tear away. "And where am I? What happened? Where is the Palace? The King? My mother? Why am I injured," she paused, "why are you injured?" Kai forced his eyes away, trying to stifle his chuckle at the torrent of confusion coming from the Princess. She must have hit her head pretty hard.

"I shall explain soon, Princess," Kai promised, "but until then, my name is Kai. We met when we were younger but you most likely have no memory of that." Evelyn nodded stiffly, coughing as if to try and hide her discomfort. Kai stood, giving her the respectable distance her blood screamed that she required.

"Where are we?" Evelyn asked sternly, her voice changing as she put on her royal facade again. Kai stood, eyes never leaving Evelyn's.

"You were attacked, Princess. A little way away is a safe house that the King had ordered me to take you. I shall explain the rest when we arrive." Evelyn nodded once more, seemingly satisfied with the answer. He couldn't help the twist of his heart as Evelyn looked at her bandaged covered body. Kai knew she wasn't allowed to be afraid. Even as the pain from her broken and twisted bones caused her pain with every movement and the crimson blood pushing it's way onto her clothes. There is a height at which adulthood is expected regardless of age and she had simply been forced to reach it faster than any of her peers. A few growth spurts too many and childhood is gone well before the teen years begin.

But not even Evelyn could always rise. Her eyes were sharp and her posture perfect but not even Evelyn could fully rise. Her hands were bruised and sore and Kai could see the callouses on what should be soft and dainty hands. Evelyn let out a growl of defeat, sitting back in that perfect posture letting her hair fall in that natural messy way. Something she had never done before. At least when he was around.

"Damned bones," Evelyn cursed. It was not something a lady of her status should do so it was only natural for Kai to spin around, his eyes wide at Evelyn's explicit language.

"Pardon?" Evelyn's eyes shimmered. Kai whipped his head back to her with such suddenness she started, his eyes burning into her's with an abrupt intensity. It registered in his subconscious that they glowed spectacularly with her locks of vivid mahogany hair; they were an arctic blue, but with more warmth and more emotion-- a bittersweet melody strung over the last rays of a summer sky. Evelyn cleared her throat, seemingly flustered.

"A little help would be lovely." Kai panicked. He wasn't sure how he could without hurting her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. She was already in pain. He stood there awkwardly until Evelyn lifted her arms; her eyes down as a small blush covered her cheeks.

"Okay."

Evelyn couldn't walk. She couldn't do much except bite her tongue every time Kai stumbled in a pot-hole in the thick forest. So, like any fairytale, the Knight in Shining Armour began to carry her to the safe house. It had been a struggle to pick her up and it had been difficult to find places for where he couldn't hurt her and places that would remain appropriate for him to hold her. The King might murder him if he knew that Kai had accidentally touched something he shouldn't have. Thankfully all the training had left Kai lean and strong. Evelyn, like almost all women, had such a light frame that Kai felt like he was carrying a bag of feathers.

Evelyn was so quiet that Kai could feel the silence overwhelming him. It was not every day that he could be so close to her. She became slightly restless in his arms and Kai refrained from smiling. It amused him that Evelyn would still have the energy to become restless.

Almost an hour passed once they reached the safe house. Kai had refused to stop walking even though his muscles were beginning to have twinges of pain. He refused because of her. Because of the girl in his arms. She needed protection; his protection. Who knows if the assassin was still out there! All Kai knew was that he needed to protect her. With his life, if necessary.

The cottage was beautiful and looked as if it was straight out of a fairytale with a happy ending or a picture book for little kids. It looked like many things. It was rusty, old and dusty, but rather welcoming. The whole house was made of dark red bricks. Hedges and vines and honeysuckles and so much more encased it. A green gate with paint falling off was the door to the property. Then came a narrow dirt path with small pebble, a tiny pond with lilypads and a few ducks, maybe a frog or two. A two-metre hedge surrounded the property. Vine grew up the archway and the arched wooden door with brown planks. The grass was green and yellow, scorched by the hot, blazing sun in the summer. Two huge trees, one with red and orange leaves. One of the trees was hollow. A family of squirrels lived there. Occasionally, a woodpecker or an owl would come to visit too.

Inside, it had the elegance of a country house but the simplicity of a house Kai had once lived in. He continued to walk up the stairs with the curious Evelyn before gently placing her on a bed in the first bedrooms he saw. He stretched and bowed before walking away. He heard footsteps as she explored her new and temporary room. He smiled before walking back as Evelyn called out.

"How long are we staying here?" she asked before Kai could go downstairs. Turning back, he stopped at the doorway.

"I'm not sure, Princess. I shall return in an hour; you're going to need to change your bandages." Evelyn nodded. Kai walked away before he could do anything he could regret like scooping her broken body into his arms and cradling while she recalled the past events. She was still always there in his mind. Everyday when Kai saw her, that was it. He had thinking about her for the entire day. He had been worrying about her. When he had locked eyes with her, he had felt like her eyes had burnt his like he had been staring at the sun for too long. Evelyn is his secret, but she will never be his. That much he already know. So he left before he could ruin everything he had worked for. So he sat outside her room because that was the closest he could be to her. Physically and emotionally.