THRANDAL: The Phoenix and the Siren [UNDER EDIT]

EYE OF THE STORM

CHAPTER 6 - EYE OF THE STORM

"Kitara, wake up!"

She slowly fluttered her eyelids and when her sight cleared, Kitara saw him looking down at her.

Realization hit her and she shot up.

"Where is he?!", she almost shouted.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. He's gone, he's gone", Nero said as he placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

Kitara let out a breath of relief. She looked around to find herself in an unfamiliar environment.

"Where are we and how did we get here?", Kitara didn't mean to sound rude but the aftermath of her last memory made her feel uneasy.

"You're in the Water Nation's infirmary. After you passed out, Ethoran and the others came and somehow managed to send the invader away. He thought it'd be best if you stay with me so we brought you here"

Kitara gave him a silent nod in reply. She was somehow able to breathe but she'd be a fool to believe it was over. It has only begun, she thought. Nero sat at the foot of the bed and gave her a gentle smile.

"Your friends came by to check on you while you were unconscious, but they couldn't stay for long. Ethoran instructed every warrior to stay in their respective Nations", he said, catching her attention.

"Are they fine?", she asked.

"Yes, they're alright. Apparently, we were the only ones who were attacked", he said. Kitara nodded before she sank into deep thought.

"The council wanted to talk to you as soon as you feel better", Nero spoke.

"I've never been more alive", she said as she hastily got out of bed. "Where are they?"

"At our capitol", he stood. "Are you sure you're well?

"You can rest first-"

"He isn't resting! He could be wrecking havoc somewhere as we speak!", she cut him off. Nero was taken aback by her sudden outburst but he wouldn't be surprised. After being attacked by someone who came out of nowhere all of a sudden, he knew her blood was thirsty for vengeance.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's just...I'm on edge. I have more than a million questions inside my head right now and I badly need answers", her expression softened as she apologized. Nero gave her a gentle smile that somehow calmed her nerves.

"I know and it's okay", he said. "It's just that I saw what happened yesterday. I honestly got worried you wouldn't make it after taking in that blow."

Kitara flashed him a smirk and said, "It's gonna take more than that to kill me."

"That's good", he returned the smile. "Your clothes and weapons are in there. Go change, I'll wait for you outside", he pointed to a room near the exit.

If he hadn't said it, she was completely oblivious to the fact that she was actually wearing a light blue dress that reached her ankle. She nodded to him and said, "Thank you"

When she was out of sight, Nero let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He didn't know Kitara very much and they've only had one or two proper conversations, but he couldn't deny the attraction he had for her. It's not the right time for flings given the circumstances, but he couldn't help it. Just now was a side of Kitara he never knew she had. He's never seen her out of her battle uniform before and he had never heard her speak the way she did a while ago.

Though Kitara never noticed him before, Nero always had his eyes on her. The way she moved so swiftly in the battlefield, the way she intimidates every opponent by never breaking eye contact, her always fierce expression and how it softens when she's around her friends, and her mannerism of always brushing her fingers through her hair after defeating an enemy, it all didn't go unnoticed.