The Weeping Willow

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Callum

He saw them approach from his watch on the tower; intruders. As he quickly used his power to shift into the air and appear before them, he was almost taken aback at the beauty of the young woman who walked beside the Guardian of the Realms. He had kept his composure not trusting his voice as he felt her walk slowly behind him. Callum cast a look from the corner of his eye as he turned his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the beauty. She paid him no attention as she was too busy gazing at the new world around her. Callum had to do something; Lady Harmonia would have his head if they approached the throne room and find that he hadn't even introduced himself properly to this woman.

Callum slowed his steps as he turned fully and faced the lady who too stopped in her tracks and faced him, her arms still held tightly around her midsection.

"I am Callum, the head of Guard here in Asura." He said in a deep tone as he watched her listen to his words and took a step closer.

"I am Wren, of the Human Realm." She said softly, a joke in her tone as she extended her hand in a gesture of peace. Callum looked at her long delicate fingers, calluses coating the skin of her hands. He extended his own hand and gripped hers firmly, shaking it and not helping but allow a small smile to tug gently at the corner of his lips. He wasn't one to show his expressions but there was something about this woman that drew his attention. The way she watched him could send shrills up anyone's spine, but what drove him crazy was the way she bit her bottom lip or the insides of her cheeks when she was fixated on something.  His eyes danced along her body.

"The pleasure is mine, Wren of the Human Realm. Welcome to Asura." He said softly as he let go of her hand and gestured for her to move forward. The two walked side by side in silence as the gate quickly approached before them and the guards above looked down to see their commander approach. The gates of the stone castle began to swing open as the two passed through and into the courtyard as the heavy gates slowly closed behind them what seemed seconds later. He could tell her legs were growing tired by the way she walked. She had obviously walked more than she had anticipated, but regardless, he moved on. The smells of fresh bread, flowers, and sweets greeted them as they stepped further into the courtyard and he watched her examine the vendor stalls and buildings that stood behind the walls. He kept an eye on her as he saw her arms hang loosely at her side, no longer clenching her midsection as she had done the whole walk to the castle.

"What do you call this place?" Wren asked in a hushed tone as he approached her to stand directly to his left. He turned his head to the side as he gazed into her eyes and replied with a simple answer.

"Home." Callum said the word in one breath as he continued to walk through the vendors' alley and toward the taller towers that stood beyond. He listened to her soft footsteps behind him as she caught up to his pace and still turned her head left and right as she took in the entire world that would soon greet her with open arms. He didn't understand any of it. Why Harmonia would allow for a human like this to enter the demi-god realm; or even the Gods realm. He was doing his best to control the questions that poured through him. Callum had one task right now and that was to obey his Queen and bring her forth.  He dove into his mind where the silence greeted him as she began to talk into his own mind.

She is nothing like us. It makes no sense. Why would the realm guardian be harboring this?

He saw her head sharply turn to face him as she sucked in a breath and clenched her fists at her side. He hadn't spoken his words out loud, had he? He gazed at her from the corner of his eye as he watched her jaw clench and her brows crease but she continued to follow him.