Chapter 2 Azahara
Azahara
Kaed smelled like black tea, its aromatic essence swirling around him.
It was as if the rich fragrance of freshly steeped tea leaves permeated his very being, reminiscent of that moment when the tea settles into the hot water and succumbs to the comforting warmth.
The scent enveloped Azahara, bringing a sense of familiarity and tranquility amidst the chaos of their escape.
It was almost like an instant feeling of calm she got when her arms tightened around him. His body felt like a summer morning as the sun broke the horizon before the heat gets too unbearable.
She felt the horse picking up speed to put distance between themselves and their pursuers.
“We ought to avoid heading towards the village,” she finally said after a brief moment of silence.
“Heading southeast from here should lead them in the opposite direction.” He seemed to grasp her words, pausing to evaluate them for a moment.
Then, he turned his steed slightly to the right, guiding them on a slow drift toward the south.
“Makes sense,” he began, his head turning slightly in an attempt to catch a glimpse of her.
“What were you doing at the monastery?” He didn’t say it explicitly, but his question implied that he couldn’t envision her as a Monk, especially considering her attire.
Her drenched white top and matching pants were soaked in mud and Gorruk blood.
“Writing.” Her tone carried a hint of sourness. “I find it a calming place to do so. It’s a public place, at least the library is.” Was there something wrong with her presence there? She sensed a slight jolt in his stomach as he let out a brief laugh.
“Suppose it is.” He seemed amused by her answer, but she didn’t continue to engage. Instead, she turned her head and rested it against his back, watching the trees fly by.
Soon after, they broke through the trees and emerged into a meadow that stretched for as far as the eye could see.
The beauty of it struck her, even beneath the heavy downpour.
The land was a vibrant green, with the only splashes of color coming from the purple flowers scattered like jewels across the field, or from the village that peeked over the hills on the right.
Wondering when he would stop to let her off, she hummed softly to herself, her mind drifting to thoughts of what he might be thinking.
She wanted to talk to escape the silence that had befallen the two of them. She wasn’t sure how to have a conversation in their situation.
Suddenly, there was a pinch of pain that gripped her shoulder.
Hissing through her teeth, she put her hand back to wipe away whatever was causing that pain.
What greeted her was the familiar feeling of warm liquid.
While the rain was drenching the both of them, the crimson liquid was far too recognizable.
Moving her hand into her line of sight, she confirmed that she was, indeed, bleeding. Adrenaline had been her ally, masking the stinging pain until that very moment.
“Shit,” she cursed, wrapping her hand quickly back around Kaed when the horse took a leap over a large puddle of water. “This just got interesting.”
Kaed hummed curiously. “What was that?” His head leaned down as if he could detect the scent of copper, and he focused on her hand. “You are bleeding.” It wasn’t a question.
He sighed and used one of his hands to wipe the blood from her fingers. “Let’s put some distance between us and them, then I can take a look,” he suggested. His hands were rough, and the contrast of his callous touch against her silky skin felt unfamiliar.
Did they have time to worry about that?
“If my memory serves me correctly, there’s a farmhouse a short ride from here,” she recommended. “I don’t think it’s occupied, but maybe we can use it as a shelter for a little while.”
Without another word, Kaed tapped the horse with his heel, and they were off quicker than they had been before.
The horse covered the space quickly enough and still seemed to have plenty of endurance as they approached the barn that stood alone in the center of an unkempt field of crops. It appeared empty and would likely give nothing more than shelter from the rain.
She turned to look over her shoulder, back across the rolling hills and saw no pursuing Gorruk. They had likely put a decent distance between them, but they were relentless. She knew how much they’d track and not stop until they found what they were looking for.
Kaed pulled the reigns of his horse, and they stopped just before the red and white barn. The wood was cracked but intact enough that it would hold through the worst of storms. The smell of hay and wood filled the air.
She watched as he slowly dismounted, making sure not to kick her. He was significantly taller than she had imagined him to be. His chest was at the horse’s neck when he turned around where her head would be. There was no way he wasn’t at least a foot taller, if not more, than her.
“Come on, we should—” Kaed’s words caught in his throat as his eyes locked onto her. The sight of her left him momentarily stunned, his breath hitching in his throat. His lips slightly parted in awe, his body frozen in captivation.
His emerald eyes were almost unable to blink as he stared back at her, as if he were beholding someone who couldn’t possibly be real.
She would be lying if she didn’t feel a tightness in her stomach from his gaze. Kaed was just as handsome, especially when wet. His clothes stuck to his well-toned, muscular frame. His slightly longer than shoulder length, honey-gold hair stuck to his forehead and neck.
Their eyes met, and like most did, he quickly pulled away. “Take my hand, I’ll help you down,” he said while clearing his throat.
She took it without hesitation, throwing her foot over the backside of the horse and coming down onto the muddied ground. She leaned her head up to look at him again.
He possessed a natural beauty characterized by a structured jawline and sharp cheeks; unmistakable traits inherited from his Elven blood.
These refined elven features, however, were complemented by a touch of human ruggedness, lending an intriguing blend to his appearance.
His eyes, almond-shaped and adorned with long lashes, held a mesmerizing quality.
His complexion was smooth and fair, only a few shades darker than hers.
Strands of his hair were skillfully braided down the sides, framing his face with an added touch of elegance.
“Thank you,” she said, taking a deep breath as she made her way around him. She could feel his eyes on her even without turning around—they burned into her like the fires of Ilkiz.
It was no surprise to find that there weren’t any animals in the barn. As they approached, there had been none in the field, and the house connected to the barn seemed uninhabited for many years. This was evident from the boarded-up windows and the unkempt land surrounding it.
The red and brown wood emanated the scent of hay and the distant presence of long-forgotten pigs.
Haystacks were scattered around, some dried and others not, a testament to the leaking roof.
Nevertheless, the structure remained primarily intact, standing as a perfect shelter for them, at least for the time being.
“That is a lot of blood,” Kaed remarked, causing her to startle as he slammed the barn door closed. “Do you feel any pain?” he asked, his tone gentle.
She rolled her shoulder slightly. “It stings, but I don’t feel drowsy or faint, at least not right now.” She ran her fingers through her soaked hair, twisting it in her hand as she rang it dry.
He walked up behind her, hovering closely. His fingers pressed to the side of her head, behind her ear, gently tilting it to the side. “You may need to—” he began, his sentence interrupted.
“Remove my shirt, I know,” she said, her voice carrying a heavy, deep sigh.
“No.” He said it so quickly that it even took him by surprise. “No, sorry, that wasn’t my… intention. I can help you get it over your arm without removing the shirt.”
She wasn’t sure why, but that made her blush. Why did she assume that the only solution was to take her clothes off? She cursed herself for jumping to such a conclusion.
Kaed handled the task with care, undoing the clasp of her corset belt that nestled under her breasts.
As it slipped off and dropped to the floor, she unbuttoned a few buttons, working to free her arm.
His fingers traced the underside of her shirt, grazing against her skin.
It left a lingering warmth, more akin to a cozy winter blanket than a scorching flame.
Azahara couldn’t help but hiss as he removed the shirt from the wound. “Hmm,” he muttered, and she clenched her lips tightly. Her hand instinctively moved to cover her exposed chest as the left side of her shirt slipped down.
Her arm trembled as the wound was exposed to the cold air. It was a deep cut, and she didn’t need him to confirm that. “So, doc, give it to me straight. Will I survive?” she joked, hoping to inject a bit of humor into the situation and lighten the mood.
She peeked over her shoulder at Kaed, her eyes seeking a response.
“It’s a pretty deep cut, long and jagged—I’m honestly surprised you haven’t collapsed. This is definitely the work of a Gorruk’s blade,” he remarked, his fingers moving gently around her shoulder, careful not to touch too close to the wound. “I’ll need to stop the bleeding.”
The two of them didn’t have time to start a fire, which meant it would remain cold in the barn. They barely had enough safe time to close her wound. “I can’t cauterize it without a fire,” he said, sighing heavily.
She knew then what he would have to do.
“And we need to be careful about infection,” he continued, his voice growing distant as he moved over to his horse. Azahara hadn’t realized he had brought her into the barn with them.