Chapter 2 Azahara #3
“Such a good girl,” she said, brushing again at the nape of the horse’s neck. “I’m good with that. There is just one thing, though, before I commit.”
Looking at him, she saw his eyebrow raised.
“It’s a strange request, but I can see the kind of person you are already.”
His eyes narrowed. “Kind of person I am?”
“You know; kind, caring. The hero type.” She was weary, hoping not to disrespect him. Not everyone thought of themselves as a hero. “I just need you to do one thing for me, a promise to a stranger.”
Kaed seemed to ponder what she was saying. She got the sense that he was conflicted by her comments.
“If something happens to me, and I end up fatally—” His eyes widened at her words. Oh, this is awkward, shit. “Just don’t take my body. Wherever it happens, just leave me there.”
“It won’t happen.” He was quick to protest.
“Right...” Her eyes closed as she took a deep breath, stepping back from him and Moondancer.
“Sorry, but if something like that were to happen, just leave me. I don’t have any family or friends so no one would miss me.
Besides, I’m not really the type who wants a burial or someone to pay respects to me. ”
“Odd request indeed.” His tone was unreadable. “But I guess I’ll respect your wishes.” When she looked at Kaed, he was looking at her sympathetically. “I think more surprising than your question is that you are alone. No one…?”
“No. Not really. I have one friend, but I rarely see them. Beyond that, though?” She watched him, taking in his expression. “No one.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said sincerely. Looking away from her, he busied himself by walking towards the barn door and gazing out of it.
“Why is that surprising to you?” She couldn’t understand why that would be surprising to someone who’d just met her. He didn’t know her. Maybe she was a killer who enjoyed eating the hearts of handsome men.
For a moment, it seemed like he didn’t want to answer her. Sliding the door closed and sighing. “Can’t see over the hills,” he whispered, but she kept eyeing him expectantly. “I shouldn’t, it’s very rude. You are just…”
Kaed cleared his throat. Why is he looking at me that way? She thought, as his eyes gazed into hers. “You just don’t look like the solo type. I would have been least surprised if you told me your prince husband would be sending out a search party for you being gone for a few hours of the day.”
She let out a nervous laugh, feeling her cheeks burn. “Oh,” she murmured, her lips pressing together as she searched for something to focus on. “No, definitely not me. I’m not that kind of person.”
“Kind of person?” he asked, stepping towards her. It made her a bit nervous, but not in a fearful way, more like butterflies doing aerobatics in her stomach.
“To be royalty.” She looked back at him.
Relief filled his tone. “I see.”
A powerful force tugged at her chest, seemingly beckoning her to step closer to him. With a deep breath, she resisted its pull and took a step back, her determination evident. He seemed to notice her internal struggle yet maintained a gentle smile, and she mirrored his expression.
“I’m going to head upstairs,” he said, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb towards an old ladder that didn’t appear very stable. “There’s an overlook where I can see beyond the hills. Would you like to join me?”
Azahara looked from the stairs to him and back at the stairs. “I think I’ll wait here, but thank you, though.”
He bowed his head lightly and headed up the stairs. They wobbled and creaked, but he was successfully able to get up.
Finding the smoothest haystack, she settled down and gazed upwards. She noticed Kaed doing the same, leaning against the window frame. The overcast sky cast a subtle glow on his skin.
He turned to see her looking at him. “Mind if I ask you a question?”
“No, not at all. Go for it.” She wasn’t sure why, but she felt obligated to answer him.
“While I know the monastery is a public place, most tend to stay away. Why did you pick to be there? The town would have been a much better, more guarded place. Safer.” There was a hint of authority behind his tone, as though it frustrated him that she had been there and wanted to scold her. That is… interesting.
“I tend to be drawn to places where I’m least likely to be harassed.
The tavern, I’d get no writing done because there would be some drunk trying to coerce me upstairs to have their way with me.
” She watched him tense. “And they are stinky and not very musing. The same wooden walls, the same candles, the smell of liquor and sweat. Why wouldn’t I choose quiet, tranquil, the smell of thousand-year-old books and hues of gold and whites?
” Her words were laced with nothing but truth.
The harmony behind them would make a weak man swoon.
A large smile crossed her lips as she gazed through one of the windows.
He didn’t look at her, but the tension he had seemed to disappear slowly.
“Truthfully,” she continued before he could say anything, “I have this weird sixth sense, and it was telling me to be there. Like, I was drawn to that particular place. So, while it may have screwed me over this time with the Gorruk attack, I got to meet a nice Elf.”
“That’s quite the gift.” Tilting his head, he stared off for a moment. “Guess you were meant to be there then.” He trailed off, mumbling to himself.
“Hmm?” She hummed in question.
“Nothing, sorry.” There was definitely something, but she wouldn’t pry. It wasn’t her place to do so, and if he didn’t want to expand, he didn’t need to.
Azahara chuckled. “Wish that gift would have given me a better heads up. I could have grabbed my boots.” There was a smile on his face when she looked back up at him.
“My question.” It had turned into a fun interrogative session, it seemed. “Why were you in the area?”
As she redirected the question to him, he cleared his throat and shifted his gaze outside.
With a soft chuckle, he replied, “I’m just a ranger for the Order.
” That explains it. “I patrol the lands, searching for trouble, you could say. Normally, my weeks aren’t this eventful.
I strive to identify any monsters or packs of beasts roaming the borderlands and report them to the Order or the local lords for action.
The monastery was my last visit before returning to my outpost.”
Smiling, he looked back at her. “This is my first time encountering Gorruks. I’ve read about them and heard stories but never ran into them. Most people say they’re rare, and they only raid this far in for a good reason. Them being at the monastery took me by surprise.”
Already knowing the why, her eyebrows furrowed.
“This wasn’t my first crossing with Gorruks.
I can only guess that it is possible they found my scent so appealing that they stopped.
” She rolled her injured shoulder slowly, grimacing softly at the tight stitching.
They were uncomfortable, but even done by a trained professional, they’d feel that way.
“Your scent?”
“That may seem presumptuous, but everyone comments on it. I don’t personally understand, but anyways.” She hesitated. “They commented on my scent in the past, and today.” Out of embarrassment, weariness filled her expression.
Clearing her throat, she continued, “Gorruks don’t necessarily—” She paused, knowing she shouldn’t talk about this, not with a stranger, so she diverted.
“Sorry, what I mean is, given the ease and if they are sated, they don’t necessarily just kill their victims. In this case, it’s possible that they smelled a woman in a sea of Monks, and that had drawn their hunger to the monastery.
” Her legs crossed, and she squirmed uncomfortably; a memory of a journal entry flashed through her head, causing a shiver to run down her spine.
She did not want to leave that in the air, so she was forced out quickly. “Not that it will happen now. I think they’re far too angry with me. If a Gorruk is anything, they are impulsive. In the event they did catch me, they’d kill me with rage before anything.”
“You don’t have to worry about that happening.” Something like anger laced that tone. “I can promise that.” He returned to watching out the window, and became stone. She wondered if her words were too much.
If he had never encountered a Gorruk before, it meant he was a young ranger, still somewhat innocent and unaware of the true nature of this world and the dangers it held for people like them. This world was steeped in evil, and amidst its darkness, only a few individuals like Kaed existed.
At that moment, she could only hope that they would survive and that he would lead a long, happy life without too many encounters with the evil it held.
“A mood killer, sorry.” A bit of nervousness shrouded her words.
“We should go.” There was a sharp edge to his tone, one that said not to argue.