ocean-life Chapter 34: Leave
Chapter 34: Leave
Chapter 34: Leave
"Alim," Rhaegar's voice was now filled with a winter's chill that made Lorelai's blood run cold.
Out of nowhere, a strong, towering figure appeared as if it was separated from a thick black shadow next to the king and the princess recognized him as one of Rhaegar's men. His narrow golden eyes lingered on Lorelai for just a few seconds before he returned them to his king, his face dark with concern.
"Take her back to the palace."
His order was short and stern, and Alim followed it immediately with a brief nod, taking a step toward the princess. "Allow me, Your Highness."
Lorelai wanted to object but as she looked at the lycan king, he was already marching away from the two of them, his dark brown hair swaying in the wind, revealing the bright glimmer of his gold earrings. @@@@
"Sir... Alim?" She started nervously, her eyes still locked on Rhaegar's body. "What is happening? Why are Duke Kalder's men here? What do they want?"
Alim, too, watched Rhaegar make his way to the forming crowd, then let out a long sigh, and shook his head. "Let us just go, Your Highness. The King will rip my head off if I disobey his orders."
"Step back."
Before Alim could lead the princess away, Rhaegar's low voice made both of them turn their heads in his direction.
He was standing in front of his people, his large body separating them from Duke Kalder's knights, his bright amber eyes fixed angrily on the girl trapped in the grip of one of them.
The girl was trembling, her big brown eyes widened in fear, but she did not say a word. Perhaps she simply trusted that with him there, she was no longer in danger.
'Wow...' was the only thing she could think of when she saw Rhaegar's man break a sword with his bare hand. 'So this is the power of the beasts?'
She had never seen anything like this before and yet, strangely enough, she was not terrified. On the contrary, she was absolutely stunned. And she wanted to see more of that power.
The swordless knight shifted his frightened glare to his comrades but before he could utter a single word, his head suddenly flew off his neck, rolling loudly over the stone pavement.
The time seemed to have stopped completely and the world around them fell silent.
The knights' wide eyes were glued to their friend's damaged body; they only blinked when its dead weight finally hit the ground with a loud thud.
Lorelai's heartbeat echoed in her ears. It was incredible. The long-haired man used the same broken blade in his hand to cut the knight's head off and he did it so naturally, as if he did not just cut a man, but rather a ripe fruit from a soft branch.
Without saying a word, the other Gypsies disappeared into their tents, leaving only Rhaegar and his men facing the remainder of the knights.
"Your Highness, we really need to go now! Rhaegar will kill me if he finds out I let you watch!" Alim finally pleaded with the princess, gently placing his big tanned hand on her shoulder in an attempt to turn her attention away from her.
Lorelai found it difficult to turn away; her heart was filled with unfamiliar trembling; the same unsettling emotion she felt when she had met Rhaegar for the first time.
And then, it happened: a pair of deep amber eyes locked their glare on hers, emanating a strong warning that washed over her body with the heaviness of an omnipotent magic spell.
Lorelai felt a cold ripple shake her to the bones. Slowly, she moved her big green eyes to Rhaegar's lips and swallowed dry as she saw him mouth one single word––"Leave".