Page 14 of Glass and Bone
“You are safe now, none of these men will hurt you.” He says softly as I gaze into his eyes, reminding me of the ocean I dream to visit with specs of black. So familiar yet new.
“Who are you?” I manage to whisper, a playful smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. He releases my shoulders and steps back, ignoring the crowd of men watching our every move.
“Theo.” He answers and then gestures towards me, holding out his hand dramatically, asking for a handshake. “And you are?” I don’t feel safe enough to let them know who I am. I am known across the kingdoms as the fictional princess, no one actually knowing of my existence, besides Tobias and his father. Being confined to palace walls didn’t help that rumor much. That anonymity is helpful, as only a few know my name. The prospect of starting over brings the first bit of relief I’ve felt all night.
“Nora.” I say hesitantly. Nora is the nickname my mother used to call me, adopting it as my persona now only feels right, but his questioning eyes implies he knows I am lying. I ignore his outstretched hand and he eventually drops it, crossing his arms in front of him. His skin twitches as the muscles on his forearms contract, briefly exposing thick veins that run along the side.
“Nora. What is it short for? I’ve heard that name before.” His voice is emotionless, accusatory. I swallow and knot my hands together in front of me. He knows who I am without me even saying it. I can tell by his gaze. I contemplate using a different name, but something about him is telling me not to. He knows who I am, he just needs confirmation.
“Elaenor.” I whisper. His eyes flash at the recognition of my name before he rolls his lips.
“You’re the princess.” He says flatly, which does nothing but make my skin crawl. I pull my bottom lip in between my teeth, biting down hard enough to make my eyes water. My pulse is beginning to quicken again as I look back towards the other men, the never-ending nausea blooming in my stomach.
“Holy shit.” One of the men by the fire mutters as they all just sit there, eyes wide open, confused, and shocked. I barely manage a nod as I turn back to Theo and his eyes come to meet mine. Unsure of his motives, I tighten the coat around me. I’m assuming Theo can sense the fear on me as he quickly holds his hands up in reassurance. He takes a step towards me as I instinctively take a step back.
“You are safe here, princess, I assure you. These men,” He motions to the men around the fire, who are still staring at me with open mouths. I want nothing more than to walk over and force their mouths shut, but fear has me frozen in place. His voice softens, speaking to me as if I was a wounded animal or a scared child. I guess I am both. “These men are the citywatch of Noterra. You have our protection.”
He is not a threat to you.
The strange voice whispers into my head, followed by a short spark of electricity. I wasrightabout the tents. Relief washes over me and I allow the tears that have been threatening to spill over to finally escape. My breathing is ragged as I feel the pain and emotion coursing through my body. I’m exhausted. I’m terrified.
But I am also safe, or as close to it as I can be.
“I don’t know where I am. I don’t know what to do.” I sputter, letting the feelings take over me, finally letting my body have control. I bury my face in my hands as I try to steady my breathing.
“Go.” Theo snaps. After a few brief seconds, the shuffle of boots and grumbles from the men fade into the distance as they make their way into the tents around us.
Warm arms wrap around my shoulders, and I flinch, but I let him guide me in front of the fire. I take a seat next to the flames and instantly embrace the heat they offer. The exhaustion is ravaging through my body as I shake uncontrollably. Theo’s hands leave my shoulders as he takes a seat next to me, turning so he faces me directly. His soft, ocean eyes are filled with worry, his brows wrinkled, as he tries to reassure me.
“You have nothing to fear anymore, princess.” He whispers as he pulls my hands away from my face. “I’ll take you to the palace, they’ve been waiting for you.” I stare into his eyes and watch as an emotion I can’t quite place flashes across. Maybe relief?
“How did you know where I would be?” I whisper, distrust and hesitance filling my voice. How could they know I was missing so quickly?
“You were supposed to arrive a few hours ago.” He answers. A few hours have passed already? “We were camped out here when a rider from court came and said you were late. We were set to head to Chatis and begin our search in the morning if you hadn’t made it to the palace yet, but you found us first.” He smiles and brushes a loose curl out of my face. I jerk away from the touch and his hand recedes. The idea of his fingers brushing my skin causes conflicting emotions. Panic anddesire? Not desire like lust, but desire for comfort. Desire for a gentleness I’ve never known. He gives me a sad and knowing smile as he threads his fingers together, resting his forearms on his knees.
“Why are the citywatch camped out in the forest so far from court?” I ask, curious as to where these men are going. It’s not normal for so many of them to be away from the palace, leaving it unguarded.
“There are some rumors floating around of another kingdom threatening to invade. Not that they’ll survive against us. We were sent down to secure our borders and this was just a stop along the way. Half of these men are to be stationed on the border of Chatis and Noterra, not that there is any fear your father would attack us, however if he hears about this, he may feel differently.” Leaning back on his stool, his eyes glance down at the blood staining my clothing and skin. I press my legs together, attempting to hide as much of myself as I can. He looks away awkwardly, his eyes briefly moving to the flames.
“I assure you; my father will have no remorse for the pain I have endured tonight. He doesn’t care about my protection.” I say softly, hearing his last words to me echoing in my head.
“Your life will be filled with disappointments and men who will do anything possible to ruin you. The way I have treated you thus far is the same treatment you will get anywhere else.”
“That can’t possibly be true, princess. He is your father. He is a king. It is his duty to protect his heirs.” His voice is harsh, filled with disgust. I shake my head and look down at my hands. Dirt and scrapes have turned my once pale hands indistinguishable from that monster, the dried blood flaking off. I rub them on the shredded remains of my dress and fight against the lump in my throat. I take a deep, slow breath, trying to relax, but I fail.
“I am not the heir. He has never been a true father to me, just a symbol. As soon as my mother died, he stopped caring about my well-being and spent his free time bedding the maidens of Chatis.” I blink away the tears as I rub at my hands even harder, scraping off any dried blood and scabs that have formed. My breathing is quick, ragged, my voice wavering. Theo’s hands are soft and reassuring as he wraps them around my wrists, stopping me from picking at my skin. Fresh blood pools on my palms as he twists my wrists, so my hands are facing up. His brows pinch together as he looks at the wounds.
“It won’t be that way in Noterra, I promise. You will be loved.” He whispers and releases his grip, leaving my wrists cold. I quickly pull my arms against me, wrapping them around my stomach.
“I don’t think they’ll want me anymore.” I whisper, gazing into his eyes and trying to convey my sorrow. He exhales as his jaw hardens and his eyebrows furrow. He looks down at his own hands, picking off any blood that got on him. He’s quiet for a moment before he speaks again.
“It would be impossible for them to not want you.” Admiration flickers across his eyes but is quickly replaced with resolve. He looks up at me, wiping his hands on his trousers. “Can you tell me what you went through? I can see some of the injuries, but without a proper mender there was no way for us to attend to them.” I swallow, trying to suppress the lump that is threatening my voice as I prepare to share the torture I endured.
“I left Chatis when the sun was high with one of the palace guards–”
“Just one?” I nod, his lips pressing into a thin line. He tips his chin slightly, urging me to go on.
“I was in the carriage, and then it stopped. I got out to see–” My voice cracks and I try to fight against the memory of his bloody face. I look away from Theo and stare at the warm, comforting flames. “I got out to see and I found him badly injured on the road. He told me to run, and I saw a shadow along the tree line, so I did. I left him behind.” I stop, not wanting to share anymore with this man, but the gentleness and patience he has provided so far is foreign and I find myself wanting to trust him.
