Dainara wiped her tears with her hands and turned around immediately.
-Who said that?
A young man appeared from behind the trees. His hair was dark brown and a bit messy. His look was very intense and he had a smirk on his face.
-I'm sorry to intrude, my lady.- he said smoothly- I didn´t mean to scare you.
Dainara looked at him. His demeanor, his confident smile, the way he looked at her, his posture…there was something about him that made Dainara unable to move, unable to speak.
Suddenly, she noticed his clothes and his weapon. Then she remembered Nana's words as she was leaving in the morning.
-You are a pirate!- she said standing up as fast as she could.
-At your service- he said while bowing to her.
Dainara started walking backwards in fear.
-Please, don´t hurt me! I don´t have anything of value on me.
She prayed that he didn´t notice her father's medallion, which she was wearing hidden inside her clothes.
-Why must everyone assume that I want to rob them just because I'm a pirate?- he said while approaching her- Such bad fame we have.
Dainara remained silent while she went on walking backwards.
The young pirate stopped walking and looked at her.
-Please, don´t be afraid of me. I'd never hurt a beautiful lady like yourself- he then sat down on the lake's shore- I didn´t even know there was someone here. I just wanted to rest in a peaceful place.
Dainara stopped and looked at him with distrust. He looked back at her.
-Come, sit down with me.
-No- she said loudly.
-Oh, come on, my dear. You seemed to be in need of someone to listen to you. You know, talking to birds and fishes is fine, but hardly useful. They are not the talking kind.
Dainara got angry after this remark. How dared he spy on her? For how long had he been listening to her speech?
-You were spying on me!- she said angrily- And how dare you make fun of me?
The sight of her being angry seemed to amuse him.
-I was just passing by, it was a coincidence that I heard you. And I was just jesting. You seemed to be quite upset before, I just wanted to cheer you up a little.
Dainara just stood there, not knowing what to say. What did this man want? Why had he come here?
-Now, come, sit down by my side. I'll keep you company.- he said while tapping a spot next to where he was sitting.
-How do I know this is not a trap to rob me?- she said distrustfully.
He smiled at her.
- Well, you may say that I'm off duty now, I'm resting. Plus, you said it yourself, you have nothing of value on you.
Her eyes were fixed on the sword attached to his waist.
-Oh, I see- he said realizing the problem. He unsheathed his sword slowly and tossed it far from him- Now I'm defenceless. Will you trust me now?
Dainara looked at him. He was a pirate, but he didn´t seem a bad man.
She sat down by the lake, leaving some distance between them. She didn't know very well why, instead of running away as fast as she could, she had stayed there. Maybe it was because this was her place and somehow she had to defend it from intruders.
Or maybe it was because, for some reason, this man had something that intrigued her…
The two remained in silence for a while: she went on eating her breakfast and he looked at the horizon with a thoughtful expression. From time to time, Dainara would glance at him suspiciously and, even though he wouldn´t look back at her, she'd swear he was smirking.
Finally, he decided to break the silence.
-So, do you come here often?
-Everyday- she replied avoiding eye contact.
-It's a lovely place, I can see why you like it so much.
She didn´t say anything. He went on talking.
-I've been here in Barrow Fields a thousand times but I'd never noticed this place. Finding it now was quite a coincidence.
She was staring at the lake, still silent.
-Who knows? Maybe it was destiny.- he said while looking at her.
After this comment, she looked at him.
-What do you mean?
He smiled.
-Maybe I was meant to meet you, that's why I found it.
-That's ridiculous- she replied- I don't believe in destiny.
-Oh, and why is that? Don´t you think that some things are just meant to happen?
-Some things just happen by chance, out of luck or bad luck, that's all.
-I'm sorry to disagree, my lady. I strongly believe that everything in this world happens for a reason, it is meant to happen.
-So can you tell me the reason for my father's death?- she said more loudly than she would have wanted.
He looked at her with a serious expression.
-I didn't say that everything that happens is pleasant or fair.
After a moment of silence, he added:
-I'm sorry about your father, I didn´t mean to upset you.
She remained silent, staring back at the lake.
-Do you want to talk about it?
-I think that you've heard enough about my life for today.
He smiled shyly.
-Well, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I understand how you must feel.
-No, you don´t- she replied angrily- You don´t know what it's like to lose your family, to see everyone around you pity you for being an orphan, to see children holding hands with their parents when you know that you'll never do that again…
Her eyes were full of tears but she was trying to hold them back.
He looked at her and smiled sadly.
-You'd be surprised...