Lady A: Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay, but between Phoenix Saga: Origin, Guardian Saga: Seeker, and my soon to be new story, Warrior Saga: Rebirth, been a bit busy. As for the guest reviewer named Fen. Two things: 1. Create a profile, I would love to talk to you and 2. Is Fen short for something? Anyways, moving right along.
Brief Recap: Artimes has arrived in yet another forest. A mysterious man is looking for her. She gets attacked by bandits and said mystery man appears out of nowhere and comes to her rescue. Sounds a bit cliché, doesn't it? *sighs*
Looking Forward: The identity of her mysterious savior is revealed. *crickets* Yeah, that's all you're getting out of me.
On with the show!
Chapter Three: Healing Hands
Every muscle in Artimes's body tensed as the tall, dark clothed man turned and faced her. Her mouth dropped open in surprise and all she could do was stare. Beautiful steel blue eyes, sharp cheek bones, and very handsome; not to mention that he was the spitting image of one of her favorite actors, Benedict Cumberpatch. Her brain couldn't seem to process who she was seeing, because it was completely impossible. She wasn't sure if she had died and gone to heaven or she had finally lost her sanity and was hallucinating.
She watched as he knelt down next to her, his eyes soft and warm. She had to stop herself from blushing under his gaze. He reached out to touch her and her body reacted accordingly and jerked away in fright. She cried out in pain and he stilled his movements.
"I will not harm you." He said softly, retracting his hands.
She stared into those mesmerizing blue eyes that were filled with such worry and concern.
"Who are you?" She asked her breathing calming down a little.
"My name is Benedict, captain of the Blood Guard and your protector." He answered.
She scoffed at both his name and self proclaimed job title. Did he really expect her to believe that?
"If you're my so called protector then why did you only show up now? I've been wandering around on my own for over four days and you decide to only show up now?" She spat her anger stemming more from the pain than for the actual man.
She wasn't in the best of conditions. Her body was still severely injured from her ex and his friends, she had been sleeping on the hard ground, and been exposed to the elements for too long. She was lucky that she hadn't fallen ill from the harsh abuse her body had gone through. His steel blue eyes filled with remorse and guilt and she felt a twang of her own guilt slice through her system. It wasn't his fault that she was in pain and didn't have the normal filter for her emotions at that moment.
"I apologize, but I was unable to locate you until you used your magic." He answered.
Magic? Did he just say magic? What the hell? She didn't have magic because magic didn't exist…did it? Well, it might explain how she blasted her ex and his friends away and the bandits and how she was teleported into a forest and Benedict's sudden appearance. Magic was a little too convenient as an explanation, but certainly did explain a lot of things.
"Magic? Magic isn't real. At least, it's not where I come from." She countered quietly.
She slowly stood up, using the tree for support. Benedict tried to help her, but the moment his hands touched her, her magic pulsed. Her mind filled with images of that horrible night and it mixed with her magic, broadcasting it the dark haired captain subconsciously. He gasped and immediately retracted his hands.
"You were raped…severely." He stated his voice low in anger as his hands clenched into fists.
She stared down at the ground, her racing thoughts stilling for a moment.
"How do you know that?" She asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You are still new to your magic. It reacts to your emotions. You instinctively viewed me as a threat based on your recent experiences and your magic reacted accordingly, projecting your thoughts and memories to me as means of removing that threat." He explained his tone softening as his anger was apparently pushed aside.
She hadn't meant to see him as a threat but considering how many people had touched her in the last few days, she guessed it was to be expected. Her emotions were running so high and she hadn't had the time to truly acclimate or accept anything. He didn't do anything wrong and yet she had just subjected him to the worst night of her life. He didn't deserve that, not after saving her like he did.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." She whispered her tone laced with guilt.
"Do not apologize, my lady. I was not there to protect you, but I am here now. Will you allow me to heal you?" He asked gently.
He could heal her? Like properly heal her? Could magic really be that powerful?
"You can do that?" She countered leaning her back against the tree.
She looked up at him as he nodded.
"Yes, but it will require you to trust me." He answered honestly.
She just wanted the pain to stop, to forget that horrible night. She stared into his eyes, her mind weighing the pros and cons of trusting a man she knew so little about. He said he was her protector so it should only be natural for her to trust him, right? Maybe just a little and if he proved true to his word, they could build from there. Maybe even be friends. She would kind of like that.
"Okay, but one wrong move and I'll blast you with my…magic." She replied stumbling slightly over the word 'magic'.
She was having a hard time believing all this stuff about magic, but what other choice did she have? She was completely on her own and she knew next to nothing about the power that was inside her. She needed help and Benedict seemed to be sincere.
"Understood." He responded raising his hands slowly.
His eyes never left hers as he allowed his hands to hover a few inches from her body. She tried not to tense up at how close he was to her.
"Nied baet flowans willan iernan na langer. Halian se wunds, haelian se feorgbold, niwian hwaet was losian." He chanted his eyes glowing gold.
Those eyes…how they glowed…it reminded her of Merlin, how his eyes had flashed gold when he used his magic in the show. She inhaled sharply as she felt the pain slowly fade from her body until it was completely gone. Without the constancy of the pain, she realized just how exhausted she truly was. She fell forward and into the strong arms of her dark haired guardian. She was surprised that her body didn't tense up like it did before. Did she really trust him not to hurt her?Was he really there to protect her like he said?
He lowered them to the ground slowly, careful not to jostle her. For a few moments, she simply allowed him to hold her. He was warm, much warmer than she was and with his arms around her, she felt safe, completely safe…like nothing could hurt her with him there. She eyes began to water slightly when she realized that she didn't want to lose this feeling of safety and security. She shivered as the wind blew, goose bumps rising on her exposed skin.
"Are you cold, my lady?" Benedict asked softly, his mouth close to her ear.
She shivered at the sensation of his breath tickling her ear. Her heart beat quickened as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.
"Artimes and yes I am. I'm not used to these kinds of temperatures." She answered her voice slightly muffled by his chest.
He shifted slightly and she whimpered in protest, not wanting to move. She then realized that he was removing his cloak and he wrapped it around her, clasping the front and rewrapping his arms around her. The cloak, though light, was very warm and that warmth was slowly seeping into her chilled body, making her very drowsy.
"You require rest." Benedict stated.
Sleep? How could she think of sleep at a time like this? If she went to sleep then he would disappear and she would be alone again. Her magic began to rise along with her fear.
"No." She replied sternly, her tone revealing a small amount of her fear.
"Why?" He asked his hands starting to rub soothing circles on her back and arm.
She hesitated, not wanting to admit what she was afraid of, but she simply didn't want shatter this hallucination. She wanted to cling to the warmth and security he provided in this very brief moment.
"If I sleep, I'll wake up alone. I don't want to be alone." She answered her hands gripping his shirt tightly.
"You are not alone, my lady, and you will never be again. I will not leave your side. I vow to stay with you always and protect you from all harm." He promised sincerity ringing in every word.
She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with tears. She wanted to believe that. She wanted him to stay and she didn't care if she only just met him. She just wanted Benedict to stay with her just like he promised.
"Do you really mean that?" She asked tears finally falling from her eyes.
He brushed them away as they fell, a soft smile on his face. His eyes were kind and filled with devotion.
"Yes, I do. Now sleep, Artimes. I will watch over your dreams." He answered his tone gentle and understanding.
She smiled slightly as her eyes closed of their own volition and she fell into a deep sleep, the sound of his heart beat and his forest like scent soothing her troubled mind.
Nied baet flowans willan iernan na langer. Halian se wunds, haelian se feorgbold, niwian hwaet was losian. This translates to Pain that flows will flow no longer. Mend the wounds, heal the body, restore what was lost.
Lady A: Voila! Chapter 3: Healing Hands is over and done! Yes, I know. It's a bit cliché to use Benedict Cumberpatch as my secondary main character, but you have to admit, he does kind of suit the part of Captain of the Blood Guard. The next chapter is where we learn more about where Artimes is, well more like when she is. Leave of a ton of reviews and keep a lookout for Chapter 4: Prophecies and Legends. Stay tuned!