I DONT OWN ANYTHING! Enjoy. :)
I shivered as the wind picked up, wrapping my cloak around my tighter. It was the middle of winter and I was making my way back to the castle. I had taken the back route through the forest. It was a quiet route and there were hardly any travelers. But this time, I heard shouts and the sound of swords clashing. Instantly, I jumped up into a tree, leaping from one to another until I found the source. It was a man with blue hair fighting off two masked bandits. He had a giant sword that looked like it had to be carried with two hands. Though, he seemed to carry it with ease in one hand, swinging it at the bandits. I was amazed at his fighting style and how he managed to take on both of them. Should I help? I thought to myself. But what if he's the bad guy? The man sliced the head off of one of the bandits, its body sagging to the floor. The other bandit looked at its partner, debating on whether to run or not. He took out a smaller dagger, concealing it in his sleeve. I wasn't sure if the man saw him hide it or not. Once the man swung, the bandit blocked with one sword and stabbed him in the stomach with the hidden dagger. I heard the man gasp. Then again, when are bandits ever the good guy? Pulling out a blade, I threw it at the bandit, piercing him in the heart. The bandit wobbled backwards before falling next to his comrade. The man looked around before pulling out the dagger from his stomach. I jumped out of the tree, landing softly in the snow. I noticed the man was bleeding a lot.
"Can I help you?" I asked softly. He nodded as he slid down a tree, wincing in pain as he held his stomach. I quickly approached him, kneeling next to him. I removed his hand to take a look at the wound. It was pretty deep but I silently hoped the blade wasn't dipped in poison.
"I'm guessing that was your doing?" he asked, looking up at me. He had beads of sweat sliding down his face and some of his blue hair stuck to his face.
"Yes, I thought you would need help," I answered, taking a knife out. I cut open his shirt, exposing his perfect body, and grabbed a handful of snow, pressing it against his wound. He gasped at the sudden cold. "Sorry," I murmured.
"It's 'kay," he said through gritted teeth. Reaching into one of my small pockets, I pulled out a needle and thread. "You wouldn't happen to have some potion instead..?" he asked upon seeing the needle. I shook my head. "What kind of woman carries a needle and thread, but not potion?" he murmured to himself.
"The kind that knows what they are doing," I stated "try not to move too much." I pulled some string through the needle and began to stitch up the wound. I saw him grab the tree until his knuckles were white. I was almost half way there when he stopped me.
"Okay! Break!" he breathed. I backed away to give him some space. He grabbed a handful of snow and pressed it against his wound again. Once he removed his hand, he beckoned me back. "Okay, continue." I picked up the needle again and continued where I started, hoping to finish without any interruptions.
"Thank you," he murmured. I helped him up, allowing him to lean on me. He had taken off his shirt and I could now see how buff he really was. "I never got your name," I heard him say.
"It's Sheik," I said.
"I'm Ike."
"So, Ike, why were those bandits attacking you?" I asked.
"I saw them kill a man for his money so I did them justice," he answered. He looked at me suspiciously.
"Why were you in this part of the forest? No one ever comes here."
"That's exactly why. I like to be away from crowds," I said. We started walking aimlessly into the forest, his arm slung across my shoulder as I helped him stay upright. I noticed that he was shivering. Maybe he should've put his shirt back on. I stopped and removed my cloak, wrapping it around him.
"What's this for?" he asked.
"You're cold," I stated. He took the cloak and simply wrapped it around both of us.
"Now neither of us are." I smiled under my cowl. As we continued walking, we reached the end of the forest. The countryside was now in view, covered in a thick layer of snow. Smoke emerged from the chimneys of farm houses. The sun was going to set soon.
"Where is your home?" I asked.
He grinned, showing me his flawless teeth. "You want to come home with me?"
I felt my face flush. "I-I didn't mean it like that," I said, turning away.
He chuckled. "I know, I was kidding. Unless you wanted to," he winked. I felt my stomach flip upside down.
"What I meant was I could take you home so you could rest and heal," I said, regaining my composure.
"Yeah, we passed it. It's back that way," he said, pointing over his shoulder.
"Then why didn't you say so?" I asked. He shrugged. We turned around, walking back into the forest. Ike led the way this time, taking turns and crossing a small river, we arrived at a small wooden home.
"Is this it?" I asked.
"Yep. Come on," he said. I followed him up to the door where he reached into a plant and pulled out a key. The door opened and I helped him inside. It was a nice cozy house. There were two small sofas near an unlit fireplace. The kitchen was to the right with a small table with 3 chairs was in the middle. At the end were stairs and another door, most likely a bathroom. I sat him down on one of the sofas.
"Thank you, Sheik," he said. I nodded, and turned to leave. "You're leaving?"
"I should probably return to my home. I'm sure you would like to rest," I stated. He nodded, staring out the window. "Goodbye, Ike," I said, turning around for the door.
"Wait," he said. I stopped, turning to look at him, "Will I ever see you again?" he asked, his voice sincere.
I smiled, even though he couldn't see it. "Of course," I answered.
"Promise?" he grinned.
"I promise." I opened the door and stepped out into the cold bitter air. Shivering, I started my way back to the castle. My thighs were already numb and my fingers were trembling. I didn't realize how cold it was when I was next to him.
Sorry it's short. All the themes are going to be somewhat short unless I love writing it. I'll try to get the next theme up soon. :P