Page 4 of Savior

When the group ran by and the hallway cleared, the man whispered to me again, "Stand on my feet." I did as he asked and he walked forward, carrying me with ease. He had to be very strong to tote me around as if I weighed nothing, and the thought made my heart beat a little faster.

He guided me through the castle and out the front entrance, right into a group of guards, just as they were dropping the drawbridge. The chains clinked and the heavy wood slammed on the ground, and my heart skipped a beat at the sight of the kingdom which laid ahead.

Stone homes with thatched roofs lined both sides of the cobbled streets. Horses were tied to posts, happily munching on hay under the moonlight. It was more beautiful than I ever imagined.

The man walked forward with me still balancing on his feet; presumably to keep us both concealed beneath his cloak and to keep from having to give me directions and from getting tripped or tangled up. Amazingly, we walked right next to the guards, leaving the castle grounds beside them without so much as a word from them.

When we made it into the town, the man branched off from the group and walked where there was no path, between houses and across a large open field. Once the guards and kingdom were behind us and we were alone seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the man let me go, allowing me to climb off of his feet and leaving my skin cold without his warm touch.

I turned to thank my savior, and gasped loudly at the sight of him. He was the most stunning man I’d ever seen; much more handsome than any guard I’d admired. He was nearly a foot taller than I, and much broader as well. He had warm brown eyes, and hair of the same color that fell around his shoulders. A scruffy beard covered half of his face, and scars covered the rest. He was rugged, manly, and strong; everything I wasn’t.

I was so mesmerized by his good looks that I couldn’t speak, no matter how badly I wanted to thank him. My heart was lodged in my throat, pounding its excitement.

Chapter Two

Ansel

My heart sank at my fated one’s reaction to seeing me for the first time. He was in obvious shock, and perhaps even appalled by my battleworn appearance. It wasn’t unexpected; I knew that I was not a prize to behold.

The same could not be said for my fated one. He was small and delicate, his skin fair and unblemished. Fiery red hair topped his head, freckles danced on his smooth cheeks, and his crystal blue eyes were wide as they gawked at me. He was the most beautiful creature on earth.

Wanting to show him that he need not fear me, I slowly extended my hand and told him, “My name is Ansel, and it is my greatest honor to meet you.”

He blinked his pretty blue orbs at me before looking down at my hand. I worried that he did not want to touch my rough skin, but then he placed his palm against mine. He looked back up at me and gave me a sweet, shy smile that took my breath away.

“My name is Leo, and the honor is mine. I can’t thank you enough for saving me.”

“It was my pleasure,” I replied with a bow of my head. His pretty smile vanished and I asked, “What is troubling you?” I wanted to do anything I could to bring it back.

“While I’m grateful, I’m not surewhatyou saved me from. I have so many questions.”

“I will answer all that I can, but we must keep moving. I fear that the guards are not far behind us. I will take you to my cottage; you should be safe there.”

Leo nodded and stayed by my side as I began walking again. I missed having him in my arms, but there was no reason to conceal him now, as we were alone. Wanting to clear up all of Leo’s questions, I began with one of my own. “What do you know of Maldor?”

“I’ve heard stories of him from my keeper Fagen. He told me that Maldor was an evil god, who enjoyed despair and ruin. But until tonight, I thought he was only a fairytale.”

I replied, “He’s very real,” with a shake of my head, “And always working his trickery and malice.”

“Why does he want me?”

It was hard to answer, but he needed to know the truth. “Long ago, your parents promised their first born child to Maldor. A sacrifice of royal blood in his name makes him grow stronger. In return, he promised your parents greater influence and more subjects to control.”

Leo’s footsteps stopped and he rubbed his chest with the heel of his hand. “I was born…just to be slaughtered?”

I wished that I’d handled the news with more tact. I was focused on our surroundings and getting Leo to safety, and not enough on his feelings. “I’m sorry,” I told him sincerely, placing my hand on his shoulder. “I truly am, but we must keep going.”

Leo nodded and walked beside me once more. “So why didn’t Maldor just kill me when I was a helpless baby?”

“He wanted you to be of age, when royal blood is at its most potent. It would make the sacrifice more powerful.”

Leo gave a humorless laugh and said, “I suppose it all makes sense now. I was never allowed outside because my parents were afraid that I’d get hurt; not because they cared about me, but because they wanted to keep the sacrifice ‘in pristine condition’, as I heard them tell Maldor. They never taught me anything about the kingdom or how to rule because they knew I was destined for an early death.”

My heart ached as I nodded. “It is also why the subjects of the kingdom never even knew about your existence; they would be outraged at the sacrifice of their prince and may revolt against the king and queen.”

“Wait…if no one but the guards know that I exist, how doyou? And how do you know about my fate? You are not a castle guard; surely I would have rememberedyourface.” A pretty scarlet blush crept over Leo’s cheeks. “I’m sorry; my words came before I could stop them. I hope I did not offend you.”

“It’s alright,” I told him with another pat on his shoulder. It was difficult to keep my hands to myself. “I know that my appearance is off putting.”

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