The Shadow of Fate

Duty and Desire

Days turned into weeks, and Maragtas found himself recovering from his injuries. The princess, however, had not ventured outside the palace since the day she left the herbs and snacks for Maragtas. It seemed as though she wanted him to rest and regain his health before resuming her excursions.

Meanwhile, the princess grew increasingly curious about the mysterious guardian shadow who had saved her from the bandits. She searched the palace library and consulted the palace elders in hopes of uncovering any knowledge about the existence of a watchman. Diaries from previous royals hinted at the presence of a guardian shadow, but there were no concrete records to answer her questions. Furthermore, none of the palace inhabitants seemed aware of the existence of such a guardian.

Frustrated by the lack of answers, the princess decided to take matters into her own hands. Determined to uncover the truth, she resolved to seek out her watchman himself.

One afternoon, she ventured outside the palace in search of Maragtas, but, of course, he was nowhere to be seen. Unbeknownst to her, Maragtas watched from afar, aware of her quest but bound by the rules that governed his duty. Despite his curiosity about why the princess sought him out, he knew he could not reveal himself.

And so, the witty princess had a not-so-brilliant idea. She realized that her watchman only appears when she is in danger, so she literally sought out danger. Climbing a tall, unstable tree, she aimed to fall and injure herself. Just as Jamira reached the peak of the tree, she tumbled off before she could even consider jumping. As she fell, her heart racing with both fear and excitement, Maragtas emerged from the shadows, catching her before she reached the ground.

Their eyes met in a moment of shared understanding, and Maragtas felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of her. The princess smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and whispered, "I knew it."

Maragtas remained rooted to the spot, unsure of how to respond. As they stood up, he made a move to retreat and hide once more, but the princess's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, her tone firm yet strangely gentle. "I command you to stay."

Maragtas hesitated, torn between the primary rule of not being seen or heard and his duty to obey the princess's royal command. In the end, he knew he had no choice but to follow her words and remain in front of her.

The princess approached Maragtas, her curiosity burning brighter than ever. She looked at him, expecting answers, but Maragtas refused to meet her gaze. His nerves were frayed, his heart pounding in his chest, but he maintained a facade of composure, determined not to reveal his inner turmoil.

"Why have you been watching over me like a shadow?" the princess demanded, her voice tinged with frustration. Maragtas remained silent, his mind racing as he searched for the right words to say.

As the princess's patience wore thin, she raised her voice, her eyes flashing with indignation. "How dare you refuse to answer me!" she exclaimed, her tone sharp with reproach.

Unable to withstand the weight of her disapproval, Maragtas kneeled before her, his head bowed in deference. "Forgive me, Your Highness," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

The princess's anger softened at his display of humility, her heart aching at the sight of his distress. She had not anticipated his reaction, and for a moment, she wavered, unsure of how to proceed.

But then, with a resigned sigh, Maragtas spoke, his voice trembling with uncertainty. "I am your watchman, tasked with protecting you," he began, his words measured and cautious. "Forgive me, but I am forbidden to say anything more than that."

The princess listened intently, her expression softening as she absorbed his words. She felt a swell of gratitude towards the mysterious guardian who had watched over her with unwavering devotion.

"I see," she said, her voice gentle as she looked at him. "Thank you, but I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."

After a few moments of awkward silence, Jamira finally broke the tension. "Did you receive the herbs and snacks I left for you?" she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.

Maragtas nodded, grateful for her concern. "Yes, Your Highness," he replied, his voice tinged with gratitude. "Thank you for your kindness."

Jamira smiled, relieved to hear that he had received her offerings. "Good," she said with a reassuring nod. "I command you to take this time to rest and fully recover. I won't be venturing outside the palace walls for... two—no, one more week; just one more week."

Maragtas bowed his head in acknowledgment. "As you command, Your Highness," he replied obediently, his voice filled with respect, though he couldn't help but suppress a chuckle behind his mask.

With a final nod, Jamira turned to leave, her heart lighter knowing that she had helped her watchman in some small way.

With a grateful smile hidden behind a mask, Maragtas watched as the princess turned and made her way back to the palace, her silhouette fading into the distance. A sense of peace washed over him, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks. In that moment, he knew that he had earned the princess's trust.

During that week, the princess found herself drawn to the garden's tranquility, seeking refuge from the pressures of palace life. Surrounded by lush greenery and vibrant blooms, she would often lose herself in the pages of her favorite books, the words transporting her to faraway realms of adventure and new discoveries.

As she sat beneath the shade of an ancient oak, the soft rustle of leaves overhead and the distant hum of bees provided a comforting backdrop to her reading. Every so often, she would glance up, half-expecting to see her watchman standing guard nearby, his silent presence a reassuring constant in her life.

Lost in thought, she turned the pages with a sense of longing, her mind wandering to distant lands and imaginary worlds. Yet, no matter how captivating the tales she read, her thoughts kept returning to the enigmatic figure of her watchman, his mysterious presence lingering like a ghost in the garden.

One afternoon, as the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the garden, the princess closed her book and sighed, feeling a pang of disappointment at the absence of her silent companion. Rising to her feet, she brushed off the stray petals that clung to her dress and made her way back to her chambers, her heart heavy with unanswered questions and unspoken desires.

As Maragtas watched from a hidden vantage point, torn between his duty and his desire, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of longing for the connection he shared with the princess. The urge to reveal himself, to speak to her, and to ease the burden of her curiosity tugged at his heartstrings like a siren's song. Yet, the rules he had sworn to obey held him back, reminding him of the consequences of breaking the sacred bond between watchman and ward.

With a heavy sigh, he turned away from the palace garden, his footsteps slow and measured as he retreated into the shadows. Deep within his soul, a silent struggle raged on, his loyalty to the princess warring with the yearning for a connection he dared not pursue. And so, as the day faded into night and the stars illuminated the sky, Maragtas found himself grappling with the age-old question of duty versus desire, his heart torn between two worlds that could never truly meet.