Light of the Unexpected Adventure

Chapter 34 Honesty

Leoric's POV

We both jump up and meet off to the side of the blazing fire. Before I know it, my hands are lying over her arms, making sure she is steady and safe. I notice that she seems in a little pain, but it is not taking over her features as I stare over at her before her eyes flicker to mine, until we are locked in each other's gaze. "Are you hurt?" I ask her as she huffs out in frustration before spatting back. "Yes I am hurt, hurt by your words that are effortlessly thrown out there. Making your endless task now mine to bare without my say in any of it.. It's not fair."

This time she hits my chest looking upset with me, which I completely understand. She is scared, but so am I. We could do this together if she would even give me the chance to complete this and protect her. "Why won't you help me? Why do you hate me so? I am sorry for annoying you so much to the point that you want to see me dead. But I thought that we connected differently than this. I thought you cared about others." she squeaks out before hitting my chest a couple more times as I wrap my arms around her to hold her to my chest for comfort.

I feel as she starts to sniffle and then cries into my chest as I softly say. "I don't think I could ever hate you Gabby.. and I would never want to see you dead.. ever. That is not what I want for you." I say into her ear as she shakes her head, pushing my chest as I stumble back. "I don't know why you are acting as if you care about my situation, when I know you are planning on just giving me to the King to gain his appreciation.. in what gold? Status? What would he give you when you bring me in? Does it matter? I think not.. The only thing that matters is that no matter how thoughtful and concerned you may act for me, it means nothing, because I know it is a lie. As you told me before, your loyalty doesn't belong to me and never will. That is why I will continue to be stubborn until my last breath." She states this in a pained tone, as if those words have come straight from her hurt heart.

I hate those words being said, probably as much as she hated saying them. But that is her harsh reality at this point because of how she has been betrayed, and she does know what my intentions are since I have been as honest as I can be with her at this point. But she sounds hurt and that thought alone hurts me as well, like a double-edged sword. I huff out, shaking my head, I don't know why I feel the need to try to explain, but I do, since I never wanted to hurt her this entire time. It's just hard for me to sympathize sometimes, I am a soldier at heart, not getting attached and just getting the situation taken care of, no matter what.

But this is different. I know that she should mean nothing to me in this hard situation, because she is right, I just need her to help me get closer to the King.. But, she has been slowly creeping under my skin and I hate it. I feel weak knowing that someone is getting that close to me to be able to affect me like this, but it is just because she has slowly become someone I adore because of what I have found out about her over this short span of time.

In the beginning, she was just a targeted person who could help out in the longer run of things. That was just for a short period of time until she wasn't needed anymore. But now, after all of these interactions, she has become a person I have started to know and like. From hearing the things that have happened to her, then knowing how she feels about it, while watching and understanding how she reacts, is something unforgettable. Which is making her not just a person to help with my task for a second.. But a person with thoughts and feelings that I can understand and relate to. Making this more real for me than I ever wanted it to be.

My empathy is erupting within me, which never normally happens, so these feelings are foreign to me, confusing me completely about how to act with her. But the one thing I do know is that I want to be as honest as I can with her. "My thoughtful actions are not lies.. I want to help you.. And I don't want to see you get hurt." I say softly but honestly as I hear her huff out, then throwing her arms up as if she is done with this conversation. "Oh I see what you are saying as clearly as the open skies.. You don't want to SEE me get hurt, but as long as you don't see it, you will be fine with it." She says this before looking right at me as I shake my head.

"That's not the truth." I say in my defense, but in response she scoffs before stating, "You said I was safe with you because you don't want to hurt me, but you have never said once what will happen to me once I am away from you." I hold my breath just wishing she wouldn't have brought that up because she is right. I haven't said what would happen and that is the reason why.. Because I don't know what would happen when I am not there and there was a part of me that thought, as long as I don't know, then it won't matter. But that is not the case anymore.

She sees straight through my silence, knowing exactly what I mean without having to say a single word back to her. My silence screams the truth, whether I want it to or not. "I knew it. I am not a simpleton as you thought. I can see exactly what is happening here. All you care about is getting what you want, just willing to give me to the King as if I am yours to give. But I won't let that happen." She declares as she whips around. I think doing this to walk away from me, but I can't have that. I grab for her arm as she quickly swipes her arm out of my grip.

"Please believe I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you." I state as she snaps at me over her shoulder. "And yet here you are fighting to take me to my death.. I don't understand why you won't just let me go." I reach out grabbing her bicep as I whip her around to look at me before she gets hurt going out on her own. "There are bigger things at work here.. This isn't about me.. Or you.. Or what I want with you.. This is about what needs to be done for the greater good." I try to state this with the utmost urgency so she knows that this is bigger than the both of us, no matter what my feelings are towards her.

I watch her eyes well up with a sadness I never intended to inflict, as she says. "So I am not a part of the greater good in your eyes? Just an expendable person, who has no importance to anyone, in this life or the next." I shake my head, inching closer to her just to quietly say. "That is not how I imagine you or even feel for you in the slightest." I watch as she nervously swallows before she steps closer to me, taking my breath with every inch she closes between us. "Then how do you see me? Feel for me?" She asks this with an anxiousness in her tone to know what I feel.

I watch as her beautiful eyes soften while they stare into mine. There is an anticipation in her orbs, as if she wants me to say something in particular, but what? I let out a deep breath, not even realizing that my thumb is automatically caressing over the side of her arm as I let my grip loosen around it. It's as if my hand has a mind of its own as I watch it reach up and gently caress over her cheek, swiping away a fallen tear. She lets me without objection, almost leaning into my touch, not taking her eyes from mine as if she is silently begging to know what I want to say to her.

I can't help the loving gaze that is encompassing my features naturally in her presence. She even looks as if she trusts me and honestly wants to hear what I have to say. Which has not happened to me by anyone but family. I feel myself melting in her stunning gaze, just wishing I had the words to my feelings that have taken over, not just my body but my heart. I keep touching her cheek as I hum out, smiling at her as she matches my smile. I slowly inch forward, wanting to let this moment take over and connect us as I feel we both want.

"Gabby.. You are.. What I.. I mean we.. Well, I feel.." I started to try to get these feelings off of my chest, but as the words stuttered from my lips I saw something glimmering behind her. I stop saying anything as I grip her arm once again, but this time using it to push her behind me. "What is it?" She asks as I shake my head. "Stay behind me." I quickly grip the handle to my sword as I swipe it from its sheath. I feel her hands wrapping around my arm that is holding her behind me. She either trusts me to protect her in this moment, which is what I hope for.. Or she just needs me to stand, but either way, I am here to help her with how I can.

I watch as the glimmering source decides to emerge from the darkness, exposing one wolf then another that creeps out from between the trees that surround us. They have very dark fur, only letting their glimmering eyes be what we can easily see. The problem is though, that I can see many more glimmers in the distance, showing me that we are greatly outnumbered. They keep coming, showing there are more than I can take on for the both of us, even if I brought out my true weapon. I can see the one in the front that is sniffing relentlessly in the air as they look back and forth between one another, which is showing that they are discussing what to do with us.

Most packs of werewolves out here can be reasoned with, but not all.. Some still see all that are not them as a threat, just not every pack. I will have to try to be the one to show them that we are not threats and just hope the mercy within them will grant us access to the exit before we are killed and eaten by their pack. "Don't say a word I will do the talking." I state over my shoulder to her before glancing at her for a short moment. She looks confused as she shakes her head. "You will not speak for me when this is something that involves the both of us." she says as I declared. "Yes I will.. don't argue, you know not of their kind." I spat right back.

I have come to find out that I absolutely admire her stubbornness in taking care of obstacles herself, but that cannot always be the case. She could get herself killed if she did not accept the help given to her willingly. "Their kind? They are beasts.. Wolves.. Have you never heard of such things?" She asks as I shake my head. "They are not the wolves you think they are." I declare as we see the leader of them, jumping forward and shifting right in front of us into his human form. Strutting closer in all of his nude glory like the arrogant being he is.

I keep my eyes locked on him until I see his wandering orbs now glued to a surprised Gabriella. He smirks at her as I glance down to her wide eyes staring back at him. I noticed her eyes go from his feet slowly up to his eyes as I watch a smirk appear on her face, then being quickly hidden from view. It went so fast that I wouldn't have known it had even happened if I wouldn't have seen it for myself. Which is surprisingly making the jealousy I never knew I could have, erupt within me.