Warrior Princess

Dheeran

I was astounded by the fact that the woman inhabiting my house had no shame. While I was sleeping, she had thrown herself at me. For a woman who had previously worked at the palace, she ought to recognize the roles and responsibilities of a female of marriageable age. If anyone were to see our compromising position this morning, my engagement (along with Mithilli's) would have been put to an end indefinitely.

Once Ayra got home, I will give her a good talking to to remind her that she is a woman who had the obligation to be uphold her virtue, or at least the perception of so. Even accidental proximity to a male will be deemed inappropriate. Now that she was in my home, she was my responsibility for however long she depended on us. I would not like for her name to be sullied because of her infatuation with me.

I know how much of a effect I have on the young female population in my village, having had taken advantage of my good looks and charming smile in the past. A few years ago, I used said looks to get women to fall for me, courted them, then ended the relationship when I got bored. My thinking was that there was no other amusing past-time in this village than to court young woman. However, I did not know any better at the time. I did not know the implications of my behavior in the past. Now, having the responsibility to marry off my sister, I know first hand of how difficult it would have been to married for those woman whose names I had tarnished. However, considering most of my past partners have now married, I really had nothing to be guilty about.

It was not really Ayra's fault for being usurped by my looks. Any female would like to daydream fantasies about a man they think is good-looking and hard working. It was purely natural. But it had to go.

Just when I was tired of waiting of Ayra and thinking of returning to my work in the garden, she appears in the distance. Overfilled with water, she carried the clay pot on her hips. I could not help but notice how domestic the scene looked in comparison to how ragged and unwomanly she looked when I first met her. She was a beautiful woman indeed, with a small nose, wide eyes and curved lips. I never noticed her features before. When my mother had said that I was overlooking the fact that she was beautiful, I has snorted internally, and ignored her comment. But now, I was not so sure.

Ayra was beautiful.

I made a mental note to keep her far far away from Mithilli's suitor, for he might fall for Ayra's beauty.

When Ayra made her way towards me, I helped her get the heavy clay pot down to the ground. "Thank you," she said with here head bent low. She had always met my eyes when speaking to me, so I was bewildered as to why she was suddenly shy. Ayra rushed to get inside the house.

Before she fled, I grabbed hold of her wrist to get her attention. She slowly turned to look back at me. "I need to talk to you privately," I said, leading her to the garden. She followed me, twiddling her thumbs. She bent her head so low, I was afraid that she was going to strain her neck. "Why did you fall on top of me this morning?" I asked her, getting straight to the point.

She looked up with alarm. "It was accidental. I tripped over the threshold."

"I do not think so, Ayra. If you had tripped over the threshold, you would have fallen face first into the sand, not face first into my lap. I must tell you that it is very inappropriate of you to be infatuated with me --

"I am not infatuated with you!" She denied, staring daggers at me.

"Well, your behavior around me says otherwise. You have been constantly sneaking glances at me, and you subtly fight with Mithilli to serve me food every night." Her eyes widen in protest. "Do not fool yourself into thinking that I do not notice. I do, but I did not want to embarrass you in front of my family. Not only are you an unmarried young lady who must uphold her virtue, but you are a guest in my house. If your name is tarnished, or if anyone simply thinks you have a relationship with me, I will be forced to marry you. What would happen to my sister's life then, when her suitor has made me promise that I will marry his sister?"

Ayra's breathing was labored, and she simply turned and strode away from me.

She was angry at me.

I was only looking after her. Who knows how this society will treat her if her name is sullied?

"Ayra, wait!" I yelled, running after her.

She turned and stopped. I came to a stop a arms length away from her. "I did not mean --

She put up her hand to stop me from speaking. "I know what you mean. You think me to be a lecherous and shameless woman for simply taking a liking to you."

"Ayra, I am handling this as calmly as I can. I am simply trying to keep you and my sister safe from the rumor-mongers of this village. You simply do not know the lengths to which this village will go to tarnish your name, and that too, for past-time."

"Why are you always thinking about your sister?! Think about yourself for a moment! For god's sake, can you say with absolute honesty that you did not think about me illicitly for one moment?"

"Of course not. I did not even acknowledge your beauty before this morning --

"But you did think I was beautiful?! How dare you criticize me when your head is filled with such thoughts as well?"

"Ayra, stop yelling at me. People will hear. I am just getting the point across. You cannot get your hopes up, because I do not reciprocate the same --

"I do not care if you like me or not. I like you, yes. I continued to like you after you got engaged, yes. I admit that I like you even now. But how am I not supposed to? You got engaged a day after we met! It is not realistic for me to throw away my feelings just like that. I developed feelings for you that I have not for any other man. You thought I was beautiful, right? So why is wrong if I thought you were handsome?"

"It is not wrong, Ayra. I never said it was wrong. I am saying that you should not get your hopes up. I do not want to be responsible for breaking your heart," I said, trying to make her understand. "I am suggesting that you get rid of your feelings as you soon as you caught them."

Her eyes drooped for a moment, begging for me to understand her. I understood her, as I was once in her place, hoping for some woman to see me for who I was. She was in a different environment than what she is accustomed to, and she simply thought I was a good man who could protect her like I had when I first met her. If I were not engaged, I would have allowed for her feelings to develop. But, as a engaged man, I will have to think platonically about any other woman in my life. If I wanted to continue being faithful to my betrothed, I have no other choice.

I heard footsteps. I took a step away from her, so that whoever was approaching will not form an ill opinion of her.

Ayra walked away from me after that -- possibly to cry -- leaving me alone. I looked in her direction once, and then returned to the hut to look a job to do.

After all, I needed to prepare for our journey to the capital city of Aurealia.