Starkov From Space

11. Shieldmaiden

The Darkling had never felt so many different emotions regarding one woman in such a short amount of time.

Suspicion, curiosity, intrigue, and confusion for the masked vigilante.

Then, fascination for her young face but old gaze and sparkling gaze.

Then the quick turn when those golden glowing eyes turned violent and met his own and a shiver of actual fear had run down his spine.

Only to be followed by deep seated guilt and regret as he watched her caress the buttons of her charges. Of his Grisha, Maksim...he had barely refrained from apologizing to her then and there.

Surprise came next as he watched her shields that protected his people. Then awe as he watched her transport them from where they'd been ambushed to Kirbisk instantly.

Anticipation thrummed in his veins next. He could barely wait to see what the next couple moments would bring.

As they sat around the campfire that night waiting for the Drüskelle to come out of hiding he found himself watching her again.

As night had fallen, her tension had eased from her shoulders and she seemed to be breathing more deeply. A small smile lurked at the corner of her lips. She leaned back as if completely relaxed and not alert to an oncoming attack. Her eyes gazed up at the skies longingly.

As if feeling his gaze upon her she made eye contact with him, "Evening is the best part of the day."

Ivan snorted and the woman allowed a small giggle in return.

"I know what you must think, how can someone who's supposed to embody sunlight love the night so much...well..." She drifted again and gazed up at the skies before letting out a little gasp, "Look, the first star!"

Joy flitted across her face before she cleared her throat and looked over at Ivan, "They call what I am 'the Sun Summoner'. However, that's not actually accurate."

Fedyor piped in, his eyes bright with curiosity in the flickering of the firelight, "Why?"

Ivan gave him a disapproving look as if to ask why he encouraged the girl to continue.

"Ivan," this time she stood from where she sat by the fire. "Do you know what the sun is?"

He gave her a baleful stare.

She let out a nearly giddy laugh as she gazed up at the starlit skies.

"It is but one of millions if not billions of stars in the sky."

The Darkling didn't see it before but now with no other distractions viewing her beneath the night sky and stars stirred something within him. So long in his childhood he'd been afraid of the dark of night, he craved the sunlight.

He always believed his counterpart would be one who bathed in the sun's glow but She sparkled in it's opposite. She belonged within it, with the stars she marveled reflected in her eyes.