Her Soldier

14

"What happened?" Ryan asks he's been watching me carefully all day. "Nothing." I don't look at him I know he's knows it was a lie. He sighs I hear him leave back into his shack. That's how its been, he asks I deny and he leave me alone. It's been a constant loop all day.

I look over at Devons house it's a particularly warm day for it always being cold out and snowy. I watch Devon fighting a dummy his shirt is off laying on the ground forgotten, his pale skin sparkles in the sun and beads of sweat trickle down is chiseled abs.

He doesn't look like he usually dose when he fights he looks enraged now when usually his body dances with his sword in hand and his face is a mask of perfect calm. like when I watched him on the battle field that day he look calm almost. Not now though now he was tearing the poor dummy to shreds like he might look when fighting a true enemy one that has gone too far. Like me, I've gone too far.

In one swift motion he rips the dummy in half, he drops his sword into the snow and stomps off I catch his eye as he walks back into the house and quickly look away. I hear Ryan come back out handing me a drink. "Have you ever fought him?" I ask looking at the shredded dummy and forgotten sword.

He shrugs "not really." I nod, in agreement. "Do you fight?" I ask. He laughs looking at me "Rose you've seen my amour and weaponry in the basement."

"Right." I look back to Devons house. "Do you fight?" He asks. "Not really. Not that I can remember if I did anyway." Ryan nods in understanding. I've grown closer to Ryan since he's been here, I really like him. I feel like i finally have a friend that wont hurt me.

-----

The snow sparkles under the sun it looks beautiful almost crystallized I drag one of Devons dummy's back over to Ryan's with a sword under my arm. i got this crazy idea, I wanted to fight. I didn't want to be weak anymore, and rely on someone else to come out and rescue me. If I learned to fight, i could save myself.

"Why are you stealing one of my dummy's?" I freeze looking back to where Devon now stands arms crossed his eyes sparkle in amusement. "The dummy didn't want to end up like his brother, I'm saving it from you." Devon smiles. "Ah, so you are stalking me." I roll my eyes. "I am not! I just happened to look over." Devon nods.

"You're not seriously planning on fighting the dummy." He says. "And what if I am?" Devon frowns and walks up to me."You're going to hurt yourself princess." He points to my wounds from a week ago. They were healing just fine but they still hurt if I strained them to much, which was a lot so.

"I'll manage." I say going back to dragging the dummy across the snow. Devon sighs grabbing dummy from my grasp. He plants it down in front of him. "Come here." He says I roll my eyes walking back to him. "Good now hold out your sword." I look at him confused "What?" He couldn't be serious?

"I'm not letting you hurt yourself." He explains "now hold out your sword." I do as he said and he walks over to me his eyes go to my legs Im mostly holding all my weight on my right leg the one that was spared from Claytons arrows and sword. Devon looks back at me. He knows the conflict going though my body right now. He knows I shouldn't hurt myself more. I don't care though, i didn't want him to know he was right.

"You should wait." He says. I let the sword drop, puffs of snow floating around it. "I knew it." I say "you weren't gonna help me." I cross my arms over my chest. "Princess look at yourself you refuse to put any weight on that leg and you're still limping around not to mention your arm, and side still aren't healed completely either. Just wait." He was right, I knew he was right, he knew he was right. It didn't make me any less angry at him though. "Fine." I drop the sword in the snow and walk back to Ryan's.

----

This morning the air is cooler. Ryan left saying he was going to see a new place Tobin made he said something about a Icechester. He asked If I wanted to join but I opted out. Devon left early that morning, to where I had no idea. So it was just me and Phil left. I decide to go talk to him, I walk up and just open the door to Devon's house.

"Hey." I say to Phil. "Goodmorning." Phil responds smiling at me. At least someone enjoys my presence. "What are you doing today?" I ask. Phil shrugs "was gonna work on a project but Im not sure." I look at him. "I can help." More like i need to help, need to do something other than sit down and stare at walls. Phil shakes his head "it's kinda a secret project not my place to tell you about it."

"Oh, ok." Shut out again.

Phil offers me a cup of tea which I take and hold it between my hands. "Devon was right." I say quietly. I look up at Phil ready to spill everything that's been bothering me these past few days. I trust Phil, he's nice and cares for me. "I shouldn't have gotten myself into that mess. In the end he's right I rely on others I can't handle myself. I go out searching for more problems, causing more problems. I don't know what's wrong with me." The tea cup shakes in my hands.

"Princess." I gasp turning around. Devon stands in the doorway, he steps closer to me and takes me in his arms tears silently fall down my face. He presses my face against his chest, holding me close to him.