I let out a sigh as I gazed out of the window, realizing that I had been in Arun's home for several weeks now. It was starting to get boring, and I missed my home. Arun had insisted that I stay indoors until the new rulers had settled in. Restlessness gnawed at me, and I scratched my arm in frustration. I needed to do something to pass the time, I couldn't stand being trapped in my own thoughts.
I decided to look for Arun. The house was eerily quiet, meaning that he was likely outside. I grabbed my winter boots and slipped them on as I made my way out. Stepping outside, I was greeted by a chilly yet refreshing breeze. In the distance, I heard the distinct sound of metal being sharpened. Curious, I followed the noise and found Arun sharpening his sword.
"Arun, why are you sharpening your sword out here?" I asked as I approached.
"Well, it's essential to keep your weapons in good condition," he replied, his tone somewhat uncertain.
I wasn't convinced. His response sounded off. "Why are you really doing it?" I pressed.
He turned to look at me, his expression somewhat guarded. "Why are you out here without a jacket? Do you want to catch a cold?"
"I was bored, and I just wanted to see what you were up to. Now, tell me the truth," I demanded.
"Please, Zars , it's just me sharpening a sword," he said, his chuckle sounding slightly nervous.
"Don't call me that just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm stupid!" I retorted. "What are you trying to hide?"
My questioning was cut short as the sound of approaching horses reached my ears. Arun hastily whispered, "Ears, Zhara." I instinctively folded my winged ears back and covered them with my hands. My body tensed as he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me closer to his side.
The horses soon came into view, carrying a group of men. One of them, holding a scroll, addressed Arun. "Arun Lerainne?"
Arun nodded respectfully. "That's me."
"I've heard you were the former royal guard under the previous king's rule?" the man inquired.
I watched as Arun nodded again. "Yes, sir."
"Well," the man continued, "you have the opportunity to continue that role under our new ruler, a much better one, of course."
My eyes widened in shock, and I whispered to Arun, "What are you doing?"
He silenced me with a gesture, and I fell back into a watchful silence.
The man on horseback chuckled, "Most of the people in this kingdom had no loyalty to their former king. Can you believe that?" He turned and smiled at the other men accompanying him, who chuckled in response. Then, one of them whispered something to the man on horseback, causing his smile to fade as he turned back to Arun.
"You there, girl, come out," he ordered.
My body froze, and my eyes darted to Arun for guidance.
"Come out right now. We can see you; how dimwitted do you think we are?" he barked.
Arun nodded at me, signaling for me to comply. Reluctantly, I moved further into their view, my hands still covering my ears.
"Out here in this cold with just a dress?" the man raised an eyebrow.
"I was just going inside," I mumbled softly.
"Right, would you do us a favor and remove your hands from your head?" he asked.
"My ears are cold," I replied, a hint of defiance in my voice.
"We'll execute you right here if you don't obey our commands," he threatened.
I let out a defeated sigh and slowly uncovered my ears, revealing their pointy, human-like appearance.
The man sighed in disappointment. "If any of you see a girl with wings on her head, report it immediately. She's the only one we haven't found yet."
"Why do you need to find her?" I couldn't help but ask, looking down at my hands.
"To execute her, of course. We wouldn't want our new ruler's reign to be cut short," he explained casually.
I nodded and clutched my dress tightly.
"Arun, we'll be seeing you soon, I presume?" the man asked.
Arun patted my head and said, "Yes, of course. I apologize for any trouble my daughter may have caused."
The man laughed, "Oh, don't worry. I have two little girls of my own. They can be quite a handful." They exchanged a few more words before departing.
I returned to the house in silence, my legs feeling shaky. As I entered, my fear overwhelmed me. I was scared, and I didn't know what to do. Eventually, I would get caught, and I didn't want to die without having done something meaningful for my family.
"Zhara, are you alright?" Arun asked, rushing over to help me up by my shoulders.
"No... why did you join them?" I demanded, tears welling up in my eyes.
"Are you going to turn me in too?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
"No, no, of course not, Zhara," Arun reassured me.
"Then why?" I shouted in frustration.
"Remember what I said...? We're going to get your kingdom back, but we can't rush it. I need to earn their trust, get close to them as much as possible," he explained.
He wiped away the tears that had fallen from my eyes. "You can help too. I can train you, and it would probably make things a lot easier. But first, we have to change your appearance. They recognized you because of your ears," he suggested.
I ran my hand through my hair. "I've always wanted to cut my hair short, you know. My mom thought I wouldn't like it," I admitted, feeling a mix of embarrassment and emotional exhaustion.
Arun seemed to notice my fatigue. "Right, well, we can do that another day. Go take a nap or something, whatever can help you rest. I'll wake you up when the food's ready." He gave me a warm smile, and the tension in my body was replaced by exhaustion from the day's events. With a tired nod and a weak smile, maybe i rather have a boring day than something like this again...
