Destined Queen

Chapter 6

Thais Pov

    I sighed, sitting back on the stool as I looked at the cow in front of me. The fourth and final cow to milk before I was finished and had to get the animals back inside before dark fell. I knew it would be dark soon, maybe in an hour or so, but I was behind from going into town. Even still, it was necessary. Sometimes I wondered how much easier it would be if I had a helper but…then I’d have to talk to someone. It was better being alone. Even if I considered hiring someone to come help every day, it was better to be alone. No one noticed anything this way. I don’t always need to drink blood just when I’m exhausted. Usually, I could hold off until an animal was dying and then I just drank some of their blood. Sometimes I killed a chicken to eat, and kept the blood as well. Usually, I didn’t really need it, not every day like vampires did. Even still, it was better to be alone. This way, no one knew anything. Even if it was lonely. 

    I wiped my forehead with the cloth in my pocket, before leaning over and grabbing the teet once more, giving it a gentle sideways pull as the liquid once more sloshed into the bucket. The cow mooed as I patted her side, shushing her. I closed my eyes, pressing my forehead against the side of the cow as I concentrated. I could hear so much when I concentrated. The birds chirping, the many feet of the animals. So many overlapping noises. If I cared enough to narrow in on it, I could distinguish which animal made what noise, but I let it all blend together like a melody, singing to me as I worked. Suddenly, however…a new sound was heard. I sat up in surprise, focusing on it. Feet? Human feet? I continued to milk the cow in disguise now as I listened. There were…more than one. One on each side of the barn. I moved to the right, placing my hand on the wood as I listened, focusing on it as I tried to distinguish it. My sword. I should have brought my sword out here but…it might not have been an intruder. Why would it be? Out here? Lost in my thoughts, I walked back to the cow, focusing. It might just be someone wandering past. That happened a lot when someone gets lost on the way to town. They saw the smoke from my fireplace and would drift over here to ask me for directions. I needed to calm down, that’s probably all it was. 

    I decided to sit back down, waiting. If they wanted help, they were going to have to come to me. I had work to finish. I started to milk her once more as the door to the left opened, and I bristled, waiting. “I’m over here, finishing up. What can I help you with?” I asked, my voice coming out calm despite my annoyance at getting disturbed. Usually, they’d enter through the open door, not the side door. Suspicion was racing through me as I felt the figure come up behind me. There was another, on the right side. I could still hear them. Was this…something bad after all? Others coming to get me? Did they somehow figure me out? 

    I felt a hand clamp down on my shoulder and a chill ran through me as I let out an involuntary scream. “I think you know what you can help me with, darlin’,” The man whispered in a voice I recognized. I shuddered, my eyes wide as I realized it was the criminal. The man who was talking to his cousin earlier. 

    I narrowed my eyes in disgust, clicking my tongue to the roof of my mouth in frustration. I should have known he’d follow me, with the way he was looking at me. Well, if he thought I’d be easy prey, he had another thing coming for him. With a fast motion, I placed my hand on his wrist, using my free hand to grab his arm as I stood, swiftly twirling our bodies to the side as I fluidly flipped him over my body, slamming him onto his back. He gasped in pain as I slammed my foot against his throat, still holding his wrist with my hand. At that moment, I heard the footsteps of the other person running to the front of the barn and I tsked, using my free hand to slide into my pocket, remembering the knife from earlier. Was this the cousin? The moment I saw movement near the front of the barn, I threw my knife at it, hoping to catch it off guard. This man was nothing but a rapist, while the cousin, I doubt he could fight either. I only had a moment to feel guilt wash through me. What if he was a good man? What if he came to stop his cousin, and I was about to kill him? 

    I heard a grunt of surprise as the smell of blood washed towards me, surprising me. I looked up and was greeted with startling dark blue eyes, halfway hidden under black hair. His eyes were wide as he held my blade in between his fingers, his other hand pressed against his cheek as he stared at me. “You,” I muttered, surprised. The man…the assassin. I just…assaulted an assassin. Was that…allowed? Crap, I was probably going to get arrested now. 

    A small pit of panic cut through me as he stared at me, and I stood calmly as others ran up behind them. “Where is Wyatt?” A pretty woman with an Italian appearance asked, her green eyes racing around the barn as she held a spiked chain in her hands. 

    I said nothing as I stared at the assassin, my foot remaining on the man’s throat as he squirmed. I gripped his wrist tighter as he groaned in pain. Another man walked into the barn, his light blue eyes flashing with humor as he laughed, running his fingers through his short blond hair. “Aww, well. He’s all good, he looks comfortable,” he said, nodding at the man under me with a laugh. 

    A woman with stern eyes and long straight black hair came up behind him, facing a man that looked like he could be her twin. She did…some movement with her fingers? It looked like sign language, I think. I’ve seen it in the square before with the deaf old woman who ran the stall across from me sometimes. The man did it back to her and I realized they were having a conversation. “Um…” I stammered, looking at the one I cut again. He blinked his eyes as if pulling himself out of a trance, and nodded at me. 

    “Hello, sorry to bother you. This man that you’ve…impressively acquired for someone your size…I mean this man that you have under your foot is a criminal.” He said, lifting the paper out of his pocket and showing it to me. “His name is Wyatt. He’s wanted in the Werewolf Kingdom for his crimes against princess Lilian. Do you mind if we,” he asked, motioning towards the others. 

    I nodded, remaining silent as the girl with the spiked chain rolled her eyes at him. “We’re assassins, we don’t need to ask permission. Are we arresting her too? She cut you,” The girl muttered, lifting her hand towards his face. 

    I lowered my head instantly, feeling strange by watching. Of course, he was taken. I already assumed he was anyway. It didn’t matter. Someone like me, I didn’t deserve much of anything. I'm a Dhampir. He’s definitely not interested in someone like me. It was better being alone anyway. “Don’t, Lottie,” The man said, making me look up in surprise as he walked past her. She frowned at his back as he walked over to me, the man with long black hair pulled back in a bun following him. Another woman walked in, walking over to the woman named Lottie and talking to her. “Hello, can you…lift your foot?” I blinked in surprise, seeing the man so close to me. I nodded, taking a deep breath as I took a step back, letting go of Wyatt’s wrist. Swiftly at a practiced speed, the long black-haired man bent down and grabbed Wyatt, and started tying him up. “Get him to the horses, I’ll be there in a moment.” The man said, his eyes never leaving mine. 

    “But she cut you, we should arrest her too!” Lottie argued, earning a glare from the man as he looked at her. He moved his hands towards her and she pouted, but without a word, she turned around and left.

    The others mumbled something back to him as they helped the black-haired man pull Wyatt out of the barn, leaving me alone with this man. He sighed, looking at me as he lowered his hand and I took an involuntary step back, trying to keep my calm from the deep smell of fresh blood. “I’m sorry we didn’t notice on the road. We rode past you, but in the rain, I didn’t see him. It took us forever to find his cousin and shake him down for answers, but we got here as fast as we could when we found out he had followed you.” He said, holding out my knife to me. 

    I blinked in surprise, staring at him. He was…well, gorgeous, to be honest. Shaped like a mountain, large muscular body. “You’re not going to arrest me?” I asked, taking the blade and sticking it back into my pocket. 

    He chuckled, shrugging at me. “There’s no point in arresting you for defending yourself in your own home. You didn’t know I was a friend or foe. It was a good throw, strong and sure. And the way you took him down, you are an excellent fighter.” he said, complimenting me. 

    I stared at him, not sure what else to say for a moment, before sighing. “Can I offer to clean the wound? I caused it,” I said to him. He stared at me, surprised, but before he could say anything, I was walking towards the side door that led to my house. It was dark out now as he followed silently behind me as I walked into the house and when I pointed to the stool in the kitchen he sat without complaint, watching me. I grabbed a wet rag and walked back to him with a tin of ointment, setting it down on the table. “Can I?” I asked quietly, pointing to his cheek. He nodded, his eyes filled with humor as he stared at me. I took a step closer to him, standing in between his legs as I touched his chin, tilting his head to the side. I shivered, feeling his warmth around me, spreading through me as his eyes watched me. There was something about the way his eyes tore into mine that made me shiver. I tried to ignore the goosebumps spreading over my shoulders as I pressed the wet rag to his cheek, wiping the drying blood. I frowned, pressing harder, and noticed he had nothing more than a red line now. This much blood, he would have needed stitches…if he was human. I sucked in a deep breath, but kept quiet, setting down the rag and dipping my finger in the ointment. It probably wasn’t necessary but I spread it on anyway, just in case. Once I finished, I wiped off my hand, leaning down and gently blowing on the wound. He turned to look at me, his eyes searching mine, before I moved back. “You’re not human,” I said, trying to lower my racing heartbeat as I put the things away. 

    “None of us assassins are.” He replied finally. “I’m a werewolf. Well, half fairy, I suppose. I can’t really do much with the magic though, I’m more werewolf.” He replied to me. 

    I turned to look at him, surprised he would give that information so easily. I haven’t told anyone what I was in the almost eight years since I fled the Vampire Kingdom. “How does that work? You have a wolf, and magic?” I asked, curious. 

    He shrugged, chuckling. “I have a white wolf. I think he’s white because of the magic, he looks silver in the moonlight. He’s mostly quiet. I think, because of the magic, it’s harder for him to speak. I know my father’s wolf talks to him constantly,” he said. I nodded, that made sense. Two different species that were fairly dominant clashing together, it must be exhausting for his wolf to fight it to speak. “My name is Jareth. I’m sorry, again, if I startled you. Thank you for helping me,” he said softly, standing. 

    I nodded, looking down at my hands, sighing. It was nice, having company for a few minutes at least. “My name is-” I started to say, before I was cut off. 

    “Don’t tell that mutt your name, princess,” A voice came from the doorway, making me turn in surprise. 

    In an instant, Jareth pulled me behind him, his hand resting on the hilt of his axe, ready to pull it down, but I…I remembered that voice. I looked around Jareth, peering from behind him, and stared into familiar honey-colored eyes. “You…Louis?” I asked, confused as Jareth stared at him. “What are you doing here?” I asked, confused.