Her Fierce Protector

Chapter 19

AMARU woke up feeling the pain in his whole body. He felt beaten up and gone through hell, he almost lost his breath as he tried to get up.

"Gamma! Don't force yourself to get up, you're not yet well!"

Amaru didn't listen to Xerxes, he endured the pain and sat, he looked outside only to find out that the fine sunny day was already up. It was almost lunchtime.

"Where is my mother?" he asked.

"She's not here. Maybe she attended the ritual for those who passed away," Xerxes said, "I'm here to guard you while you are resting."

Amaru looked at Xerxes and he felt the sudden relief when he noticed that unlike him Xerxes does not have many wounds.

"I need to go to Ashera, she might visit the forest now, Xerxes. No one will protect her," he said and forced himself to stand up but he didn't have enough strength causing him to fall to their bamboo floors.

"Amaru!" His friend immediately attended to him and helped him sit down.

"I need to go, Xerxes!"

"You can't do that now, Dude. You're so weak, you have a lot of wounds, you need to rest and earn back the strength you lost," Xerxes said. Amaru got irritated with his situation, he felt so useless. This is one of those few moments after the war that he hates the most.

"Ashera needs me now, Xerxes!" he whispered afraid that someone might hear them.

"Dude you cannot show up in that state. You'll just make her worry about you. How can you protect her when you're weak now?"

Amaru got his friend's point but he still forced himself to get up thinking that Ashera might be endangered again in the forest.

"Dude!"

"Xerxes, just let me, okay?"

Xerxes heavily sighed, he scratched his head getting problematic with the situation, he knows that when it's Amaru's decision he has no power to change that.

"Alright, let's negotiate!" Xerxes said, Amaru turned to him, Amaru was already standing but he was dependent on the wall of the house to support his strength.

"What?"

Xerxes scratched his head again, it was obvious that he isn't willing to do what is on his mind, "I'll be the one to go there and protect her whatever it takes, just please, take some rest, Gamma!" he irritatedly said.

Amaru stared at his friend as if checking if he was serious, "She was expecting to see me today, Xerxes, if we do not meet today, we will wait for another sunrise for that, and another sunrise, and another sunrise."

"Godd*mn it! I'm starting to dislike this, Gamma!" Xerxes irritatedly claimed, "Just focus on healing, and I will do your duties for her while you still can't."

Amaru glared at Xerxes, "Don't hug her, that's my job," Amaru said, strictly making the pact warrior drop his mouth open.

"Dude, damn! I'm loyal to my mate!"

"Your mate, who?"

"Sumeria!"

Amaru let out an insulting chuckle, "You wish."

Xerxes childishly throws a glare at Amaru but Amaru will never be afraid of that. Xerxes is sure that even with the fierce Gamma's state right now, he can still kill him like the lightning's pace.

"Rest now, Gamma. I will be the one to protect her."

Amaru heard Xerxes let out a sigh of relief when Amaru went back to where he was laying earlier. He looked at his friend.

"Tell her not to visit the next few days, Xerxes, I will be the one to visit her once I'm fine. I don't want you to be the one doing my duty for her."

"Copy, Gamma lover boy!" Xerxes let out a laugh but Amaru was seriously looking at him making him stop.

"Also, stay away from her, five steps."

"What?!" Xerxes looked at his friend, "You can't be serious, Dude? How can I explain to her with that space, you're not expecting us to keep shouting during our conversation, right?"

Amaru narrowed his eyes at Xerxes, "Stay with that distance or I'll rip your legs?"

Xerxes sighed and scratched his head again.

"Don't touch her, even the last strand of her hair, Xerxes. That's my job."

"What the hell?!"

"And… don't seduce her, you got it?!"

"Dude—"

"I know how foolish you are when it comes to women, Xerxes. I trust Ashera that she will not find you attractive but I want to make sure."

"You're a possessive prick!" his friend laughed at him, "Don't worry, Gamma. I will maintain five steps distance between her, I will not seduce her, nor touch even the last strand of her hair!" Xerxes sarcastically added.

Amaru nodded and sighed, "Tell her not to visit the forest for the next few days, and tell her to wait for my cue."

"Copy!"

"Thank you, Xerxes."

Xerxes just let out a loud laugh before leaving the house and Amaru was just there inside trying to figure out how to recover faster so he can finally see his beloved mortal maiden.

AS soon as Ashera's mother left the village, Ashera immediately sneaks out and ran to Alawin forest as fast as she could. During that time, most of the families living in the village would gather at the farm. That's why it's not that hard for her to escape. She was glad that her mother was not questioning her and Zelda's stunt about not going to the farm. They all assumed that she was obeying her parents' order, making her parents calm and confident, especially that she is with her most obedient sister, Zelda.

When she gets to the Alawin forest, the first one that her eyes seek is Amaru. The forest becomes more beautiful in her sight when Amaru's there, he makes her visit more fun and exciting. She couldn't explain why but Amaru's presence makes her happy that even though the time they're together is short, it makes her day.

"Amaru?!" she started calling him but looks like the gray-eyed man was not yet there so she decided to sit on the root of the tree above the ground and that's where she decided to wait for Amaru.

She was enjoying the beautiful greenery hearing the melody coming from different birds when instead of seeing Amaru, it was his talkative friend who came.

Her brows furrowed seeing Amaru's friend, she was sure it was Amaru's friend because she remembered his appearance.

She stood up, he was wearing a camisa de tsino and long pants but he noticed his face with scratches and small wounds.

"What happened to you?" she gulped and started overthinking, she looked around trying to look for Amaru, "Where is Amaru?"

"He couldn't meet you today, Lady," Xerxes formally said. Ashera's brows turned up, opposite from how she knew the friend of Amaru who is foolish, funny, and loud, Xerxes is serious now making her worry while thinking about Amaru.

"Where is he? What happened to him?"

"He is currently sick that's why he told me to go here and tell you he couldn't come—"

"Is he fine?"

"He is sick, Lady," Xerxes said as if it was logic, "He ordered me to tell you not to visit this forest unless you receive her cue—"

"What?" Ashera furrows her brows, she is confused about what Xerxes is telling her, "What exactly happened?"

Xerxes sighed and groaned, closing his eyes, "Being so serious is goddamn hard, how could he even do that for decades of his life?" he pouted, making Ashera looked at him thinking he was weird.

"Oh, sorry," Xerxes scratched his head and laughed, "You're still there? Yeah, I guess."

Ashera stood up and was about to get near Xerxes but Xerxes reacted panicking.

"S-stay there! Stay there!" Xerxes shouted with his widened eyes pointing at where she was standing earlier.

"What?"

"I'm begging you, stay right there, oh damn!"

"You're overreacting," Ashera said and laughed, "Can I go with you and visit him instead? I just want to make sure that he is fine."

Ashera heard Xerxes mumbled words making her brows furrowed even more. He looked so problematic for no reason.

"Can I… visit him?" she asked.

Xerxes' face palmed like he was about to cry, he winced and looked at her as if he was having the hardest time talking to her.

"Ahm… are you okay?" she asked hesitantly, "Is there something wrong?"

Xerxes looks at her, "Can you just do what he wants? Please. He will be the one to explain because I cannot disclose it to you now. It's his story to tell."

Ashera pouted and rolled her eyes, "When can we meet again then?"

"As soon as he gets better," Xerxes assured her, "Just… just don't make him worry. Promise me that you will not visit this forest without his cue."

It was all still unclear for Ashera, "How will I know that it's his cue?"

Xerxes let out a tired sigh, "Just trust him, he will do whatever he can."

Ashera looked at Xerxes, looks like he was telling the truth, for now, she has no other choice but to trust Amaru's friend.

"Can you at least tell him that I'm gonna wait for him?"

"Yes," Xerxes said, "Please assure me that you will not visit the forest without her cue. Please listen to him and do not give a hard time."

Ashera sighed, "Alright, I promise."

Xerxes looks at her and smiles, "Thank you, Ashera," he said sincerely.

Ashera nodded and smiled, "I guess I have to leave," Ashera said. She sounds disappointed, well, she expected to see Amaru, yet he didn't come. Knowing that they will not meet for days, she felt weak and sadness enveloped her whole being, which was worse than being restricted not to see Alawin forest.

"Ashera?"

She looked at Amaru's friend.

"Hmm?"

Xerxes looks at her seriously, "Please… don't you ever hurt my friend."

Her brows furrowed.

"Among all creatures I know, Amaru is the strongest and fiercest… but he has the weakest emotional strength."