Chapter 6: I want her, I get her

Oona slowly opened her eyes, her head was throbbing severely. She looked at the night sky and the stars which were fewer than they normally were.

She sat up slowly and held her head. "Drink" a keg of water was handed to her. She turned to see the golden knight squatting beside her. Even though he was squatting he was way taller and bigger than her. She wondered how she missed it when they were together.

"T-thank yy-y" her cracked a bit. She took the water and gulped everything into her system.

Sage watched her every move like a hawk. His gaze on her was sharp like that of a predator ready to pounce on his prey.

After drinking the water Oona turned to Sage who still his eyes on her, she gradually felt anxious about the water she just drank.

"Where am I?" She questioned while looking around apart from the open field up ahead were she could see a fireplace and some people surrounding it, there was nothing else.

"Borderlands" Sage sat beside her staring at the fireplace. "Alright?"

Oona didn't know what to say,the truth is she was far from being alright, she felt terrible right now. "No" she replied with her head low.

Sage stared at her passively and turned to the fireplace. A man dressed halfway in his armor brought a plate of porridge in his arms.

"Sir" the man dropped the plate beside sage and left.

"Eat" Sage placed the bowl on her laps.

"I'm not hungry" Oona replied calmly sniffing in her tears.

"Do I look like I care" Sage grabbed her hand and placed the plate in her hands "an order" Oona stared at the man in disbelief."be done before I'm back" he stood up and left her speechless.

With tears falling from her eyes she scooped a piece with the wooden spoon in the bowl "(sniffs) what's he's problem?" She muffled in her wails and ate silently. The meal was tasteless and stale, for once she thanked God for the sumptuous poison that was occasionally served to her.

Sage never came back, even when she had finished eating, a knight came and took her plate away and served her water.

It was a little bit cold than usual. The only thing Oona had was her night gown and a huge jacket.

She laid to sleep but still couldn't, she sat up and stared at the stars. "Nohr" tears rolled down her eyes once again.

"You seem to leak a lot from your eyes" Sage approached her with a new set of items in his hands. He had already changed from his dirty clothes and wore a clean pair of pants and white shirt. He's hair was still dripping water.

Oona looked at him sadly and wiped her tears. "Get up, go bath"

"Where?" She stood up gently, she indeed needed a bath, her body stunk from the blood dirt and all things that she had fallen over and into. She followed sage quietly, they both walked in the forest.

"You have to be quick we move in an hour" they stopped in front of a small river. He handed over the items in his hand and left her.

Oona stood by the lake for a couple of minutes, she had to make sure no one was looking at her. She stepped into the river with her nightgown. Sitting on the bare rocks under the river she backed the path Sage had followed and pulled off the gown.

Washing off the dirt on her arms and legs gently, her long black hair covered her back and a little of her hips. She drew all her hair gently to the side and then turned to her side dipping the air into the water. She scrubbed off the dirt in it and pulled out the twigs that were sticking in her hair.

Sage stood a few feet away from the river watching Oona, his eyes were specifically on her back that reflected the moonlight like it was glass. "If you look at her, I'll blind you"

A golden knight stepped out of the shadow and stood beside Sage facing him. The knight chuckled lightly "I don't remember you to be perverted to women, so why are you watching a fair maiden under the moonlight hmm"

Sage didn't say anything to the knight, he turned to the knight with dead eyes. "Fine, fine, the others left not quite long, so you're stuck with me for the time being"

"What else?" Sage sighed and turned to Oona who was now stepping out of the river.

"There were fakes amongst the body we counted" Sage still held his all passive look.

"I see" that's all he said, the golden knight left Sage and disappeared into the darkness.

Oona wore a huge shirt that covered her to her knees, the sleeves were so long that her hands were no where to be seen. She wondered who owned it. She looked at the leather boots that Sage also brought for her. She didn't have a clue on how to wear such shoes.

"Done" Sage emerged from the dark forest like a source of light. Oona nodded but then looked at the boots she wore, she doubt if they were right.

Sage walked to her and bent on a knee. Raising her legs up without warning, Oona gasped and quickly covered her in betweens. Her face was pale red like a peach fruit. Sage unfazed by what he did. He wore the boots in the right way and put her legs down.

"Lets go"

Oona tailed behind him, she had series of questions to ask him but she didn't know what to ask first "who... why... Where are we going?"

He didn't reply to her, he kept walking until they got the the camp. Oona was surprised to see most of the men were fully armored and ready to leave.

She kept looking at them not minding where she was going. "Ouch!" She bumped into Sage's back. "Sorry"

Sage turned to her with the all passive expression, he picked her up in a princess style and sat her on a huge light brown stallion after which he mounted on it. Oona felt like a child, no like she was experiencing childhood once again. When her mother would ride with her round the castle.

"Alright?" His voice was clearer than before and a little bit calm. Her back was against he's solid chest almost as if she was leaning against a smooth rock.

"Yes" she whispered under her breath. All the knights around began to mount their horses as well. A golden knight rode towards them, he nodded to Sage and Sage did same.

They rode out of the forest into the open fields. Oona stared at the fields with eyes filled with awe, she had never seen the moon reflect on the field this bright and the moon wasn't fully out. The wind gently brushed her face making her lashes flicker.

Oona felt calm, warm, peaceful, happy. Tears formed in her eyes, she wished Nohr was here to see this with her.

Sage would glance at Oona every now and then. He wondered why he had decided to take her in, it was never his first intention but something about this girl wasn't right.

That made him feel ecstatic for no reason.

Oona weeped silently, she still found it hard to believe her brother was gone. She wished he was alive, she hadn't felt so sad in her entire existence. Right now her own faith wasn't certain but what choice does she have but to follow the man that saved her life.

She wiped her eyes with the long sleeve and then sighed. "You all on your own Oona"

Sage rode slowly than the rest of his comrades. He glanced at the girl sleeping on him. He could see eye sags, probably due to her crying throughout the night.

"Mind explaining" a strawberry blonde man rode beside him with a concern look."why are you bringing her along?" Sage completely ignored the man. He stared at the rising sun that gently kissed his skin. Oona's eyes slowly opened as well, she was entranced by the first thing she saw. The sun, yes it was beautiful whenever she sat at her window and watched it rise but today it was different. It was heart-warming, like a new stage in her life has begun.

"Brother might not be happy about this " sage had his all day passive expression hung up on his face. He glanced at his mate and rolled his eyes. The knight had veins popping on every side, he didn't want Sage to get into any trouble. "At least tell me why"

"I want her" Sage replied shortly then glanced at Oona who was gawking at the Sun "so I get her"

"That's not enough reason" the knight growled. Sage sent a quick glare at him "wanting her is not even close to an excuse the order was to plummet everything"

"It is to me, need I remind you she's a someone not a thing" Sage smirked mischievously before returning to his look "now go away I have enough on my plate, I'm not babysitting you"

He felt Oona rub her body softly against his chest, a smile creeped on his face. The knights who all rode with them were both puzzled and dumbfounded by Sage's action but none dare to ask him.

EVENING

Oona woke up feeling drowsy and heavy like a log of wood. How long was she asleep? The Sun had already set was no where to be seen.

"I slept for an entire day?" She shook her head a little and tried to hold herself up.

There was a fireplace not so far from her. There were fewer knights around the fireplace.

She stood up slowly and approached the men who were drinking chattering and laughing

"Excuse me" she called out but none seem to have heard her. Taking two more steps towards them she called out again but this time she was a little bit louder "excuse me"

One of the knights turned to her. He scrutinized her for a while and shook his head. "Did someone remember his dead grandma or something. A ghoul is talking to me" the men were totally wasted.

"Huh?" Another berged loudly and turned to Oona "oh I can see it, hello who do you seek revenge for hmm i can help" some knights laughed at the drunk man while others shook their head disappointed and turned to her. With her pale skin, meek feminine features and white oversized robe there was no mistaking that she looked like a ghost.

"Emm.. you see I.." she started but then she didn't even know what to say. She had no idea why she walked towards them and talked to them, maybe she should have just stayed in place.

Oona bowed her head like a servant and was about to turn and leave. "Hey where are you going?" She felt a huge hand on her shoulder leading her closer to the fireplace. It was the same man that spotted her first.

"How did you?"

"Clear the way for the lady" On his command the knight made space for her. Oona who was obviously tensed sat in between them slowly and bowed her head.

"Thank you"

"I'm Leander" the knight who sat her down gave her a loaf of bread with a gleeful smile. He had his strawberry blonde hair packed in a ponytail with a pair of blue eyes. He wore a cream shirt and green pants with brown boots. To Oona she had just met a man who had things woman would yearn for. "What's your name?"

"Oona" she was gawking at him, when he shoved the bread into her hand. Oona broke away from his eyes and bowed her head. "Thank you"

"Welcome princess" he whispered for only her ears to hear. Oona's skin crawled in anxiety. "Don't worry, I have a strict order not to harm you" her heart beat accelerated

"eat up" she looked at the bread in her hands warily "it's not poisoned " Leander smiled and took a piece from her bread eating it and swallowing it. "See" she stared at him with meek eyes.

"I'm not hungry" she tried to give him the bread, but her body turned against her

Her stomach growled loudly, leaving her embarrassed "yeah I'm sure" Leander laughed warmly and turned to gist with his men.

Oona ate quietly as she watched the knights around her have fun. They probably knew she was part of the enemy faction they had just destroyed yet they treated her nicely. They even cracked jokes for her. Never have she felt like she was treated like a human.Tears rolled down her already dried cheek.

"Are you alright?" Leander stretched out a handkerchief to her, but she declined.

"Thank you" she was about to wipe her face when she felt something soft and wet draw from her chin to her cheeks.

"Hmm... Less salty than I imagined" the fireplace fell silent as everyone stared at Sage who had just licked Oona.