Chapter 10: Fateful Encounter

Théoden was wallowing in his misery and unlucky time on the outskirts of the city. Although, he was barely holding on as he had lost any hope in making any change to his situation. His knowledge from Earth proved to be useless in the new environment. He had never lived through such hardships in his life.

Even after all this, he could not bring himself to actively beg for food. Something in his pride wouldn't let him. He had seen countless fancy-dressed people who would probably help or take him in if he didn't hold up to his pride. However, the situation stood that he could never.

Théoden was curled up in the same corner street lane he had self-claimed to be his turf. He had his knees held to his chest and his head covered in his thighs by his hands. He felt a presence strangely close to his making him genuinely curious about what it could be. The sight he saw he sew when he lifted his gaze made him almost bite his tongue off.

His bored and tired eyes for the first time in a while fully opened trying to assess if the sight was real. Two figures stood a short distance from him but close enough that he could stretch his legs to touch the other. His mouth was slightly open letting some drool flow from his lips which he quickly wiped away. The lady nearest to him had a sunhat that hardly covered her golden hair. She wore a fancy dress that reached the ground and gloves on her hands which held a fan. Looking closer the dress was embedded with gems and she was adorned with them. Her neck, wrists, and even clothes didn't fall short. What she wore was secondary to her natural beauty. She had a smoothly curved body enchantingly seductive and captivating. Her fair complexion with golden eyes was even more alluring.

Maybe it was the atmosphere around her that made Théoden view her differently from other people. He was a woman who looked no more than her early thirties but she held a pressuring presence. Théoden could not read her at all.

'Goddess?'

Théoden's gaze quickly switched to the lady waiting on the goddess. The lady behind seemed to be waiting on the other. Her eyes were closed with a straight posture but slightly bowed head with her eyes closed. She was silent and uncaring. What was most captivating about her that led Théoden's eyes to stare a bit longer was her attire. The general maid costume but a bit more revealing. The dress was no longer than her upper thighs while it was tight on her waist and very full on her bust area. The design seemed simple but it fit the wearer perfectly. As if facing a forbidden fruit Théoden wanted to glance more but he dared not. He switched his gaze to the master among the two ladies.

'Maid costumes exist? Just...wow.'

The second reaction was that of caution. What would a person of her caliber wait on him for? However, there was no sense of danger. The woman in front of him likely had no harmful intentions toward him despite her cold glare.

She stared at him from top to bottom. As if assessing and appraising him with her eyes. She didn't lean any closer nor linger on one part for more than a second. He felt like a good on display. However, her eyes didn't bring discomfort to Théoden. The situation and reaction didn't align logically. It made him even more curious about who was the person who made his senses utterly disoriented.

'Shouldn't I feel repulsive to her stare? Why?'

There were no words exchanged. They had not spoken to him but Théoden had not cared enough to start up a conversation. Maybe it was due to the past days mental humiliations and suffering but he didn't seem to mind any of the current situations.

Théoden was not at his best display. His hair was haggard and unkept and his face was filled with dirt having not showered over the week. The stench coming from him was enough to drive people away. His nails had overgrown and his expression looked grimy while his body looked starved. His clothes were never clean, to begin with since they were borrowed from a dead man's body.

'I look like shit right now.'

He wasn't so egoistic he could not understand how he looked to others. While it was not attractive it was a major contribution to his food source as he looked pitiful enough. When the goddess finished assessing him she looked into his eyes. They had eye contact for the first time. Her glare made his skin crawl and spin chill. She seemed to look into his very existence.

When looking into her eyes he caught a bit of sadness. She seemed angry for some reason but he knew instinctively it wasn't at him. It only resulted in Théoden having more questions than answers.

'How can I read her emotions? I met her just today...just now?'

It was impossible to know someone's emotions especially when they tried to hide them. Not to mention someone he had just met. It brought a sense of De Ja Vue. Théoden believed had seen those eyes before. That train of thought was cut short when she spoke the next words.

"Child. I can give you food and shelter. Are you willing to follow me?"

A sweet voice almost angelic but slow and calm left her lips. It was filled with confidence and pride but something made it loving to listen to. It embraced Théoden who hesitated to answer anticipating more ....words from her lips. Thus, he dared not interrupt her while she spoke.

"...yes..."

In confusion he found himself saying yes while nodding. He stretched his hands and held her hand which brought his mind due to the soft touch. Théoden could imagine he could harm her if he applied the smallest pressure. Her eyes softened while she rose and started walking away. Théoden looked at her back which he wanted to follow. He didn't know if he could do that though.

The maid behind her opened her eyes for the first time and then closed them without much of a facial change or reaction.

'Her eyes....'

"What are you waiting for? Follow me, child."

"Y-yes!"

'Why am I acting like this in front of her? It's as if I am a child.'

She was very odd. Her actions and her words. But something made them believable. She didn't seem one to lie. Maybe that was it. The thing that made him believe her so much.

No personal information was shared between them, but there was a bond of trust. Though a very thin line in between.

Despite having followed her, at the corner of his heart, he chose to keep his guard up. He didn't want to be taken advantage of. There was no reason to save a child from the streets unless there was a backstory. He needed to know the backstory.

That short exchange brought enormous changes to his new life. This gained the gazes of every Dick Tom and Harry on the streets they navigated through. The people who formerly insulted and just gave him pitiful gazes now hesitated looking in his direction. They looked scared of something but he couldn't know what it was. They were dead silent as they moved paving the way to them. Théoden understood that the woman was someone of power. Maybe a noble in the Aristocrat society.

A filthy child following behind a noblewoman was not a sight seen every day. Maybe it was a sight never seen. The goddess walked in fast strides but her posture was tall and elegant. The maid followed behind them. It was a confusing situation.

They soon arrived at a fancy carriage. I made Théoden more conscious of his looks but he didn't let it show. The goddess climbed on while the maid ushered but she waited for him as well. He went in with not many questions. The silence lingered as the goddess closed her eyes while the maid had said nothing since they met. She sat beside her lady and closed the door.

For some reason, Théoden found himself slightly smiling and he looked outside as the carriage drove through the streets and went into the city. He admired the busy shops now that he was not there anymore. His eyes had taken a lighter shade of red making them glimmer almost like hot pink sapphires. He was in a strangely happy mood.

Théoden would later know that their encounter was nothing coincidental. Strings of fate would force them to meet sooner than later.