Protect the Protector

Orryn's POV - Before he entered the tent:

Fleya's arrival brought a wave of relief over me. Seeing her safe, knowing we had arrived in time to prevent any major harm, filled me with gratitude. It had been two gruelling months of her imprisonment, and the guilt for allowing her capture was a weight I carried every single day.

"Brother!" Fleya flung herself towards me, her voice echoing relief and joy. I caught her, holding her tightly against me, her safety tangible in my arms. "I knew you would come for me, I knew it!"

"Even if it took traversing the ends of the earth, Fleya," I vowed, my voice thick with emotion. "The Goddesses be thanked, you're safe."

"My friend Nadya protected me while I was there," Fleya said suddenly, her voice taut with worry. "Can you help me find her, brother?"

I nodded, immediately agreeing. "Of course. I owe your saviour a debt of gratitude."

There was some peace in knowing someone had watched over her in that horrid prison. As I studied her now, her body marred by mud and the visible signs of malnourishment, there was still no hint of severe harm. Which I suspect is thanks to this friend of hers.

"Let's go," Fleya held my hand, her skin rough under my touch. "She must be here somewhere."

We moved from group to group, searching for her protector. As we approached the last cluster of survivors, a sense of dread settled over me. We hadn't found her yet, and Fleya was growing restless.

"She...s-she's not here." Fleya's breath hitched, and tears began to spill from her eyes. "She's dead... I got her killed trying to protect me."

Sinking onto one knee, I looked into her eyes, pulling her into a reassuring embrace. The thought that I had failed to save the one who had kept Fleya alive gnawed at me. The debt I could never repay.

'Wait.' An idea sparked in my mind. 'Could it be...?'

"Fleya, what does your friend look like?" I asked, pulling back to look into her tear-filled eyes. I had a hunch, but I didn't want to give her false hope.

Her sobs made it difficult for her to talk. But I needed her to focus. I gave her a small shake. "Fleya, I need you to answer. What does she look like?"

"She's...t-tall...and really pale," Fleya managed between sobs. "I think her hair is black... it could be dirt. And she... she has a birthmark on her hand. Looks like a small flame."

Recognition filled me. The woman I had just left with Nikon. She had been Fleya's protector. And I had a chance to repay her.

"Does she have black eyes?" At this question, Fleya halts her crying, looking at me in confusion.

"Yes, but how do you know this?" She inquires.

A corner of my lips lifts into a smile. "I know where she is."

—

Orryn's POV - Present Time:

My tranquillity vanishes the moment I round the barrier, seeing Brie pacing restlessly. The sight of her sets my teeth on edge.

"You should hand her over to someone else," Brie snaps at Nikon, her temper flaring. Nikon's patience wears thin, his irritation plain as he runs his hand through his dirty blond hair.

"She's imprinted on him," He retorts, a staunch defense against Brie's baseless claims. Initially, I know he had shared her sentiments, for the welfare of the clan rather than selfish motives. But the revelation of Nadya's bravery, the sacrifices she made for one of us, had shifted his perspective. He knows that I wouldn't leave her now. If it had been another clan member, gratitude would have sufficed. But Nadya had ensured the safety and purity of my sister, an act of kindness that could never be fully repaid. "He's the only one she feels safe around since he was the one to free her, not us."

"But who cares?" Brie retorts, her anger surging, manifesting in the shattering of a nearby vase.

"Quiet," I snap, my voice low and threatening, startling the woman who didn't realize I was there. "Disturb her and I will drag you out by your hair."

"But you don't even know her," She hisses at us. "I am your woman, not her. I should be your priority."

"The only one who assigned you that title was yourself," Nikon retorts, his voice cold.

"You need to leave," I warn, my eyes narrowing at her. She blanches, seeing the threat of violence brewing in my gaze.

"You can't be serious, baby," She murmurs, her tone laced with seduction as she saunters towards me. A calculated sway of her hips, a pout directed at me. She reaches out, intending to stroke my arm. "What can she do for you that I can't do better?"

"I owe her my life," I interrupt, grasping her wrist before she can touch me. My grip tightens, enough to hurt but not to cause serious harm. She jerks away, and I release her, despite Nikon's silent wish for me to teach her a lesson. "We're not in the same place we used to be, Brie. I don't want to see you here again."

Watching Brie storm out of the tent, her silent promise of revenge hangs heavy in the air. I shake my head at her delusions. I'd been meaning to sever our dalliance for a while, but I didn't see the urgency until now. Nadya had protected and cared for the most precious person in my life without hesitation. My debt to her is immeasurable.

"She won't let this go without a fight," Nikon sighs, weariness in his tone. "I warned you about getting entangled with her. You should have listened to me."

I hold my tongue, knowing he's right but unwilling to acknowledge my error. I'd accepted Brie's advances simply because she'd thrown herself at me so desperately, and it seemed wasteful to dismiss such a willing participant. However, the more nights we spent together, the more entitled she became. She acted as if she was the matriarch of our clan, bossing around those who owed her no allegiance.

As Brie's anger-infused footsteps fade into the distance, I find myself feeling a strange sense of relief. It's as if a looming cloud has been lifted, allowing a clearer view of my path ahead. Brie was a distraction, a fleeting pleasure that quickly turned sour with her incessant demands and delusions of grandeur. Nadya, on the other hand, is something entirely different. Her selflessness, her bravery, even her mere presence feels... right. Unsettling, but right.

In the silence following Brie's departure, my mind begins to wander. I find myself thinking about Nadya. Her strength, her courage. The way her eyes hold a depth of wisdom that seems to exceed her years. I'm suddenly aware of a strange feeling bubbling up within me, one I haven't felt in a very long time, admiration.