I woke up to a steady knock on my door as someone outside
whispered my name. Before I could say anything or even sit up, the door opened slowly, and Sela poked her head through the crack.
"I am sorry if I woke you," whispered my former captor, "I had hoped to speak with you in private before the ceremony."
"No apology necessary, Sela," I assured her. "Please come in."
The warrior woman turned to close the door behind her and then took just a few steps into the room. She seemed extremely hesitant about
something, which was very odd for this woman who not too long ago had tied me up and forced me by spear-point to walk blindfolded across a
strange island.
"Sela,I don't know what has you so hesitant," I spoke softly, "but there is no need for it, at least not as far as I am concerned. You can say what you need to say to me."
She let out an enormous sigh and walked over to open the curtains and let some afternoon light into the room. When she did, it immediately lit up the green of her eyes and scales in such a magical way that it took my breath away. She was wearing a pale pink wrap, and it tied behind her neck and dipped into a deep vee in the front, which put her ample cleavage on
display. Her gray-blue sea colored hair was twisted and braided into a bun of some sort on top of her head, and it left her long and elegant neck
exposed. She stood there and stared out the window for a moment while I sat up in bed and looked at her.
I wanted to prod her into talking to me, but I knew it would be best to just give her some time.
So,I reached out and pulled the robe to me and got it on my injured arm fine, but failed repeatedly as I tried to get it on my right arm without being able to use my lefthand. It reminded me of my two-year-old nephew when he tried to put his own coat on all while insisting he was a big boy. It was not going well, to say the least.
Just as I was exhausted with the effort, Sela came over and held the robe up for me to slide my arm into. With her so close,I could see her
superficial injuries from the raid the other night had healed quite a bit. I could barely even see a white scar on the arch of her cheekbone.
Before I even thought about it,I reached out to touch her cheek, but she immediately jumped back like I'd slapped her and stared at me with her eyes opened.
"Sela, I am so sorry," Iblurted, "I overstepped. I shouldn't have touched you without permission. I was just concerned."
She sighed again,and her body relaxed as she sat on the side of the bed.
"It is me who owes you an apology," she stated. "I am still a bit shaken from the battle, and your touch startled me."
"That is completely understandable, Sela."
"I was not finished," she countered. "I haven't been fair nor kind to you. I didn't trust you and did not make it a secret. I spoke harshly about you to the queen and anyone who would listen. I was angry with Mira and Talise for befriending you and blindly trusting you. I felt they had
endangered the entire island, and I caused quite a bit of discord over it. I was wrong."
She hardly took a breath as she blurted this all out to me, like she
would lose her nerve or ability to talk if she didn't just let it all out at once. Now, she sat at the end of my bed as she panted and looked anywhere but at
me.
"Sela,I understand why you did those things," Icomforted the distraught woman. "You were protecting your village and its people. I would have done the same thing."
"You don't understand, Ben," she groaned. "During the walk to the village from where we found you, I am the reason you fell so many times. I
intentionally tripped you."
"Well, that's, um, less understandable, but still not horrible," I chuckled.
"I also added ganjika to the nectar Mira shared with you that night," Sela continued as if I hadn't spoken. "I was hoping it would convince you to tell the truth as to why you were here. Instead, it just endeared you more to Mira and Talise."
"Seriously?" Iasked. "What is it with you women and drugging my drinks?"
She responded with a dumbfounded look. Apparently, she didn't know this was becoming a habit.
"Never mind, go on," Imumbled.
"The first night you were supposed to sleep in the palace," she
whispered and averted her eyes, "I snuck into your room and planned on
doing what was required to get you to talk. I was prepared for anything, but you never showed up. So,I tried to sneak out of the window, and that is
when the raiders caught me."
Oh fuck me, I didn't even know what to say to that. I could only
imagine what she was prepared to do in defense of her village and people. The thought frightened me more than the damn beasts did.
"Then, there you were," she said as her jaw clenched, "rescuing me from those animals and fighting on our behalf. You saved everyone, and I had to admit to myself that I was wrong. So terribly wrong."
She took a deep, shuddering breath, so I reached out to take her hand, and this time she let me touch her.
"Sela--" I started, but she cut me off.
"I apologized to the queen and tried to resign as a warrior," Sela
stated with steel in her eyes, "but she won't have it. I failed, and she won't let me quit. I don't … don't deserve to wear the uniform."
"Sela, you are being entirely too hard on yourself," Itold her. "You did what you thought you had to do to protect your village and people.
Nobody can fault you for that. I would have done the same thing."
"Really?" she asked as she looked at me with a frown.
"Really," Iconfirmed. "There's nothing I wouldn't dofor all of you."
She gave me a tentative smile and then surprisingly hugged me.
I was getting good at this comforting women shit. In only took getting lost on a deserted island to get there, but I was killing it.
"Now," I said with a smile, "no more talk of leaving your duties and all that nonsense. We are in this together. I have lots of ideas on how to
bolster our fortifications and make it damn hard for those bastards to attack
us so easily next time, and I'm going to need your help to accomplish these things."
"Yes, Mira has told me about the bones and marrows …"
"Bows and arrows," I corrected while I fought off a laugh, "and those are going to be a game changer. It may take a few more days before we can get out there,due to my shoulder, but I am healing fast."
"That reminds me," the warrior replied, "I am supposed to help you through some stretches and see if you need my assistance in getting ready for the ceremony."
"The mysterious ceremony, huh?" Iteased. "Care to give me a hint as to what this is all about?"
"The queen has for--" she started
"Forbidden you to tell me anything," Isighed. "You women and your secrets. Fine then, let's get on with it."
Sela chuckled at my response, and I realized it was the first time I'd heard her laugh. Not surprisingly, it was a melody of its own, but much
deeper than any of the other women's. It was the kind of laugh that made me think of being tangled up in bed sheets and skin touching skin. Her laugh oozed sex, and I was enamoured to my core.