Eliana sat on the terrace, taking in the view of the city's lights. If it weren't for the moon enlightening the whole area, the large town in the middle of the desert would have been surrounded by pure darkness. She hadn't used the terrace before because she was worried that Georgina was using hers, it being right next to hers, and Georgina asked her to get some time alone. She avoided using it until seeing her lights being off. Assuming her friend had managed to fall into a deep slumber, she went to sit outside for a while.
The fresh air helped her organize her thoughts. The past couple of months had been quite adventurous, and she never actually had the time to take a minute to digest it all. While in the orphanage, she always had to focus on her work and studies. Then as fugitives, they were struggling to find a place to stay and a stable work position. Not only that, but she had to study hard for the exams simultaneously. Finally, when she thought their lives were taking a turn for the better, they had to run away, with a stranger nonetheless. Coming to Lothaire had been highly stressful because she had trusted her gut feeling but didn't know if Damien truly meant well.
Plus, Eliana felt as if it all had been her fault. Nobody would have seen her converse with Damien if she hadn't wanted to help the werewolves at the town fair that night. The Ambassador wouldn't have gotten interested in her, and she wouldn't have had to drag Georgina into life as a refugee. Every time she tried to apologize for the mess, Georgina would tell her to shut up because they were in this together. Still, her consciousness couldn't swallow it.
And then today happened, where they both could have gotten seriously hurt. She was used to hostile people but not the disgusting lustfulness of men. Most men weren't interested in her as an orphan, albeit she was inordinately beautiful. She could still feel that man's hands grace her leg when he lifted her skirt and heard him whisper in her ear. Thinking of it gave her goosebumps. The tears she had held back bravely started to flow, leaving stains on the terrace floor. Maybe she was not meant to have a joyous life, and perhaps the people who used to judge her were correct. - There had been a valid reason for her parents to leave her behind. All her walls broke down, and she sobbed quietly.
Feeling a warm hand stroke her head, she snapped her head up, scared but was immediately relieved to see the now familiar forest green eyes looking at her with compassion. She didn't know what came over her, but she threw her arms around Damien's neck, hugging him tightly, who at first was caught by surprise but swiftly recovered his composure and hugged her fragile body back.
She didn't want to become dependent on him and was determined to get stronger to protect herself and Georgina better. And although there was a subconscious fear that he would break her heart one day, she needed the feeling of safety he gave her. In that peaceful moment, she decided to let go of her fears of the future, indulge in the warmth he gave off, and see where this could lead. She had never been a coward and wasn't intending to start being one now. Promising herself to enjoy everything more, she was grateful for all her moments with him.
"Are you alright?" he asked into her hair, making it difficult for her to understand him correctly. Even if she planned to be braver, she was still an innocent woman and becoming aware of their position, she pulled back, leaving him wishing she would have hugged him longer.
"I apologize for my sudden indecent behavior," Eliana said, wiping her tears.
He looked at her with a complicated expression. That was not what he wanted to hear. "Don't worry about it. I am here for you no matter what you need. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, I had some time to arrange my thoughts." She gave him half a smile.
"That is good to hear. May I stay here with you for a while?"
Her eyes widened at his question. "Uhm, I am not sure that would be appropriate."
"I will leave the minute you want to sleep." He wanted to ensure she was able to sleep before leaving.
"Hmm, alright. How did you get up here anyways?"
"Well, I am a werewolf, after all, and this height is not difficult for me to overcome." Smiling proudly, he shifted to sit down on the balcony sofa, taking Eliana by the arm so that she would sit next to him.
Since she didn't initiate any conversation, he took it upon himself to do so. "It must be hard for you two to suddenly live in a different country with different customs, but I hope you like it here."
"I like it very much. The temperature is warmer, the people dress more freely, and they smile more. When I think back to Paxos and our orphanage, I think of misery and gloominess."
"I genuinely admire how you two survived all those hardships." The more he knew about Eliana, the more pride he felt that she was his mate. She was a strong woman who elevated during hard times and didn't let it push her down.
Eliana's cheeks blushed at his compliment, and wanted to change the topic. "Hmm, I am not sure there is much to admire. When we walked through the city today, I saw the training grounds for the soldiers. You also let women fight along with you?"
"Yes, we do. The Paxon military has also started to let women enter the military, but I believe only the lower classes are allowed to do so. In Agora, any woman supporting our cause is more than welcome. Why do you ask?"
"Do you think it would be possible for me to get some training there? I still want to become a doctor and not necessarily join the army, but maybe I could still learn how to protect myself and the people I love?"
Her sudden request took Damien aback, but he could understand her reasoning. The two girls had experienced something awful today and had been helpless against those bastards. He would have preferred to be her protector, but it wasn't feasible for him to always be there to rescue her.
"Sure, I will train you myself if you so wish." Eliana was happy about his answer.
"I have another question, and you don't have to answer if it is too personal." She took his silence as an agreement for her to continue. "What is your relationship with Raya? You seem very close." Being jealous was unreasonable because she had no claim over Damien, but she couldn't help it. As she resolved to cherish her relationship and maybe even give it a fair chance, she needed to know if there was space for such a thing in Damien's life. If he were already taken, the case would be closed for her.
On the other hand, Damien was amused by her abrupt question making him wonder about her reason for asking. But he stopped his optimism. They hadn't known each other for long, and humans took their time to fall in love, so he had to be patient. Her question, nevertheless, was proof of him getting closer to his goal. "Raya, Simon, and I grew up together, so she is like a little sister to me. I know she can sometimes be a bit much, but she means well."
Satisfied at his response Eliana smiled while thinking that maybe this meant they were meant to be together. Should she allow herself to think about such beautiful things? Concentrating back on Damien, they talked about various topics until Eliana fell asleep with her head leaning on his shoulder. He waited like that, watching her sleep peacefully until sunrise. After putting her in bed, he left her room through the terrace and slept for a few hours.
They had agreed to visit the University today, and he had to visit the training grounds before that, so he didn't have much time to rest. To his dismay, Raya showed up by his room only three hours after he had laid down on his bed.
"Good morning, sleepy head. You guys ditched me yesterday, Damien, and I am hurt. So, I came by to give you a chance to apologize and hang out today instead…" her mind drifted away as she was goggling Damien's shirtless torso.
Damien looked at her, too exhausted to deal with her, and rubbed his eyes with his fingers to wake himself up. "Good morning, Raya. Don't you think it is a little too early to scold me? I am sorry to disappoint you, but Simon and I have a busy schedule, and we couldn't make it yesterday. Unfortunately, we also don't have time to come by your house today. You will have to excuse us for a while." He found her persistence commendable but was getting annoyed by her constant interruptions. His goal right now was to get Eliana to feel comfortable in Agora and around him, and Raya demanding too much of his time was becoming a distraction he didn't appreciate.
She looked at him sorrowfully. "So, you are not even sorry that you made me wait yesterday? What in the four continents could be so important that you have no more time for me?"
"Raya, do you hear yourself? I am the crown prince; do you think there are no more important things for me to do than to spend the whole afternoon at a friend's house? More importantly, you forget yourself! It is not your place to scold or demand explanations since I do not owe you any. I request you to remember your place, Raya." He couldn't take her pestering anymore.
Raya's eyes widened at his outburst. They grew up together, and she always wished him to see her as more than just a friend or sister. She didn't know how mateships worked but was convinced they were meant to be together. Deep down, a feeling had been lingering that his odd behavior since his return had been due to that Paxon human, but she didn't want to believe it. Maybe she had to investigate that further and get rid of the girl.
"I apologize, my prince." She said sarcastically while bowing down and then left his room.