Except for Annica.
Annica stood frozen, unmoving. Her wide eyes stared at the man in front of her, wide with shock, her pale lips parted. For Annica, time seemed to stop moving for a moment.
Aware that Annica was not showing respect and remained motionless, Brianna snapped with a restrained voice.
"You... Dirty Slave! What are you doing... kneel before the General!"
But Annica didn't move.
The girl seemed to not hear anything anymore.
Not Brianna's voice.
Not the sound of the wind that had been swirling around her.
Nor the sound of leaves rustling above her head, as if discussing what was happening.
All Annica could hear was her own heartbeat.
And all she could see was the man standing not far from her.
The monster.
Yes, it was him.
The demon that had been plaguing her nightmare.
Finally, within reach.
Still exactly the same as she remembered.
When five years felt like a lifetime for Annica, was five years a short time for the man?
How could the man not have changed at all?
The scars on his face were still the same.
His cold gaze remained the same.
His stern lips, his large body, his frozen expression, like a snake staring at its prey.
How could everything still be the same?
No. Not everything was the same.
The man's face today was not splattered with blood like it was five years ago.
He almost looked human today.
Almost.
"Slave!"
Brianna's rough voice brought Annica back to the ground.
"Kneel, stupid whore!" the mistress hissed in angry voice. "Keep your eyes down to the ground. Don't you dare look at the general without permision."
That's when Annica realized that the man was also watching her.
Oh no! Did the man recognize her?
Hastily, Annica dropped to her knees and lowered her head. Her irregular heartbeat made her soaked body tremble uncontrollably. Annica hoped the man would stop looking at her. But even though she no longer looked at him, she could still feel the heat of the General's gaze on her.
"Forgive us for causing a disturbance, General," Brianna said with her soft voice. "We were just training the new slave. As you can see, the girl is truly uncivilized and doesn't understand manners. She doesn't even know how to greet properly. She should be whipped for her negligence, General. Allow me to punish her."
Brianna waited for Daemond's response. But when the man remained silent, Brianna slowly gathered her courage to look up. How surprised she was to find that Daemond's attention was still focused on Annica. His sharp eyes stared without blinking at the slave girl, full of a hunger that was familiar to Brianna. The man was interested in the slave!
Brianna turned to the girl behind her. Annica, who had knelt down, now bowed her head and looked trembling. Her soaked dress clung tightly to her shivering body, clearly outlining her figure beneath the thin fabric she wore.
Brianna's jealousy exploded upon seeing this. The woman stood up immediately and shouted.
"Come here! Kneel before me, Slave! Your negligence deserves ten lashes!"
Annica's heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. Ten lashes? In front of that monster?
Annica clenched her fists. But she had no choice. Ten lashes weren't too bad, Annica thought. She had grown accustomed to punishment over the past five years. Forcing her trembling legs to rise, she walked towards where Brianna indicated.
Once in front of the woman, Annica knelt down again. With lips and hands that didn't stop trembling, she bowed her head once more and awaited her punishment.
Brianna grabbed the branch from Serenilla's hand lifted it up high above her head. Just as she was about to strike, a flat voice stopped Brianna's hand.
"Wait," Daemond said. "Release her."
Annica could hear a gasp of surprise from Brianna perfect lips.
"B-but— but, general—"
A warning growl came from the man's lips.
"Release her, I say...."
Daemond's short, cold voice halted whatever courage Brianna had left. A warning from the man was not something to be ignored, everyone who knew Daemond knew that. With a sigh, Brianna surrendered and lowered her hand.
Annica breathed out the breath she had been holding since earlier, and unknowingly, a tear trickled down her cheek. Her relief only lasted for a moment because now she could hear the man's footsteps approaching her and her whole body tensed.
Finally.
Finally, she could face that monster again.
Annica didn't know what she felt now. She had dreamed of this day for so long.
For five years, she had imagined facing that man again and what she would do.
Now, she was face to face with him again. She could feel her hands trembling, ready to do something.
Anything.
Grab a stone from the ground and throw it at the monster's face. Grab the sword at the man's waist and thrust it into his heart until it stopped beating and he was drenched in blood. Grip the man's throat and choke him until he stopped breathing.
Anything.
But all the muscles in her body seemed to be unresponsive, and she could only freeze. Just like five years ago.
Annica could feel her throat dry as she saw the man's feet finally reach her. She didn't dare to look up. She could only freeze in place, not moving at all, not even breathing.
Then, the man kneeled down and reached out his hand.
Daemond grabbed Annica's chin and forced her face to look at him.
Annica took a breath as their gazes met.
All this time... she had always imagined the man having eyes as dark as a moonless night, dark and empty. Without light.
But now, facing the man directly, Annica realized how beautiful his eyes were.
Not black as she had imagined, but green. Surrounded by grayish specks on the edges that made Annica feel as if she were staring into the depths of the sea. And when the shadows of the trees moved above them, the sunlight hitting those green eyes made them change color. Like a beautiful kaleidoscope.
For a moment, Annica felt enchanted by what she saw.
But then his lips moved.
"Your face looks very familiar, little girl," the man said after a few moments of observation. "Have we met before?"
***
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