Chapter nine: Saved

Surrounded by a white glow, Sara felt her numb body being pulled to the bottom of what seemed like a bottomless pit. Where an inhumanely beautiful woman stood with her arms stretched forward, as if waiting for Sara to fall into her embrace. She stared at her with heavy eyelids, noticing the familiar silver locks and pure eyes, The ones she saw every single day in her mirror. But unlike her soft features, the woman had rather sharper ones that that spoke volumes about her status and strength.

The woman was saying something, Sara noted from her moving lips. However, the drowning girl wasn't able to hear a thing beside a dull whir in her ears. The burn in her lungs seemed to increase the closer she got to the woman who seemed aware of everything happening to her...

''...Within...You...Trust...No...'', Sara wasn't able to distinguished any of the words as a painful pressure hit her chest repeatedly as if it was being hammered mercilessly. An excruciating pain erupted in her throat and spread to her lungs, the explosive burn was too much to handle her eyes shot wide open...

"Miss, Can you hear me? Are you okay? Miss, are you hearing me? "

Sara ignored the worried pleas and only focused on her desperate gasps, trying to inhale the dear air that burned her throat like acid, Her heart was beating hectically and her ears were buzzing loudly,  splitting headache threatened to drive her out of her sanity. But nonetheless, she was grateful for the pain as it only meant that she was alive.

Once used to the pain, Sara turned to the person who held her in his arms while was gently patting her back while saying soothing words. She stared numbly at the beautiful brown eyes before a terrifying thought hit her...

He was a stranger, a man, she was naked and alone in the middle of the forest with her strength drained, Patrick...the man was but another Patrick... He was going to do the same to her...

Crawling away in fear, Sara's whole body shivered as stared at the young man in utter horror. She wanted to scream for help but all what left her sore throat were muffled squeaks.

Seeing her frightened state, the man who was kneeling right next to her raised his palm while pulling himself away from her slowly.

''Please Calm down Miss, I mean you no harm, I just want to help...''. Sara stared at the young man skeptically, listening to his actions and body language rather than his words. Assured slightly by the way he kept his distance, she took her chance to ingest her situation.

Glancing down at herself, Sara was surprised to see that she wasn't naked at all, instead she was wrapped on a large black cloak, looking back at the young man, she noticed his clothes were of the same color as the cloak, meaning it was probably his...

Seemingly affected by her skeptical gaze, The young man looked at his shoulder, a faint...blush tinting his cheeks? Sara was perplexed as to why the man was blushing. Still wary of him, she pulled her knees to her chest protectively when she saw him standing up...

''You...Your clothes, I think you want them?'', Not able to say anything, Sara nodded slowly, still wary of the man who walked toward her clothes gracefully, Feeling something else underneath the fear and wariness...

Admiration, Sara thought at herself as she stared at the man who walked back at her with her folded dress, offering it to her with a gentle smile and stepping away with his back facing her.

''I promise i don't intend to harm you in any way, Miss, I hope you don't mind me standing by until you are better.'', Sara was still skeptical about the stranger, she had a hard time being around any man since the incident in the tower. She watched the stranger carefully, ready to run at any moment. She put the her dress on hurriedly without taking her eyes off the stranger, but unlike her expectations, the young man didn't try to peep at her, Not even once..

Sara was used to the discrete glimpses from men, the priests and guards who avoided eye contact with her always sneaked a look at her when they thought she didn't notice. But unlike them, the young stranger kept his word in respecting her privacy, Now that she wrapped back in the safety of her clothes, Sara took her time to fully observe her savior, understanding the origin of her earlier admiration.

The young man was tall, standing proudly on the same height as her father. His clothes were drenched, probably from saving her, they stuck to his body allowing her to have a better look at it, broad shoulders, defined muscles, big arms and long legs, Something about his posture and the way he carried himself reminded Sara of her father. A dignified manner and effortless highness that only nobles possessed, his head was held high as he stared at the horizon, his silky inky black hair still wet and dripping, making it look shinier in the sunlight.

Sara knew she better run away now that he wasn't looking, it was her chance to escape him in case he was a possible danger. However, a single look at his physic told her that she had no chance in out running him. Beside, if the man wanted to hurt her than he would have done it already, she was naked and unconscious in his arms. Yet he, instead of taking advantage of her, covered her nakedness from his eyes, spared her the after embarrassment and shame all while helping her to breath again. The more she thought about it, the more her heart felt at ease about her savior.

Deciding to give the man the benefit of doubt, Sara coughed gently, the small noise causing her throat to burn. 

"Are you done Miss?", Sara noted how the man chose to ask for her confirmation first before turning and her heart was warmed by the noble gesture.

''Yes..'', Sara wished she could say more but it was a torture already to say a single word, embarrassed by her unintentional lack of courtesy, she looked down while biting her lips. Hearing her confirmation, the young man slowly turned, His eyes met hers and her jaw nearly dropped at the sight of his face. His features were sculpted into perfection, with the right balance between softness and bulkiness, a cleanly shaved chiselled jaw, straight nose, high cheekbones, full lips, and the most beautiful pair of eyes that possessed the color of pure honey, surrounded by long dark lashes just like his eyes and perfect eyebrows. And as if he wasn't lethally handsome already, he had to grace his features with a bright smile that made his entire face radiate. Sara didn't know what exactly happened to her but her heart picked up it speed again, However, it wasn't in fear this time.

"I am so Glad that you are safe..'', Stopping in front of her, Sara was able to see how tall and well built the young man really was, he towered over her effortlessly, making her feel so small but not endangered, not with kind way his eyes stared at her...

'' You look much livelier Miss. But i can see you still have a problem in talking'', Seeing her nod, the man continued, ''It is understandable since you have swallowed too much water. But worry not, Miss, as you will get better in no time..''.

"All thanks to you Sir, I owe you with my life", It took Sara all her strength to not grimace at the horrible pain in her throat as she felt obliged to at least properly think the young man, not just for saving her, but for not being a threat himself.

"I did nothing but my duty..'' The man said humbly while shaking his head, the smile on his face bringing out his dimples, ''I just wish of you to get better soon, and to be more careful next time".

"I will be, Thank you again Sir".

"If i may Miss, I'd like to escort you back to where you live, I... my heart will not settle till i make sure you get home safe", the young man's smile was slightly nervous as he offered hishelp to her, afraid to sound impulsive and rude, and in the same time, afraid of being rejected...

Sara didn't want to reject the man's polite offer, since she met him he has been nothing but kind and gallant with her. Unfortunately though, she had to, and even bid him goodbye. She couldn't risk him knowing about her identity, of her being the king's illegitimate daughter as he could be one her father's enemies for all she knew, not to mention that little part of her that woke up in that moment, making her feel embarrassed, of her identity, of the place she was living in, of her entire life, she didn't think about it before, but now that she did, she was less than a peasant, with nothing admirable about her life, even her father refused to take her with him and announce her existence, all while  the young man was a nobility, a handsome one as well...

"Oh no need Sir'', Sara waved her hand apologetically,  not wanting to offend her savior by rejecting his kind offer "I'm perfectly fine now all thanks to you, and i have troubled you long enough, i better go now... " Sara said while grabbing her basket and bucket and walking away from the young man.

"Please Miss let me help you", The young man insisted, especially after seeing the heavy things the frail looking girl was carrying...

"Oh no please, my father would be looking for me and he is quite a strict man and.... " Smiling awkwardly, Sara hoped for the young man to buy her little lie.

"Oh i see, i will not cause you any trouble then, However, May i ask for one thing. Please?" The young man  sounded both sad and hopeful..

"O.. Oh?  of course, Sir "

"May I have the honor of knowing your name, Fair lady?"

Sara blushed immediately, surprised by both the request and the compliment, looking down, she turned to walk away mumbling under her breath...

"Sara, my name is Sara", not waiting for the man's reaction, Sara walked away, too embarrassed to stay or look back, her steps were a bit faster than normal as she didn't know how to act. It was the first time she talked to a stranger, shaking her head at her lack of manners, she kept on walking away when the young man suddenly called:"Sara.... ", She turned with surprise written all over her face and stared at the young man behind her, he was smiling ,his eyes were as warm as the sunset, looking divinely beautiful

" My name is Eren.."

Sara smiled back at him after few seconds of passive astonishment, she said his name in a low voice before turning back, smiling from ear to ear.