Akkadian
"Awk-ay-dee-Uhn"
He found he was not immune to her touch. He could still feel it. Her light tapping when they had occasionally brushed together as they ran here, as if his skin decided without his consent to memorize the sensation. Noted, too, her silence, allowing him his thoughts. It was like she understood him, what he needed as he needed it. Why did his chest tighten at that? A prickle of... fear.
His words upset her, and she grew rigid with anger. Good, he could handle anger. He knew anger. Familiar territory.
Her eyes threw blades at him, and she questioned him with a challenge in her voice. His eyes flashed in response. Her perfect body straightened to her fullest height. A challenge. He knew that, too.
Agile form pounced to her with deadly grace, holding his head mere inches from hers. Eyes furiously ablaze with an answering flame to her fiery provocation. A memory slipped through. He remembered a time when they were in a very similar position, her nose a hair's breadth from his. That day they met. His face faltered, confusion dowsing his inferno. Something shifted within him, uncontrolled. It felt like... something melted. Once solid and sure, this thing in him softened and thawed.
Fear returned; that foreign, disgusting emotion. It took over him, his eyes widened and he found he had scrambled backward, retreated from her. What kind of magic did she cast on him, to remove his soldier's mind?
His thoughts silenced him for a moment, but he swiftly regained his composure. He dared not move toward her for fear she'd break him again. His face hardened once more.
Do not fight my battles.
I ! am the warrior. he said firmly, glaring at her with frigid eyes.
I am Guardian!he snapped, translating his name.
Why did it matter?, he questioned himself silently. Not only pride and honor was at stake here. What was it? Women fought all the time, even in his foreign culture. So why would it matter if she did? And he realized it was because she'd done it for his sake. On his behalf. Not her child, or her flesh and blood. For him. That's what bothered him. Nobody should ever get hurt fighting for him, protecting him. Especially not her...
His words upset her, and she grew rigid with anger. Good, he could handle anger. He knew anger. Familiar territory.
Her eyes threw blades at him, and she questioned him with a challenge in her voice. His eyes flashed in response. Her perfect body straightened to her fullest height. A challenge. He knew that, too.
Agile form pounced to her with deadly grace, holding his head mere inches from hers. Eyes furiously ablaze with an answering flame to her fiery provocation. A memory slipped through. He remembered a time when they were in a very similar position, her nose a hair's breadth from his. That day they met. His face faltered, confusion dowsing his inferno. Something shifted within him, uncontrolled. It felt like... something melted. Once solid and sure, this thing in him softened and thawed.
Fear returned; that foreign, disgusting emotion. It took over him, his eyes widened and he found he had scrambled backward, retreated from her. What kind of magic did she cast on him, to remove his soldier's mind?
His thoughts silenced him for a moment, but he swiftly regained his composure. He dared not move toward her for fear she'd break him again. His face hardened once more.
Do not fight my battles.
I ! am the warrior. he said firmly, glaring at her with frigid eyes.
I am Guardian!he snapped, translating his name.
Why did it matter?, he questioned himself silently. Not only pride and honor was at stake here. What was it? Women fought all the time, even in his foreign culture. So why would it matter if she did? And he realized it was because she'd done it for his sake. On his behalf. Not her child, or her flesh and blood. For him. That's what bothered him. Nobody should ever get hurt fighting for him, protecting him. Especially not her...