Redeemed

Ch. 40

Falling to the ground, I bowed low as memories of how I had behaved these last three days filled me with shame. All of my rudeness, my brashness, my stubbornness, everything that I had done to push this man away weighed heavily on my shoulders. How had he not abandoned me or killed me on the spot? If anyone had treated Marduk the way I had been treating the Prince the past few days, she would have been flogged at the least. More likely, she would have been tortured and killed. Fear filled me as my mind imagined everything the Prince could do to me. Had he restored my eyesight merely so I could see my own demise?

"Forgive me, please, or at the very least, do not hurt me."

"Thea," Prince Solas said, placing a hand on my trembling shoulder. "You who are young in the faith, have no fear, for you have been made whole and new again. Rise and embrace your status as a new creation!" There was no anger, no condemnation in his voice. Daring to raise my head, I saw only compassion and mercy on Prince Solas's face as his hazel eyes filled me with warmth.

"I promised that none of your past actions, thoughts, or words would be held against you," Prince Solas reminded me. "I do not go back on my promises, and it is not in my nature to lie." While he said the last part, Prince Solas's face almost seemed to start glowing, as if a tiny sun were shining under his dark skin, and his eyes became fierce, flickering like a raging fire. The doubt and fear inside of me disappeared.

His words filled me with new strength, and I rose, the blanket the Prince had wrapped around my shoulders falling to the ground. This was not a time to cower in fear of punishment like a dog who had destroyed a slipper but to stand tall like a lioness who knew where her strength came from.

I had just pledged my life to serve the one who had saved Dad's life from ruin, and who had stepped in to save mine multiple times, even though I did not deserve it. In return, the Prince had restored my sight and given me a clean slate to start over.

My eyes! Colors danced across my vision as I spun around, drinking in the green leaves of the trees, the dappled brown of the trunks, the clear stream with smooth, round rocks in various hues of gray, orange, and brown, the bright red and pink flowers. Laughter bubbled up, and I was surprised when it burst out like a fountain that had been unclogged.

The Prince joined me, his deep, hearty laugh filling the space.

Lightheaded, I said, "I don't know what is happening with me. All of these emotions, they are just spilling out."

"It has been too long since you experienced real joy, Thea. It suits you well. Now come, let me give you something dry to wear." Out of his huge pack - how did he carry that thing without breaking his back? - Prince Solas extracted simple beige trousers and a brown tunic along with socks and undergarments. "I do not have dry boots to give you, but I thought that we would set up camp here and resume our journey tomorrow. The boots can dry by the fire." I nodded my acceptance as I took the clothes and walked into the trees to change.

Making sure no one was around to see (how I loved having my sight back!), I struggled out of my wet clothes. Of course, being soaked, they adhered to my skin, making the process of changing much more difficult and longer than it should have. It was as if the clothes, the same ones I had received from Nourse when I was still in denial about the Prince, did not wish to come off.

Finally, after much toil, I managed to tear the old clothes off and put on the new. Though simple, the new clothes were soft and comfortable. Remembering the medallion, I dug into the pocket of the old pants and placed it in my current pocket, making a mental note to return it to the Prince. I looked at the pile of wet and dirty old clothes and wondered what to do with them.

Carrying the sodden clothes in one hand and my boots in the other, I made my way back to the clearing, where Prince Solas had a small fire going. I dumped the clothes and boots by the fire to dry.