EYES OF FIRE AND ICE

Chapter Ten

Alia relaxes at his answer, asking him for help doesn't seem as burdening as it did a few seconds ago. "I was wondering if you could help me get to the local tavern?" Her question makes his eyebrows furrow.

"You want to go to the tavern? Why?" He queries, moving an arm behind the door.

She watches as he reaches for something, a jacket, and puts it on, the leather material shining under the rays of the sun. "Well, I was hoping to try and talk to Valen." She answers, moving back as Liam locks the door.

He tenses momentarily, the movement unseen by Alia as she goes back to looking at her surroundings. She can't get enough of this place.

Liam begins to walk and she quickly moves to follow alongside him. "I'm not sure how successful you're going to be with that goal, Alia."

Her head turns to face him. "Why's that?"

Sighing, Liam puts his hands in his jacket pockets before responding. "It's very difficult to speak with him."

Her eyebrows furrow as she ponders, does Valen not like to speak to people? The turning of her companion's head makes her realise that she managed to say her thoughts out loud.

"No, I mean that it will be very difficult for you to try and speak to him." Alia's confusion leads him to continue. "It's weird, it's like your brain stops working when you're near him. The presence he has and the dominance he holds is a lot for an average person like you and I to handle."

Glancing over at the man, she realises he's become deep in thought, most likely remembering such moments. His words have caused her determination to falter and she begins to second-guess her decision to find the man in question.

She looks to the border of trees to her right, they form a parallel line to where the pair are heading. This will be how she finds her way back home later on. Since the trees are on her right, she'll have to make sure they're on her left on the way back so she doesn't get lost like the last time she went out.

Turning her attention to the view in-front of her, she begins to notice that some of the people she passes give her strange looks, almost that of sympathy. Alia tries to pay it no mind but it starts to become overwhelming as the minutes go by. She can't help but question it. "Why are they looking at me like that?"

Liam moves his line of vision from the ground to his surroundings. After a few people walk by, he figures out what she's talking about. "When I found you, on Tuesday, I found you because I heard you scream." He watches as a rosey tinge covers her cheeks. "After you passed out, the screams just got so much... worse."

Alia wraps her arms around herself, basking in self-comfort. "Oh."

Silence blankets them as they continue their journey.

Nearing a more communal area, the number of people they pass begins to increase significantly. The sympathetic looks have almost diminished as everyone is too distracted by their friends or activities to even notice the female.

Liam tilts his head close to Alia, voice low. "Any updates on your... situation?" The right arm of his leather jacket brushes against Alia's left, denim-clad one as they continue walking.

Unwrapping her arms from her torso, she turns her head to look at the male and responds with a question of her own. "Did you not see the King's livestream?" Referring to Bertraim as King absolutely disgusts her, but what else is she supposed to do? That's his title whether she likes it or not.

"Livestream? What livestream?"

Alia gasps and sends and accusatory look his way, finger pointed at his chest. "You were sleeping!" She exclaims, causing his eyes to widen in surprise.