I slid along the wall, making no noise with my sword at the ready. My head cocked, listening for any slight noise. I lunged into the last room searching for any of the Crusaders.
None. I let out a breath and turned back to clear with Ryder when I heard it. A whimpering sound.
I raised my sword and heard it again. It was coming from the bed, I padded toward it.
I crouched near the end and glanced under the bed. A small child was curled up under the bed, I sighed.
"Kid, come out. I'm not going to hurt you." I said, gruffly.
The child shook their head and whimpered again, I groaned with frustration.
"Seriously, I don't hurt kids. Now come out." I said.
The kid cautiously slid out from under the bed, it was a girl. She had dark curly hair with bright blue eyes, she looked about ten years old. In a few years she would be a beautiful woman.
"What's your name, kid?" I asked standing.
"Asa." She murmured.
"I'm Trystan. Where are your parents?"
Asa's jaw quivered and she looked down at her feet. The dirty dress she wore needed a washing weeks ago.
"My parents are dead." Her sweet and innocent voice shot right to my heart.
"Mine are dead too." My voice broke and her blue eyes shot to mine.
I slid my sword back into its sheath, and offered Asa my hand. She hesitantly took it and I walked down the hallway to try and find Ryder.
He was in a back room tying a girl up, she looked almost identical to Asa but about ten or so years older.
Ryder looked up when I walked in, his eyes widened slightly when he saw me holding a child.
His head snapped back to look at the girl, well I couldn't really call her a girl since you could definitely tell she had large breasts and curves in all the right places.
"I thought you said that there was no one here but you." Ryder spat at her.
She flinched at his tone and her gaze landed on Asa, her face sagged as she realized that her younger sister had been found.
"I thought I was the o-only one here." She stuttered.
I cocked my head at her, Ryder growled and turned back to me with a question in his eyes.
"We'll take them both back to camp. The older one goes with me and the younger one can go with Lucia. They both need new clothes and a bath with a good meal." I decided.
Ryder's eyes widened when he heard the part about me taking the older one, I could see that he'd wanted her. But there was no way in hell that I was going to let him have her so that he could take advantage of her.
I kept hold of Asa's hand and nodded at Ryder to get the older girl up off of the ground.
I walked throught the winding halls to find the exit, I started the trudge back to camp still holding Asa's hand.
"Trystan?" I heard Asa's little voice ask.
I looked back at her and said, "Yes?"
"Where are we going?"
I sighed, "I'm taking you back to my camp, there's a lady there that's going to take care of you for a little while. I want you to trust her, alright?"
Asa looked up at me with those baby blue irises twinkling.
"Will I get to see you?" She asked softly.
"If you want to." I replied.
For some odd reason, this little girl trusted me not to hurt her. And as much as I knew that she wasn't mine, I still felt like she was.
"Does that mean I get to see my sister too?" Asa asked.
Dread filled my chest with those soft and innocent words, I didn't know the answer to that question. I had major influence in the army of soldiers here but it was ultimately up to the king what happened to her sister.
"I don't know what is going to happen to your sister, little one, but I will try and keep you both safe."
Asa's small pink lips formed an o and I couldn't help but smile at the sight. Speaking of her sister, I looked back to see her and Ryder arguing with each other while they trudged on.
I stopped, me and Asa watched as they bickered with each other.
"Trystan?" Asa said tentatively.
I looked down at her, she was chewing her lip and wrinkling her brows at her sister and Ryder.
"Yes, little one?" I mumbled.
"How come Ryder doesn't like my sister?" Asa said her whole face showed discontempt.
"Because she lied about you being in the house."
Asa's expression looked like she understood but wasn't sure why that was a bad thing.
"She told me that I was playing hide and seek with you and Ryder so I had to be quiet so that I would win. She said if I won then she would take me to see Mommy."
Asa looked upset that she didn't win, I put my hand on the top of her head.
"It's alright, little one. Next time, I'll let you win." I murmured.
Asa nodded and yawned, I looked up at the sky. It was getting late, they sun had already set and we were almost to camp.
"Trystan?" Asa questioned again. Her voice was thick and tired.
"Yes, little one?"
"Will you carry me? I'm so tired." She murmured.
I picked her up and she rested her head on my shoulder. Asa fell asleep within moments and the sound of the bickering behind me fell silent.
We reached camp about an hour later, I walked through the gates and all the men stood at the sight of me.
"Where's Lucia?" I asked Daniel.
"She's in her tent, sir." He said, his eyes held fast on Asa.
I looked back to see Ryder and Asa's sister watching me. I motioned for them to follow me as I walked to Lucia's tent.
I ducked under the flap, concious of Asa's head. Lucia looked up from her pallet against the tent wall.
"What do we have here?" Lucia asked quietly.
"The house we raided had two girls in it. I need you to keep Asa, she'll need a new dress and a bath here soon. Her older sister looks about your size, she can borrow one of your dresses."
Lucia nodded and pulled something out of a sack, it was a blue dress. (Like the ones in Narnia that Susan and Lucy wore)
"Here's one for her elder sister. I might have one that will fit Asa, but I'd have to go to the storage hut to find it. I will do that in the morning before her bath." Lucia spoke handing me the dress.
"Thank you, Lucia." I rumbled.
"All is well, Trystan. Set Asa on my pallet, I'll watch over her as long as you need. Although she will most likely want to see you tomorrow."
I laid Asa down and pressed a kiss to her dirty forehead, I nodded at Lucia and exited the tent.
Ryder and Asa's sister were standing there glaring at each other.
"Ryder, I'll see you in the morning. You come with me." I directed.
Ryder left and I led the girl to my tent.
I flopped onto my pallet and started unlacing my battle gear, the girl was just standing there.
I proceeded to strip of my clothing until I was naked, it was comfortable and easier.
There was a basin filled with fresh water, a bowl of fruit and a plate of meats and cheeses.
I washed my face and dipped a rag and proceeded to rinse my body.
I looked back at the girl, she hadn't moved and she was gaping at me.
"Aren't you going to rinse off and eat?" I questioned motioning towards the spread.
"I, why are you naked?" She asked.
"My tent and I don't like clothes." I smirked at her.
I could tell that she was trying hard not to stare, but I was taking full advantage of her view. I could see her cleavage and there was a thigh high split in her dress giving me full view of her legs.
"What's your name?" I asked.
Her gaze shot to my face like she was confused so I asked again, "What's your name?"
"I, um, Eva."
I smiled, it was unique like Asa.
"Well, Eva, you should take off that dress and rinse off. Then you should eat."
Her cheeks flamed and she looked embarassed.
"What would I wear?" Eva asked hesitantly.
"Nothing." I replied, popping a grape in my mouth.
"But, I-, that's not ladylike." She exclaimed.
I looked over at her in disbelief, and said, "You don't have anything I haven't seen before and that dress in filthy and needs to be washed. Don't argue and just do as I say, please."
Eva flushed as she began to strip, I turned my attention to the food so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable.
When I turned back I almost groaned at the sight of her, completely naked. Her full breasts hung like ripe fruit waiting to be picked, her curvy hips begged to be held, and the apex of her thighs had a small thatch of curls above and then it looked like she shaved the rest.
She looked like a fucking dream.
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A/N:
I'm very excited about this book, I hope that you guys enjoy it because I love writing it.
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I love you guys. My little warriors!