More weeks had passed, time is going by before I could even fathom it. In that time, while recovering from the injury I would go into the woods and hills to practice the skills using the bow that the Architects gave me. It was unique, arrows were not used in their physical form, but you would materialize them with your mind. Using it would exhaust me both physically and mentally as the very arrow itself is a part of your mind. It carries your thought and wish with it, it drains you. You must concentrate, feel it as if it is a part of you, a extension of your body and soul. It itself is not constant, but manifests once you wish for it. The power it showed at the start was weak, not more powerful than a normal arrow, a pathetic thing. But as the time went by, reinforcing both mind and body and connecting to it on a more spiritual level it grew in power. It appears that the bow itself is a sort of living thing, being a part of ones existence you must learn how to use it. As how a child would learn to use their arms, or how to walk, you must learn through trial and error on how to wield it correctly. And soon, the power of it would increase dramatically, from a simple pathetic arrow to a piercing shot that would cut through stone as if it was made out of paper. If you wanted to, you could make it explode on contact, as its arrow depends on the wielders wish and intention. 

I had asked Akeskriks on what Lezia was talking about but all she did was laugh, chuckle, not giving me an answer, instead repeating what Lezia had told me. Same was with Titzer. I don't know if they were making fun of me, or were they genuinely telling me to figure it out on my own. I read through many human books, trying to figure out what she was trying to say. She grew distant with me, so I must have been doing something wrong. I read and read, was I too stupid to notice, was I too focused on my duty to find out what she actually wanted from me. Frustration grew more and more, I usually could figure out problems and solve them, logical ones that is. I must admit, that consoling and comforting folk was not my strongest suite. Was that the problem, was she hurting, maybe she wished for me to comfort her in difficult times. As I was reading many novels I had not figured out what was going on. Humans tend to use signals and secretive speech, suggestive one that I am not used to. So, I decided to confront her about it directly, I was frustrated, worried. Walking through the halls, my feet clanked with the ground, the soldiers passing by would salute me. I walk up to the door leading to the large throne room, the two guards nod and open the door. As the doors swing open, she is watching out of a window at the landscape. She acknowledges my presence, turning to face me as I walk closer to her. 

Lezia: Hello Faklis, how can I help you? 

Faklis: I wish to speak with you. 

Lezia: About what precisely, there is much to talk about?

Faklis: About the words you said to me that day. 

She turns to face me hastily, her face shows joy and intrigue. There is a smile on her face, one of innocence and waiting. 

Lezia: Go ahead. Have you figured it out? 

Faklis: Sadly not. I have failed in that task. 

The joy on her face quickly fades away, turning into an expression of disappointment and sadness followed by a deep sigh. Turning around away from me to look back at the landscape. 

Lezia: Of course you would. I was foolish to have gotten my hopes up. 

Faklis: Are you hurting My Queen? Do you need comforting, a shoulder to cry one? 

Lezia: I am hurting, you are hurting me Faklis. You are so dense that you can't realize anything. 

Faklis: I don't understand. How can I be hurting you My Queen? I am neither attacking you nor insulting you. 

She chuckles. 

Lezia: You really are the densest thing in the universe. You aren't hurting me in that way you dumb dumb, your loyalty and denseness is what is causing the pain. 

Faklis: How can my loyalty cause you pain? Am I not doing my work properly? Have I disobeyed your order? 

I hear a sniffle, usually that indicates that the human is crying. Awoken being part human would make it so. 

Faklis: Are you crying My Queen? 

As she turns around the eyes that I am met with bring me only pain. The tears that stream down, the fake smile, I feel as if I had disappointed her in a way that is bigger than the universe itself. 

Lezia: I am. Because of you you stupid asshole. 

Faklis: I am sorry My Queen if I had...

Lezia: Don't apologize. That is what is wrong. Right there. You sense of duty, loyalty to me, you good nature as a leader. I hate it. 

Faklis: Do you want me to...

Lezia: To do what? Be less loyal, no, of course not. But I want you.... I want you to notice things, the subtle things in life, the signals that others send you. You are smart, but stupid at the same time. 

Faklis: How can I be both? 

Lezia: You are logical, good at decision making, an excellent leader, but that also blinds you to other things that might be going on. 

Faklis: That is one of my flaws, I had never the best perception of emotions and signals, normally everything was done upfront. May I ask again? What is it that you really meant by saying those words? 

Lezia chuckles under her tears, clearly shocked by my words. She shakes her head, putting her hand against her forehead, rubbing it gently, mumbling something under her breath. 

Lezia: What am I to do with you?

I stand there, awaiting her answer at any given moment. 

Lezia: I love you Faklis. 

Faklis: I know you do. I also love you, everyone loves you. 

At those words the hits herself hard on the head, rolling her eyes and cursing. 

Lezia: You stupid idiot. Not that kind of love, the other one. 

Faklis: Which one? 

Lezia: Not of admiration, but of need, wanting. That kind of love, one that happens between parents, lovers. That kind. 

I stand there in shock, trying to process. The love she speaks is one that bears fruit to joy and happiness. As she said, it is not of admiration but of soul, the wanting to spend every day with them. Could that be what the human novels told in their encrypted messages.   

Faklis: But I can't My Queen? 

Lezia: Why? Answer me, why?!

Faklis: I am your servant, your follower and guard, I could ne...

Lezia: Then stop. 

Faklis: Stop what? 

Lezia: Stop being my guard. I could easily find another, but I want you to stop being so dam loyal. Am I being selfish? Probably, but I can't take it anymore. I need you in my life, you are the only person that I fully feel safe around, the only one that has been with me through hell and back. 

Faklis: If I were to stop being a guard, then what purpose would I serve? 

Lezia: A boyfriend, a lover, a husband, a father. One's life doesn't just revolve around a single purpose, a single job. You can find purpose outside of that single job, like many have.

I can't find a word to say back. I am in shock, this is all new to me, alien. I have nothing to say back as this had never happened to me before. Stunned and confused I simply stand there, watching her movements, her gaze pleading, the pain in those watery eyes. She clutches onto herself, seeking reassurance and comfort. For all of my life I had never encountered this, always focused on growing stronger, seeking a better life for my people and working for all sorts of folk. Never had the time and opportunity to actually have experience in such things. I understood why people did it, but never understood the intricacies of it, the reason and how. How do those feeling manifest, how does one love and grow to love? I clench my fists in frustration of helplessness, it is from my shortcomings that she is the way and state that she is currently. The pain is not the physically but emotional, not to the mind and body, but to the soul itself. I walk up the stairs towards her, her teary eyes watching every move that I make, figuring out what I am actually doing. And even I don't know what I am doing, my instinct, something in my  subconsciousness telling me to do it. Once a breaths away from her, I extend out my arm, wrapping them and pulling her to me. I think this is called a hug, a means to comfort a person that is in distress. It appears to work, eventually she hugs me back, her embrace tight, as if clinging on for dear life. The door to the room open but quickly close, not being even able to see who it was. Unbeknownst to me, a large crowd had gathered outside, waiting and listening in. 

She looks up at me, grabbing a hold of my helmet and with a hiss, unclasps it and removes from my face. My battle-scarred and worn out face at full display. Her eyes feel as if they are staring right into my mind, trying to figure out what I am thinking about. Her fingers trace my scars and the lines of my face before stepping on her toes, our mouths only a breaths distance away. Her lips pressing against mine, a strange sensation flows through me, one that I had not felt since my mother passed when I was only a hatchling. Soon she breaks away, looking up at me, a gentle smile on her face before taking a step back. Her face had become slightly pinkish on her cheeks which I had never seen before. Then, the silence is broken up by cheering outside of the door, loud banging and shouting which catches me by surprise. Have we been discovered? What is going on I asked myself in that moment. My sight going back to Lezia as she chuckles, a warm and amused smile on her face, but I, I was confused. Nothing made sense and soon the doors burst open, a crowd that had patiently waited outside barges in like a horde of Thral. Akeskriks runs to Lezia and Lezia jumps into her arms in a tight hug, turning around in circles. Titzer I spot looking from the back, standing with arms behind his back and Kha'aulk walks up to me. Bumping me in the shoulder with his fist before grabbing a hold of my shoulder. 

Kha'aulk: You are such a dense motherfucker Faklis. A smart as you are, it pained me to see you not notice her advances. I know you are confused but you'll understand as time goes by. And you'll like it. 

Faklis: What are you doing here? Were you listening in? 

Kha'aulk: Hahaha, of course we were. The soldiers that greeted you quickly informed everyone that they could and we gathered outside. Even betting on some points, playing a game of bingo. Sad to say, Titzer won, the asshole. 

Faklis: Is that why you were all avoiding telling me what it all meant? 

Titzer walks up. 

Titzer: Yes, it was good for your character and critical thinking. If we had told you, you would have went down a logical path, hurt her even more, emotions are a powerful force. Remember that Faklis. Maybe even the most powerful one that exists, able to claim victory of even death itself. 

I look back at Lezia, who seems to have been surrounded by a large crowd, you could barely see her. But for a moment our eyes meet, such a pleasant smile and gentle gaze meet me. Something stirred within me, I could feel it, an alien feeling. But not an unpleasant one.