The Meeting

Lia's POV

"NO!" I screeched at him. "I am DONE with being your puppet, Zane!"

Zane held a firm grip on my arm. I tried to jerk away from him.

"Fine. Rot for all I care. You won't survive long on your own, Lady Lia." He said.

He let go of my arm. I ran. I couldn't stay here anymore. Not staying in O'Khasis anymore. All it did was bring horrible memories. And only reminded me of him.

The fire crackled in front of me. Why did he do that. He kept me as his puppet for so long, why let me go. My stomach hurt from lack of food but at least I had something.

It didn't help his case by the way he talked to me. He was just like any man I've ever met. One look at how I dressed and looked, they wanted to be with me.

The personalities and looks I've received from people make me sick.

My camp was small. A black overhead tent, a blanket and my bag, then just the campfire out here. It wasn't the best but it was safe. Even if it was more of an overhang.

Safe from any human contact. It make me mad of how people portrayed me. Weak, helpless, just a pretty face that couldn't take care of herself.

I'll show them one day. That they all are wrong. But, I feel like that isn't all I want.

Being honest with myself, I just want someone that loves me for me. Not on how I look. But how I really am.

I laid back onto the blanket, that thought clear in my mind. Who would be that way?

A guard? A farmer? A lord? Or a complete stranger kind of like me. It was most likely impossible that anyone would be like that, but it was a possibility.

Aaron's POV

I watched the stars. It's the clearest night I've seen in forever. Or maybe I've never observed it like I am right now.

Lily and Jacob were in my mind. It was my fault they are gone. Zane will pay for what they did to my family. To my village.

Even if Aphmau tells me I should not go for revenge, it's hard to not think of it. How would I ever be able to move on? It isn't as simple as many think it is. I miss them. A lot.

I had a strange feeling as the night grew on. A soft wind had a warmer touch to it. It had a scent of a campfire.

Odd.

I got up, grabbing my long sword. My bandana was already over my eyes and my hood over my head. I didn't think I'd be leaving to find something that may not be there, but I just had this feeling I should find out what was happening.

The branches tried to grab me and pull me off my feet.

The scent of a campfire seemed to turn into a smoldering smell. It wasn't a forest fire, but it was still something resembling a fire.

I slowly walked forward, getting further and further away from Phoenix Drop. Though I didn't know how far I was. All I knew was that I was getting closer to the source and further away from where I was coming from.

===================================================================================

The dim glow of a fire grew in my eyesight. The pitch dark stood out against the fire's soft orange glow.

Odd someone would leave a campfire active. The least that could have happened was they put it out or stayed to watch it.

I partially jumped when I heard rustling. The only oddity to the sound was that it sounded more like cloth against cloth instead of cloth against leaves. It sounded near. But where at?

The next thing was something I should have expected. The sound of sharpened metal against the damp ground. I held my sword, ready for any attack.

Lia's POV

Why is someone out here? I'm in the middle of the forest in the pitch of darkness.

Then again, why was I out here?

My eyes were adjusted enough to see a man standing a few feet away from my tent. It freaked me out at first, but he didn't seem to notice my existence.

When my sword slid across the grass when I stood up and walked away to sneak up on him, it seemed to snap his senses to life.

I studied his weapon. A dark purple long sword. Long swords weren't the best weapon though. They were heavy and were slower then a conventional sword.

Unless you were strong enough and had the practice to use one.

I looked at the fire, trying to figure out a way to get him into the light. So I would be able to see him.

I moved slow enough so the tender grass wouldn't make a sound under the soles of my shoes.

To make sure he didn't see me, I looked up to see if his stance or his position had changed.

It was different. Because I didn't see him at all.

I walked towards the area he had been at. That was odd. I didn't hear anyone leave. At all. Walking forward into the forest, my hand brushed past a tree. Another tree was a few feet away.

I turned around when there was the sound of a pair of feet rustling through the grass.

The only thing I felt was someone's forearm hitting the top of my chest, pushing me against the tree behind me.

Right as my back hit it, a sword was held to my throat.

The soft pale moonlight shined through the dense trees for the first time tonight. My eyes peered into his.

If he was trying to hide his identity from me, it wasn't working well.

I glared up at him. "Get off of me."

"Tell me who you are and I'll consider it."

"Get your arm off me and I'll say my name." I retorted back.

I saw the small smirk on his face.

That only made me snap.

I tried to lift my leg up to kick him, but I only felt the pressure of someone's foot holding mine down.

"I saw your reaction." He said.

"Then let GO of me!" I said louder.

I was not in the mood. Woken up by this Bozo. Now he has me pinned. That's just perfect.

"Until you tell me your name or why you're out here, I won't."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. He didn't shift at all.

"Fine. My name is Lia Corona. So what."

He looked at me. "Corona?"

"Yeah, dork. Why?"

He seemed to grimace at my tone but didn't seem to let go at all. Other than lowering his sword from my neck.

"You know Alaina Corona. Don't you." He said.

Alaina? My sister...? "Yeah? Why wouldn't I."

He let go of me. "Sorry. I just didn't know."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He was silent. "He mentioned her younger sister the other day. But it wasn't Lia. It was Christina."

I rolled my eyes. "My name is Christina. My mother's name was Liana so, I took her name as my own."

"You do know she thinks you are dead right?"

"Well, no dip she thinks that. My whole family was thought to be dead." I said.

"..." He went silent. "I'm sorry for causing any trouble. Or disruptions."

"I'm in a dark forest at night on my own. Being disrupted by someone doesn't bother me."

"Okay..." He nodded.

"Would you like to go to the village I know of? If you need anything I know they'd be able to help?"

I thought for a moment. "Sure. It isn't very fun being alone."

He smiled softly at me. "By the way. My name's Aaron."

"Aaron... It's nice to meet you, Aaron."

Aaron smiled. He started to walk away, then turned to look at me. He was waiting.

I bit my lip before walking towards him.

"And by the way, Miss Lia..." He said.

"Hm?"

"In my opinion, you have a beautiful name. And, an interesting personality."

I softly smiled. Maybe this guy wasn't like the rest.

First oftbhe book and it's a ship i like. U guys want a part two?