Devan, now age 37, was a legend amongst all Manotanians. He had wealth, fame, and glory but he still felt something missing in his rather blessed life. Any woman that approached him would disgust his eyes but one little girl just happens to be the one anomaly.
Dark, wet and icy were the three words that came first to Devan's mind during his usual night patrol around the kingdom. Like clockwork, once anyone spotted him they'd immediately bow their head.
"Good evening Sir Devan. May the Gods watch over you."
This is one of the various lines Devan would hear every night although he despised their every word. The respect he was receiving didn't feel well earned however he continued patrolling every night with a smile on his face greeting them back.
"Thank you and I hope you have a safe night's rest"
He soon realized tonight will not be his average patrol. Tonight was the night Devan found the final piece of his puzzle.
'The city seems more vibrant than before. The military is still up and preparing for their entrance to the war but strangely enough, the builders and scholars have been silent plus Craig hasn't been updating me about anything lately.' Devan pondered on this thought for a while, till he spotted a small, brittle girl lying on the road. She only had an extra-large white t-shirt that covered her tiny pale body.
"Are you alive young lady?" Devan asks as he swiftly approaches the lifeless body.
No reply
'I could see her rib cage expanding and condensing. Does this girl see me as an idiot?'
" The joke is over kid."
"If I can't see you then you can't see me" The girl muffled as her face was still kissing the ground.
"I can't see your face however I can see a little blond girl lying on the dirt"
The girl twitched once then slowly got up with her hands raised. " You got me. What are going to do now 'sir Devan' " she smirks but to her surprise, he just laughs.
"I too think it's funny I'm greeted as sir by the people. Hahahaha! A small girl like you is mocking one of the kingdom's strongest fighters yet you don't seem to be breaking a sweat. You must have some guts kid or you're just an idiot. " He laughed so much that his stomach started to cramp. "Anyway allow me to take home. It's not safe for a little girl to be wandering the streets on her own."
The girl peered at Devan's eyes for a few moments and said " You don't care about what happens to me. It's written in your eyes. I guess you're doing it just because you feel like it's your responsibility but don't worry. I've survived these streets for the past year now so I'll be fine on my own. Goodnight to you Sir Devan." She waved goodbye and walked away not giving Devan a chance to respond. He was star-struck at how the girl knew his actual feelings.
"Hey, how did you-!" He turns to see the girl on the ground breathing heavily while her face turns blue. "Arghhh" he sighs as he slowly walks over to her body, places her above his shoulders, and turns around to go home. 'Patrol has to be cut short tonight thanks to this idiot. I'll just send a drone around the city and patrol from home.' he stared at the sleeping child for seconds before walking home in glee.
'Life is useless. I am pointless. My existence is worthless. Why am I here? What is my purpose? Who am I!'
"Aaaaaah!"
Rapidly the girl shot up from the bed while breaking out a cold sweat. The scream was loud enough to alert Devan.
"What's going on?! Are you okay?!" He yelled as he dashed his way up the stairs and into his guest room, where the girl was lying.
"The voice. It- it was the voice again" she stuttered as tears fell from her eyes.
'What can I do? This crybaby is making too much noise in the night. What can I do that'll make her shut up?'
As if she read his mind she planted her face on his stomach and wrapped her arms around him.
"What are you doi-?"
A tiger's growl interrupted Devan's question. After the growl ceased so did her crying but her face quickly turned bright red.
"I'm hungry" she muttered
"What did you say? You're going to have to speak louder."
Swiftly the girl let go of Devan, stepped back then took a deep breath. "I said I'm HUNGRY!" She exhales while having her eyes dart his.
"The food is cooked already. You didn't have to make my ears bleed. " He stormed out the guest room followed by the girl and wandered to the kitchen. He directed her to the table before serving her food.
"What's your name? I rather not always call you blond girl"
"Amy. I don't have a last name so just Amy."
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"Well, Amy, can you tell me why you've been streets by yourself for a year. I can't allow a girl like yourself to be homeless "
"Aren't you the kingdom's protector? Why should I worry when people like you are protecting us or are you admitting there is someone in the kingdom who's stronger than you?"
"I don't have the time to explain all my duties to an idiot, just answer my question!"
Tears were building up in her eyes as he was unleashing his fury. He noticed rather quickly and kept his mouth shut for a few minutes. During these minutes Amy ate the food while making sure that Devan could always see her teary eyes. With this method, Devan didn't know what to do or how to react so he just sat still.
"All done! I didn't think the great Devan could be such a cook. I'll be going back to my usual spot." Her teary eyes seemed to dissipate as a smile came to her face.
"No"
She stood up but paused after hearing his one word response. She then started to dramatically laugh.
"I told you already, I'm fine on my own. I got shelter to go to if I need somewhere to sleep or eat plus you are forced to protect all humans so I'm worried about being assaulted by anybody"
"Sadly I can't split myself into multiples so I won't be able to protect everyone. Having that in mind I'll protect you by giving you my roof. No one would dare break in here to touch you however during the day you're on your own "
"Sir Devan"
Devan shot up from his seat with an emotionless face staring at Amy.
"I'm going to sleep now but if I see you've escaped the house I'll personally find you and kill you."
He turned his back then proceeded to his bedroom to take a long-awaited rest leaving Amy in shock.
'He is not a very good liar but I don't want to know what he'll do if I leave. Maybe staying here will be a good thing''
She too went to the guest room to have her beauty sleep on a plain white queen sized bed. She quickly succumbed to sleep dreaming about being in a lab while strapped to a table. Many people stood around her with notebooks writing things down then out of nowhere a tall and attractive man with fair skin and blue eyes appeared right in front of her and whispering " I'll protect you no matter what the future holds but beware of the future." He dissipates into smoke along with everything around her leaving nothing behind. Darkness. She curled herself up into a ball waiting for the dream to be done with then she heard a familiar voice. "I'll kill you"
"Aaaaaahhhhh"
The room was slightly lit up thanks to the natural light creeping inside. Already, the sun was a quarter away from its peak. A confused and sweaty girl lied in bed for another minute thinking about everything that had happened in her dream.
'What was that dream about, who was that man and why do I remember that voice? I might as well get up since nothing will get answered standing around.'
She hopped out of bed and searched the house looking for Devan to no avail. All she found was a letter and a bag of coins on the table reading:
Listen, Amy, I'm gone out to do my training outside the kingdom then I'll be on duty so I need you to sneak out my house unseen with the money by this letter. You could go back to doing what you usually do while getting something good to eat. When it hits nightfall come back the same way you left. BEING UNSEEN. I'll be right behind you. But if you don't return… well let's hope that doesn't happen.
Just like he said a bag full of gold coins was sitting right next to the sheet of paper. Amy never saw that amount of money in her life which gave her an end to end smile.
'Sir Devan, you're a strange man but thank you'
She stayed in the house while washing and drying herself and her clothes.
"Now I'm going to have some real fun"
She mutters to herself as she vaults out the second story window onto the concrete without hurting herself. This didn't cloud her judgment at all as she strolled down the hills of Monotan.
Blindly the sun beamed down on the earth, the wind flew gracefully and the community seemed more jovial.
' I always thought seeing this many smiling faces at once was just a myth. This must be a sign that today is going to be amazing!'
Frantically, Amy took off running aimlessly enjoying the glorious view. Her first stop was at a local restaurant that served breakfast and lunch. She initially ordered a raspberry honey flapjack, poached eggs with orange juice before registering that wouldn't be enough to keep her until nightfall. So she added 'the classic' fifteen inch pizza to her order.
"Excuse me, but may I ask your age?" The green eyed brunette waitress who had a mole on the corner of her lip asks while peering at the doorway
"I don't remem-
"You're fourteen" a voice in her head states
"I- I mean I'm fourteen"
"Is anyone accompanying you today?"
"Nope! Just me ma'am"
"Are you sure you can afford all this by yourself?"
Without saying another word Amy pulled the sack of gold coins showing the waitress.
"Does that answer your question ma'am?"
Bewildered, the waitress bows then proceeds to the kitchen giving the order to the respected chefs. Thirteen minutes later her meal was served by the same brunette.
"Enjoy your meal"
"I will!"
Amy energetically states alerting everyone in the restaurant. Although Amy felt a dozen eyes piercing her she ignored it all and ate her food. The waitress bowed then left the scenes consulting all the other spectators.
Twelve minutes later Amy finished every bit of the food on the plates leaving them all white. She paid the waitress for the meal while giving her a giant tip.
"Thanks for the meal ma'am"
Amy then ran out of the restaurant leaving the waitress dumbfounded but concerned. Concerned enough to call the authorities and report the strange activities that had just occurred. Strangely enough, the royal guard had come to the restaurant instead of the usual bottom tier fighters.
"Was this the girl you saw?" The guard asked, holding up a clear picture of Amy.
"That is her. I knew she had to be a criminal. No child looks like her and comes in the restaurant with that amount of money"
The guard ignored her asking another question" where did she go?"
She pointed out the direction she had runoff. Quickly, the guards got into their vehicles to start the search. It only took eleven minutes to find the little girl in an empty park. Once they knew her exact location they alerted the King.
"We found the god vessel. She seems to be playing in the park. Should we intercept her now?"
"Talk with her while I come to your location. I need to see her with my own eyes"
"Roger that sire"
The guards did as they were told and approached Amy asking if she would like to play a game with them.
"Amy run!" The voice in her head yells hurting her in the process.
"Oww," she held her head but stubbornly ignored the voice and played with the guards. She knew something seemed off but she didn't want to listen to the voice. At the same time, King Craig was traveling to Amy with a twisted smirk on his face. " I've been waiting for our reunion for a year now.
Ten minutes later the king had arrived seeing his guards and Amy playing hide and seek as Amy was now the seeker counting down from ten.
"10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2…"
Craig touches Amy's shoulder with a crooked smile. Amy quickly turned around with her heart pumping at full speed.
"And 1. I found you, Amy. You're all mine once again."
Silent, shady and scared for the last things Amy thought of when she was knocked out on a Sunny afternoon.