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Theon

 

A noise startles him from a light slumber. Maybe it is a dream, or a premonition, but something is amiss. He is sure of it. Theon throws the covers from atop his legs, pulls on a pair of loose-fitting trousers, grabs his knife from the bureau, and heads outside to investigate. The moons shine full this clear night, illuminating the way. There… in the distance, a silhouetted figure, lithe and agile, scurries around, heading away from the training area at a fast pace.

His curiosity piqued, Theon follows the lone figure, but he doesn’t engage. By the size, he guesses the figure is female, which intrigues him even more. Why would she be traipsing around in the dark? Where is she headed? Where is her protector?

He follows her for a short time while she slowly clambers over rocks, stumbling a time or two. She chooses to stop on the marshlands, next to the Crystal Lake. He squints, trying to decipher who she could be. She is shorter than most of the females he knows, which puzzles him greatly, along with the fact she is clearly running away. But why? What can be so bad that she thinks she needs to escape?

He watches as she scouts the area, looking over her shoulder, then back toward the lake before dropping a pack. She retrieves something from the pack and spreads it out. When she lies down on the grassy ground, he sits with his arms folded across his chest, his back leaning against a tree as he tilts his head to watch his prey. After a while of no movement, Theon nods off to sleep.

The first rays from the sun wake him from his slumber. When his eyes pop open, they dart around, looking for the female and at the surrounding area, scouting for danger. The female is no longer there. His heart races with trepidation. Every female is precious to their race, and they are to keep them safe at all costs. It is his sole purpose—protect his people.

Theon jumps to his feet and pulls his long knife from its leather sheath. He slowly walks over to where the female had slept. Her things are still there, but she is not. His head swivels one direction, looking left, then right.

Nothing.

A beautiful song fills the air, and Theon turns completely around toward the sound. It’s coming from behind some bushes. He stands behind some branches and stealthily parts them with one hand. He gasps quietly, his lips slightly parted and his eyes transfixed by the female floating naked on her back in the Crystal Lake.

A beautiful goddess slowly glides across the water. Dark hair fans out around her head, giving her a halo. Her arms stretch wide as the sun sparkles from the water that beads her dark skin.

Mesmerizing.

He can’t tear his gaze away from such beauty.

With lips slightly parted, Theon looks his fill. His eyes roam her slender body, from her pert nipples to the tuft of dark curly hair that covers the heart of her femininity, water lapping at the sides of her breasts. It is wrong, he knows that, but he can’t tear his gaze away. His length hardens to a painful state; the ridges on his forehead tingle as desire flares heavily inside his loins. She sings with her eyes closed, drifting in the water as if she doesn’t have a care in the world.

Theon knows it is wrong to watch. With his chest heaving from want, he releases the branches, letting them slide back into place and obscure his view. When he stumbles back a step, a twig breaks.

Water splashes before a timid voice calls out, “Who’s there?”

He stands frozen and silent, partly in shame for watching her in her most vulnerable state, and partly for stalking her last night. He is a predator who treated her as prey.

“Is someone there?”

He wills his heart to slow as he tries to get his body under control. After getting his rapid breathing to slow, he turns and heads back to the tree where he had slept the night before.

The female returns shortly, already dressed. Her fearful dark eyes scan the area, touching on everything but him. He remains still as a statue and watches, nothing moving but his eyes.

Not seeing anything unusual, she plops down on the ground and takes something from the pack and starts to eat. His stomach rumbles loudly, and her eyes shoot straight to the noise… straight to him.

With food halfway to her mouth, she freezes, her lips slightly parted. Slowly, she lowers her food and clamps her mouth shut in a grim line. She may not be from this planet, but the anger of any female is easy to spot.

“I’m not going back!”

Theon never moves from his spot against the tree as he sits straight-legged, his arms folded across his chest. “Going back where?” he calls out casually.

“Don’t play coy with me! You know what I’m talking about!”

“I do not. You must be the female that came back with Toran.”

She scoffs just before she starts eating again. It seems he has been dismissed. Theon tilts his head while he watches her eat. He can’t figure her out. Other females would rush to his side, but she… his lips curl upward in amusement.

Slowly getting to his feet, he ambles down to where she sits, trying not to intimidate her. She is a fragile female after all.

Every now and then, she glances his way but quickly dismisses him and continues eating. Her actions intrigue him.

He sits down cross-legged in front of her, but she tries to ignore his presence. He remains silent and watches her eat. She is more beautiful up close, with her dark wet hair swept over her left shoulder and long, dark eyelashes that cover her intelligent, angry eyes.

After a moment of silence, she drops her food, lifts her head, and throws her arms up in the air in a dramatic flair. “Why are you staring at me?”

“I have just never seen anyone who looks like you.”

“Then turn your head,” she snaps as though he is daft. His lips twitch in amusement as he watches her pick up her food and resume eating.

“What are you called?”

She doesn’t look at him as the answer rolls off her sharp tongue. “It depends on who you ask.”

Theon’s face splits wide, and he tries again. “What is your name?”

“Catalina.”

“Catalina,” he says, testing the name out on his tongue. “What are you eating?”

She drops the food on a small cloth. Looking up, he sees the frustration written on her delicate face. “I tried to replicate brownies, but this is a hard, bad imitation.” He picks up the brownie and studies the bland-looking object before meeting her eyes.

“Why did you leave the Commons?” he asks as he lays the brownie back down on the cloth.

She sears him with a glance, and with a forceful voice, she says, “Listen…”

“Theon.”

“Theon. I’ve had a shitty week, and I am not going back to the Commons.” She points at him with a forefinger to accentuate the statement.

Theon takes a hefty breath and blows it out. “You don’t like it there?”

“I see you’re not there. Don’t you like it?”

One side of his mouth lifts. “Diverting?” he smiles. Theon inhales deeply and lets his breath out in a long sigh. “Okay, I’ll go first.”

“I never said we were taking turns.” Another smile stretches across his face. Catalina has a strong, independent streak about her.

“Duly noted.” He leans back on his elbows and stretches his legs out. “I like it up here. I like the sunshine,” he shrugs, “and it is my duty to patrol the border, to keep the Southern Clan safe from intruders.”

“Jeat makes you stay up here?”

“I see you have met my brother.”

“You look nothing like him, or the others for that matter. Why is that?” Her tone turns curious as she cocks her head to the side and studies him.

Catalina has hit a nerve with Theon, which turns him defensive. His entire life, he’s heard every remark, every smear to his good name. He knows he doesn’t look like the others.

“You are the only strange-looking creature here.” His tone comes out sharp, and he instantly regrets it.

Picking at some blades of grass, she retorts, “Yep, I got that loud and clear every fucking day I lived in the Commons. But thanks for bringing it up again.” She shoots him a quick, sardonic smile.

Theon sits up, and with a grimace, he apologizes. “Look Catalina, I am sorry. I should not have said that. Growing up different, I also heard it every day.”

He watches her shoulders slump. “Sorry. I guess I’m just on edge. To be honest, I didn’t mean to insult you. On my planet, everyone is different, so it’s no big deal. In fact, you being a little different makes me feel a little better. Not so alone.”

“What do you mean, everyone is different?”

“Different hair color, eye color, even skin color.”

He laughs, “And you all lived together?”

“We did,” she smiles. “What’s so funny?”

“We also have people with different skin color and hair color. They just live in different clans.”

Catalina gasps, and with an incredulous look, she asks, “You don’t mingle?”

He titters. “Sometimes, but not with the Northern Clan.”

“Then why does it matter that you are different?”

“Because I am the son of the former leader of the ruling clan. There has never been a variation.”

“Former leader.” She glances down briefly, sadness shines in her eyes. “If Jeat’s in charge, does that mean… And did your parents know why you came out different?”

“No. There is no explanation for my difference. As for my parents, my mother died a few life cycles back. My father was in a hunting accident two life cycles ago. That’s when Jeat took the lead.”

“Why not you?”

He laughs, but it holds no humor. “He is the eldest. However, the first one to have offspring will be the one to lead permanently and continue the line of succession.”

“I guess you two try hard to continue the line?” She raises a playful eyebrow.

With a sly grin, Theon responds. “I cannot speak for my brother and his bed sport, but I do not. The line of succession is not that important that I will bind with someone just for that reason.”

Theon likes this female. She asks what she wants to know and doesn’t seem to play flirtatious games like the other females at the Commons. Her quick wit and sharp tongue endear her to him even more.

“What about you? How did you end up with Toran?”

“These aliens—Toran called them Tureis—invaded my planet and kidnapped me.”

Theon sits straight up, “What?”

“Yep, he rescued me and Alan.”

“Did they… did they hurt you?”

She shrugs. “They drugged me, so I don’t remember a lot.”

“You do not know what they planned to do?”

She stares briefly at the ground before leveling her gaze on him. “No offense, but I would rather talk about something other than my time as a prisoner.”

Clearly, she is uncomfortable talking about this, so Theon drops it. “What would you like to talk about?”

“I don’t know. You’re really the first person who’s talked to me since I arrived.”

“You are unhappy here?”

“If I am destined to live a life of solitude, I plan to do it up here in the sunshine, not squirreled away in a sunless room.”

“Squirreled?” he furrows his brow.

“It means that I am not going back to the Commons,” she huffs with a hefty stare.

Theon ponders her declaration, trying to come up with a solution suitable for everyone. All the females live in the Commons where they can be better protected. Letting Catalina fall into the hands of the Northern Clan makes something tighten within his gut. His fist balls tightly before he quickly releases it, wiggling his fingers to reduce the tension.

He needs to think of a solution, one they can both agree upon, but nothing readily comes to mind. “What do you propose?”

Catalina huffs. “Nothing. It’s my choice, not yours. There is no vote, and you do not have a say in my decision. I’m staying up here where the air is fresh, the sun is warm, and the lake is refreshing.”

Still hoping to deter her, he cocks his head to the side and asks, “And food? What will you do for food?”

Getting to her feet, she stretches her arms over her head and yawns. The form-fitting pants and blue shirt flatter her lithe body. Looking down at him, she smiles. “I’m hungry, and I want real food. Is there anything to hunt around here?”

His eyes widen in surprise. “You hunt?”

With a cheeky smile, she says, “Today, I do.”

He watches intently as she pulls an object out from under the cloth. “What is that?” he cocks his head to the side and studies the strange shape.

“This,” she holds up the object for his inspection, “is a bow. And these,” she pulls two long slender objects from the pack, “are arrows. What do you hunt with?”

He grins wickedly, pulls out a long knife with a jagged edge, and holds it up. “This.”

“It looks deadly enough, but I don’t want to get that close to a wild animal.” He watches as she places the arrows in a quiver, then slings it over her shoulder. “Ready to hunt?”

Every bone in his body screams at him to protect her, to provide for her, and to not let her place herself in any danger. But studying the female, Catalina, he clenches his jaw tight to keep the words from tumbling from his lips. She may be slight in stature, but she is strong in will.

The best thing he can do—the smart thing—is to go with her. Protect her and keep her from harm. It is his duty. With her dark eyes waiting for an answer, he nods.

“Oh, wait!” She lays the weapon on the cloth before she searches through her pack. Bringing out a small circular object, her face stretches in a smile. “I don’t want my hair to get in the way.”

With quick, precise movements, she threads her long, slender fingers through her hair, weaving the strands in an intricate pattern. When she finishes, she places the circular object around the end of her strands, securing them in place.

Staring at the beautiful design, he steps closer, his fingers lightly touching the braid. Her breath quickens and comes out in shallow pants. The ridges on his forehead tingle, and he swallows hard before dropping his hand and taking a quick step back.

“Ready now?”

“Yes.” Her voice sounds different, unsure, as she grabs her weapon.

As they walk, he can feel her gazing at him from the corner of his eyes. Especially when she thinks he is unaware.

“What kind of animals are we looking for?”

“There are several that we kill for food. My favorite is a garr.”

“Why is that?”

He shrugs one shoulder. “It is a worthy adversary that provides a lot of food. There are other animals that are smaller, but you would have to kill a lot of them to feed the males who live topside.”

Theon can tell she is trying to understand their way of life. How different her planet must be!

“Why don’t they go to the caves at night and use the replicators?”

One side of his mouth tips upward. “Most of them do. But there are a select few who remain in the topside Commons.” When she opens her mouth to speak again, Theon playfully tugs on the end of her hair. “If you continue to speak, you will warn all the wildlife of our presence.”

“Sorry,” she mumbles as the two of them focus on their surroundings.