Kingdom of Arzialla by Marilyn Arias (story reading txt) 📕

me. Even though his face was blurry to me, I could tell he had long blond hair, half of it pulled up in a small ponytail, and he had broad shoulders that were covered with leather that reached up his neck.
His friend rolled his eyes but didn’t ignore him. He pulled me up to have me sit up and supported me while the blond man flipped his hair over to get it off his shoulders and unbuckled his red cape from his shoulders and draped it over me. It wasn’t warm but compared to the stinging sensation that Winter’s giving me, it’s the best thing I’ve felt since coming to this freezing world.
“Thank you,” he told his partner and took me in his arms. He held me like a child and, against his leather armor, he felt hot. At least in this freezing moment. I placed my hands against his chest and that was when I began to feel again. I knew that was probably weird for both of us but for now, I didn’t care. And plus, I don’t think he did either since he and his friend were fighting about something. I just let my eyes close and try to calm down.
After walking Lord knows how much, I found out they were arguing about me when his partner screamed “But she’s human!” What's Your Name?- Zelimir

THE GAVRILS HAVE SPREAD AGROSS the land and finally reached the Kingdom of Arzialla. Fire balls were catapulted over our walls, and has burned half of our markets, homes and schools. They managed to knock one of our walls down and are now on their way through the main gates.
“General! General Callaghan!” Sergeant Byrne called.
“What is it?” I asked.
“The Gavrils are falling but they’re still fighting hard. We need backup,” he told me.
“Not to worry. I’m meeting up with a friend in the middle of the woods. I’ll ask him to send a message to Thomoire.”
“But General, we need you. Don’t you think you should send someone else to make the errand?”
“Naturally, I would but he trusts and listens to only me. Poor thing has gone through so much, he’s shut himself from society. And plus, it won’t take long,” I said as I grabbed my sword and slid it into its sheath.
“But what if you’re surrounded? The Gavrils are enormous,” he said, begging to change my mind.
“His cottage is at the other side of the kingdom, away from the Gavrils. And if they decide to attack there, he has a secret passage underground.”
“Then why don’t you go that way?”
I turned around to look at him. “It’s always locked at his end of the passage.”
“But you can’t possibly go alone!”
“Oh, of course not,” I agreed with him. “I’m taking Lieutenant MacMahon with me. Lieutenant General O’Shea is in charge while we are away.”

Troian and I began to head west from the kingdom towards Acton’s cottage. The cold wind strongly whistled in my ear and bit my cheeks.
“So how is he getting to Thomoire to deliver the message?” Troian asked. His black hair was tied back, revealing his ear cuff of honor with pride.
“Acton never leaves his home. I’ll ask him to send his owl to deliver it. A brilliant animal it is and it’ll make it much faster than if anybody would by horse,” I replied.
“How did you meet him?”
I didn’t answer right away. “His town was attacked by Gavrils. They were completely defenseless so they’re houses were burned to the ground. He and his family separated from the disaster, so he and his older sister never knew if the rest of his brothers and sisters and his parents survived. I found them at the middle of the woods in the summer heat. She collapsed and passed away from exhaustion and starvation after walking for miles after miles to find salvation. After that, Acton wouldn’t speak to anybody. Not even to me at first. So I gave him a home, away from the fellow villagers, obviously in the middle of the woods. He thought it’d be easier to live on his own and it wouldn’t be so simple to be found by Gavrils.”
Gavrils are hideous, disgusting creatures that stood like hunchbacks. They basically ate anything that moved, including people. They were about eight feet tall and were much dumber than the king’s fool.
The only reason Acton speaks to me and only me is because, one, I was the one who spent time with him. And two, I’ve been in his shoes before. I was as antisocial as he is now, but nobody understood me as much as I understand him. He’s a bit better now though but still. It’s a psychological thing that only time can heal, and I’m hoping he’ll come out and have a life someday like how I have.
“Look over there, Zel,” he said, pointing south.
My eyes followed the direction that his finger was pointing and found something red on the snow. I figured it was just blood that had been spilled by the Gavrils but when we took a few steps closer, we found a child wearing a red dress. Her long, strawberry blond hair spilled across her shoulders and back and she was as white as the snow itself.
“Do you think she’s alive?” I asked.
“I doubt it. ‘Seems as lifeless as the trees around us,” Troian replied bluntly.
“Well, maybe we should…” I said taking steps toward her but he placed a hand on my shoulder.
He shook his head. “There’s no hope for her. Even if she’s still alive, it’s most likely too late. Lord knows how long she’s been out here. Plus, we need to be on our way. Our people need us more than her.”
I stared at her and thought that maybe if I was here sooner, maybe I could’ve saved one more life. But I do have to admit, he’s probably right.
We started moving back on our trail and then I heard a little voice. I quickly glanced back at the girl and then at Troian. “Did you hear something?”
“Help me…” her voice said in English.
I rushed back at her, kneeling beside her and Troian followed, standing behind me.
“… cold…” she said.
“She’s human?” Troian asked under his breath with wide eyes.
“It can’t be…” I whispered. And then in English I said, “Are you okay?”
No answer.
“Speak to me,” I pleaded.
“I’m… cold…” she repeated.
I took her arms and turned her body over so she’d lie on her back and, with gentleness, I held her head while I took her pulse. Her neck was like ice and her full lips were dry and blue. Her ears were of a human and she did not have a marking on her forehead like how a regular elf would have. Her pulse was faint, but it’s a pulse. “Can you sit up?”
After a moment, she shook her head.
“Help me,” I ordered Troian. Her eyes fluttered open as Troian hesitated to act, but then he knew an order is an order and he cannot refuse his general. He helped get her to sit up while I unbuckled the cape that’s part of my military uniform. I stretched it out and wrapped it around her.
“Thank you,” I told him as I slid my arm underneath her legs and behind her back before lifting her up. She was so light, so small and just carrying her can cause my life. I started walking.
“Zel. Zelimir. What do you think you are doing?” Troian said, trying to catch up to me.
“Going to Acton’s. What do you think I’m doing?” I played stupid.
“Um, well let’s see, you are carrying a human. Aren’t you going to report her to our captain?”
“Why should I?”
“You know why! Please tell me you will.”
I paused. “I don’t know…”
“Zelimir!”
“Human or not, I can’t let an innocent child die.”
“She’s not innocent! She’s no normal human. How do you think she got here?”
I sighed. I continued speed walking. “I don’t know.”
“You have to report her.”
“I won’t.”
“But she’s human!” he screamed in English. His voice echoed and probably traveled to the kingdom for the majority of the townspeople to hear.
“Shush! Do you want to attract Gavrils here?”
“Don’t change the subject. Tell me you will report her!” he repeated.
A small light began to glow through the blizzard wind. We are close to Acton’s.
“Zelimir!”
“Traion…” I halted, looking at him dead in the eye. “Just let me take care of business first. And then I’ll see what I can do. Just trust me…”
He gave me an ugly sneer but said nothing.
When we came up to Acton’s cottage, I knocked on his door twice. “Acton. It’s Zelimir. I need to ask you for a favor.”
There was a moment before the door slowly opened a crack and an eye was peeking through.
“Is it really you Zel?” he said shyly.
“Yes. May we come in?” I chuckled.
He hesitated. “Who are they?”
“He’s a friend and this is just a mere child that I found alone in the woods. She’s sound asleep. They won’t hurt you,” I said. Can't say I lied when it's true that she's only a child. I just didn't mention that she's human I thought 
He glanced at each of us a few times before letting us enter. His cottage was made out of stone and wood, with wooden floor boards, and it was small enough for only a bed, a fireplace, a couple dresser drawers, a set of chairs with a table to eat on, an arm chair and a cage for his owl to sleep in.
“Please, sit,” he offered me the arm chair.
“Thank you,” I said while I set the girl down in front of the fireplace. That’s when I realized she had her hands against my chest. She sat up on her own and scooted closer to the blazing flames as she wrapped my cape tighter around her. “May I borrow your bed quilt, please? Just for a moment.”
“Yes. Yes, of course,” Acton said, quickly rushing over to his bed before pulling his quilt off his bed. He handed it to me and I enfolded it around her. She sank into it and all you can see is her little head on top of a big ball of cloth. I appreciated how her ears were easily hidden behind her hair and the blanket since it's a dead give away. Acton’s a good kid but I can’t take any chances in letting a soul know there’s a human in Arzialla.
I patted her head. “Just stay