Chapter 4: Theon’s Resolve

"Say, how long have you been here in the woods?" The two were sitting inside the cave near the entrance; Ambroz with his legs crossed and opened wide and Theon with his bent knees. The sun thoroughly arise, the wind breeze started to freshen up, verdant colour leaves seen and was rustling. Even after all the discomfort, Ambroz has felt when he met Theon. He decided to let him do what he wants. The man was not leaving anytime soon. They were both stuck together like the tree roots are stuck with the ground. No utterances, currently preparing their feed with the fish Ambroz hunted a while ago. A fire was produced by Ambroz with the use of tiny tree branches, the single noise that is being heard. Theon however, stared at the man working in sweats. He didn't want to interfere, for the short period they were together, Ambroz was at the pick of his temper, Theon clearly does not understand such a man with fury behaviour. Just like how he is right at this very moment. "How long do you plan to ask me unnecessary questions? I don't see how you have the need to know about me." He uttered with emphasis. Theon gulped. He was just thinking of lessening the tension surrounding them yet, it languished just like that. "What a very reserved man." He scoffed. "Did you say something?" Ambroz asked. "Nothing." He shrugged his shoulders. Ambroz just shook his head off and went back to the fish. Now Theon understands how this man has been all alone and been kept in this woods. Above everything, he chooses to keep a barrier to the world and himself. He shuts himself down and ignores people who try to close the distance between them. The first time he met him, abstract, was what he thought Ambroz was like. A man so reserved, you can hardly even know what he thinks. He wondered, why is this man interesting for him? He wanted to know more about him, thinking- Ambroz is also beneficial. This man will grant him the way out of this forest. "How about you? Don't you want to know more about me?" He scooted close to the man. He could not let silence engulf the atmosphere. Time is running hastily and squandering will bring trouble upon his journey to set course in search of his people. The people, it was entrusted to him. And he would not forgive himself if a mere life was taken because of his inadequacy to be aware of his surroundings. Ambroz stared at him in the eye and lucky enough, he managed to surpass that stare he once chose to ignore. "I have known enough. You're a failed warrior." He responded in a straight face. Then, without delay he gazed back at the fish he was rolling around the fire. "I am not a failed warrior. That's why I'm searching for my people." He answered back. "The fact that those people were entrusted to you and you lost them is enough reason to title you as a failed warrior." Ambroz exclaimed. "Do you enjoy mocking my failure so much?" Theon blurted out with pungent in his eyes. "I do not. But, it's the only way to silence you." Ambroz then replied without looking at him. "How would you easily say that I'm a failed warrior? You look like you're one, too!" He stood up and pointed at him. It was his first time yelling at someone. And it surprises him more than it was with a man he barely knows. Theon has always been respectful towards people who is older than him. But, talking about something that's still apparent in his memory angers him. How could someone utter something so insensitive? Ambroz placed the fish in a clean leaf and stood up. "You nuisance, stop testing my patience. You never learn, do you? You should already be thankful that I'm keeping you here and alive. Or else you'll be crawling your way out of nowhere while seeing some mysterious hideous creature." His voice became coarse and deep as he shouts. "So, you do admit that there is such a creature?" "There will only be a hideous creature when you're out of your mind and believe it! If it was a winged creature how come you have only seen it now? You fool!" Theon was in shock that he has almost forgotten to breathe. His eyes widened as he stared at Ambroz catching up to his breathing. What caught his attention was his eyes, which emerged with even consistent colour like it was in flames. ‘His eyes appeared to be burning.' ‘What did he really mean by the hideous creature?' ‘Why should I thank him? For not feasting over me yet?' Was filled in Theon's subconscious as they were still staring at the eyes of each other. Ambroz soon gave up and sat down after he pretended to fix his cloth, the fabric that's been covering his entire body. On the other hand, Ambroz was also shaken by the way he behaved. Throughout the years he's been in a cave, conversing with people was below his chronicle. He looked at Theon and his conscience grasped him. It's his first, seeing a man so sensitive to deaths. The people he knew not long after was numb and dull with the bloody war in front of them, instead of emotional confrontation, they chose survival. ‘How foolish.' He thought. Remembering the old times, such an absurd mannerism. Ambroz promised himself that he will let go of all the past and yet he reenact it all over again. Unintentionally, Theon is making him remind of such things. And he is annoyed and pestered by it. They were both back in silence until Theon opens up again. "I apologize, Sir." Ambroz chortled slightly. It was not minded by Theon because his eyes were too pressed close while bowing down to Ambroz. "Raise your head and sit. You should eat." Ambroz conveyed to him his thoughts. He extends his arms to pass one of his cooked fish. Theon hesitated, thinking he does not deserve food from him. He showed Ambroz just then a behaviour he resented to repeat. Theon knew any other man he sees in the forest could bring an end to his life. Despite being a stranger, Ambroz considered him and let him stay. Now, he regrets seeing him as a material to leave the forest. Ambroz sought through his complexion. He shook his head. "Your lips are dry and chapped, don't be stubborn. Eat and I won't ask you for anything." He uttered with an emphasis like he always does. Theon had no choice but to accept it. As he reached for the stick, he sat down right after. "Thank you, Sir." He said. "And stop it with the 'Sir'," Ambroz asked of him. "Yes. Sorry, sir." Theon apologized. Ambroz fainted groan. "Are you playing with me?" "No, sir. Sorry, sir." Theon said again but it was purely unintentional. Ambroz shook his head and ignored it. He'll go insane with this young man. Theon however, was rather confused again. He was about to take a bite with the fish cooked flesh when he was disturbed by Ambroz huge bite. He saw through his canine teeth; auxiliary sharp and pointy for some reason. He almost choked in his saliva. He widened his eyes and thought, '‘Twas such a mistake to brawled over this guy, he could have eaten me alive.' "Quit staring at it and take a bite," Ambroz demanded. Theon nodded and continue eating the fish. He hasn't eaten ever since what happened to their village that night. He was so hungry and ate it with nothing left but bones. He wiped the side of his lips with the back of his palm. He glanced at Ambroz and saw that he also had something dripping from his mouth. Surely is from the food they are eating. He was about to reach out and wipe when Ambroz slapped away his hand in instinct. Ambroz's eyes flashed over his. "What were you going to do?" He blinked a few times. Feeling intimidated by his stare. "I... I was just going to wipe your lips." "Don't do that. Only I can touch my skin, do you understand?" He nodded continuously. "Sorry about that." Theon then realized how careless his movement was, he asked himself why did he even attempt to try to touch a man who looks like it does not want anyone to even lay a finger on them. He was such an idiot. Ambrox was also in fact a man so that worsens it all. Somehow, the longer they stayed silent while sitting on the bare ground made Theon very uncomfortable with it and so he stood up. Ambroz gazed at him while still eating his grub. Theon thought of coming out to face the broad daylight. It was still at midday, he went to a near tree without Ambroz questioning him. The man does not even concern with Theon furthermore. Theon has a lot more questions to ask Ambroz but just kept his mouth sealed. He went by a near tree. He sat leaning his back on the stem, his knee bend and the other was flat on the ground. Rested his hand on his bent knees and bowed his head down. He contemplates himself there. His chest tightened by the sudden pain he felt. He will never forget such tragedy. 'The people' he lifted his head almost instantly as that thought struck him. "I can't just sit here and do nothing. Eliaz entrusted the people to me." He convinced himself as if cheering his subconscious that was about to end in sorrow. He stood up and gazed at Ambroz. Surprisingly, Ambroz was standing in front of the cave and it made him think about it. Ambroz hair strands swayed as the breeze brushed through his pale body. The sunlight emphasize the colour of his eyes and it looked at him intensely as the duration started increasing. Theon thought of it. This man will surely help him no matter the odds. He will do everything for the sake of his people. Even if it means sacrificing his soul and body. Ambroz might not know of a way to get out of the forest rapidly however, with both of their strength and wit, he can't see why they can't her out of this forest. "What are you staring at me so intensely, for?" Ambroz asked. His brows furrowed. Theon just faintly smiled. He was optimistic and tried to restore back his strength. This is what he was trained for now he needs to take responsibility for it. In an instance, his grey pupils were filled with the light of perseverance. "Nothing. Where are you heading, sir?" He raise a question as he went near him. Ambroz diverted his gaze. "Stop calling me that. Ambroz is my name and where I am heading is not to your concern." Theon furrowed his eyebrows and pressed his lips. He was on edge thinking, what could he possibly do to close their distance. He has gotten him in deep thinking. Later on, he managed to think of a way. Ambroz was carrying his old bow and arrow again. "Are you against the conquerors?" Theon asked him. Ambroz froze and slowly faced him. "What do you mean against?" "They have been striving to colonize almost all of the land. Murdering people as if they are mere insects and abusing possession of others. Will this end? How about you, I may not know more about you but you seem to be living in this forest for a long time-" "Stop putting this on me. If you hate them so much, why must you run like insects? Murder them as well too and grab all your possession back." Ambroz disrupted him before he could even ask. Theon lowered his head. "Is that what we should have done? Warriors fight for their lives and if defeated they will take what was ours?" He heaved a sigh. "I have someone very dear to me that once said that vengeance was never a way to bring an end to all of this. Maybe, if we could just discuss with them and question them about what they are trying to do. Maybe then my family and Elias family wouldn't have died." Ambroz laughed in a half-suppressed and indecorous manner. "Those kinds of people will never think of truce. They are foolish, self-centred and basilisk conquerors, do you think they would listen to a word you will say?" He snickered once more. "Not a chance." He raised his head and met Ambroz's eyes. "How could you say that?" He asked almost yelled with the way Ambroz was disagree This time Ambroz grew more rage in his eyes and walked toward Theon. "You saw it with your own eyes, didn't you?" He pointed somewhere. "They are merciless. Even gathering all of your people's strength will not be enough to convince them. Truce? They have already killed your family, you say. And they could do much worst than that. They would even turn someone into a hideous mons-" He cut off his sentence when he realized what he was about to say. "Into what?" With worried eyes, Theon asked. Ambroz gulped. "What I'm saying is that they are not just simply human beings. They possess powers you would never have imagined. And the forest would not even forgive if you grant them death. There's no end to this. I have known more of them than you do." "Then if you really do know more. What can I do to save my people?" They stare at each other for a few seconds with full of tension emitting. Ambroz stepped backwards. "Search for your people and ran further away," Ambroz said. He could not think of anything but to say that to him. Theon was flabbergasted and words can't seem to be formed from his mouth as he deeply thought of something to utter. "How about you? What are you gonna do?" Ambroz was already walking away and his back was the only thing Theon can see from his perspective when Ambroz turned his head sideways. "Asking me irrelevant questions again. No matter what will happen to me is non of your concern," He faced front again. "Even if I die, this will benefit you." He whispered. Theon couldn't hear it so he went near him but Ambroz already decided to walk away. Theon was dumbfounded. But he is optimistic about persuading Ambroz to negotiate with him into helping him find a way out of the forest. He heaved a sigh. Thinking, he should just wait for Ambroz to come back. To saunter further beyond this forest will only grant him unfortunate comings like what happened to him with those huge monkeys that almost bruised his body. Going back into it, how could Ambroz scare those away when they are almost the same size when it comes to their features. Ambroz really is something he should look up to and find out what about him could possibly be of help to him. ——————— ABYSSCESS