The Guardian

Thank you for choosing this story I hope you like. Please read the definition below as it will help you understand the story.


Guardians-decendants of humans and animals that had crossed the great waste at the dawn of time. They have animalistic traits that can be controlled at will and have a higher rate of healing, more strength, and can even endure more trauma than the average human body. They are considered slaves and are only used for two things: the military and as protectors of young nobles and noble houses. If a guardian is captured and is a deserter of the military or have ran away from a noble house they are killed on the spot according to law. Guardians are also forbidden to breed with anyone outside of their species, and vice versa.





“Syah, my love, come downstairs. Your father has already started the feast.”

Sadness seeped into the mirror again before she had a chance to erase it completely. Her hair was too long and hung painfully straight around her face and past her shoulders. The dress her mother had selected for her was ridiculous. Green silk and gold trim was unbefitting of her and gave a sickly glow to her skin.

“Perhaps you should obey your mother; you know how your father’s temper is.”

Syah sighed as her gaze drifted towards the man sitting in a chair at the far corner of the room. He was a stocky man, rather plain and clean. He was dressed in the proper clothes for a royal guardian, which Syah found rather unimpressive.

“I suppose.”

Her guardian Colar stood smoothly, which was characteristic of the feline guardians. She despised him. He was simply another pair of eyes for her father and mother, who had little time to delve into her well being. As a child she had searched through every book available to her trying to find a weakness in Colar but most texts only exploited their strengths. Colar’s large hand against the small of her back coaxed her away from the mirror. She hated when her father would throw a feast, all his closest advisors and council members would begin so well mannered but it only took a few steins of mead before things became far to uncivil for her to bear.

“Shall I sit beside you, or would you rather I not stay?”

She lifted her chin in an attempt to pull herself out of her gloom, her lungs filling with less than satisfying false enthusiasm.

“You’re relieved this evening Colar.”

Her mother was waiting anxiously at the bottom of the stairs as she approached. She imagined she had been beautiful once, perhaps before her arranged marriage to a loud and pompous noble.

“Oh my love, you’re so beautiful in green.”

A wide false smile spread as Colar left her side to his evening of freedom. Syah descended the stairs carefully, she hadn’t wanted to wear the horrible green slippers and her mother would be crushed if she saw she was behaving so unbecomingly.

“You always tell me so mother; I find it so very sleek as well.”

Her mother smiled, and Syah felt herself smile as well, perhaps a little more genuinely.

“Your father has already missed you at the table and wishes you in your proper place. He speaks of a gift for you.”

She swallowed hard. Her father did not give gifts, unless it was something that would better their noble house. She feared this gift her mother spoke of. She had only turned eighteen summers a month ago, which was the desired age that her house would marry off their heirs. Her mother’s weak smile over the gift told her that her conclusions were correct before she even entered the great hall.

“Indeed he has mother, let’s not keep him waiting.”

If she was to be tossed to the wolves by her parents she didn’t want to draw out her fall. In reality she had felt her days of youth drawing to a close. She didn’t expect her father to withhold her out of love or affection or perhaps even attachment to her. He had no parental attachment, since he blamed her for her mother’s inability to carry anymore heirs and he was forever cursed with a daughter. Her mother nodded, as she took up her side and passed through the great doors of the hall. The noise of the men was only a dull hum of masculine voices only slightly slurred by mead.

“Ah! My daughter Syah! A sight of perfection is she not my wards!”

She couldn’t prevent the touch of pink that rose to her cheeks as every man; both young and old looked to her as she took her proper seat. Her mother took up the large chair next to her father at the head of the long table.

“My perfection is a reflection of yourself my Lord.”

They were vial, evil, disgusting lies from between her lips nearly searing the skin off her tongue. But her lie was provoking the most prideful smile along her father’s plump lips.

“She is certainly a product of my loins my fellows! My daughter, I cannot wait for the meal to present to us. I wish to announce your wonderful gift I have prepared for you now before the mead makes me unsteady.”

With a deep breath she presented a smile that only barely touched her eyes.

“My father I’m far too excited for such games.”

He chuckled as her gaze turned to her mother. She had melted since she had taken up her seat. Surely she knew that Syah had already figured him out. Tears were coming to her eyes and it wouldn’t be long before she puts on a good show of presumed joy.

“I am proud to announce that I have chosen a suitor for my daughter Syah. My sweet, I present you to Sir Jerold to be his bride before the month is out.”

Pure stricken panic squeezed her heart until she was sure she would vomit. Sir Jerold stood from his chair stiffly. He smiled a toothless grin at her as all his teeth had long rotted out. His long white beard held specs of old food and mead as the firelight glinted off his bald head. The man was nearly into his seventieth summer, and she was to be his bride. It made sense. He controlled much of the northern land beyond where her father’s territory reached. This territory also held an important pass through the mountains he wished to use for trade and as a military pass if war ever exploded in the hotbed that was Shuron. As she had thought, she had become a tool for her father to expand his empire. Tears were spilling from her mother but Syah’s hands hand gone cold and all the blood had drained from her face.

“I’m afraid my excitement has overcome me father. Sir Jerold I am so honored to be your bride, may you please excuse me so that I may get some fresh air?”

Sir Jerold nodded and sat, giving her permission to leave. She didn’t linger, but left the room as quickly as she could without seeming rude. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she grabbed a dark colored cloak from beside the door and quietly let herself out. The night air did little to calm her nerves as she ran barefoot through the grounds of her noble house. An armed guard stopped her at the gate leading into the wilderness around their estate.

“May I help you my Lady?”

She was panting by this point, but wanted nothing more than to run as far as her body could carry her.

“Open the gate for me good sir I wish to take a stroll, I’ll return shortly.”

He moved to open the gate for her.

“Shall I escort the lady tonight? The hour is late and the forest is unforgiving in the dark for a lady such as yourself and you seem to be without your guardian.”

She smiled as calmly as she could as he opened the gate just far enough for her to pass through.

“Thank you for your concern but I wish to go alone.”

He nodded, although unhappy with her decision, he was unable to disobey her wishes. She walked as calmly as she could along the worn dirt road until she was out of sight of the gate. It was then her bare feet carried her along the cool dry dirt as though they were wings. Her dress was becoming dirty along the hem but she cared little as she lifted it far higher than what was thought to be proper and continued until her throat burned and her lungs ached and her limbs had taken on a sort of numb heat. This was her last run of freedom, her last chance to fly away forever from this place of torment and painfully proper decency. She didn’t want to be afraid of her father’s temper anymore or her mother’s pain and sorrow. And she didn’t want to be married off to an old man who would treat her as property more than a wife. She was an animal to bear strong heirs, as many as he could fertilize before his time was over. She had gone off the road what seemed like ages ago and was keeping a dangerously fast pace through the forest. Branches were hitting her along her bare skin but she barely felt the lashes, she barely felt the stab of sticks and stones under her feet or the pull of thorns on her dress and in her hair. And then suddenly she was weightless, her body was falling and she came down on her hands and knees painfully. A large and worn root had snagged her foot and brought her down. Her father was that root. She couldn’t see well in the dark but she was sure she had dirt and blood mixing hotly on her palms and knees and on the soles of her feet. She tried to wipe the gritty mixture away on her dress but it only made things worse. As her eyes adjusted she took in the surroundings. She had broken through the wall of trees by only a few feet, and only six feet before her was a long deep canyon. It cut through the forest like a long jagged slice into the earth, at its bottom nothing but a dry basin that would surely fill if it ever rained. She surveyed herself as well. Her hair was a mess of twigs and leaves and thorns, her dress was torn in several places and dirtied by the forest and her blood and her skin had bloomed in little crimson cuts and scrapes. It was then that she realized she had gotten herself into a heap of trouble. She was unsure of where she was exactly, having little experience in the terrain around her home. She could also see that she had been running for far longer than she had realized. The sky was beginning to lighten in the east where the mountains had a jagged black silhouette. And to make things worse, she was bleeding. Her scent was being carried by the wind to anything hungry and waiting and she was sure to be an easy meal. She sighed and pulled her legs up to her chest. Perhaps wolves would come and gobble her up and leave no trace for her parents to mourn. Or perhaps something else far more evil would come to erase any presence of her completely. It was then that her gaze lifted to the dangerous canyon. She wondered if she could fly off the canyon and go far away from her prison, and far away from her problems. Shakily, she found her feet and stood, hypnotized by the jagged edge before her. She moved as smoothly as she could as she steadied her breathing and stepped cautiously to the canyons edge. Her toes teased the loose dirt at its perilous drop, her hair dangling around her face as she gazed down the cliff side. She thought about her mother and about her father and what would happen if she were to die. She could feel no sorrow for them, and no love. Had she ever really felt love? It was then that tears came to her eyes. She never had the chance to live, and never had the chance to love or be loved, and never would. Her fate had been sealed since the day she was born and so it was here that she would end her life rather than become a creature like her mother. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she gazed up at the jagged mountains, the sun was coming up and the house was surely in panic at her absence. The hood of her cloak fell back as she lifted her head and spread her arms. Perhaps she would fly. She was weightless when her feet left the cliff side and her body turned awkwardly in the air so that her back was towards the ground. Her hair was blowing past her face but she still was able to see the pale starry sky moving even further from her, eliciting a smile from her. So it was that she couldn’t fly, oh well, perhaps she would be washed away with the next rain. She was falling too slowly and so she closed her eyes as warm and strong arms encased her to a broad chest. The force of the body hitting her spun her around again as her back was spun back towards the sky. This thing attached to her was between her and her death and panic rose in her that she wouldn’t be killed. She had no time to rectify her desires as they collided with the ground painfully. For a moment darkness danced around the fringes of her vision and the air had rushed out of her lungs painfully. This was not what she had wanted. She was lying against a warm body that let loose a small grunt at the impact and no more. Furious she flew away from the protective embrace ready to lash out and whoever had saved her. Pain flashed through her at every move but her rage refused to allow her to stop.

“How dare you! How dare you do such a thing! I have no choice but to die and you ruined everything for me!”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she took in the man before her. He sat up, and stared at her strangely as she lashed out at him. He was tall and lean, with a broad chest. His pants were the only article of clothing to speak of which brought a blush to her face. His hair was long and loose around his face and jaw, which was sprinkled with light stubble. As she took him in and he gazed at her his claws retracted and his dog ears disappeared along with his long tail. His eyes were the only things that remained a constant glinting gold.

“I’m sorry I saved your life? What is a noble doing out here anyway?”

He stood smoothly, leaving her with no doubt that he was a guardian.

“It’s not the business of a guardian who has no connection to my family. You’ve interfered with my intentions and so now I charge you with killing me.”

He looked at her strangely, cocking his head to the side.

“Why would I kill you?”

She had to lie, or else he wouldn’t obey her. She felt awkward and unsure before him in his improper state.

“I’ve done a terrible thing, committed a terrible crime and so it is your duty to kill me.”

She spread her arms and bared her throat to him.

“Please guardian. You mustn’t let me live.”

They stood like that for a moment before he strode towards her, sizing her up like a meal as her pulse quickened. Perhaps he would obey her; this had been easier than she had thought. It won’t be as quick as her fall would have been but it would have the same result, and that was all that really mattered to her. She never wanted to return to her house. She never wanted to return to her life of servitude.

“I suppose you’re right, little noble.”

He moved close and gazed hungrily at her throat, his fangs sprang forward and his claws extended as his eyes seemed to glow. He was so close she could feel his breath against the tender skin of her exposed throat and her pulse jumped as he opened his mouth to kill her. But instead he closed his jaws with a sharp snap, inches from her skin before turning to walk away.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

She ran after him but he refused to stop for her.

“I’m going home. Do you think I’m stupid little noble? If I kill you half this continent would be hunting me down and unlike you I want to live.”

Panic was rising again as she followed him, trying to keep up with his fast pace down the gulch.

“Please you don’t understand, I can’t live another day. You have to do this!”

She grabbed his arm which was sharply ripped away as he rounded on her. His gaze cut into her deeply and for a moment she was taken back.

“What can be so terrible that you would beg a wolf guardian to devour you alive?”

Tears stung her eyes as her body finally collapsed on her. Her knees gave out as she hit the rough ground for the second time. Her body was shaking for fear of him returning her home, or worse, her father finding her.

“I have lived a life of a single and unwanted child. My mother lives in fear, and my father drowns in mead and my guardian is only another set of eyes and ears for my father that never leaves my side. By the end of the month I am to be married to a seventy year old man as a piece of property and live a life like that of my mother until I grow old and die.”

She stopped, the sobs closing her airway as the guardian stood silently before her.

“I’ve never been loved, not once in my eighteen years and my last hope to end this loneliness has been destroyed by my own father. So if you have an ounce of kindness and mercy in you, please guardian, end my life. Put me to rest so that my fate won’t be sealed with a ring.”

A heavy hand rested against her hair as her tears dripped onto the dirt.

“It seems we both have problems little noble. But perhaps we can solve this without spilling any blood.”

She gazed up at him as he kneeled down before her.

“You know that a guardian is chosen by the noble, and that one guardian can be replaced with another at any time. These rights rest with you. And this guardian is responsible to carry out any wishes that the noble command.”

He paused and she nodded.

“And you must also know that when a guardian is a deserter the only thing that can save him is being claimed by a noble.”

She nodded again, seeing now that this night has given her a chance to change her once sealed fate.

“If I take you as a guardian and replace my father’s Colar, you will be saved from a hanging, and in turn I can command you to prevent my arranged marriage and use you to protect myself and my mother from my father’s certain rage in order to gain my freedom.”

The guardian nodded and smiled, his hand extending to help her to her feet. She accepted his offer as he easily pulled her to her feet.

“Do we have a deal little noble? Will you accept me?”

She smiled and nodded as he smiled back at her.

“Good now could you do me a favor and pull that out? I can’t heal while it’s still imbedded.”

He turned his back to her and gestured at a fair sized rock imbedded in his skin, a small amount of blood dripping down his back from the wound. She blushed shamefully and pulled it from him as gently as she could as he sighed with relief.

“I’m sorry.”

He smiled at her again, a little more warmly than she had been prepared for.

“That’s what guardians are for.”

Thank you for reading, let me know what you think, the next chapter will be up soon!