There was a moment of silence where I opened my mouth to say something, but couldn't find the words.

"Demir, I'm so sor-" I said, but he cut me off once again, his eyes finally turning to me.

"Don't." He instructed simply and I nodded numbly to which he turned back to the wall. He didn't want the apologies or pity and I understood that completely.

"Why?" I asked in a quiet voice, knowing he knew what I meant. He let out a scoff at this, turning his icy gaze back to me.

"Why do you think, Hanna? I'm not considered to be from the best lineage, am I?" He retorted and I sighed in frustration.

"But, you were a child! You could have died." I bit out in anger and Demir shook his head at my words.

"I think that was the point." He remarked and I rolled my eyes before looking to him yet again.

"How did you manage to survive?" I asked tepidly, hoping it didn't anger him. I let out a deep breath when he merely sighed, leaning back to lie with his arms behind his head.

"The woman I had told you about on the village council- she heard the music of the bull from her home and came to stop it. I just remember counting the minutes down when I saw her face as she opened the door." He recalled, an indecipherable expression on his face. I noted how she had heard music, meaning that he had voiced his pains, but chose to not pick up on it.

"Counting the minutes down?" I asked curiously and Demir smiled slightly, his eyes flitting over to me.

"It takes around 20 minutes to die in a brazen bull." He commented simply and I felt the bile raise to my throat at the thought. Shaking my head, I looked to him with a serious gaze.

"It shouldn't have been like that." I voiced my thoughts and Demir huffed slightly, rolling his eyes.

"What did you expect to happen? They weren't wrong to fear me, Hanna; my powers were unstable." He explained to me as though he were speaking to a child and I scowled.

"Is that the same reasoning you apply to the lashes on your back?" I spilled out before I could control it and my eyes widened slightly when I processed my words. Demir's gaze snapped to me at this as he looked to me and I fidgeted under his gaze. At long last, he turned his gaze to the ceiling.

"I suppose it is." He answered calmly and I felt rage that he could be so collected after all they had done. I had blown up at Debra for her injustice to me and rightfully so. I raised a palm towards him with a firm look on my face.

"Let me-" I began, but Demir shook his head swiftly, rolling his eyes.

"I told you before- I don't need it to be healed." He replied and I shook my head, keeping my palm raised.

"No, let me see it." I corrected to which he frowned, his gaze fixing on me.

"Why?" He questioned and I seethed internally as I spoke in a steady manner.

"Because I want to see; I want to understand." I answered simply with a shrug. There were a few moments of silence as Demir looked to me, his scrutinizing gaze making me tense, but nevertheless I kept my firm gaze on him. After what seemed like hours, he sighed heavily, running a hand through his midnight locks.

"You try to heal me and I won't hesitate to break your hand." He muttered and I let out a deep exhale when his gaze moved away from mine as he turned to face his back to me.

One moment I was gazing at his navy blue tank top then his hands were swiftly pulling the hem of his shirt up and I gazed at his wide broad back. He held his shirt in place with a hand as I surveryed his back, trying my hardest not to blush at the sight that was foreign to my eyes. There were around a dozen lashes on his back, each overlapping the last and I grimaced slightly as I imagined how they must have looked when they were bloody and fresh. As of now, they were scars, lining his back and serving as a reminder of his sorrowful childhood. I felt the urge then to heal him and erase the memories away.

I raised my hand in mid-air reaching towards his back.

"What did I say?" Demir threatened in a bored tone, his eyes still looking ahead and I rolled my eyes, despite the fact that he couldn't see me.

"I wasn't going to heal you." I lied quickly and Demir scoffed.

"Oh? So, what was it you were going to do?" He asked pointedly and I faltered slightly before reaching to him again and touching his scars with a stroke of an index finger, not offering him any words. He tensed slightly as I did so and I was surprised to how smooth his back felt. Tracing along the wounds, I spoke quietly.

"Demir?" I murmured to which he turned his head to the left slightly, so he could see me from his peripheral.

"Hanna?" He responded back in a teasing manner and I smiled slightly before a more serious expression took over my face as I spoke.

"Who is your father?" I voiced my curiosities and, again, Demir tensed, turning back to look ahead.

"He's not my father." He said coldly, making me stop my movements with my index finger. I stayed quiet, fearing that I had pushed him too far with the personal question. He pushed his shirt down and I retreated my hand numbly, wanting to apologise for my reckless words. He sat back then, leaning on his palms again. It wasn't till another minute that he spoke up.

"He's known as Apophis- the God of darkness and destruction. But, he's no God." He said suddenly, his voice steady with no trace of emotion and I snapped my head to him at his words. Hearing such things about darkness and destruction made me shudder in fear, but I was happy that he had felt comfortable enough to confide the name. I opened my mouth, but he turned to look at me.

"But, I'd still rather have the God of darkness than that ghabbiya you called mother." He said bluntly, swiftly changing the subject and I giggled at his taunt to Debra. If he was not comfortable to continue then I wouldn't pursue it.

"Oh, come on! It wasn't all bad. I mean, I had Zug Zug to keep me sane." I reminisced, my heart clenching at the memory of the small pug. Demir frowned at my words, making me laugh as I nudged his arms.

"Zug Zug was my pet dog." I explained through giggles and Demir raised an eyebrow at this.

"A little swine with a pet dog? Interesting." He pondered jokingly to which I slapped his arm lightly, glaring playfully.

"If I recall, I had called you a swine a long while back." I remarked, recounting the time in Penta province when we had eaten dinner as a group for the first time. It felt strange to think back now about how much I didn't know everyone. Looking to each individual then, I had thought I had them read, but I had now become more familiar with the different facets to their personality.

Demir raised an eyebrow, possibly at the distant look on my face and I shook my head with a sheepish smile.

"What was I saying?" I muttered feebly to which he rolled his eyes.

"Something about a 'nog nog' character." He drawled before closing his eyes and I huffed at his words.

"Zug Zug." I corrected sternly to which he frowned.

"Does it matter? Both names are hideous, anyhow." He answered bluntly and I let out a small sound at his words.

"I'm gonna try forget you said that." I muttered, appalled at his words and Demir scoffed before opening his eyes and the sudden sight of his moonlight eyes threw me off for a second.

"You don't seem the type to be overly fond of animals." He wagered and I nodded at his words with a smile.

"I didn't, at first, but he grew on me in my time of knowing him. I'm still scared to death of every animal though." I joked with a laugh and Demir raised an eyebrow at this before sitting up. I watched intently as he stood up, leaving his glaive across the hay.

"Let me show you something." He commanded, not even sparing me a glance as he walked out of the barn. I followed him with quick steps, letting out a deep breath when the sun hit against my skin as we stepped out.

He rounded past the barn then and I followed curiously. I wanted to ask where he was taking me, but knew that Demir would never share, so I merely stayed quiet as we walked.

My steps became more wary when we reached another building that looked similar to the barn, but I pushed on. It was only when I saw it, did I stop completely.

"I can't, Demir." I said quietly and he turned back to look at me before turning to look at the brown horse that protuded its head from out the stable door.

"He won't bite, Hanna, come here." He instructed and I moved closer tepidly, letting out a small yelp when Demir opened the door, letting the horse out.

"Okay, but I'm just looking; no touching." I finalised, watching with cautious eyes as the horse nudged his head against Demir's chest affectionately. There was a ghost of a smile on Demir's face as he stroked the horse's side.

"You've decapitated a man and carried his bloody head yet you shy away from a mere gelding?" He asked poignantly, side glancing to me and I frowned at his words.

"What in the hell is a gelding?" I asked, sounding as surplused as I felt. Demir rolled his eyes at my words before nudging the muzzle of the horse, until it was facing me. I flinched back slightly as it neared.

"A gelding is what Akil is." He said simply, gesturing to the horse tiredly and I turned to look at the horse again.

"Nice name." I muttered, keeping my eyes on his form cautiously. Demir raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face.

"True, but his coat is nicer." He mused and it took me a moment to process his words before I shook my head vehemently.

"No, no! I'm not touching him!" I let out anxiously and Demir scoffed before looking at me thoughtfully.

I squirmed under his piercing gaze, wringing my hands together. After a moment passed, he moved forward and grabbed a hold of my hand, making me tense. His icy eyes didn't leave mine as he pulled me forward and placed my hand against Akil's smooth coat. I felt myself blush slightly as his large hand laid over mine, holding me in place.

"Was that so hard?" He murmured, his deep voice filling the air and I finally processed what I was doing and looked to my hand anxiously. I could feel the firm exterior of Akil under my fingertips and let out a sigh of relief when he stayed nudging at Demir's chest, making me smile cheerily.

"Hey, it's not so bad!" I said, jumping slightly on the spot and Demir smiled, moving his hand away.

"Not scared anymore?" He asked teasingly, stepping back and behind me, so Akil was more intently focused on my form. I gulped in slightly when he moved slightly closer, before exhaling in relief when he didn't choose to nudge my chest like he had done to Demir.

"Don't worry, he only does that to people he likes." Demir explained, voicing my thoughts with a look of amusement on his face and I scowled at him before turning back to look at the horse.

"Well, I'll have you know, I wouldn't have been scared regardless." I bit out to which Demir let out a small airy laugh.

"Is that so?" His voice tickled against my ear from his position behind me and I nodded firmly.

"Yep." I said simply, popping the 'p', not even sparing him a glance, so I could keep my eyes on Akil right in front of me.

"Good, that's convenient." He spoke and my eyebrows furrowed at his words.

"What do you m-"

I let out a small noise of surprise when Demir placed his large hands against my hips before effortlessly lifting me and placing me onto Akil's back.

"Demir, no!" I screamed, turning to look his way. I was still red from the impromptu contact and even more so now when he looked to me with his arms folded, and an eyebrow raised.

"No? Your words don't seem apt for someone who isn't scared." He remarked playfully and I took deep breaths as I held to the reins tightly.

"My sword in your chest seems really apt right now." I retorted with shaky breaths and lips pursed. Demir chose not to respond and instead moved closer, seemingly having sensed my discomfort.

He placed his hand over the reins, his eyes looking to me. From this position, I was slightly taller, with his eyes on level with my lips. I let out another sound when he pulled at the reins, pulling Akil forward as we waded down the small sandy clearing. I clenched my eyes shut at this, my hands tightening even more so on the reins.

"Open your eyes, Hanna." Demir spoke and I shook my head anxiously to which he tutted.

"Closing your eyes doesn't stop what's happening, balid. So, you might as well enjoy the ride." He concluded and I let out a deep sigh before opening my eyes slowly. I could see the sandy expansion of land as Akil trotted slowly, at a pace Demir was controlling. When nothing terrifying happened, I sat up slightly and looked around, actually finding that I enjoyed the ride.

"Enjoying yourself?" Demir teased and I turned to look at his sarcastic gaze with a heavy shrug.

"Not when you're here, but Akil makes up for that." I joked back, stroking a hand against Akil's crest to which he raised an eyebrow, his eyes glimmering silver in the light of the sun.

"If not for me, your beloved Akil would have long since galloped and cantered into the distance, taking you with him." He stated, making me hold tighter to the reins at the prospect. Nevertheless, I didn't show it in my expression and just let out a small laugh.

"Akil can gallop, canter and stomp all over my face if it meant he'd be taking me away from you." I muttered mockingly, turning to look at Demir who smiled slightly. He was stood on the left of Akil, moving him along slowly with the reins and glancing briefly to me.

"Careful with your words, Hanna, I am in control of the reins, after all." He mused, looking to the sky and I scoffed, calling his bluff.

"Sadly, I'm not in control of my words. I try to suppress them, but they exist only to berate you." I quipped with a teasing grin yet Demir just raised an eyebrow, a look of thought on his face.

"How about we go a little faster?" He said finally, but it was enough to make me eat my words and I shook my head anxiously.

"Don't! I'll stop it, promise!" I rushed out with hopeful eyes to which Demir only looked to me with a dull grey gaze, his hair blowing slightly with the afternoon wind.

"I believe you, Hanna, but- unfortunately for you- I never go back on my word." He drawled and, before I could process what he said, he had swiftly lifted himself up onto the horse, sitting behind me. I stilled slightly as I looked to his legs on either side of me, which were larger and more muscled than my own. My cheeks were blazing hot when his arms reached for the reins, caging me in.

"Still scared? Have you lost your sharp tongue?" His taunting words tickled my neck and I let out a small breath, shaking my head.

"I'm only wondering where my sharp blade is." I replied, keeping my gaze forward nervously. Demir let out a small laugh at this before tugging at the reins slightly, so Akil was trotting slowly. I tensed at this for only a moment, until I was habituated to it again.

"How typical of you to keep up with the insults even if you're shaking with fear." He commented and it was then I noticed that I was shaking slightly, something he could feel from me being pressed to his hard form. I chose not to say something to which Demir's hands notably tightened on the reins, blue veins prominent on his hands.

"This speed is tedious, wouldn't you agree?" He mused yet again, making my gaze snap to him angrily. He was leaning back slightly, enough to give our bodies space and was smirking.

"You wouldn't dare." I admonished with narrowed eyes to which he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you that dim-witted? Of course I would." He answered, his eyes glimmering with mirth and then, before I could protest, he snapped at the reins, making Akil gallop at a frightening speed.

I let out a scream, clenching my eyes shut and ducking down slightly. I could feel the distance we were covering in such little time as well as Akil's hooves as he galloped speedily across the land, but made no move to open my eyes.

It was only after a minute or or two, when I had become habituated to the speed, that I cranked my eyes open slowly and looked around.

We were moving at such a rapid pace, but not so much that everything was out of focus. I sucked in a deep breath at the feeling of warm wind as it hit me in the face, revelling as it caught in my hair, causing it to flutter.

My hands loosened on the reins as I smiled with shaky breaths, taking in the beauty of Aaru from the different perspective. Akil ran towards the setting sun that was casting an orange glow across the surroundings, causing birds in his path to fly away, making me laugh as they passed us.

I stilled slightly when Demir removed his hand from the rein and placed it on my forehead before pushing me down until I was laying on his hard chest.

"Sit back, your hair's flying in my face." His deep voice reverberated from his chest and through to me and I snapped my head up to look at him.

His dull gaze was forward and his midnight hair was flopping wildly against his forehead due to the wind and tickling his eyes. He didn't seem fazed by it in the slightest, his focus on our path.

As though he sensed the stare, his dull gaze turned to me and he frowned.

"I didn't put all of this effort in getting you up here for you to not look at the view." He said bluntly and I reddened slightly, keeping my head against his chest as he raised an eyebrow in question.

Akil circled back round, towards the barn again and I took the time to recompose myself as I elbowed him in the stomach. He didn't even flinch, a ghost of a smile gracing his face.

"No, you put in all this effort, so you could scare me out of my wits. It was for your amusement, of course." I retorted with a huff, turning my gaze to look at the view again.

I heard Demir laugh slightly, but kept my gaze forward as he spoke.

"It's impossible to scare someone out of their wits, if they had no wits to begin with." He retorted just as fast and I giggled at his words, turning to look at him as we neared closer to the barn.

"You need to cut me some slack, it was my first time on a horse." I muttered to which Demir frowned, making me laugh more.

"What is slack and why would I cut it?" He pondered and I pursed my lips, eyebrows raised at his words, suppressing the laughter.

"Oh, wow, you said it perfectly. Earth suits you." I joked instead of explaining the meaning and Demir scowled at this, slowing the horse down as we reached the barn, with his hands on the rein.

"That shayathul? I'd much rather suit polio." He bit out before jumping down from the horse. I giggled at his words before maneuvering my legs to one side, my gaze flitting from the jump to Demir. He raised an eyebrow at this, leaning back against the barn door.

"What?" He spoke in a nonchalant tone, but there was an amused glint in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes at his words before reaching my arms out towards him.

"You know what, Demir!" I whined, making him smirk slightly before shrugging.

"Let's say I didn't." He mused and I dropped my arms to my side, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I need your help off the horse, Demir." I droned monotonously to which he got off the door with a tired sigh.

"How burdensome." He muttered before moving to me and I scowled, opening my mouth to speak, but stopped when his hand clasped around my wrist, tugging me forward roughly. I let out a small noise for the fraction of second I was in freefall before Demir placed a hand around my back and the other behind my knees, holding me to his firm chest. Stilling, I looked up to his icy eyes as he looked to me, moving forward slightly.

One of my hands had instinctively gone against his chest and the other around his nape, his hair tickling against my fingers. I took in a sharp breath as he bent slightly to place me to the ground and I obliged, settling my feet to the ground. My hand withdrew from his nape, sliding down his neck as I reached the ground, making him tense slightly, but he remained stoic, in all other senses. It was quiet for a moment as I nodded my head in thanks.

Suddenly, a flurry of voices resonated from inside the house and Demir turned to look at the sky, stepping away from my form to give some space.

"It's evening." He said simply, turning his gaze to me and I was hoping my blush had diminished from what just happened as I nodded.

"We should get back then to get the key." I answered steadily to which he nodded without hesitation before moving to Akil.

"Go, I'll put him back." He instructed in his usual blunt tone before pulling Akil away and into the stable.

I turned then, moving towards the house. As soon as I did, my attention turned to what we were going to be doing and I took in a deep breath to relax myself. Knowing the horrors that had awaited us in Lake Nasser, I knew that the Jungle of Allayl was not going to be a walk in the park.

I needed to be prepared for this.