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The cold bit into Sebastian's skin even under the fur layers he wore. His covered fingers were like ice, and dew froze on top of his eyelashes underneath the moonlight. It didn't help that it started to rain as well. His clothes would only protect him for so long unless he got out of this weather and waited for it to pass by. He thought of making shelter in the woods, but the wet ground would not help and the rain would not sustain a fire. He needed a roof over his head. At least just for tonight.
He went trekking in search of perhaps a cave or hillside of some sort that would provide a barrier above him, but once the moon had settled directly overhead, he realized he was wasting time and energy. At least a tent on the ground was better than walking aimlessly about in the rain.
He back tracked a bit; there was a stream not too far back where he could set up near. Maybe get some water boiling to drink before he attempted sleep. After several moments of walking, he heard the trickle of the stream a ways away and followed it.
A small, insignificant flicker of...... something..... off in the distance caught his attention. Was it light? Always fearing the worst, Sebastian readied his weapons and stalked as quietly as possible towards the thing he saw. It didn't move other than in size as Sebastian got closer. Once on its tail, he realized he saw the reflection of the moon off of a glass window. A dirty window on a worn-looking....... shed. Was this pathetic looking building a place of importance? All of these broken wooden walls, crooked windows and doors, was this important? He had no idea what this could possibly be. No distinct markings of any kind.
But, at least it was a roof. And four walls that could keep most of the cold out. And, once entering the squeaky place, he noticed a fire place. Perhaps this was someone's house at some point. Whoever once owned this home is long gone. For tonight, it was his.
He immediately went to start a fire with whatever broken wooden bits he could find. Once the embers burst into flame, he sighed in relief. The warmth was indeed a welcome gift that brought life back to his fingertips and nose. Just in time too. Any minute more and his fingers would've fallen off.
He next removed his outer fur layer and hung it to dry. While that was happening, he took to looking about the place, see what he could make use of. There were a few beds in the house as well as a wash room. Perhaps a family lived here. Although, who knows how old the cloth atop the mattresses are. He made sure to poke it around with his sword to make sure no rats have burrowed within.
This dilapidated, abandoned home may be something from a nightmare, but it'll do for the night. Once the weather clears, he'll hunt for food, and by morning he'll be gone. But first, some sleep. His limbs felt like lead just dragging him down. He kicked off his boots and winced at the bed as he got in it. At least it was warm. And then he as out like a light.
Sleep was only a short reprieve. It felt like his eyes had only been closed for a few seconds before he found himself pulled back into the real world as a short prick pained his cheek. He wiped away the pain with his finger tips only to open his eyes and find blood painting his skin. He shot up, ready for a fight.
"Make another move and I chop off your head." a feminine voice warned beside him. He turned to see a short-statured redhead aiming his own weapon at his face. From behind her soaking wet hair, he could still see the moon in the sky through the window and hear the harsh patter of rain against the glass. "I will give you one chance and one chance only: who are you and what are you doing in my home?"
"Your home?" Sebastian balked. "You live here? I'm sorry, I was under the impression the place was abandoned."
"Well it isn't!" she yelled. Sebastian held his hands up in defense, hoping it seemed that he meant no harm.
"My mistake. I'm merely a hunter who got caught in the rain and was seeking shelter. I thought this place was forgotten by its previous owners, and only wanted a warm place to sleep."
"Even if I believe your story, it doesn't tell me who you are: so, tell me. Who. The hell. Are you?!" she demanded, venom laced in her tone. The look of his sword blade right in front of his eyes kept a sarcastic remark behind his tongue.
"My name is Bash. I'm a hunter."
"What is a hunter like you doing so far out here in the middle of nowhere?"
"I could ask the same of you."
"Don't test me!" she pushed the sword closer to him, and he held his hands up higher.
"I was traveling through France towards the Spanish border."
"Why? What are you running from? Who's following you?"
"No one is following me. Can't a man simply travel?"
"Not in the middle of the night. The only people who 'travel' at this hour are bandits, prisoners, and enemies. Which one are you?"
"I'm only a friend." Sebastian tried his best to sound as genuine as possible. "I mean you no harm. If my presence here is a threat to you, I will leave. Had I known this place was still habited, I wouldn't have barged in as I did."
"How do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know you won't run off to your friends and bring them back here to kill me?"
"If I wanted to kill you, do you think I would do more than sit here like a scared child while you point my own sword at my face?"
His words seemed to have had an effect on her. He could see her eyes glimmer in thought. For only a split second, his sword dipped in her hand away from his face and he had a moment to breathe properly.
"I suppose you have a point. As insignificant as it may be."
"I can leave if you wish me to. But if you were to be kind enough to let me wait out the storm outside, I can make it worth your while."
"Oh yeah? How so?"
"If you allow me to-" he began to slowly stand on his feet. When her glare hardened, and she pressed the sword blade directly against his throat, he paused for a moment. Only after a few seconds pause, he continued standing. "My carry on," he pointed to the other room where the fire was. "I can reward you for your generosity."
"If you're referring to the stash of gold in your bag, I already saw it. And I'm not interested. I have no use for it."
"Then I can reward you another way; I am a very skilled hunter. I will offer a lavish breakfast in the morning that will last you for days, if you allow me to stay for the night."
"Stay? So you can kill me in my sleep?"
"I offer no such threat. Keep my sword for the night if you wish. All I ask is for a warm place to sleep, and to dry my clothes."
Sebastian was indeed a skilled huntsman. And he did intend on keeping his promise of providing breakfast in the morning. But he wasn't as skilled with words, and he feared maybe she wouldn't believe him and then slit his throat with his own weapon. Her eyes turned into slits as she glared at him. He couldn't see anything within her brown irises that would indicate any sort of thought. But her still posture and lack of will to outright attack had to mean something, right?
"Consider yourself lucky that I am a generous woman." she finally concurred and dropped his weapon from his neck. "Stay, if you wish. But I will hold all of your weapons, and you will not get them back until the morning sun breaks the horizon and you leave my home and never turn back."
"That sounds fair."
"Try anything, and I will have your head mounted on the wall like an animal and your body sent back in pieces to wherever you came from."
Sebastian swallowed at the threat. He admits that the threat scared him a bit and made him second guess staying at all, but he choked it down and talked himself into staying. Even without his weapons, he could probably find a way to outfight her if she turned on her word. But she had the upper hand here. She had his sword, and his other weapons once he gave them up when she demanded, yet she didn't harm him. He felt she could see he did not intend to hurt her, and that's what has kept him safe thus far.
She took his weapons and went back into the main room where the fire was. He could hear her walking about, not at all trying to be quiet. She wanted her presence known. She wanted him to know she was awake and alert so he didn't get any stupid ideas.
It was difficult to fall back asleep after that. He was on alert as well. His mind told him to stay awake and keep an eye on her, but his body was desperate to get back to sleep. Sebastian weighed the different scenarios of what would happen if he fell back asleep. She could easily kill him if she wanted to. She could. But she would've already done so if she truly wanted to. This helped Sebastian find the will to give in to the darkness of slumber once more.
It was a rough night sleeping anyway. He woke up a few times throughout the night as his sensitive ears picked up on her trotting about the house. It seemed she didn't trust him enough to sleep either. And once the morning sun filtered in through the stained windows, he deemed it was time to get out of bed. Cautiously, he left the bedroom, making sure to announce himself to the woman so she didn't stab him in feigned defense.
"Here are your clothes -all dry. Dress and I will give you back your weapons." she ordered him, tossing him his shoes and fur coat. He did as he was told, and, as promised, she returned his sword, knives, and bow. "Don't let me see your face ever again. Or I won't be so kind."
"Understood. I apologize again for the intrusion of your home.
"Just leave."
He did, without question. He left through the cracked door and stepped out into the mud. The rain had stopped at least, and the sun was warm this morning. So he left. Just as he promised he would.
Promise.
He did promise her breakfast for her generosity. It may be stupid to attempt to stay within the region given that he was now a free man, and that she made it clear she didn't want to see him again. But a promise is a promise. Perhaps the deer drinking from the stream would be a good enough breakfast for her.
Sebastian hunted all morning. He was hungry too, after all. He hadn't eaten anything since the day before. He didn't call it quits until he had a deer strapped to his back and a few rabbits hanging on a thread. And then he made the decision to head back.
He spotted her through the window milling about. She appeared to have forgotten him already. There wasn't a care in the world in her eyes. At least until she by chance looked through the window and spotted him staring at her. Her face turned into a scowl and she stormed out through the front door with a knife in hand.
"I told you to never come back!" she yelled at him, knife raised.
"You did." he quickly responded, hoping she didn't attack while his hands were held up. "But I promised you breakfast. And I am a man of my word."
"You expect me to just take you at your word?"
"Do I not have an animal hanging off my neck? One that is really heavy, might I add." he huffed out and then approached her to drop the deer at her feet. He then lifted the thread of rabbits in front of her face and dropped those too. "A breakfast of warriors. This should last you a few days, like I promised."
"You wouldn't share them with me?" she suddenly questioned in a softer tone than she's been using. Sebastian cocked his head as he watched her. "You did, after all, do the hard work. I suppose..... you can stay for breakfast."
"Do I have to surrender my weapons this time?" he attempted to be funny. She pondered it for a moment.
"Leave them in the bedroom. And then help me skin the animals to put them on the spit." At least he wasn't held hostage this time.
He did as he was told and entered the house to leave his sword and bow on her bed. When he went back outside, he already saw her skinning one of the rabbits. He joined her and took a second rabbit and began skinning it with his knife. Together, the two of them silently had all of the animals ready for roasting. She got a second fire going outside for the deer while the rabbits would cook on the fire inside. While they waited, he offered to get some water for them. Hesitantly, she handed him a large metal bucket and told him to fill it in the stream. He did so, and then lugged it back where she put it on the fire to boil beside the deer.
It was midday by the time the rabbits were ready. The deer would take a few more hours to fully cook. But at least they had this to fill their bellies. She allowed him back into the house to sit and eat. She graciously poured them both some ale to enjoy with their meal.
"I suppose I should thank you for the food." she randomly said in between bites. Sebastian looked up at her with a mouth full of his own food. He swallowed it before speaking.
"My pleasure." he said and she snorted, making him squint at her.
"Your pleasure? If you find it pleasurable to be held at knife point in which offering a trade deal to save your life, then I question your life choices."
"You have me there. I meant, it was no issue providing breakfast."
"I have to ask: I've never met a huntsman that carried around a sack of gold like you do. There's more to you that you're not telling me."
"Let's just say....... I was cast out of my home. I took what I could, what I would need, and was on my way."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay." she shrugged. "That was more truthful than what you told me last night." she reminded and then took a drink of her ale.
"Last night I had a sword to my neck."
"You broke into my home."
"That's a fair point. Again, allow me to apologize. When I saw the place, I assumed no one lived here; there was no fire, the walls were cracked and the door was halfway open-" he began to explain himself but she interrupted him.
"This house is old. Belonged to my father. Who inherited it from his father. There are flaws, I admit, but some of them have memories attached to them. Others, I can't find the time to fix." Just as she said that, the front door opened on its own. "Like that damn door. Can't ever keep it shut. I have to put a chair in front of it at night so the cold doesn't burden me."
She got up and forced the door back into its track, giving it a pound with her palm for good measure. Sebastian got up as well to inspect the door. He ran his fingers over the wood, finding what flaws she was talking about.
"I can fix it for you." he offered. At her bemused huff, he explained. "The frame is splintered. It can't hold the weight of the door. The entire frame will need to be replaced, but it should be an easy fix."
"You want to fix my door?" she asked sarcastically.
"Consider it my thanks for not slitting my throat in my sleep." he chuckled.
"Be my guest, if it suits you."
"I will go get some wood to shape. I saw some oak trees not too far north. The wood would be best for a door. Do you have an axe I could borrow?"
"You're seriously going to fix my door?" she more so asked to herself. "There's a shed out back. Should be in there."
Sebastian went to the shed and found the axe mingled among some gardening tools and other weapons. He grabbed the axe and headed north, tracing his steps to where he last remembered the oak trees. It was a little farther than he remembered, and the journey there took about an hour if he was judging the change in sun correctly. He didn't need a lot of wood for the project, so he opted to just cut down some of the branches to take back as it was less strenuous to take a few branches than some hefty logs.
He tied the axe to his belt and began to climb one of the smaller oak trees that had low enough boughs for him to get his footing on. He inspected the branches to see what would be easy enough to cut down and carry back. He'd have to carefully crawl across one of the larger boughs to get to the thinner branches on the end, but it was either that or cut down large logs he couldn't carry.
So he positioned himself on his rear and dragged himself down the length of the bough and began to chop off the ends. They fell to the ground with ease and, eventually, a small pile had formed. That should be more than enough wood to make a door frame. So he tied the branches together and dragged them all the way back to her place.
She was digging a hole just off to the side of her home when he returned. She stopped what she was doing when he approached.
"I'll have your door fixed by nightfall." he promised. She merely allowed him through and then went back to her digging. She dropped what appeared to be cut potatoes into the hole and then replaced the soil.
Sebastian went to work on shaping the logs into planks that matched the dimensions of what was already in place. After that, he sanded them down with a flint cloth he found in the shed. Once the wood was free of cracks and splinters, he began removing the broken frame from her door. It came off in pieces, revealing just how bad the issue had spread. Some of the wood had rotted due to water getting within the cracks. He mentioned this much to her when she offered him some water.
Hours had passed when she interrupted him again for dinner.
"The deer has finished cooking. Come eat before you collapse."
He put down his tools and joined her for dinner. She prepared some carrots and potatoes to go along with the venison. Honestly, it smelled quite good despite being so simple. They ate together in mostly silence. She would ask a question or two, he'd respond with some joke, and then they'd go back to eating for awhile.
Sebastian finished his food quickly, promising he'd have the door fixed soon. All he had left to do was put the new frame in place. The nails that held the old frame were mostly rusted, but there were a few he was able to salvage and use. The frame would need a few more nails to keep it fully in place, but for now, the few he had would at least hold it up. He managed to find a couple more nails in the shed that he used. And, as promised, just as the moon was starting to rise, he showed off the new door.
"And, just like that, your door is brand new." he grinned triumphantly at her as he shut the door, allowing her to hear it seal into place.
"I'm impressed. Thank you, Bash."
"My pleasure."
"It's dark out." she noted, looking out of the window. "You can stay again tonight if you'd like."
"That's kind of you," he said. "But I've taken up too much of your time."
"Stay. You fixed my door, it's the least I can offer."
"Thank you."
"But I'll be sleeping in my bed tonight." she declared and then stalked off to her bedroom. Sebastian huffed to himself.
In the morning, he woke before her. He was hoping to leave before she woke up, but she caught him as he was in the middle of dressing.
"You're leaving." she observed.
"I think it's past time I take my leave. Thank you for your hospitality, given we didn't exactly meet on the most friendly of terms."
"You should at least eat before you head out. It's cold, I'll make some soup." she stated instead of asked. She didn't wait for a response before she put a bucket of water on the fire to start boiling. She readied some leftover carrots and potatoes to dump in, as well as some onion, celery, and leftover venison alongside a myriad of spices.
Sebastian felt he wouldn't be able to get out of this, so he sat at the table and waited. She was very blunt and direct, he told himself. Most women weren't so brash as her. But, to be fair, she was only trying to defend her home. She lived alone, it seemed. She had to be strong if she were to ward off any enemies. Perhaps that's why she opted to settle in the middle of nowhere -less likely to come across anyone.
The soup was ready quickly, and she served him a large bowl of it, then joined him at the table with her own serving.
"Where are you headed after this?" she questioned him.
"Anywhere."
"You don't seem very oriented."
"Where does one go when they've been exiled from their family?" he countered.
"Do you not have any other family in France?"
"No. All I had was my mother, father, and brothers."
"And they just cast you out?"
"I suppose I haven't been the best son or brother lately."
"I can't imagine what you could've done that was so bad. My family was always close. We fought a lot, but we loved each other. We wouldn't have exiled one of our own." she reminisced in her memories as she spoke.
"I guess our families just don't see eye-to-eye." he snarked, hoping she'd leave the topic be. She did.
Soon enough, they finished their breakfast. Sebastian got up to gather his belongings, intending to set out finally. She got up too, intending on cleaning up the dishes. As she dragged her chair across the floor, one of the legs broke off and she sighed. Sebastian picked up the broken piece and looked at it.
"Easy fix. There's some leftover wood outside. I can make a new leg." he stated.
"And now you want to fix my chair."
"Consider it my thanks for breakfast this morning. It won't take long at all. An hour at most."
"Have at it, then."
Sebastian dropped his gear and made his way outside. The wood branches were just where he left them last night. Picking up one of the thicker ones, he got out his knife and began whittling it down to match the other legs of the chair. That part didn't take long at all. What would take the most time was creating the glue to hold it together. He threw some bones from the deer into a bucket and began boiling it. Then, he had to let it cool so it would harden into a substance that he could use. That's what took up all of his time. But eventually the glue-substance was ready to use so he poured some over the end of the leg and the bottom of the chair and let it harden a bit before he confidently set the chair down.
"Just don't sit in it until tomorrow and it'll be good as new." he instructed as he wiped down his hands to rid of the remaining glue.
"Thank you, Bash. Here, while you were working I made some meals you could take with you." she handed him some wrapped food in a sack. Upon inspection, he saw some meat, bread, and soup.
"That was kind of you. Thank you, truly."
"My thanks for fixing my chair. Now go while you still have daylight left." Sebastian gathered his weapons and then strapped the food to his back. And then he bid her farewell.
He hadn't thought about where to head to next. You'd figure he'd at least have a sense of direction while he was staying with her, but he didn't. So he just walked. Mostly he followed the stream for a bit, until the stream ended in a large lake. And then his sense of direction was lost. So he just walked. Spain was closest, perhaps it would be best if he went in that direction. Just go wherever his family wasn't. That was the plan.
Nightfall came quickly as it had been these last few days. But at least it wasn't raining. He set up shelter along a tree line and got a fire going so he could enjoy the food he had been graciously gifted. He set his weapons down and then pulled out the food to heat it over the fire. He had a small flask in his carry on he could heat the soup with. Now where was his carry on?
It hit him like a lightening strike. He left his carry on at her place. Along with his flask and all of his gold. Gold that he would need if he was to make it to Spain.
"Damn it!" he cursed. He has to go back for it. But not now. It was too dark and dangerous to be trekking that far away. He'd have to wait until morning.
He ate anyway and then went right to sleep, hoping the time would pass quickly. He was awake just as the sun was rising, and then quickly packed up his belongings and started a quick trot backwards. If he was lucky, he could get back to her place before nightfall and then tread back a bit so not too much time was wasted. He only stopped once to get some water and relieve himself behind a tree, and that was it. With luck, he saw her house just over the horizon with some evening light still guiding him. He ran the rest of the way.
At her door, he knocked hurriedly, but heard nothing inside. He knocked again, thinking maybe she just went to bed early or something, but still no sign of life in the house. He opened the door and entered, calling out his presence to see if she'd answer that. Nothing. He checked her bedroom, she wasn't there.
Her shoes were gone, however. As well as her coat. And his carry on.
"Damn it!!!" he cursed again. She took his gold. For God's sake, she was probably halfway to the nearest town to spend it all! He knew he shouldn't have trusted her! Thieving little-
The door opened, interrupting his moment of rage. In came the woman, wobbling on her feet and an obvious trail of blood pouring down her leg. She spotted him, weakly called out his name, then collapsed to the ground. In a rush, he ran to her and picked her up.
"What happened?!" he asked worriedly.
"You left your carry on......" she had trouble saying. "Was trying to follow you........ give it back."
"Who hurt you? Were you followed?"
"No one.... hurt me...... Fell down a cliff...... cut my leg on something...." she breathed heavily.
Sebastian peeled back the torn fabric of her hunting pants. A hideous gash ran from her ankle to her thigh and was profusely bleeding. There's no telling how much blood she's lost already.
"We need to close the wound. You've lost too much blood to wrap it." he explained as he set her down on the floor in front of the fire place. He hurriedly got a fire going. There was only one way to effectively close a wound of this magnitude -he'd have to burn it. "I have to take your pants off." he said to her, not touching her until she was aware of his actions.
She nodded weakly to him and he carefully removed the garment, careful to not tear her skin any more. He was also careful to conceal her modesty. He took a blanket off of her bed to cover intimate area, only leaving her injured leg exposed. He then pulled out his knife and set the blade on the fire.
"This is going to hurt." he warned. "But it's the only way to stop the bleeding."
"Do it." she instructed with another heavy breath.
Sebastian took the hot blade and positioned it over her leg. He knew this would hurt like hell. He didn't want to hurt her. But he had no choice. While the blade was still heated, he pressed it against the torn skin. She screamed like a banshee, writing on the floor in pain. Sebastian had to hold her down so she didn't accidentally squirm against the knife and cut herself some more.
The burn worked. But it was only a small section of the wound. He'd have to do many rounds before the wound was completely closed. He set his knife back on the fire and then got a bucket of water to clean the blood off of her leg. When the knife heated again, he put it to her leg. She screamed out again. It hurt his ears and his heart. She didn't deserve this pain.
He put the knife on the fire, wiped the blood off her leg, and then put the heated knife onto her wound again. And he repeated this process again, and again, and again. The skin of her leg was so disfigured now.
"Bash!" she cried. "Please! Stop!" tears were streaming down her face as she pleaded with him. She couldn't even look at him as she cried. Sebastian felt his heart ache.
"I'm sorry." he apologized. "But I'm almost done."
"Please..." she cried again.
"I'm sorry." he apologized again, and then put the hot knife to her wound.
He heard her choke on her emotions. He tired to ignore it because he knew he'd stop if he listened to her cry. Only a few more rounds, he thought to himself. It's almost done. He sighed with relief when the final round completely closed the wound.
"I'm done. The bleeding has stopped." he told her.
All she could do was huff in response, and then she passed out. At least the wound was closed now, so he could stop worrying about her bleeding out. He cleaned off the rest of the blood, then picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. He settled her in her bed and covered her up. He couldn't leave her. He'd never forgive himself if he left her and she died. So he stayed, just in case.
He checked on her every hour or so to see if she's either woken up, gotten worse. Thankfully she just slept. He imagined the pain must've been so great that her body just gave out. And then he felt sick to his stomach as he remembered what he thought of her when she wasn't here. She almost died trying to return his belongings and instead he just assumed she was a thief. If anyone here was the enemy, it was him.
She slept soundly throughout the night. He didn't. He wanted to make sure he was alert in case something happened. Thank God too, because she woke in the morning with a small cry. He entered her bedroom to see her inspecting her leg with wet eyes.
"It hurts." she sobbed.
"I know. Your wound will need time to heal. I was more concerned with the blood loss than anything." he told her as he approached her bed. "What happened?" he asked her again, hoping to get some more detail than she provided last night.
"After you left, I saw that you forgot your carry on. I waited to see if you'd notice and turn back, but after a few hours and you didn't, I decided to follow you. The cliff I was walking beside collapsed as a rock dislodged from the edge, and I fell. Something sharp cut my leg on the way down. So I came back."
"You should have stayed here. I would've come back eventually. I need my carry on."
"I know. That's why I tried to follow you. I know who you are, Sebastian de Poitiers." she told him hesitantly and he stiffened. "I saw the King's seal in your bag. You're escaping France because the King wants your head after you reached for the crown."
"I didn't want the crown!" he exclaimed, tired of having to explain himself over and over again. "It wasn't my idea, yet both my father and my brother insist I'll be seen as a threat."
"You are. Half of France wants you dead. Whether you wanted the crown or not."
"Do you want me dead?" he asked her. And he was ashamed to admit he was worried what her answer would be.
"Had it been a few days ago, yes."
"But?"
"You saved my life. If you hadn't been here when I fell, I would be dead by now. You've been nothing but kind to me, despite how harsh I've been at the beginning."
"I suppose finding a strange man, who you just found out is an exiled bastard, in your bed would be threat to anyone."
"Still......" she sighed before continuing. "If you wish to leave, you can. I know you're probably eager to get as far away from France as possible. I didn't take anything from your carry on. All of your gold is still there."
"I'm not worried about the gold. I'm worried about you. The bleeding may have stopped but the wound is too big to not fear infection. I'm not leaving until I know you're alright." he said. He found her grinning up at him with wet eyes.
"Are you that worried about me, Sebastian?" she chuckled at him.
"I admit that when I came back and didn't find you or my carry on here, I thought the worst of you. I called you a thief, not knowing you were bleeding out somewhere in your attempt to return it to me."
"Is your conscious tainted, Sebastian?" she laughed at him.
"This is not a matter of laughter. You could've died and all I did was insult your character."
"I take no offense. Had I been in your position, I would've thought the same thing."
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Sebastian swallowed, not wanting to talk about his transgressions any more.
"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to wash up. I'm still covered in blood."
"I tried to wash off what I could without undressing you."
"Thank you. I can take care of myself from here. Really, you can go. You've done enough for me and you needn't worry yourself." she attempted to console him.
If he hadn't witnessed her knocking on death's door not too long ago, he would've believed her. But he couldn't bring himself to abandon her just yet. And when he watched her try to get to her feet, only to fall to the ground with a cry, he knew he wasn't going anywhere.
"Careful!" he warned. "I've got you." he picked her up and set her on her bed, careful to not jostle her leg in any way. Which was no easy feat. "I'll heat up the water for a bath. You relax, alright? I'll come get you when it's ready." he told her and she agreed.
He left her in her bed to go grab the water bucket outside. He'd use the water from the stream, he decided. First, he got a fire going, and then set off to fill the bucket and place it on the fire. He tried to work quickly as he walked to and from the stream so the water in the tub didn't get cold. After several rounds, the tub was filled enough for a proper bath, and he got her just as he promised. He carefully carried her to the bathing room.
"Thank you, Sebastian. I've got it from here."
"I can help."
"I'd rather you not see me naked, no offense." she laughed at him. And he couldn't help but chuckle back.
"Of course. Here." he set her on her feet, leaning against the tub for stability. "I'll be in the other room if you need me."
"Wait-" she stopped him in his tracks. "We're going to need some more food. If you wouldn't mind......"
"No, of course not. I'd be happy to go hunting. I promise I won't be long."
"Don't rush. I'll be here."
He allowed her the privacy to disrobe and get into the bath, and then went off hunting for some food for the two of them. Another deer should suffice for the time being. And deer were aplenty in this neck of the woods. A fat buck would be quite the prize. So he went searching for one. Unfortunately it took a bit longer than he anticipated before he was successful in capturing one. He wanted to rush back to the house in case she needed his help. He set the buck outside and then went right to the bathing room. He knocked first, and only entered with her permission. She was still in the tub, but a towel was held against her chest to conceal herself.
"I can't get out." she admitted shamefully. "My leg. It hurts too much to move it."
"You'll be in pain for at least a few days. The wound was quite big. And the burns to close it did a lot of damage to your skin." he explained and then carefully wrapped his arms around her to lift her out of the tub. She used the towel to cover the rest of her body as he carried her back to her bed.
"I'm sorry you're having to take care of me like this." she murmured once she was placed back on her bed.
"It's no trouble. My own negligence is the reason you got hurt to begin with."
"It's not your fault. I could've fallen down that cliff any other day for any other reason. It's pure coincidence that I was following you at the time. But let's not talk about it anymore. There's no reason to. What's done is done. Did you go hunting?" she changed the subject.
"Yes, I caught a buck. As long as you're alright, I'll go prepare it."
"I'll be fine. But, if you again wouldn't mind, could you grab me a gown from my armoire?" she pointed to the furniture on the opposite end of the room. Sebastian nodded and did so. She told him any random one would do, so he grabbed something he deemed would be most comfortable for her, then handed it to her.
He left her in her bedroom to dress and went outside to start skinning the deer. While he worked, he kept an ear out for her in case she needed him. He wasn't sure if her silence was comforting or terrifying. He worried to himself what he would do if her wound became infected. He was no medicine man. He didn't have the knowledge Nostradamus did. If she fell ill, it would more than likely be the end for her. He wanted her to just sit where she was and let him do the work. But she was stubborn, he could tell. She was very matter-of-fact. He knew he'd have to treat her like a baby if he wanted peace of mind.
When the deer was skinned, he got a fire going to put it on a spit. When that was settled, he went back inside to check on her. She was on her bed reading a book.
"Need anything?" he questioned her. She looked up from her book and shook her head.
"No. Although....."
"Yes?" he urged.
"I'm bored. Come," she patted the bed beside her. "sit with me. Talk with me."
"About?" he grinned at her, but sat with her anyway.
"Anything. You know, I don't know much about you other than your name and that you're the King's bastard."
"Well, there's not much to know about me. When you're a bastard, no one really gives you a second look anyway, so what's the point in impressing anyone?"
"I know that's not true, Sebastian. And I'd argue the opposite, actually."
"Oh really? Care to enlighten me then?"
"Well, I can't say I know much about royal life, but when you're given a set of expectations to live by, you're stuck. You're forced to live a certain way that's 'appropriate' as deemed by others. But when you're a bastard, you're free. You have no restraints or rules holding you back. You can be whoever you want. So tell me, Sebastian de Poitiers, who are you?"
A glimmer in her eye drew Sebastian in. Her irises were vibrant and penetrating, looking directly into his soul. He got a bit tongue-tied. Not many asked deeply about him. He had to think about his answer for a moment. Who was he?
"Well......" he hummed. "Being stuck inside aggravates me. I hate politics. I hate rules. I hate being the court jester that everyone likes to laugh at because he's nothing more than the King's bastard."
"I wouldn't laugh at you."
"You'd be the first. Even my own brother has laughed at me at some point."
"He's your brother, Sebastian!" she chuckled. "I've laughed at my siblings before. They've laughed at me. That's what siblings do."
"Have you ever been called less-than by you siblings?"
"Your brother said that to you?" her voice held pity in it. Sebastian hated it. "You saved my life. In my eyes, you're twice the man your brother is. Crown or no Crown."
"Thank you. If only others saw me that way."
"Who gives a damn about others?! You think I live all the way out here because I care about what others think? When you focus too much about what others think of you, you lose sense of yourself. You become something you're not. If you could do anything, anything at all, with no consequences, no one to laugh at you, no one to judge you, what would you do?"
"I'd ride along the countryside. I'd visit every village. Try food I've never eaten before. Maybe learn a new language."
"And why's that, Sebastian?"
"I like to ride. I like to be in the open air. I like to learn and do new things. I suppose trying to be the best at everything was always my way of trying to measure up to my brother who would inherit the country."
"Do you at least like what you do? My father always told me if you can't be proud of what you accomplish, then it was all for nothing."
"I love it. When I make something, it's like I'm leaving behind my own legacy. When I learn something, I know it can't be taken away all because I don't have the right blood in my veins. I get to be in my own world where no one can bother me. Where I am the king." Sebastian described, starting to get lost in his happy thoughts. He missed the way she leaned into him. It was her palm resting atop of his hand that drew his attention back to her. "What would you do?"
"I'm already doing it." she laughed. "I'm self-sufficient. I don't have to rely on anyone else to get what I want. I grew up with all the skills I'd ever need in my life: cooking, cleaning, farming, motherhood. I even learned blacksmithing."
"Blacksmithing?" Sebastian asked incredulously.
"Yes, blacksmithing. My father learned from his father, who was a blacksmith in Marseille for several years."
"Marseille? On the complete other side of France?"
"It's where my family is from."
"So how did you end up all the way over here?"
"My grand-father got tired of all the restrictions he had to endure while under rule of the King. He wasn't making any money on his crafts because the King taxed him so high. He couldn't afford to feed his family. So he packed up his wife and son -my father- and moved to the middle of nowhere. They all learned how to grow their own food, my grand-mother made every piece of clothing they wore, my father was responsible for harvesting eggs every morning from the chickens they had. My father hated it. He rebelled against it and vowed to return to the city and rejoin society. He was gone for a few years, and then one day came back home with a pregnant wife in tow. And that's how I ended up here." she explained like it was no big deal.
"And you never thought about doing what your father did?"
"Not once. My father raised me and my siblings with the value of family. I grew up being taught that you can go anywhere, do anything you want, but in the end your family will always be there for you. So why run away from them?"
"And yet I noticed you don't have a husband or any children running around." he observed. He didn't intend for it to be harsh, he even followed it up with a short chuckle to show he was only being funny, but she sighed regardless.
"I thought about it. Let's just say I haven't had much lucking finding a husband who..... agrees.... with my choice of living."
"And your brothers?"
"My youngest brother died from influenza when he was young. It broke my family, but my eldest brother hurt the most. He got angry. Yelled at my parents how it was all their fault, that if they lived close enough to a doctor then my brother would still be alive. He told my parents that they were the worst parents one could have, and then ran off back to the nearest town. He never came back. I have no idea where he is anymore. For all I know, he's dead too. So it's just me."
"At least you had a family that cared. My father never really cared much about my wellbeing, because it wasn't me who would inherit the throne. Having the freedom to do as I pleased also came with the consequence of not being missed if something were to happen to me. My mother only saw me as her connection to her lavish lifestyle. Being the King's mistress who bore his child kept her in French Court with free access to its riches. Without me tying her there, she would've been cast aside for another woman. That's the only reason she ever cared for my wellbeing."
"Well, if no one else cares about you, then I do. I care for your wellbeing, Sebastian de Poitiers."
"You barely know me." he countered, unbelieving of her words.
"I believe you've told me things about you you've never told anyone else. I think that constitutes as knowing you well enough to care."
The hand atop of his turned his palm up so she could lace her fingers with his. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze. He squeezed back, appreciative of her kind nature. She looked to him, and he noticed for the first time that her eyes changed color in the light. There were specks of rainbow mixed in with her irises.
"I should go check on the deer." he muttered and then let her go, quickly exiting the bedroom.
His heart was beating rapidly and he didn't know why. She made him feel things -emotions he doesn't think he's ever felt before. It had to be witchcraft the way she manipulates him. Even as he kept watch on the deer, his mind was filled with images of her. Her words burned him like the knife he used on her wound.
He shuddered as he remembered hearing her screams of pain. It hurt him knowing he was the cause of her pain. But it was for the greater good, he kept telling himself. She would've died if he hadn't done what he did. She's forgiven him for it. Yet it still hurt.
He knows he shouldn't care that much about it. She didn't mean much -if anything- to him. All she did was not slit his throat when she found him sleeping in her bed. That was as far as their friendship extended.
"Sebastian." her voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was leaning against the doorway, injured leg hiked off the ground, and a pained scowl on her face. He rushed to her.
"What are you doing? I told you to sit tight and I'll get dinner ready!"
"Here." she handed him a bowl of..... liquid. Butter? "Rub it on the deer as it finishes cooking. It'll crisp up the skin."
"You risked opening up your wound just to hand me a bowl of butter?" he questioned her.
"And to give you this." she handed him some wine. "You've been staring at that fire for at least an hour. Sit down, will you? The deer won't be finished for awhile. You'll collapse if you continue standing in the heat."
"I'll be just fine. You, on the other hand, need to go sit down before your wound opens back up and gets infected."
"My leg will be fine if you come with me. So come with me."
"I'll be back inside in a little while."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
He didn't go back inside. Not until the sun started its descent down the sky and the deer had finished cooking. He made sure to coat the thing with the butter concoction she created. It sizzled on the deer as he spread it over the meat. And, as she said, it crisped up nicely. He extinguished the fire and took the deer off the spit, laying it on a table and butchering it up to eat.
Dinner was awkward. He couldn't find the strength to look at her -fearful of what emotions might bubble up inside him if he saw her caring eyes. She talked to him, though. She talked a lot. She wasn't stupid in the slightest, so he knew she was well aware that he wasn't engaging in conversation like he has been. She pressured him, tried to dig into why he was acting so.
"Just a little worn from the day's events." he made the excuse. She didn't buy it. He could see that clearly.
"You've been worried about me. You deserve some rest. Go. I'll clean up."
"No, you relax, I'll clean."
She went to protest but he silenced her before she could. He cleaned up, and she pouted like a child from her chair. When he was done, he carried her back to her bed so she could get comfortable for the night. He handed her back the book she was reading earlier, and as he was beginning to give her some privacy, she read aloud to him, stopping him in his tracks and capturing his attention. He sat on her floor, listening to her read from the wisdom of Francesco Petrarca and his love and loss.
He liked the way she spoke. He liked the way she poured her passion into the words she was reading. She brought the poems to life, and he found himself resonating with them in a way he probably shouldn't.
"I have offered you my heart a thousand times / O my sweet warrior, only to make peace / with your lovely eyes: but it does not please you / with your noble mind, to stoop so low." she read to him. "And if some other lady has hope of it, / she lives in powerless, deceiving hope: / and it can never be what it was to me, / since I too disdain what does not please you." the poem continued on. Sebastian swallowed a lump in his throat. "Now if I banish it, and it does not find in you / any aid in its unhappy exile, nor knows / how to be alone, nor to go where others call to it, / it might stray from its natural course: / which would be a grave crime for both of us, / and more for you, since it loves you more."
Sebastian excused himself at that, claiming he was tired and would head to bed. But, really, he feared hearing another word from her mouth. That damned poetry book made it difficult to keep his mind clear. He needed to get away from it. But he didn't go to sleep. No, he stayed awake in case she needed him. And when the moon was high in the sky, and he yawned too deep that his lungs burned, he cracked open her bedroom door to see her peacefully sleeping -the poetry book fallen to the floor. He picked it up, closed its pages, and set it on a table. He then tucked the blankets around her to keep her warm, and exited her bedroom.
The next day, Sebastian busied himself with work around her house. He told her he could fix some of the other flaw she complained about. Truth be told, he just didn't want to look at her and he didn't know why. So he would go off to the oak trees, chop down some branches, drag them back to her home, and patch up the flaws. Small flaws likes cracks in the walls were very easily remedied. Some animal glue in the crack, a little bit of wood shavings shoved inside, some more glue on top, and the crack was like it was never even there.
Bigger flaws like the crooked windows would need to be completely removed and renovated. Thankfully the glass itself was still intact, so he carefully removed each window so he could get to the crooked frames. The house had tilted a tad somehow. With a building as old as this, it was bound to happen eventually as the weather wore it down. Unless Sebastian was willing to tear the whole house and and rebuild it straight up, he would have to get creative.
His creativity bore the idea of thickening the frame itself so it would appear to be straight when it really wasn't. It was easier said than done, however, and he spent the entire sunlight hours working only to fix two of the eight windows in her home.
After dinner, he carried her back to bed again like he did the previous night. And she read some more to him like she did before. And he listened to her speak, watching the way her lips moved over the words. It hypnotized him. And then he'd snap himself out of it and excuse himself out so he could clear his head. Still, he didn't sleep. At least he thinks he didn't.
His memory of the last hour or so was gone. He only came back to the present when he heard her wail out from her bedroom. He rushed in to see her awake in bed, crying, and holding her injured leg.
"Sebastian! It hurts! Oh god, it hurts!"
He rushed to her side, lifting her nightgown to inspect the injury. He brought a candle close and poked at her leg. She cried some more.
"It's not infected." he sighed with relief. "The burns are starting to heal. That's what's causing you pain."
"Make it stop. Please." she begged of him, and his heart clenched.
Sebastian grabbed a small pail of water and a rag, bringing them back to her bedroom. He soaked the rag in the bucket, squeezed out some of the excess water, then carefully placed the rag on her thigh to cover the burns. He grabbed a second rag and did the same thing to her calf burns.
"The water will help loosen the skin, which should stop the pain for awhile. It's not going to speed up the healing process, but at least the pain will subside to something more tolerable." he explained.
She allowed him to do with her as he pleased. She tried to be strong, he noticed. She quieted down, choked on her sobs, gave off the illusion that her body wasn't tingling with fire. After several minutes, she seemed to be a lot calmer. And she was able to lay back down. Sebastian resoaked the rags and placed them back on her leg. And then she fell back asleep.
Sleep. That sounded nice. Sebastian could really use some sleep. But he can't. He had to stay awake in case she needed him. It wasn't an infection this time, but there's no promise of what it could be next time. He needed to cut off any threats before they began. Stop an infection the second it showed its ugly face. Or else she'd die.
He slumped against her bed, hanging his head from his shoulders and fighting with his eyelids to stay open. But his body gave out to the comfort of long-awaited sleep. He slept soundlessly, dreamlessly. It was comforting to finally sleep. And the warmth against his cheek provided safety to him. The warmth soothed up along his cheek and into his hair. A short tug against his scalp pulled him from the calming sleep.
He hummed, and his scalp received another soft tug. Then fingers dances back against his cheek.
"Sebastian...." a voice murmured beside his ear. "Sebastian."
"Hmmm?" he opened his bleary eyes and saw her face dangling beside him.
"You can't sleep on the floor like that." she whispered to him.
"I wasn't sleeping." he slurred.
"You haven't slept in days. You're wearing yourself out taking care of me. Sleep, Sebastian."
"I'm fine....."
"Come here." he heard her say, and her hand was gone from his face. He turned to her to see her scoot back in her bed and pull back the covers. She patted the spot beside her.
"No, I'm alright. I promise."
"Stay with me, Sebastian. Come get some sleep. It'll be alright."
He wanted to argue but, truthfully, he just didn't have the strength to do it. Even as he stood from the ground to crawl in beside her, his limbs felt heavy. But he got in and rest his head on her pillow. If it weren't for the surprise feel of her arms pulling him in, he would've fallen asleep immediately. But he felt her arms around him, and her fingers tugged at his hair once more, and then he was gone.
He woke again this time to the sun shining in his eyes. He buried his face to block it out. He wasn't ready to wake up yet. The bed was so warm, and the pillow was so soft. The pressure surrounding his body was comforting, and the soft scent of something lulled him. There was a beating rhythm in his ear that he tried to block out for awhile, but then he realized it was a steady beat of a heart. When he heard a soft sigh above him, he realized his situation.
Carefully, he lifted his head. The softness that he felt wasn't a pillow, it was her chest. And the pressure on his body was her arms loosely holding him to her. He looked up at her face, worried that she would be angry at how intimate they had gotten. But she was fast asleep -not a single care in the world.
He had to get out of her bed before she woke. It would not end well if she found him pressed against her like this. Sebastian tried to peel her arms off of him, but the movement caught her attention and she sighed once more, this time squirming against him as she slowly joined the waking world.
"Sebastian?" she asked groggily.
"I'm sorry." he quickly apologized. "I didn't intend to invade your personal space like this."
"Hm?" she wondered, then looked down at how they were laying. "Oh. Don't worry about it. You fell asleep like this last night."
"It's inappropriate of me."
"You think I'm worried about propriety? Sebastian, I was the one who asked you to get into bed with me. You've been running yourself ragged these past few days. I appreciate your attentiveness, but I'm not worth losing sleep over. You were exhausted."
"Still, I should not have touched you so intimately." he defended, and then got out of the bed. She laid still, looking up at him with innocent eyes. They pleaded with him. There was meaning in the way she batted her eyelashes at him.
"Stay, Sebastian." she softly begged. "Lay with me. Rest your head."
"I should finish your windows while I have daylight. If I work quickly, I should be able to get most of them done today." he rushed out, then excused himself from her bedroom.
He did as promised and went right to work on her windows. He had to keep his mind occupied or else his thoughts would roam to her. He tried not to think about her heartbeat against his ear, or the softness of her breasts on his cheek, or the way she held him as he slept.
He accidentally hammers his finger, causing him to curse and drop his tools. She hobbled through the house to stick her head out of the open window he was working at.
"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.
"Just fine." he gritted, shaking his injured finger. She chuckled.
"Don't overwork yourself, Sebastian. Please. For my sake, will you take a rest?"
"I can't rest until I make this house safe for you."
"Safe for me? Sebastian de Poitiers, my safety is not your responsibility. Besides, I've lived in this house all my life and I've never gotten hurt from a missing window." she chuckled again.
"For as long as you are recovering from your injury, I will ensure that you don't have to worry about tasks like these."
"Come down from there, Sebastian. Come eat while the food is still hot. If you're so inclined to fix my house, you can do so after you've filled your stomach with sustenance."
"You should be in bed, resting, not cooking me food."
"You've done enough cooking for the both of us to last a lifetime. Let me take care of some things. Take the stress off of you. At least for a little while." she begged of him.
"You moving about has me stressed more than the task of cooking. Please, sit. Your wound-"
"Could reopen and get infected, I know." she waved him off. "Stop with that excuse. I am being careful, but my life can't be put on hold all because my leg hurts."
Sebastian sighed and looked to the ground. She reached a hand out through the opening and caressed his cheek, forcing his gaze to her. She offered a soft smile to him, and his heart fluttered.
"Come inside. Please. For my sake. Ease my conscience."
"After this window."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She rubbed her thumb over his lips soothingly, but left him at that. He licked at his lips once she was out of sight, trying to taste her comfort, and he stuttered on his breath. He went back to hammering at the window frame. It fit nicely in the snug, lopsided hole of the house. When the frame was nailed into place and sanded down, he carefully put the glass in the hole and let it snap into its track. Then he went inside as he promised and sat at the table. She was there, waiting for him to join her. Only when he sat down did she begin to eat. She waited for me.
That night, she coaxed him back into bed with her.
"If I have to beg you one more time, I will slap you. Rest. You've done all you can for me. My leg is healing. You needn't worry so much."
"You're not out of danger just yet."
"Yes I am. I've successfully gotten through the critical stage of the healing process. My chance of infection have gone down tremendously. So, please, lay with me and for once just forget about your conscience."
She pulled at his hand until he got into bed beside her. She threw the covers over the both of them until they were snug up against each other. Like the night before, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her body. With a swallow, Sebastian let his head rest against her chest. Her heartbeat was steady. It softly pounded against his ears, lulling him into a sense of calmness. Her fingers scratched at his scalp and softly tugged on his hair. He sighed into her skin. And then she pressed a kiss to the crown of his head.
"Thank you for taking care of me these past few days. Let me take care of you for a change." she whispered to him and then squeezed his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist in response.
Truthfully, it was nice to be able to fall asleep like this -knowing she was alright and that he wasn't having to stress over this or that in order to keep her healthy. He enjoyed the time to just relax and ease into a deep sleep. It was nice. Even the dreams he had of her were nice: injury-free, care-free, just living her life. And it was a wonderful life too. She said she never found an agreeable husband, yet he imagined her with one. A faceless man that was just as wild and stubborn as she, who liked adventures and learning new things.
Again, he woke to the sun in his eyes. Maybe he should make her some curtains. Or maybe not, considering she was still asleep when he opened his eyes. The sun didn't seem to bother her one bit. The lights' rays turned her skin into a golden hue that shimmered. He ran his fingers through her hair as her head rest on his chest. The arm across his stomach twitched but otherwise remained in place. She was warm against him. He pulled her closer, if that was even possible.
"Sebastian?" she stirred and then rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"Sorry, didn't intend to wake you."
"Going to go finish up the windows, I presume?" she deadpanned, already one step ahead of his mind.
"I should." he replied, not really intending on moving.
"Please don't. The windows can wait. Stay with me?" she softly pleaded to him.
She brought a hand up to his cheek, scratched at his beard, tried to coax his head down to hers. By God, he couldn't stand the way she looked at him anymore. He was beginning to hate it -hate how he couldn't keep his heartbeat under control when she looked at him like that, hate how she was so kind and gentle to him, hate how she was putting him above herself even though it was his fault she was even hurt. He hated it. And he hated how she pulled his head down to hers. He hated how he chanced a glance at her lips, wondering what they tasted like. He hated the feel of her body pressing up against his own.
Most of all, he hated how he pulled away from it and got out of bed.
"I only have a couple windows left. After that, I'll be done." he tried his best not to stutter.
"Done with the home improvements, or done here?" she questioned him, a hint of a quiver in her voice.
"I suppose both." he answered immediately.
"Okay." she said after a beat of silence.
"Okay?"
Okay. You were on a journey of your own you're probably eager to get back to. So, go on. Do what you have to do." she urged him and then sighed. He sighed as well, but left the bedroom anyway.
There were only two windows left to fix. If he hurried, he'd be done before midday, leaving the rest of the daylight to travel on. So he slowly went outside, slowly carved out the wooden frame, slowly sanded it down, and slowly nailed it into place. As he worked outside, he saw her going about the house. She was walking better now, albeit with a limp. But at least she wasn't tripping over her weight anymore.
He watched her cook through the window. He knew she knew he was there, watching, but she didn't look at him. In fact, it was obvious she was intentionally avoiding his gaze. He hurt her somehow, and that hurt himself. But they both knew he wouldn't be here forever. He had only come back for his carry on -which he made a mental note of double checking he had before he left. It was purely situational that she had gotten hurt and needed help.
But she was right. She had gotten through the critical period of the healing process. Her wound was well on its way to healing. Risk of infection was minimal now. She didn't have any more need for him here. He's been enough of a burden and it was time to move on.
She eventually called him in for lunch. It was silent between the two of them. Still, she didn't look at him. It was like her food was the most fascinating thing in all of France -it held all of her attention. When they were both finished eating, she was quick to get up and start cleaning. He got back to the last window.
The last thing he needed to do.
And then he would be off.
This last window seemed to be a lot more difficult than the others. Sebastian was having trouble matching the tilt in the frame. Every time he shoved the wooden pieces into the hole and fit the glass, the dimensions ended up being off by a little and the window wouldn't fit. So he'd have to take it all down, reshape and resand the frame, then try again. At some point, he completely butchered the frame he was working on. It splintered in his hands as he was carving it. He had accidentally gone with the grain and snapped the whole thing in half, forcing him to carve out another frame from scratch.
He was tired. So tired. Just mentally exhausted at this point. A sense of...... something..... filled him as he put the glass in its track and it slid in easily. He spotted her watching him from inside the house. Her face was solemn, and then she turned her back on him.
He sighed as he put away the tools he had borrowed from her. Stepping back inside the house was tough. The air was stiff and dense.
"Here. I've already gathered your things." she said and handed him his weapons and carry on. "I've also prepared food for you." she then handed him a sack that was still warm with fresh-baked goods.
"Thank you." Sebastian muttered. "I should get going while I still have time." he began to back up towards the door. She followed him out.
"Where will you be going? Will you tell me that at least?"
"Probably Spain. It would be my best bet to stay safe."
"To Spain then."
"To Spain......"
Yet he didn't move. They both turned to the horizon where the sky had become an orange glow. There was a certain chill in the air that he didn't particularly like. Her cold shoulder didn't aid in his comfort in any way.
"It'll be dark soon." she noted. "Stay for the night, Sebastian. There's no point in traveling at this hour. It's too dangerous."
"I still have daylight left." he lazily argued back.
"Not enough to make it very far. Just one more night. Please?"
She brought a hand up to his cheek again and drew his attention to her. Worry set itself in her features. Worry and a hint of something else. Fear? Fear of what?
"I've burdened you long enough."
"You're not a burden, Sebastian. None at all. Don't ever think that you are."
She stepped into his space. The hand on his cheek rubbed against his skin. Her other arm came to loosely wrap around his shoulders and hold him. She painfully grinned up at him.
"I've loved having you around. It was nice having someone to talk to. You're kind and comforting. You've done more for me than anyone ever has."
"I haven't done anything worth-" he began to say but she cut him off.
"You saved my life. I'm forever in your debt. Please stay, Sebastian. Please. I would never force you to, but you can stay here as long as you'd like. You'd never be found out. No one ever travels this way. You'd be safe. And you wouldn't have to leave France." she said in a rush. Strings of tears started to fall down her face. Seeing this wave of emotion come from her had him all choked up. He feared he would also begin to cry. "Please don't go. I beg of you."
In a sudden flash, she pulled him in and pressed her lips against his. He offered no resistance. He didn't fight back. There was no hesitation from him. He kissed her as harshly as she did him. Her tongue in his mouth had him simultaneously groaning against her and wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her body to his. Her fingers threaded themselves into his hair.
"Say you'll stay. Here. With me." she murmured in between kisses. He didn't respond verbally to her. Instead, he kissed her again, lifted her by her waist, and then carried her back inside.
Sebastian finally realized why his heart reacted so aggressively towards her: he loved her. He loved the way she looked at him. He loved how she pulled his head down to hers and wrapped herself around his body. He loved how her lips tasted against his own. He loved the feel of her body pressing up against him. He loved her.
There was no coincidence that he stumbled upon this house while he was traveling. There was no coincidence that she still lived in it. There was no coincidence she was kind enough to not kill him despite having every reason to. There was no coincidence he forgot his carry on and had to come all the way back. And there was no coincidence she got hurt and needed him to stay longer than he intended. It was all meant to bring her to him. Sebastian is many things, but dim is not one of them. He knew the signs, he saw them well, and he'd be a fool to ignore them.
He loved her.
He'll stay with her.