Daine followed him carefully, becoming more jittery the further into the stone walled building they went. She knew it was a castle, strangely enough her mind found that word with ease, but it didn't stop her cautious nature from overtaking. There where too many corners, and no animals, too many places to hide and no one to warn her. But she was following him, so she knew that in a way she was safe.
He weaved a path she would never remember passed numerous doors and archways, but it was almost entirely empty and they came across no one. It might have been the hour, she had observed that two-legers liked to all be awake at the same time, and that was not now, not while the sun was down and gone.
He opened a door, motioned her in and she had to hesitate, because the last room she had been in had been her home for too long and it had not been a nice home. But seeing his concern, his soft expression and acceptance she rallied her nerves and proceeded him through the thick doorway.
The room was nice, she noticed immediately. No hard scents to block the soft wooden smell of furniture or ink and paper. She liked it straight away because it smelt like him, but she wasn't daring to do anything but wait for further instructions. So she crouched in the middle of the room, eyes on shelves of books and odd things she had never seen before, and he stepped in behind her.
She stiffened at the sound of the door latching and stayed that way until he was beyond her. Even his scent was not calming in this foreign environment. He was watching her as he sat on a couch and she wondered what she was supposed to do now, what he expected of her.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's too late to set a room up for you, that can be done tomorrow. You'll have to sleep on the floor or the couch, which ever appeals to you."
If more then two words had made sense to her she would have been happy, but as it was she was tired and strained and he was using words that where too much for her. Slowly her head began to hurt, the stress of the day catching up with her and she could only watch him with the hope that he would make it clear, without human words, what he wanted of her.
He seemed to understand because a sigh escaped him, one of long sufferance and mild annoyance. Then methodically he stood from the couch he had been seated on and began to rearrange the things on it. Pillows and cushions to one end, a folded blanket from elsewhere in the room thrown across it. Then he motioned and she understood, this was where she was to rest for the night.
She knew beds well enough, having been locked away in a room with two for so long. She understood their purpose, no mater how little interest they held for her. She could sleep on a hard wood floor with better ease then on these soft cushions and pallets the humans kept putting her on.
He seemed to be waiting so she went to the bed he had made and with careful attention fixed on him, set herself on it's surface. She didn't like beds, the things that had happened on them, and with a man so close to her she couldn't help but fear what might happen. It was an irrational fear, since he had done so little to harm her since their first meeting, but it was nature built into her. They had abused her for years and a few weeks would not override that so easily.
He gave a smile, a soft sort of sorry smile and touched her head. She went to jump back but he only ruffled her hair for a second before the touch was withdrawn and he was leaving her alone.
She went to follow, body tense. Right then she might have been scared of him but she didn't want to be left alone. However she didn't follow, instead she waited to see what was happening and if he might be returning.
"Go to sleep." He instructed, closing himself into a different room and leaving her alone. She shifted for a bit, tested her weight and checked the room over carefully. She didn't touch anything careful of the foreign things that littered the tables and shelves of the room. She might not have known what they where but she knew they where related to magic in some way and was unwilling to tamper with them.
Instead she took her perch on the makeshift bed, eyes wide and ears alert. Even at this late hour there was noise and lots of it. Not the soothing hustle of nocturnal animals seeking their meals or mates, but a jarred clanking and rustle of humans in action. She knew there weren't many moving, but every noise pried on her nerves and every one pumped adrenaline into her system. She was too used to the enemies of the world, and offset by the building and room around her she was unable to relax.
She wet her lips, tried to focus on the noises that where nearer to herself, and hopefully more relaxing and found her attention slowly shifting to the room where he had gone. She could tell he was asleep, the rhythm of his breathing had become familiar to her and she knew from it when he was indeed asleep. She focused on that noise, the noise of him, as best she could and tried to forget everything else. He would let no harm come to her, she simply knew it.
What began as a simple task of listening slowly took over her attention and shifted it's purpose. She though she might sleep better once the noises stopped, but she found herself slowly wanting to check on him, to be able to see him as well, because if she where in the same room as him she would be far more secure. So she shifted in her spot, but remained where he had put her. She knew he did not want her to follow him, she knew as well that she shouldn't do it, so she tried to keep herself still and obedient.
It was when her fingers started to twitch that she surrendered the fight reasoning that it would not matter anyway. So slowly she began her move, silent and cautious, pausing at each step before pushing on. She did not want to wake him because he would send her away and she would never find the comfort she needed. But he was sound in his sleep, gone to the dream realm where he could not be disturbed and she relaxed with this knowledge.
Than with careful attention she removed the dress he had made her be so careful of, laying it as reverently as she could across the back of a chair before settling on the bed beside him and quickly falling into a relaxed slumber.
..o…o…
…o…o…
…o…o…
Numair woke with a warm body pressed against his own. He released a breath of tension when he noticed the feel of soft sheets and blankets about him. He was in safety, which meant his own tower or the castle, he didn't care which. The body beside him, he didn't worry about, though absently his arm twined around it and drew it a little closer.
He tried to keep his thoughts clear, unwilling to wake so soon when he was in safety but his mind was too used to the demands of the roads and was quickly trying to sort out whatever it thought needed sorting.
He fought valiantly against the wakefulness penetrating the lazy haze of sleep and decided who ever she was, she would distract him better than anything else could. He rolled towards her, his nose finding that nook between her shoulder and neck without opening eyes and he breathed in the scent there.
Clean dirt and musk, something fresh and unusual for his bed companions. He didn't mind, it was a soothing smell, he twisted himself below the blankets further towards her, feeling the crush of material on material where their bodies met. Even with his head buried into her throat he raised a brow in surprise. He could not remember ever dressing after the act, it was too much energy after such vigorous exercise and the press of flesh on flesh was usually a nice morning wake up.
He was still too asleep to explore the oddity, his mind focused solely on distraction as he considered the manner in which waking his companion would be the most fun for them both and the most distracting for him. His fingers began to trek, shifting across the cotton dress she was wearing towards her thighs when the intrusive pounding on his door broke through the room.
He tried to ignore it, lips touching just lightly on the woman's neck when the sound repeated with quick inpatients. He groaned rolled away from the woman and flung an arm over his eyes. He had just been getting ready to enjoy himself, and he did not want to open the door.
"Numair!" Was shouted through the door without Alanna's usual anger, or at least the anger she harboured a lot recently. She was loud, but she was only trying to wake him.
"What?" He shouted back, not willing to stand yet. It was obvious he was in the castle if Alanna was there, although her husband lived close enough to his tower she rarely had a chance to visit these days.
"Open the door." She replied with another thump. It was a dullish noise, his main door not his bedroom door being pounded upon and the concerned thought that the noise would started the Cat came to him. He sat up casually, ready to check on her when he spotted the woman beside him. She was still asleep the blankets and sheets exposing her shoulders and showing the underdress he had only just brought for her, and it was defiantly his Cat.
Still asleep himself he didn't reach reprimanding straight away, instead his brain had time to sort out that the Cat had spent the night by his side, and he had been, moments before, ready to initiate a sexual encounter with her. Of course he hadn't known it was her, and had assumed it was a woman he was already intimately familiar with so there had been nothing incredibly wrong with his thoughts. But sitting over her as he was, looking down at brown curls and a peaceful expression he found that nagging, betraying wish that Alanna hadn't interrupted.
That's when he began the reprimanding.
The first thought, that he was depraved was easy enough to accept - he was getting used to that thought while in the Cat's company, the second that she may have scratched his eyes out was mollifying enough, and the third that she was a victim of rape who could have been traumatized waking to his hand and mouth doing what it pleased to her was horrific. He regretted everything in an instant: that he didn't think before he acted, that he hadn't realised sooner, that he may not have been interrupted until it was too late.
With quick agitated movements he moved himself off the bed, grabbing at the closest breeches on his floor and pulling them on aggressively. He positively hated himself at that moment, and could not think of a single redeeming factor to consol the hatred.
He stomped out of his bed room to the main room and without preamble flung his door open to meet Alanna's expression. She didn't look angry at first, but with a glance at his expression she scowled.
"Don't give me that look Numair. It's past lunch as it is, and we've been called to the evening assembly." Her voice was defensive and gripping the edge of the door Numair forcefully reminded himself that it was no ones problem or fault but his own.
He licked his upper lip in concentration and schooled his features as he stepped aside for Alanna to enter. She only raised a brow at him, half curious half sceptical then her eyes scanned the room and settled on him with clear curiosity. "Where's the girl?"
"In my bed." He snapped. She raised a brow and he shot it down. "Get her dressed, she may as well come with us." He ground out, and still curious Alanna pushed passed him into the sleeping chamber. Not until he had closed the door to his room and Alanna had closed the door to his sleeping chamber did Numair begin to feel the tension leave his body.
He walked across the room to a shelf of books and lent his head against the cool leather bindings his foot threatening to kick the bottom shelf but propriety stoping him from damaging anything pointlessly. He felt his breathing begin to calm with his back to the situation, felt himself allow the guards to fall with Alanna in the picture. He reasoned with himself that it wasn't a problem, that tonight one of the maids would be able to arrange a room for the Cat away from his. Tonight she would be able to sleep safely.
Just as the last bits of tension where leaving him with his plans for her preservation the door to her bed room clicked open. He turned to face the doorway and noticed first Alanna leaving the room and then the creature behind her. But 'creature' wasn't the right word anymore, because the Cat was on her hind legs, walking with barely a shake to her movements and robed in a soft green dress that was, although not priceless, fitting and pretty. His Cat had a look of uncertainty in her eyes, though it faded when she noticed him and a beautiful smile slid to her features, a kind of proud displaying smile because, he knew, she had kept the dress in perfect condition just for him.
He barely managed a smile for either lady and moved past them as casually as he could so that he too could dress for the evening assembly. Tortall may have been fighting a war but the nobles still liked to play their games in fine robes while drinking expensive wines, and both he and Alanna where considered part of their ranks.
..o…o…
…o…o…
…o…o…
Daine shifted her weight uneasily, blue-grey eyes fixed on the people before her. Numair a few steps forwards was at ease, his figure which had suited their travels so well had blended into this room of silk and wealth.
Daine was out of place, she knew it and so did everyone staring at her.
Her dress was as pretty as the other ladies, all silk and green with a suffocating waste and a dipping chest. She personally didn't like it, she couldn't move properly, couldn't hide as well and absolutely couldn't feel comfortable. But He had given it to her, he'd smiled when she wore it, laughed and asked her not to mess this new one up and she couldn't fight that. A feeling inside her chest told her that anything he asked of her she would give him, she owned him that much at least.
They had been speaking for some time, the humans she knew and these strangers. The ones she knew though, Alanna and Numair talking the most of the group, relaying chunks of information in a fluid depiction she could not follow and did not care to.
Daine wasn't paying close attention to them, the few words she had gotten from the speaking where pointless and frustrating so she had turned her attention away and instead tilted her head to listen to the whispered of mice and other animals in the shadows of the room.
"And who-" something in the tone made Daine look to the speaker "-is this charming young lady?" The man who seemed central to the whole group asked in a soothing voice.
Daine shifted anxiously as more eyes turned to her, more attention fixed on her figure. She felt her hackles rise, her mind already knowing where the escapes where and her body ready to bend to get her there the fastest way possible. The mice and cats of the room suddenly paying attention to her spike of fear.
She watched the strangers with alert attention. Knowing the people clustered in other groups about the room where too far away to attack and that none of the humans she had met so far would venture or succeed in an attack against her. She analysed the strangers now; a man with pure black hair and dark blue eyes leading the group in conversation, a small girl -eight or nine- just a few steps behind him watching with intent curiosity, and behind the girl a large man, bulky and dangerous with scars wrapped around his wrists like tattoos. There where others in the group, but Daine knew like any creature where the greatest dangers lay.
"She's one of the women from the Debac estate." Numair responded with a guarded voice. The tone made Daine more flighty, more uncertain of what power these strangers held and how that would be used against her.
"I would have thought they would be turned over to the temples." The black haired man commented rubbing at his beard thoughtfully.
Daine saw Alanna take a breath to respond, saw the black haired man look to her ready to hear, but Numair blocked whatever she had been ready to say with his own reply. "The rest where, you majesty. But she has needs they couldn't deal with" his seemed to hesitate before pushing on "magical requirements."
"Magic?" The black bearded man tested intense blue eyes fixing on her in a discomforting way. A brow quirked and he looked to Alanna for a brief moment then back to Numair, clearly uncertain.
"Magic your majesty-" Numair began, clearly ready to argue, but whatever words he was going to say where cut off by the movements of the young girl. Everything in the room froze as the girl stepped away from the large guarding man behind her and towards Daine.
"What's your name?" The girl asked with a gentle smile on her lips, eyes showing the kind of curious sympathy that didn't belong on such a young things face. No matter the expression however, Daine was aware of two things. She was being approached and she was being watched in tense silence – by everyone.
Daine felt her chest constrict wanting to back away, knowing somehow it should not be done. Her eyes went to Him, and he was looking back at her curiosity in those dark orbs. She wondered if he wanted to know her name, and if she even remembered it. In voices almost forgotten, her mother, her grandfather, taunting voices of village children, and the kind ones of friends - in those voices she could almost hear it again.
She thought maybe he wanted to know, but before these grand people covered in unfamiliar scents she knew she couldn't try the way she did for him.
"Mostly she's called Cat." Alanna in a light purple dress still smelling of the road and horses spoke. "She doesn't speak Kalasin." Was added as an aside.
"She doesn't speak?" The girl asked, her face showing pity and curiosity all in one. She took a step closer and the people around her tensed further. Daine jittered back, the tension scaring her more than the movement but she was caught before she could go too far back by the look in Numair eyes. "Why doesn't she speak?" The girl asked, no longer moving, just watching.
"She has been much abused, Princess." Numair informed the young girl carefully. Daine shifted towards him thoughtlessly, knowing he would keep her safe from whatever strange danger this girl presented. "And silence is perhaps a better friend then she has ever had."
"Where is she from?" The innocent curious question.
Daine jerked to stare at the girl. The question was answered in a second in her mind, 'Snowsdale' ringing through her mind. That name, that knowledge it was trying to rip her apart. Fire and tears fought for control of her eyes, her body coiling tighter, shaking. She tried to push it away, tried to keep it under control but the forest was calling her and she knew in its fold she would be safe, they would all protect her because the People could never harm her.
"Your majesty-" Numair's voice broke the call and she looked to him pleading, begging for him to save her and although he was looking back at her, he was addressing the small girl, "-step away."
And the girl did, taking her steps backwards, carefully until she was under the protective shadow of the dark looming giant again. Daine paid her little attention though, focused on her anchor, on him instead, because right then she knew she was close to slipping away forever.
"It's okay," he soothed as he moved towards her "your safe here, Cat." She backed from his approach then paused realising what she was doing and how silly it was to do with this man. This man who would never harm her, who she had sworn she was do everything she could for.
"She seems a bit wild." The main speaker of the group observed, his voice edged with warning as he stared her down with vivid blue eyes again, but Daine paid no attention focused instead on Numair as he reached out to her and drew her into the safety of his proximity. Not an intimate hold, barely even a friendly one, but his hand holding onto her own calmed all her nerves without effort.
"From everything I've seen she is." Alanna replied dryly her eyes focused on the connected hands with another of her frowns etched across her brow.
"Wild- your majesty, but not dangerous." Numair asserted, despite the flicker of doubt in Alanna's eyes and the feeling of uncertainty from the crowd around them. Daine just ignored them, drawing as close as she could to him, knowing the wild would not call to her when he wanted her by his side.