Realistic or Modern Bitter Winter | Private

[catatonic]

Rila's breathing slowly began to even out as she began to drift into a restless sleep, listening to the sounds of the forest as she did. Her fingers grasped the blanket lightly as she slept, as a precaution in case he were to wake her. Her dreams were naughty ones, of a night spent beneath the man that was her escort. A soft moan left her lips as she dreamed, unable to stop herself as she was far into her sleep now. Before her eyes, she watched themselves in their passion, felt that same ache all over again. What she imagined he looked like naked was a glorious sight - a body toned and fit from many years of battle, a strength that lasted long enough to keep her held against him with her back against a door. Rila moaned at the naughty things her mind made up.

The naughty dreams soon faded, and with it the ache between her legs slowly subsided. It had been far too many nights since she last spent time indulging in sinful acts, acts she would have wondered if awake if the pale haired man escorting her ever even tried before. The ex-princess had a fair number of lovers over her twenty three years of life, one or two had been part of her kings guard, men that had helped aid her in her escape the night she lost her family and all that she was. She dreamed in that moment of watching her brother getting stabbed through the heart, of her father's cries as he watched his only son die at the hands of their enemy. She could still hear her mother's wailing as she had to watch her husband share the same fate as their son, her cries for her daughter to flee filling the air before she too had been stabbed through the chest. Rila had been hiding in the doorway of a secret passage in the castle the usurper now resided in, and Thomas and Levi had ushered her quietly through the secret passages and out the dungeon into the city to escape her suffering the same fate.

A whimper left her lips as she slept, as the images of her dead family passed before her eyes again like she had just witnessed them. She shuddered when the wind blew, pulling the blanket closer to her like it would do anything to help stop the wind or sweat that began to form on her pale skin. "No," She whispered under her breath, responding to the words of a man long now dead in her dreams. She had to watch from afar as Thomas was beheaded for not revealing where she was hidden, had watched her first love die because he had been loyal to her and her family. Because he wouldn't reveal her secrets. Levi, whom was about a year or so older than herself, had then tried to take her to another village where her subjects would keep her hidden and it had been a fight to say the least. Rila had broken his nose before he had been able to drag her to the village after they saddled their only remaining horse. She could still remember him telling her to stay hidden while he drew the searching soldiers away, could still hear his shouts as he fled. She only knew he was still alive because Swain had let it slip that he was trapped in one of the other mining camps like she had been.

"Stop!" She cried, sitting up straight as she pulled herself from sleep. How long had she slept this time? Ten minutes? Twenty? She couldn't remember the last time she actually slept through the night with the horror she had lived through. A pale hand grasped her chest, just above her heart as she tried to even her heavy breathing. Angry tears welled in her eyes as she tried to calm herself down, not wanting to startle the escort of hers and suffer any consequence. Her red gaze shifted to her surroundings as she calmed her racing heartbeat, taking in the dark of the night as she settled her breathing so it was even once more. Finally her red gaze looked back at Tasian, seeing that he had seemed to relax when she had fallen asleep, and deciding better to keep her silence as she didn't care to anger him in that moment. In that moment, she remembered that he was her enemy no matter the stirring she felt for him. That he would kill her if he saw fit, even if it meant disobeying his king.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

In the silent moments following his unusual prisoner to fall asleep; Tasian although relaxed had stirred once more from his spot. As much as he was certainly proud of his skills that he'd accumulated over the years, one thing he didn't master was the art of staying completely still for hours at a time, especially if he were to stay awake and alert. His steps echoed in the darkness as he approached the horse, fingers brushing against and attempting to seek the whetstone he'd been seeking, only to eventually finally find it at the bottom of the saddlebag.

Once he reclaimed the object of interest, he had settled down once more in his place, unsheathing the blade as a heavy sigh left his lips, the scabbard being placed on the earth at his side as he gingerly angled the blade near the whetstone itself, eyeing the edge to determine its sharpness when the most peculiar sound had ripped through the air. A moan.

The man went still as his expression soured immediately, icy eyes turning immediately to the guilty party in part disbelief and the other being intense disgust. Perhaps if he was a far more ignorant man, he would have excused it for a mere slip of the tongue in the midst of her sleep, a moan of pain perhaps... but he knew better. In his earlier days within the kingdom, it wasn't unheard of for a fellow soldier to bring a prostitute back to the barracks, or even maids being pursued by his fellow knights, hiding away in discrete parts of the castle for a lover's tryst; or even worse the current crown prince.

Recalling his childhood friend had made his expression twitch as a surge of fresh annoyance settled within him. No doubt the man, two years his junior was seeing to it to slack off and chase the skirt of any woman that may give him a chance. He was immature, goofy and always ran at his own pace, but all the same was a bright bundle of sun that persisted to poke and prod at him, to "entertain" him when he grew too bored.. though it was mostly him getting underfoot when Tasian had any duties to attend to. What had he said again...? Ah, yes, that it was healthy for him to slack off every now and again.

What a fool indeed.

"Idiot." And yet, the insult to the crown prince, Edric wasn't of malice. Certainly nothing of the sort. In fact, he almost wished he could go back to the palace and nag the man to stop fooling around and focus; it wasn't as if King William had much luck. Of course, the slip into more pleasant memories had caused his mind to drift away from the unpleasantness that had occurred, choosing to omit the detail from his memory as it would serve him no purpose to linger on it, his gaze settling upon his blade as the sound of the stone against the blade was once more the only sound... until again she would make noise.

Her cry had made Tasian's jaw snap together in a tight clench as his head whipped around to the woman again, instead she was silent after her outburst as she showed all too obvious signs of a nightmare. A grunt left his lips then as he turned his head away once more, feeling her gaze upon him as he continued to sharpen his blade. It seemed like he would not say a single word to her, ignoring her like he usually would do until he finally spoke, "Nightmare?" Not truly interested, nor was he going to comfort her.

 

[catatonic]

Rila took a deep breath once she calmed her heartbeat, her hands leaving her chest to rest on her lap once more as she stretched her legs out before her. She had been watching Tasian with his sword in his lap, had liked to see that he seemed preoccupied with his task at hand despite the look he had given her when she awoke. She could see in his face, even in the dim light of the moon, that he hadn't been to pleased by her outburst, not that she cared if he had been or not. What shocked her was his question, as he seemed very interested in sharpening his sword over conversing with.

"They never really went away." She found herself saying, confusion crossing her features at the words. Why was she being so open with him? Well, he had guessed right so it only seemed fair to let him know such things. It had been all too apparent that she had a nightmare, she knew the signs herself. She watched him for a moment longer before pulling her gaze away to look at the moon, red eyes brimming with silent tears that she wouldn't let him see as she thought to herself. She didn't elaborate to him on what her nightmare entailed, especially because she was somewhat disturbed by the fact she dreamed of sharing a bed with him. She knew he wouldn't find it of any fancy if she were to tell him such things.

She breathed evenly through her nose, carefully using her hands to push the stray strands of hair from her face after she wiped her eyes. She wouldn't appear weak before him. Not even in the off chance he'd comfort her for it. She doubted he could ever come to care for her for any reason. Not that she minded either, she would gladly leave him to continue her efforts in taking back her Throne if she had the opportunity. "Will we leave at dawn?" She asked, breaking the silence between them in her curiosity.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Her answer was expected, or as expected as one could get. Considering he'd encountered her in a mining camp of all places, it was obvious that she held some memories that would haunt her. Not that he particularly cared, if she was unable to rest properly then that simply meant that they could cover more ground... if he didn't take into account the horses. A passing glance to the two horses had shown him well enough that they were indeed resting, causing him to click his tongue in distaste. It didn't matter much now, did it? He didn't want to push the animals past their limit, they would serve no use that way, nor did the idea seem appealing to force the animals until they got injured. That would be wasteful, serve no purpose.

"Yes, though I'd much rather leave sooner." Distant was his tone as he looked back to sharpening his sword's edge with the whetstone, a frown crossing his face as he inspected the blade closely within the moonlight that was managing to cast some sort of natural light, to attempt to determine whether his handiwork truly had done some form of good. "..But unfortunately, we are stuck here. The horses need to rest." Spoken plainly as he lowered the sword and once more returned it to its sheath, though the movement was more awkward than not as his fingers nearly fumbled with the movement a few times, causing a curse to leave his lips before the blade would cooperate and firmly click.

Settling the blade close to his side, his gaze settled on his fingers again, experimentally twitching each one as they served only to be sluggish in the movements, no feeling within which made him shake his head in annoyance. One annoying thing after another he supposed... but perhaps he should speak more? Not that he was a good conversation starter, a fact that served as Edric's favorite topic to tease him on; being as unsociable as he was unless it related to his duties, in which case he would speak as much as needed to... not when it concerned stranger, especially with one that quite frankly was beginning to not only make him cautious, but creep him out as well.

Blue eyes shifted cautiously over to her then looked aside as he struggled to find something to say. "...Are there any food in particular that you want when we reach Murlayfield?" The only thing he could think of fill the silence and the discomfort of her being awake yet again. It would serve as a welcome distraction, something that seemed to help at least in regards to bad dreams.

 

[catatonic]

She watched as he looked to the horses and she followed his gaze, noticing that the horses were indeed resting. She liked seeing them so calm and peaceful, like they hadn't a care in the world. She hummed at his words, but offered none of her own in response, merely turning her gaze onto the starry night sky again. She wouldn't sleep until she passed out from exhaustion, only then would she have a dreamless sleep.

She seemed to notice the different in him when she turned her gaze back on him to find him flexing his fingers, as if trying to see if they still worked. "It'll take at least three days for the poison to leave your system." She said to break their silence, deciding she wouldn't be sleeping any time soon. She didn't seem to care if he responded to her or not, but at his question she raised her eyebrows at him. Now that was odd. Why would he care if she had an opinion on what she ate? She mulled over it for a moment, trying to see the trap in the seemingly innocent question.

"I'd have to say some hearty meat and potatoes would suffice." She said slowly after a moment of silence, eyeing him suspiciously as she did. If his intention was to distract her from her terrors, it had worked, as much as she hate to admit. But she had been calmer in the coming minutes as she pulled her gaze away from him, closing her eyes to think when the last time she had a real meal had been. Five months? Six? Probably longer, but not as long as a year. She had spent her twenty third birthday in the prison of the mining camp, the last birthday being one of the last times she had had a full meal. She sighed to herself as she placed a hand on her stomach, remembering a time when she was stronger than her current state would allow her to be.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

The response from the prisoner in regards to his numb fingers had made the man cast a wary glance in her direction. How did she know? Yet again, suspicion ran wild through him as his eyes narrowed at her in distrust, which led him to his next thought of why the king wanted her in the first place. Who was this woman to begin with and why was she a person of interest? It certainly would have made far more sense to have her rot away in the mining camp to die; it wasn't as if she was in good shape anyways.

The thinness of her body being the most obvious sign that just perhaps if pushed a few months more, perhaps this woman would have been dead. Swain had at least done that part of his job correctly in terms of food deprivation, he wouldn't be surprised if any infection would have taken her either. It certainly would have been better that way, at least in regards to himself. A bit frigid and unfeeling was the thought, but it certainly would have been easier and put him more at ease to be back within the kingdom again rather than out here.

She would eventually speak, speak of her desire for her meal, although the raising of her eyebrows in response to him had made the man's expression grew harsh. Whether he liked it or not, he needed to make sure she recovered enough to be in good condition before she met the king. Although he had no intentions of giving her too much food, less she would become sick, meat and potatoes would be a simple enough start aside from the pieces of bread that he'd been given in terms of rations. Anything too rich would prove to be hell on her stomach as well, especially if she was deprived of decent food for so long and he didn't want to deal with her becoming ill either.

Turning his head away he had shrugged his shoulders and returned to his silent watch again, deciding that there was no need for further conversation between them. It was only serving as a distraction.

...​

Dawn eventually had reached his eyes as the man stood to his feet, moving toward the horses as his eyes felt a tad bit uncomfortable. A hand had gently came to the side of his horse's cheek, calloused fingers running over the fur of the chestnut stallion, "There there, I know it's early." His voice was quiet, and the horse in turn had snorted at him in response, the big brown eyes of the animal almost conveying the sleepiness that had overtaken it prior to Tasian moving to coax him to alertness, prompting the man's expression to gentle in turn, though slightly in exasperation as the large head of the animal had turned and nuzzle him, "Hey- no, I don't have any food on me right now, you're going to have to wait."

Persistent nudges and snorts left the beast as brown eyes gazes accusingly at the man as he shook his head and turned it away, flicking a dismissive tail with attitude at the now exasperated Tasian as he grumbled under his breath, "You're really a pain in the ass." Though the horse more or less was his most faithful companion in regards to missions such as these, but he was very, very stubborn, especially in regards to food. He knew well enough that if he didn't give him what he wanted, the stallion would be digging in its hooves every now and again, refusing to move when needed or in general acting like a nuisance.

With a roll of his eyes, he returned to the saddlebags as the stallion's ears flicked back, listening to the ruffling sounds until Tasian had produced a carefully and yet almost depleted bag of oats, something that he had every intention of filling up considering his unruly companion which as soon as the bag so much as crinkled and produced any sound, the large head of the horse had turned and a whiney of approval left its mouth, one of which was already drooling much to Tasian's dismay as he then grumbled, "You'd better be nice with your buddy too, okay?" And soon depositing the oats from the tattered bag as a greedy mouth soon began gobbling everything in sight, a contrast to the other borrowed horse which seemed to be far more docile than his unruly steed.

Tasian then turned to once more reattach his sword to the saddle, strapping the blade securely in its spot only for him to feel a tug upon his hair, and the slimy feeling of his horse's saliva soon reaching him as the stallion seemed to tug lightly at his hair, making the man visibly grimace, "Hey- cut it- hey!" Struggling against the horse was a losing battle to keep his icy composure; numb fingers certainly not helping as a bit of laughter had managed to leave him, purely because of the absurdity of it all. His expression had loosened up, having forgotten that he had an audience to this moment as he managed to free himself, glaring at his steed as the horse tossed its head as it seemed like it was laughing itself, making Tasian chuckle, "Very funny."

 

[catatonic]

Rila had watched his tight expression when he looked at her about her comment regarding the poison, amused that he didn't know she was a master of medicines. It would seem the King hadn't told him anything about her, which served in her favor as she had shocked him with her knowledge. She hadn't needed to see the poison to know when it would leave his system. She offered no other words as the night stretched on, she fell into a restless and dreamless sleep until the sun rose and woke her.

She watched as she rubbed her eyes as he crossed the way to rouse the horses, humming to herself as she folded the blanket as best she could and stood to her own full height, stretching her arms over her head as she watched him converse with his horse. She liked the sound of his laughter, though she didn't voice it. She hummed to herself as she watched him before turning her eyes on the rising sun, quite enjoying the warmth that came with it, using her hands to dust herself off before she pushed her hair out of her face once more.

She crossed the way, holding the blanket out to him to put away as she stopped nearby him, eyeing him carefully as she was now close to him. She frowned a little to herself as she moved away to stroke the cheek of the stallion she would mount, smiling as she watched him under a soft gaze. "You're a beautiful beast." She said gently to him, watching as he leaned his large head into her hand. She looked at Tasian as she stroked the mane of the black stallion, humming to herself as she moved to mount the beast, waiting for Tasian to chain her to the saddle once more before they began their journey again.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Ah. The relaxed expression upon Tasian's face had quickly evaporated at the sound of the prisoner's footsteps, causing the iciness to return to his gaze and the smile that had previously been on his face to vanish completely as she had strode up to his side. Was he embarrassed? No, not quite, but he was mortified that he had let down his guard even in the slightest around this woman. A cold glance in her direction would be her only reward from the man, though his eyes were indeed tinged with red as a fault of him refusing to sleep, not that he probably could have with her being a presence that he shouldn't be ignoring.

Dismissive was his gaze then, settling on silence to fill the air between them as he had went over the checklist of items that they had - including the blanket that the prisoner had given back to him - and once satisfied, he had turned to her to once again reattach her chains to her wrists, clasping the irons as securely as possible before tying it to the saddle horn securely, then returning to his horse as he begun their journey again without a word, a stiffness to his shoulders as he wasn't inclined to meet her gaze.

...Maybe he was a little bit embarrassed.

...​

The ride forward was uneventful, considering it was still dawn when they had set out, the road that they had returned on would have little to no travelers to wander along it, giving them much needed solitude throughout their little journey to Murlayfield. Rolling fields filled with wheat would soon begin to come into view; distant farms and cattle being guided into corrals by farmers served to bring nothing of note to Tasian's eyes, and as the sun continued to rise to its highest point in the sky, they would finally reach the small town of Murlayfield.

Simplistic houses would greet them, made of wood and rooftops being covered by grasses and herbs from the nearby woods that stretched beyond the little rural town. Peasants that lined the streets spoke of hardship in the calloused hands and the slightly dirtied skin and clothes, but at the very least they didn't seem like they were starving. Instead there was always a faint cheer in the air with the citizens as they spoke to each other, always well acquainted with each other as well as any soul that made their way through... which is why as Tasian passed, there were a lot of curious eyes turning toward the unidentified prisoner being led behind him.

Whispers were quick to follow, questions as well as neighbors turned to each other. It was an odd sight for certain, for why Tasian would be escorting a prisoner, for it was unusual for him to be sent on such missions. Was she a particularly dangerous one? That stirred up the whispers even more, curious eyes staring a bit more intensely at her unusual hair and eye color. That set her aside as not normal in the sea of black, brown or blonde hair, not that Tasian hadn't also been the center of such rumors either considering his role as the king's ever loyal servant.

Eventually they would stop toward the center of the town, where a rather large inn would serve as their place to rest; the swinging sign hanging from the roof being; The Mellow Bear. Beside the large inn, there was a stable connecting just on the off chance that travelers would come and desire for their loyal steeds somewhere to rest. The familiar sight of the tavern had made the tension in Tasian relax ever so slightly as he approached the stables first, slipping from his saddle as he approached the nearby stablehand, conversing with the young boy as eventually a price had been settled on and a few coins were passed, prompting Tasian to return to his prisoner's side and wordlessly releasing the chains from being attached to the saddle and then dragging her down from the saddle as soon as the deed was done, only to return to his saddlebag and retrieve it from the horse's saddle, slinging it over his shoulder, his other hand remaining on the chains connecting to the woman's cuffs as he allowed the stablehand to take the horses away, then began to walk into the tavern.

 

[catatonic]

Rila had been amused to see him having relaxed considerably in the company of the horses. She noticed it disappeared very quickly as he realized she was still there, and when he finished his checklist and chained her to the saddle once more, she sighed to herself but said nothing. Silence would fall between them as her escort didn't speak to her either, and she watched the sun brighten as the sun began to rise higher, her red eyes taking in their surroundings as they made their way.

----------

As they approached the small village, Rila liked the sight of the people mingling together or herding cattle peacefully. As they entered the village though, she noticed that eyes were on both of them, but she held her head high despite the fact she was indeed a prisoner. She could hear the whispers about her appearance, and the questions about her escort being there. She said nothing to the people, knowing keeping her silence was the best option as she didn't want the pale haired man to know anything about her. He was a stranger and her enemy at that.

She watched as he led them to a tavern and inn, humming to herself as she figured this way their first stop. She watched quietly as he slid from his horse and spoke with the stable boy, noticing how young he looked, and waited for him to unchain her from the horse so she could get down. When he did, she slid off the horse with as much grace as someone in her position could afford, and followed after him when he began towards the tavern.

Her red eyes looked around the large room as they entered, taking in all the different smells she could smell as she did. It wasn't the smell of home, but nowhere these days smelled like home. She sighed to herself as she followed him to a table, taking a seat as far as their connecting chains would allow her to, but still not saying a word to the man. Under her eyes were dark bags from the restless sleep she had gotten, but she was alert to her surroundings like any trained soldier would be.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Noisy was the first thought that came to Tasian's mind as his boots echoed against the familiar creaking wooden floorboards; clashing smells of mead, ale as well as hearty meals wafted through the air as the door to the tavern squealed and closed firmly behind the two, his head turning and scanning over the people that would be frequenting the tavern around this time of day. Farmers for the most part it seemed either half drowning themselves for a well earned pint to quench parched throats; teeth flashing in the tavern's faint lights as guffaws and bellowing drunken laughter would float on the breeze, splashing of ale hitting the creaking wooden tabletops and the incoherent sentences being proof enough that these particular farmers had already sunk in perhaps a bit too deep into their rounds.

Passing over the many farmers, his attention focused on the newer faces that typically were not a common sight. These fellows were perhaps just as equally drunk as the common folk of the farmers, bit judging alone from the raised ridges of scars upon muscled arms and the heavy armor being sported by the rough appearances of men who clearly matched the description of mercenaries. Icy eyes narrowed ever so slightly in response as Tasian took to keeping his distance, an intense dislike beginning to blossom within his chest as he settled himself on the chair that would be across from his prisoner.

Though mercenaries were indeed an inevitable sight here and there, Tasian didn't much care for the loose morals and rashness that came with their kind. Though, Yeldware certainly didn't turn away brave souls that took on bounties upon dangerous criminals that had turned away from the law, he personally found it foolish to rely on the likes of men or women who served no purpose aside from going on violent hunts. There were plenty horror stories alone from such individuals not only taking down the bounty target, but causing more issues by demanding payment from the locals or eventually raiding people for all they had as a sort of payment... but since they technically are unofficially hired by Yeldware upon taking up a bounty, they never are tried or persecuted for their transgressions. Glorified brutes were what they are, no better than the criminals they supposedly hunt down in the name of whatever justice they claimed.

A click of his tongue in displeasure would be his only other visible change, his hand coiling around the chain still within his grip, only to slacken it as familiar lopsided footsteps approached, a familiar imbalance in the figure he already knew was approaching and the headache that would come with it. "Oh? Back so soon? How lucky am I to see your grumpy mug!" Tasian's eyebrows furrowed as he suppressed the wave of annoyance as the slender hand of the woman had grabbed hold of his cheek, pinching the skin inbetween her fingers which prompted the man to immediately raise a hand and lightly move the woman's hand away, "I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from touching me." The biting tone was evident of his annoyance as the woman had crossed her arms, a rogish grin crossing her lips, undaunted by Tasian's all too obvious disinterest.

"What a shame. You know, it would do you wonders if you follow that little prince's lead- actually, how is he? It's been some time since he's visited Murlayfield." Annoyed was Tasian's expression as he eyed the woman, proud owner of the tavern, with auburn hair cut short and warm brown eyes that currently seemed alit with mirth at the irritation in his features, Frances Brent was in essence an annoyance that served as yet another one of the crown prince's many brief lovers, though it didn't seem she took the crown prince's lack of attention to heart, nor did she seem to be spurned by Tasian either, even if she were two years his senior; she always seemed to act decidedly immature when Tasian were to darken her door.

"You know as well as I that I don't speak of personal matters on duty." An immediately block to the curiosity that sparked in Frances' eyes as she now regarded Rila with interest, cocking her head to one side as she raised an eyebrow and looked back to the glowering Tasian, "Oh? So I'm assuming this woman is your charge then? Was this a punishment of some sort? You're never usually escorting..." She cast another glance toward the chains still binding the prisoner as her eyebrows furrowed, allowing the sentence to go unfinished even if the curiosity was still burning within her eyes, taking in the other woman's unusual eye and hair color as she mumbled, "How odd.."

"Frances," Cold was the voice that spoke the woman's name, Tasian's expression holding a warning within not to try and pry any further, one that caused the woman's expression to freeze in place only for it to loosen as she rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine. I get it, you can stop!" She waved a dismissive hand at Tasian as if to appease him, taking another interested look in Rila's direction though more so with pity than curiosity at this point, "Food, right?"

"Meat and potatoes for her." Tasian had interjected before Frances could very much get into asking his prisoner what she wanted, which made the woman pass another glance in Tasian's direction as she smiled, "Seems a bit too simple, couldn't you be a bit nicer by giving her something better."

"That is none of my concern." Dismissive again was his gaze as he seemed not interested in exchanging anymore words with the tavernkeeper, now settling on ignoring her as a disappointed hum had left the woman in response, turning on her heel and walking off to begin to get to work on what had been ordered.

 

[catatonic]

Rila's red eyes were eyeing the mercenaries she could see with a quiet curiosity - they were bounty hunters and she knew they'd fancy taking her off Tasian's hands if they got the chance. The King would pay them handsomely at least if they were to bring her to them. But she knew better than to try and start something with them - they were fickle and self-serving people that didn't care one way or the other about a person of interest. So she sighed and looked at the brunette woman when she approached them.

She said nothing as the woman looked at her, knowing her appearance was causing questions to form in the woman's mind. She offered a small smile, at least, to try and be polite despite her situation. The white haired woman didn't offer any words while they spoke, seemingly more interested in looking around until she heard that the asked for food wouldn't be a nice enough meal for herself. She scoffed at Tasian's response, rolling her eyes. "I'll only get sick if I try and eat anything more or too rich." She told the woman in a soft voice, as if she were worried her speaking would anger the jailer of hers.

She sighed when the woman left, leaving her alone once more with the white haired man. She licked her lips as she looked at him, this time taking in the handsome face she could see up close. Definitely a handsome man. Strong and battle worn. She thought to herself almost pleasantly as she looked at him quietly. No doubt in me that he'd take an eye if I keep staring. The idea of losing one of her eyes made her skin crawl - despite her situation she prided herself for her different appearance - one she inherited from her late mother. Any daughter she had would look like her, but children seemed so far from her reach. She sighed, raising her chained hands to run her fingers across her face as she eyed the man before her. "You should eat too." She said almost gently. She hadn't liked the pity the woman had shown her, but had been used to it by now. Anyone that truly knew who she was pitied her because of what happened to her, not that she seemed to care these days. It would take time before she could reclaim her birthright, something she was still planning on reclaiming even if it killed her.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

The words that had slipped Rila's mouth had went without comment or reaction from Tasian, instead the man was taking more to being his usual characteristic of silent and cold as the woman had retreated and left the two alone once more, and much to Tasian's annoyance the prisoner across from him seemed to be once more studying his face. Her previous comments filtered into the man's mind once more, as well as her less than encouraged conduct during the night prior which made the captain raise his gaze to meet her red, a warning in the icy depths that held true the threat that had went through her mind. If he hadn't been under orders to bring her back unscathed, she certainly could have already lost an eye or maybe both due to her close scrutiny.

This harsh expression would falter as she stated that he should eat too, causing the man to look aside, "I'll do so later." There were other matters he'd much rather attend to, such as making sure his prisoner would be tended to first before himself. Of course, even in their tense silence, it seemed as if one of the mercenaries seemed to have passed a glance in the direction of the table where Tasian and his prisoner sat, prompting the distinct clatter of ale upon the wooden table as unsteady footsteps echoed across wooden floorboards, a boisterous voice ringing above the noise of the tavern, "Well, look who- who it ish! The kingsh's lapdog!" A meaty hand would be slammed on the wooden table, connected to a large man that reeked of the ale he had overindulged in.

The smell burned Tasian's nose, icy eyes peering behind long pale lashes at the sneering face glaring down at him with all too obvious hostility, "Finally, deshided to git off tha' high horsh huh?!" The face that belonged to the very much drunk and irate man seemed almost familiar, albeit the connection in his mind would not merge together, leaving a blank as Tasian raised an eyebrow, a lack of surprise or even acknowledgement in the man's face as he looked over the mercenary then turned his head toward his prisoner, stonewalling the man as he deemed whoever this drunken fellow was, he was a waste of his time.

"Oi!" The same hand grabbed a hold of the crimson collar of Tasian's attire, wrenching the man abruptly to face the mercenary as he sneered, "Do yoush even knows who I am?!" He spat with venom, speckles of his spit landing upon the irritated face of Tasian, "'Cause of yoush I lost everything! Everything!" Hah... now Tasian remembered the sneering and embittered face that belonged to this man. Raising a hand, the man's icy eyes turned disinterested as he grabbed hold of the meaty hand still lodged far too tight upon his collar, "Well, I certainly didn't expect you to turn to mercenary work... but that is not a fault of mine, now is it? We have laws and rules for a reason, not my fault that you thought yourself above them."

"Furthermore, it's in my right to defend myself, now is it?" The icy question was followed by a sharp right hook to the man's jaw, causing the drunken man to stumble clumsily over his own feet, and stumbling over a wooden table that tumbled underneath the weight of flesh and armor both. A less than graceful display from the man who was now looking through enraged beady eyes at the disinterested icy eyes that met his, "There was a reason why you were let go. In all honesty, your sentence was far too lenient. The gallows should have been your reward."

 

[catatonic]

Rila hadn't expected a response, but the threat in his eyes made her look away from him so he didn't act on it. She sighed as they fell into a silence, glancing at him when he said he'd eat later, frowning lightly at the declaration. It didn't make sense not to eat when the opportunity rose, but she wouldn't press him to. She had no affect on him after all.

Her nose crinkled as the smell of mead filled her senses when the man approached and began speaking to her jailer, herself frowning when he looked in her direction even if it was brief. She watched the interaction, sitting back as far in her seat as she could and not even flinching when Tasian squarely socked him in the jaw with a solid right hook. Impressive. She thought to herself, almost pleased as she looked at the man from where he was on the ground, amusement evident in her facial features. So much for thinking the mercenaries would be able to steal her from Tasian.

She sighed to herself, hands resting in her lap as she looked between the pair, wondering if the brute would try and fight Tasian back for his punch. She wouldn't have any means of helping, she was shackled in chains, but that didn't mean she wanted to be in any sort of way if a fight did break out. She licked her lips, feeling sick with hunger and wondering how long it'd be before her food would arrive, knowing to herself that she wouldn't be able to finish the full meal but would try and ate as much as possible. "Might not be wise fucking with him if he so easily put you on your ass." She said to the man on the ground, shackled hands raising to push her long white hair out of her face. It fell freely down her back since she had removed the braid it had been in, and added a bit of a cover for her small frame in the seat. "He might do worse than give you a bruise on your jaw." She continued, almost trying to egg on a fight just to be able to see what Tasian would be like in a hand to hand fight.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Annoyance was the only emotion that was primarily ruling over Tasian as he raised a hand to brush away the place where the mercenary had gripped his collar, staring with contempt down at the fool who was struggling to regain his bearings in the bleary eyes that fluttered and the mouth that was struggling to form drunken words or even insults. Though, it perhaps would have ended there if the damned prisoner hadn't opened her mouth.

The taunt made Tasian tense as he whipped his head around to shoot her an angry glare. What the hell do you think you're doing?! The accusation was on the tip of his tongue, rage sparking in the little flickers of indignance within the icy blues of his gaze, glaring down at the ghastly thin prisoner that seemed to be all too eager to egg on a situation that she knew naught aside from the very minimal exchange with the two men. Movement did catch his eye as he whipped his head around to face the table from which the man came from, a surge of movement as his eyes spotted in the dim light daggers glinting evilly within leather sheaths, beady eyes glaring with newfound hostility at the one man who had rightfully embarrassed their all too brash companion.

Great. Fantastic truly. His jaw clenched, skin prickling with the knowledge that he now had an audience to what was quickly heating up into what could be a very dangerous brawl. The drunken man had stumbled back on his feet, a hand coming to the redden spot where Tasian's fist had met his skin, "Bashtard..!" Then as predictable came the retaliation of a swing, sloppy in its execution as Tasian sidestepped, the weight of the man tumbling past him only for him to abruptly whip around and follow with another angry swing that met Tasian's side; the large fist sinking into his ribs as his lungs protested underneath the harsh pressure, driving the man to release a sharp breath in response, his legs locking into place to prevent his body from being sent toppling.

Anger now controlled him despite rational thought being to not drag attention to himself; or at least as little attention as he possibly could in regards to this situation that was quickly spiraling out of control. Numb fingers moved, fueled by rage as they dug into the arm that was still anchored to his side; elbow coming to strike with brutality against the drunkard's face; twice in succession, rewarding him with fresh blood and a guttural cry the nose of the man gave way underneath the blow, blood seeping into the already deep crimson of his coat, the man slumping back into the floorboards for a mere moment as Tasian's rage twisted expression had turned to look now at the other mercenaries that had now stood, the glinting of brandished daggers being an all too obvious sight to his eyes.

So, they wanted to drag weapons in to this now? By all means he welcomed it, the man wanted to blow off some steam, and low lives like these men certainly would be all too easy to-

"HEY! What in Baruer's name are you jackasses doing?!" The exclamation was shrill as Frances with her lopsided steps had suddenly cut through the tension, a steaming bowl of meat and potatoes balances on one hand and her free one pointing in irritation at the mercenaries holding daggers in their hands, "No weapons!" Then with another angry point, she snarled at Tasian, "And no brawling! I'm running a tavern here, not a fucking colosseum! You want to fight? Take it outside!"

Tasian's anger filled expression twisted for a few seconds, a bit miffed that he was getting the brunt of the accusations in regard to Frances, but the man would relent in the release of the man in his grasp, letting the fool fall to the ground in a mumbling heap and a groan of pain as the tavern owner had crossed the distance and placed the bowl in front of Rila, though being all too quick to shoot Tasian a dirty glare, "Know when to hold back, idiot."

"He started it first. I merely ended it, is there a problem with that?" He was quick to shoot back, though eyeing the mercenaries who were now picking up their battered companion and hauling him back to a wooden chair, causing Frances to place her hands on her hips as she scowled, "Yes! Yes it is! Especially when you decide to act like a barbarian in my establishment. I'm trying to make money here!"

 

[catatonic]

His angry glare didn't make the look of amusement falter on her features at all, especially as she leaned back in her seat to enjoy the show. Definitely could use a tip or two from him. Rila thought as she watched him easily handle the brute in their fight, glancing back to see the other mercenaries standing at the sight of their brother being walked over by Tasian. She grinned to herself, chuckling when the man's nose broke under Tasian's elbow.

She hummed when Frances appeared and stopped the brawl, feigning a innocent state of being when she placed the food in front of her. "Thank you." She said softly when she did, reaching to take a bite after blowing on the hot food. She savored the taste of it, for it was the first actual meal she had had in months. Her stomach growled at the food, and she silently ate at it while listening to the chatter around her. She was certain she'd get an earful from Tasian later for egging the fight on, but she had been pleased to see him in action with his hand to hand prowess.

She figured in a better state of being, she'd be able to keep up with him in terms of hand to hand, but as she was right now she knew he'd handle her pretty easily. She doubted she'd ever get the pleasure of fighting the man, though she didn't think she'd want it. He'd kill her without so much as blinking an eye and she knew it well. She swallowed a mouthful of food, humming at the feeling of being filled, having ate only half the bowl before she started to feel sick. She pushed it away when she was done with it, reaching for the cup of water that had been given to her and taking slow sips to not upset her stomach anymore. "Sorry." She said to Tasian, wanting to apologize for starting the fight he had to be a part of. "I just wanted to see you in the midst of a fight is all." She chuckled, knowing he wouldn't find amusement in what she had.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Frances had huffed, once more passing glare to put her point across toward Tasian as she turned on her heel and stormed off, the only kinder expression being when she had given Rila a faint smile in response to her gratitude, only for her to begin to see to it that her other rowdy patrons would get an earful as well of her anger, a mix of waggling fingers and all too angry curses leaving the woman's lips as she scowled down at the mercenaries who were trying to make up excuses for their downed companion.

The sight made Tasian's expression sour as he settled back down at the wooden table, anger bubbling within his veins as he glared at the troublemaker across from him, watching her eat making him desire to almost give her a well deserved punch himself... but he needed to reign in his anger. Closing his eyes he took in a shallow breath and exhaled, an agitation in his limbs due to the adrenaline that was plaguing him as a result of the brief fight. So much for trying to get some rest after this, he doubted he'd be able to sleep well until he calmed down, having every intention of prolonging their stay for a little if only to rest for the night in a bed.

"You're far more trouble than this is worth." He bit back at her apology, in a foul mood now as he glared with unbound hostility at the fool across from him, "You're very lucky I'm under orders to not kill you. Keep it up, and I might just disregard those orders entirely." An accident, he could claim, yes... just one simple accident that he wouldn't have accounted for that resulted in the poor prisoner's end! How convenient would it be if he could lie to the king's face, if only he could without feeling intense guilt. A huff of breath left him as he lowered his gaze to the half eaten food upon the table, a sullenness to his face as he felt a bit miffed at this whole situation.

Why him? ...No, he knew why, because he never asked questions and never allowed himself to perform a mission sloppily. Perhaps his dreaded nickname of being a lapdog was a bit too true, all too quick to roll over for his master if only to hear the usual approval that would fill him with pride and glee that he'd performed satisfactory for the king. It was a feeling that he chased relentlessly, but even then was that brief high worth it for this fool? No. He was almost becoming sure that it wasn't.

"..Next time keep your mouth shut, understand? You're of no use and unable to defend yourself right now. Know your place." Icy was the words that merely were stating cold facts. What would have happened if he were to fail there? It wasn't as if he was in the best shape right now either, the poison was still dulling his movements and making them sluggish, slow.

 

[catatonic]

Rila had been pleased with the brief fight she got to witness, even if she knew the white haired man was sluggish because of the poison in his system. He had handled himself well even with it being bothersome. She looked at him when he spoke, frowning to herself but nodding nonetheless. He was right, honestly, he could kill her and she was unable to defend herself. She sighed as she looked at her bowl of half eaten food, feeling sick at the idea of trying to finish the food.

She rested her hands on her lap, sighing to herself as she looked down at her shackles. I'll never be a free woman again. She thought to herself, frowning again as she looked back at the white haired man. "I would like to think killing me would cause you some trouble. Your King wants me for something. To return empty handed would cause offense." She grumbled, though she figured he wouldn't care too much of an "accident" fell upon her which would clean himself of her.

So much for being civil. Rila thought sourly to herself as she avoided his gaze, feeling sick at the fact that his King wanted her for whatever reason. She figured it would be a public display of taking her head or even imprisonment in the very dungeon she knew how to escape from. She had no real way of knowing what King William had wanted of her, just that he did want her presence and she was unable to deny him of it.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

"Perhaps it would." He admitted with his anger slowly subsiding from his tone, her words merely reminding him that once more his hands would be tied in regards to her fate. He could not strike her down as much as he desired to, nor after giving her a passing glance over again would it give him much satisfaction. She was so thin, so terribly thin that it seemed like the wind itself could easily blow her away. His hand could easily crush her windpipe, the gaunt features almost akin to that of a ghost.

Hah, truly she would provide no sport for him at all. Even if he could be free from her chatter, it would serve no purpose aside from gaining the king's ire, something that he didn't want; not toward the man who had given him everything he had now. Tasian would not repay his kindness with ungratefulness.

Icy blues would eventually snap back to reality, the piercing eyes of the man seemed to have been far more interested in burning holes through the woman across from him, with a grunt he had surged to his feet, ignoring the prickling of gazes around him from drunken gazes, crossing the room to once more get ahold of Frances. It was now up to him to secure a room for them, at least to have some semblance of peace from the general public, though not only that but Tasian's eyes were growing heavy, the gnawing of hunger at his gut being ignored if only for the need to sleep, a need that had went unattended to.

"I need a room." The blunt words left his lips as Frances turned her head to look at him, though at first met with a scowl, it had shifted eventually into an eyebrow raising as she looked from him to the pitiful soul still bound by chains and back again, "One or two?"

"One."
"Oh? How bold of you Tasian, I'd never thought I would see the day that you would take a woman to your-"

The frigid glare that suddenly met her teasing words had made Frances huff, her mirth being quickly evaporated as she spoke sullenly, "Geez, you're no fun! At least attempt to play along with me here!" The man responded in turn, irritation lining his tone, "I would laugh if it were actually funny. Now how much? You're wasting time." The impatience surging in his tone had made the woman frown at him again, eyebrows creasing as she raised three fingers, "Three gold per day."

...​

It wouldn't take long until Tasian would go to retrieve Rila once more, giving her a disinterested glance as he gathered up her chains and proceeded to make his way toward the back of the tavern and to the familiar wooden stairway, one that served as the way upward to a long hallway full of doors, some of which drifted sounds much better left unheard, though luckily enough for Tasian's sanity the room they had been given had been toward the very end of the hallway, far away from most of the already occupied rooms.

Opening the door; the inside held just a single bed with a window to the outside showing the late noon skies of which were turning orange and dying into deep crimson. The saddlebag that was at Tasian's side would be dumped upon the simple table toward the other side of the room, the door sliding close with a solid click as Tasian eyed the bed.

Ah, how tempting it would be to allow himself to fall upon it and simply allow himself to collapse into unconsciousness... but he will not permit himself that luxury, not with the prisoner still needing to be watched. So, with reluctance deep in his chest, he released an annoyed sigh and turned to look at the woman still in chains, loathing what would be his sleeping arrangements for the night but it couldn't be helped. "Take the bed." The order seemed a bit strange, after all one wouldn't put it past him to simply cast the woman on the floor and expect her to sleep upon the wooden floorboards... but he was keeping in mind that her physical appearance needed to improve vastly. This included getting better rest.

Under any other circumstances; he wouldn't have cared. In fact, like any prisoner, her treatment would and should be harsher than the careful consideration he was taking with her. But, the king's orders were absolute and he must do what he could to hopefully obscure the damage of the hell that she had to endure.

 

[catatonic]

Rila had said nothing else in response to his words, just looked at the table instead of staring at him anymore. She sighed to herself when he left, figuring he had gone to arrange a room for themselves, deciding to look around at the drunkards she could see. It all amused her, the smells and sights. Nobody here knew who she was, just that she was some prisoner that Tasian had to escort. Albeit a high risk one, considering the lap dog of the King was her escort, but a prisoner nonetheless.

She sighed when he returned to her and followed after him without much of a word, amused by the moans that could be heard from some of the rooms and when they found themselves in their room for the night, she shifted a little nervously as she noticed there was only one bed. She didn't move from her spot when he shut the door behind them and crossed the room to set the saddlebag on the table, eyeing him carefully when he said for her to take the bed. She frowned lightly, confused as to why he would offer her the bed instead of taking it himself. "Okay." She mumbled in response, moving across the room to sit on the bed.

It wasn't soft like she would have liked, but it would serve it's purpose in allowing her a dreamless sleep. And sleep was heavy in her eyelids as she now had a full stomach and they were in the privacy of the room. She looked at him curiously for a moment as she shifted to lay back, not caring if he unchained her hands or not. She didn't think he would. She pulled the blanket over herself, hiding her malnourished form from his eyesight, wishing to herself she had the privacy of the room to herself. She was a little needy and there was no way she'd pleasure herself in the same place as him. She sighed as she rested her head on the pillow, eyes closing as her breathing began to even out, falling into a dreamless sleep that was probably the first peaceful night's sleep she had gotten in months.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Tasian would not give his prisoner a second glance, uninterested in whatever she deemed would be necessary for her to rest, for to him it didn't matter. His steps carried him to the table which he had emptied the saddlebag, grasping hold of the wooden chair and carrying it toward the door, resting the back of the chair against the door itself as he seated himself upon what would serve as his bed for that night, causing him to eye the bed begrudgingly, a bit miffed that he had to settle for this option, but he needed to make sure he fulfilled his duties... no matter how uncomfortable it would make him.

Granted, as he watched the prisoner settle herself underneath the blankets and settle into sleep, to him it was obvious just how skinny she was which would certainly make it difficult to find suitable clothes for her that would actually fit. The dilemma made his lips turn down in a frown as he shook his head, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. It couldn't be helped, it would take quite a bit of time until enough weight would be placed upon the woman, and he certainly didn't want to entertain the thought longer than he had to when he needed to rest himself.

Stomach twisting a bit in hunger, the man had forced his eyes to close as he took in slower breaths to ease himself into a light sleep, not desiring to truly dream even if he wanted to. He needed to be prepared for anything, anything at all could happen and he would have to be alert enough to deal accordingly with it... but this sentiment would go unwarranted for now as it seemed they would be left alone to rest in relative peace, though Tasian did wake occasionally during the night due to footsteps ringing down the hallway, his fingers nearly reaching for the blade at his hip a few times only for the footsteps to not go in their direction and retreat entirely the other way.

This fitful cycle of waking then sleeping, only to wake again would persist until morning would come to relieve Tasian of his vigil, though the man could not say he had a decent night's sleep. Instead the whites of his eyes were reddened, his eyelids feeling heavier than ever as a slow sigh left him, his hand coming to his face to shield it from the slowly brightening room. It was obvious enough that the man didn't get a good enough rest, but would he complain? No, not when he was on duty.

 

[catatonic]

When the morning sun rose, Rila stirred, groaning as she woke up from her dreamless sleep. It was the first night she had a dreamless sleep from start to finish, and to say she was a little rested was good. She rubbed her eyes as best she could, sitting up in the bed, the blanket falling off her as she moved. Her gaze looked around the room, spotting Tasian against the door in a chair looking like he'd seen better days.

"You should have taken the bed." She sighed as she looked at him, feeling guilty that she had robbed him of a good night's sleep. Well, a little guilty. She sighed again, pushing the blanket off herself and standing to her feet, stretching her arms over her head before siting back on the bed, looking out the window with a soft gaze. She knew to herself that she'd never be free again, not with whatever King William had planned for her.

She licked her lips, briefly turning her red gaze on the man across the room before looking out the window again. Silence would fall between them as they seemed to wait for whatever need be to be done. Well, she was waiting for him to tell her they would be leaving. She couldn't imagine he wanting to spend another day in the tavern/inn, knowing he would want to get on the move as quick as he could to rid himself of her. And when she was beginning to somewhat enjoy his company, even if he did glare at her so much or issue death threats with his eyes.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

The hand that had come to shield his face from the obnoxious rays of the sun had parted and instead his bloodshot eyes turned to glare at the prisoner who had spoken the words he knew would have been more beneficial for himself, but instead he growled, "Shut it." A grouchiness due to lack of sleep for certain as the man had allowed his hand to leave his face as his head hit the door; glaring up at the ceiling above them as he took in a few deep breaths to regain his composure and soothe himself. This was only made slightly easier due to the silence of his prisoner as the annoyance began to cool and his thoughts were beginning to come together through the fog in his mind.

Icy eyes shifted to look at the woman, eyeing the pitiful excuse of rags that still clung to her, evidence of her previous imprisonment if the chains weren't enough. That was right, he needed to get rid of those sorry excuses for clothes, though he truly would have wanted to wait until she had at least fattened up a little, it couldn't be helped. She attracted too much attention as it was with how ghastly she looked, and even if his position was well known to the people of Yeldware; it didn't mean he wanted for questions to start being asked. How he hated this woman, even if she was merely a victim of circumstance, he wished he could just toss her aside and return home! Yes, at least there he could have a proper bed and be able to fall into daily routine, spend time with his obnoxious childhood friend and suffer his antics...

He really must be in dire straits if he truly did think for a second that he wanted to be pestered by the crown prince than have to deal with this fool. The thought made the man sigh as he slowly stood to his feet, experimentally rolling his shoulder as he spoke, "Breakfast first, then we're getting you some new clothes. I don't want to stay in this town for too long." The man paused as he looked to where she was peering out from, the window. There was nothing out of the ordinary to warrant her staring our from it, perhaps was she pining for her own freedom? A useless thought, nor did he truly care if she desired her own freedom. That wasn't up to him to decide, nor did he care about her fate.

 

[catatonic]

Rila didn't say anything when he told her to shut it, just rolled her eyes as she sat there and waited for him. Her red gaze looked longingly out the window, like it would offer her the freedom she wished she could have. Such a thing would never come to pass unfortunately for her. She sighed to herself, fingers resting tangled together in her lap.

She shifted her attention to him when he moved, eyeing him carefully as he spoke again. Her stomach growled at the mention of food, much to her dismay. Not that she could control it - food would be needed and he was at least giving her something of substance. Nothing like the mere slop and scraps she had been receiving at the mining camp. This food would actually prove to fill her and put some weight back on her bones - though gaining weight would take time.

She nodded her head when he was done speaking, knowing he spoke the truth. Rila hadn't thought he'd wanted to stay in one place too long. Especially not with the long trek they had to take to get to the city and Palace. She reached up with her shackled hands, running her fingers through her long locks as best she could before settling her hands back in her lap. She didn't offer any words on what he said, there was nothing she could say. Maybe a "thank you" on the prospect of food and a new outfit but she wasn't about to say anything yet. She wasn't the rude type or anything, just not entirely sure she wanted to be gracious to a man that was constantly threatening her. Even if she did try to ease their moments of tension with playful flirting and light teasing - not that it amounted to anything. He obviously held a disdain for her even if he didn't know who she really was.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

After gazing out from the window, Tasian found himself feeling foolish. There was indeed nothing to gain from gazing out from the window for whatever his prisoner was looking out upon, for there was nothing out of the ordinary. Murlayfield was just beginning to stir in the early hours that would come with morning, and there was no activity that was out of the ordinary to be of any cause or concern. Nonetheless, his stomach did clench at the lack of food, due to his concerns being on the prisoner rather than himself, he had forgone dinner in trade for remaining vigilant within the room... ah, how his neck was beginning to ache too from being uncomfortable upon the wooden chair.

Resentment was perhaps a petty emotion to urge within him at this moment, but once more the man couldn't help but feel quite annoyed with the task he had been burdened with, not that such complaints will leave his lips in his prisoner's company. He couldn't do much of anything anyways, evident from the hanging of defeat in his shoulders as icy eyes glared down at her for perhaps what felt like the hundredth time. He needed to hurry up and greet the new day as soon as possible, tend to his own needs as well as hers. Even if he denied himself good rest, he at least needed food to keep his stamina up.

Without sparing her another word, the man had moved the chair from the doorway and opened the door for her, though he did take hold of her chains as well as keep the bag filled with their supplies close to him. It was obvious enough he didn't trust her to handle anything still, seeing her as close to death's door rather than being of any true use to him. It wouldn't be too long until they would be seated at their table from during the night, the man settling himself once more across from her as he didn't seem interested at all in looking at her, the redness to his eyes evidence of the lack of sleep that was making his head pound as a familiar voice echoed from across the tavern in a familiar greeting, "Good morning- oh? You look like you've been through hell."

The woman stepped up the table, peering at the cold countenance of the guard captain as a playful grin crossed her face, "Was something keeping you up last night? Hmm?" Tasian's expression almost immediately turned visibly disgusted again, already having an inkling of what Frances was insinuating... he did not appreciate it. "That isn't funny in the slightest." Dry and annoyed was the tone he responded to the tavern keeper with, prompting her to throw up her hands in return, "I was just joking. My, you're really prickly today." Frances' eyes turned to Rila then, a smile crossing her face, though it once more was tinged with pity, "Now, what can I get for you this morning?"

 

[catatonic]

Rila looked away from the window when she heard the chair move, rising from the bed and sighing as she lead the way out. She noticed how close Tasian kept the supply bag, like he still didn't trust her in carrying anything. Not that she blamed him, he did pick her up from a prison mining camp. She soon found herself at the table they were at the night before, sitting as far as her chains would allow her, her hands resting her lap as she watched the tavern/inn keeper come up to them. She rolled her eyes at the implication she was referring to, a little off put by the obvious disgust on the white haired man's features. He would never think of her as a woman, merely an insect that was bothering him. He'd never bed her, she knew that much already.

She sighed at the pitiful smile that was given her, though she was used to it by now. At least the woman didn't seem to know who she really was. "Just some oatmeal if you have it." She replied in a soft voice, her crimson eyes watching the woman carefully. She liked her spunk, if she met her in different circumstances she could have seen them as fast friends. Alas she wouldn't be allowed such a luxury. She looked over at Tasian, with his red eyes and tired slouch of his shoulders. She knew he should have taken the bed instead of sleeping in the chair, if he had even gotten any sleep that is.

"Will we be fixing to get me a new outfit after we eat?" She asked him, the first time in speaking to him that morning. She figured it would be a good idea to change her ragged clothes out for something more appropriate, though she knew with her current stature that any new dress or tights and tunic would hang loosely on her body. It would take a few weeks before she would finally gain any muscle mass after her treatment at the mining camp. She wondered just how long he would be able to keep up his somewhat "civil" approach to her, considering they still had a long journey ahead of them.