Hamish:284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AcKh7Zhii
“Finished screaming?” A voice asked, “I have never been healed by the mystic arts, but I hear it is very painful.”
I refused to open my eyes in case it brought about more pain. I felt stretched out, pulled apart and then put back together again. The inside of my bones itched. The healer woman’s calm, still face would haunt my dreams for months. As though my pain had been merely part of the process.
I swallowed, feeling the dryness and soreness of my throat, “Why are you here again, Lord? What is it that I can help you with?”
“That session was very expensive, I thought to check on my asset.” He said it bitterly, but so subtly it forced me to open an eye.
He looked to have slept little, still in the clothes from last night. The thought triggered the dawn to shine through the window. I touched my chest, feeling thin lines traced over my chest. I checked all the other places, feeling no pain.
“Thankyou.” I said genuinely, honestly thankful to be rid of the ever-aching pain and boredom.
He poured a glass of water, waiting for me to sit up before passing it to me. “Consider yourself a wedding present.”
I gulped down the water, taking the jug from his hands. I waited for the water to settle in my empty stomach before sitting up properly, legs crossed on the bed. “Lord Tomas, I will not take your Lady from you. I have already told you this. My only wish – “
“- is to protect her, I know.” He growled, “but I saw your eyes yesterday. I saw…”
“Love.” I shrugged, “you already know this. I have known her since she was young.”
“She said as much,” he muttered, “How will she trust me when you are by her side?”
I got up from the bed, stretching my shoulders and twisting side to side to get rid of the tingles running up and down my limbs.
“She will trust you,” I said, “when you trust her.” I walked towards the door, “I hope to never be in here again.” I said over my shoulder, in search of a bathhouse. And away from those searching eyes.
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Madelaine: 284Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJg3MOzV0IG
I ate alone. Lord Tomas was absent, probably wanting to question the girl early. Eating alone did not bother me, often finding myself alone in my childhood. There I had been the charming little girl of the estate; here, I was a lady. Sarah waited by the wall on my left side, already at work chatting with the serving girls.
“I wish to take a turn in the garden,” I said, placing my knife and fork on the plate before standing. Sarah led me through the hallway, smiling at any who passed us by. There, among the roses Hamish knelt by the path, picking a blood red rose and twirling it thoughtfully in his fingers. Joy welled up inside of me, unknowingly picking up the pace.
“Captain Hamish.” I grinned, “so glad to see you awake.” He had returned to his captains’ uniform, the blue contrasting with the red around us. His hair looked tussled, as though he had washed it and ran his fingers through it multiple times.
“You’ve demoted me, remember.” He said, “I’m your bodyguard now.” I looked up into his eyes, upset by his tone, but saw his eyes laughing behind his frown.
“You don’t want to protect me anymore?” I asked coyly.
“On the contrary, I just want more pay.” He said sternly, before breaking out into a smile. He pointed out towards the garden and I walked forward, allowing him to walk slightly behind me.
“Both of us know your combat abilities far outstretch mine,” he murmured, “while I am flattered, your father will be confused why you want a bodyguard along with your Sarah.”
“There are some things you can do that both of us cannot.” I told him, saying the truth, “for now, I am glad you have recovered.”
“Lanie,” he whispered, “don’t forget to please the Lord. He is sick with jealously and longing. Be careful it does not turn to despising.”
I nodded, “you should have warned me the affect I have earlier.”
He chuckled deeply behind me, his cape flowing off his broad shoulders, “for one so talented, sometimes I forget how young you really are.”
We continued to chat, of unimportant things and old times. They were refreshing, as though Hamish brought with him a chance to piece myself together behind the simple conversation. He had a way of boosting my confidence and pulling my ego down in the same stroke.
“Mice?” he asked now, amused, “what of mice?”
“There are carvings all around the castle. Even in my rooms.”
He shook his head, “I don’t understand the fascination.”
“There was a folk tale in Tomas’ study…” I tapped my lips with my finger thoughtfully, “I don’t know… my instincts say they’re important.”
We turned the corner, finding Tomas kneeling beside rare blue, luna roses. He seemed lost in thought, as though an invisible bubble had grown around him.
Hamish leaned into my shoulder, eyeing the Lord curiously, “speak of the devil…”
“Are you saying unsavoury things to my future wife?” Tomas asked quietly, rising from his place.
Hamish stepped back at once, giving the Lord a respectful nod of his head, “of course not, Lord.”
“Any news from the thief?” I asked, gliding close to the handsome man.
He watched me for a moment, catching my eyes. He held out a hand and I took it in the stride, turning with him back towards the castle.
“She has told me some interesting things.” He said, Hamish a shadow behind us, “very much connected to the letter you took.”
I smiled, blushing at his intense gaze. “I think we could buy these bandits out. They hold loyalty only to themselves.”
“In that game we may not come out on top.” He looked at my face, seeing my eyebrows lift, “you… were not talking of money, but of hostages.”
“These people truly have nothing but each other.”
He tapped his chin, thinking. “True, we do not have the time to draw this out in any case.”
I squeezed his arm, moving his attention to my face, “Will you join me for a ride later this afternoon?”
He smiled slowly, like a mouse holding cheese, “of course. I will take care of matters until then.” He lifted my hand, pressing it to his mouth, “I will find you then.”
He caught my eyes with his own before turning and padding away.
“He is a very intense man.” Hamish said behind me, “as though the world rests on his shoulders.”
“It probably does,” I replied, watching the lord’s back, “he is a complicated, very observant and clever man.”
“With eyes to die for.” Hamish gushed, mockingly fanning himself with a hand. He laughed, breaking into a grin. I looked at him sidelong, amused, “I am glad you approve.”
He frowned at me, but shrugged, leading us back to the castle, “that,” he said, looking behind him, “doesn’t matter.”
Sarah appeared by my side, curtsying towards Hamish. I had only just realised she had left me when I had seen the captain, surprised at my lack of notice.
“Where did you go Sarah?”
She smiled into my face, her eyes devious, “I have made a little game with the staff.”
“Oh?”
“I have set a prize to the one who finds the most mouse related décor in the castle.”
“What a clever creature you are!” I grinned, “and what was the prize?”
Sarah’s grin slowly turned sinister, spreading across her face as though she was plotting murder.
“If they can show me where each mouse is, and they are the winner. I promised them the captain would present them with a rose.”
Hamish looked at her with such a betrayed look I burst out laughing. He frowned, and I shrugged up at him, “how fortune the winner.”
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