The Taming

It's Blood

Elsabet was a sight to behold tonight.

Mardichi was glaring at her.

Sebastian was as mesmerized as Acharius' lady had been mere hours ago.

That glimmering silk was silver. As was the circlet which drew her long braid from her forehead. Making her deep blue eyes look even larger. Tiny metal flowers dangled from her ears and a silver vine wound her arm to encircle one wrist.

She looks like some little fey I'd find in the woods. Bast thought.

Magical. And just as likely to bite.

"Perhap' she's no' as evil as they say." He grudgingly conceded.

Sine she's here to hear it. Bast laughed inwardly. Knowing full well how fond Mardichi was of Elsabet, though neither would admit it.

"She may tend me." Mardichi moved the sheet down to his waist to expose all his crisscrossing bandages.

"I already did." She said softly.

"You put cool rags on me but I dunno' recall you bandaging me. But you may again." He decided.

"You can't feel your lower half yet." She said. "You had some bad bites in your back that are only starting to heal. That's how I stripped you without you knowing. You couldn't feel you didn't have clothes when you woke."

"You can inspect me bandages." He tossed the blanket aside to reveal his soaked shirt and breeches.

"You're the biggest louse." Bast shook his head. "The way your burr comes and goes when your trying to impress women..."

Bast laughed. "Really something...you are."

Mardichi blinked innocently.

Elsabet intervened as she drew closer. Eyeing the sweep of bandages running over his torso. "I see you have soiled your bandages."

"Tha's blood. No' shit." Mardichi corrected.

She sent him a sideways glance but didn't bother to correct his assumption that soiled meant feces.

"Oh, you'll let a woman have a look at all those wounds?" Bast asked dryly.

"Just this one."

Elsabet smiled. Shaking her head. "Mardichi..."

"I think it'd be fair if fer once, one o' us stole a bit from ye?" Mardichi gave Bast a taunting look.

Like hell.

"I'd like to see you try." Bast muttered.

Mardichi peered over the arm she had outstretched over his belly, to meet Bast's gaze. Nudging his head toward her and wiggling his brows.

Bast's chin hitched. He pulled out his dagger and gestured to his nether loins where he mimicked a cutting motion. Giving Mardichi a purposeful look.

Mardichi lifted a brow and mouthed. You're too tiny. Like a wee gel.

"What did you say?" Elsabet asked, seeing his mouth moving.

"Nothing, Sweet Thing." Mardichi smiled at her. "It's quite good of you to tend me so."

"Oh, back to enunciating and speak properly!" Bast tossed his arms in disgust and stalked from the room in aggravation.

"What's wrong with him?" Elsabet frowned after him.

"Bah! He's moody like a wench." Mardichi confided.

Elsabet giggled.

Even Sebastian's lips were twitching.