Rise, and Come

Chapter Five

After they ate, he smiled and brushed a thumb across her cheek. "You have markings there now."

"I do?" she reached up, and rubbed. She was still nestled in his lap. He laughed, and leaned forward to snag the mirror. "Look. Pattern of your tribe. I'm not up on it, but I suspect you with find other Miqo'te with similar markings." 

"Oh." she was quietly touching the lines, like a broad stroke of a paint brush, across her cheeks. Her eyes widened. "Oh, my gawd, I'm a tabby." 

She giggled at his blank look, "It's a coat pattern some cats have where I'm from. Said to be good mousers."

"O-oh." he studied her and smiled. It was good to hear her laugh. Not shrill, either. He'd like to continue hearing her - he shook his head. They had to get out first.

"Enough of that," he interrupted gently. "I remembered where I saw a chart like yours. It was for ... livestock being brought to market."

She caught his shoulders, "I am NOT getting roasted. Or fried. Or filleted. I'll DO the cooking, thank you very much."

He raised an eyebrow, "You do look edible, though ..." and chuckled at her blush, "No, I suspect we have slave traders, human trafficking. They wanted to make sure you were healthy for market. My cousin sent me in, looking for smugglers, she wasn't sure what they were trying to bring over. I found plenty of contraband, then ... " he looked down a moment.

"Yesterday - it would have been their birthday, my friends who died. So, I took one of the cases of wine and got drunk. Then I saw one of those things you have, and it had a message on it, promising a woman, and I thought, why the hell not, and followed the directions."

She snorted. "I thought you were a little out of it. But I didn't know you at all, so I just let it go. I'm very glad you found me."

She mused, "How did they get me your picture, though?"

He shrugged, "I used to be well known, but I gave it all up. I was renowned in the field. A hero in the last war," He looked down at her, "But, when they died, it didn't seem worthwhile any longer."

She reached up and brushed his cheek gently. "You must have been close" He sighed and leaned into her hand, "Beyond brothers."

Then smiled tightly, and shook his head, "But, it's not something I want to talk about at the moment, we should-"

"Stop" she laid a finger on his lips, and he stopped, "Promise me, one day you will tell me? I don't want - I do remember enough to know that it is not good to keep it hidden inside." She pulled his head down enough to kiss, and did, gently, "I don't want you to hurt any more."

He responded, sliding her forward and down onto the bed. He returned the kiss, but with a greater hunger. She exhaled softly, and smiled up at him, "Promise?"

He studied her, lying there beneath him. Such a petite thing, yet holding his heart already, "I promise. Now, could we stop talking for a while? All that talk of being edible has made me hungry ..."

She unfurled beneath him. "Come, then, if you are coming."

And that was the last either spoke for some time, mouths being occupied in other ways.

***

Some time later ...

They lay facing one another. At some point she had lost the sleep shirt, and shivered slightly at the cool air. Alden drew her close, and pulled the light blanket over them. He kissed her ear and she nestled into his chest. "Better?"

"Mmm."

He traced her shoulder tattoos. "When did you get these?" 

She stirred against him. "Mm? Oh. It started with the small one over the tracker, and then I mentioned one day, that since I had that, I'd like more of a design. It was a way to take a small amount of control back. My own small defiance. For about a week, it was slowly added to, I think they were trying to give me time to heal." The designs swirled down the nape of her neck, and spread in delicate lines across the back of her shoulders. He leaned over her shoulders and moved his mouth and tongue lightly over them. She squeaked, and giggled, "That tickles" 

He continued over, now back up her neck, "That's the point!"

"Oh? Well, then ... take that!"

It was his turn to make surprised sound, as she dove down and concentrated her own attentions on him ...

***

They spent most of the day like that, dozing and testing, tasting. At some point, there was a bell, and a slot in the wall opened to deliver another tray. Talia frowned at it. "They gave enough for both of us. I don't like that."

He sat up in the bed, blankets all in a tangle. "I don't, either. Implies I'm staying, and I don't intend to."

She stiffened, and slowly turned around, still holding the tray.

He sat there, with a thoughtful expression. She very calmly walked over to the bed, and set the tray down on the small table, and began to set out the two portions. Tonight it was some kind of meat, with vegetables and rice. 

He broke the silence, "I'm taking you with me."

She dropped the dish with a clatter, "Why didn't you say that! I thought - I thought - "

He just sat there, grinning. "I never meant to leave you."

"But you said ..."

"I was teasing."

"YOU MEANIE!" Glaring, Talia picked up the steaming bowl of vegetables and flung it full on Alden.

He gasped, and sat stock still, bits of vegetables splattered on his face and hanging from his horns.

He blinked slowly, and reached up to flick a stray carrot off his eye. "Impressive aim. Remind me to train you in archery when we get out"

She set the bowl down with a thud. "And remind me not to waste food. Next time it will be mud."

She crossed the small room and used a cloth to wipe his face. He caught her hand, and said, "I'm sorry. I was just teasing."

Her face softened, "I shouldn't have gotten so upset. I hardly know you, in some ways, and in others, I've been waiting for you for so long. I just didn't want to see you go."

He smiled then, "Let's eat, then I have some ideas to get us out."

So Talia retrieved the undamaged bowls, and they ate. 

~~~~

Image credit:

http://orig08.deviantart.net/bd1b/f/2015/264/c/9/ff_scene_23_by_taliagracetorina-d9addyn.png

Copyright Square Enix, it is a game photo

Talia's words are a quote, but unfortunately I cannot find the source. It was uttered with an entirely different meaning, as a messenger of death, coming as a to relieve four or five people who were very , very, tired, but I loved the flow of the sentence and wanted to use it.