ORPHEUS

Chapter 7

Her eyes snapped open.

Where was she? This was not her bed, her bed wasn't so soft, it wasn't so large, thought Katherine, as she noticed a ray of sunlight bathe her hand in its warmth. Her back ached, but she paid it no heed, maybe she was sore from sleeping wrong. She decided to sit up and inspect her surroundings, she pushed on the bed, since she was lying on her stomach.

It was a mistake, she realised, when a scream tore from her mouth. Her back, it felt like it had been broken, it burned. She fell back down on the bed and reached behind, placing her hand on her waist. She was moaning in pain and her eyes were watery.

How did she get hurt? She did not have a clue. She tried to remember events from the night before, as she pressed her hand on her aching back.
"Relax..." she heard someone say in a low voice, as she felt a soft, silk like material caressing her spine and the muscles around it, instantly there was relief. Her skin felt warmer and there was no more pain. She was able to think coherently again. How had he done that? Who was he?

"Kathy?" Then it hit her. The torment she went through, the guilt, her running away, Orpheus and her sailing through the trees.
Something had attacked her. Something was after them! Was he alright? She needed to know if Orpheus was hurt.
"Orpheus!" She exclaimed, trying to sit up. She had to make sure that thing hadn't hurt him. She felt a hand on her shoulder gently pushing her back on the bad "Shh... Kathy, lay down" she heard him whisper. She could feel his warmth, his breath on her ear, and he smelt devine, like a mix of spices and a cool breeze. It was refreshing. She felt the warmth of his palm on her shoulder. Her bare shoulder. She gasped.
"Orpheus! My dress!" She pressed her arm to her chest. Thank god, she sighed in relief. She wasn't naked, but the back of her dress seemed to be missing.
"Oh yes, about that. Um" he sounded nervous, Katherine really wanted to look at him at that moment, but she did not want to expose more than she already had, she felt quite flustered to be caught in this position. "Well you back was injured very badly and I needed to heal it... and_well I had to_ I'm sorry, it was necessary, I swear it-"

"it's alright, thank you for helping me" she said softly, with flaming cheeks. "Do you have anything I can-"

"Y-yes, of course" she presumed all his stuttering was due to her bare back in display, oh, this was so embarrassing. "I had to get a new one from the closest town, so I'm not sure f I have the right fitting, but this looked closer to your size"

So thoughtful of him. "Um, can you leave the for a few moments while I dress?"

"Of coarse" she heard heavy footsteps, the door creaking open, then shut.

She got off the bed, surprised that her back only ached a little, not as much as before. I wonder what magic he had performed.

She slipped off her once favourite purple gown, and quickly tried to pull on the one Orpheus had bought for her. It was quite simple, with no frills or ribbons, no fancy neckline or puffy sleeves. She liked it though, it was a rich cream color with pink borders. As she pulled the elbow-length sleeves to her shoulders, she realised the gown had to be closed from the back with laces, not the buttoned up from the front like her usual gowns. She tightened the laces as much as she could, but she didnt get far and couldn't tie it up.
Her cheeks flamed, getting even redder than before.

"Orpheus!" She hollered.

Her back to the door, she waited for him to enter.

She heard a knock "do you need anything, Kathy?"

"Can you_ um, can you help me with this?" She said hesitantly.

"Wha-, oh" she felt like her cheeks would explode from the heat.

Her breath hitched as she felt the herself being pulled backwards from the harsh tug on the laces. "Sorry..." he mumbled quietly.

She could feel his breath on her neck as she held her hair over her shoulder. She felt the laces tighten even more.

"it's alright" she whispered.

"I'm done, but I'm not so sure its done right." He said a little sheepishly.

"Thank you" she said, clearing her throat. She felt parched, yet her hands were clammy. Her stomach was twisting and her spine was chilled. He affected her. She had never felt this way before, she did not know yet, whether she liked this feeling or not. But she still wanted to see him, maybe her wish would be fulfilled today. She spun to face him.

She gasped.

There he stood, the man who let her stay in his house, who helped her. Who saved her life and took care of her.

He was beautiful, very handsome indeed. She saw in front of her a man with smooth blonde hair, a blonde so light it seemed white. He had a strong jaw and a well shaped nose. His lips were almost red, maybe from biting. He was dressed in an airy white tunic, which was left untied at the 'V' shaped neckline, fashionable brown leather pants and brown boots that reached halfway up his knees.

She had only just noticed, but his eyes were closed, in fact they were shut tight so his upper lashes touched his cheeks, which were smattered with tiny hair.

"Orpheus?" She said, out of breath. "Open your eyes, I need to see your eyes."

He shook his head no, lowering it to the ground.

"Orpheus, please, listen to me, just this once" she said as she stepped forward. She was almost begging. Why? She did not know. All she knew was that she needed to see those golden orbs.

His head snapped up, eyes still screwed shut and fists clenched at his sides. "Please don't be frightened, Kathy"

"Why would I be-" then his eyes snapped open.

"No!" She gasped. "Your eyes_ no, you aren't him. You aren't my Orpheus"

Staring back at her, weren't flamimg golden globes, as she had expected, but eyes so black, you could not distinguish between the iris and the pupil. They almost shone purple, even in the sunlight.

"I_ who are you?!" She almost screamed, jumping back to distance her self from him. She was holding her arms out, prompting him stay away. "What have you done with Orpheus, where is he?"

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Orpheus sighed internally, he knew this was going to happen. He thought he would leave and come back to see her at night, in case she gained consciousness during daylight. But he could not leave her unprotected, so he stood at the treeline, near cottage. He could not stop himself when he heard her scream and dashed inside. He should have kept in mind the pain she was going through when he decided to leave. Though he enjoyed her reactions, for example, when he touched her skin, she would heat up. But even he was a blubbering mess infront of her. Her blush had captured part of his heart. He would have to tread carefully before she owned all of him, which he suspected would happen one way or another. But he would take care if her. As long as she let him.

Right now he felt his heart crumble at the fear he saw in her eyes, he could literally smell it in the cottage.

"But Kathy, it is me. I am Orpheus, your Orpheus" he said loudly so she would hear him over her mumbling. The fact that she had called him hers, made him want to grin. "Wait until sunset, I promise I will prove it to you"

"What happens at sunset?" She asked warily, moving further away from him.

"You'll see."