Thirteen Rings

Chapter Seven

"She should be back soon." Sylvia murmured from her new found seat on the windowsill, more to herself than to Darius, who was crouched by the open fire, attempting to coax it into life.

"It's only the fourth day." He replied, leaning back slightly after the flame caught on the kindling. "Why are you so worried anyway? You've never been like this when I've been gone for a long time."

"That's because you're you." She said without turning to face him, the sunlight reflecting of her pale skin.

"What about that time I was held captive for an entire month?" He shot, rising to his feet and brushing down his waist and thighs of splinters and soot. "Damnit." He cursed, realising he'd just smudged the black, powdery substance into the fabric of his clothes more.

"I held parties every night you were gone." A faint smile tugged at her features. "I knew you'd be fine."

"You don't trust Sylvia's capabilities?"

"It's not that." She sighed, her eyes closing as her head lolled back on her neck, resting against the wall. "She's my friend, ofcourse I'm going to be a little more worried than if it was you."

"Rude." Darius muttered, watching the fire grow.

"It's just, you always come back, you know?" She admitted, a frown twisting her brow. "This is the first time she's done anything like this since I met her. I can't help being a bit on edge."

"She'll be fine." He reassured her. "I've seen her first hand, she can honestly take care of herself."

"I know." She breathed.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." Darius offered her a warm smile.

"What if she comes back and we're not here?"

"She'll wait for us." He replied, calmly moving to her and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Besides, she's not due back till tomorrow."

"Yeah." She admitted, finally allowing herself to move. "Oh-Gods-I-can't-feel-my-legs." Staggering to her feet, she shook each leg individually, leaning on Darius for support as she did so.

"Better?"

"Better." She smiled heartilly, the sunlight glancing off her white teeth.

That's the first time she's smiled like that in a while. He remarked, watching her leave the living room.

"Where shall we walk to?" She asked from the base of the stairs.

"Where would you like to walk to?" He asked her, following her into the hall.

"The docks?" She suggested, passing him his trenchcoat from its place on the banister.

"Sounds good to me." He replied, shoving his arms through his sleeves. "Can you pass me my daggers?"

"You won't need them." She assured him, giving him a look.

"Can never be too safe." He replied, sticking out his tongue and holding his hand open. Sighing, she dropped the belt with six daggers attached into his outstretched palm. "Thank you." He winked playfully, strapping it around his waist beneath his coat. "Shall we go?" Opening the front door, he held it open for her, motioning with his hand in an over the top way for her to lead the way.

"Idiot." She chuckled as she walked past him. Smiling, he followed in her wake, letting the door shut behind them. "Thank you." She spoke as he came alongside her.

"For what?"

"Pulling me out of my misery." She admitted, a cloud overhead casting a shadow over them as it drifted by.