A few droplettes of rain raced down the exterior of the window, silently cheered on by the small girl curled up against the door. Her deep, black eyes echoed with pain and confusion, seeming content with such a simple distraction. Elizabeth shivered with a small sigh, watching her breath cast an opaque quality across the window that quickly faded into nothing.

It was cold, wet and tiring to be on the road so much, and the bluenette had to admit she'd never been much of a travelor. Elizabeth only set eyes on her knight escort at night when he returned to the carriage to sleep. They'd already passed out of the large city -the first time she'd ever left it, in fact- and the small towns were always encountered early in the morning rather then late in the evening when they were needed.

Twilight was cascading across the sky; golds and pinks playing across the normally dull skies in a vivid show of beauty. Elizabeth payed it no mind, wondering how much longer it would be before the knight, Murdoc if she remmembered correctly, joined her once more. Though they didn't talk, the simple kinship of loniless and confusion was enough to fill the silence with a sort of friendship neither could nor would express.

Murdoc returned later than usual this one frigid evening, his boots simply covered in muck. He climbed into the carriage, sporting good news for the girl.

"Ma'am. Miss Elizabeth, I bring good fo'tune," he said, sitting a little weirdly in his seat. He waited for her response, and noticed that she looked to be sleeping.

"Damn..." he said under his breath. Every time he'd tried to talk to her on this trip she'd been asleep. Why had he felt this time would be different?

A small whisper of a sigh passed over the girl's parted lips as her eyelids fluttered a bit. She straightned up in her seat, yawning quietly behind a delicate porcelean hand before setting her soft gaze on the knight. Elizabeth didn't say anything, as she'd comitted herself to staying mute until she was aloud to return so as nothing slipped, though her knitted brows and curious expression were enough.

The knight smiled jovially, quickly covering it up with a serious expression.

"Ma'am, I 'ave good new fo' yew," he stated matter-of-factly.

Elizabeth lifted herself enough to smooth down the ankle-length dress she was wearing, sitting back down and continuing to look into the knight's eyes with a tired curiousity.

Murdoc took her look as his cue to continue.

"We'e due to get to ou' goal poin' soon, Miss Elizabeth," he said slowly, hoping she wasn't mentally unstable. After all, this was the first time he'd ever talked to her.

The girl's dark eyes shifted to the floor of the carrage and she nodded slightly, blue bangs falling in her face as she attempted to figure out first, why she was sent out here, and second, how long she'd have to stay. Elizabeth started to say something but stopped herself; head shaking slowly as she drew her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them.

Of course she'd wanted to talk to the knight, if noly to see what he was like, but she couldn't bring herself to. It seemed wrong- almost as though a deep part of her subconcious blamed this whole thing on him. He was, after all, the one driving the carriage that was stealing her farther and farther from home. A shiver passed through Elizabeth's thin frame as a slight draft seeped in around the door.

Murdoc looked taken aback. Why wasn't she happy? Didn't she want to have a better life than out on the streets? It made no sense to the knight as he took off his boots. "Nigh' then, Miss Elizabeth," he said, laying down on the comfortable velvet cloth seat of the carriage. As he drifted into sleep, his thoughts were riddled of the strange girl, and why she was being so quiet and shy.

Elizabeth felt guilt knot in her stomach as she watched the knight drifting off to sleep. She knew it wasn't the reaction he was looking for, but he had no idea what was trully going on. In all rights, he was completely innocent. She passed a hand over her face, pushing her bangs back only to have them tumble back into the graceful mess they often were. With a small, almost inaudible whimper, Elizabeth curled up against the door once more and fell into a light, almost fitfull sleep.

The knight awoke early in the morning and slipped his boots on. He glanced at the sleeping form of Elizabeth and frowned slightly, feeling a little bad for her. Hopping out of the carriage, the man climbed up onto the bench in front and whipped the reins. As they moved slowly and calmly down the country side once more, the rains started up again, thunder booming loudly above the little vehicle as lightning danced across the sky in a playful way.

Elizabeth was rattled awake by a particularly loud clap of thunder; accidentally letting out a frightened shriek. She coughed at the shrill noise, not having been a good way to break her fasting from her vocal chords and feeling almost as though she'd straighned them whilest making it. Her heart pounded in her small chest as she looked around like a trapped animal, only to remember where she was and feel a slither of relief.

Hearing the shrill noise, Murdoc whoaed the horses and jumped ontothe ground. He quickly looked into the carriage at Elizabeth. "A'e yew alrigh', Miss Elizabeth?" he asked, concern in his voice and on his face.

The girl blushed a deep, obviously embarrassed scarlette; a pale hand that was over her mouth contrasting with the rosey color and only making it all the more visible. She nodded quickly, biting her lip and trying to calm her breathing to a normal in and out sequence rather then a shaky almost gasping she was producing at the moment.

He narrowed his eyes, trying to geta better look at her. He climbed in part way and reached over the gap in the rows, going to place his hand on her forehead. "May I? Yew dun look so good, I wonna check tah see 'f yew 'ave a feeveh," he said, looking into her deep black orbs with his caring, mismatched eyes.

Elizabeth swallowed thickly, inching a bit closer to the knight and removing her hand from her mouth. She averted her gaze to her lap, feeling a mixture of shame and humiliation along with a few other things she cared not to name. "..o-okay.." She barely whispered, eyes closing a bit more as she tried to get a hold of herself.

He pressed the back of his ungloved hand to her forehead, pulling back as he felt the temperature of her skin. "Luv, you'e bu'nin' up!" He said. "Oh, uh, I mean, er... Miss Elizabeth, could I please 'ave a look at you' throat?" Murdoc questioned, inwardly facepalming the disrespectful break in rank.

She nodded, shifting a bit as she whispered, "love's fine.." Elizabeth, almost as though trying to cover up that she'd said it, opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out a bit. She had forgotten about the large gap in her front teeth until it was already too late; closing her eyes and hoping he wouldn't ask.

He'd caught the words and almost dismissed it as just a case of being too warm at a glance at her throat, but did a double take when he saw her teeth. "Wot 'apponed to you' teeth?" he asked quietly, a very serious tone to his voice. He didn't like Rachel very much, and he'd instantly suspected her of doing this.

Elizabeth flinched at the question, lowering her face as though in shame as she replied, "m-meh dad got.. wreally mad 't me..." She murmured, hoping it wouldn't give her away. She was surprised already that he hadn't noticed the blue hair and black eyes, but almost everyone knew about King David's abusive behavior towards his son..

He looked at her, pity in his features as he replied. "S'okay, love. No one's gonna hu't yew 'nymo'e," he said softly. He placed his thumb and index finger on her chin and lifted her head, smiling warmly. "I promise."

Her trembling lips pulled up in the ghost of a smile, tears betraying her as they welled up in her eyes. Whenever she talked about her father they'd always come, as just his name was enough to bring back all the pained memories of her childhood and all of the terrible things he'd done to both her and her mother. Elizabeth sniffed with a blink of her eyes, trying to fight back her tears as she moved forward a little with her arms out just a bit.

The knight caught the cue and embraced her. It was a bit awkward because of how he was angled overthe seat, but Murdoc felt it was comforting anyway. He pulled back and just then noticed her blue hair. "Hehe, wow. Nice tas'e in hai' ca'e produc's yew 'ave," he joked, giving her a good-natured smile.

Elizabeth smiled a bit, feeling rather renewed in her normal cheery disposition after such a warm gesture. "'s, uhm.. actually natuwal." She informed him, her voice still just above a whisper. Though she didn't expect him to believe her, she couldn't help but tell him.

He smiled, fully believing her. Why would she lie about something as trivial as that? "Well, i's very nice," he said, slipping back into the seat in front of Elizabeth. "Ah'll come back when we arrive tah 'elp yew to the 'ouse, okay?" he asked, getting ready to go back to the horses.

Her perfectly shaped face bobbed slightly in a show of acknowledgement as Elizabeth made herself comfortable. She looked out at the rain as the knight left her alone in the carriage once more, wondering if he minded having to get so wet so often. It seemed as though it rained every day, at least since she'd left.

Murdoc whipped the horses once again, getting them moving at a decent pace. At this rate, they'd be there in less than half an hour. Upon arrival, he stopped the horses and gave them a carrot each. He knocked on Elizabeth's door. "Miss Elizabeth? We've reached theh fa'm," he said, holding his hands behind his back as he waited for her to answer.

The young peasant girl struggled with the door, finding it much harder to open then Murdoc had made it seem. She huffed, thin shoulder shoving until it finally gave way and led her into a not as graceful as planned step out. She caught her balance rather quickly, shoving the door closed and turning to face the knight with a small grin.

He chuckled and held a hand out for her. "I'd be hone'd to assist such a lovely young lady," he said, kneeling down in the muck. He smiled up at her, just hoping mud wouldn't get inside his armor.

Elizabeth frowned, then grinned in a more teasing manner as she took his hand and pulled him up. "Come on 'en, git outta tha' mud," she giggled with a soft smile.

The knight smiled and stood, still holding her hand in his. "Why, thank yew, little lady," he said warmly, the sexy beast inside of him coming out.

"But o' cou'se." She looked down a bit at this, a slight blush gracing her pretty face as she felt a bit of a flutter in her tummy.

He smiled and led her inside to the room the farmer had designated to them. "'e said we'd be sharin' a room, I didn't think he'd mean bunk beds!" He exclaimed, obviously confused. But hey, it was a cramped farm as it was, what, with all the slaves running around. Small living areas were to be expected.

"Huh.." Elizabeth cocked her head, wondering who would sleep on the top and who would sleep on the bottom. Truthfully the girl had never seen such a thing, but it was fairly obvious as to what it was and she didn't have to ask. "Do yew won' tha top?" She inquired quietly, small hands clasped in front of her.

"Eh, I sleep bettah on theh bottom. 'sides, 'f somethin' 'appons it'll be easieh toge' ready quickly," he said, taking ofthe soaked through boots he was wearing. Murdoc's feet were pruny from water being on them all day, and he sat on the bed to let them dry out on the floor. "'ese sheets a'e soft," he said. He patted the spot next to him. "C'me'e an' see fuh you'self."

A smile illuminated her face again as she gently sat down beside the knight and let her white-chocolate colored hands brushing along the sheets. "Yeh, they a'e," she agreed cheerily, her demeanor having taken a near three-sixty turn in the last day compared to the rest of the week.

The knight smiled. "'m glad you'e no' as sad as yew we'e ea'lieh," he said softly. He felt something nagging at his tongue, a question of sorts. Murdoc didn't want to move to fast into his newfound relationship with Elizabeth, but he wanted to get to know her better. So, he asked the quistion in a mumbling voice to stop the incessent feeling. "Woul' yew liketah go tah lunch sum time?" He muttered, staring at his feet.

Elizabeth seemed quite preoccupied and only caught a few hints of what he said. A slight grin pulled at her lips as she looked over at him. "Did.. did yew jus'..?" She wasn't even positive she'd heard him right, if at all. It would not surprise the girl if she'd gone a bit mental whilest sitting in the carriage for such a long time.

He looked up. "Woll, 'f yew dun wont to, I undehstan' pe'fec'ly..." he said sorrowfully. Murdoc had thought that Elizabeth was rejecting him and went back to staring at his feet.

"No, no.. ah mean... no ah wonta know.. uhm, eef ah 'eard yew wright..?" A fluttering feeling welled up inside of the thin girl and she nearly shivered at the feeling.

He sighed as a mini-wave of relief swept over him. "Woll, 'f yew though' yew hea'd me say tha' I wonted to trea' yew tah lunch 'en yew hea'd righ'," he said, his face alive with a happy glow.

The younger smiled bashfully, a blush glowing on her cheeks as she nodded. Elizabeth couldn't help but pause for a second, trying to look ahead and see just how far their relationship could go and see how at risk she was for.. well that was a thought for another time. "S-su'e."

The beaming strengthened a hundred fold as the man heard her words. He stood up and picked up Elizabeth in his arms, giving her a big bear hug. "Yew 'ave no idea 'ow 'appy tha' makes me!" He said, a huge smile on his face as he set her down.

Elizabeth giggled, smiling rather shyly up at him and saying, "me too!" She didn't really know him too well, but just since they'd started talking to him earlier that morning he'd seemed like a life-long friend. Elizabeth payed the feeling no mind, too busy trying to contain her rampant blush at the moment.

He smiled."Okay, I thin' we shoul' leave ou' soon, theh town's abou'two houehs away, an' tha' shoul give us plen'y o' time," he said, noticing her ratty clothes. Murdoc looked aroundand saw much comfier clothes on the chest in the back of the room. "Yew ge' dressed, I won' look."

"Okay.." Elizabeth replied in a small voice, crossing the room gracefully and bowing over the chest as she shifted through its contents. She smiled as she found a dress, a beautiful ruby color, and a sash that was the color of cream. Making sure Murdoc wasn't looking, Elizabeth pulled off the dirty peasant dress and started to pull on the crimson one.

Her eyes trailed downward with the edge of the dress and she froze. Oh yeh.. oh no... Her face went blank for a moment then the girl came back with a start. She wasn't a she and he'd managed to over-look that little detail in the relationship.

CLIFFY! MUAHAHAHA! anyways i wonder how he's going to explain that to murdoc XD

anyways as always comments are much loved! and look this up on dA to find it with pictures~ ;3