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Thank-you

Chapter one:

Sylus looked up at the darkening sky, scratching his chin. It was getting dark much quicker these days now that they were traveling north. "It's going to start snowing sooner than I'd like," he sighed as he half turned to look at the woman behind him. Her hair was plaited into a thick braid that cascaded over her shoulder and rested over her ample chest.

"I've never seen snow," the lady said, her voice holding a hint of awe.

"Really, Lady?" he replied barely able to believe that it was possible for a person not to experience snow.

"It must be beautiful."

Sylus shrugged. "Truthfully it may look beautiful when the world is coated in a blanket of pure white but it's also a wet blanket that's more trouble than anything. It's also cold."

"Oh… It would still be nice to see it though."

"Egh… I am not looking forward to having to deal with it. I hate the snow," Sylus grumbled as he scanned the tree line. With night quickly approaching they needed to find a place to camp and they also needed to attempt to replenish their supplies. "Come," he said as he led her further into the woods before it got too dark to continue.

They had walked a few more miles before they came to a small lake. It was here that Sylus decided they should make camp. The lake was a good place to freshen up after their walk and it also provided a source of water and food to replenish some of their supplies. "Stay here I'll check out the rest of the area."

Marcella nodded as she knelt down, tucking the box into her lap. She was used to having to wait while Sylus secured an area and had little reason to question an order when he delivered one; not that the bodyguard gave her many. Her eyes moved around the area in front of the lake stopping at the opaque surface of the water. Its depths looked inviting just now even with the chill that was in the air.

"We should be safe enough. I'm going to wash up if you don't mind and if you wish you can do the same," Sylus said as he came out of the trees with his hand on the handle of his long sword.

Marcella looked at him and then at the water again. She was still quite modest even after the years they'd been together but she had learned to ignore such things as bathing with a man. The water was dark enough to hide her body and his from view once they were submerged and when either was ready to get out the other would avert their eyes while the other got dressed. It was simple task and one they both had come accustomed to in the time they'd been together. "Would you like to go in first?" she asked.

Sylus huffed once as he started to remove his sword. "You go first and I'll follow after. Call me when you're decent."

"Okay," Marcella replied as he turned from her and she began to undress, tucking the box with its precious cargo within in the folds of her dress where it wouldn't be so easily seen before she walked to the edge of the lake. She tested the waters temperature by sticking her toes into the water. A small shiver ran down her spine making goose pimples rise on her skin, but she didn't have time to linger and allow herself to get used to the water. She took a deep breath as she plunged into the chill of the water her teeth starting to chatter almost immediately. The only respite the water gave was the fact it would wash away all the grime from the day's journey from her skin.

"I'm decent," she called out from between the sounds of her teeth clinking together as she wrapped her arms around her chest in a useless attempt to keep warm.

Sylus nodded as he said, "Alright." And Marcella turned away from the shore busying herself with rubbing away the dirt from her face. She didn't bother with her hair knowing that it would take it much longer to dry than the rest of her body and with the water being so cold she did not want to have to worry too much about the air outside of it.

The sound of Sylus entering the water made her concentrate even harder on her task. She knew he would not come too close to her while they were both so exposed but he would stay close enough to her so that in the event that something occurred he would be there to do his job. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye getting a glimpse of his chiseled chest and the scars that marred the tanned skin. Quickly she looked away afraid that he would notice if her gaze lingered too long.

"You should wash quickly my lady, I would not wish for you to catch a chill."

"Yes, I'm almost finished." Marcella replied softly feeling a slight warmth seep into her belly and stain her cheeks. She had not been caught she did not think looking at him but having him speak after her doing so had made her self-conscious. But her embarrassment only aided in speeding up her time cleansing which she could be thankful for. The water had begun to make parts of her body numb. "I'm getting out now."

"I'm going to catch us some fish. If you could manage a fire after you're set then I would be grateful."

Marcella nodded and then realized he could not see her for his back would be turned away from her. "I think I can manage that," she replied as she made her way to the shore and her belongings, where she quickly redressed and placed her box by Sylus' belongings where she could keep some form of an eye on it while she built up a fire. Luckily enough there were enough twigs and sticks lying around to make proper kindling and maybe even enough larger branches to keep the fire going for a while, or at least until Sylus could fetch some more.

She gathered the kindling and arranged it into a small cone triangle with dry leaves inside and built around its base. Then she half crawled to the supply pack Sylus had left by his clothing digging out the tinder box. It took her only a few moments longer to get a small yet decent flame burning. Marcella stared at it for a moment with a smile on her face proud of the fact she could at least do this much. Nodding she turned away from her fire and snatched up the box once more into her arms before she knelt beside the fire she'd built trying to keep warm, lost in her own thoughts.

"It burns well this time," Sylus said as he sat down next to her folding his legs underneath his large body. She looked over at him trying to figure out exactly when he'd come out of the water and the fact that he must've gotten dressed rather close to her without her even realizing it.

He held up a large fish in front of her with pleased smile lighting up his tanned face, making the scar over his right eye rise. Many would have thought that this scar would have made a man ugly if not terrifying; however, she had never thought it so. In fact it was one of the things she liked most about him. The scar told a part of a story about the life the man had lived and the fact that he had incurred such a wound and survived it was a feat unto itself. "And we shan't go hungry tonight!" he exclaimed almost with boyish gusto. Marcella returned his smile as he set his hands and knife to gutting their supper. From past experiences she knew he would keep the scales and skin on so that they protected the meat of the fish on the inside and kept its juices from escaping.

With their meal finished Sylus banked the coals in the fire so that the light was dim but the heat was warm enough and then grabbed a heavy blanket from their pack. He handed it to Marcella who took it reluctantly. "There is only one," Sylus explained with a good natured smile, speaking as if she were a child he was trying to placate.

"You'll be cold," Marcella said carefully, searching the man's eyes for any tell that he would suffer tonight in the cold.

"I will be fine I am a robust man with much more meat on his bones," he chuckled as he grabbed a corner of the blanket and wrapped it tightly around the woman he had sworn to protect with his very life. The one thing that meant more to him than anything before her ever had.

"It will be cold." She said again in a slightly more firm tone.

"And I shall be fine," he said once more as he settled in beside her. "Now get some rest. I will watch over camp and wake you in a few hours."

Marcella knew him to be bluffing he would only wake her when he felt himself grow weary but she also knew that there was no arguing with him because she would never get anywhere. He was unrelenting as stone when he was set upon a certain path, and again it was something while annoying her also liked about him. He wasn't exactly loyal as some men were but he had decided to become her guard for his own reasons and since he had chosen this path he felt committed to see it through no matter what it would or could cost him in the end. So without another word she lay down on the ground where sleep quickly took her.

She awoke a few hours later to the sound of the twigs in the fire gently cracking. It seemed that Sylus had added more to the fire while she slept and that he'd also brought reserves to feed the flames if they started to wane. She could also hear the sounds of gentle snoring. She rubbed at her eyes in her semi awakened state as she got to her knees. The blanket fell away from her shoulders making her shiver lightly which only made her look at her body guard who had fallen asleep sometime during the night. In sleep he looked different than the man who walked by her side during the day but she could see the small raised hair and bumps on his arms clearly. Marcella scowled at him as she sighed bringing the blanket with her as she got up and moved to his side. She then draped the thick fabric over his and her own shoulders, resting her head against his wide shoulder. She blinked once as the flames danced and then drifted off to sleep once more.

When the sun rose once more Sylus roused himself only to find something heavy leaning against him and that he was quite warmer than he had been the last time he remembered. He looked down to his right and resting against him was his lady and her blanket was draped around both of them. He had never been this close to her in all this time. He licked his lips as she snuggled closer to him in her sleep, her smaller body seeking the heat of his much larger one. He knew to be this close to her was wrong but somehow it did not feel that way and it had not been him who'd suggested that they share the blanket. He had been content to serve and wait out the night cold but it seemed that she did not like that idea. He smiled as he gently eased her away from him.

"Marcella, it's time to get up now," he said softly not wishing to startle her or ruin this moment. She stirred beside him mumbling something in a sleepy voice and then tried burry herself closer to him once more. Sylus shook his head lightly speaking a little more firmly. "Marcella we need to go."

Her eyes opened slowly and she looked up at him sleepy almost hurt eyes, her pink pouty lips curved into a delicate frown. The look stole his breath away making him wish that things did not stand as they did between the two of them. He had known for quite some time now that his feelings for the woman he protected weren't entirely that of a body guard for the person he was guarding but more; however, he had chosen to ignore the growing amicability between them and the way he felt when she was near telling himself that it was not desire or love that made him enjoy her company but the fact that they had no one else with which to speak or interact with. It was usually just the two of them. A stupid excuse he knew seeing as how he had done plenty of jobs protecting people for a long period of time and he had never found himself attached to his client, but he knew if something were to happen to Marcella, despite the fact it was in his contract that his life was forfeit should he fail her, that he could not live knowing that he had not been able to protect her. He was not a fool though either and he knew that nothing could be between the two of them. His father had taught him that much.

The memory of his father's lessons made him forget about the woman beside him for a moment sending him back to a colder time where lessons were hard learned and love wasn't something easily given. The world he had grown up in was much different from the world that she had grown up in and he still bore those scars on his soul and would most likely for the rest of his life.

"Sylus," Marcella murmured, the tightening of his muscles finally rousing her completely from her slumber.

She blushed realizing that she was clutching at his chest and eased away slightly. It was not proper for her to be this close to him of that she was certain but it wasn't often that Sylus had such a look in his eye or that he seemed so completely devoid of feeling. "Sylus," she said again and there was still no response. "Sylus," she half yelled rising up on her knees so that her face was in his, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him.

The man blinked as an animalistic sound escaped his throat. Marcella fell backward out of shock which was a blessing in disguise making Sylus' punch miss her. She swallowed hard wondering where he had gone in his mind to produce such a response and as their eyes met she found that he was coming back to himself.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked his voice tense telling her if he had he would never have forgiven himself.

"No. I moved just in time." She watched as the air went out of his chest and his shoulders sagged. "…D…Di… Did I do something wrong?" she stammered.

Sylus studied her for a long moment making her chest tight at the prospect of being told that she had indeed done something wrong by trying to keep him warm. Even though she was afraid of being scolded she wouldn't allow him to have the final say. If he came down sick it would be equally as bad as if she had and she would tell him just as much even though the prospect of doing so made her head feel a little light.

"No, it wasn't something you did. Sharing your blanket with me might be considered inappropriate by some for a young woman but I would not lie and say I did not welcome the sentiment.

Marcella breathed a sigh of relief as a relieved smile spread across her round face that made Sylus take in a sharp breath. By the Gods was she beautiful and if he had done something to mar that beauty even for a little while he would have never in a million years forgiven himself. He needed to stay focused for her and for himself. Thinking of his father wasn't going to get either of them anywhere and he wasn't ready to die just yet. He only wished though that she had shared that blanket with him for more than the reason of curtousy. He would have liked to hope that perhaps she too harbored some form of feelings for him…

"…Impossible" a voice in the back of his head whispered. "She is a lady and you are nothing more than a lowly mercenary who had only decided to become her body guard to try and save his soul. She will never care about such a man, especially one who is as scarred as you in both mind and body."

The voice was probably right but he couldn't help what he felt for her. Gods knew he had tried but it was to no avail. This young woman had become so much to him. "We should get going," he said once more as he got to his feet, extending his hand for her to take.