This is a joint venture of Kaana Moonshadow and myself. We had lots of fun writing it and hope you have as much fun reading.
We don't own Bishop, but we sure as hell wish we did.
There was warmth, surrounding her.
Liliana stirred, her consciousness still hovering in the dark space between sleeping and waking, and smiled as she felt two strong arms wrapped protectively around her, the not unpleasant, rich scent that invaded her nostrils telling her that she was lying in a man's embrace.
Cedric…She sighed contentedly and snuggled even closer against his shoulder, simply enjoying the feel of his arms around her, holding her, his hand softly stroking her hair, and she smiled sleepily as her cheek rubbed against the coarse stubble on his chin, chafing her skin.
He truly needed a shave.
Maybe she could do it in the morning, but right now, it just felt so good to lie here, sheltered in his arms, and so she was more than content to keep her eyes shut just a little longer, listening to the steady beat of his heart, inhaling his scent, that intoxicating odour of sun and leaves, and she sighed again, her heart swelling with her love for him. She felt his lips pressing a soft kiss on her temple, and so she lazily opened her eyes, a genuine smile on her face, eager to see the warm light in his soft, brown eyes.
"Cedric…?", she murmured tenderly.
"Not quite, princess."
The cold, sneering voice sent shivers of dread down her spine, banishing the last remnants of drowsiness from her mind while her heart started racing frantically in her chest, the memories of the previous night rushing back instantaniously, and her eyes widened with shock as her gaze did not meet her fiance's beloved face but Bishop's cold, unfeeling stare, a strange light burning in its amber depths.
He scowled, and his deep voice sounded cold and spiteful as he went on, his gaze wandering from her face to his chest and back again.
"The way you've been clinging to me, I guess you have an itch you want him to scratch."
His eyes bored hard into hers, and then his face contorted as if he had bitten on something both sour and vile, and the cruel, scathing tone in his voice made her want to cringe.
"Well, he's not here, and I'm not offering. Sorry to tell you, but I'm sober again. After some stiff drinks yesterday you sure looked more appealing. Just not interested in enduring the clumsy ministrations of a simpering maiden. So stop wrapping yourself around me like a damn constrictor snake and let me get up, will you?"
Liliana stared at him, her heart still beating madly, and for the first time, she actually realised how close she had wrapped herself around him in her sleep, one leg pulled up over his, her arm still around his chest, like she was some street whore, begging for his attention, and she felt tears well up in her eyes as a vast wave of shame rippled through her body, drowning her, and so she hurriedly scurried away from him, back against the wall, never having felt more miserable in her whole life.
She heard him get to his feet, his short, sardonic laughter making her want to weep, and his malicious words pierced her like a thousand needles in her heart.
"Look at you, pathetic, weak, blubbering. You're disgusting. Gods, I really don't think I can take another day in your company. I'm leaving."
That words sent more shivers of dread down her spine, and she looked up at him, horrified, her sudden fear mingling strongly with the shame that was still rippling through her body.
Please, don't leave me here alone to starve…Bishop snorted as soon as he saw the terrified expression on her face, that malicious undercurrent still very prominent in his voice.
"Don't piss your pants, princess, I'll be back. But I really need a break from your snivelling and die-away airs. A man can only suffer so much of that."
And with that, he turned around and walked over to kneel beside his backpack, rummaging through its depths, and Liliana averted her eyes, fighting the overwhelming urge to simply burst into tears, her whole body trembling from the exertion, her emotions in an uproar.
There were just no words for the shame she felt, for the disgust that was aimed directly at her weakness, her incredible stupidity. It was not so much the realisation that she had snuggled up against his shoulder in her sleep that disturbed her so, but the fact that she had not even realised her mistake until he had finally addressed her in his cold, scathing voice.
How could she have confused him with Cedric?
Cedric was always well shaved, would never allow himself to suffer from bad manners and laziness, like he did, looking like a scoundrel with that shadow of facial hair that always darkened his chin. Cedric was a perfect gentleman who knew that it was appropriate to use perfume in the presence of a lady, and who had already proven his good taste with the choice of his aftershaves, whereas she doubted that he had ever seen the interior of a bathhouse in his whole life.
So how come she had not realised her mistake, had snuggled even closer against his chest?
To imagine that she had felt so terrified when he had first laid down beside her last night, convinced that he had intended to use her shivering as a simple excuse to touch her again, just to find herself wrapped around him in the morning, sighing contentedly…
A soft, thumping noise made her look up again, and she saw that he had thrown his waterskin in her direction, the skin now lying only a few inches away from her feet, and she watched him move over to the chimney and start to fill some stew into his wooden bowl, his motions stiff and angry.
Sorry to tell you, but I'm sober again. After some stiff drinks yesterday you sure looked more appealing.
Gods, she should be glad that he did not want her. The way she had pressed herself against him in her sleep - the thought alone was still enough to make her want to cringe with shame and embarrassment all over again - could have easily been misinterpreted, and only the gods knew what he would have done to her, had he actually been interested in her.
So why did it hurt so much to hear his sneering voice, telling her that she was such a pathetic and disgusting creature that he just wanted nothing to do with her, that he only condescended to touch her when he was drunk? Why did she give a damn what he thought about her? How could his opinion actually be important enough for her to try and appease him, when all she had ever gotten from him were his scathing remarks and that disgusted look on his face, telling her more than words could ever do about the way he truly felt about her - not to mention the fact that he was nothing but a common thug who wanted to kill her?
She heard his feet move over the floor and looked up to see him drop his bowl right next to his waterskin, spilling some stew onto the wooden beams in the process, and his eyes seemed to pierce her right down to the very core of her being as he spoke.
"Have fun, princess. Dream of your Cedric. He won't come to your rescue, but dreaming can't hurt."
His face was set in its usual scowl, his voice still cold and derisive, but for a fleeting moment, when he turned away from her to move towards the door, another emotion flickered across his face, and Liliana frowned as she watched him pick up his scimitars and then leave the hut, her sudden confusion mingling strongly with the shame and misery in her chest.
What was it she had seen in his eyes? For the length of a heartbeat, she had been convinced to see a different emotion shimmering through his cold, unfeeling indifference – something that had actually looked almost like hurt, like bitter disappointment.
But how could that be?
I'm starting to imagine things.
She should be glad that he had left, should be glad to be alone, but all she could think about was his sneering voice, telling her how much he despised her, and his words actually stirred another memory, the memory of a conversation she had once overheard between Jeanne and Nathaniel, her friend telling the young man that she simply couldn't understand why Cedric had actually fallen in love with a girl like Liliana, one that surely was kind, but still so common and ordinary, compared to him.
She never thought that I was worthy enough to marry Cedric, Liliana thought miserably, and all of a sudden, it felt like a dam was bursting inside her, and she started to cry hysterically, sobbing so violently that she actually found it hard to breathe, her heart aching painfully in her chest.
Where was her Cedric?
It had been almost three days since she had been kidnapped, and she still hadn't been rescued yet. But her family was well acquainted with some of the local mages in Waterdeep. So how come none of them had cast some kind of scrying spell, finding out about her location? How much more time would she be forced to spend in his company before she was safe again?
The way she and Cedric had parted that day, the memory of her cold words and childish anger, made her weep even more, until she finally rested on the floor, her throat rough from the exertion and her cheeks burning strongly from the torrent of tears that had streamed down her face, to stare up blindly at the roof of the hut, feeling so terribly empty.
What if…
The thought was too terrible to dwell on, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking. What if Cedric had been so angry with her that he didn't want her back anymore, maybe found her as tiresome as he did, not giving a damn what happened to her after she had treated him so mean?
I'm such a sheep, Liliana thought as she forcefully rubbed her hands over her face, disgusted with her own stupidity. Cedric is a kind man, and he loves me. Even if he didn't, he would come to my rescue. All he needs is a little more time…
Time she would have to spend with him. Time where she needed to keep her head down, needed to become truly invisible to stay alive. Not to mention her fear that she would simply die of shame, should he ever mention the way she had clung to him this morning…
You promised to mend his cloak.
That thought made her heart thump painfully in her chest. He was still angry with her. So the chance for him to reach for every excuse he could find to make her feel even more miserable, to point out all the things that made her useless in his eyes, was very real, and she would be damned if she simply sat here and let that happen.
But despite her strengthened resolve, she was still chained to the wall, and had to face the bitter truth after a while that, no matter how far she tried to stretch herself, she simply couldn't fetch neither his cloak nor his backpack, all lying in his part of the hut, just out of reach, and Liliana had to fight hard against the new assault of tears that threatened to well up in her eyes, determined not to give in to her weakness again.
I am not useless. I can be strong!
But her impotence at keeping her promise, the cruel reminder that she was actually nothing but the prisoner of a madman, chained to a wall, dampened her freshly risen spirits once and for all, and so she spent the following hours just lying on the ground, wrapped in her blanket against the cold, feeling lonely and miserable while her eyes stared blankly into space, only pausing in her lethargy to eat the cold stew without much appetite, the sudden wave of hopelessness that threatened to drown her dragging her down, wearing her out.
What had she done to deserve such a fate? She had always tried to be respectful to her parents, kind to her friends and generous with their employees, always doing her best to appease everyone's expectations. So what could she actually have done wrong that the gods were punishing her now this way, sending her through this nightmare?
So she lay there on the wooden beams for a long time, with noone but her thoughts to keep her company, trying her best not to let them drag her down even further, but as the hours ticked by, so painfully slowly, a part of her truly began to wish that he would simply return and finish what he was about to do to her, just to free her from that terrible emptiness inside her…
There was a growl, just outside the hut.
Liliana started and sat up straight with her back against the wall, her heart beginning to beat madly in her chest, all misery suddenly forgotten, and listened intently, the rising panic actually sharpening her senses.
The growl came again, even closer than before, and she could feel her innards turn to ice as the beat of her heart accelerated even more. There was an animal outside, making its way towards the door of the hut.
Oh gods!
What was she about to do? She was all on her own again, chained to a wall, unable to run, with noone who would come to her aid…
There was the sharp sound of claws scraping over wood, and with an ominous creak, the door of the hut opened ever so slowly, and Liliana's eyes widened in terror as she saw the large wolf that now stood in the doorframe, its yellowish gaze wandering through the hut, fixing on her.
With a terrified squeal, she retreated as far from the door as the chain would allow her, a part of her still hoping that the wolf would simply turn around and leave again, but it simply watched her for a long moment before it entered the hut, prowling closer and closer, its bright eyes never leaving her, hackling.
At the sight of the slowly approaching wolf, its sharp teeth glittering dangerously in the dim light, something seemed to snap inside her, and Liliana felt a wave of utmost terror drown her senses, a feeling so terribly intense that for a moment, she truly feared that she would simply faint from the sheer horror of the moment, and with another terrified squeal, she reached for the chain around her ankle and started to pull at it with all her might, not even realising that she was still screaming at the top of her lungs, the only thought left in her mind to remove the chain from the wall, to free herself, to make a run for the woods…
Oh gods, please, help me, I don't want to die, not like this, please, somebody help me…
There was the sudden sound of footsteps approaching, and then she felt herself pulled in a tight embrace, a hand softly stroking her cheek, and a deep voice, a man's voice, whispered soothingly into her ear.
"Shhhhh, It's all right, it's all right, I'm here, I got you, you're safe. You're safe."
Startled, she actually stopped pulling at the chain, and her heart gave a sudden, painful leap in her chest as she recognised the voice.
Bishop!
A wave of relief welled through her, a feeling so intense like she had never experienced before, and with a sob, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, desperate to hold on to him so he could take away her fear, her heart still beating madly from the terror that pulsated through her veins. She could feel his arms closing even more tightly around her, one of his hands softly stroking her hair while he continued to murmur soothingly into her ear, and she closed her eyes as a single tear trickled down her cheek, her chest swelling with emotions she could not even name as she lay there in his arms, shaking like a leaf.
He has come back!
With her breathing still quick and shallow, and her heart still beating madly in her chest, she simply kept her eyes firmly closed, contend just to bury her face in his neck while his arms were still closed protectively around her, listening to the steady beat of his heart and breathing in his scent, his mere presence already enough to miraculously calm her fear.
It was then, as her heartbeat finally returned back to normal and her thoughts actually stopped racing through her head like a bunch of panicked mice, when she felt him tense all of a sudden, lifting his head, and a cold shiver ran down her spine as she suddenly realised how close she had wrapped her arms around him in her relief, her head still buried in his neck, and she tensed, waiting for his scathing remark, taunting her for her weakness one more time…
But it never came.
He simply sat there, holding her in his arms, one hand still in her hair, and she could feel his breath warm on her neck and shoulders as her heart began beating madly once again, but now for completely different reasons.
What was she about to do? She could not simply stay like this, couldn't she?
But if she moved away from him now, was he not bound to say something cruel and scathing to her then, glaring at her with that cold, unfeeling look in his eyes, like he always did?
Gods, I know this isn't real, but please, let me imagine just for one moment that he actually cares about me…
So she simply kept still, unmoving, her arms wrapped around him while her face was still buried in his neck, her whole body tense like a spring, waiting in fearful anticipation for the moment when he would finally move away from her, breaking the spell and destroying this small illusion of peace with a single, caustic remark.
But the moments ticked by, and he still made no move to turn away from her, just holding her in his arms, not saying a word, his closeness and continued silence finally making her nervous, and Liliana felt as if each and every muscle in her body was already beginning to ache from the unusual strain as she desperately tried to think of a way to get away from him, but without igniting his temper.
Maybe…
"Bishop?", she asked hesitatingly, glad that the fabric of his tunic actually muffled the sound of her voice, hiding its treacherous tremble.
For another long moment, he just kept his silence, making her wonder whether he had heard her at all, but then she felt him lift his head a little, and his voice sounded surprisingly hoarse as he replied.
"Yes?"
Liliana swallowed, her heart racing, but now that she had addressed him, she couldn't back away anymore.
"I need to ans…", she began, but then stopped herself as her common sense suddenly kicked in. The memory of his cruel laughter and sneering voice, mocking her when she had used that phrase before, was still very vivid in her mind, and so she cleared her throat to gain some time before she tried it again, determined not to hand him just another opportunity to mock her. "I really need to use the bushes now."
For a moment, she fought with herself, but then lifted her head as well, looking him squarely in the eyes while her pulse began to pound loudly in her ears. For the length of several heartbeats, he just looked at her, his face blank while his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but then she saw his shoulders actually relax a little and he laughed, that deep, melodious sound that she had only heard once before, its warm timbre making her shiver.
With a crooked smile, Bishop lifted one of his hands to smooth one of her silvery locks out of her face, and Liliana felt a shiver of a different sort run down her spine as his hand caressed her cheek, just staring up into his unusual eyes, strangely fascinated all of a sudden, their warm, amber glow drawing her in, inviting her to lean closer, luring her into their burning depths...
"Sure. Just let me get that chain off."
She blinked, confused as his voice suddenly broke the spell, and her eyes widened in shock as she finally realised what she had almost done, her face just inches away from his own, and the warm shiver that had just run down her spine suddenly turned into a hundred little insects, crawling over her skin.
Unbelieving, she quickly averted her gaze as he leaned back to fetch the key from around his neck, feeling strangely guilty and ashamed all of a sudden… and her eyes fell on the wolf that was still standing only a few feet away from her, well and alive, staring at her with its yellowish eyes.
She jumped, a small yelp escaping her lips as she tried to scurry away again, but was stopped as she felt Bishop's hand closing firmly around her upper arm, his grip surprisingly gentle despite its certainty.
„Get a grip, princess. He's with me", he said gruffly, but strangely enough did not look up, as if not wanting to meet her eyes. She stared at him, her eyes wide while her heart beat madly in her chest, her mind racing.
"With you?", she gasped, confused. Her panicked gaze wandered back to the wolf, who was now licking the remnants of her stew out of the wooden bowl with devotion, and finally, she understood.
"He's your companion.", she whispered weakly, feeling like a sheep just again that she had not even considered that possibility. Bishop nodded, still not meeting her eyes, letting go of her arm and then reaching down for her ankle to open the ring, and Liliana shivered as she felt his hand brushing against the skin of her calf, making goosebumbs rise all over her body.
Quickly, she jumped to her feet as soon as he had opened the lock, suddenly desperate to be alone for a while, to put some distance between them, and made her way to the door, but not without giving his wolf a wide berth, her mind still in an uproar.
The dim light of a dull and grey day greeted her as she stepped out of the door, the earth and leaves under her bare feet still damp from the rain, but Liliana did not care, making her way to the thicket close to the hut like a woman in her sleep, feeling strangely numb, hollow.
After she had finished what she had come to do, she sat down on a tree stump near by, burying her head in her hands, staring blindly at her feet, her mind racing.
How could this have happened?
He was the villain, after all, the man who had kidnapped her against her will, the one who kept her chained to a wall, even intended to kill her.
So how could she just lie there in his arms, breathing in his scent, feeling safe, even sheltered in his embrace? How was it possible that she had almost forgotten herself, mesmerized by the sudden warmth she had seen in his eyes, realising for the first time how handsome he could actually look with a smile on his face, without his usual scowl…
Stop! Stop! Stop!
With a small, desperate moan, she pressed her hands firmly against her eyes, feeling both terribly ashamed and embarrassed of herself all over again. What was just wrong with her? How could she think about him this way, evil, unscrupulous thug that he was?
He came for me.
A strange, fluttering feeling rose in her chest, making her feel warm and fuzzy all of a sudden, and although she tried her best to fight it down again, she couldn't keep her mind from wandering. Even after all the things he had said to her this morning, he had come back for her, no doubt hearing her screams at the sight of his wolf. No matter how cruel his words or how harsh the sound of his voice, he had come back to protect her.
And that was a part of the problem, wasn't it?
That she had seen this glimpse of that other man again, of the man that he once used to be, a man who actually cared, who did not scowl at her, who could be gentle, and kind.
A man she could like.
I'm going insane, Liliana thought bitterly, the moist chill in the air finally making her shiver, and so she pulled her legs close to her body, hugging herself, confusion and shame mingling strongly in her chest. That's the only explanation. All this fear and distress is finally doing something with my head. That's why I'm getting all these strange feelings, starting to confuse things.
But what was she about to do now? She could not stay out here forever, no matter how desperately she wished to be alone for a while. In the end, he would just come out looking for her, and what would she say to him then, should he ask her what had taken her so long?
With a sigh, she got to her feet, and slowly returned to the hut, her heart feeling strangely heavy all of a sudden, unsure what she would find at her return. Had he turned back into his cold, unfeeling self again, ready to lash out at her with his sharp tongue as soon as she crossed the treshold? Or would she have to face that other man again, the one who would look at her without malice in his amber eyes and a smile on his face, a smile that would smooth the harsh lines around his mouth, make it look softer somehow, and almost tender…
Her heart gave a sudden leap at that thought, and frightened, she had to realise that she could not tell which possibility scared her the most anymore.
It seemed as if she had forgotten to close the door behind her, because as she neared the entrance of the hut, she could hear Bishop's voice drifting through the opened door, talking to his companion, and there was a strange undercurrent to his words that she had never heard before, surprising her.
"I'm in trouble, boy."
Carefully, she peered into the hut and saw him still sitting on the ground, his companion now lying at his feet, and watched in silence how he gently stroked the animal's head, obviously deep in his thoughts.
As if it had understood the man's comment, the wolf turned its head a little to look up at its master, its furry brows raised in a way that seemed to say Aren't you always?
Bishop shook his head, slowly scratching his companion's ear, that strange note still in his voice, and sighed.
"Not like that, believe me."
Suddenly, the wolf turned its head, sensing her presence, and Bishop looked up, an unreadable expression on his face. It was not the cool, indifferent mask that she had gotten so used to over the past few days, but another, much more complex expression, and if she had not known better, she would have said that he looked confused somehow, even almost insecure.
Liliana swallowed, her heart beginning to beat nervously in her chest, and slowly made her way towards him, not knowing what to do. Should she thank him? Or was it actually better to act as if nothing had ever happened, to pretend that things had not somehow changed between them?
"What's his name?", she finally asked shyly, inclining her head in the wolf's direction, and was somewhat glad to hear her voice trembling only ever so slightly. Bishop watched her slow approach, his hand still buried in his companion's thick, grey fur, stroking its head, and then returned his attention to the wolf at his feet, almost as if he did not want to meet her gaze.
"Karnwyr.", he replied curtly, that strange current still in his voice.
"Can I…" For a moment, her voice faltered, and Liliana swallowed nervously, wondering whether she was finally going too far, stretching her luck, only to realise that she actually did not care anymore. Her life was such a mess already, how could things actually get any worse? So she drew a deep breath, gathered her courage, and addressed him one more time, her voice now calm and steady.
"Can I pet him, too?"
For one fleeting moment, she truly thought that she had overstepped her bounds this time. But Bishop simply cast her a quick glance out of the corner of his eye and then moved to the side, inclining his head in what seemed to be a Go-on-if-you-must sort-of gesture.
Carefully, her heart still beating nervously, Liliana stepped closer and kneeled beside the wolf, holding out a shivering hand. The wolf lifted its head to sniff at her fingers, and then laid down on its paws again, watching her with a disturbingly intelligent look in its gleaming eyes, an almost curious expression on its furry face. She gulped, and after a fast prayer to the gods, lowered her hand onto its forehead, carefully stroking the short pelt.
The fur felt surprisingly soft under her fingers, thick but smooth, and as the moments ticked by and the wolf did nothing but lie peacefully there on the ground, neither growling nor snapping at her fingers, she relaxed a little, and suddenly, the wonder of touching a wild animal filled her heart, and she looked up at Bishop, smiling.
He had watched her petting the wolf, that unreadable expression still on his face, but at the sight of her genuine smile, she saw the corner of his mouth lift with the ghost of a smile, and there was something like an approving glint in his eyes that made her quickly return her attention to the wolf again, feeling all of a sudden as if her heart was gently squeezed in her chest. Trying to distract herself from that unwelcome and disturbing notion, she leaned a little closer towards the wolf, its heady scent filling her nostrils.
"I'm sorry that I screamed at you,", she murmured quietly into its ear, softly stroking its head, "but you scared me."
„Didn't think you had it in you to pet a wolf, little mouse."
She cast him a quick glance, still softly stroking the wolf's head, and saw that he was still watching her intently, an estimating look in his eyes, and there was a tone of grudging respect in his voice that made her heart flutter ever so slightly in her chest.
"When I was still hunting with my grandfather,", she replied quietly, not daring to look at him again, her own courage startling even herself, "there was a half-elven ranger scouting for the party - Marisana. She had a bear companion, a huge, grim-looking fellow, and all the other children were scared of him, because he had a scar on his face that made him look really mean."
She frowned, still softly stroking the wolf's head, as the long buried memories came rushing back in an instant.
"But he wasn't. He was actually very kind, and Marisana allowed me to come and pet him when my mother wasn't looking. He always liked it to be scratched behind his ears, he always started to growl deep in his chest whenever someone scratched him that way…"
She stopped, suddenly afraid to annoy him with her chatter. He kept silent for a while, and she could feel his gaze upon her, but still did not dare to look him in the eyes, afraid of what she would see on his face. When he finally spoke, his voice was bland, with a faint hint of boredom.
"Why did you stop hunting?", he asked, indifferently.
Although the tone of his voice made her newfound courage wavering, Liliana drew a deep breath and simply continued talking, softly stroking the wolf's head, carefully scratching its ears. Everything was better than to just sit here in awkward silence, waiting for him to return to his nasty self.
His indifference, she could handle. But his scathing remarks…
"Mother."
Even after all this years, Liliana was surprised to feel the sharp pain tugging at her heart like it had just been yesterday.
"I always loved being out in the woods and following the scouts, watching them at their work. But mother said that it just wasn't appropriate for a fine, young woman to indulge herself in the men's fancies, and so I had to keep myself away from the hunt as I grew up."
She stopped, startled to hear the sniding tone in her voice. What was she doing, talking about her mother like this, to a stranger like him? She heard him chuckle at her words, the melodious sound sending another shiver down her spine, and a new wave of shame welled through her as the squeezing feeling in her heart seemed only to intensify at the sound.
„You always do what other people tell you, don't you, mousie?", he snorted, with a hint of his usual derisive sneer.
For a moment, the squeezing in her heart became even stronger, but now in an embarrassing and almost painful way, and so Liliana kept her eyes solely fixed on the wolf lying at her feet, confusion and shame beginning to mingle strongly in her chest, not knowing what to say to him anymore. What was happening to her? How was he doing that to her, saying these things and making her feel like a sheep just because she did what was expected of her? And what would Cedric think, could he actually see her here like this, petting a wolf and talking to her abductor as if he was her partner at table at one of her parent's summernight banquets?
I am a bad girl, she thought miserably, bad and stupid. If I was actually a good girl, I would not feel like this. And this would not have happened to me. Never.
They sat in silence for a while, the wolf lying comfortably between them, until Bishop finally got up and made his way back to his part of the hut. She could hear him rummaging through his possessions, but still did not dare to look up at him, her eyes still fixed on his companion, until she finally heard him donning his leathers again. She reluctantly lifted her head, her eyes taking in the sight of his lithe figure, standing close to the door, and was startled to see him fastening the straps of his quiver across his chest, his scimitars already sheathed at his side, looking ready to leave.
"Where are you going?", she asked before she could stop herself, cringing inwardly at the very prominent note of alarm that she could hear in her voice, feeling a sudden, urgent desire to slap herself.
Sheep! Stupid, stupid sheep!
He cast her a quick glance while he closed the last clasp of his quiver, and then reached down for his bow before he finally made his way back towards her, his voice slightly mocking as he replied.
"To see if I can find some more rabbits, little mouse. You'd like to eat something tonight, wouldn't you?"
For a moment, she thought that he would reach down with a hand and caress her cheek again, but he just lifted his hand to let it go through his short, reddish-brown hair, his voice sounding sharper all of a sudden, but still miles away from its usual sneer. He inclined his head in the direction of the wolf.
"Karnwyr will keep an eye on you while I'm gone."
She swallowed as her heartbeat slowly returned to normal, staring up into his unusual eyes, trying to calm her sudden fear.
"I see.", she whispered quietly, her voice sounding somewhat strained even in her own ears.
For the length of several heartbeats, he just looked down at her, his eyes watching her intently.
"Wanna go hunting again, little mouse?", he asked all of a sudden in an unusually quiet voice, studying her face.
She stared up at him, her eyes wide, as puzzlement and uncertainty mingled strongly with a sudden bolt of excitement, the beat of her heart speeding up just once more.
"You mean… really?", she stammered, still not trusting her ears.
He rolled his eyes, and his voice was its gruff, usual self again as he replied.
"Really.", he replied acidly, mimicking her high, unbelieving voice with a very prominent note of growing impatience in his words. "But make it quick, princess, I don't have all day to stay here and wait for you to make up your mind."
"Yes!", she replied hastily, jumping to her feet so quickly that she almost kicked his companion with her bare feet in the process. The wolf threw her a long glance and then got lazily to his feet as well, yawning widely in the process and showing that very impressive amount of sharp teeth again. Liliana stared up into Bishop's face, her heart beating fast with both excitement and, surprisingly enough, even without the slightest hint of fear.
"Yes,", she repeated, her voice almost pleading with him. "I'd really like to come with you."
Bishop studied her with a dark expression on his face, looking like he was already regretting to have offered her the opportunity at all, and for a moment, she feared that he would just snarl at her to stay behind, and would leave without another word. But instead, he let his eyes wander from her face down to her dress, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully in the process, and then turned around again to reach for his backpack, throwing her a pair of breeches and the remnants of his shrunken tunic.
"Here, take these. With that frippery dress of yours, you'd only scare away every single deer in the vicinity.", he said gruffly, still looking like he would have loved to tell her to stay behind. Liliana stared at his shrunken tunic and trews, now gathered in her arms, and swallowed, her hands feeling surprisingly cold all of a sudden. He watched her staring at his clothes, frowning.
"What?", he snarled, with a clear hint of annoyance in his voice.
She gulped, not quite meeting his eyes.
"I… I need someone to open the laces of my dress.", she replied in a small voice, casting him a quick glance out of the corner of her eye, her cheeks already reddening with embarrassment.
For the length of a heartbeat, he just stared at her. Then a strange expression flickered across his face, and with a soft hiss, he moved over to her, that foreboding expression darkening his eyes again.
"Turn around.", he growled, his voice highly annoyed now, and so Liliana hastened to comply, quickly lifting her hair with slightly trembling hands so that he could reach the laces of her corsage. She could feel his hands on her back, loosening the laces, and bit her lower lip to keep silent, for he just pulled roughly at the cords until the corsage was opened enough to allow her to slip out of the dress, making her twitch in the process.
"I'll fetch your shoes.", he growled on his way to the door, and she turned aroud, surprised how strained his voice sounded all of a sudden. "When I come back and you're not ready, I'll leave without you."
She nodded, and then hastened to get out of her dress and into his tunic and breeches as soon as he had left the hut, the outlook of getting away from this place for a while actually making her giddy, her pulse speeding up with excitement. She had just pulled up his much too large trews as she heard him enter the hut again, her shoes in his hand, and Liliana knew that she had to look rather odd in his clothes, judging from the way his eyebrows raised as he looked at her, a sudden, amused glint in his eyes.
"Do you have a belt for me?", she asked in that small, pleading voice again, her cheeks still feeling like they had caught fire.
Bishop did not reply, but just went over to his backpack and, after throwing her her shoes, started to cut a length of rope with the knife from the sheath across his chest while she hastened to fasten the laces of her shoes, fumbling with the knots in her hurry.
I will go hunting again.
At that thought, her heart gave an enthusiastic thump in her chest as she took the length of rope from him to bind his breeches tightly around her waist, looking up at him expectantly.
"Ready!", she announced as soon as she had closed the knot of the rope.
For a long moment, he simply continued to stare at her, that dark look still in his eyes and his usual scowl back on his face, before he finally turned around and set out for the woods without another word, forcing her to hurry past him, trying to keep up with his quick pace. Liliana watched his leather-clad back in the grey light of day as they reached the first line of trees, and couldn't keep herself from shaking her head, disbelief and excitement still mingling strongly in her chest.
Gods, I know that this must be the weirdest story I have ever heard of – but right now, I actually don't mind being a part of it anymore.
And with a rapt, little smile, she followed him into the undergrowth.