Scorn and Neglect Ch 14
Rating: K- for Language and suggestive…ehem…thoughts.
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING about "Reign," sadly.
AN: I am the worst….a thousand apologies to my faithful, wonderful, amazingly loyal readers.
The break in the storm only lasted a few small moments before unleashing its' full force again. Catherine had lost consciousness somewhere on the ride back to the hunting cabin, the pain being too much to bear and too much bleeding had caused her to give herself over to a few small moments of peace. The fire roared that Bash had started a few moments after they'd arrived at the cabin while Catherine began to stir on the small cot in the corner of the room. She moaned aloud in anguish at her injuries. Bash moved quickly to her side, her eyes coming into contact with his own. Realization of the events of the night began flooding her memory.
He gave her a weak smile, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you need to get out of your wet clothes or else hypothermia will set it. We need to dry them by the fire."
Catherine winced as she tried to move. She knew there was no way to undress herself, but she also knew that he was right. He'd saved her from certain death, she couldn't just lay here and perish at her own need for modesty, "Sebastian, I can't move to undress myself."
Her voice was laced with apprehension knowing that in giving him that small confession, she was asking an assumed question. One that the answer was already known. He could not refuse her, even if he wanted to, the alternative would be certain death for the Queen Mother.
"I know.' He briefly examined her disheveled attire, calculating how he would have to remove the garments. ' I will have make a partial cut in your clothes in order to get your dress off…then your corset we need to cut away completely."
She gave a hesitant nod in agreement. Sebastian shifted to stand while removing his wet cape revealing the sharp angles of his broad chest and his shirt revealing that delicious spot on a man's chest at the base of his neck. Catherine unconsciously licked her lips realizing that Bash had witnessed that small moment of passion. He tried to hide his smirk while grasping his hunting knife and moving back towards her.
Bringing the knife down to her chest and hovering it above the garment, Catherine felt her emotions in a delicate balance. Her thoughts scolded her, for God's sake, Catherine, you are injured beyond comprehension right now and all you can think about is this man's body?
The loud breath that Bash released broke her thoughts, "Catherine, there will be no modest way to do this. I must apologize in ad….."
"Bloody hell just get on with it, Sebastian. I'm freezing."
He gave a small laugh as he began to cut. Her dress released from its' confines with little effort. However, her corset proved more difficult. Sebastian wasn't certain if it was because of the hardened material, or that his thoughts were drifting. The picture of her ample bosom peeking out from her corset was searing itself into his mind…but it was marred with angry scratches and bruises covering her porcelain flesh. It was erotic but painful all at the same time; a heady mixture of emotions and passion. He tried desperately not to make eye contact with her, he knew her eyes were following his every movement. He willed himself not to take notice that her breathing had become more erratic. When he made his final cut all the way down past her navel, his breath left him in a rush. The site before him was more than he could have ever dreamed of; creamy flesh that followed a trail between two perfect breasts down the plane of a stomach that Bash wanted nothing more than to bring his lips to in that moment.
The way he was looking at her body, like it was the first time he'd ever gazed on heaven was her undoing. A small sigh escaped her in a careless moment, and for the first time since he'd begun undressing her, his eyes flew towards her at the sound she'd released. His eyes instantly darkened with lust and Catherine's widened at the realization of how Bash really felt about her in that moment. His gazed caused her to squirm, but a sharp stab of pain through her side broke their moment.
Bash cleared his throat uncomfortably, trying to clear his mind, "Ready?"
Tugging slightly on the remaining material of her corset and chemise Catherine couldn't decipher exactly what he was asking of her. She soon found out when he lifted the remaining material from her cold skin and she felt assaulted by the cold, night, air.
Catherine closed her eyes against the impending shame of her naked body being exposed to Bash. She felt hot tears prick at the corner of her eyes. This body had brought forth children, had lived an entire life, and at times felt as if it held the weight of the entire world. Certainly it would be no pleasant site for a young viral man such as Sebastian. Without saying a word he brought a heavy blanket and laid it over her naked form before moving to the fire to lay her clothes in front of it to dry.
Bash brought out a small parcel of dried meat and began to slice bits of it off. He stayed silent with his back to her and Catherine felt fatigue begin to flood her system.
"Sebastian, what are you doing?"
He sighed, "I'm cutting this meat. You're going to eat some, drink a bit of water, then I shall tend to your wounds. I have salve and dressings."
She chuckled slightly wincing a bit at the pain the movement caused her ribs, "You do come prepared, don't you?"
Sebastian stopped his movements and slammed his knife down on the table in frustration, "Yes, Catherine. I have to when the Queen Mother runs off without warning like a petulant child."
Catherine stammered to find words from his sudden shift in his mood, moving achingly slow into a sitting position, "I beg your pardon?"
He turned around fully facing her, Catherine's brow furrowed studying him for a moment. What she saw in his eyes terrified her. Lust, anguish, and something else that she couldn't quite place, "You could have been killed, Catherine! You still don't get it, do you? Someone is trying to kill you…and you think this is all just a game. We are all playthings to you, is that it? You enjoy having all of these men at your beck and call?"
"Sebastian—"
"No, Catherine. Look at yourself—you're seriously injured, dehydrated, famished….and you are the only living parent to a long line of heirs to a throne. You treat your position with such carelessness—never pausing to realize that when you speed off on your excursions you put hundreds of people's lives at risk—what worse is that I don't believe you really care!"
The Queen Mother was at a loss for words, but quickly found them—quiet and reserved, "You know nothing of what this life is like, Sebastian. When your every move is watched and studied. When you are carelessly tossed aside for half of your life by a man who promised you the world and to never hurt you—when you're humiliated every day as a powerful ruler of her country because of your husbands transgressions—live a day in my life, and then you can tell me how selfish i've been."
Sebastian fell silent, his head dropping slightly in defeat, "You still don't get it—do you have to be so damn stubborn?"
Catherine felt her resolve snap, "Why do you care so very much suddenly about my safety? I didn't hear you raise any protest about this assignment from your brother, and you've been watching me like a hawk ever since we got to the chateau. You hate me—you've always hated me, so tell me, Sebastian, why do you care so much?"
His shoulders fell in defeat along with his head. Rough hands went to his face etched with fatigue and he rubbed at his features willing himself to stay awake.
"You are a smart woman, much smarter than any man gives you credit for. You really think that I hate you? I saved your life tonight and you think I hate you?"
His gaze narrowed at her. He was studying her features, trying to find something that would give way to the belief that she really did feel that way. She simply shrugged, her features unchanging.
Catherine felt her heart constrict at the site of tears flooding his eyes before he turned away from her, "I need to go get more wood from the wood pile. The fire is dying down."
The door to the cabin closed with the force of the wind, causing Catherine to jump slightly. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and she let out a frustrated groan. She prayed silently that this night would pass quickly.
TBC...
AN: Little bit of a transition chapter here before we get into some deeper conversation between Basherine. CHEERS!