Chapter Fifty-One
~Milly~
I woke up before my mysterious bedmate, and it was still dark outside. At some point in the night, he had released me from the tight grip he had on me and settled for clasping my hand. I lay there for a while, listening to him breathe. His hand dwarfed mine, feeling rough and cool.
I slipped my hand from his carefully, and pulled the blankets up to keep him warm. His fingers formed into a fist and a dismayed look crossed his face. Instantly, I stroked his cheek. I wanted to offer him any small comfort I could. His expression evened out under my careful touch and he sighed in his sleep, content. I slipped off the bed slowly, trying to avoid distressing him further. He didn't shift again. I took one last look at him before I hurried up the stairs.
I started a fire under the pot on the stove after I filled it with water. I needed to make some lavender tea and I'd need to wash him up again while I changed his bandages. I debated on what I could offer him to eat that wouldn't be too hard for him to eat. Now that he was out of immediate danger, I could check him over for more superficial injuries.
"And how is our guest this morning?" Jordis asked, scaring me half to death. I let out a little yelp and she smirked at me.
"He's good. Sweet Mara ya startled me. He's doin well. He's responsive. Sleepin now." I informed her.
"I checked on you two a few hours ago." Jordis said, sounding amused. "He was holding onto you like he never wanted to let go."
I felt my cheeks flame as I prepared the the tea. "M sure he was thinkin I were his wife or some girl he's taken with." I stammered out. I decided to toast some bread for him to go with his tea. I filled a bucket with the steaming hot water and grabbed some fresh bandages and rags.
"Sissel and I are going to visit my parents in a few hours." Jordis called to me. I paused.
"How is she?" I asked. "Ya said she weren't feelin well."
Jordis sighed. "She's been having very strange dreams, and they leave her listless. She's feverish but says she feels fine." She told me.
"Is there anythin I kin do?" I asked, my brows knitted with concern.
Jordis shook her head. "No no. I'll worry about Sissel. You should focus on our friend downstairs. He needs the attention and you're much more suited for it than I am." She told me with a smile. I nodded.
I walked downstairs quietly. I didn't want to startle him awake. I set everything in my arms onto the dresser and carefully lit the oil lantern to illuminate the room. It cast a wide halo of golden light all around and I smiled. In Honourhall all we had was candles. This was so much better. I nearly jumped out of my skin when the man on the bed spoke.
"Dibella?" He gasped. I turned to him and couldn't help but smile softly. His eyes were wide open, large and betrayed his fear more than his tone. "Am I dead?" He choked out, punctuating the question with a rough cough.
I moved closer, carrying his tea. "Afraid not." I said, amused. "Yer in Solitude." I sat down on the edge of the bed. Up close, his eyes were incredible. Bright blue, the bluest I had ever seen. Familiar somehow. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I had seen those eyes before.
"Solitude?" He asked, ignoring the tea I offered him. I nodded and held the tea closer. He stared at it suspiciously and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I tucked an errant curl behind my ear and took a long sip of the tea. I smiled at him and offered the cup again.
"Yeah. Solitude." I repeated, pleased as he reached for the cup. He tried to sit up and hissed in pain, falling back onto the bed with a strangled yelp.
"Oh Gods don't move!" I ordered frantically. I put my hand against his chest. "Yer hurt real bad. Lemme help ya." I held the tea up to his lips and he sipped carefully. He grimaced at the taste but didn't complain.
"Why am I here?" He asked, his eyes darting around. He looked like a wild animal caught in a trap.
"I found ya on the riverbank, ya were hurtin real bad, a real mess ya were. So I brought ya here." I said, readying the bandages.
"How?" He asked dryly. I looked at him in confusion.
"What do ya mean, how? I dunno how ya wound up in the river. Was hopin ya could tell me." I replied.
"How did you carry me here? You couldn't have lifted me. You're tiny." He looked me over. The way he said it raised my hackles. He acted like my small stature was something to be embarrassed about. His blue eyes were narrowed in disdain.
I turned fully to glare at him, my hand on my hip. "I ran fer a friend. He helped carry ya here. Should I have left ya on the riverbank t'die?" I retorted. I knew my temper was getting the better of me but he could have at least said thank you!
He ignored my question. "Where is here, exactly?" He asked.
"Yer in an extra bedroom in me employers house. You'll meet his betrothed soon 'm sure." I replied dismissively. "I'm going t'change yer bandages now. Check on yer stitches."
His eyes widened again. "Bandages? Stitches?" He asked lifting up the blanket to peer at himself. "Where is my clothing?! My armor?!" His voice was rising. He was starting to panic. I crossed the room carefully and sat on the edge of the bed.
I placed my hand on his arm and he flinched away from me. He was acting as if he were afraid of me. "Yer alright." I soothed. He pushed me away and quicker than I could try to stop him he tried to leave the bed. He collapsed on the floor in a pile, tangled up in the blanket, howling in pain.
"Now why would ya do that ya bloody idiot?!" I shrieked, more afraid for him than upset with him. He had gone pale, his jaw clenched. He was trying desperately to manage the pain but his fast breathing indicated that it wasn't working. I carefully knelt by him. "That was foolish." I chided, more quietly. "Gettin ya back into the bed will be difficult. An' prolly a bit painful t'be honest."
He looked up at me and I couldn't help but compare him to a wild animal again in my mind. He looked scared beneath all the pain. Without thinking, I brushed the hair off of his sweaty forehead. He flinched but I continued to stroke his hair until his breathing steadied. He stared at me the entire time. "It's alright. Ya jist have to let me help ya." He nodded his head once.
With a huge effort on both our parts, I was able to get him back in the bed. It was hardly painless but it was quick enough. Once I got him settled in the bed, I tucked the blanket back around him. He watched me with suspicious eyes, his expression guarded. I plopped down on the bed, a little winded. He was a heavy brute.
"Right then." I sighed. "I'm gonna poke at ya some, see what's all wrong with ya, then I've got t'change the bandages on yer shoulder." I told him. I thought it best to tell him what I was doing. I tried to pull back the blanket, but he held it in place. "Stop that!" I snapped, yanking at it.
"I'm not decent." He growled. I wanted to laugh.
"And ya think that'll scare me? Who do ya think took yer clothes off?" I snapped. He just stared at me and I started to turn pink. "Don't look at me like that! Ya would have died of a chill if I'd let you stay in them. They was ruined anyways." He didn't say a word and I wanted to strangle him. I hadn't been indecent at all, and he was acting like I was some sort of... Creepy person.
He released the blanket and I pulled it back carefully. I prayed that he didn't see my hand tremble. I was suddenly nervous. The bruises were more vivid now, deep purples, blues and blacks, covering almost his entire body. He turned his head away from me, staring at the wall. He almost looked ashamed.
I started pressing my hand gently along his left foot, searching for any breaks or swelling. His ankle was severely swollen, probably sprained. His leg and hip seemed alright but once I reached his ribs he hissed angrily and I gasped. They were definitely broken.
"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to hurt ya." I apologized softly.
"Just hurry up." He snarled, turning to glare at me. I flinched at the angry look, then got furious myself. So ungrateful! I pushed at his shoulder a little more roughly than necessary and he outright whimpered. Guilt flooded through me and tears sprang to my eyes. He must have hit those rocks in the river hard.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. "Yer shoulder is dislocated."
"I can tell." He said through gritted teeth.
"I need to put it back." I continued, ignoring his attitude. "It's goin t'hurt at first, but it'll feel a lot better after."
He just nodded. I helped him sit up carefully. "What's yer name?" I asked, realizing that I had no idea. He hesitated and I sighed. It wasn't as if I was going to murder him. "Do ya have any family ya want me to find? I'm just tryin t'help ya." I assured him.
"Achrin." He blurted out. "My name is Achrin. I don't have anyone. No family."
I frowned sympathetically. I knew what that felt like. "Well Achrin, I'm gonna move yer arm around. Yer gonna feel a lot of pressure, a bit o' pain and then it should feel better. Ready?" I asked, lifting his arm carefully. He nodded and looked towards the wall again. He wasn't much for words, Achrin. I rotated his arm slowly, and after a few rotations I felt him stiffen and his arm popped right back into socket. He rolled his shoulder experimentally and gave just the barest hint of a nod.
"Better?" I asked. He turned and stared at me with those hauntingly blue eyes. I stared back, trying to read his expression. We stared at each other for almost a full minute before he nodded.
"Yes. Thank you." He said quietly, staring down at his hands. He was fidgeting with the blanket. A quick check of his other side showed me that he had a badly sprained knee and more broken ribs.
"That's good though." I assured him. "It'll all heal well enough. I'm gonna help ya lay down now." I said, cupping my hands behind his back and helping him ease down. I knew my fingers must be digging into his bruises but he didn't complain.
"Would ya like t'eat before I change yer bandages?" I asked after he was settled back in.
"No." He said flatly. "I'm not hungry." As if to contradict him, his stomach let out a loud growl. I raised my eyebrows at him and a bit of pink colored his cheeks. I didn't say anything, just fetched the toast from the dresser. I took a large bite from it and chewed in an exaggerated fashion. I swallowed and handed it to him. He ate it so quickly I had to wonder when the last time he had eaten was.
"Would ya like some more?" I asked softly, reaching out to pat his leg. He stared at my hand and I drew it back. I wasn't sure why I kept touching him unnecessarily. He just looked like he needed a friend.
"No. Thank you." He replied. I stared at him suspiciously, but decided to take his word for it. I pulled back the blanket, and my eyes lingered on the dragon shaped scar
"How did you wind up in the river Achrin?" I asked as I peeled back the bandage from his shoulder. The healing potion had done its job. It didn't look infected at all.
"I'm a sailor. Rough waves threw me overboard. Current got me." He said quickly, staring at the wall again. He looked down at his shoulder when I started washing it with the now lukewarm water. "Those are poorly done." He commented, tilting his chin at the uneven stitches.
I laughed. "Yeah. Sorry bout that. I'm a maid, not a seamstress." I told him. He just grunted. I wrapped him in a fresh bandage and rose from the bed. "I'll be back to check on ya in a bit. Ya should try to sleep." I suggested. I grabbed the bucket and the dirty rags and made for the stairs.
"I have no money." He said, looking at me with an unreadable expression. My heart nearly broke in two for him. Had he seen so little kindness that he didn't recognize it?
I tilted my head to the side. "And?" I asked softly.
"I can't pay you for all this." He said. He looked almost fearful. I sat everything back on the dresser and sat down on the bed with him. I took his large hand in both of my own and smiled at him.
"Achrin ya don't owe me anythin. I'm jist glad I was able t'help ya. I don't want ya worryin about a thing. Just get better." I said earnestly, locking eyes with him. I gave him one last smile before I let go of his hand and walked upstairs.
Jordis was still at her parents, so I took to tidying up the house, and preparing dinner. I sliced apples and tossed them into the pot over the stove with some butter. They would turn to mush and make a fine accompaniment for the venison I placed on the spit. I retrieved my money from the small box on my dresser and walked downstairs to peek in on Achrin. He was asleep, flat on his back with his mouth wide open. I couldn't help but smile as I walked up the stairs quickly.
I headed to the clothing store and sighed as I walked in the door. These Altmer were awful. I looked around the shop and spotted the perfect outfit. It was a bit outlandish but would suit Achrins needs perfectly. The shirt was a soft blue, and was completely open in the front. It could be closed by slipping wooden pegs through fabric loops on the opposite sides. He could wear it but I could still tend to his shoulder. The loose cloth pants would cover him without cutting into any of his wounds or restricting him. They were the color of leather, but much, much softer. The horrid shopkeeper watched me the entire time. I made my purchase as quickly as I could.
"You don't plan on wearing that do you?" The shopkeeper asked, sounding unbearably snobby.
"Of course not. It's for..." I paused, unsure what Achrin was. "A friend." I settled on.
The elf rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Are we done here?" She asked.
"Quite." I snapped. Gods I hated that shop!
I returned to the manor and stirred the apples carefully, adding more butter. I turned the spit and smelled the venison happily. My stomach rumbled so I sliced up a tomato and sprinkled it with salt. I decided Achrin could probably eat more, so I sliced up another tomato.
I walked back downstairs and he was still asleep. I sat down on the bed and gently touched his arm. His eyes flew open and he grasped my wrist painfully tight. He looked very confused and a little wild.
"Achrin you're hurting me." I gasped, trying to pry his hand off of me. He released me after a moment.
"You startled me." He offered as an explanation. "Did I hurt you?"
I shook my head. "Not really, no." I replied, rubbing my wrist. "I brought you some tomato with salt." I showed him the plate. He stared at it suspiciously and I sighed. I took a bite of one of the tomato slices and handed him the rest. He didn't start eating until I had swallowed my bite. "I wouldn't waste my time bandagin ya if I were tryin t'kill ya." I remarked mildly.
He appraised me over a slice of tomato. "No, I suppose not." He agreed.
I couldn't contain my smile. "Got ya somethin." I said. He looked up at me in surprise. "I'll be right back." I raced back upstairs for the clothing I bought him. I nearly skipped into the room with them folded over my arm.
"Tadaaaaaa!" I announced happily. He simply blinked at me.
"You didn't have to do that." He said, looking uncomfortable.
My face fell a little but I shook it off. "Course I did! Yer naked!" I laughed. The pink bloom crept into his cheeks again and it widened my smile to see it.
"That I am." He agreed.
"I'll help ya put em on." I said, pulling back the blanket.
"That's not necessary." He grumbled, pulling the blanket back up.
I rolled my eyes and yanked it back again. "Tis and ya know tis. Ya can't support yer own weight with yer legs messed up an ya can't be liftin yer arm or ya may rip out my ugly stitches." I lectured him. He sighed deeply and turned to stare at the wall once more. He'd have that wall all but memorized if he kept it up. I stifled a giggle and got him dressed. He seemed much more comfortable now that he wasn't bare.
"Thank you." He said quietly. He met my eyes. "I don't know your name."
I laughed aloud. I'd been tending to a naked man for the entire day and hadn't even introduced myself. "I'm Milly. Nice t'meet ya." I said with a bright smile. He nodded his head. His eyes started to drift closed and I made to move away, but he grabbed my arm right quick.
"Stay." Achrin said quietly. "Tell me about yourself." His eyes were closed, but he looked hopeful.
So I did. I told him about growing up in Honourhall, told him about Mylo, told him about Arryn. I looked up and realized that he was fast asleep. I wondered how long he had been asleep and smirked to myself. His hand was still clutching my sleeve so I sat there, waiting for him to let me go.
I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep until I was shaken awake roughly. My eyes flew open and I shook my head, trying to clear it. The lantern had burned through all the oil and it was very dark. I didn't realize where I was right away and tried to stand. A vice-like grip held me in place. My eyes settled on the man in the bed and I calmed down.
"Are you alright?" Achrin asked quietly. I couldn't make out his features, but his voice was rough.
I nodded. "Me? Yeah. Fine. Are ya alright? Did ya need something? Sorry I fell asleep on ya." I said quickly. He hadn't let go of my arm.
"I don't need anything. You were having a nightmare." He said, loosening his grip but not letting go.
I blushed, glad that is was dark. I prayed I hadn't said anything too revealing. The nightmares weren't anything new, I'd had them for years. "Ah." I forced out. "Yeah. Tha' happens once in a while." Twice a week at least, I added silently.
He released my arm and scooted away. I cringed, knowing I must have made him very uncomfortable. In the dim light I couldn't see him at all at that distance but he shocked me by pulling me down roughly. I gave out a loud squawk but he ignored me. He just tucked the blanket around me and pulled me to his chest. I started to shake and he was silent.
"What did I say?" I asked quietly. I knew that I must have spoken about the bandits aloud.
He took so long to answer I thought he was going to ignore me. "Please just let me die." He said softly.
"Oh." Shame flooded through me and I covered my face with my hands. Tears slipped down my face. I knew he must have felt them, my face was pressed to his chest.
He didn't say anything. Just pulled me tighter to him.
