Disclaimer: I own neither Derry nor Morgan, nor anything or anyone in
Katherine Kurtz's wonderful world!
There For You
Even though darkness is coming over me, I am not frightened, because I am safe. Safe in your arms. I feel you chest rise and fall evenly, your soft breathing tells me that you are sleeping. Sleep well, my lord, you have certainly earned it. Sleep does not find your warrior so easily though. You did ask me if I wanted any help in that matter, but I declined, out of habit. I am still not entirely certain of your power. I do not fear it, for I know you would never harm me, but I do not understand it.
Today was a day that could make a month seem dull…
***
"We are," Morgan shaded his eyes and glanced at the sky. "probably only two more days from home, if the weather holds."
I looked up. The gray sky was not promising. "But it probably won't hold, will it?"
"No," Morgan said. "And there's no real shelter nearby."
I looked around. Rocks, trees, and two lonely travelers, us. A good place for an ambush. /Why am I so pessimistic? No, I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being realistic. And if Morgan is going to live, I must be more and more realistic and aware!/
I heard a sound to my right and turned quickly. "Derry-!" Something-someone hit me hard, knocking me from my startled horse. As we fought, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Morgan was jumped as well. I kicked hard and thrust my opponent off, then attempted to pry Morgan's attacker off.
Morgan had a stiletto in his left hand and with his right hand he fought his assailant for the wicked looking dirk he was wielding. The blade of the dirk was slowly being forced down. With difficulty I moved between them and pushed hard against the attacker. He stumbled back, then lunged forward before I could move out of the way. Down came the blade.
By the way it swung it should have hit Morgan, would have hit him if I hadn't moved- and without thinking, I moved. I felt the dirk plunge into my side. Pain…everything swam dizzyingly blurred and darkened slightly. I felt someone catch me by the back of my jerkin. Something cold pressed against my neck.
"Enough of this, Lord Morgan! Don't take a step or the Marcher dies! Sy, get his weapons!"
Oddly enough, I could summon little to no interest in the conversation. I knew that Morgan said something back, then I suppose I fainted.
"Derry! Damn it, Derry!" Pain coursed through me and I opened my eyes. Morgan was leaning over me, looking worried. Not a little worried, very worried. "Derry, say something!"
"H-how bad?" I croaked.
Morgan looked away, then back. "It looks bad."
"The b-"
"I took care of them. Derry, go back to sleep," he said, touching my forehead.
Sleep took me instantly.
When I woke again, I could not see Morgan and for a moment I panicked. Then he came into view again. "Awake at last?"
With effort, I nodded.
"You'll live," he said simply. "Just don't make a habit of that sort of thing- putting yourself in the way of a sword that is- not saving my life," he grinned.
I think I managed to smile back. "Where are we?" I whispered.
"You like it? Not exactly palatial standards, but then it's just the two of us. I found a cave in the woods and after determining that it was unoccupied, moved you here. How do you feel?"
"Like I've eaten two feet of metal," I said wryly. Then I fell asleep again.
When I woke, I was lying on my uninjured side and warmer than before, likely from the thick cloak that covered me, and a warm heat source at my back. "Morgan?" I whispered, vaguely surprised.
"Hmm?" he sounded as if he had been near sleep. "What's wrong?"
I almost shook my head. "Nothing."
"Then sleep. Do you want-"
"No, thank you," I said.
***
I'm not afraid of the dark, and now, I think I can sleep. Goodnight, Morgan.
There For You
Even though darkness is coming over me, I am not frightened, because I am safe. Safe in your arms. I feel you chest rise and fall evenly, your soft breathing tells me that you are sleeping. Sleep well, my lord, you have certainly earned it. Sleep does not find your warrior so easily though. You did ask me if I wanted any help in that matter, but I declined, out of habit. I am still not entirely certain of your power. I do not fear it, for I know you would never harm me, but I do not understand it.
Today was a day that could make a month seem dull…
***
"We are," Morgan shaded his eyes and glanced at the sky. "probably only two more days from home, if the weather holds."
I looked up. The gray sky was not promising. "But it probably won't hold, will it?"
"No," Morgan said. "And there's no real shelter nearby."
I looked around. Rocks, trees, and two lonely travelers, us. A good place for an ambush. /Why am I so pessimistic? No, I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being realistic. And if Morgan is going to live, I must be more and more realistic and aware!/
I heard a sound to my right and turned quickly. "Derry-!" Something-someone hit me hard, knocking me from my startled horse. As we fought, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Morgan was jumped as well. I kicked hard and thrust my opponent off, then attempted to pry Morgan's attacker off.
Morgan had a stiletto in his left hand and with his right hand he fought his assailant for the wicked looking dirk he was wielding. The blade of the dirk was slowly being forced down. With difficulty I moved between them and pushed hard against the attacker. He stumbled back, then lunged forward before I could move out of the way. Down came the blade.
By the way it swung it should have hit Morgan, would have hit him if I hadn't moved- and without thinking, I moved. I felt the dirk plunge into my side. Pain…everything swam dizzyingly blurred and darkened slightly. I felt someone catch me by the back of my jerkin. Something cold pressed against my neck.
"Enough of this, Lord Morgan! Don't take a step or the Marcher dies! Sy, get his weapons!"
Oddly enough, I could summon little to no interest in the conversation. I knew that Morgan said something back, then I suppose I fainted.
"Derry! Damn it, Derry!" Pain coursed through me and I opened my eyes. Morgan was leaning over me, looking worried. Not a little worried, very worried. "Derry, say something!"
"H-how bad?" I croaked.
Morgan looked away, then back. "It looks bad."
"The b-"
"I took care of them. Derry, go back to sleep," he said, touching my forehead.
Sleep took me instantly.
When I woke again, I could not see Morgan and for a moment I panicked. Then he came into view again. "Awake at last?"
With effort, I nodded.
"You'll live," he said simply. "Just don't make a habit of that sort of thing- putting yourself in the way of a sword that is- not saving my life," he grinned.
I think I managed to smile back. "Where are we?" I whispered.
"You like it? Not exactly palatial standards, but then it's just the two of us. I found a cave in the woods and after determining that it was unoccupied, moved you here. How do you feel?"
"Like I've eaten two feet of metal," I said wryly. Then I fell asleep again.
When I woke, I was lying on my uninjured side and warmer than before, likely from the thick cloak that covered me, and a warm heat source at my back. "Morgan?" I whispered, vaguely surprised.
"Hmm?" he sounded as if he had been near sleep. "What's wrong?"
I almost shook my head. "Nothing."
"Then sleep. Do you want-"
"No, thank you," I said.
***
I'm not afraid of the dark, and now, I think I can sleep. Goodnight, Morgan.