Somehow it seemed that centuries had passed before Dante came in to check on Kate. He found her lying with her eyes closed tightly, pulling a face of sheer disgust that would have caused most mothers to declare, 'if you keep making that face, it'll freeze that way.' Dante had a feeling that Kate wasn't in the best of moods. He looked to Caelan and the Healer - who still chatted softly in one corner of the room - and inclined his head toward the door. Caelan took the hint, of course, but the Healer refused to leave. "I have a patient to look after, and that's what I'm going to do," she protested as Dante tried to usher her out the door, "What if something happens while I'm out? What if she lapses into fevers again?"
"Annali," Dante said with an exasperated sigh, "If there's any trouble - any at all - I will call for you, you can be certain of that. Besides - you'll be just outside the door, there, eavesdropping all the while. You'll know if something comes up."
The woman looked mortified, her wide-eyed expression would have sent Kate into fits of laughter, had she been 'awake' to see it. "Surely you aren't suggesting that I am that shameful!" she exclaimed, stared Dante in the face. "I have never, in all my days-"
"Annali, you're the biggest gossip in the Collegium," Dante smiled, and ushered her out the door, much to the Healer's chagrin, "But don't worry, I'm sure you'll have plenty to tell the ladies at home when Kate's through with you." He closed the door, then, and left Annali wondering just what it was Dante was talking about.
"All right, you," Dante strolled to Kate's bedside, stared at her back with his guileless eyes, "I know you're not sleeping - no sleeping creature on earth makes faces like that." He pulled the blankets from beneath her chin and gently grasped her hand. "Open your eyes," he said, "It's much better looking into them than that scrunched-up scowl you're wearing."
Obligingly, Kate opened her eyes, "It took you long enough to get here," she said, hurt in her voice, "I was beginning to think you'd fallen from the face of the earth."
"Caelan was here," he began, and was cut off.
" Sure, Caelan was here - she made damned sure that everyone knew it, too! Did you see how she just sat in here and babbled incessantly about her Companion, as though SHE were the one who nearly died? Nevermind me, the woman who is still lying in bed. I don't know how you stand her. Conceited little-"
Now it was Dante's turn to cut Kate off. "Kate, enough." Clearly, Dante determined, Kate was feeling the pangs of jealousy. She didn't have a Companion, and Caelan did. Caelan could walk about as she pleased, Kate was stuck in a tiny room on a tiny bed with no contact with the outside world. Not to mention the fact that she'd grown up in a palace, accustomed to being waited on - hand and foot - and constantly the center of attention. Now she was in a strange land, full of strange people and even stranger animals, and no one seemed to care how she was faring, not even when she'd had a close brush with death. Now he understood the bitterness in her voice, and the report from Caelan that the Heir was being less than grateful. "I'm sorry," he soothed, offered a half-smile and patted Kate's hand. "Caelan isn't that bad - she's got a good heart, and she's very strong-willed. You should get to know her..."
"I think I'd rather go back into the woods and get to know that Wyrsa," her reply was curt, bitter, but Dante smiled.
"She truly isn't evil, Kate, just new to you. You're used to the high life, while all of us here are used to hard work and depending upon our own two hands." For emphasis, he kissed her bandaged one. "We have different ways of life, here. Ways that you'll come to know and love soon enough. Just give it some time."
For a long while, Kate stared up at Dante in silence, turning his words over in her head. Give it some time... Hadn't she given it enough already? Wasn't a few hours in the branches of a tree enough time? How Dante could ask that she give the Irish-woman more time was beyond her reasonings. . . but somehow, as she looked up into the eyes of the only man she'd ever kissed, Kate decided that she COULD give it some time. For Dante's sake, anyway. "Fine," she snorted, and was rewarded with one of the Herald's heart-melting smiles.
Annali wasn't eavesdropping - at least that's what she told herself when she whisked away outside and around to the window that looked into Kate's room - since she couldn't hear anything, she could hardly be eavesdropping, considering that it required the ability to HEAR a conversation. She shaded her eyes and peered inward, her perspective slightly skewed by the thick, bubbly pane of glass in the frame, and tried to figure out just what was going on.
Things seemed pretty dull; Dante sat down upon the mattress, pulled the blankets from under Kate's chin. The back of two heads was not the greatest view in the world, but Annali could think of a worse one. Like no view at all.
She watched Kate turn and look up at Dante, watched a pair of lips moving in speech - blast it, she wished she could hear what the two of them were saying! - and then saw Dante lift Kate's hand and kiss it. A romance? Could it be? No - Dante was being polite. After all, the ladies of the Collegium were certain he was shaych. Gods knew they'd tried every trick in the book to get him into their clutches, but Dante hadn't a girlfriend in his entire life. Not even one. Annali shook her head. No, Dante was certainly not involved with this woman, he was simply taking off his shirt. The Healer did a double-take and squealed with excitement. Dante HAD removed his shirt! She strained her eyes to see more, furious that the infernal glass was of such poor quality, and when Kate leaned slowly upwards and kissed Dante, she nearly leapt from her hiding place. Wouldn't the girls at home be thrilled when they heard about THIS? And they thought Dante was shaych! Annali finally had the proof that she'd needed all along. She could just picture it now.
The next time she and her friends got together for an early afternoon luncheon, she'd tell them all over tea. 'He pulled off his shirt for her, and then that outlandish woman leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth!' So what if she'd only kissed his cheek - they'd never know! - she could even go so far as to add her own ending onto the story. Oh, how they'd envy her, then! She'd be the ruler of the roost from that point on. Annali's eyes glazed as she imagined the possibilities. . .
". . . and this one needed ten stitches," Dante pointed to one of the larger wounds on his chest gingerly, careful not to touch the reddish-purple skin around it that was - and would be for some time - very sore. "More evidence of my valor and strength," He smirked. "Though it seems rescuing damsels in distress is harder than it sounds in the ballads, hey?"
"Valor and strength, ha!" Kate teased, "If that's what you call valor, I think I should have a wing in this Collegium named after me for what I did out there."
"Oh, yes. Getting bitten and nearly dying - so very courageous, Kate."
"Isn't it, though? I think I shall have one of your Bards write a song about it for me."
Dante groaned, put his shirt back on. "Don't give them any ideas, Kate. It's bad enough they write about grass and trees and things that don't rhyme or have rhythem... Then they decide they're going to write a song about a woman from OutKingdom who nearly dies because she stormed out into the forest alone. Wonderful song. I can just hear it now, and they're playing it in minor key, too. Such a sorrowful tale!" He began to sing. "Oh, Kate got bitten - she wasn't wearing a mitten - she gave it to her kitten . . ."
"Enough, enough!" Kate thwapped him over the head with a pillow. "I got the idea, thank you, dying songbird."
"What, is my singing that bad?"
"It's worse. No more!"
"What? Did I hear you ask for an encore?" He cleared his thoat as though to start again, but this time - instead of a pillow - Kate aimed a fist at him and prepared to strike. Dante laughed, waved his hands at her in defeat. "All right, all right - I see how it is. Hate a Herald just because he can't sing. . ."
"I don't hate you." Kate's voice was suddenly quiet, her eyes seemed to have darkened to a deep shade of blue. She'd lowered her fist into her lap, found herself gazing almost longingly into Dante's eyes.
To see him staring - steadfast - back at her. . . Kate's heart fluttered.
Annali, still outside the window, was so absorbed in her own delusions that she never saw what would have been the crowning glory to her tale.
Dante lifted one strong hand to Kate's face, so close to her that he could taste her breath upon his lips, and kissed her.
"Annali," Dante said with an exasperated sigh, "If there's any trouble - any at all - I will call for you, you can be certain of that. Besides - you'll be just outside the door, there, eavesdropping all the while. You'll know if something comes up."
The woman looked mortified, her wide-eyed expression would have sent Kate into fits of laughter, had she been 'awake' to see it. "Surely you aren't suggesting that I am that shameful!" she exclaimed, stared Dante in the face. "I have never, in all my days-"
"Annali, you're the biggest gossip in the Collegium," Dante smiled, and ushered her out the door, much to the Healer's chagrin, "But don't worry, I'm sure you'll have plenty to tell the ladies at home when Kate's through with you." He closed the door, then, and left Annali wondering just what it was Dante was talking about.
"All right, you," Dante strolled to Kate's bedside, stared at her back with his guileless eyes, "I know you're not sleeping - no sleeping creature on earth makes faces like that." He pulled the blankets from beneath her chin and gently grasped her hand. "Open your eyes," he said, "It's much better looking into them than that scrunched-up scowl you're wearing."
Obligingly, Kate opened her eyes, "It took you long enough to get here," she said, hurt in her voice, "I was beginning to think you'd fallen from the face of the earth."
"Caelan was here," he began, and was cut off.
" Sure, Caelan was here - she made damned sure that everyone knew it, too! Did you see how she just sat in here and babbled incessantly about her Companion, as though SHE were the one who nearly died? Nevermind me, the woman who is still lying in bed. I don't know how you stand her. Conceited little-"
Now it was Dante's turn to cut Kate off. "Kate, enough." Clearly, Dante determined, Kate was feeling the pangs of jealousy. She didn't have a Companion, and Caelan did. Caelan could walk about as she pleased, Kate was stuck in a tiny room on a tiny bed with no contact with the outside world. Not to mention the fact that she'd grown up in a palace, accustomed to being waited on - hand and foot - and constantly the center of attention. Now she was in a strange land, full of strange people and even stranger animals, and no one seemed to care how she was faring, not even when she'd had a close brush with death. Now he understood the bitterness in her voice, and the report from Caelan that the Heir was being less than grateful. "I'm sorry," he soothed, offered a half-smile and patted Kate's hand. "Caelan isn't that bad - she's got a good heart, and she's very strong-willed. You should get to know her..."
"I think I'd rather go back into the woods and get to know that Wyrsa," her reply was curt, bitter, but Dante smiled.
"She truly isn't evil, Kate, just new to you. You're used to the high life, while all of us here are used to hard work and depending upon our own two hands." For emphasis, he kissed her bandaged one. "We have different ways of life, here. Ways that you'll come to know and love soon enough. Just give it some time."
For a long while, Kate stared up at Dante in silence, turning his words over in her head. Give it some time... Hadn't she given it enough already? Wasn't a few hours in the branches of a tree enough time? How Dante could ask that she give the Irish-woman more time was beyond her reasonings. . . but somehow, as she looked up into the eyes of the only man she'd ever kissed, Kate decided that she COULD give it some time. For Dante's sake, anyway. "Fine," she snorted, and was rewarded with one of the Herald's heart-melting smiles.
Annali wasn't eavesdropping - at least that's what she told herself when she whisked away outside and around to the window that looked into Kate's room - since she couldn't hear anything, she could hardly be eavesdropping, considering that it required the ability to HEAR a conversation. She shaded her eyes and peered inward, her perspective slightly skewed by the thick, bubbly pane of glass in the frame, and tried to figure out just what was going on.
Things seemed pretty dull; Dante sat down upon the mattress, pulled the blankets from under Kate's chin. The back of two heads was not the greatest view in the world, but Annali could think of a worse one. Like no view at all.
She watched Kate turn and look up at Dante, watched a pair of lips moving in speech - blast it, she wished she could hear what the two of them were saying! - and then saw Dante lift Kate's hand and kiss it. A romance? Could it be? No - Dante was being polite. After all, the ladies of the Collegium were certain he was shaych. Gods knew they'd tried every trick in the book to get him into their clutches, but Dante hadn't a girlfriend in his entire life. Not even one. Annali shook her head. No, Dante was certainly not involved with this woman, he was simply taking off his shirt. The Healer did a double-take and squealed with excitement. Dante HAD removed his shirt! She strained her eyes to see more, furious that the infernal glass was of such poor quality, and when Kate leaned slowly upwards and kissed Dante, she nearly leapt from her hiding place. Wouldn't the girls at home be thrilled when they heard about THIS? And they thought Dante was shaych! Annali finally had the proof that she'd needed all along. She could just picture it now.
The next time she and her friends got together for an early afternoon luncheon, she'd tell them all over tea. 'He pulled off his shirt for her, and then that outlandish woman leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth!' So what if she'd only kissed his cheek - they'd never know! - she could even go so far as to add her own ending onto the story. Oh, how they'd envy her, then! She'd be the ruler of the roost from that point on. Annali's eyes glazed as she imagined the possibilities. . .
". . . and this one needed ten stitches," Dante pointed to one of the larger wounds on his chest gingerly, careful not to touch the reddish-purple skin around it that was - and would be for some time - very sore. "More evidence of my valor and strength," He smirked. "Though it seems rescuing damsels in distress is harder than it sounds in the ballads, hey?"
"Valor and strength, ha!" Kate teased, "If that's what you call valor, I think I should have a wing in this Collegium named after me for what I did out there."
"Oh, yes. Getting bitten and nearly dying - so very courageous, Kate."
"Isn't it, though? I think I shall have one of your Bards write a song about it for me."
Dante groaned, put his shirt back on. "Don't give them any ideas, Kate. It's bad enough they write about grass and trees and things that don't rhyme or have rhythem... Then they decide they're going to write a song about a woman from OutKingdom who nearly dies because she stormed out into the forest alone. Wonderful song. I can just hear it now, and they're playing it in minor key, too. Such a sorrowful tale!" He began to sing. "Oh, Kate got bitten - she wasn't wearing a mitten - she gave it to her kitten . . ."
"Enough, enough!" Kate thwapped him over the head with a pillow. "I got the idea, thank you, dying songbird."
"What, is my singing that bad?"
"It's worse. No more!"
"What? Did I hear you ask for an encore?" He cleared his thoat as though to start again, but this time - instead of a pillow - Kate aimed a fist at him and prepared to strike. Dante laughed, waved his hands at her in defeat. "All right, all right - I see how it is. Hate a Herald just because he can't sing. . ."
"I don't hate you." Kate's voice was suddenly quiet, her eyes seemed to have darkened to a deep shade of blue. She'd lowered her fist into her lap, found herself gazing almost longingly into Dante's eyes.
To see him staring - steadfast - back at her. . . Kate's heart fluttered.
Annali, still outside the window, was so absorbed in her own delusions that she never saw what would have been the crowning glory to her tale.
Dante lifted one strong hand to Kate's face, so close to her that he could taste her breath upon his lips, and kissed her.