Here is the latest chapter. Hope you like it.
Chapter twenty-three: Trust
Burdock walked into the courtyard that held the fountain, almost weeping as the tension left his shoulders. He had found her at last. After hearing about what she had done, the strange behavior she had exhibited while in the throne room, he had went searching for her. Bennie had told him that she was in a courtyard in the temple distinct and that was all he knew.
The only way that he could find Novellee was to go from temple to temple looking for her. And he had. Two hundred thirty-nine. That was the number of temples on the temple district.
It had taken him three days to find her, but he had. And now he could relax as he questioned her on what the hell was going on.
"Novellee," he called softly. She was sitting on the edge of the fountain, looking down with an expression that broke him inside. She was so sad, so alone. He wanted to gather her into his arms and hug her, smother her with love until her face was no longer so pale, her eyes no longer haunted.
She looked up when she heard his voice and a smile lit her face, a beautiful smile that took away his breath. But then the depression returned and she looked away, into the water again.
He didn't say anything, simply sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. She stiffened, but didn't pull away. He heard her sigh and she slowly lowered her head to his shoulder.
"Tell me what's going on."
She pulled away then, getting to her feet and pacing along the wall. She had been here for four days, never leaving, drinking from the water when she got thirsty. She didn't need to eat because she hadn't become hungry.
As she had been confined in here, she had thought endlessly on how she could save Tortall. But every time she came up with a way, she realized she needed some one else to help, any one else. She simply couldn't do it on her own.
As she paced now, her thoughts over whelmed her. She silently shook her head to tell him no. She couldn't tell, but the reason why was fading fast from her mind.
"Novellee, you can trust me," he, too, got to his feet and walked to her. He caught her arms in his hands and made her look into his eyes. "You can trust me Novellee. Tell me what's going on."
She did, spilling it all forth as she sobbed with out tears. As she did, she came to the realization that the spell wasn't holding her back. It was allowing her to tell this one person, the man she loved.
And she was grateful it was he. She knew, with out a doubt, that he would help her and that's what she needed most. She needed help.
When it had all been told, when he knew everything that she knew, she sagged into his arms. Weak from hunger loss and lack of rest, she drifted to sleep in his embrace.
Burdock hauled her limp form into his arms and carried her out of the temple. His horse was waiting for them in the stables. He propped Novellee against the wall and climbed into the saddle, then grabbed her and settled her in his arms.
He rode back to the Dog House inn. Bennie saw Novellee and his face went white, but he didn't say anything. Burdock took Novellee up to her room and placed her in the bed.
He soothed the hair back from her face. Her eyelids fluttered in her dream filled sleep. She was so beautiful, he thought, his heart aching with the love for her. He had to tell her, even if it fell on deaf ears.
Leaning forward he placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you," he whispered as he pulled away. He would leave her in peace and go question Bennie more closely on what had been going on in the throne room. A plan was forming, but he wanted to make sure that Novellee hadn't let anything escape her notice.
As the door closed, Novellee opened her eyes and sat up, placing fingers to her tingeling lips. She yearned to say the words to him too. But she couldn't, couldn't keep him for herself. He deserved someone better then her. She was an assassin, her soul was scared with sins. And even when she avenged her brother and gave up her hatred, she would forever bare the marks of that hatred for the rest of her life. She was emotionally scared and could never give him enough of herself for him to be satisfied.
But in that moment, she didn't care. She wanted him to know how she felt so badly that her throat ached from being denied the release of the words that were building in her. She choked on them and she cried out, her voice strangled and tight.
She didn't want to be alone in her world of hatred anymore. She wanted someone with her, someone who understood her and loved her. Someone who was brave and strong and knew things about the world. A man who would be a good man for the rest of his life, be kind to her, and be a great father.
A man like Burdock.
She wanted him and no one else and in that moment she realized that he had ruined her for anyone else. She was his completely, even if she never told him and at the end of all this, he walked away.
He would walk away, she assured herself, squashing down the hope that he wouldn't. She would make him walk away because that was the right thing to do.
With a sigh that broke, she curled into a ball in the center of the bed and nursed her heart that was so full of love but was already breaking with it's loss.
Novellee slept for almost a full day and when she woke, she was groggy and decidedly grumpy. Her ponderings the day before had left her in a snarly mood with the nasty taste of depression in her mouth. She hated feeling sorry for herself and that was exactly what she had been doing the night before.
Climbing out of bed, she straightened her shoulders and became determined to give up all thoughts of love and loss and simply be happy. She nodded with affirmation. Yes, that was exactly what she would be, happy. And she wouldn't think of Burdock at all.
She dressed carefully in faded brown breeches and a cream colored tunic. As she brushed her hair free of tangles she thought of all that she knew about Morrison. A plan was forming and she couldn't wait to discuss it with Burdock and see what he made of it.
She frowned as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was so quick to think of Burdock as the one she would tell her plans too. Less then five months ago she would have never even considered the thought of confiding in a Tortallan. Would have been disgusted of the thought in fact. And now she didn't think of telling them to anyone else.
This was not a good way to start her happy, Burdock free, day. Five minutes into the day and already she was thinking of him. She decided on the spot that she wouldn't mention her plans to Burdock at all.
And what made her think he was even still here? He had probably left already and she was wasting her time on telling herself not to rush to him and squeal all her plans to him. He would be gone and all this scolding would be for not.
Her hair pulled firmly into a ponytail, all thoughts of Burdock banished, she left her room and climbed down the stairs to the kitchen. She was very hungry so the first thing on her list of things to do would be to eat.
Her nose picked up the scent of fresh muffins and she sighed with pleasure. The new cook was excellent and her muffins were the best.
Novellee sailed into the kitchen, delighted with life itself and collided with Burdock. She put her hands up against his chest and pushed herself away only to look up into his damnably handsome face and his beautiful smile.
He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen, she thought to herself. And so kind, she added as she saw his kindness swimming in his eyes as he looked at her. Is it any wonder I love him?
She scowled at him. He was supposed to have left so she could be alone and not acknowledge the fact that she loved him. But here he was with his smiles and his kindness and his warm presence wrapping around her.
Her happy mood took a blatant turn for the worst, and her scowl deepened. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice gruff with emotions neither one of them could fathom. But he just smiled his smile, the one that had turned her away from the life she had lived into the life where she loved him.
"I got to thinking and I have a plan."
And like that she was hooked, pulled into him and his plans. She spent the rest of the day revising a plan with him and falling more and more in love with him with each minute that passed.
A/N I truely love this story. I know it may seem conceded for me to say this, but I really love this story. I'm going to share a secret with you all. I have never before finished a story completely. This was my firs on that I've ever finished. Any ways, I hope you love it as much as I do. Tell me what you thought about the chapter in a reivew.
Nubia
