Triss followed the mysterious woman though the narrow alleyway with Adella following behind. The woman ahead of her was cloaked so Triss had no way of telling anything about her. The woman suddenly turned around to face them and Triss halted Swallow before she ran the girl over.
"I believe you are Trisscar Faile, archer and assassin? If I am wrong, please, do not refrain from letting me know," the woman said in a voice made for singing.
"Yes, I am Trisscar Faile. And you are…?"
"I'm Rhea Mosvani. So you are wondering whom you are to assassinate for me? Well, you will not have to look far. He is actually listening to us right as I speak in the alley to the left." She had a mischievous glint in her brown eyes.
As Triss was running past Rhea, she took out her dirk and plunged it into the girl's neck. Drawing it back out she ran down the alleyway to the left. There stood a black-cloaked man who did not even bother running. He merely looked at her, and suddenly, Triss was unable to move, as if wrapped by flows of air. Her feet lifted off the ground and she was left hanging in the air.
"Burn you!" she snarled at the man as he brought her, through the air wrapped in flows of air, closer to him. Triss started kicking and yelling, but it was to no avail. The closer she came to him, the closer she believed she came to her doom. Thinking of this, she merely kicked and screamed some more, but the screaming and kicking ceased as the man planted a kiss on her lips.
"See, isn't that much better. Now just calm down, I'm not going to hurt you. I was after that lady you just killed, but seeing as you've done my business for me, I don't have to go through the trouble of doing it myself."
Triss' muscles had turned to jelly and if not for the thing holding her up, she would have fallen to the ground. She gave out a low groan, almost unheard, but the man had heard it. Whether it was a yearning for more or a wanting to get down, she got both. The man undid what he had done and was holding her in his arms.
He couldn't help it, she was just too cute and innocent lying in his arms, so he kissed her forehead again. He had no idea whether she was still conscious or not but he thought she enjoyed getting the love. The man carried her back around the corner where Adella was waiting with her belt knife out.
"You hurt her and I'll gut you! Put Triss down slowly if you will," Adella said warningly.
Triss mumbles and then turns her head to look at Adella, "It's okay Adella. Don't bother, he's not going to hurt either of us." She turns her head to look up at the man. "What's your name and how old are you? I must know," she said with a giggle.
Adella was plainly not amused and just stared at the both of them in turn with a sour expression on her face but the man went on anyway, "My name's Kris and I'm twenty years of age. Since you asked me, I'd like to know the same thing about you."
"I'm Trisscar Faile, age nineteen, archer and assassin. I was trying to go about my job 'till you got in the way and now I don't want to kill you," Triss adds with a glare.
Adella obviously wanted to go and she made it very clear. "Triss, I think it's high time we left this place and found somewhere to stay for the night. It'll be getting dark pretty soon."
"The both of you can stay with me. As long it's okay with Trisscar here." Kris was really confused as to why this weird woman wanted to go so suddenly. Maybe she was just looking after Trisscar…yeah, she had to be.
"Is it close by?" Triss asks.
"Yeah, pretty close. It's a bit of a walk, seeing as I don't have a horse, but we can make it there soon."
"I meant could we get there without raising too much suspicion or attracting too much attention? If you had forgotten, I'm an assassin. Assassins do not like to attract attention. But with you carrying me, seeing as I cannot walk, we will receive boatloads of attention from the people around here. And anyhow, you may ride Swallow, my horse seeing as I am unable to ride her," she said the last with a glare at Kris.
"We can go through the alleys without raising any attention. But…where is your horse. I see one but…" before Kris can finish, Swallow moves out from the cover of the shadows to stand next to him. "…Well that was quick. She looks to be war-horse trained? She won't throw me off, will she?" Kris said as he took a hold of Swallow's reins.
"No, she won't. Swallow, be a good girl and stop fretting," Triss said as Swallow started moving away from Kris. "If she threw you off, she'd have to throw me off too, and she wouldn't take that risk. Hand me to Adella while you mount if you please. I trust you, but I don't want you to drop me."
"Here Adella," Kris said as he handed Triss to the old woman who was still scowling at him.
Kris mounted Swallow with ease and when done, he held his hands out to take Triss.
"I am perfectly capable of carrying Triss. You have no need to burden yourself with such a lump," Adella told Kris.
"No, Adella let him. Please. I've seen the way you ride and you nearly fall off of Peachblossom. I'd be safer with him and you know it. Now please be reasonable," Triss told her.
Sighing Adella gave Trisscar to Kris who held her as if holding a lover, not a sack of potatoes like Adella was doing. Triss wrapped her arms around him so he would be able to guide Swallow with one of his hands while keeping his other around her waist so she would not fall off. Swallow wouldn't allow that anyway.
Kris motioned for Adella to bring Peachblossom close behind him as he started Swallow off into the alleys at a slow walk. They made many winding twists and turns until they were at a straight alley that looked to be going for more than a mile. Kris leaned down a little to whisper something in Triss' ear.
"I am getting the impression that you really like me, and I wanted to let you know that I like you back…a lot."
Triss smiles and says, "Actually, you're wrong. You have swept my heart away and I am in love. I don't like you, I love you."
"Well, that's great because I feel the same way about you. Now…I only have two beds. Are you and Adella going to sleep together or…?" Kris asked.
"Oh, I wouldn't sleep with Adella. She'd probably kill me by accident. I'm not the only assassin in this party. And yes, I'd love to sleep with you," Triss finished with a smile.
And then Kris noticed her marriage knife. "Well…if you're married then it would be best not to…" Kris started.
Triss looks down at her marriage knife. "Oh, this? My husband and twins were killed six months ago. I am not married. I'm a widow. I'm hunting down the man that killed them. That's how I became an assassin. But I'll tell you the whole story later."
Kris looked so relieved. He would pry her about it later, maybe when they were making love? But he was home now and he was very ravenous. (Sorry Ben, in this time and place there are no goldfish (the snack that smiles back for those of you who are a little slow). Heh, sorry 'bout that.)
Kris slung Trisscar over his shoulder as he dismounted. Swallow and Adella clearly disapproved, but Triss giggled. When she had realized what she had just done, she went quiet quickly and mentally chided herself. What am I doing! This man has addled my head. I cannot think clearly around him. I see him and only him, think of him only and nothing else. The world could be burning and so could the bloody Dragon Reborn, but I wouldn't care so long as Kris is all right. I hardly know him even! Trisscar, you are pitiful! Letting a single guy do this to you. Why can you not keep your head at a time like this! Then she started bickering with herself. It's called love! But you don't have to let a guy do this to you! Triss shut them out and left her mind wander.
Kris righted her when his boots hit the ground and carried her with one hand, while he led Swallow with the other. There was a small stable with a speckled horse that looked to be trained as a war-horse. He dropped Swallow's reins and opened a door to a small house.
It was so tiny that it only had room for a small living area and a bedroom. Kris took Triss to his room, put her on his bed, lit an oil lamp and went to make sure Adella was all right. Kris stopped half way out of the room, and turned back to give Triss a passionate kiss before walking out again.
Triss put a hand to her cheek and smiled. The love was getting to her.
--
Kris went and put Swallow in one of the stalls and then went to help Adella dismount. He took Peachblossom into another of the stalls and when he came out, Adella confronted him.
"Listen boy, I don't want you messing with Triss, you hear? You just leave that perfectly good girl alone! She was acting just fine before she met you and now she's all acting funny. Just let her be and do her own thing."
"Adella, it's called love. I know you've heard of it before you just don't remember it. I think it's you who is bothering Triss. You are jealous because you aren't getting her entire attention and I am. Just calm down and think about it, please," Kris said as calmly as he could manage. This woman was starting to get on his nerves.
Adella seamed awestruck, so Kris took his chance and went back into the house putting Adella's saddlebags on the pallet for her on the floor, and took Triss' into his room.
Triss was lying on the bed staring at nothing. Her breath came slowly, but when she turned her head to look at him, it was like she had just run a mile. Her breathing was short and quick, very cute to see someone obviously excited like that. But she was no more excited that he was.
"You were kind enough to tell me your entire name, so I shall tell you mine. It's Kristopher Edmund Albius," Kris said as he sat down next to Triss and helped her sit up.
She immediately went to put her arms around him and held him as if she'd never let go. "Heh, I like your name. Kristopher…I've heard it before, but I cannot place it."
Kris put one of his arms around her waist and hugged her close to him. "We might want to wait until after Adella's asleep before we have our fun. She was definitely upset at me for some reason. I don't want her to be."
"I can understand your worries about Adella, but she won't bother us. If you would help me up please?" Adella comes in and Triss quickly says, "Or not…" Triss calls to Adella, "Hey Adella, ever heard of love before? You should be able to understand. If not, you can go to an inn. I'll find you in the morning?"
"You know what? I have a friend running an inn nearby and I'd rather a bed than the floor. Go to the Lion's Den tomorrow after the noonday bell rings and ask for me. I'll be there. See you tomorrow Triss," Adella replies nicely.
The door shuts and Triss pushed Kris away to get her first real look of him. He was very light toned with blue eyes and dark brown hair. Kris was lithe and had a great build to his body. She looked into his eyes, saw a look of pure love and smiled warmly. "Do you wish to help me with the buttons on the back of my shirt or must I do it myself?" Triss asked with a smile.
Triss woke up with the sun that morning and looked over at Kris. He was so beautiful with the sun casting light upon his features and she just loved him the way he was. He could not be more perfect. Giving him a light shake to wake him, Triss moved closer to him under the covers. It was winter and the mornings were quite chilly.
Kris finally stirred from his sleep, yawned and smiled at her. Triss just snuggled closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her. She did not want to get out from next to Kris, not ever! But Triss knew she had to get up sometime, but that time didn't have to be now. She wanted to stay with him forever, but duty would get her out of bed soon enough. Her clothes were lying by the door, much too far away for her liking. She was going to freeze to death one of these days.
"Good morning Hun. Did you have a nice sleep?" Kris asked. He already knew the answer, but he was being such a tease.
"Of course I had a good sleep! I was with you." She giggled softly and wrapped her arms around him.
"I want to lie in bed all day with you, but my duty calls." At a glare from Triss he adds, "But I don't have to get up now."
Triss smiles and snuggles some more. Last night with Kris had been such a blur. She didn't think she would even remember it, but she tried anyway. That bit of trying got her success.
Kris had helped her undo the buttons on the back of her shirt and she was able to do the rest. When she turned back around, Kris was ready for her with open arms. They spent the entire night holding each other, and MORE. (That MORE can be imagined but not stated. Some people are just too young to be reading this stuff. Thank you. . I know, I know. And I'm too young to be writing this. But it's called romance for a reason. So ha!)
That was all the success she got, but it was enough to make her blush.
Now Kris, on the other hand, remembered it perfectly.
He had loved the way she had arched her back when he ran his hands over her spine, how she practically poured out her soul to him. She was so sweet, so innocent. She knew what he loved, and what he loved, Triss loved as well. He loved everything about her. Her moans that enticed him to continue, that commanded him to. Her cries were forever etched into his mind. She was all he wanted and needed. Without her, a part of him would surely die. And without that part, the other half would die as well…
"Triss, what would you assume about...ah…last night?" Kris asked.
"I would assume that I love you and you love me back just as much…and soon I might need to put another gem in the hilt of my marriage knife…" she slurred the words in the last part, but what she said was definitely true. She would have to put another gem in the hilt. But would it be a sapphire or a ruby? Or both?
"Oh Hunny, if your displeased with me you can give me a jab with that knife of yours and be done with it. I don't know whether to be proud, or ashamed." Kris was obviously very confused.
Triss hugs him tighter, "I will not cut you with my marriage knife. And I think you should be proud."
Kris sighs, thankful. He was not to die this day, in the hands of his love. "But what will Adella do when she finds out?"
Triss had never thought of this before and her first notion was to run away. But running away will get you nowhere. "I'll just face her and tell her the truth. She'll understand…I hope."
Triss slowly unwrapped her arms from around Kris and was in the painstaking process of levering herself off the bed when Kris grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down next to him. Her scream of surprise was very ungraceful but she didn't care.
They were having their fun and the rest of the world could burn for it. An hour later, Triss hauled herself off the bed, her bare skin prickling from the cold. She walked slowly to her saddlebags and drew out a dress divided for riding and a silk shift to go over her bare skin. She was about to attempt to pull the shift over her head without undoing the buttons at the back when Kris came to her rescue. Triss smiled at him as he helped her step into it and button the thing up.
Kris gave her a bit of advice before she got into her dress. "What would happen if someone tried to mob you while you're in your dress? You wouldn't be able to do much and I wouldn't want to sit around to watch you die. Might it be better if you wore a shirt and pants with a skirt over it? That way you'd be warmer and safer."
Triss gave him a gratified smile. She had never thought of that. Packing the dress away, she pulled out a lavender top with a high neckline, but there was an oval cut out from the front to display the marriage knife. Once the shirt was put on, with Kris helping with the buttons again, she seemed to fit it very nicely. Meaning it was very becoming of her or that it was the farthest thing from modest. She then chose out a dark purple skirt and pants that matched. By the time she realized she still had on her shift, she had to totally undress once more, with Kris' help.
About fifteen minutes later, Triss was packed up and ready to look around town. She and Kris walked out of his house arm in arm. Triss had to duck back inside to grab her purse and put it in her belt pouch before she left. What was the point of going in a shop if you had no money to buy anything with?
The two lovers had another three or four hours 'til noon so they decided to go to a store selling jewelry. By the time they came out, Triss had a sapphire ring, a topaz ring, and a new silver chain to put her marriage knife on. She saw the jewels for a marriage knife in the shop but she didn't know if it was going to be a sapphire, ruby, or both.
Kris was so wrapped up with Triss the previous night that he forgot to get some food. Triss could only take so much of his moaning about how hungry he was until she found a nice place to eat. The Three Kings was not crowded so Triss took Kris there. They got a private dining room and the food was great. What was better; Kris stopped his fussing over how hungry he was.
By the time they finished, it was noon and they had to go to the Lion's Den to meet Adella. When they walked into the Inn, they saw Adella sitting at a table with her back to them.
"Hey, Adella. Did you have a good sleep?" Triss asked.
"I sure did, thank-you. But you didn't…" Adella trailed off either waiting for Triss to finish it for her or was lost in thought.
"Uh…if you mean needing to add another gem to the hilt of my marriage knife in about nine months…then you're absolutely correct."
Adella's eyes widened in surprise then her face was smooth, unreadable. "I should've known not to let you two alone together, I ca-"
"Adella, you knew it was going to happen, now if you wish to make a fuss over it, you can, but I'm not staying here to listen to you. Don't even start that with me. Who decided to take who where? Anyway, I was wondering if you were going to stay in Cairhien with somebody or if you were going to come with me."
"Triss-," Kris started but Triss interrupted him.
"If you had forgotten, I must be about my business. I travel everywhere. If you want to come I'd be very pleased. If not…well, I don't want to think on it. I was hoping you'd come with me…but if not, then that's fine."
"Oh. I was about to ask where you're going. I feel the need to come with you if that's okay…"
"Oh, I think she's fine as she is. There's no need for you to come with us," Adella sneered at Kris.
Kris was taken aback by how rude Adella was being towards him. Fortunately, Triss came to Kris' rescue. "Adella! How dare you be so rude to Kris? If you don't start treating him better I'm going to have to exclude you from my party. I love Kris, with all my heart I do, and if you were really loyal to me, you'd treat him better. So it's stay or leave, your choice." Triss was angry with Adella and would do anything to keep Kris from being hurt, emotionally or physically.
"You want the truth from me Triss? I am jealous. You're spending all your time with him and I feel so excluded. I'm sorry," Adella sounded sincere in that.
"How about this; I will spend more quality time with you if you are nicer to Kris and at the same time give us our time to be alone as well. You can understand that, can you not? If so, then is it a deal?" Triss always tried to keep peace and she wanted to keep peace in her party as well.
"It's a deal then." She turns to Kris, "Kris, I'm sorry for what I did, you can understand and forgive me, right?"
"Of course I can. All is forgiven Adella."
Kris is being such a gentle man, Triss thought. After all that Adella did to him, he treats her well and with respect. A perfect man for- Something interrupted her thoughts. She looked at Kris and…she didn't know. What was going on that she didn't know about? Then it struck her.
"Were you playing at this Adella?" Triss asks.
Adella lowers her eyes and nods her head. She had the grace to do that much.
"What were you really after when you came to the Inn last night?"
"The Innkeepers in Cairhien are able to do something special in the city. They are allowed to wed people. I realized you two were crazy about each other and thought…well, plans are hard to come by and I was thinking that maybe what happened after last night and all…" she trailed off letting Triss finish the thought.
Trisscar looked straight to Kris who was baffled, but he nodded when she caught his look. Triss' call. Oh no, my decision. Why is it always my decision! Should I wait or take the chance that I have out in front of me? Should I do what I did once and now a cause from it has sent my world spinning on its axis. She took a breath and gave her answer…
--
Author's Note: I originally thought that Kris was a lot likeBen, who created him, but, in truth, he's so much more like Keiron. Kind, gentle, and his temper doesn't ignite easily. Also, he's loving, and actually, rather cuddly. 3 We all love him. R & R, s'il vous plait (please)!