Author's Notes:

Here's some more, tell me what you think.

Chapter 10

"Look's like we should be getting comfortable. If we're to spend the next two weeks together. My charming little hunter."

Naru didn't bother to even look at him before he got up and strode back up to her room. But in a small window next to the stairs Naru watched him raise a toast to her.

Horses saddled Naru and Raleon stood in the stable yard, the male Hunter easy as he checked the last of his straps and Naru tense enough to make one wonder why she hadn't shattered already. They were due to set off as soon as Loel, the newly hired kitchen maid, brought them the food that Master Braem had sent.

Raleon found everythign in a right order and turned about to see that Naru still had her back turned to him. "You know," he said, "this silence won't last long."

Naru tried her best to ignore him but she couldn't stop the quiver of anger that rushed through her at his words. She caught sight of Loel and swung stiffly into her saddle as she rushed towards the two Hunters.

Raleon thanked the pretty maid with a smile and a wink that he made sure Naru saw. Maybe if she knew that he had no real interest in her she would relax. The maid blushed prettily beofre dropping a slight curtsy and hurrying back inside the inn. Ralwon tied the bundle of food onto his sadlle and mounted.

As one Naru and Raleon set out together though Naru might as well have been alone for all she acted like it. "This silence will end by tonight, Naruviel Hunter."

Naru flinched in surprise, Raleon smile slightly. It seemed that the use of her name go t more out of her. She slid a look on what she thought was the sly. "It will end."

They rode in silence until just a few hour before sun set, setting camp near a pond and a thick covering of trees.

Naru washed quickly and made the dicesion to go ahead and talk to the whining keel. She secured her dark hair out of her face and slung her boots over her shoulders and walked back to their camp.

Having taken a bath earlier than she, Raleon's hair was half dry, hanging just above his shoulders. His blue eyes were warm as they watched the fire and remained so when they shifted to look at her.

Bracing herself she announced, "Stay away from Loel."

"Sorry?" If Raleon had told himself earlier that he had no serious interest in Naru, he was a filthy liar that deserved Purgatory.He dark hair was wet, her eyes feirce and even though he usually went for the full blond types he found himself wanting this she-wolf, with her very provoking eyes.

"You will stay away from my friend, the maid at the inn, Loel. Let her be, if you will."

Raleon raised a brow at her. "And if I don't will?"

This obviously wasn't a good thing to say if Raleon wanted peace but at the moment his thought towards peace wer simply this: Peace be damned!

Naru's face darkened. "You filthy keel!" She was as close to stabbing his through as she had ever been in her life and knew that she wouldn't if she couls that if he were drowning, she would dive in and save him. Ugh, stupid men! "You would play a poor country girl that falsely? You deserve what you get!"

"Do I now? Well, you see," he got to his feet and keeping his eyes on her he gave he a thorough once-over. "There is this one thing that I want to get."

He had the joy of watching her expression change and of leaping on her when she turned to run. She hit the ground beneath him and he applied all his weight to keeping her down. And he listened to the many words that spilled from her mouth in the language of her fathers. "That doesn't sound very nice," he remarked when she stopped for breath.

Naru took a moment to get herself under control. She hiffed at her hair and said "Please," a owrd that did roll off her tongue well.

"Alright," Raleon said. "I want you, Eru knows why, so you'd best be keeping your distance if you don't wish to have me."

Naru didn't answer for the longest time, simply righting her clothes and fighting back something. And then she lifted her head to look at