Daine wasn't surprised when the first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was a man's face. She was however surprised, and then relatively panicked, when she realized it wasn't Numair. She sat up, startling four mice, and a cat who were curled up on her chest and lap.
George grinned, placing his hands, gentle and commanding, on her shoulders and pushing her back onto the cot. "Calm down lass, he's fine." He laughed, and Daine wondered how he had known what she wanted without her saying a word. The man was far too perceptive. She glanced towards the door, and opened her mouth to ask.
"Don't ye worry, he's not out chasing the minotaur," he shook his head, his grin only getting wider. "Raul wasn't far from the spot you marked on the map. He and the Own are taking care of it." His hazel eyes followed her gaze towards the door. He shook his head, and reached out to squeeze her hand "He's sleeping lass. Though I had to threaten him, assure him I would be here, and promise to fetch him immediately upon your awakening, in order to get him to leave." Even with his heavy lower city accent, she could hear the amusement in his voice. "Ye know he didn't sleep the entire time you were away? Didn't eat either. He just stood up there on the North watch tower."
George's smile faded, and Daine dropped her eyes to her lap fiddling with the badger claw at her neck. He watched her fidget with it for a minute. Glancing up, she saw slight surprise flit across his features when he noticed the glint of the pregnancy charm hanging beside the claw. She jutted her chin out defiantly, and his expression evened out so quickly that she thought she may have imagined it.
"Did you know?" His smile, impish and endearing, returned.
"Know what?" Daine asked, startled.
"Did you know the effect you have on him lass?" George put his hand under her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. She shifted and glanced back towards the door.
"He's just an overprotective dolt...you know that George." She clasped her hands in her lap in order to prevent herself from drawing attention back to her charm by fretting with the claw. "He doesn't think I can do anything on my own without getting myself killed." She rolled her eyes, but George simply barked a laugh.
"Is that it lassy?" he let go of her chin. "You know, I've known Arram since Alanna found him starving and despondent at the edges of the realm." His tone became serious again. "He didn't feel that he had anything to live for back then." This time it was George who dropped his eyes to his lap, but he quickly settled his piercing hazel gaze back on her own. "There is nothing more terrifying than a mage who has given up on life..." He tapped his thumb against her knee under the wool blanket. "Where would all that power go?" she barely heard his whisper. She wondered if he was still speaking of Numair, or of Arram...or of another mage entirely.
"George..." Her question died on her lips as he shook his head. She had never seen the baron look so serious.
"He wouldn't survive losing you Veralidaine." his tone was matter of fact, and she wondered if this was the George who had been the King of the Corus Rogue. "I have half a mind to tell Jon that the two of you ought to be separated." He held his hand up at her terrified look. "Don't fret Daine...I won't. I just needed to be certain you knew."
He stood, taking a step towards the door. "I have witnessed the kind of man Numair becomes when he has nothing to live for." He placed his hand on the door. "If anything were to happen to you lass... he would have nothing to live for."
He was gone before she could blink, and Daine was left alone. She gripped the badger claw, and wished desperately that her guardian would appear and tell her how she was supposed to survive this war.
More importantly, she wished he would tell her how to assure Numair would survive.
