Chapter 14

It was early Morndas morning. Two guards stood near the Chestnut Handy Stables but they weren't on duty. Brie stood off to the side with a satchel slung over her back and she yawned loudly as she waited for Lex to finish haggling a price with the owner of the stables for renting two of his horses for a week.

"What do you mean you don't have any horses?"

Brie's curiosity was peaked as Lex's raised voice drifted over to her and so she pushed herself away from the post and walked over to him.

"Well uh, certain circumstances have led to us losing our stock," Restita replied and she nervously ran her hand through her short brown hair.

"Well that sucks," Brie chimed in, and Lex turned to her.

"It does. I would prefer not to travel by foot... there has been rumors of Daedra running wild."

"Daedra?" Brie squeaked.

Lex nodded, and he was silent for a moment as they thought. This morning he was wearing a crisp black tunic, a fitted navy coat, dark leather breeches and a sturdy pair of boots for riding. Brie had openly admired him as he walked, noting how nicely the breeches hugged his toned form. More than once Lex had caught her staring, and he found himself gazing at her on more than one occasion as well. Brie had opted for a tan colored tunic that she had tucked snugly into her breeches which were a light honey brown color. Lex noticed how cute her butt was in the fitted pants when she turned her back to him to lock the door to her apartment and he had to physically restrain himself from reaching out and grabbing her.

What is wrong with you? Lex silently chastised himself and he hastily looked away when Brie spun around and smiled up at him.

"Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Brie sighed.

Now Brie waited alone by the front gates with their packs as Lex returned to the Watch Tower to inquire about borrowing horses through the Imperial Guard. He was uncomfortable with traveling by foot after hearing of the events that took place in Kavatch regarding an Oblivion gate. It made him nervous to be traveling that way but he knew that he was a capable fighter and Brie could hold her own as well and so he tried to be positive about it all.

Eventually Lex returned with two large horses in tow. They clopped obediently behind the Captain as he walked with the reins held loosely in his hands. Brie affectionately rubbed the velvet soft nose of the beast that was closest to her and she smiled when it nickered softly and nudged her hand.

"You can have that one."

"What's its name?"

"Nala."

"Pretty Nala," Brie murmured, and she ran her hand along Nala's soft brown neck.

"You like horses," Lex commented with an amused smile.

"Yeah I guess...We had horses in Skingrad but they mostly just pulled carriages when my parents went away on trips."

Lex finished securing Brie's bag to Nala's saddle and then he waited patiently for the Elf to finish gushing over the horse so he could help her up. Brie patted Nala for a few more moments and then she wandered around to where Lex was waiting for her. She paused when she spotted him standing near the stirrups and raised one brow in his direction.

"You think I can't get up on my own?" Brie blurted in an accusatory tone.

"Oh," Lex replied, and he rubbed his neck while taking a step back. "I didn't mean to assume-"

"Don't even try your innocent sweet guy act on me," Brie continued as she strode forward and reached up with both arms to grasp the horn. "You tall people are so mean."

Lex knew Brie was joking, but he resisted the urge to laugh as he watched Brie attempt to put her foot in the stirrup. She managed to get it in but pulling herself up was a whole other story. She had neglected herself for over a week with her exercises and now paid the price as she failed to pull herself atop the towering horse. Her short height wasn't working in her favor this time.

After several embarrassing attempts Brie placed her foot back on the ground with a frustrated stomp and crossed her arms over her chest. She scowled at the horse as Lex quietly strode forward and looked down at her with a barely controlled laughter.

"Do you... do you uh, n-need some help?" Lex asked, and then his façade melted and he began to laugh out loud.

"You're awful," Brie whined as Lex laughed so hard he couldn't catch his breath. "Shut up and help me."

"Y-Yes ma'am," Lex replied breathlessly, and he weakly grasped her waist with both hands.

Brie grasped the horn of the saddle and in one swift motion Lex pushed her up and the Elf quickly leapt up into the saddle. She hastily grasped at the reigns and clicked her tongue, urging Nala to start galloping down the main road.

"Hey!"

Lex scrambled over to his horse and quickly mounted it before snapping the reigns. He chased Brie down the road as they raced for a little while. Eventually he caught up to her and matched her horse's stride. She slowed Nala down to a steady canter and shot Lex a cheeky grin.

"You're the mean one," Lex whined as he patted his horse's neck. "I'd never leave you behind."

"I didn't leave you," Brie argued. "You were just too slow."

"And you're too short," Lex shot back.

Brie laughed, and the sound was like music to Lex's ears. They continued riding down the road for most of the day, only stopping around mid-day to rest the horses and have a bite to eat. It would take around four or five days to reach Skingrad, and that was if they didn't encounter any problems along the way.

Neither traveler wore armour but Lex wore a shortsword strapped around his waist and had insisted that Brie do the same. He mostly remained relaxed in his saddle as the pair took the Gold Road towards the city of Skingrad but his eyes roamed the landscape often and the esteemed watch Captain was alert at all times.

Brie was mostly preoccupied with thoughts of her upcoming family reunion. She tried not to let herself get swallowed up by her emotions. She was grateful for Lex's constant presence. Whenever he saw Brie looking worried as she quietly rode beside him throughout the day he'd strike up a conversation with her or snap his reigns and force Brie to race after him.

It would take around three days to ride to Skingrad and so when the sun began to dip behind the mountains Brie kept her eyes peeled for a nearby Inn so they could stop to rest. Eventually they rounded a bend in the road and she spotted a cozy looking cottage just off the main road nestled between a small cluster of trees. Lex noticed it as well and so they slowed their horses down to a brisk walk and guided them off the road.

When they reached the Inn, a skinny young Elf came out from the stables and greeted them. Lex dismounted from his horse and Brie followed suit. She began undoing the straps on the side of Nala's saddle that held her pack in place. Lex shook hands with the stable boy who beamed up at the Captain with an excited expression.

"You're a guard aren't you," the boy exclaimed. "I can tell. We get a lot of guards through here."

Brie smiled softly as she listened to them talk. Then she wandered over to Lex's horse and retrieved his pack as well. She slung her own satchel over one shoulder and held the other in her arms and Lex turned to her when she was finished.

"Want to go in? I'll be there in a minute."

Brie nodded and began to walk around to the front of the quaint little Inn, her boots crunching noisily over the little gravel walkway. As she opened the door, loud chatter and the light of many bright lamps spilled out and she quickly strode inside and walked up to the front counter.

"Good evening."

A middle-aged Altmer stood behind the counter wearing a dark blue dress and she smiled warmly at Brie, which the Elf returned.

"Good evening."

"I've got rooms for rent, drinks, and food. What can I do for ya?"

"I'd like two rooms, please."

The door opened once more and Lex strode inside. He nodded at the group of traveling guards that spotted him but kept walking towards Brie.

"It'll be twenty gold for the night, meals included."

"Sounds good," Lex chimed in, and he shoved his hand into the pocket of his pants.

Once the payment was finished and they had been given their keys Brie and Lex made their way up to the second floor of the Inn and quickly found their rooms.

"You got two rooms?" Lex inquired as Brie handed him a key and his pack.

"Yeah..." Brie replied slowly, and she peered up at him with a quizzical expression. "Should I have only gotten one?"

"It's fine," Lex responded hastily, and he shrugged his broad shoulders, trying to appear nonchalant. "Entirely up to you."

"Alright..."

Brie smiled to herself as she watched Lex quickly shuffle away and after he disappeared inside his bedroom she chuckled quietly as she unlocked the door to her own room and stepped inside.

After unwinding for a little while Brie washed up and changed her tunic before making her way back down to the dining hall. She found Lex standing by the table where the guards were sitting around having drinks and he was chatting with them when Brie spotted him. She thought about making her way over to them but something stopped her and so she quickly took a seat at the bar with her back facing to them.

Lex noticed that Brie didn't come over to him and he frowned slightly before returning his gaze back to the Captain that was speaking to him.

"I never thought I'd see you outside of the city."

"Yeah, I know it's unusual."

"Who's that Elf?" Inquired another Imperial guard.

Lex grimaced internally. He had really hoped nobody would ask him that question as he struggled to come up with a good response.

"She's a friend. I'm accompanying her to Skingrad... that reminds me, do you know any details of what happened in Kavatch?"

He let out an internal sigh of relief as the guards quickly switched the topic to Daedra and Oblivion gates. Eventually Lex took leave and walked back to the bar where Brie was sipping on some mead.

"Sorry, I was trying to find some more information about Kavatch."

"Is it true then?"

"Apparently so."

"Scary," Brie murmured, and then she shivered. "Hopefully we don't run into anything..."

"It'll be fine," Lex assured her softly, and he requested a bottle of ale when the servant came over to them.

"What does it even mean?"

"I'm not sure, nobody knows why it's happening or what it entails."

"Well," Brie replied quietly, and she rubbed her cheek with a tired expression. "I can only handle one stressful event at a time so I guess there's no point in worrying over it."

"No," Lex chuckled, and he reached up to squeeze Brie's shoulder. "You worry too much."

The rest of the evening passed by in relative comfort chatting about random things. Brie purposefully avoided the topic of her family. Just thinking about them made her chest hurt and so she tried not to think about it with every fiber of her being, but it was terribly hard.

They enjoyed a delicious hot meal and another drink before retiring for the night. When they reached their bedrooms, Lex looked like he wanted to say something, as he often did, but he quickly changed his mind and bade Brie goodnight before slipping into his room.

Brie laid in bed for a long while staring up at the ceiling. Moonlight spilled in through the small window behind her head, bathing the room in its soft blue glow. A part of her wished she had only rented one room for her and Lex to share, but at the time she thought she'd be too presumptuous. But, as she thought about Lex's surprised response she couldn't help but wonder if he had been disappointed they weren't sleeping in the same bed. That thought made her terribly happy, although she tried not to let it show too much. Eventually she drifted to sleep with lingering thoughts of the tall, handsome Imperial still on her mind.

Brie didn't anticipate nearly having a heart attack the moment she woke up the next morning. Her scream nearly woke up the entire Inn as she threw herself off the bed and crashed onto the cold wooden floor with a loud yelp. Then she quickly scrambled to her feet and leapt up onto the rickety dresser with surprising grace as she pressed herself against the wall. She shuddered as she watched the massive black spider continue to crawl across the bed she had been occupying just moments before and resisted the urge to get sick as she thought about it crawling across her while she slept.

A moment later the door to her room flung open and Lex stumbled inside. He was barefoot, half asleep and gripping he sword with a panicked expression. His breeches had been hastily shoved on and his hair was coming out of his tie in a tangled mess as he had rolled out from bed and came running the moment he heard her Brie's shout.

"What is it!" He called out, and Lex spun around with bloodshot eyes, searching for an enemy.

Brie struggled to breathe as she still sat on top of the dresser in a small ball of panic and she pointed towards her bed with one shaking finger.

"T-There's a spider," she whispered gravely.

"There's a what?" Lex growled and then the full realization of what she meant hit him as he turned around. "Oh. Brie!"

"What!" Brie hollered back, and she shuddered again as the spider started to slink up the wall. "I hate spiders!"

"I thought somebody was trying to murder you... Gods, Brie!"

"Lex, you don't understand," Brie whined, and she stared at him with a tragically sad expression. "It was in my bed!"

Her bottom lip trembled as she clutched her legs close to her body, and it was almost too much for Lex as he turned around and quickly dealt with the spider so that the Elf would stop looking so sad.

"Is it dead? Like... actually dead."

"It's dead," Lex replied.

Brie waited a moment longer before she slowly slid forward and gingerly placed her feet back down on the floor. Then she dashed over to her satchel and snatched it up, along with her fallen clothes and boots.

"I'm not staying in here," she called back to Lex as she rushed towards the door. "I'll change in your room, thanks!"

Lex let out an exasperated sigh as Brie disappeared out the room and he sat down on the edge of the bed. He couldn't help but laugh as he thought about how dramatic it had all been as he stared down at the sword clenched in his hand. He yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he waited for Brie to finish dressing so he could also get ready. His stomach grumbled noisily and he could smell something delicious being cooked downstairs. By the time Brie returned, he was considerably more awake and looking forward to breakfast.

Brie nursed her aching knee as she hobbled back to her room and peered inside. She had slipped while trying to put her breeches on and had consequently smacked her knee against the hard edge of the bed. She had bit her lip to stop herself from crying out and muttered a slew of swearwords as she struggled to finish getting ready so she could leave the godforsaken Inn.

If the morning was off to a bad start, Brie had no idea how badly the rest of her day was going to be. She wandered down to the dining room and ordered breakfast while Lex went back to his room to get dressed. When he was gone Brie placed her satchel down on the floor beside her as she plopped down on the chair and rubbed at her tired eyes. When the Captain appeared around ten minutes later looking more refreshed and alert they ordered two bowls of porridge for breakfast and a cool glass of water to wash it all down.

The porridge was good according to Lex. Brie didn't really have a chance to taste it properly since her very first bite burned the roof of her mouth and tongue. Lex watched with a concerned expression as Brie spluttered and dropped her spoon. She quickly downed her glass of water and gulped for air as fiery pain coursed through her mouth.

"Why is everything bad happening to me?"

Brie pushed the bowl away from herself with a sigh.

"Maybe it's your unlucky day," Lex replied gravely, but there was a smile on his lips.

"Oh whatever," Brie huffed and she quickly stood up from the table and snatched her satchel up.

"Where are you going? You haven't eaten-"

"What's the point when my mouth burns?" Brie shot back, and she started to stomp towards the main door. "I'll meet you outside."

Lex felt bad that Brie was having such a hard morning as he quickly finished up his breakfast and exited the Inn. He wandered back to the stables where their horses were waiting for them and he thanked the young Elf as he began strapping his satchel to the saddle. When he was finished he pressed a couple coins into the Elf's hand and clapped his shoulder before walking over to where Brie was pouting beside her horse with crossed arms.

"Ready?" He asked lightly, and Brie shrugged.

"Guess so."

"Oh come on, cheer up," Lex replied as he gripped Brie's waist and began helping her up.

Brie quickly shoved her butt down on the saddle and grasped the reigns. She stuck her tongue out at Lex and he laughed as he returned to his horse and easily mounted it.

"Let's go."

The Elf waved to them as the pair left. They quickly galloped back to the main road and continued southwest towards Skingrad.

As the day went on and nothing eventful or terrible happened Brie started to think that perhaps it had only been a bad morning. Eventually she forgot about her run in with a spider and the feeling in her mouth began to return. After stopping around mid-day to rest the horses and having something light to eat, Brie was in considerably better spirits. She cracked jokes as usual, enjoying how flustered she could get Lex by her half attempts at flirting. She was enjoying her trip immensely because her Captain was with him, although the inevitable confrontation she'd have to face still lingered in the back of her mind despite her attempts to forget it.

After everyone had taken a break the pair continued riding for the rest of the day. The weather was nice and clear. Great white puffy clouds gently blew across a bright blue sky for most of the day. The sun warmed the top of their heads but it wasn't unbearably hot and Brie enjoyed the fresh air that coursed through her lungs while they rode. Her legs ached from riding so much but it was nothing a potion couldn't help.

As the afternoon slowly began to fade to dusk Lex noticed when they rounded a small hill that the sky was beginning to change in a way that he felt was unusual. Streaks of orange and red dashed across the sky along with big and angry looking clouds that seemed to grow worse the more they rode down the Gold road towards Skingrad.

"Why is the sky so red?" Brie called out, and she struggled to speak as the wind picked up harder and whipped her hair around her face.

"I'm not sure, but be alert," Lex called back.

Brie firmly clenched the reigns and they continued to ride southwest along the cobblestone road. She kept her eyes peeled for any sign of an enemy, although she was unsure of what Daedra looked like so she didn't really know what she was looking for. They continued riding for a little while without any problem, but eventually a strange noise began to echo around them. It started out slowly as first, just a quiet thrum of vibration that grew louder and louder. Brie began to grow apprehensive but she continued riding beside Lex with her hands firmly clenching the reigns.

The noise became so loud that it throbbed painfully in their skulls. Brie winced, and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. A moment was all it took for a Daedra to come skittering across the road. Brie heard Lex before she even saw it but by then it was too late.

"Brie!" Lex shouted as the lizard looking creature screeched and tossed a fireball towards her horse.

Nala screamed and reared up on her hind legs. Brie shouted in surprise as she was unable to stay on. She was thrown off the horse and fell hard onto the cobblestone road with a loud yelp. Pain shot through her hips and elbow but the Elf managed to get up rather quickly as the Daedra quickly fired another ball of fire towards her.

"Brie!" Lex shouted as he galloped his horse towards her. "Come on!"

The last thing Lex wanted was to fight with Daedra. He knew that Brie was in pain from falling from the horse and so he quickly charged forward so he was between the Elf and the Daedra. He reached down and grasped Brie's arm as she reached out to him and he helped pull her up. Brie swung her legs around so she was straddling the saddle and she wrapped her arms around Lex's waist, clinging to him tightly as he snapped the reigns and urged his horse to run. Her right arm and hip ached fiercely but she pressed her body close to Lex so she wouldn't fall off as they raced down the road in search of Brie's horse.

The further they rode the quieter the noise became. Eventually the sky returned to a normal color as the sun was starting to dip behind the mountains.

"Are you badly hurt?"

Lex could feel Brie was trembling as she clutched his waist.

"Mmno," Brie mumbled.

Lex spotted Nala cowering near a cluster of small trees. The horse was obviously spooked and she almost bolted again until Brie softly called out to her.

After spending a few minutes calming the frightened beast Brie knocked back a healing potion and then Lex gingerly helped her back up and they continued riding for a while until they finally reached an Inn. Lex shot Brie glances every few minutes, noticing how tired and defeated she looked. He felt terrible that her day had been going so poorly and he hoped that a good meal and a hot bath would cheer the Elf up.

When they reached the stables, Brie sighed as she dismounted from Nala and began undoing the strap holding her pack.

"Do you want to go inside? I can deal with the horses."

"It's fine," Brie replied briskly. "Nala is still shaken up."

Brie lowered her pack to the ground and then she grasped at the buckle of Nala's saddle and began undoing the strap. She slipped the leather seat off her back, grunting quietly as she shuffled over to where a stable boy was waiting for her. Then she guided Nala into a free stall and removed her halter, all the while speaking softly to her in a quiet tone. When she was satisfied Nala would be comfortable for the night Brie retrieved her pack and then the pair began walking towards the front door of the Inn.

"Had you ever seen a Daedra like that before?" Brie inquired as they strolled around the side of the building.

"No, not like that."

"It was terribly ugl-"

Brie's response was abruptly cut off as she was suddenly pelted by water. It felt like she had been punched and the Elf stumbled forward from the force. She spluttered as her entire body was drenched, instantly soaking through her clothes and pack. Lex had somehow been missed and he stared up at an open window on the second floor of the Inn with a stunned expression. A servant girl stared back with widened eyes and after a long moment she hastily disappeared back into the room and shut the window.

"What the fuck!"

Lex opened his mouth to say something but Brie was completely enraged. She let out a frustrated scream as she stomped towards the Inn and threw the door open. Lex followed close behind her, hoping Brie didn't cause too much of a scene although he understood where her anger came from. He stood quietly beside the Elf as she stopped at the front counter and confronted a surprised Imperial standing behind it. Water dripped down onto the wooden floor and the man looked her up and down for a moment.

"Oh my, is it raining?"

"It is not raining!" Brie shot back. "One of your servants tossed bath water on me!"

Brie felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes and her lip trembled as she tried not to cry. She sucked in a shaking breath and turned towards Lex with her head bowed. The Captain quickly stepped forward and he explained what had happened in a hushed tone with the owner.

"I-I'm terribly sorry," Augustus replied quickly.

"We need a room for the night," Lex replied briskly.

"Absolutely, please... you can take the large suite for just ten gold, meals included. Your drinks are on me."

Lex thanked the man as he counted out the appropriate gold and was handed a key in return. Brie remained standing close to him and she wiped at her eyes as a few tears spilled down her cheeks. His heart ached for her as he quickly guided Brie up the stairs and into their bedroom. He hadn't asked for two rooms and the bed inside the suite was more than big enough for the two of them.

Brie didn't seem to notice as she shuffled over to the small round table and dumped her fabric satchel on it. Water dripped down on the wooden surface from her soaked hair as she hastily opened the pack and began pulling her belongings out.

"Everything is soaked," Brie mumbled as she pulled out a damp tunic, and as her hand brushed the letter from her sister she began to cry.

"Brie, the clothes will dry," Lex replied softly and he touched her shoulder.

"Ann-Annalise's letter is ruined. My journal is ruined," Brie sobbed. "This whole day sucks and I'm not ev-even home yet-"

Lex quickly spun Brie around and pulled her into a tight hug. He didn't care that her wet hair pressed into his chest as he slowly rubbed her back. He was silent as she clenched her arms around his waist and cried for a few minutes. After a while she pulled away and wiped at her face for a moment, sniffling quietly. She let out a shaky breath and peered up at Lex.

"Thanks."

"Will you be alright?" Lex replied as he brushed a damp strand of Brie's hair away from her face.

"Yeah, I just... need a bath, or something. I feel gross."

"Let me go find somebody to draw up a bath," Lex replied softly and he gestured to his leather satchel. "You can go through my clothes and see if there's a tunic you can wear."

"Okay," Brie mumbled and she smiled slightly. "I guess I should invest in a leather pack..."

Lex chuckled and he quickly left their room and hunted down a servant. He could hear the owner reprimanding the girl knew was responsible for dumping water on Brie and so he asked someone else. Within ten minutes the tub was filled with steaming hot water and Brie had found a dark green tunic in Lex's pack that could serve as a nightgown while her clothes were slung over chairs near the fireplace to dry. The Captain remained downstairs while Brie was washing up and he ordered himself a bottle of ale to sip on while he waited.

A bard struck up a song in the corner of the dining room and strummed on a lute but it was almost too hard to hear over the loud chatter. It had started to rain not long after they'd arrived at the Inn and so the dining room was packed with travelers who were seeking shelter from the storm.

After waiting what Lex felt was an appropriate amount of time he finished his drink and made his way back to the suite. He knocked first, and after hearing Brie's tired voice call out her entered to fine her sitting on the bed wearing his tunic.

His pulse raced as he watched Brie drag a comb through her wet hair. She looked up when Lex walked over to her and she smiled at him. He tried to ignore the fact that his tunic barely reached down to her mid-thighs and focused on the fact that she appeared to be in better spirits. Something about Brie wearing his shirt made a lump form in his throat though he tried to ignore it.

"Do you feel better?"

"Yes, actually."

"I'm glad."

"Do you want to bathe?"

"Oh," Lex replied, and he glanced over at the tub. "I wouldn't mind..."

"I'm not exactly dressed to go downstairs but I promise I won't peek," Brie teased.

Brie's amused expression did little to calm Lex's nerves but eventually she turned away and quietly padded over to the table and sat down with her back facing him. The Imperial waited for a long moment, his eyes glued to the back of her head. His pulse was racing and a part of him wanted to skip the bath but he knew he needed it and so practicality somehow won over. He glanced over at Brie every couple of seconds as he slipped his tunic off and then bent down to untie his boots. Brie remained still, as she promised, and she could hear Lex undressing. She resisted every urge in her body to spun around but remained unmoving until she heard Lex slipping into the tub. She let out a small sigh of relief.

Shortly after Lex had settled down in the hot water Brie sprung up from the table and walked over to a worn bookcase.

"Hey!" Lex shouted, and he instinctively covered his privates even though Brie wasn't looking at him.

"Calm down," Brie replied smoothly as she plucked a random book from the shelf and walked over to the plush chair located beside the fire. "I'm not looking."

Lex's heart pounded painfully in his chest and he stared at Brie for a long moment, his body tense. Brie shifted her body sideways so her she still wasn't looking at Lex. Her legs were slung over the armrest of the chair and he couldn't help but stare at her smooth thighs as the tunic rose up a little bit from the movement.

"You can relax," Brie called out softly as she cracked open the book. "I said I promised."

"I know," Lex mumbled as he slid further into the water.

Brie could hear Lex sigh and she genuinely hoped he wasn't too uncomfortable with her presence. They were both silent for a long while as Brie skimmed over the contents of the book and Lex soaked in the tub, his thoughts far away. Eventually he pulled on the tie holding his hair back and dunked his head under the water so he could wash up. Despite her desire to catch a glimpse of Lex's naked torso Brie managed to resist her urges and she almost fell asleep as she waited for him to finish bathing.

A little while later Brie's head snapped up as she heard Lex getting out of the tub. She quickly turned her head towards the chair and stared at it while listening to his movement. He wasted no time in getting dressed and when he was finished he turned to Brie while running a comb through his wet hair.

"I'm done."

"Excellent," Brie replied lightly and she snapped the book shut. "That book was horribly boring."

Lex laughed and then his breath hitched in his throat as Brie sprung up from the chair and walked over to him. He paused running the comb through his hair and he stared down at Brie with a confused expression as she reached up and tugged his arms down.

"I've been dying to know what your hair looks like down," Brie grinned as she then reached up began playing with his damp locks. "It's so long."

"Yeah," Lex replied lamely, and he grimaced internally as he struggled to form a simple sentence. "I need a haircut."

"I like it, why do always wear it back?"

"I dunno," Lex mumbled, and he shrugged. "It's just easier that way."

Brie continued to stroke his hair for a long moment, her expression warm as she stared up at him and as usual he was mesmerized.

"You should wear it down more often."

"M-Maybe," Lex stammered as Brie's hands drifted down and she gently rubbed his neck.

"You're so tense," she murmured quietly.

"We had a stressful day."

It was hard to concentrate on what Brie was saying when she was touching him so intimately. Brie watched as his brows furrowed together and his breath came out in quiet puffs. Eventually she chickened out pushing any further and stepped away. Her stomach grumbled noisily and she shot Lex a cheeky grin.

"I'll go get dinner."

"Okay," Brie replied, and she watched as Lex quickly strode towards the door and exited their room.

When Lex was gone Brie wandered back to the table and picked up her letter from Annalise. It was damp and most of the writing was smudged but she had it spread out unfolded so hopefully it would dry overnight. She brushed her fingers along the tan parchment with a small sigh, her thoughts far away.

I wish I wasn't going to Skingrad she thought bitterly to herself as she slipped down onto one of the wooden chairs. I'd be happier if this was just a vacation with Lex.

Brie once again thought of her mother and the regret that washed over her. She was only returning home because she was dead and a part of her wished she hadn't been quite so rude to her as a rebellious child.

A while later Lex returned with a tray laden with hot food and two cups of tea. He noticed the way Brie's smile didn't reach her eyes but he felt helpless to change it as they both ate their dinner in comfortable silence. He knew the closer they got to Skingrad the more upset she would be and the Imperial just hoped that his presence was enough since he wasn't exactly well equipped to help any other way.

Once dinner was consumed and the tea was drunk Brie curled up in the reading chair for a long time and she stared at the fire although she wasn't watching it. She nervously chewed on her fingernails and every so often she'd frown or shake her head. Lex retired to the bed and he laid down on his back. He was tired but he wanted to make sure Brie came to bed and so he stared up at the ceiling while occasionally sending silent glances her way. After waiting for a long time to see if she'd come to bed on her own Lex finally grew too tired.

"Brie."

Lex watched as Brie startled at the sound of his voice and turned her head towards him. The fire cloaked her face in shadow but he could tell she was looking at him as he slid his long legs under the blankets and pulled the other side back for her.

"Come on," he continued softly.

Brie sucked in a deep breath and then she pulled herself up from the chair and walked over to the bed. A moment later there was a shuffling noise as she slipped under the covers and slid closer. Lex once again held his arms out for her and he could tell that she had been crying a little as Brie sniffled and pressed her cheek against his firm chest with a shaky sigh. Neither of them said a word as they laid there in the bed for a while until they drifted to sleep. Brie was comforted by the sound of the rain outside and the steady echo of Lex's heartbeat in her ear.