After a week, Bane caught Eclypsa slipping out. As she crossed his side of the room, his hand shot out and grabbed her ankle.
"What the-let go, jerk!" She hissed and tried to yank her leg out of his grip. "Where do you think you're going?" He intoned.
"Taking a shower!" She replied. "Remember, your men aren't supposed to see anything so this is the best time. No one will even see!"
Bane quirked an eyebrow. "You don't have your stuff."
"It's in the bathroom! I forgot something. Let me go, I feel gross and dusty and I really don't wanna deal with you." Bane tightened his grip on the fragile bones of her ankle in warning.
"Sit with me," his deep raspy voice addressed her. Curious, Eclypsa lowered herself to the ground. Bane never released her ankle and stroked the translucent skin on her medial malleolous. He felt her shiver and try to remove her leg but he squeezed her in warning and she stilled.
Bane began, "I will be seeing the warlord tomorrow and I want you to accompany me. It took me this long to gain his trust and now he will grant me an audience, granted I bring someone to treat his wives. This culture does not allow men to examine women. You are quite the windfall." His hand let go of her ankle and slowly crept up her calf, earning him a kick. Eclypsa nodded her assent and fairly ran out of the room. Bane scowled. 4 months and she still treats him like a rabid bear-or a yappy dog. Distrust, annoyance, or full on emnity were the trifecta of emotions she had for him. He didn't understand. He treated her well, allowing her to roam the hospital, take care of her patients, and made his men bring her groceries. He even opened up to her and revealed his plans but all he got in return was a self-righteous spit fest.
Bane sat up and watched her re-enter the room. Eclypsa' s hair was wet and dripping water behind her making a little path of water. Bane started in surprise when she sat down directly in front of him, pulling her legs under her, safe from his reach. Without ceremony she asked, "Why me?" Bane stared.
"What do you mean?"
Eclypsa twirled her hair around a finger. "You could have gotten anyone else to care of your men and the Soldier. Any one. There are many good neurosurgeons and neurologists who are as good as me. And once I gave the ok for the Soldier to go on active duty, you still kept me around."
Bane deliberated on his answer. "The hospital was attacked because it's location is most useful to me. You just happened to be in the operating room and since many vouched for your qualifications, you are the logical choice."
"But why do you still keep me around? Why don't you kill me or let me go?" She asked. Bane huffed out in puzzlement, "Do you want me to kill you?" She shook her head and asked again "Why keep me around? Others can take care of your men." For such an intelligent person, she was being quite obtuse. Perhaps it was intensional blindness. Bane reached out and grabbed the strand of hair she was fiddling with. It was as soft and silky as he imagined. "Can't you guess? Well none care for them as well as you." Eclypsa blanched and moved out of his reach and he let her hair slide out of his fingers.