Chapter 10
We pass through a small village and a nice older man offers us a place to stay. Or it could just be that he's to terrified of Bane to say no and doesn't want to know what will happen to him if he refuses to give us housing. Nevertheless, at least we're sheltered from the wretched snow.
He leads us to a small room with only one bed. I look up at Bane, who looks at the man. Seeing our distaste of the single bed he explains.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, but you are going to have to share a bed. Unless one of you wants to sleep in the floor. Though I don't think it's worth the discomfort or the aches you will most likely have when you wake," he turns to leave, but before the door closes he says, "I will look for something for you to eat."
"So I guess we're sharing," I say gesturing at the uncomfortable looking bed.
"No, I shall take the floor."
"If you sleep on the floor then so shall I. I know your back has to hurt and I don't think a night on the floor will help it."
He glares at me, trying to make me back down. Like that's going to work. I'm just as stubborn as he is, if not more. I glare defiantly back at him. He finally realizes that I'm not going to back down and sighs in defeat.
"As you wish, but you're not sleeping on the floor either."
There's a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The man from before walks in.
"This is all I could find. If you need anything else come and find me," he says tossing each of us a biscuit and leaving. It's kind of stale, but I guess it's better than nothing. Bane and I sit beside each other on the bed and take off our masks. The biscuits kind of hard and doesn't really have a taste, but I'm used to bland food so it doesn't bother me.
"We should sleep soon that way we can leave in the middle of the night," Bane says.
It's a good thing there aren't windows in this room, because the sun is still out and I don't know how well I could sleep. I shove the last piece of biscuit in my mouth and walk over to a sad looking fire-pit. At least we won't freeze. Ra's taught me basic survival skills, so it doesn't take long before I have a small fire going. I hold my fingers over the flames, hoping to gain back the feeling in them.
Bane's already laying on the bed when I walk towards it. I lay down beside him and stare at the ceiling.
"Why did you come with me?"
"I'm not for sure. I wanted to be free and when I'm around you I don't feel like a mindless drone at Ra's disposal. I know he cares for me, but I feel that if I died I would be easily replaced."
"And Talia? Will she be safe there without us? I wanted to bring her with us, but I know Ra's would've stopped at nothing to find her and kill me."
"She should be fine. Ra's would never let anything happen to her. If I knew she wouldn't be safe there I wouldn't have left. Once we are settled somewhere we can send her letters."
He nods his head, not saying anything else. I look over at him and notice that there's sweat on the visible parts of his face. I can feel the heat radiating off of him.
"Would you like me to put out the fire?"
"If you wouldn't mind."
I hop out of bed and stomp out the fire. Which reminds me that I need to take my boots off. I'll just leave my uniform on, that way when I wake I will be ready to go. I get back in bed and wrap the thin blanket around myself to block out the cold. I begin to shiver, but I try to relax my muscles and go to sleep despite the cold. Just when I'm about to fall asleep, I feel something warm wrap around my waist. I'm suddenly surrounded by warmth. The sound of Bane's breathing and the sudden warmth finally lull me to sleep.