Chapter Thirty: Some Peace And Quite... Hopefully
As they walked off the shuttle River seemed to be in a more chipper mood.
She put her hand on his back silently asking him to stop. He turned around and looked at her.
"You know that little episode on the shuttle... I'm sorry if I said anything to hurt you or offend you in any way it's just that I find it easier not getting other people involved because in a way it makes me feel like they pity me and I'm not a big fan of pity."
"I understand I'm the same way."
"Well I can see why everyone said we were alike."
As they walked through the building they had landed in River was starting to get shooting pains where Daniels sabers had left wounds. She leaned up against the wall a waited for the pain to subside so that she could continue; she stood there and watched Grievous give orders to some droids. He must have noticed she wasn't standing behind him because he scanned the room and when he saw her standing up against the wall trying to get control of the pain she was feeling he walked over to her.
"You need some help?"
"No, no I'm fine."
He gave her a look that she had seen many times before when she had been wounded in battle and wanted to wait until the more injured were taken care of.
"You know this isn't the battle field and the reason we're here is because both Count Dooku and I think you need a more relaxed environment to recover," he said persistently.
She looked at him giving him a look she would give him when she was about to do something she really didn't want to do but did at the same time.
"Yes I do need some help and you know it... you always know everything." she said giving in.
She was expecting him to give an order or something to one of the droids but instead he picks her up cradling her in his arms. This unnerved River very much but she didn't want him to get all defensive (you know how guys are girls). After a while of walking through the building River's pain had subsided dramatically and it wasn't all that bad for him to be carrying her, in fact it was a nice change because he wasn't slamming her into the wall or something.
They walked into a room and he set her on the very large bed in the center of the room.
"Better?"
"Yes much better thank you," she said as she laid back onto the bed. "Now this is what I call a bed... you know some odd number of years from now when I'm oh lets say one hundred fifty I could see myself retiring and moving out here."
"Thats interesting what else can you see in your late future?"
"Oh probably married and have grown kids with kids of their own which means I will have grandkids and very happy if my life doesn't take a turn for the worst." she said sinking into what girls usually sink into when they talk on this subject.
"And who will be the husband might I ask?"
"That one I don't have an answer to." she said propping herself up so that she could see him.
He looked a lot more relaxed and they had just arrived if he was already like this by the time they went back he was going to be jello. That idea made her laugh.
"What?"
"You like that word don't you?"
He pointed his finger at her. "Thats not funny."
"Oh its a big laugh... literally." she said purposely annoying him.
He let out what seemed to be a quite chuckle. "Get some rest I'll be back to check on you later."
"Okkie dookie." she said to his back as he walked out of the room.
River slowly sat up and looked at the room. It was painted in soft colors and was very spacey the wall that faced the outside of the building was all glass there was a couch facing the very large bed and the bathroom was huge it had a huge tube a huge shower a huge everything. Wow the natives must like luxury. She thought to her self as she walked over to what appeared to be a large closet.
She opened the doors to find a huge selection of outfits in very pale colors.
"Okay they must really have a thing for dressy stuff and pale colors but hey if it fits I have no problem. But know I need to take that nap." She said as she took her shoes off along with her cloak and she untied her hair. She laid on top of the covers and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out.
While River was off in recovery dreamland Grievous was having trouble in finding something to occupy his time. He couldn't take a nap because he never slept, he couldn't go concoct a snack because he never ate, what could he do with his new body other than stratigize for battle and practice with his lightsabers. He decided to make sure that everything would be top notch then he walked idly around the building and outside along the coast and in the gardens.
The area they were residing at the present time was along the coast. The coast was rocky and was covered with shells and driftwood. It was continuously nice weather in exception to a rare thunderstorm. The gardens were an impressive sight also and he enjoyed the nice change in scenery. As he was walking along the coast he sat on a drift log and drifted into deep thought.
He sat there for hours just dwelling on past experience's that he had with River. As he sat there he pretty much reminisced from the day he met her to the present day and by the time he had relived it the time was after sundown. He knew by know River was probably up and he wandered back in.
River woke up about an hour before sundown. When she was fully awake she got up washed her face brushed her hair and asked a passing droid if it could get her a salad for dinner. After she did that she wandered to the closet and found the most casual looking dress she could find even though in her standard it wasn't all that casual.
It was a soft yellow and the back was open to the middle of her back and the neckline was not that extremely low but enough that she went to great pains to bring it up. And the sleeves separated at the seam were it met with the shoulder and was strings of fabric all the way to the floor. She left her hair down but she wove a ribbon along the hairline that was the same color as her dress. And of course to her much dislike it hugged her form very nicely but all in all it was a perfect fit so she would learn to live with it.
After a droid brought her salad to her she walked out onto the balcony. It was after dark when she finished it and put the empty bowl a little ways away from her on one of the seats out on the balcony. The wind from the sea was blowing in her direction so it was blowing her hair from her face. She thought she saw a figure on the beach walk back towards the building and she watched intently until the figure had disappeared.
She was thinking about going and doing some exploring and decided that she would wait until the General had checked in on her like he said he would do. In the mean time she relived some childhood discoveries like when her and her father had discovered that she had a gift for making force crystals they had been so happy. She could remember her fathers smile as if he were smiling at her that very moment. Her face went somber and she stood there in the dusk of night.
She heard the door slide open so she turned around and smiled in the direction of the door. There of course was who she was waiting for seeming to be turning more into jello by the second.
"I see you made your way into the closet," he said good naturedly.
"Come on you know very well that a female has a knack for finding the closet," she said feeling a lot like jello herself.
"Yes and I suspect the most elaborate to."
"Hey that's not fair this is the least elaborate one I could find because I'm not big on ruffles."
"Yes as I recall you much preferred pants to dress'," he said walking towards her at his full "opposing" height.
"You recall to much," she said as she turned around and propped herself on the railing.
"Is that so... what about you?" he said doing the same.
"Not enough," she said rather somber.
They were silent for a while listening to the soothing sound of the waves crashing on the shore. River walked back into the room and turned the lights off and walked back out. Grievous noticed she didn't seem to be walking with much of a limp anymore and that she didn't seem to be trying to hide her pain.
"You look like your feeling better."
"I am feeling much better and I do appreciate both yours and Count Dooku's efforts to make me heal better," she said looking at him seriously.
He nodded his head to acknowledge that he heard her. They were silent again. Grievous looked at River out of the corner of his eye and watched her intently, he wanted to see her every movement. As the wind softly played with her hair he came to the realization of why his people had readily accepted her in exception to some girls that were jealous of her. It was her unending beauty that never ceased to light up a room, even in the darkest night.
And those eyes such treasures could never be found in the entire universe that could match her eyes that could calm an entire armies rage and bloodlust. They were the ones that had seen past many enemy lines and had seen prosperity to total and complete destruction to everything she loved and held dear. The same eyes that he had loved and still loved. He wanted to tell her that he did every fiber of his being was screaming it but she could not hear because he was a coward to express the way he felt.
He couldn't believe that he General Grievous could not utter just a few words that told so much in just one breath. He could kill battalions upon battalions of enemies but just uttering those words was the hardest thing that any man could accomplish. But he did not consider this a weakness, for his father told him that all men of any race were the same way.
River looked at him and fortunately, she didn't see his eyes dart forward, she smiled completely and totally oblivious as to how much she was torturing his emotions that he wanted to express so badly. However, it was not her fault that he felt this way, not by long shot.
"I wanted to some exploring and was wondering if I could have a guide." she said trying to get the point across that she wanted him to show her around.
He caught on. "Will who did you have in mind as far as a guide?"
She cocked her head to the side and gave him a look that answered but she answered in words. "Well I was hoping you."
"Then you shall have that guide," he said giving a mocking bow.
She liked how he was playing out the role and she played along.
"Well then chop, chop!"
He headed for the door and she followed laughing silently to herself and he to himself, he was actually enjoying himself, which was a first in a long, long time.
They walked around for hours inside and outside exploring all that there was to see in the dark enjoying the others company and both turning more and more into jello.
...but little did they now that their first night of peace and quite was going to come to a abrupt end in just a few minutes...