Every night since then he would come back and sit down and tell her something more about wraith, but now, she refused to sit anywhere near him. Always sitting with her back to him pretending not to listen. At first he grew irritated with her, considering their deal was she would have an open mind. He was about to give up on this lost cause when he noticed she was listening. He thought she simply ignored him until one night she asked a simple question.
"Your children do not need to feed?" Her voice was soft and reserved, but he heard the curiosity in it none the less. He stopped typing the report he was working on and turned to find her standing shyly against the wall playing with her sleeve. Ah he was getting through that pride thickened head. Sometimes he thought she was worse them him.
"Indeed. Wraith children and the same as human children." He answered standing up, but as soon as he moved her head snapped up to him and she back further away. She was feeling vulnerable, and it wasn't just asking the question that made her feel that way. She was thinking something…but what? He struggled to discover her mind but the many barriers were impossible to penetrate. The longer he stared into her eyes the more he realized she was battling with something.
"Then…when do they have to start feeding?" She whispered, looking back down at her sleeves and pulling at them. Why was she so hard to read! He growled softly to himself, not knowing what she really wanted to ask drove him crazy. He stepped closer to her and tilted his head.
"Why don't you ask what is really bothering you." He hummed gently to her, this time she didn't move or look at him. Her own head tilted as if she were examining some invisible thing on the floor. She fiddled some more and turned to walk away from him, but never venturing too far. He decided not to approach further, but to press with the question. "Ask, I promise to give you a truthful answer." Now she looked at him, nervousness in her eyes.
"It's not the truth I'm worried about." Her voice was no louder than a sigh and he was struggling to hear her.
"What worries you then human?" He purred. The commander had yet to learn her name, mostly because she so avidly refused to tell. She shook her head quickly and crossed her arms protectively.
"Forget it, pretend I never said anything." That wall was back up; she was gone from all understanding. But he wasn't about to let her go that easily. Now he was holding her arm, but the grip was gentle, not like his normal restricting hold, and for once she did not pull away. Instead her eyes wandered the ground. "Please…I'm breaking…" She begged softly. He noticed her hands were shaking uncontrollably. He held them gently to calm her.
"I know." He murmured to her, his eyes locked on her hands as he brought them up to his lips and kissed them gently. He felt a tremor run threw her body as she closed her eyes and shuttered. A weak jerking motion tried pulling her hands free but he wouldn't let her. "It's not a bad thing you know." He continued, lowering her hands but still holding them.
"Yes it is. It feels awful. I feel sick and weak…" She retorted but the cruelness to her voice had vanished, and she sounded more like a hurt child.
"Only because you are fighting it." He murmured again. His gentle tones made her dizzy as she gave another jerk to get away, but he refused.
"It's against everything I know to be true; it's against everything I have fought for!" She whimpered softly finally able to jerk her hands free and she stepped away from him "I won't." She whispered. "I won't." Her voice grew stronger each time. "I will not give in to you!" She hissed violently at him. What was he doing wrong? Each opportunity he had to show her, he did something or maybe it was what he didn't do, but every time he lost the battle. He sighed exhausted and shook his head.
"You are so prideful, in many ways you are worse than a wraith" That comment made her growl but he continued. "But I am not giving up on you, not yet human. I'll show you, I can be much more determined." With a sly smile he flicked the tail of his coat behind him and strut from the room, leaving her there. As soon as he was gone, she stood there a moment then crumbled to the ground, her whole body shaking from fatigue. Oh how she had to fight ever impulse that came into her body just to hold herself together that much. This was a losing battle, she had to get away if she was going to regain her strength at all, but for now, she slipped into the most needed rest she had in a long time.
She was out when he returned, collapsed on the floor. If he didn't know better he would have thought she was unconscious, which she very well might have been. Lifting her gently he laid her in her bed and covered her with the many warm blankets. Sitting at his desk he watched her sleep. He knew what he had to do, he knew how to break her, perhaps not break her, but more of release her. The torture she puts herself through each day with him was slowly killing her. When she arrived her youth and beauty radiated off her, now she looked tired and worn, past her years. Though he could convince himself he was doing it for her own good, he could never deny the fact it was his own personal desires driving him. Perhaps she was right, perhaps all wraith were monsters, some more than others. He was the worst of all. Justifying himself with doing good, the reality was much different, but for now he wasn't changing. What he didn't know was soon this young girl he was trying to 'save' would end up saving him.
When she finally woke up she could hardly remember what happened, but what she did know she had never felt so good. Her body felt refreshed, as did her mind. She stretched slowly and emerged slowly from the warm cocoon of blankets and stretched again, a smile plastered to her sleepy face, she did not notice the commander watching her from the shadows of the room. Silently slipping from the room he gave her the whole day to herself. She took advantage of the personal day, she danced around the room to silent music, even cleaned up a bit, she showered and messed with her hair until she left it a mess at her shoulders and giggled. All day she smiled and laughed to herself dancing around his quarters. When he did come back he couldn't help but smile and watch her. When she noticed she froze and immediately her face flushed red. He grinned softly and closed the door behind him. She was to embarrassed and giddy from earlier to remember how angry she was with him.
"Good evening." He said in soft undertones as he made his way slowly to his desk. She watched him for a moment then averted her eyes and gave a short nod and gathered her things that were scattered about the floor. She didn't even notice at first all she was in was a tank top and her underwear. He had noticed right off, and when the realization finally hit her he heard a soft squeak and her things hit the ground. "Did someone forget to get dressed today?" He mused softly staring at the computer screen. He heard her grumble something, but he couldn't quite make it out.
"Where have you be all day." She attempted to bark at him, but her good day simply wouldn't let her be angry. He rolled his shoulders and heaved a dramatic sigh.
"Here and there, hard day today." He muttered, glancing slightly at her, she pulled on a pair of baggy pants. He grinned slightly. "I liked it better the other way." He dared to say, what happened next proved her good mood. She scoffed and threw a shoe at him then laughed slightly. He dodged the shoe and turned to look at her smiling and shaking her head. Not so sensitive about such comments. Today would be perfect. He leaned back against the chair and watched her gather the things she dropped. That usually glow was returning, her hair shinned and she moved with a bounce in her step. Each time she would bend down to pick something up his stomach twisted and he had to force himself to relax, but everything about her was so perfect.
"I decided to clean things up a bit, you're a pig, you know." She said casually not turning to look at him, then suddenly she shot him a look. "Don't get use to it." She warned and he put his hands up and looked shocked.
"I would dare darling." He purred and turned back to his work, ignoring the look she gave him.