Tethered

Chapter 15: Courting and Dueling✔️

Waking up alone. We've decided to take things slow from this point forward, to let things come naturally to us, to let him come to terms with our situation as I have.

He left the bed for me. I'm not sure where he slept, perhaps the large couch that occupies the parlor, but he's there to wake me, shaking me non too gently.

"It's time for trainin', Imp." The word I've so associated as an insult is starting to sound much more like an endearment coming from his lips. I don't mind so much when it is him as I do with the others.

I look towards the window, the sunlight just barely lighting the day. "This early?"

"We wake when the sun wakes."

"But-"

"The past few days have been the exception, Gilryn, so get up with ya."

He starts to leave the room, but I stop him. "Could you leave a small knife behind... Perhaps... I need it for my dresses, reconstruction and all.." I laugh nervously.

He swiftly pulls a dagger from his sheath and throws it deep into the wall across from me. "Don't go gettin' any funny ideas with it." And he leaves the room. If I couldn't feel how amused he is at the way my eyes widened, the way my mouth dropped at his display, I would think he was angry with me.

"And don't go takin' your time either! We don't have time to be wastin' around here as I'm sure you did back in Ellavorn!"

I gasp. He's been picking through my mind! Although, I really can't say I haven't been doing the same. I am just as guilty as he, in that respect.

I am quick to get up and wrap my fingers around the hilt of the knife, pulling it soundly from the wood, touching my fingers to the deep groove it has left. His knives are sharp.

And since he's decided to be so playful this morning I decide to do something completely out of character.

Cutting fabric, wrapping the deep green softness around my waist, around my hips, tying it and continuing to wrap until my milky thighs are out of view. I wrap my feet as well, trying the best I can with what little I have, not wanting to ask too much of these people that I'm not sure will ever accept me. I tie a small bow around my neck, the only fabric north of my navel.

I bring the dagger with me as I make my way down the steps, swaying my hips when he comes into view, my hair unbound and wild around my shoulders like a tangled mass, just like the Arradien women.

"Bloody brimstone!" He curses as his eyes take in my body, lingering on my chest. "Ya're not wearin' that!"

I look down at myself, not understanding his reaction. "The other women do."

"Those are women up for grabs. Ya are a taken woman. I won't have the males lookin' at ya're bosoms all free and such! Tis not proper!"

I can tell he's lying to some degree as his thoughts swirl. It's not true that only free women dress in such a way. He knows that all warrior women have this attire, but he doesn't want me knowing that for some reason.

"Your lying to me, Rhovan."

He growls and shakes his long hair, clutching it in his fingers, but not taking his eyes from my breasts.

"Well ya're still not comin' with me if ya don't cover up right this instant!" He's being unreasonable.

"You've said it yourself that the Arradiens hate my kind, so what do you have to worry about?"

"They may hate ya, but that doesn't mean they won't look! Ya creatures are hard to resist! Ya have this odd quality about ya..."

He's deep in thought, thinking of a past romp he's had with a fellow halfling girl.