Light of the Unexpected Adventure

Chapter 33 Talking About It

Leoric's POV

With her smile illuminating at my jest, which was according to plan to try to ease the tension between us since I feel responsible for starting all of this. I can also hear her silently giggle as she has her hand over her mouth muffling it, while shaking her head and then looking away. This makes me smile for a moment as I watch her try to hold back the happiness that just seems to be naturally seeping from every inch of her no matter how mad she may get with something. She somehow always has that positivity that I adore and even admire.

After a little bit of sitting there in this silent moment I decide to say. "Ok I would get confortable. I will keep watch while you try to get a little bit of sleep even though I am sure that nothing will be as comfortable as I was." I watch her eyes lock with mine before she fights the smile wanting to emerge on her lips just to retort. "I am sure I have much more around me and in my bag that could give me more comfort than you did." I wiggle my eyebrows at her instantly after that comment before responding without hesitation, "So you're saying you were comfortable with me then?"

Her eyes widen realizing how I have called her out as I notice her face getting redder before shaking as she looks away but not denying my words, which makes me happy. I notice her grabbing her satchel and putting it beside her. She only glances up to me every now and then before reaching into her bag and grabbing out a guard's cape. I know exactly what that is, which puts an even bigger smile on my face. I intently watch her spread it out while draping it out over her body to try to bring some type of comfort in this hard, cold day.

I stare for probably too long before the urge to ask her about this takes over. "You brought a guard's cape? Why?" I ask her about it to see what she says. But this automatically gets her scoffing as she sits up to face me and, I guess, explain more than I had imagined. "I have it because it smells nice and brings me warmth. It even brings me comfort." She said that comment with a lot of confidence in her tone, which surprises me and makes me even more curious, wanting to know more of what she thinks about this.

"Really? Comfort? Why is that?" She looks surprised by my questioning as she shakes her head. "It's not like you would know any of this, but there are some nice guards out there that care more for others than they do themselves." She declares this with confidence in her tone. I feel a type of pride filling me as she says this, causing me to lean back against a tree, crossing my arms over my chest with my smile turning into a confident smirk as I ask in a playful tone. "Really? Is that so?"

I noticed that her mocking eyes changed into a heated glare before she is sending out a fake chuckle just to spat back. "Yeah, I know it is probably hard for you to understand this, but some guards put other's safety before themselves, being selfless. They don't care about what the King can give them for their actions like you do. They just want to help the people in need, not asking for anything in return." she states as I keep staring nonchalantly, "Oh yeah, like what? I helped you out with Mother Ann and your leg after you fell, even the undead and yet you still act as if I am being selfish.. So what is a good example of what a selfless guard does?" I ask her as she huffs out even more, looking over at me as she starts back up again.

"I will tell you.. I was attacked the other night, and a guard saved me. He didn't want anything from me, nor did he expect anything in return for his brave actions. He just helped me before.." she pauses, I think, afraid to finish her thoughts, even though I know what she is talking about.. so I finished it for her. "Before that man r*ped you." I say this as I watch her eyes instantly look up and glaring at me in a type of disbelief. "How would you know that?" she asks this with so much confusion interwined with each word. I swallow the lump in my throat, now nervous about her knowing this, but it's out, so I might as well tell her.

"I know because I am the guard that gave you my cape after attacking that man just to save you." I watch as she slowly shakes her head in disbelief. Her eyes show that she is deep in though about my words as I just sit here giving her the time she needs to comprehend what I have said. "No, that wasn't... you.." I instantly lean forward and show her my back that has no cape on it, and apparently, she never noticed that when I figured she would have by now. "It was you." She says in disbelief as I nod, leaning back against the tree again.

Looking down at the dancing flames but feeling her eyes on me, making me nervous as I keep looking away. "Why.. would you help me then and not now?" she asks, making me even more nervous than before as I clear my throat, leaning forward again. "I was on patrol and saw how that man treated you. I didn't know it was you until after the fact, but I hated what I saw in treatment of you, and I couldn't let him do that to you.. even if it was stupid that you were washing your dress out there by yourself that late at night... But the reasoning as to why I am taking you back there now, is something completely different. This outcome controls so much more than you will know.. This isn't some woman not thinking and going out to wash her dress alone in the dark. It is the destiny of the villagers at stake." I try to explain, but it is much harder than you would think.

"I can not see what you clearly do. I don't understand how me going in would be that influential for the village when I was never anything more than a workhorse. Barely even thought as a person to most of the people there. But.. Wait.. How did you know I was cleaning my dress? I thought you came just when I was being attacked.. But I was washing my dress before I was attacked.. Were you there watching me, while I was as bare naked?" she asks, looking over at me curiously as I get nervous. I think she has figured out that I was watching her much more than I should have.

"Well.. Not exactly.. I.. Was walking and.. Saw what you were doing.. And maybe I was intrigued.. But.. It doesn't matter.. I saved you in your time of need.. That's all that mattered to me." I state quickly, feeling guilty as she stared over at me for a long moment, as if she saw straight through that explanation. I wasn't as convincing as I was hoping. I feel my cheeks heating up, thinking about that night and everything that transpired. Mostly from what I saw, that she never intented for me to see.

"Intrigued by my vulnerable bare state or by what I was doing?" she asks as she quickly clears her throat. "Doesn't matter, does it? I'm sorry you had to see me in such a.. vulnerable state.. I never expected to have not one spectator, but two." She states as I shake my head, still not looking at her. "I had no choice since you were chased off in that.. vulnerable state.. So don't be sorry.. I am not." I say loud enough for her to hear but mostly under my breath.

"Is that why you gave me your cape.. So you wouldn't have to see me in that state?" She questions as I feel myself getting even more nervous the longer we talk about this. "It's not like it wasn't a stunning sight to see.. I just felt bad seeing you in that state when I wasn't invited to do so.. I felt disrespectful even though I had just saved your life.. Besides, I saw you shaking and wanted to help anyway I could." I kindly respond this to her but still not enough confidence to look her in the eyes, so I am hanging my head low.

I noticed some movement across from me as I saw her taking the cape off of herself and trying to hand it over to me. That is not why I was telling her about what I did and that is the last thing that I wanted. She was talking about how it brings her comfort in many ways and I don't want to be the one to take that feeling away from her. "No.. Keep it.. I am happy it has helped you out more than it ever had with me." I declared before leaning back and shutting my eyes, looking as if I am trying to sleep, so it hopefully cuts her off from saying anything else about it.

"It's fine Leo, it's yours. I would be alright without it. Thank you for going out of your way for me. When you gave that to me, it meant a lot and with all the chaos surrounding me as of late, it has been the only thing bringing me comfort. I will be grateful for that and you for probably the rest of my life. So this is the least I could do." She softly says this while lightly placing the cape on my lap before lying back down on the ground across from me. I watch her bunch herself up, I would assume just to be able to keep as much of my heat in her body as she can.

I let out a deep breath, as I slowly stood, there is no way I would let this be the case, and she has to know that.. Maybe she doesn't. But there is no possible way I would let her freeze over myself. That is not the person that I am and never will be. I watch as she is shutting her eyes and trying to relax. That is before I drape the cape back over her, causing her eyes to shoot open. When she makes eye contact with me, I make sure that she knows how I feel.

"I am happy that my cape has brought you comfort in hard times. I want you to have it, because that brings my mind comfort." I say as she sits up wanting to object, but I don't let her as I walk back to my side where I was already lying down, getting comfortable again before closing my eyes. I can hear her shuffling around as I peak one eye open, looking straight at her. She looks as if she is thinking about the cape and to maybe give it back, but before she can even try I state, "Keep it.. I'm fine.. If you keep giving it back to me then I will be throwing it into the fire.. So keep it or burn it, your choice." she freezes in place thinking about that before lying back down, adjusting the cape over her once again. Letting me know that I won this and I couldn't feel better about that.

"So, now that I know you're a man who actually cares about helping people, have you maybe changed your mind about just letting me go?" she softly says this as I peak an eye open. I wish I could give her the answer that she wants, but she is not going to like this, just because this is the closest I have been to completing my very important task. "I will protect you, but have to take you back.. This is a big part of my task that I need to complete.. This will take me closer than I have ever been, and I am sorry, I won't pass that up." I state as she huffs out, trying to sit up but groaning out in pain as I jump up to help her once again.