Previously: After Evrial's embarrassing misfortune, she was pampered by everyone.
She looked at him, pretending to be offended and shooed him out the door.
She closed the door and smiled as she heard his low laugh distance itself from
her room.
Even though he said it as a joke, she really couldn't disagree with him.
She walked over to the steaming bath and dropped her clothes to the ground. The
hot water felt wonderful as it rose up to her aching shoulders and neck. She
added a few drops of her favorite oil which was scented pine/wild berry and she
adopted the scent as her own.
That oil had been the reason for compliments more often than not. What was
truly amazing was that she had become friends with the owner of the little shop
of oils and he had promised that particular oil would never be sold to anyone
else. She appreciated it much not only because it would pull his business back
a little but because she would be the only woman to have this "perfume.”
It was nearing supper when she finally decided to get out of the bath. It's
cold now anyway. The pain in her arm had dulled a little but she still
winced when she pulled her clothes on. She had been ordered by Mr. Cander and
Cowan that she wouldn't go into the kitchen that day but she still slipped in unnoticed.
Thank the heavens Mr. Cander wasn't there or else she might have been given a
good talk about listening to his “request.”
She did as much as she could with one arm to help Rachel, who was still
working with that dazed look she wore earlier. She had never seen the cheerful
girl so dreary and tired before. If it had been further into the day she would
have passed it off without a thought but it was only before supper. Maybe she
would ask her about it later.
She managed with difficulty to help with supper but she couldn't do
the dishes as she usually did, so instead she just went to her room. She
changed into her nightgown and was almost asleep when a soft knock came on her
door. She groaned and rolled her eyes in frustration but forced a smile on her
face as she opened the door.
To her surprise, Dalex stood
there. Before she could say anything, her eyes widened, is he that broad? She
never noticed how big the man was until he stood in front of her low
doorway...his bulk wasn't made up of fat either. He wore a shirt that was
borderline too small for him but she didn't mind how much of his muscle it
displayed. Do I invite him in?
He smiled at her and his
cheeks colored slightly, "Evrial! I just came to see how you were getting
along. Good, I hope?"
She returned his smile. His
manner of speaking sounded like he had rehearsed what to say. At the thought of
it, her smile widened and all thought of sleeping disappeared, "I am doing
well, thank you. You really didn't have to bother coming up, it was only a fall.”
"It was really no
bother," his eyes fell to her swollen wrist, "has anyone looked at
that?" When she shook her head he offered, "I have some training as a
physician. If you want I could check it."
She accepted his offer and
stepped to the side, inviting him to enter her small quarters. She lit the
candle on her end table and motioned for him to sit on her bed. He only sat
after she did and took her hand into his own. His callouses were rough against
her skin as he worked in silence and examined it. He turned it this way and
that and her wrist screamed in agony but she refused to let the pain show on
her face.
He was close enough that she
breathed in his scent. She could smell a mix of wood, horse, (due to being a
stable boy) and...Cinnamon? Why was such a man in such a lowly position?
His bulk could no doubt be used as a mercenary and having some tricks in
healing could be used in so many places. He could at least be hired out as a
bodyguard or something of the sort.
Curiously she glanced at him
and then at his face which was gazing intently at her hand. His eyes held no
anger or regret; a rare thing in these lands. Everything about him was rare.
Down to the sandy blonde hair that hung around his ears, he was different. She
found herself wanting to know more about him so she chanced a question,
"Where are you from, Dalex?"
His face hardened as she
asked the question and she immediately regretted asking him anything. His blue
eyes flicked up and met her own before he answered, his voice tight, "I am
not from around here if that is what you are asking.” Touchy subject I
guess.
She shouldn't have pushed it
but as usual, her curiosity won out, "That wasn't what I asked.” She tried
her very best not to look intimidated by his subtle warning and keep her
curious look. Even though she barely knew him, she knew that he wouldn't hurt
her and she was dying to know something about him. Anything really.
She almost sagged with
relief when a moment later, his tone softened as he spoke, "I am from
Lithian.” It explained everything. His build, his beautiful features and his
likeable personality. It definitely explained why he was good with horses and
stuck as a stable boy. Lithian was Calderon’s neighboring kingdom which had
been conquered in a war years ago. It left Lithian enslaved to King Isaac’s
rule. She knew that slaves were brought to Calderon as a prize and that they
were still around but...Dalex? Was he a slave?
"Are you a slave?"
She couldn't stop the words from leaving her lips and kicked herself mentally
for being so inconsiderate.
His hands stopped moving
around her wrist and he raised his head to meet her gaze, "No. "
He was Lithian and wasn't a slave...she knew somuch. She wanted to push him for details and even though he told her that,
she wanted to know more. She couldn't understand why she felt such curiosity
but she couldn't help it either. Somehow, she managed not to ask him another
question and just smiled at him.
He stood and was about to
leave when he turned to face her with a grim face, "Bad news," he
paused and motioned to her wrist, "it's sprained. Go to the healer
tomorrow and have her put it in a sling. I am afraid that you won't be able to
work sufficiently for a few days and will most likely have to leave the kitchen
for that time. Good-night, Evrial."
"Good-night, Dalex.” She shut the door and took a
deep breath. That went well. Her body sagged and she wandered over to her
bed, positive that it would take her a long while to fall asleep but to her
surprise, she fell asleep minutes after her head hit the pillow. Rough day, she
guessed.
(JK)
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