Thread: The Diverted Path (DareToDream & Hahvy)

The darkness had settled in around him as he sat on the cold ground, deep and clinging, almost as if it were trying to hide him from prying eyes. Only the light of the fire existed and it gave off shadows that danced in the night breeze, teasing the eyes and drawing his attention to it. The food was good and he took his time eating it, enjoying the taste of meat cooked in a hint of spices and the fresh fruit that quenched his thirst. There was no sense wasting it and the woman had made it very clear that she had no interest in the food, much less in him. Looking across the fire, he sought out her limp body as it lay upon the rocks and he let a smile twitch into place. This one was definitely hardheaded at the very least. Hed never met a woman like her, or even a man for that matter, and it puzzled him. She clearly knew that she was hurt but completely ignored the pain as if it didnt exist. If her body hadnt failed her, she would have disappeared into the night without another word to him, and probably would have survived too. Shaking his head, he ate another piece of fruit, knowing in his heart that he admired that kind of strength, even if he would never admit it. Movement caught his eye then and he stared outward, watching as she slowly struggled to sit up and then stand. He whistled low on his breath, knowing what it must have taken to do that, but he never moved to help her. If she wanted to be stubborn, he would let her be stubborn, it was no sweat off his back. Another bite of fruit made it to his mouth as he waited for her to approach, her efforts slow and clumsy from a distance though the effort had to be extreme. When she finally reached the fire and fell to her knees, he let his gaze wander over her face, noting how pale and drawn she looked. The pain was taking a toll on her, from his perspective at least, but she was doing her best to hold up under the strain. While he watched, she probed at the bandage on her arm, clearly wincing from the pain she felt. No noise came from her mouth though, a fact that greatly impressed him, nor did she pass out. Once she was settled, he let his eyes wander left, then right, making sure they were still the only two people on the beach and only when he was satisfied in that did he look at her again. When she spoke, his gazed focused on her hard, a frown creasing his lips. Her words sounded clumsy and stilted and she had an obvious accent but it was the way she worded the sentences that he found most interesting of all. If he didnt know better, hed have said she wasnt used to talking but he knew that couldnt be the case. Closing his eyes for a moment, he thought it through and determined in his mind that it simply sounded weird because she wasnt from around there. Alarian might not have been her native language after all and if that was the case, her speech made sense. Realizing that, he opened his eyes and offered her a small smile and a tilt of his head. Reaching into the bag beside him, he pulled out the water jug and slid it around the fire to her. Here you go.Rue he said, using her name for the first time, the word flowing from his lips hesitantly. Short and sweet, he thought, and it sounded nice. Hed never met anyone with that name before and found it pleasing. Its fresh water from the river. I lost my main jug earlier today but always keep an empty one with me so I filled it up after I found you. Having grown up in the mountains, where conditions were always rough, he had learned to be prepared for most emergencies. Thinking about her second question though, he realized that he didnt have anything in his pack that would work as a sling though he searched all the same. Once it was confirmed, he sat back and studied her for a moment, noting her size and the way she cradled her arm against her side. Nodding, he suddenly reached down and stripped the shirt off his back, laying it down across his knees. Slipping his knife from his belt at the small of his back, he quickly began to cut the shirt into thick strips, tying them together then stood once he was done. Moving around the fire he knelt at her side, being sure to stay far enough away that she wouldnt frighten. I can tie this around your shoulder if youd like he said, holding the sling out towards her or you can try to do it yourself. I think you need my help though, even if you dont want it. He waited then, squatting quietly in the darkness, unwilling to move until he knew what she would do. He could appreciate stubbornness and strength and had decided that he wasnt going to force anything on her. If she didnt want his help, then he wouldnt give it.