A new Squire [Closed to Umberlee]

There was a brief moment she felt paralyzed in fear, when the man and his dagger was above her.  There was a brief moment she wondered not about her life, but about that of her goose, and the unknown relationship between her and Marcus.  Unlike most females, she did not scream, she fought back and when the very goose that she thought about when struggling gave distraction she took full advantage and shoved the guy with a hard boot to his mid thigh.  

Umberlee was able now to readjust her form and be ready and far enough from both the downed man and the one now hell bent on her.  She would not be able to claim she could beat him in strength, but she did have agility on her behalf.  

"Dinnae think for one moment..." she managed before he too lunged at her, and just happened to slash into the flesh of her upper arm.  That made her cry out in more shock then pain, but she turned to return the favour with quick precision.  A sharpness that was unexpected of a woman in the role of young apprentice, it was definitely apparent she had been given much training and skills for holding a blade.

Marcus had his own issues, and she could not even give thought to the warmth of her own blood that streamed down her arm.  It gave her good direction to end this, though she did not seek to end him.

Marcus had enough issue with the bandit on the other end of his spear, but one against one were still better odds and situation than his squire faced. While Umberlee fought the two men, he attacked the bandit and the distraction of Iwin was enough to end his bout.

He was impressed when he saw how well Umberlee had done and was still doing but the bandit was still standing and would give Umberlee much trouble to end things. It was against his morals as a knight to pierce the man from behind with his spear. So instead he flipped the spear and knocked the man on the head with the end of it. The weapon was heavy enough to knock the man temporary unconscious.

The wounded bandit didn't seem very able to fight

When all the men were subdued, Umberlee turned quickly to let her eyes wander over Marcus.  He did not seem to have any trouble with any wounds, and she found herself at an odd feeling at the relief that brought to her.  It was the very first thing she did, and was not something she could have denied herself even if she wanted to.  As soon as her eyes were content with how his well being fared, she turned to the man he knocked out.  

Taking her knife she tore some of his shirt, and used it to tie his hands securely behind him.  She did that to the other, and then of course, she did so to the one wounded, but with caution and promise she would take care to ensure he could walk for the rest of his life.

All this while her own arm throbbed, and clotted, and really did not offer her anything of distraction save the annoying feeling it brought to her. The wound wasn't so deep, and it wouldn't do much of any quality for stories about scars if she took care of it right.   

The worry for both her and the other was as always, infection so she told him she would make them both a mix to ensure that would not happen.   She also would tend to the original man of concern. "But ye need te be telling me the truth about what happened with him and who he be... else I will make sure yer knee is not of any use te ye for the rest o'yer life." she smiled so sweetly, it was difficult to see her as a woman able to defend herself the way she had.  

Still she kept watch over Marcus, but had yet to say anything.  For now, others needed attention more then even she or him...

Marcus clearly was happy Umberlee was alright and yet rather upset at the danger she had been in. Girls shouldn't be put in that kind of position and if it hadn't been for... Iwin, who knows how things would have ended. Of course the goose most likely just had been eager to get in the water rather than any aim to help Umberlee. "You were very impressive." He commented

The bandits were easily restrained in their current position, and a threat with the spear was enough to get the conscious one from struggling. "He just was at the wrong place at the wrong time." The bandit answered. "He didn't have anything worth fighting over, but still he did."

Umberlee gave Marcus a very easily missed nod of acknowledgement to his compliment.  She was thankful for it, but did not find it necessary to comment further.  She turned her attention to the bandit and Umberlee's eyes almost saddened when the one talking was done speaking. For a moment she just remained quiet, and she took care of his wound.  It would heal, but it would make walking most difficult for a little bit of time.  As she stood, after it was bound and treated she looked to him with her eyes falling heavily with quiet emotion. "Everyone has something worth fighting for." she took leave from the situation, leaving her Knight as well.

She walked towards Iwin, who was still just happy to be enjoying the blessings of the water.  She watched him, before settling down onto her knees and ignoring the throbbing that furthered to remind her of her arm.  "See you have reason to be here beyond feeding his or anyones belly." she whispered to him, calling to him, and was happy her goose joined her as she ran her hand over his head and down his spine.

With the bandits hopefully securely bound, Marcus went to the fourth fellow. He was still unconscious, but perhaps his clothes or other possessions gave some idea of who he was. It seemed his and Umberlee's trip outside the town was over now, and she had done great dealing with this problem. Still he had hoped the two of them would get a bit closer, but again his squire seemed rather busy with Iwin. But of course the animal deserved that this time.

He was rather polite in his study of the man's belongings. He didn't mean to pry as he wasn't a bandit, but the clothes were just simple and rather worn out. "Do you have anything to revive him?" He then asked, not sure on all the effects of the herbs they had found so far.

Umberlee stood, and left Iwin to go to the man that remained out.  "No, but perhaps some good old fashioned water to his face, might help." she said, and moved towards the water. "How do you want to bring these guys back to town. The one can't walk yet."  
Umberlee watched as Marcus continued to go through the things. "Any idea who he is?" she asked, "He looks pretty hurt, we will need to bring him to town. The others can sit here and suffer for all I care." she then brought some water to the man, and studied him.  He looked tired, and yet he looked soft at the same time.  His face was bruised and he was injured but something told her that he was of good.  "Let us bring him to town...." she said looking at Marcus, and wasn't able to wake him.

Marcus watched her move back and forth between the water and the men. He thought about her words. "I would hate to leave them wandering around, hurting more people, but there is no way we can keep them under control while at the same time getting this man to town in time to have his wounds looked after..." He said trying to find some solution. But really there were just two options... to let the men go or to kill them.

"I am not some murderer.. so we don't just kill them or leave them tied up so they starve on their own. I think it is best to tie two of them up, the unconscious one can free them when he wakes up again." He suggested, as that would give them enough time to get away far enough. "And of course we can dump their weapons in the river."

Marcus did not have to say much else, Umberlee got up and went to drop the weapons far out into the river as she could throw them.  She put her own blade back into her boots, and called for Iwin to follow her.  She loved her pet very much and she was sore as anything with her cut.   After securing the men, they both were ready to head back.

There was still much silence between Squire and Knight but between them both, they managed  to gather their belongings, and hoist the man between both of them.  Dead weight was a difficult weight to carry, and she was beyond exhaustion when they hit the town gates.  
Still she did not complain, she just kept one foot in front of the other.  When she wanted to cry, she just looked down at her goose, and focused on how much that silly little animal had become to her.

The weight of the man and the lack of decent paths made the journey back to town a long and exhausting one and Marcus was rather quiet during it... but of course that was not much of a difference. He did his best to put most of the weight upon himself, but there was no good way to achieve that. They had to be careful with the man, but luckily none of the wounds seemed too deep or threatening.

Once they made it to town they were quickly accompanied by other knights that took the man from them. "He will be looked after, hopefully the healers will be able to take care of all his wounds." Marcus said to Umberlee. "Shall we go back to our cottage and have a bath? I can use one after this long trip." He said and even blushed some at the way that all sounded... but trying to explain his words further would only make things worse.

Umberlee was quite happy when they finally made it to the town and others came to help.  She had managed to hide her level of pain and so far, Marcus had seemed too distracted to make fuss on it as well.  She hoped that the man would indeed be quickly healed by those able to aid him, and she hoped she was able to keep her arm from infection and her Knights eyes long enough too.  When he spoke of them having a bath, she did take it the way he meant it and not the way it could have come across.  Though when she saw his blush she wondered briefly and almost busted out laughing if it wasn't for the somber mood they both were in.

The idea of a bath was a very good one, except for one thing, she really did not know how she was going to be able to lug the water up, and she really wasn't sure how to explain she just wanted to take care of her wound....

"Aye, a bath will be fine, but I ...." she sighed some, "I guess I am too tired to even think about getting the water, if you do wish a bath can it wait until the morrow?" she admitted with a sound of defeat in her voice.  

By now they were almost at the cottage...

"I will gather the water and you can have the first bath." Marcus decided instead. He too felt rather exhausted from the walk but gathering water would be less of a burden than walking all the way to the lake and wash himself there.

Without really waiting for any comment of Umberlee on it, he left her and went to the nearby well. Luckily it was just down the street, but it would take several walks before he had enough water to fill their bath, giving Umberlee some time alone.

She was thankful when he did not make her feel worse for not wanting to get the water.  There was a small gift in that, and she would take it with quiet blessing.  As he began to fill the bath, she went into the house, and stripped from her clothes.  They had been gone only a night, but it felt far longer then that.  She was even a bit upset that he had wanted to do this, as without his idea of this adventure, she would not be hurt so.  Sighing, she wouldn't hold it against him beyond her thoughts and she studied her arm.  Being with Marcus was quickly becoming a dangerous thing.  First her foot, now her arm...  

One might wonder what other body parts would be in danger near her Knight, but that was not a thought of hers yet.  At least not a known thought as she wrapped herself up properly and sat down against her bed.   

She had to admit, it was easier to take a hurt on her flesh then it would have been to see one on his.  But that simply made no sense to her.  Exhaustion was funny at times wasn't it?

Once the bath was filled as far it could without making a water mess when someone entered, he left the small bathroom and went to his own room. He rested a bit on his own bed without falling asleep, waiting for her to finish her bath. He knew it could take a while to feel clean again after a day of wandering around, attacking and wounding bandits and not all dirt was on the outside.

But he was sure that she would remember to leave him some warm water and awaited his turn.

As Marcus had expected she went quietly into the bath, and sunk completely under the water.  It felt so good to be surrounded by the warmth of the water. Like a gigantic hug that enveloped her entire form. She almost moaned under the water as she brushed the dirt, blood and chaos off her from head to toe.  She was thankful that she was given the first bath.  A small courtesy that would need to be properly acknowledged later.  She did not take as long as she would have given the first bath was gift enough, so soon she was out of the water again, it still very warm, and inviting as she wrapped herself up into a a towel and went immediately to his room.  "Thank you for letting me have the first bath, would you like me to make tea for when you are done yours?" she asked standing still with hair dripping slowly over her shoulders at his door frame.   Marcus could now see her arm, which was cleaned, but obviously her flesh was raw and tender and torn.

Marcus took her arm in his hand and studied her wound. "Why didn't you say something?" He asked her worried, not really aware of how inappropriate his touch on her naked body was. It luckily didn't look too bad but still it once again made him feel bad that he had let her go first.

"But yes, some tea would be very nice." He spoke, but still held her arm in his gentle hold.

Umberlee had tensed when he came near her at the door frame but she did not move.  She watched almost as if it was done in slow motion, how he took her arm in his touch and studied it.  She had not realized she held her breath as he spoke as gently as the touch upon her.  

For what seemed far too long to take to respond she looked up at him, her eyes studying the outline of his jaw, the small gentle dent in his flesh that kissed next to his lips.  "It..." she started, very quietly her voice finding a crack in it.  She pulled her arm free and backed up only to find herself against the door frame.  A blush appeared on her cheeks, for unknown reasons, and she flustered instantly.  A complete off character emotion for her to feel, as she quickly cleared her throat and protectively held her arm. "It was hardly worth mentioning." she stated. "I will work on the tea." she did not even run to her small spot in the house, which was hardly a room really, but instead went right to the kitchen, towel and all to begin the tea.

Marcus didn't fight her when she pulled her arm free and actually was rather blind to all she did after it. He had only meant to inspect her wound and there was no further hidden agenda behind his actions. As she left he went the small bathroom and after closing the door he undressed and got in the water.

It luckily still was warm, although it no longer was as clean as it had been when he got it from the well. It felt good to be in the water and he would stay in it until it got cold. Of course it was a shame that people needed dirt to stay healthy, a bath every day could feel very nice but of course there was no better way to catch some disease.

Umberlee did not put on the water for the tea at once.  Instead she happened to come across a small bottle of something more powerful then tea.  She meant to sneak a sip for warmth and to forget her arm, but a sip became two, then a longer third, until most of the bottle was gone.  She only giggled a little, still not with anything more then the towel when she put the kettle over the fire.  The liquid was a gift, its warmth indeed a needed tool to forget the events and the pain that burned her flesh.  She spent a good little while, in the kitchen lost in the dancing flames that warmed the water.  Her eyes a mirror to the golden hues that jumped and sparked.  

There was a brief moment of common sense, a moment that cautioned her to go dress proper, but that moment was forgotten when she caught sight of the moon and its almost royal carpet welcome of silver light into the bathroom.   One step closer and another as quietly as a mouse would sneak a crumb into his home.....

If he had heard her, his form nor his movement showed this.  Soon she was in the bathroom with him, next to him, next to the tub.  She spoke nothing more, but bent down and held a soft cloth over his head, letting the water drip over his long hair.  "My father told me once I had the soul of a warrior and the heart of a goddess." she felt him tense, and though she could see him she did not react as if it was the first man she had laid eyes upon.  

"One night, while sleeping, just him and me in our home, eight men arrived.  Claiming to be warriors of the King himself." she reached for the soap and gently washed his hair, her own head spinning in circles, as she massaged his scalp while talking.  "They claimed to have come for my father as his skill as a blacksmith was needed.  The Kings oldest son was to marry, near the fortnight to follow....he was to make a gift..." there was pause, in her movement and in her touches.  For a moment she just focused on the way the whiskey burned into her blood, which really had been the pain and anger not the whiskey.  "Then they saw me. I was only twelve." 

"They demanded my father to pack his things, and while he turned to do so.  All but one of the men came towards me. The way too many men come to women..." she shivered, and Marcus could hear the shiver if not feel it against him.  She took the water and let it fall over his head washing the soap from him.  "My father took the closest of many blades in our home and attempted to defend... eight men... three held me back from fighting....the others... showed my father what his blades could do..." 

The rest of the story would be difficult as she did not recall much more then the sight of her father ripped, torn and drained of near all his life giving blood.  She trembled now, and Marcus could hear her pain, the pain of years of emotions and questions.  "I knew how to use a blade, I know how to use a blade, for my father taught me..." she stepped back, almost realizing where she was, and what she was doing....

Images of the note with the words scribbled on it flashed into her memory.  Though she was very much with appearance of a woman, she was all girl.  No man had ever been near her with any consent and no man had ever held her trust. No man besides the one that was taken had ever given her reason to do so.  Now tonight she seemed to have forgotten that, and when her guard slipped as did she, Marcus knew a piece of her.  "My arm.... I need to tend to it.  The tea will be waiting." she was gone.  The towel wrapped and almost protecting her and the rest of the untold story she was gone from the room and her Knights side without further chance for him to stop her.

Marcus had been enjoying the bath, his thoughts elsewhere when his squire suddenly entered the room. He was too shocked to respond right away and as she took a soft cloth and focused her attentions on his hair and head. As she spoke about her soul and heart, he wondered what her father would have said about her body, but of course that was not something a father should comment about.

He was just about to comment on her presence in the bathroom when she started her story and he had no choice but to listen. He smiled at first, knowing how prized the skill of a blacksmith could be, but soon that smile was completely gone... to the point he felt rather sick and even the nearly naked company near his naked form in the bath was no distraction.

As she paused several questions came to his mind but before he could reply or ask a question she fled the room. It might not have been an actual fleeing but it felt like it and she deserved it. Once she was gone he stayed in the bath, running his thoughts over the story. How did it continue and why had she told it now.

There was no choice but to stay in the bath until he had thought of the right thing to comment... and he was not very good with words. So it could take a while.

The drink, the day, the story... everything was making her head spin.  She went to change, into the white shirt Marcus had given her.  She fumbled a little with the cords to it, and in the end, they lay loosely with a lazy loop. Her hair was drying, so the softness of the ebony waves danced around a heavy face, large eyes and dancing emotions, while the back of her hair still held dampness from her own bath.  She bandaged her raw flesh, and considered going to bed rather then joining him at the table for tea.  Something, and she may never understand what or why, made her choose to return to the kitchen, and as she did so, she wobbled a little the effects of the whiskey a bit more heavily into her bloodstream.  

Tea did not seem to be what she sought, and so she became a bit more nosy in the kitchen cupboards, and was happy to find another bottle.  Instead of pouring the tea into her cup, she poured a full cup full of more liquid of golden warmth and enjoyed it.  Tomorrow her headache would be the cost of her choice, and yet today it was a payment she gladly would accept.  

"Oh won't you hurry and give me company this night?" she sighed and spoke louder then her mind intended to speak, staring at her Knights cup.   What indeed made her speak the story of her pain, and hurts and most kept emotions and nightmare into his ear? What made her admit for the first moment, her attraction to his strong lines on his face, his solid arms that held that silly spear with ease, and those wisps of hair that kissed his chest and stomach as she broke all forms of decency just moments ago.   

A curse, onto her own self, of loud grumble was silenced with another long swallow of whiskey.  She was indeed a bit giggly, yet attempted to be serious, and she focused on the night of the past, and the day they just held.   

When Marcus joined her, he would see her bent down, cup in hand offering Iwin some of her own choice tea of the night.  Her body leaning heavily against the table, and her shirt swinging as loose as the long lengths of her hair.  The goose more interested in nipping at the dangling toys of string and hair then the strong odor of her whiskey.  A game together bird and young woman played, with giggles and the odd honking of the bird.

Marcus hadn't found the words to say... what could one say after such a story... but when he heard her words, he did finish his bath not much later. He dried himself and then slipped on the clothes he had been wearing earlier. He didn't have much clothing and what he did have was in his room.

Umberlee didn't seem to realize it often, but Marcus was nearly twice her age and often saw he as nothing more than a girl. But when he entered the kitchen and saw her bend over in nothing more than a shirt... his shirt... he swallowed loudly. He of course was bigger but in this pose the shirt looked rather indecent on her... although it did cover her ass.

He heard her giggles and saw the bottle of whiskey on the table. It had been a gift and saved for a special occasion so part of felt rather upset to see it touched and opened. But even that was not enough to shake the effects of the sight from him.

He coughed to make his presence known just as Iwin managed a stronger grab on the shirt string and pulled the weak knot loose. There was nothing between Marcus and his squire that would hide the view of how affected he was, but he hoped the drink would prevent her from noticing and understanding.

At the same time he hadn't succeeded in battling his own urges. It had been a long time since he had been with a woman.

There were more giggles, and she had not even heard him approach.  She startled a bit when Marcus coughed, and she sat rather quickly which made her head spin even more so then expected.  She stood, and immediately wobbled a bit, holding onto the table.  She had no idea how her shirt made her look, and as Marcus had hoped really did not notice his looks upon the image she created.  "Tea..." she said, picking up his cup and brought it to him, with more then a quarter of it landing onto the floor before reaching his hands.  "I was playing with Iwin..." she said as he took the cup, she was looking into his eyes, "I also am not drinking tea.." she giggled some more and dared to lean forward teasing him with movement and her eyes, "would you like to know what I am drinking?" she said and she licked her lips as if it was an invitation for him to do so as well. "Perhaps you would like to drink something other then tea also..." she grinned, took back the tea cup and poured the contents out the window before filling his cup with his good whiskey.  "You might as well enjoy it, we fought good today My Knight... Sir Marcus... My guardian and teacher.." she was very tipsy and it was good as her arm was rather throbbing, but not nearly as much as her heart as she brought up a too strong memory sharing with Marcus.  What she wanted was something she never asked or realized before in her life.  Something she never had before.  How could she want something she never had needed or never had thought would help....

"You look good naked." she said bluntly. Of course her mind was ten mins behind her statement as he wasn't naked before her now.  It was perhaps something she would deny saying come the morning. Perhaps it was something she did not even realize she was saying now.

Iwin kept holding the string as Umberlee moved around, forcing the goose to follow her but his weight was enough to make the string longer on one end while it started to escape at the other end. But right now neither Marcus nor his squire seemed to notice a thing of that. He watched her as she poured the drink out of the window and filled his cup with the last remainder of whiskey.

His fingers brushed against her hand as he moved to take the cup from her as she made her blunt comment. He nearly dropped the cup and felt very affected by her. She might be drunk from whiskey but his judgment was clouded by his lust. Part of him knew nothing good could come from this but yet he spoke. And he did so with a hoarse voice. "I am sure you do too..." No longer he saw her as just some young girl.

Umberlee giggled more, as her goose provided quite the distraction from a very intense moment.  At least a moment that could have been intense between a man and a woman, most certainly a drunk woman, and a man whose eyes declared lust.....

She turned sadly away from Marcus, perhaps it was protection, perhaps it was instinct, but truth would speak, it was from magnitude of energy that she drew in one breath looking at him as his words also effected her.    For a moment in her mind, words danced, teased and welcomed an invitation to have him indeed see just how she appeared in the context.....

Blush kissed her cheeks, both a mix of whiskey and passionate kiss from his words.  She turned at safe enough distance and admitted again, quite openly thanks to the drink and her state, "I almost wanted you to kiss me. Dangerous stuff this whiskey. Tis a good thing I got rid of it for you." she now turned back to Iwin who was still determined to get the entire string from her shirt.  

In a moment the struggle from the goose became successful and she now stood with no closure on her shirt.  Thankfully it only revealed most of her torso, and a deep shadowed definition of her fullness but it did not give Marcus or her much more then that.  She coyly brought her arms around her front to protect her.  "I hate memories.  I hate how it can hurt, I hate a lot of what has happened in my past.  I really hope that you can help me not hate my future." she said quietly, now looking young again, but yet there would be no youthful appearance in Marcus eyes upon her.   "I really hate how much it hurts." she said but now was rubbing her arm, and she almost held tears in her eyes, though not one fell.

There was depth to her words, a hidden omen within the whisper she offered him.  Marcus could very well know what it would be like to be a true Knight.  A true protector, a man of all things wonderful and good..... but it was very much in his control, in his choices, his words, his actions.   Thankfully she was not a Knight yet, so such decisions unknown, dangerous ones were not fully resting on her.   

Her eyes tore into his own, deep, fully round.  It seemed they were searching.  Asking.  Probing and inquiring with silent curiosity.  The whiskey broke down her barrier for a moment, but her perception and sense were hardly affected.  A squire before her knight without a shield.  Without her shield as he held the sword.

As Umberlee turned away from him, Marcus regained some of the control he had lost. Temperance was his virtue and he always did his best to be in control of his actions and not to rush into anything. But it was clear that her state of undress and her giggling affected him and he made a step closer to her. It was just one little step, one that she most likely hadn't even noticed, but at the same time it was a huge one. It was a step over a line.

He grimaced as his squire commented on getting rid of his 'dangerous' whiskey, but what could one really say at this time. And then with a snap, Iwin tumbled backwards, the complete string that once was in Umberlee's shirt now in its beak. Marcus wasn't sure if geese ate worms, but Iwin surely acted like it... although now that the string was captured it seemed to lose some of its appeal to the animal. For a moment Marcus was given a very nice view... less than some women in the tavern offered... more than most women offered him.

Soon Umberlee blocked it with her arms, but still revealed hints of her flesh. Of her very tempting flesh. She looked so young and so soft and right now the curiosity of young was winning of the dangers of young. But then she spoke and her words were much more protection than her arms. He wasn't drunk... hadn't even gotten the chance to taste his whiskey.... so he heard her words and listened to them. He saw the pain and felt it, especially after her earlier story.

"I won't let you get hurt..." He promised her. "And we will see to it that no one gets hurt like that when we are around." He continued. Again he moved closer, but this time not because he wanted to feel her. Part of him wanted to pull her close, wrap his arms around her and promise her with his body that he would keep her safe. But he never was too sure of such actions, so instead he rested his hand on her shoulder and hoped she felt the same promise in that gesture. With the size of his hand, his fingers slightly caressed the exposed flesh her shirt was giving, but nothing that really was inappropriate.

"Perhaps you should get some rest..." He suggested, but left the decision hers.