All she had ever done was what people asked of her. The most she ever did for herself was read. She knewmanythings. Her knowledge of the world was extensive, but her experience with it was less than mediocre. It wasn’t something that she was proud of and to have it thrown in her face only madeher feellessadequate, and more of everything that Ilias Dothrae thought her to be.
Kaya looked out at the rain clouds that were crawling up the climax of the mountain, watched as those hungry goats continued their trek through the ruins, and decided that she would try. Instead of making excuses as to why using the Dark Bringer was a bad idea, she would at least see what this man could teach her.
She could be studious.
With a sigh, she turned back to where the horses were waiting and retrieved the bread from the parchment, walking slowly towards the goats that were probably following the smell of her food. And when she crouched at their level, they approached her carefully, watching her with their strange eyes as she broke the bread in half and offered either of them the torn slices.
They ate from her hand with a gentleness that made her heart sink, knowing that someone—either alive or dead—had once cared for them. Had ensured that they didn’t go hungry.
Kaya drew in a deep breath, forcing a smile as she reached her hand out and began petting the animals. They didn’t flinch, but accepted her kindness. And within a moment, hot tears began to prick at her eyes. She shoved herself into a standing position, an idea rich in her mind upon seeing a surviving roll of bailing twine littering the ground. The end was slightly singed, having probably been kissed by the flames as Drikiera burned, but it didn’t matter.
Using her sharpened canines, she cut the twine in two and began to fashion leads out of either of them—placing the loops around both of the animals’ necks before she began guiding them back towards where Ilias was watching her.
“What on Cadaith’s green earth are you doing with those?” He asked.
Kaya beamed up at him, her blue eyes seemingly dancing as she looked back at her new companions. “I thought that I would bring them with us.”
Ilias eyed the daft beasts, both of them staring at him with blank expressions—tongues lapping at the sides of their mouth.
Great.She’s already fed them.
“All the way to G’Illach?”
Kaya gave a proud nod, scratching behind the twitching ear of one of her mangy companions. “All the way the G’Illach.”
“Well,” he sighed, utterly defeated and bemused. “Perhaps you could offer it to the warriors stationed there. As a gift. Theydoenjoy a good goat shank every once in a while.”
No sooner than the words left his mouth did Kaya’s face turn a sickly shade of green, eyes rounding and brimming with tears. “Toeat?”
It took everything in him not to laugh. “Thatiswhat they are for, no? Breeding, milking, eating. Don’t serve much purpose otherwise.” His eyes flickered from her to the animals once again, his mouth turning up at one corner. “What were you planning on doing with them—keeping them as pets?”
If she had names for them already, he would surely lose all sense of self control. It was becoming significantly more difficult to stave off his laughter.
“But I named them. You can’t eat something once it has a name.”
There it was. And when Ilias let out the deep rumble of a laugh, Kaya should have been insulted. Instead, she found herself marveling at the white glint of his incisors in the early morning sun. She stared too long and too hard at the way he threw back his head, his neck bared and coarse with that strange stubble.
For a moment, she found herself imagining what it would feel like to nuzzle it—how it would feel against her lips.
She shook the thought from her head immediately and began tugging at her companions, shouldering past Ilias and began tying their leads to her saddle.
He laughed all the while and even though she took comfort in knowing he wasn’t entirely a bore and actually had a sense of humor, she didn’t find this particular instance to be very humorous at all.
“Stop laughing at me!” She exclaimed.
Ilias held up his hands in mock defense, his eyes wet with joy as he gasped for air. “I’m sorry. You are just… you are so naive.”
It must have been the worst word he could have possibly used to describe her. Because within a flash, a thick, leather-bound book collided with hishead.
Kaya didn’t have a moment to prepare. Ilias had cleared the distance between them, his hand grasping the wrist that was still lifted in the air, prepared to throw that stupid jar of jam that started all of this.
She swallowed, her heart pounding with fear because not only could she feel him trembling with anger, but because his lips brushed against her ear as he spoke. “I’d say your first lesson will be learning some respect.” He growled.
Kaya tugged against his grip, but to no avail. She huffed, face turning red as she desperately tried to wring her arm loose. “Let go of me.” Her voice was calm, face emotionless. Still, Ilias held her there. “Let go of me, Ilias.” When his grip did not falter, she began to tug more frantically before. Her breathing became more and more erratic, her eyes pleading. “Let go of me!”
Her voice echoed through the trees, shrill and terrified. It felt as if Ilias had experienced a blow to the gut as he staggered away from her, the darkness swirling around her lashing out like unruly thorned vines. “How would you like for me to show my respect, Captain? Do you want me on my knees with my mouth open and waiting? Or would you prefer me bent over one of these rocks? Go on—pick one!” The shadows unfurled once more, swiping close to his head.
He was quick to dodge, his eyes wide as their whispered hisses grazed his ear. “Kaya—”
