A Hero's Second Chance

[monique_minx]

"You need not worry Leah. This night will remain between us, and quite unforgotten if I may say."

Helena smiled and blushed brightly at Damien’s subtle compliment; she was no fool and knew he’d had many women and most were far more experienced than she was but she revelled in his praise and enjoyment. His hand brushed over her cheek and she suddenly felt compelled to snuggle into the crook of his arm tightly. So she wiggled closer.

"No matter what happens after tonight Leah, you'll never have to stand alone against anybody or anything again."

She could have argued, she could have denied that, she could have done a lot of things but all Leah did was smile appreciatively and whisper, “Thank you.”

Her eyes slowly closed and she laid in perfect contentment with Damien as sleep claimed her worn body at last. Her dreams were blissfully peaceful instead of the bloodied and horrid nightmare battles she’d fought during her nights before. She shivered delightfully and moved to pressed her naked skin closer to Damien’s unconsciously; as though only he could truly scare the boogie man away.

When her eyes fluttered open in the morning, she was almost afraid to do so; fearing that it was all a dream or that he wouldn’t be there when she woke. A smile spread over her lips at the sensation of the warm body beside her which assuaged those fears; it had been very real and he was lying right there. Her eyes lifted to his, she was surprised only slightly that he was awake and she shivered, pressing herself close to convey the fact that she didn’t want to leave.

“Morning…” She murmured in a haze.

 

[LucianDevine]

As the contenet pair settled in for the night, they were unaware of the eyes watching them. These eyes belonged to people that they couldn't see, and hardly would have suspected. The eyes of the gods watch many people at many different times, but this time was different. Five gods had watched the pairing between their former champion and this woman. It would seem strange that with all of the power and knowledge of the gods, this one man, made immortal by their own hands, should worry them so. They discussed amongst themselves what was to be done about this man. He'd succumbed to their tricks once before, but they knew that such a ploy would never work again. Likewise, they'd taken everything from him once before, and yet here he was again. If a man with nothing left to lose was a dangerous man, then one who'd already lost everything, and found something again, was twice as dangerous. And so, with curious eyes, the gods watched this man, and his chosen woman. What would become of them? Even the gods didn't know.

Damien's deep blue gaze watched Leah as she snuggled close to him. His eyes watched steadily as she laid her head in the crook of his shoulder, draped an arm over him, and curled up against his side. Damien's breathing was slow and steady, hoping to comfort the tired girl after her first time with a man. It wasn't until Leah was sleeping soundly that Damien turned his gaze from her. He looked first towards the open window, and the full moon without, shining brightly.

It was only then, sexually sated, and lying next to a beautiful woman, that Damien allowed his head to rest upon Leah's. His eyes closed slowly, and his breathing became even more steady, and the hero of old slept soundly for the first time since he'd awoken in that icy cave.

Damien slept far longer than the two hours he needed that night. His body and mind had been exhaused from their ordeal in the woods, not to mention their activities that night. Even so, he awoke before the woman he held, and when he felt her stir, he was doing exactly as he'd been doing when she fell asleep, watching her with that soft and compassionate blue gaze.

“Morning…”

As per the norm when Damien was with Leah, he allowed that small smile to come to his lips. He didn't speak yet though. He'd felt her pressing herself closer, and he leaned down then, pressing a soft and loving kiss to her lips once more. This kiss was as their first few that previous night, gentle and unrushed. When at last Damien felt the need for air, he lifted free of her lips, but kept that intimate distance. "Good morning Leah." Damien spoke softly, brushing his cheek against hers before pulling back ever so slight, so that he might look into her eyes once more.

 

[monique_minx]

Her lips were met; not with sounds nor gesture but with a kiss, it was simple and yet she melted into his grace, his passionate fire that stoked her gently that morning. It seemed to last forever and when his lips broke off; Leah wasn’t quite sure if she was breathless because she’d need to breathe for the past twenty seconds or because he had simply sucked the oxygen out of her lithe form with his ardour.

"Good morning Leah."

She smiled up at him as he pulled back, the brush of his rough cheek against her softer skin was an amazing sensation. She didn’t feel like words were required as she searched his blazing blue eyes, drifting from them only to look out the window at the sun for a moment. Helena emitted a soft sigh, there wasn’t time for more than a few minutes of this before they both had to head down, eat and set off with the group, work just sucked that way.

“Not long and we have to head off…” She said regretfully as she moved from his side with a great amount of will power and reluctance so that she might get dressed.

“Any ideas on where we’re going Damien?” She tossed the question over her shoulder as she searched for her clothing and tossed it idly onto the bed piece by piece, not really desiring to get dressed and hide her body from her lover.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien's gaze followed Leah's to the window, and he knew instantly what was on her mind, even before she said it.

“Not long and we have to head off…”

A soft sigh slipped from Damien's lips, meeting the same gesture from Leah. "Sad but true." Damien said softly, wishing once again that they were in a different time, one where peace had ruled, and the world was not threatened by an evil it hardly knew.

As Damien spoke, he'd watched as Leah forced her content body into motion. He couldn't help but admire once more, the lithe and perfect beauty that was her.

“Any ideas on where we’re going Damien?”

"What?" Damien asked stupidly, his gaze having been drawn to the sight of Leah bending over to retrieve an article of clothing. "Oh." He said again, Leah's words finally processing in his mind. "The plane of earth is as the elder said, the easiest of the four to traverse. Though the least of four dangerous options is hardly safe at all. The ground of the plane itself is completely unmarred by buildings or trees. The beasts that do live on the surface find caves to spend the nights in. As for the temple itself, I'd be quite surprised to find it on the surface. There is as much to traverse beneath the surface as there is above. The whole of the underground is littered with an endless network of caves..."

Damien let those last few words die off as he watched with reluctance as Leah finally started to dress herself. It was only then, when she had finally started to hide her beautiful nakedness, that he felt he should finally do the same.

Without the slightest bit of hesitation, or embarrassment, Damien eased the blankets back and stepped from the bed. He took a brief moment to stretch, standing naked in the light of the sun before he finally searched out his own clothing.

It wasn't until the pair was finally fully dressed once more, and their belongings gathered and waiting on the floor next to the door that Damien reached for Leah once more. His hands moved to her shoulders, holding them without force as his deep blue eyes sought out her gaze once more. Not a word needed be said just them, and Damien simply smiled as he leaned down to kiss her, one final time. His arms pulled her close, melding her body against his for what might be the last time in longer than they could ever know.

When at last that final embrace had to be broken, Damien stepped back, that small smile and gentle look on his face once more, he spoke softly. "After you Leah. I'll be along in a few minutes so that we might avoid suspicion."

 

[monique_minx]

"What?…..Oh.”

Leah looked up and struggled with her amusement over his stammering as well as her own excitement that he stared at her so. She started to pull her clothing on while Damien explained things she was less knowledgeable about.

"The plane of earth is as the elder said, the easiest of the four to traverse. Though the least of four dangerous options is hardly safe at all. The ground of the plane itself is completely unmarred by buildings or trees. The beasts that do live on the surface find caves to spend the nights in. As for the temple itself, I'd be quite surprised to find it on the surface. There is as much to traverse beneath the surface as there is above. The whole of the underground is littered with an endless network of caves..."

Leah paused in her dressing, a blush in her cheeks as she had begun to strap her leather breast plate on, “Ca-caves?” Damien nodded in reply and Leah said nothing more.

He moved out from beneath the blankets and her eyes were drawn by sheer force, a power so overwhelming that she’d have had to cut her own eyes out or break her own neck to keep from turning her head. She drank in the sight of him and stifled the painful little groan that yearned to be emitted when what she so desired was presented to her and she could have none of it. Leah returned to fumbling with her breast plate and settling everything into place, she threw the last of her belongings into her saddle bags and set them aside.

She looked up in time to see Damien’s piercing blue gaze seek out her hazel eyes, his hands on her shoulders made her want to abandon everything, the mission, her livelihood, life itself to be with him in that moment. His mouth leaned down and sought hers and she gave it up in a passionate gasp, her body pressing close to his as his arms encircled Leah. The embrace lasted forever and was over far too quickly as Leah withdrew for air only when he did. He stepped back from her and she felt like he was a hundred miles away in an instant.

"After you Leah. I'll be along in a few minutes so that we might avoid suspicion." He said softly, that tender smile painted on his mouth.

She nodded and turned, grabbing her bags and readjusting her sword, she gave him one last lingering look of agony before she twisted the door handle and slipped from the room. A tear dropped and rolled down her cheek, falling away to the floor where no one would ever see it. She wiped the wet remains away and kept walking down the hall, she stepped out of the Inn and into the sun where she found her horse Arrow had already been saddled.

She hooked her saddle bags up on him and put her foot into the stirrup; hoisting her weight onto the horse. Kruxus raised a brow and opened his mouth to speak, closing it as Damien stepped out of the Inn. Helena averted her eyes and looked towards the horizon purposefully. There would be talk of course, there always was and after the reactions they’d both had last night; how could there not be? But their job was only to ensure nothing could be proved, short of probing Helena’s nether regions to see if her hymen was still intact anyway.

She kicked her horse into an easy trot and took a deep breath; she’d had no idea it would be so difficult to part from Damien when she’d lain with him the night before. Leah found it hard to keep her eyes on the road ahead rather than spare him a glance now and then but Reese kept staring at her like she might sprout antlers at any moment. Hamid rode by her side, Sandstorm and Arrow seemed to enjoy each others company which made Leah smile.

She leaned down and patted her gelding’s cheek, whispering softly to him, “Easy boy…I know she’s a pretty mare but love isn’t…” Her eyes lifted to Damien briefly and she dropped them again, “…fair.”

She was then forced to assess herself, she’d said love…now was she in love? Or was it just that he had been her first? She was confused, her eyes darted over to Damien as though he might somehow hear her plea for his understanding. Helena almost snorted at herself over her own stupidity; of course he couldn’t hear her thoughts or know just how difficult this was for her! He had lain with thousands of women, she was just another, he had done his job and he would move on to the next ripe virgin to stray across his path. Leah dropped her eyes angrily then, they were about to make camp and she kicked Arrow into a canter.

“Fernang!” Kruxus called in a somewhat annoyed tone, “Where in Tartarus are you going?!”

“To gather wood! We’re having a fire aren’t we?!” She called back, using the first excuse she could think of as she veered right to head off the beaten track in the rough mountain terrain while the others stopped in a clearing to make camp.

 

[LucianDevine]

If Damien hated anything at all about being with Leah, it was that they had to keep it a secret. He watched her turn from him, and he saw the look that came to her face as she did so. Even as he'd simply stepped away from her so that she could open the door, he'd seen it and felt it. Even in his own mind, Damien wonderedwhat it was about her that was so different. He'd been with so many, and taken the virginities of more than even he knew, yet here was Leah. To anybody else she might have been just another woman to add to some list, but for some reason it felt different...was different.

Damien spent the few minutes after Leah had gone in thought. He thought not only of her, and the secret they had to keep, but also of the journey that lay before them, and the seemingly impossible battle that lay at the end of it. With a soft sigh, Damien cast those thoughts aside. There was nothing to be done about any of it just then. He, like anybody else, had to endure.

With one last slow, long, and deep breath, Damien opened the door once more and exited. As Damien exited the inn, he moved immediately to the last horse that was available. Everybody else it seemed, had a horse of their own. He on the other hand, had had one provided to him. He couldn't help but snort softly to himself as he looked it over. Leave it to a them to pick a white stallion for somebody they believed to be their hero and savior. With little more than a shake of his head, Damien braced his arms on the strong animal and pulled himself easily into place.

Within a few minutes, Damien could tell that this horse, as cliche as it was, was indeed well trained and a very suitable choice. IT was strong, fast, and had good reflexes. Kuruxus took the point position, as before. Damien probably could have fought for it, and he doubted that anybody would argue with him on it, but he elected not to. He instead chose to ride as the right flank guard. he was farther off to the side, acting as much as a scout as a guard. In a way it seemed perfect. The rest of them were loosely connected, and he stood alone, as it seemed would always be his place. It had always been like that. Hard as he tried to calm the minds of people around him, and people he'd travelled with, people were generally intimidated by him.

As he rode, Damien couldn't help but send a few looks towards Leah. 'What is so different about her?' Damien asked himself in his mind. Time and again the question came to mind, but the answer elluded him.

Their destination, The Temple of Elemental Power, was only a few days ride from Alexandria, and the group had set a fast pace. As that first days ride was coming to a close, Damien watched as Leah continued to ride on. Kruxus had of course called after her, and she'd given as reasonable an explanation as was possible, but Damien doubted her words. Ever since they'd left the inn, they'd been different.

Damien's deep blue gaze was unfocused as he set up his tent. In fact, he didn't even notice Kruxus approaching until the man spoke. "When Helena gets back with the firewood, we're going to have a meeting. We need you to tell us everything you know about the plane of earth." Damien had paused to listen to Kruxus speak, and he toyed with the possibility of some smartass comment or another, but he elected to simply meet the man's gaze, nod and carry on.

Kruxus didn't like him, that was obvious enough, but it seemed as though the man didn't trust him, even after their encounter with both the trolls and the pyrohydra. As Kruxus walked away, Damien let his gaze follow him. He recalled the words Leah had spoken about him, and he couldn't help but feel that she was right. Something about that man wasn't right. Still, there was naught to do about it just then. He'd deal with the meeting around the fire first, and then he'd work the rest through in time, hopefuly with Leah's help.

 

[monique_minx]

Arrow’s hooves clattered over the hard track as Leah rode out of view, she dismounted him at the first chance, leaving him to roam free. He’d answer her first whistle anyway, he was an incredibly loyal horse. There was plenty of firewood and debris scattered over the ground but Helena had ridden this far out for a reason, she needed to get herself straight and break away from Damien.

She pulled a blanket from her saddle bag, it was all folded up and she held it to her face, screaming into the fabric which smothered the sound a great deal. Leah tossed it back carelessly, letting it fall in a scrambled mess over Arrow’s back. Her foot kicked out and connected with the hard trunk of a tree and she sunk to the ground on her knees.

“I can’t do this…I can’t stop looking at him and just…by the gods he’s infected my mind!” She whispered to no one while clutching her head in her hands and sobbing quietly.

“I’m going to explode, I know it, first battle we have, I’ll get myself killed…” She was horrified by the intensity of emotions she’d never felt before.

She moved and wiped her tears sloppily as she started to gather some wood up, setting it in a side basket which hung from Arrow for that purpose. She started to curse herself and her stupidity under her breath, she felt helpless, vulnerable and weak - it wasn’t like the great female commander to be so easily ripped apart.

“If only his Highness could see me now.” She sniffed with a silly smile, “I’m a mess, the great Helena Fernang brought to her knees by a man…”

She considered that statement and flushed bright red although no one could see her, it was more than a double entendre, more like a triple threat really! She stuffed it all into the basket and mounted Arrow once she was certain the tears had stopped, her eyes had soft red rings disappearing around them but she started to ride back after stuffing the blanket back into her saddle bag.

She arrived at the camp and pulled out of the canter sharply, she jumped from Arrow’s back and ignored Tobias’ surprised and suspicious look. She unloaded the basket and dumped the firewood in the centre of the stone circle the men had arranged. She trudged back to her packs, ignoring all of them as Reese knelt and sparked a fire; keeping an eye on the angry woman.

Helena set her bedroll out and sat on it next to the fire as they started to roast some fresh meat which Abraham had gone off and hunted. Kruxus gathered the men around and Leah looked confused but said nothing, she wondered what was going on but was more focused on avoiding Damien’s eye. Kruxus took up a stick and started to draw a map in the sand of where they were headed and pointed out that their next encampment would be in a large city called Gomorrah. Some of the men started to whisper about it and Kruxus eyed them off.

“I remind you that you represent your countries men, any indiscretion on your part may well mean your monarch or respective head of country will deal with you. Death is always a possibility and you’ve either seen or heard of what happens in Gomorrah, I expect you to behave as though your king is watching.” Kruxus commanded gruffly, silencing the men.

Helena only stared on in confusion but was far too embarrassed to ask what the big deal was. She fidgeted in silence as they started to throw in their two cents and ask Kruxus questions.

 

[LucianDevine]

The minutes between when Leah left and when she returned were very long one's indeed for Damien. He found himself looking in the direction she'd gone time and time again, eagerly awaiting her return. He could tell from the way she'd ridden off, that she'd had far more on her mind than gathering firewood. He'd of course known better than to ride after her this time however. She had alot of things to work through, and he hoped that she'd come to him if she had a problem or needed him in some way or another.

Sadly, when Damien did see Leah return, he noticed immediately that she didn't meet his gaze. He let his own fall to the side when he realized that she was doing it intentionally. Damien instead tried to focus his mind on the things he was going to have to say to the entire group in just a span of moments.

Luckily however, Kruxus spoke first once the group was gathered about the fire. “I remind you that you represent your countries men, any indiscretion on your part may well mean your monarch or respective head of country will deal with you. Death is always a possibility and you’ve either seen or heard of what happens in Gomorrah, I expect you to behave as though your king is watching.”

Damien's head perked up when he heard about where they were going. In his mind, he had to wonder a bit about that particular choice. It was of course on the way, and was a decent place to stop to rest and replenish their food, bodies, and horses. The problem however, was that the city was known all over the continent for what went on there. In the daytime, it was as close to a normal trade city as one could expect. Once the sun went down however, the entire scene changed. Beggars, vandals, thieves, murderers, and prostitutes ran wild in the nighttime.

Damien listened first to Kruxus as he spoke of their destination, and then watched as the man stared down a couple of the men. They all knew what most of they were thinking, but they didn't have time for the shadier business that surrounded Gomorrah.

"Now that we all know what where we're headed tomorrow. Damien, will you let the rest of us know what we're going to be facing after we reach our destination?"

Damien took a slow and steady breath before he finally rose to his feet. At this particular moment, he wanted nothing more than to be alone with Leah, but the men needed to hear about what lay ahead of them. With a soft sigh, he opened his mouth and spoke, repeating to everybody what he'd already told Leah that morning.

"The plane of earth is as the elder said, the easiest of the four to traverse. Though the least of four dangerous options is hardly safe at all. The ground of the plane itself is completely unmarred by buildings or trees. The beasts that do live on the surface find caves to spend the nights in. As for the temple itself, I'd be quite surprised to find it on the surface. There is as much to traverse beneath the surface as there is above. The whole of the underground is littered with an endless network of caves... I have't been to the temple before, but cities can be found beneath the surface, and it's in one of those cities that we will likely find the temple itself, or at least a way to find it."

When he finished speaking, Damien let his gaze flicker over to Leah before passing on. To hide what he'd been doing, he met the gaze of each one of the men. His back was straight, his shoulders were square, and he looked every bit the champion they expected, except for his personal equipment of old.

"The best advice I can give you all about travelling the planes, is to stick together. Every one of them is filled with hundreds of ways to get lost or killed, and we stand the best chance together. If we do split up, it's best that we go in pairs at least." Damien made to sit down, but he hesitated and spoke once more. "Once we return from the Plane of Earth, I'll cover the next plane we decide on."

Damien remained for a bit, answering any questions the men might have about who or what they might encounter. Once that last bit of business was settled, he moved quietly to the perimeter, taking up his spot as guard for the night. More than anything else though, he needed to think.

 

[monique_minx]

Damien calmly explained what Leah had already been made aware of; a mass network of underground caves and tunnels filled with all manner of mythological creatures. Leah shuddered to think of coming across another Pyrohydra but this was the Plane of Earth and not the Plane of Fire where that creature was more likely to be found. Leah expected to see…what exactly? Burrowing moles of massive proportions? She almost laughed at the thought.

Her eyes flickered as Damien’s gaze fell upon her and she gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head as if to tell him not to look at her. His eyes moved to each of them in turn and she breathed in relief.

"The best advice I can give you all about travelling the planes, is to stick together. Every one of them is filled with hundreds of ways to get lost or killed, and we stand the best chance together. If we do split up, it's best that we go in pairs at least. Once we return from the Plane of Earth, I'll cover the next plane we decide on."

Helena and the others nodded, each of them asking their own questions while Leah looked on in silence and ate her share of the hunted food. She stood for Egypt, Damien stood for the world and they both understood that but as Damien fielded the questions; Leah couldn’t help but wonder what these others stood for. Her eyes flitted over Kruxus who supposedly stood for Rome and while he was an admirable leader and warrior, Leah couldn’t help but wonder if he truly would hand his prize over to Caesar when this was done.

Hamid…her eyes travelled, the Arabian stood for his own country and Helena was of the feeling that he was a good man. Abraham, Leah pursed her lips as her gaze fell to him on Hamid’s left; he stood for Babylonia but Leah was yet to figure anything out about him. Joseph was devout in his faith, fighting for Israel; anything gained would be handed over. She was certain of that. Maximus fought for Leonidas; king of Sparta. She knew the spear through his leg was an unfortunate incident in which he had been surprised; Spartans were rarely easy to take down. She didn’t trust him in the least, they were ruthless in battle and honourable perhaps but if double crossed by one; she’d not have enough of a chance.

When Leah’s eyes fell on Reese at last; she couldn’t help the crinkling of irritation that crept across her brow. She hated Reese. Little wonder, the man was a Persian after all and she was little more than a fancy ornament to him, as all women were. He was already marked down as most hated warrior in their little band, Maximus hated him for his country but the two somehow got along very well, Leah was suspicious of it and kept that mental note in the forefront of her mind. Calhoun, her scrutiny fell upon the Assyrian soldier and marked him down as a quiet sheep to be observed further. His neighbour Tobias of Syria was an ally to Egypt, she had a reserve of trust and respect for him. He was no legendary soldier like Damien or a good leader like Kruxus or even a formidable opponent like Maximus but he was good natured and an excellent warrior. Shepherds shall always have need of sheep for they cannot have a flock with them. She told herself quietly and moved to lay down with the rest of them.

Her eyes tried to close, she tried to drift into sleep but the only place her eyes drifted to was their lone guard of the night; Damien who stood solitary against the black sheet of darkness behind him. Leah almost wanted to throw back her blanket and wrap her arms around him but a rustle stopped her dead in her tracks as she was reminded that she was not alone; there was a lot at stake here and if any news of their coupling got back to Pharaoh Ptolemy, she would be stripped of rank and right. An outcast to wander, a slave to Egypt perhaps? The possibilities, the horrible possibilities ran through her mind like some awful nightmare and she stiffened on the ground to stop herself from moving.

She just hoped he saw her watching him…

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien had lived many a year, and he'd had more than his fair share of lonely night, but this one in particular was getting to him. Maybe he'd become too used to the solitary life in the heavens. It might too have been because of the company he kept. Hell, it might also have been the multiple threats they were soon to face, including the horsemen themselves. In his own mind though, Damien knew what it was that bothered him so.

Damien had seen the look in Leah's eye as he'd briefly met her gaze at the meeting. He'd seen the shake of her head. He knew what was meant by those gestures. She was so close at hand, yet he could not touch her, could barely look at her. Hell, he could barely talk to her now without arousing some sort of suspicion from one of the men.

Damien was doing as he'd done from the beginning of their journey, taking first watch. He needed less rest than the rest, had a keener eye than most, and knew best what would threaten their camp. Yet as he stared into the black night of the forest, he felt an itch at the back of his neck. He felt like he was being watched. He'd always had a knack for that, and it had saved his life more than once. Damien started to turn his head, going slowly to make it look as natural as possible. He had to look at her, had to remind himself why he was suffering so. It was a voluntary suffering though, and if he had the chance to do it all over again, he certainly would.

Damien's eyes scanned the camp, moving ever so slowly, hoping that anybody who might be watching would think he was just doing a routine sweep with his eyes. When he came to Leah though, he couldn't help but pause. The moon seemed to shine off of her lovely raven curls. It was then that Damien saw Leah's hazel eyes looking at him. He'd thought she'd been asleep, like the others, yet he could swear she was watching him, or had been a moment ago.

Damien did the only thing he could just then. He held what might have been her gaze for a few seconds and bowed his head briefly, disguising it by scratching the back of his head. His right hand came to rest briefly over his heart as he did so though, hoping that if she was watching, she would get the message.

It was actually while Damien was standing watch that he thought of a way that he might be able to confer to her his feelings, in a subtle and natural way. When his time for watch was over,he moved silently around the camp once more, coming to a stop right before Leah. He knelt down and place his left hand beneath her back, shaking her gently with his right. "Leah..." He said when she awoke. "It's your watch." Damien held her gaze for a few solid seconds, letting his hand beneath her back rub just a little.

Then he stood up and was moved away from her. It was all he could afford to chance just then. 'Maybe we'll get a chance at a night alone in Gomorrah.' Damien said to himself in the privacy of his own mind. It was a sad thought to think that they had to sneak around like he was a married man, and she his whore, but it was all they could do for now.

 

[monique_minx]

Damien turned to look at her and Leah felt her heart beat twice fast, she just stared at him, longing for him to be sharing her bed but it wasn‘t possible. His hand moved over his heart and the symbol was not missed by her, she felt a tear roll down her cheek as she was filled with the desire to be held in those strong arms. She sighed inaudibly and shifted to a more comfortable position to sleep, drifting off restlessly.

"Leah..."

Her eyes slowly opened to the sound of Damien’s voice, his hand rubbing her back was so soothing that when she started to rise, she had to stop the compulsion that overtook her to kiss him.

"It's your watch."

Leah nodded sleepily and held his gaze, silently conveying her deepest desires to him before she moved to get up. She watched his back as he went to get those few precious hours of sleep he would need and she paced the perimeter of the camp listlessly the whole night. The sun took an eternity to rise and she moved to Damien’s side first, shaking him gently.

“Damien, it’s morning…” Was all she dared to whisper, her eyes darted around the sleeping bodies and she hurriedly pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Leah moved away from him as though his skin had burnt her and she kicked the others away. Her horse was already saddled and packed during her watch so she mounted Arrow and awaited the others patiently. When they were off at last, she started to think about the road ahead as they plodded down the jungle track she had rode down earlier. It was just a long journey to pick their way through the mountainous terrain, more than once a horse got a rock stuck in their hooves and the entire party had to halt.

The afternoon sun shone and Helena was almost asleep on her horse when a yell shook her awake, she looked up to see Calhoun’s horse rearing, he slid from the stallion’s back as Leah pulled Arrow up and jumped from his back. She grabbed the reins of the stallion as he continued to rear and buck.

“Whoa! Someone grab him!” She yelled, fearing Calhoun’s horse was about to trample him but before she’d even said it, Tobias and Hamid had dragged him out of the way.

“Snake!” She screamed and kicked dirt back, distracted by the out of control horse as the huge slithering python came into view, Reese and Joseph shot into action while Maximus remained on his horse - unable to help because of his injured leg.

Damien and Kruxus were the first to aid her with the rearing horse whose hooves flailed dangerously and cut her forearm open deeply. Once the horse was under the control of the two stronger men, Helena grabbed her arm tightly and held it, checking her wound. The cut was very deep and gushing a copious amount of blood.

“Someone…someone grab…my med…kit?” She swayed and fell backwards, the blood loss causing her to faint.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien couldn't help but smile when he noticed Leah's reactions to the small tokens of affection he could show in their present company. It felt wrong to have to hide something like this, especially since he was in no way ashamed of what he felt, or who he felt it for. The pair locked eyes in the moments that it took Leah to rise, and in those few moments, their eyes said far more than their words ever could. It was enough at least, to ease his doubts about her feelings towards what they'd done. With obvious reluctance, Damien left her side and moved to his own spot by the fire. It didn't take long at all for him to fall asleep, and it was a sleep that was most welcome.

“Damien, it’s morning…”

Damien's warrior instinct had picked up on the movement around him. He knew that it was Leah, but he waited to open his eyes until he felt her shake him awake and speak the few soft words. As he watched, Leah's gaze flitted briefly over the camp. HE wondered briefly what she was worried about, but when the soft and very bref kiss came to his cheek he understood. His deep blue eyes locked with her once more, holding her gaze for but a moment this time, before he broke eye contact. There was only so much the pair could risk right now, and it wouldn't do well for them to push the limits and get caught.

Soon enough, Damien was awake, saddled up, and ready. The camp ate a hasty breakfast, then was quickly under way once more. 'The joys of life on the road.' Damien thought to himself sarcastically. Their path would be a difficult one, remaining so until they reached the temple. The temple itself had been built at the top of a small mountain, and they were already starting to encounter rocky slopes of that climb. There was a trail of course, but it could hardly be called well kept, and more than once they had to stop to rest or tend to one of the horses.

The going was slow and treacherous, even for such an experienced traveler as Damien. They were well into the days ride, the noon sun being high in the sky, when a sudden commotion came from the middle of the group. “Snake!”Damien's head snapped around just in time to see Calhoun's horse rear up, effortlessly ousting him from the saddle. Within moments, what had been a quiet and peaceful line became a flurry of motion.

In moments, everybody, except Maximus, had hurriedly dismounted and rushed to the scene. Reese and Joseph were the first on the scene, pulling Calhoun away from the danger thqt his horse had become. Leah, Damien, and Kruxus however, had gone for the horse. Damien saw Leah get to it first. As good as many of them may have been with horses though, a spooked animal like that was dangerous to all of them.

With a person on each side, and Leah in the middle, the trio reached for the reigns, trying to get the horse under control. To Damien's horror, he saw one of the powerful legs drive a hoof into Leah's forearm. Damien saw Leah fall back, crying out as her hand grasped the the injury. Within moments, the pair had managed to catch the reigns, Kruxus' height having come in handy. No sooner had they gotten it under control though, than they had passed it off and rushed to Leah's side.

“Someone…someone grab…my med…kit?”

Damien had heard leah's words, and he quickly shouted it back over his shoulder. His hands worked quickly at his belt. Without even thinking, he loosed his belt and passed it off to Kruxus. The big man knew what he needed to do, and Damien turned towards Hamid, who came running forward with the kit. Damien opened it quickly and took out the clean cloth. "Hamid, clean the wound. Everybody else give us room!"

Damien meanwhile, had reached for the needle and thread that were in the kit. It was a grisly task, but it would be necessary. When his gaze lowered to the wounded woman's arm, he allowed a small smile to come to his face when he saw the work of the other two men. Kruxus had his belt cinched tightly around Leah's bicep, cutting off the blood. Hamid had worked quickly at the blood already there, and the area was as clear as could be expected. The wound itself was ghastly, the skin having been peeled clean off the bone, the pearly white of it visible.

Damien was thankful that Leah had passed out, because he did not want to see the look in her eye at what he had to do. He first threaded the needle. Then, he watched as, between the Hamid and Kruxus, they held the wound as closed as possible. Damien then set to work with the needle, starting at one end and working his way up her arm.

Everything else had happened so fast, that Damien felt that his own progress with the needle was as a snail. It seemed to take him hours to seal the wound, and even then it seemed unsatisfactory. Next, Damien reached for some more cloth, clearing away the last of the blood. His hands then found a bandage, which he used to quickly wrap the newly sewed wound. His own careful hands seemed brutish with in the way he set about his task, but in his own mind he knew that it seemed as such only because of his feeling for Leah.

Once the wound had been sewed and bound, Damien turned towards the kit once more. He found what he was looking for and quickly set the arm in a sling. About the best that could be done for her now, was to give her time and hope she came to and healed quickly, though a full recovery would take weeks at best unless they came across a healer in Gomorrah.

"Kruxus, you were on point. How much further until we reach Gomorrah? This will do for now, but she'll need a healer as soon as possible."

 

[monique_minx]

"Kruxus, you were on point. How much further until we reach Gomorrah? This will do for now, but she'll need a healer as soon as possible."

“Several hours out still, need to pass through the rest of the rocky terrain and then it’s jungle just before we hit the desert. They built it around a spring with a small oasis out there, not much now but…” Kruxus pinched the bridge of his nose in angst, “She can’t ride like that, don’t even know how long she’ll be out for…”

Kruxus considered before he gripped his black stallion ‘Thunder’s’ reins, “She’ll have to ride with another. Maximus can’t manage it and someone will have to tether her horse to theirs, I’m on point so if I do it and we come across any enemies…” He trailed off, not needing to tell them exactly what would happen if Leah was deadweight on his horse.

“Tie Arrow off to Sandstorm; Hamid. They seem to ride well together and shouldn’t have an issue. Denar, you take Helena on your horse and ride the middle with Maximus and Hamid, you in the centre. I don’t need any unnecessary deaths if we’re slowed, the ride to Gomorrah is treacherous but the people are that much worse. Joseph and Reese can stay on point with me, Abraham; you take over far rear guard. Calhoun and Tobias, just ride rear and by Hades, mount up! We need to get there before nightfall!” Kruxus barked the commands and stepped his foot into Thunder’s stirrups before hoisting himself up and trotting forward to scout ahead.

Abraham and Tobias lifted Leah over to Damien once he was up on his horse and helped get her unconscious body into the saddle before they left to mount their own, leaving Helena lying unconscious against Damien’s chest. The group moved off and Kruxus returned and let them know the next mile was clear, when they reached the marker he’d laid out; Kruxus sent Joseph up ahead to scout further and ordered Reese to the right of them; scouting the lower path which branched off deep into the jungle. Thankfully it seemed the gods favoured them from that point on and they made a smooth ride through the rocky terrain before they hit the jungle pass they were searching for.

“Eyes open men.” Kruxus commanded quietly, “Bandit country.”

 

[LucianDevine]

“Several hours out still, need to pass through the rest of the rocky terrain and then it’s jungle just before we hit the desert. They built it around a spring with a small oasis out there, not much now but…She can’t ride like that, don’t even know how long she’ll be out for…”

Damien cursed softly as he heard Kruxus' words. His eyes drifted down to the pale woman lying between them.

“She’ll have to ride with another. Maximus can’t manage it and someone will have to tether her horse to theirs, I’m on point so if I do it and we come across any enemies…Tie Arrow off to Sandstorm; Hamid. They seem to ride well together and shouldn’t have an issue. Denar, you take Helena on your horse and ride the middle with Maximus and Hamid, you in the centre. I don’t need any unnecessary deaths if we’re slowed, the ride to Gomorrah is treacherous but the people are that much worse. Joseph and Reese can stay on point with me, Abraham; you take over far rear guard. Abraham and Tobias, just ride rear and by Hades, mount up! We need to get there before nightfall!”

Damien's deep blue gaze lifted as Kruxus spoke. For once he was glad that the man was the leader. He had his flaws like anybody else, but at least he was quick to act and give orders. Without hesitation, the group broke off. Hamid led Arrow behind him, binding the strong animal to his own. Meanwhile, Damien swung himself into the saddle of his own strong stallion. Strong arms reached down and helped lift Leah onto the horse. Once the others had finished helping him secure her in front of him in the saddle, Damien looked around. There was no hesitation in these men, and Damien was glad for it. He watched the men take up their positions, and they were off.

The going was fast, but naturally not as fast as either Kruxus, or even himself would have preferred. There was no help for it though. To go much faster would risk the horses, and that would cause even more setbacks. Just as the rocks and trees started to fade though, Kruxus deep voice rang through the trees. "Ambush!" Ahead of them all, Damien saw Kruxus break into a hard gallop. Eight riders, bearing nine horses bolted after the man. Moments after he'd shouted, arrows started to fly from the trees. Only Kruxus' shout, and their quick reflexes had saved them from slaughter. Twang after twang followed them through the thinning trees.

Even after the group broke through the trees however, they were far from safe. Riders were already coming at them from both sides. Four riders from each side were bearing down on them. Damien cast a hasty look to each side. By his estimate they'd make it past them before they got closed off. Even still, he pushed his horse that much harder, ever conscious of Leah in front of him. His left arm wrapped protectively around her as he rode. "Ride hard and we'll break through!" Damien yelled as loud as he could, hoping it would be heard over the thundering of so many hooves.

Damien cast more looks around him, checking on the others that surrounded him and his passenger. Everyone was pushing their horses to the limit, everybody except Abraham. Damien had to turn in the saddle to see the man, but he could tell that he wasn't even trying to escape. In fact, he was falling back, but by bit. "Abraham! What are you doing?!" Damien's words fell on deaf ears though. Abraham didn't even look up. There was a certain look in his eye, a look Damien recognized instantly. There wasn't time to dwell on it though. With a shake of his head, he forced his own horse forward.

The group made it easily past the would be bandits. There had been no help for it, they'd had to leave Abraham behind. The ambush had pulled back on the pace a bit, moving to surround Abraham.

The rest of the group rode hard, pushing their horses right to the edge of their endurance. It wasn't until they were within a few hundred feet of Gomorrah that they finally reigned their horses in. Every one of them was hot, tired, and panting for breath. Their clothes were covered in dust and sand. They left a message with the guards at the gates. They gave the guards Abraham's description and bade them to direct Abraham to the inn they'd be staying at.

Within an hour, the horses were stabled and being tended. Leah was lying in a bed, and Damien sat in a chair beside it. The others had left him to watch over her so that they could pursue their own interests in the city of sin. The healer had come and gone. He'd treated Leah to the best of his ability, even going so far as to use a small bit of magic to seal the wound. There would naturally be some stiffness, but she was out of immediate danger.

 

[monique_minx]

Leah slowly opened her eyes to find herself in unfamiliar territory, she tried to move her arms and moaned in soft pain as the bandage gripped her injured arm tightly to her body. Her gaze searched the room, blinking back the bleary fuzz that infringed on her vision until she found Damien shifting closer to her on his chair.

“Hi…” She said weakly, scanning the room, “Gomorrah?” His nod confirmed her suspicions.

Her injury free arm lifted and she rubbed her eyes, smoothing her ebony curls which had fallen free somewhere along the ride, “What happened? I hardly…the horse and a snake and then…black…”

She looked at Damien and groaned, covering her eyes with her hand in embarrassment, “I fainted? Blood loss…I must have…Arrow! Where is he? Is he okay?” She asked suddenly and then relaxed, “Oh…it was Calhoun’s horse, not mine.”

Her hand moved across her head, searching her scalp until she found the small egg shaped bump and pressed it, wincing, “Hit my head…must’ve…when I fainted.”

She shook her head, “I need water or something…I feel…light…” She didn’t quite feel light headed so much as light bodied entirely, unable to get up from the bed, she laid back and relented on that idea.

“Is everyone okay?” She asked softly but before Damien could answer, Tobias burst in the door.

“Abraham’s back! Brought him in on a stretcher! They’ve got the healer tending to him. Kruxus told me to let you know Den-” He cut off and his eyes drifted to Helena with a smile, “You’re awake! How do you feel?”

“Annoyed mostly. What in Hades’ name happened to Abraham?! Why has he been brought in on a stretcher?!” Damien’s hand came down on her arm soothingly as she gripped her head in pain and Leah eased back into the pillow again.

“He held back the bandits, we got attacked…” Tobias seemed embarrassed but Leah could see his eyes were no longer on hers but Damien’s and she started to drift a little.

Her hand stretched out and a canteen was brought to her lips, she drank and ignored the men as they spoke. Helena tried to focus her energies on getting better, at least enough so she could sit up. Her wound itched and she knew she’d been healed but her blood hadn’t been replenished, she needed to drink and eat before she could stand and fight. Medics so rarely listen to their own advice; particularly warriors with medical training but Leah conceded to both her better judgement and Damien’s care. Her curiosities however would not be abated and when she’d taken in a good half of the canteen’s water, she pushed it away and stared up at Damien.

“What happened?”

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien could have chosen to abandon his vigil over the sleeping Leah, knowing that she would recover in time, but he chose not to. Gomorrah wasn't safe for anybody, especially an unconscious woman left alone in an inn. As she started to stir, Damien scooted his chair a little closer to her, waiting for her to open her eyes.

“Hi…" Leah's greeting was spoken weakly, but the fact that she was recovering was good enough for Damien just then. "Gomorrah?” A small nod answered the woman's question. Again, it wasn't their primary choice of places to stop for the night, but especially after her accident and their flight, there was little choice.

As Damien watched Leah work through the events that had transpired, he stayed quiet, giving her time. It wasn't until she mentioned being thirsty that he moved. He quickly reached for a canteen to offer her a drink. Before he even got a chance though, Tobias burst through the door.

“Abraham’s back! Brought him in on a stretcher! They’ve got the healer tending to him. Kruxus told me to let you know Den-”

Tobias' words were cut short when he noticed that Leah was awake. Damien sat back and simply observed the interaction between the two of them. When Tobias' eyes shifted to his own, Damien rose to his feet, leaving the canteen within easy reach of the injured Leah. He walked towards the far corner of the room, nodding to himself as Tobias followed him.

"His wounds were pretty bad, but it sounds like he killed All of the bandits that were chasing us, including a few more from the forest.

Damien simply nodded then shook his head slowly. When Tobias' gaze asked a question, but Damien simply shrugged it off. "We'll be down to get something to eat shortly. Just give me a minute to fill her in, ok?" When the man nodded, Damien offered up a small smile,. Soon enough, he was turning back towards Leah as Tobias closed the door behind him. He moved to settle himself in the chair once more, letting his mind wander on what he'd observed of Abraham.

“What happened?”

Damien's blue gaze shifted to meet Leah's. He was reluctant to tell her what had happened, and what he suspected of the man, but in the end he simply sighed, cleared his throat and spoke.

"After you passed out, we were attacked by bandits. Kruxus warned us in time, so we managed to avoid getting cut down in the forest, but they had men on horses just outside it. the men on horses were coming from both sides, trying to cut us off. It looked like we were all going to make it, including Abraham, who was the rear guard. When I turned and looked though, I saw him falling back...intentionally. He didn't want to escape, he wanted to fight. Worse though, I think he wanted the rest of us to know or think that he saved us with his heroics." Damien paused before speaking, actually reluctant to put voice to the words in his head. "I've seen men like him before Leah...glory seekers. He's on this mission for himself and himself alone. He's here so that everybody else will know he's here, and what he did for them. He intentionally put himself in harm's way, and likely wouldn't hesitate to do it again and again, possibly risking the lives of everybody with him."

Damien's gaze dropped as he finished speaking. In his mind he knew that such men couldn't be trusted, and certainly not with another persons life, or on a quest like this. With a soft sigh, that blue gaze lifted. Damien waited patiently for Leah's response, wondering how she would react.

 

[monique_minx]

"After you passed out, we were attacked by bandits. Kruxus warned us in time, so we managed to avoid getting cut down in the forest, but they had men on horses just outside it. the men on horses were coming from both sides, trying to cut us off. It looked like we were all going to make it, including Abraham, who was the rear guard. When I turned and looked though, I saw him falling back...intentionally. He didn't want to escape, he wanted to fight. Worse though, I think he wanted the rest of us to know or think that he saved us with his heroics…I've seen men like him before Leah...glory seekers. He's on this mission for himself and himself alone. He's here so that everybody else will know he's here, and what he did for them. He intentionally put himself in harm's way, and likely wouldn't hesitate to do it again and again, possibly risking the lives of everybody with him."

Leah nodded slowly, trying to take in all the information offered to her, “Abraham? Really? He seemed so…quiet…not the type.” She muttered thoughtfully.

“So…does Kruxus know of this? Of his recklessness? He could get us killed…” She mumbled, still trying to sit up and get her head straight, the water seemed to help the process and allowed her to sit up; propped against the pillows.

“I need…food or something, have to replenish the blood loss…” She groaned and gripped her head with her free hand, the light sensation was incredibly overwhelming as she struggled to overcome it, Leah desired her own power back.

She slid the covers back hurriedly and moved her legs out to swing over the concrete slab that was her bed, cushioned by a goose feather mattress. She took Damien’s shoulder and levered herself up off the bed, her bare feet slapped the cold ground hard and it was the first time she realized she’d been half undressed. Her leather skirt clung to her hips but the only thing covering her upper half was a breast band. She blushed and gaped suddenly, covering her torso as she semi spun away from Damien, completely forgetting he’d already seen that and more.

Leah was doubly embarrassed when she realized how silly she was being, though she couldn’t help it, “Damien…my clothes…where?” She mumbled, a bright crimson blush rising in her cheeks as she turned back to him, her arm still clinging to cover herself.

 

[LucianDevine]

“Abraham? Really? He seemed so…quiet…not the type. So…does Kruxus know of this? Of his recklessness? He could get us killed…”

Damien listened to Leah's words, grateful that she was thinking the same thing he was.

"I was thinking the same thing. Such a person can be useful in a fight, but not if he's picking fights that can, and likely should be avoided. As for Kruxus, I'm not sure if he knows or not. I haven't seen him much though, he and most of the others have been out and about the city for quite some time. I think for now though, it's best if we keep an eye on Abraham. Hopefully though, he'll be more careful if he lives."

Obvious concern flashed across Damien's face as he heard Leah groan. “I need…food or something, have to replenish the blood loss…”

Damien lowered himself to his knees, offering Leah his shoulder to help her up. "Yes, that's what the healer recommended. We'll have to pay for our own meals though. For a group that is supposed to be working together to save the world, most of the others seem to look out for themselves only."

As Leah rose to her feet and started to walk, Damien let his gaze flit briefly over her barely covered form. When she gasped and turned towards him though, seeming to realize her relative state of undress, his gaze lifted to hers. She didn't meet his gaze though, instead lifting her arm to cover her chest and swinging her hips to hide most of her form from his gaze. “Damien…my clothes…where?”

Damien simply smiled that small knowing smile of his though. He took a few steps towards her as he spoke. "It's all in that chest right there, your clothes, your armor, and your weapons." He said as he lifted a hand to gesture towards the chest at the foot of her bed.

Even as Damien spoke though, his gaze held her. He moved to stand before her, lifting his hands to rest on her shoulders. His eyes watched the door as he lifted a hand to cup her cheek, he leaned down briefly, kissing her lightly on the lips. Much as he would have wished for more, he knew that even with the door closed, and their senses hoping to pick up on any approaching sounds, they couldn't risk it, not here. "You don't have to be embarrassed around me Leah." Damien said softly. "I'll leave you alone to get dressed...if you want me to."

 

[monique_minx]

"It's all in that chest right there, your clothes, your armor, and your weapons."

He took the few steps forward to close the gap between them and Leah looked over at the chest he gestured to; sitting at the foot of the bed. She seemed to relax a little knowing her things were not gone and in fact; not far from her at all but some slight tension was retained in her shoulders with the knowledge of Damien’s proximity. Her eyes returned to his, a little startled by the bright blue that met her; he’d never looked away like she had and as incredibly insignificant as it might seem; Helena longed to know why. Her arm still clung to cover herself but she wasn’t paying it any attention, nothing existed but his piercing gaze in that moment.

His hands almost felt so light and yet carried so much weight as they came to rest upon her shoulders, her knees felt weak…he was so close! Just a little closer, she pleaded in silence with him, praying her hazel eyes conveyed the diehard need she felt for him. Finally he tore his eyes from her to look at the door while his hand cupped her cheek and she tilted her head into his gentle hold. He pressed a feather light kiss to her lips that lingered no more than a few seconds before it was gone. She knew the risks but her yearning for him could not be denied much longer…

"You don't have to be embarrassed around me Leah. I'll leave you alone to get dressed...if you want me to."

Leah suddenly felt that much more embarrassed and clumsily dropped her arm, “I’m not…I just…I was surprised and it’s…habit for me, Damien. I have to keep up appearances and well…I’ve been caught out of uniform in the most mortifying ways by some of my men before. You can’t begin to imagine…I just, I can’t flip a goose feather and just change instantly into showing myself in front of you. It’s a reflex…” Leah paused for a breath and realized she was rambling so she shuffled around him and flicked the chest open, pulling a simply cotton shift free of it.

Helena shook it out and moved her bandage arm, wincing in pain before she stopped. She couldn’t do this, she couldn’t put her own shirt on while her wrist was still healing beneath a spell. She knew that by the next day it would be painful but tolerable; however, she couldn’t very well go to dinner without a shirt on. She turned to Damien and held the shirt out to him.

“Could you…please? My arm…I can’t…” She blushed as red as a tomato, Leah wasn’t use to relying on others for such simple things as to need assistance getting dressed.

She prayed he’d take it and then take her….down to dinner! Helena mentally cleared her head, commanding focus from herself as Damien drew nearer to her and made her lose all faith in her own self control.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien saw the look in Leah's eyes. He knew what it meant, knew what she wanted, and desperately wished he could indulge the both of them in those desires.

“I’m not…I just…I was surprised and it’s…habit for me, Damien. I have to keep up appearances and well…I’ve been caught out of uniform in the most mortifying ways by some of my men before. You can’t begin to imagine…I just, I can’t flip a goose feather and just change instantly into showing myself in front of you. It’s a reflex…”

A small knowing smile came to Damien's face as he nodded, responding simply with. "I understand Leah." And truthfully he did. Their first night together had been a truly binding experience, and he wanted to show her that she meant more to him that simply her virginity.

As he watched, Leah lifted the lid on the chest and sifted through it briefly until she came up with a simple cotton shift. It wasn't until she went to put it on, being forced to shift her arm that he remembered that she was injured. He saw the brief wince of pain, but waited for her words before he moved.

“Could you…please? My arm…I can’t…”

Damien simply nodded, his blue eyes locking with Leah's hazel ones. With an effortless stride, he closed the distance between them and took the shift from her extended hand. With a deliberate motion, Damien bunched up the shirt, ensuring that when he helped her put it on, she would have to move as little as possible. While one hand held the arm hole of the shift open, Damien's other hand supported Leah's injured arm. He carefully slid the shift over her arm. She didn't help finding the other arm hole though. Once that was done, Damien simply lifted the hole for her head and eased it down. With hands that were ever-gentle, Damien helped her to pull the shift down her body. He even went so far as to life her hair free of the shift to fall down her back.

"Now then, how about some dinner?" Damien asked calmly as he moved back around to face her once more.

 

[monique_minx]

Damien moved forward and took the shirt from her outstretched hand, she released it and smiled gratefully at him as he bunched it up to better assist her. She hissed through her teeth in pain as he lifted her injured arm and pushed it through the shift. A shooting twinge shot through the length of her limb and Helena winced perceptibly as her arm lowered at last. She longed for when it would be healed enough to not encumber her so but for now, the best she could hope for was that it had been healed by a professional at all. She pushed her other arm through without assistance and gave Damien the most appreciative look she could muster as he pulled her shift down around her exposed abdomen, surprising her when he lifted her ebony waves free and let them flow down her back unhampered.

"Now then, how about some dinner?”

Leah smiled, “Sounds great.” Her voice weaker than normal due to both her wound and her mounting lust for the man before her, it would be much safer for both of them if they were not to be alone together.

She hooked her arm around Damien’s and allowed him to aid her down to the dining area of the Gomorrah Inn. She looked about at the patrons who stared rudely at the pair of them, the majority were dirty, poor and impolite to the staff. Helena ignored the lewd gazes and sat down at a small table with Damien. A bar woman with less clothing than brains came over to them.

“What’ll ya be havin’ tonight ’un?” She asked Helena in a thick accent while her eyes scrutinized Leah as though trying to figure out who she was or what she was doing there if not a whore or slave.

“Just bread and pork thank you.” Helena said shortly.

“Nothin’ to drink then?” The woman asked coarsely, shaking her tattered skirt out none too gently.

Helena looked at Damien questioningly and then back at the barmaid, “Some wine please.”

“We only got red ’ere.” She coughed out.

“That’s fine, thank you.” Helena said pleasantly enough, the woman stared at her as though she were some kind of alienated creature for having used manners before the barmaid moved away at last.

“Nice place.” Helena commented to Damien with obvious sarcasm in her tone as she surveyed the Inn and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

 

[LucianDevine]

It didn't pass Damien's notice, the weakness in Leah's voice. He suspected the reason for it though, and thus told himself that he would not leave her alone in this city of sin, even if it was torture for both of them to be unable to touch each other.

Damien couldn't help but smile as Leah hooked her arm around his, letting him escort her out of the room and down towards the dining area. In his mind he wondered how things might have been different if they lived in a different time.

As the pair walked down the stairs, Damien was reminded almost instantly of why he hated this city so much. It wasn't so much that the majority of the people around them were poor, but rather that they were dirty, rude, and generally unpleasant to be around. Particularly rude gazes were cast at the pair of them, and he could guess at their intention. Even when the barmaid approached them, wearing next to nothing, things hardly improved.

With a calm passivity, Damien listened to the brief conversation between the barmaid and Leah. He'd eaten some time before, and thus wasn't hungry. Besides, he figured his attention was best used on their surroundings. He'd intentionally kept his falchion and scimitars on him. He was not about to be caught unarmed in this city.

“Nice place.”

Damien leaned forward as he heard Leah's words, not wanting to be overheard. "That's Gomorrah for you." He said softly, letting his gaze wander around the room. "I think it's best we eat quickly. Perhaps we can take a walk after dinner, or just head back upstairs..." Damien let those words hang in the air between them. Even he didn't know fully what he meant by them, but he doubted that he would deny either of them if they felt so inclined as to try.

 

[monique_minx]

"That's Gomorrah for you. I think it's best we eat quickly. Perhaps we can take a walk after dinner, or just head back upstairs..."

Helena didn’t miss the meaningful ending Damien had given and accidental or not; she found the temptation great. They couldn’t do it, she didn’t trust herself upstairs alone with Damien, she’d wanted him since they’d spent the night together previously and being close but unable was just too much. They’d be safer within the public eye where such an act was unthinkable.

Leah cleared her throat, “A walk sounds…lovely. I’ve never been here but I didn’t miss the responses the others had and Kruxus’ warning to them to…behave. What’s the big deal about this place aside from the dirty, rude people?” She asked Damien quietly so they wouldn’t be overheard.

The barmaid returned with her clay plate of food and brittle chopsticks, apparently the Inn couldn’t afford better and it was that or use her hands to eat. She also set down a dusty and slightly cracked jug with two clay goblets that had seen better days.

“Thank you.” Leah said to her kindly, breaking eye contact with Damien.

“You’re ah…welcome…” The barmaid said in shock, shaking her head as she walked away.

Leah looked at Damien again questioningly, “Did I say something wrong?”

She lifted the jug shakily with her uninjured hand and poured them both wine, grimacing as a splash of it landed on the table. She set the jug down with a groan and shook her hand out.

“I guess that horse spooked me more than I thought.” She picked up the chopsticks and attempted to grab a piece of meat, it slipped across the plate and Leah started to laugh, “Who can use these things?!”

 

[LucianDevine]

“A walk sounds…lovely. I’ve never been here but I didn’t miss the responses the others had and Kruxus’ warning to them to…behave. What’s the big deal about this place aside from the dirty, rude people?”

Leah's words saddened Damien only slightly. Inwardly, he knew it was likely the best choice, even if they both probably wished otherwise. At her question though, he regarded her seriously. Still, he cast a few brief looks to either side of them before he leaned forward and answered her question.

"Gomorrah is the city where you can find anything for the right price Leah...anything. Gambling is the most common vice here, though prostitution isn't far off. Anybody who doesn't know their way around the city is encouraged to stay indoors at night, thieves, beggars, murderers and more..." Damien just shook his head slowly when he finished speaking. Luckily for him though, the barmaid approached the table with Leah's food.

He again watched the brief interaction between the two, noticing the distinct differences between the two women. “Did I say something wrong?”

It took Damien a moment to understand what Leah meant, but when her words registered he leaned forward once more. "She, like most people in Gomorrah are used to dealing with their own dirty and rude citizens, most of whom care only for themselves. She's likely not used to somebody being so polite, and treating her with respect."

Damien watched as Leah lifted the jug to pour them some wine, wincing briefly with her as she spilled some on the table. He couldn't help but crack a smile though, when he saw her attempt to use the chopsticks. At her question he rose from his seat and moved to kneel beside her. "Like this." He said with a small laugh of his own. He first put them in his own hand, showing her, then helped put them in her hand. In his mind he tried to ignore the small contact between them.

 

[monique_minx]

Damien moved with a chuckle and knelt down beside Leah, she tried hard to ignore the brush of his shoulder against hers, the nearness of his thundering heartbeat which made hers just sound that much louder; pounding in her ears until his voice cut a swash through the noise.

“Like this.”

His hand closed around hers, for a moment Leah forgot the chopsticks even existed or that he was trying to show her how to use the foreign utensils. He slide the chopsticks and showed her a pincer motion with them before placing them back into her hands, shifting them until they sat correctly.

“Th-thanks.” She cleared her throat and tore her eyes from him to stare at her plate, fumbling and moving the chopsticks around until she picked up a sliver of meat and popped it into her mouth.

Leah’s cheeks were a red fire brighter than the exhale of the pyrohydra. She ate her food as quickly as she could, Damien was the only person in the room during that time and Leah was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the temptation to jump across the table-. No, she couldn’t picture it, she shouldn’t want to and she wondered if her need for civility would win out against her need to feel his broad shoulders beneath her hands, his sculpted chest hard up against her soft pillowy breasts. She choked on her last drop of wine, abashed at the racing creativity of all she wanted to do with Damien.

She set her goblet down, “How about that walk?” She asked with an anxious smile, offering her good arm up to him as she slid from her seat.

Anywhere but here, she kept thinking that; they’d be safer together if they couldn’t find a way to be alone together. She just wanted to feel him on top of her again, she yearned for the sensation of his skin sliding over hers, bare and naked and together. It was hot but by Hades; she had to control herself and with each second; it became that much more difficult.