A Hero's Second Chance

[LucianDevine]

Damien watched with brief amusement as Leah adjusted to the use of the chop sticks, but that look changed to a proud smile as he saw her get the first piece of meat into her mouth. He sat across from her, watching as she ate quickly. He wondered what thoughts were on her mind as she did that, especially when she almost choked down the last bit of her wine.

“How about that walk?”

The small smile that was his for Leah's alone came to his face at those words, especially when she offered him her good arm once more.

"How about that walk indeed?"

Damien took Leah's arm, sliding her hand through the crook of his own arm. He then escorted her out of the inn, grateful to be out of the place, and away from prying eyes and ears.

Damien took a slow and deep breath, already noticing the difference between Gomorrah and Alexandria. "I'll certainly be glad to be out of this city." Damien found himself saying aloud, turning towards Leah. He offered a small smile to her. "I was never very much a fan of this city."

After the pair had walked a fair distance from the inn, Damien moved to take Leah around the corner. Damien had most of his attention focused on Leah, that as they were walking, he hadn't noticed the small group of men that had been following them. In fact, it wasn't until the men entered the same alley behind them that he noticed.

"Wonder how much he's paying for a whore like that!"

Damien immediately stopped when he heard those words. His face hardened as he slowly turned around.

"Oh ho, take a look at the tits on that whore!"

Hard blue eyes focused on the group of men. There were six total, all of them looking dirty and ragged.

"What say you hand the whore over and let her be with some real men."

Damien's hands lowered to his scimitars. "I'm going to give you assholes one chance to shut the hell up and leave."

"Oh ho, thinks he's a tough guy." Said the man in the middle. "What do you say boys, should we teach him a lesson?"

With those words, each of them men pulled out wickedly curved and bloody knives and daggers.

"Six guys with daggers against one with swords, I'd think again if I were you." Damien said, his blue eyes staring hard at them. It didn't seem to phase the center guy though. He just laughed. Damien cocked an eyebrow, wondering what the deal was.

"If you're counting six boy, you may want to count again."

It was at exactly that moment that Damien heard a footstep behind him. A quick look over his shoulder revealed another six men, weapons already drawn.

Damien's gaze hardened that much more when he saw the second batch of men. The fact that they were surrounded meant that there was almost no way for them to avoid bloodshed. His head bowed briefly, and he stole a couple of deep breaths. As his head lifted though, he saw a brief flash of movement behind the group of men to his right. At first he didn't recognize the person, but he soon saw that it was Reese.

The second he saw Reese, Damien knew what he was going to do. "No matter what happens Leah, stay with me when I move." Damien had just enough time to recognize her nod when he shouted out. "Reese! Help us! The moment he shouted, Damien surged forward. His arms unfurled as they drew his scimitars. The men he aimed for lifted their knives to try and deflect the deadly blows, but he was having none of it. The strength of his swings pushed the blades aside, and a quick back swing struck down each of them.

At that point, Damien was only aware of two things, Leah and Reese. Everything else was just an obstacle that had to be killed quickly. The four men in the near group came at him with their weapons drawn, and already he could hear the far batch of men running towards them. Damien side-stepped a lunge from one man and immediately brought his right blade across and down, decapitating him.

Leah was still behind him now, he being between her and the group of three that still stood. Damien's eyes flicked briefly over the three men watching as they moved to block them from Reese, whom annoyingly enough hadn't moved. Without a second thought, Damien shoved his left blade under his right arm. He reached behind him and gave Leah a nudge on her good arm, pushing her to his right towards Reese. "Leave me behind Leah. Go with Reese." When he felt some slight resistance he stepped back and to his left, immediately grabbing his blade from under his arm and shoving his right blade under his left arm. He then placed his right arm on her left shoulder and shoved hard. "I said go! I can't fight nine men while I'm worrying about your safety!" Damien saw Leah stumble briefly, and noticed one of the men moving towards her.

Damien cussed loudly as he saw the other two men coming at him, with their six friends only a step behind. He lunged forward once more, using his right blade to knock the man's knife to the ground, and impaling him through the side with the left blade. "Reese! Get her the hell out of here! Get back to the inn!" With those words, Damien ripped his blade free of the dying man, spraying his body with blood as he turned to face the eight men still standing, putting himself between them and the other pair.

 

[monique_minx]

Leah walked the street on Damien’s arm with a smile on her face as they made small talk and she got a taste of Gomorrah; metaphorically anyway. She watched the streets packed with whores trying to make a quick buck and slaves running their evening errands, lighting the street lamps with fiery torches. It was not utterly peaceful but she was glad they were doing something relatively normal for a couple.

A couple?

Her head whipped up to look at Damien as the word lanced through her brain and it was as if she was wondering if he could read her mind. A slight blush spread over her cheeks and they turned down an alley; the thought was soon to be forgotten.

"Wonder how much he's paying for a whore like that!"

Helena was pulled back on Damien’s arm as he suddenly stopped when that was called and she was instantly confused. She turned around with him as he released her arm and found herself staring at six rather dirty men armed with knives. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled and her good arm slid over her injured one apprehensively.

"Oh ho, take a look at the tits on that whore! What say you hand the whore over and let her be with some real men."

Leah’s eyes widened and then narrowed as she realized they were talking about her. She slid one foot back as Damien’s hands slid down to his weapons and she realized she was unarmed. Leah went from recognizing herself as an asset to a liability, she was unarmed and her hand was out of commission. Her eyes flickered to Damien’s hard face and back to the men in front of them, she took a deep shuddering breath as they exchanged conversation as though she wasn’t there. Leah turned her head to see the six others behind them, all armed in the same way and she was suddenly fearful for what was about to occur.

"No matter what happens Leah, stay with me when I move."

Unarmed and injured or not, Leah was still a soldier and a smart one at that. She recognized her faults in this fight and her vulnerability and allowed Damien to protect her. She nodded to him and stayed at his back when he surged forward and called to Reese. Leah’s head whipped around as she searched for Reese, she’d not seen him there before and that was extremely odd and disconcerting to Leah. Still, she was grateful he was there somewhere.

Damien worked to put himself between the men and Leah, driving back for wall space as the other six approached fast. Finally Damien had taken enough of them down that he could safely tuck his weaponry beneath his arm and he gave Leah a nudge towards Reese.

“Leave me behind Leah. Go with Reese.”

“No! I’m not leaving you here!” Damien was met with resistance from Leah who stood fast when she realized his intent. He shoved her hard into a stumble with some quick rearrangement of his swords.

“I said go! I can’t fight nine men while I’m worrying about your safety!”

Leah wanted to scream at him for that, a clear look of hurt mixed with anger crossed her face and it took every inch of her training to make her remember that now was not the time. She spun and Reese took hold of her good arm as a man advanced on her, he yanked her sideways and allowed Damien to cut the man down.

“Reese! Get her the hell out of here! Get back to the Inn!”

Damien called with his weapons blurring into action while Reese simply saluted him with one hand and dragged Leah down another alley while she looked at Damien; feeling helpless to assist him and wanting to slap him at the same time. Reese took her right and then left as she mindlessly followed, her thoughts stuck on Damien for a long time before she realized that she had no idea where they were and that Reese’s iron grip was still latched around her arm. She yanked it back viciously and made him stop.

“You need to go back and help him.” She said curtly, hating to admit that she couldn’t do it herself.

“He’s fine Leah, his only worry was you.” Reese’s mouth curled into a poisonous smile, “I can see why but I mean, you’re a woman. One little horse scrape and you’re just down for the count huh?”

He picked at her cotton shift and she scowled, backing away from him while he moved forward, continuing to speak, “You have no strength Leah, I bet even with your armour, without your injured hand and with your sword that you’d have had no chance back there. You’re not meant for this, you should be at home and cooking for a husband. Sewing up children’s clothes while your belly swells…”

His hand curved around her abdomen and Leah stepped back, her eyes widening in horror and sudden understanding that Reese was not just being his usual self which was an all purpose asshole. He meant her real harm this time and she wasn’t slow or naïve enough to believe otherwise. He advanced again.

“Back off Reese or I’ll surely show you what a woman can do.” She struggled to keep the waver from her tone but he was at full strength and armed, she back stepped again.

“Is that so?” His eyes glinted in the shadowy, deserted alley as he surged forward and forced her back against a wall, his hand coming up to stroke her cheek as Leah’s face contorted with disgust and pulled sideways.

“I reckon I could find out just what you could do Leah…” His eyes drifted down her body lustfully and Leah’s breath caught in her throat, there was such menace and desire in his expression, “And you’d never have to show me anything. We all see it, your body is certainly whorish, beautiful and something to be given to any man who wants it.”

His hand took her face and cupped her chin hard, forcing her to look at him. Leah didn’t wait another second, her knee came up hard between his legs and she grinned as his face flashed with pure pain and he released her to grab his inflamed groin.

“Still want it?” She spat at him in disgust and moved away, his hand lashed out for her hair and she screeched in agony as he dragged her backwards.

“You filthy whore!” He growled and slammed her down on the ground, knocking the wind from her lungs and sending pain from the back of her head as he got on top of her, “I tried to seduce you, tried to be so damn nice but you’re nothing but a frigid bitch!”

His strong hands ripped her cotton shift down the middle, pulling her breast band apart and baring her full breasts to the cold night air. Leah grabbed her head and blinked as she struggled to see something but stars. The rip and the air did not go amiss and when Reese’s hands came down to grope her, she lashed her good hand out and struck his face in a solid slap.

“You sick bastard! Get off me!” She screeched and writhed beneath him but his spare hand gripped her injured one still bandaged and pressed hard into her wound.

Leah issued painful screams as she started to cry and he released her breast to backhand her across the face, “Stupid whore! Don’t you ever slap me!”

Leah was dazed by the slap and almost resigned to what Reese was going to do as every inch of her body was protesting in pain. Reese started to tear at her skirt and got up off her legs, Leah saw her chance and tried to aim a kick at him. He caught her leg in the chest and stumbled backwards. Helena rolled over and tried to crawl for a second, struggling to get up as Reese grabbed the waistband of her skirt and dragging her back while her fingers scraped the dirt uselessly and she howled.

He tore her skirt up and easily gripped her loin cloth, tearing it from her as she tried to fight him off. Finally Reese had quite simply had enough and pulled his dagger free, holding it to her throat as she fell still and stared up at him with hate filled eyes. Her chest heaving in short, shallow breaths as she glared at him.

“Listen bitch, one way or another, I’m getting what I want from you and you can leave this alley alive or dead, maimed, hurt, tortured…whatever” His blade moved up and he twisted the point of it an inch above her eye, “No one’s going to believe I would ever do such a filthy whore anyway so what do I care? I can always say we were jumped by another hoard of thieves and you died while I tried to save and protect you huh? I come out a hero then. So behave or the great Helena Fernang goes down fighting and Reese Dariush is a hero for surviving and fighting for a woman’s life.” He spat in her face and moved the blade down to her throat again, “So what’s it gonna be, Helena? Do I start using this or are you gonna start cooperating?”

 

[LucianDevine]

As hard as it was for Damien to do at that exact moment, he forced his thoughts of Leah out of his mind. He focused everything he was on the men that closed on him. The daggers of the two men closest to him flashed as they lunged at him. Damien's eyes hardened as he lost all thought of everything but what was about to happen.

With a flash of movement, Damien brought his blades up, parrying both offending daggers up and away. Then, in an equally fast motion, he reversed the motion of his blades and brought them down in lethal arcs, slashing their throats, once more spraying himself with the blood of the idiots who'd dared to cross him.

As Damien's blades came down, the other six men reached him, or more specifically spread out around him. He cast his gaze to the right, then the left, and finally over his shoulder, observing the motions of the six men. He could see them starting to wonder at the wisdom of their decision. It seemed though, that as long as they had him surrounded, they'd be willing to stand and fight. In his mind, he pictured them starting to run if he downed two, maybe three more of them. Even he wouldn't let them get away though, not after what they'd said, and what they were going to do.

With a slow and purposeful motion, while letting a small smile come to his face, Damien sheathed his scimitars. His hand then lifted over his shoulder, loosing his falchion. It wasn't his fabled one of old, but he figured it wouldn't take more than a swing or two of the mighty blade before the men thought it better to run than to continue fighting an already lost battle.

Damien's eyes narrowed, his face one of complete concentration. He held his falchion low, the hilt level with his hip. He waited patiently at the men came closer. He could see the looks on their faces. They assumed this battle was won. They had him surrounded and outnumbered. He wasn't outclassed though, not by this lot, and he was about to prove it. Damien had long since memorized the length of his blade, and he was waiting for these men to make the mistake of stepping into it's reach. The advantage he had, that they did not, was weapon reach. They bore daggers and clubs, where he bore a weapon akin to a great sword. He could strike them dead long before they came within reach of their own weapons.

The very second that the man in front of him stepped to within his range, Damien surged forward. His legs had been bunched and ready, waiting for this exact moment. Despite the added weight of the larger sword, Damien's movements were like a blur to these fools. The first two men barely had time to try and raise their weapons to defend themselves before he was upon them. His blade swept up, cutting the feet out from under the man on his right. In the same motion, and with the same swing, the large curved blade gashed the man on his left in the chest, very nearly cutting him in half. With a simple pivot of his left foot he had already changed directions, ready to cut down each man in the small circle. The blade swooped up once more, again cutting the legs out from under the man in front of him. One step further, and the down stroke of the blow shattered both the dagger and the club of the man who'd feebly tried to defend himself.

With that whole scenario having taken only a few seconds, the last two men standing dropped their weapons and ran. Damien was not about to allow that though. His hands released the falchion, letting it fall to the ground. He knelt to the ground, scooped up two of the fallen daggers of his foes. One flick of each wrist sent a dagger sailing through the air, striking each man square in the back. They weren't dead...yet. Damien retrieved his falchion and stepped towards the men. One of them was conscious enough to try to crawl away. Damien wasn't having it though, not after their attempts at his life, and Leah in general. He knelt beside each man in turn, bringing a scimitar beneath their throats and slicing them cleanly.

With that last bit of vengeance done, Damien turned to head in the direction he'd seen Reese and Leah flee in. He started to head towards the inn though, but he thought he heard the sounds of a scuffle somewhere, along with yelling. In his mind he wanted to head towards the inn, but he couldn't ignore the urgent cry. He cussed loudly and jogged off in that direction.

Words could not describe his feelings at what he saw when he came around the last corner though. He saw the near ravaged form of Leah on the ground, with Reese hovering over her, his dagger held to her throat. He just barely caught the last bit of their 'conversation'. “So what’s it gonna be, Helena? Do I start using this or are you gonna start cooperating?”

Damien took a singular step, letting his hand fall to scoop the dagger out of his boot. He then took one more step, pulling his arm back. When it launched forward, the dagger sailed straight and true, landing within a fraction of an inch of the hand that he braced himself on. "How about option three Reese? You put the knife away, get the hell off of her, and I'll let you live." If Damien's words weren't enough to convince the man, the sight of him likely was. He was after all covered in the blood of twelve men, and as he stepped forward, he loosed once more one of the scimitars that was still stained with blood.

Reese cast one look at him, then a brief glance down at Leah. When he looked up at Damien once more, he saw him take the step forward and loose his scimitar. That seemed more than the man could take. Without another word, he pulled the knife away and forced himself awkwardly to his feet. Another step from Damien and the man turned and walked hastily in the other direction. It wasn't until the other man was out of sight around the corner that Damien let his gaze fall to the ravaged Leah. He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze though. He quickly removed his shirt and knelt down beside her, offering her his shirt. "I'm sorry Leah." He said, shamefully turning his gaze away from her.

 

[monique_minx]

Helena’s chest heaved as fear started to creep into her system, Reese would seriously kill her right here in this alley to get what he wanted. It was a total shock to her system. Was this really worth a life to the man? Her eyes searched his for just a hint of compassion and found naught but evil and madness dwelling in those black depths. The silence was broken by the sound of a weapon slicing through air and landing within inches of Reese’s hand on the ground. Leah froze up beneath him as Reese looked stunned and his head turned slowly to the sound of a voice. A voice that made Leah’s heart miss two beats.

"How about option three Reese? You put the knife away, get the hell off of her, and I'll let you live."

Helena watched Reese’s conflict, his head turning from Damien to her and back to Damien again before he made his decision and sheathed his dagger. Reese staggered to his feet awkwardly while Leah and Damien watched him warily until he disappeared around the corner and Leah could finally look at Damien properly.

He peeled his somewhat bloodied shirt from his muscled torso and dropped to knees beside her, Leah had a look of momentary confusion at the offered shirt before she realized her own was torn clean in half and hanging open, uselessly from her arms. She slowly sat up and took the shirt from him, a pained expression crossed her face for the throbbing in her skull but she ignored even her injured arm and slipped into the shirt clumsily, letting the fabric hang from her frame.

“I’m sorry Leah.”

He looked away from her and Leah felt a strange gut wrenching sensation caused by a great amount of inner turmoil. It was true. He had saved her life when he came along but he had also sent her with the man against her wishes, he’d pushed her towards her would-be rapist. How could she thank him for that?

“Just…help me up. We need to get back to the Inn.” She turned her head away and let Damien haul her to her feet, Leah dusted herself off a little and leaned on him with her two extremely unsteady legs.

“I hate this city…” She muttered as they walked.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien was glad to see Leah at least accept his shirt. He knew that it was a far cry from forgiveness for what almost was, but even he didn't think he deserved to be forgiven for what he'd almost done. In any other mind what he'd done could have been justified, but not in their minds. He could have protected her, could have at least taken the chance, yet he'd sent her with Reese to almost be raped, killed, or both.

“Just…help me up. We need to get back to the Inn.”

Leah's head turned away from him as she spoke, and Damien noticed it immediately. Even still though, her words were right enough. They could be seen as prey here, to anybody stupid enough to take the chance. That was the last thing Damien wanted just then, was to have to kill another stupid fool who thought himself their better.

With strong hands, Damien pulled Leah to her feet. Even as she leaned against him though, there was no warmth. Her arm was even wrapped around his waist for stability, but there was no comfort from that contact of necessity.

It was a long and slow walk back to the inn, especially since neither of them spoke a word to the other. People saw them, but thankfully nobody dared to confront them.

A few eyes turned towards them as they entered the inn once more. Soon enough though, every eye in the main room was on the pair as they made their way across to the stairs. What a sight they must have been, Leah wearing a bloody shirt, and his face and arms covered in the same blood. Luckily enough though, be it the blood or some other reason, nobody approached them.

The stairs up to their rooms were an agonizing affair. Every step echoed in the room that was deathly quiet. Damien didn't even bother with a look back when they finally reached the top of the stairs, he simply guided her towards her room. His hand found the door knob, and he pushed it open. Never before did a bed look so good.

Damien helped Leah across the room to the bed, making sure to kick the door shut in the process. Once he deposited her into a sitting position, he felt truly awkward. He didn't know if he was supposed to stay, to go, to speak, or stay silent. He didn't know...anything. He forced himself to act though, knowing that to do nothing could potentially make the situation worse.

With a slow and careful motion, Damien squatted down in front of Leah, wishing to hell that she'd at least look at him. "Leah, I'm so sorry." Even to him, Damien's words sounded empty. There was nothing he could say or do to make this up to her, yet he felt obliged to try.

 

[monique_minx]

"Leah, I'm so sorry."

Those four words brought Leah back from the haze she’d fallen into and she lifted her eyes to look at the man before her, making no association between him and that of the man she loved. She felt betrayed, like he had saved her from one fate only to put her in the path of a far more dangerous one. Her face bore her disconnection from emotion and the scratches Reese had left to her, her arm was wrapped in Damien’s borrowed and bloodied shirt for protection and Leah knew it would not heal by the time they mounted up to leave Gomorrah in the morning.

Helena had never felt helpless in her whole life, she was a soldier, an Egyptian Commander and it disgusted her, scared her and made her feel weak to know she could ever be vulnerable in a battle for her life such as she was not half an hour before. She did not know if Damien was more of a traitor to her or if her body was the one she blamed most but she did know that she could not forgive either of them.

SMACK!

Her good hand stung as it met with Damien’s cheek, a fiery red blaze streaked across his tanned skin and the shocked look of hurt on his face was only met by her tears as they flooded down her cheeks, streaking trails of white through the dirt and blood there. She sniffed as she tried to hold back all the emotions she felt as the anger rose up through the hurt and sadness.

“Sorry? You’re sorry?! You pushed me, you made me leave you! You knew I was-” She coughed and cut herself off as her voice cracked.

Leah stood swiftly and stepped sideways, her knee meeting his shoulder as she tried to pass him, she simply put strength behind it and shoved hard before taking a few strides away. She took several shallow and quick breaths as the adrenaline fuelled her anger, she kept her back to Damien as she spoke; balling her uninjured fist up.

“I was hurt damn it! Not even just my arm! You pushed me away!” She spun around to look him in the eyes, even as hers brimmed with fresh tears, “And don’t you dare say you were trying to save me after what Reese-” She paused as tears ran down her face and she took a deep breath, her voice dropping to a cold octave, “After you sent me off with Reese.”

She snorted with derision, “Some protection.”

Leah’s arms folded and she shook her head at him before turning away, wincing as her injured arm pulsed in the makeshift sling of her shirt.

“I have never felt weak like that! Not ever! And you endeavoured to make me feel useless, just like Reese did. I have had knives and swords held to my throat and at threat of death too.” She turned to face him again, glaring a blaze of fury at Damien, “But I’ve never been scared like that, do you know what that feels like?! You betrayed me, you delivered me right into a fear I’ve never known and I wish I…” She started to cry again but spoke determinedly through the curtain of tears, “I wish I had never known it. Reese thought to get rid of me, one way or another. I knew he was a pig but I had no idea that you would be the one to hand me over like that!”

Leah knew she was being irrational now, that Damien would never have known that Reese was capable of going that far - Persian that he was. But she didn’t care, she was hurt in a million different ways and the worst one was that her lover had delivered her into a fate worse than death this night. Her mind could just barely handle the heartbreak she was feeling over her longing to just have Damien hold her and her need to scream bloody murder at him. She was starting to feel the anger wearing down though, it was like a foreboding cold was sweeping through her body and the sadness starting to come over her. Leah looked at Damien without anger for the first time, just a pure sadness pouring into her eyes and her expression.

“He could have….and you would have been the one….and I can’t…” Her tears poured down her face, “How could you push me away?…”

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien couldn't read Leah's features, and even if he could, he doubted he'd want to. He could only imagine what she was going through, what she was feeling. His light blue eyes dropped from her face moments before her hand darted forward. He hadn't seen it, hadn't been expecting it. Her hand connected solidly with his cheek, the force of the slap stunned him.

Damien was hurt that she would hit him so, but just as hurt that he knew he'd deserved it. He could see tears streaking down her face, making paths through the dirt and blood that covered her once pretty features.

When Leah spoke, Damien had no response. Even if he had, he would have been silenced by the force with which she first rose to her feet, and then shoved her way past him, almost planting him on his butt. She took several strides across the room before turning, anger now filling her face. Even her uninjured fist was clenched.

Leah's first few statements hurt, but it was their truth more than anything. He couldn't refute what she was saying, as much as he wished he could. Of everything she had said and done though, it was the snort of derision with her accusing words that hurt the most.

Leah's anger seemed to be fueling her rant, and there was not for Damien to do but stand there and take it. He saw the tears streaming down her cheeks, more seeming to come with every word she spoke. He could see the look on her face, and both see and feel her pain.

Only when the last words slipped from Leah's mouth, did Damien finally take a small step forward, his hands spread to either side of him. "What would you have had me do Leah? Twelve men, all armed, ready to fight, kill, and rape." Damien paused before continuing, his blue eyes now able to meet her hazel ones.

"If I had kept you with me Leah, and been unable to defend us, what happens then? I saw them, saw Reese, knew you were injured, and made a choice. I was wrong...I see that now..." Damien's gaze dropped from hers as his hands fell to his sides. With a slight shake of his head, he turned towards her bed, moving to sit on it. His upper body slumped forward, and he braced his elbows on his knees, cradling his head in his hands.

"Nobody is perfect Leah, not even me. I'm just glad I was able to get to you before he..." Again, Damien shook his head. He did lift his eyes though, not even trying to school the disappointment from his own gaze as he met hers. Damien didn't know what else would happen that night, but he made a vow to himself then, vowing to ensure that Reese never got the chance to succeed where he'd failed tonight.

 

[monique_minx]

Damien took a small step towards her and Leah released a deep shuddering breath, waiting for him to have his say as she had nothing left but mindless ramblings and hurtful words. His hand gesture was one of surrender and appeasement but it did little to ease her inner turmoil.

"What would you have had me do Leah? Twelve men, all armed, ready to fight, kill, and rape."

His eyes met hers for a moment, his usual piercing blue gaze seemed to be overcome by a storm but Leah only held it for a second before her eyes dropped to the side. The end of his sentence felt like a knife slicing into her heart, rape; it had come quite close to that and Leah shuddered to think that she might have been Reese’s conquest.

"If I had kept you with me Leah, and been unable to defend us, what happens then? I saw them, saw Reese, knew you were injured, and made a choice. I was wrong...I see that now..."

Leah’s eyes drifted back to his, she sniffed as his eyes dropped away with his hands. She watched him move back to the edge of the bed and sit on it, she said nothing because she had a feeling that he wasn’t finished yet.

"Nobody is perfect Leah, not even me. I'm just glad I was able to get to you before he..."

Leah saw the disappointment in his eyes but she knew that it wasn’t directed at her but at himself, Damien was disappointed in himself. Helena felt a stab of guilt then, he’d followed his gut in the middle of a battle and gave an order just as Leah would have done; in fact, she wasn’t sure she’d have done it differently in his shoes. It wasn’t his fault it went wrong, wasn’t his fault that Reese was a piece of utterly depraved vermin and Damien wasn’t to know better.

Leah moved over to his side and sat beside him silently, slowly leaning her head to rest it against his shoulder before she took another shaky breath and spoke, “I’m not sure I’d have done it differently in your place. You’re right, you’re not perfect and you couldn’t have known what Reese…” She inhaled sharply, “…what he might have done or had in mind. I knew he was scum but I had no idea…either…” She finished softly.

“Do you think Kruxus would believe it? Would he even care?” Leah figured that Kruxus would believe it but that it wouldn’t matter to him, women were raped by soldiers during wars and battles constantly. They were the spoils and to the victor…

Spoils of war. It once seemed so ordinary to Leah but she’d never been in the place of one of those women, it was more terrifying than she’d ever imagined. Leah hadn’t lost a battle yet and now she found herself with another reason never to do so for she would surely be in that same position again.

Leah sat up properly and winced, looking down at her arm wrapped in Damien’s filthy t shirt, she looked up at Damien, “Can you…see what damage he did? Please?” She said feebly, somewhat embarrassed but less stubborn than she would have been before she met Damien.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien was aware of Leah coming closer, but even as she moved to settle down beside him, he didn't reach out to hold her, even though he wanted to. He did sigh softly though when he felt her rest her head against his strong shoulder. Damien felt her shaky breath, but he once again restrained himself from reaching out to her, afraid to scare her away.

Even as Damien listened to Leah speak, he wanted to change the way everything had happened when she spoke of Kruxus though, all he could do was shake his head slowly. "I don't know what we could gain from that, especially in this city."

When Leah sat up fully once more, Damien turned to face her. He listened to her speak. He was surprised of course at her openness and willingness to admit her slight weakness and pain, but he nodded all the same. "Of course." He said softly.

With a slow motion he rose to his feet, moved around her, and settled on her other side. His hands quickly untied and removed his shirt from her arm before moving to lift and bend it slowly. He saw her wince, with the motion but there was only so much to be done about it. Damien looked closely at the wound, grateful at least to see that it hadn't been reopened, but it was still very bruised, and slightly swollen.

"Nothing more severe than before." Damien said softly as he eased her arm back down. His hand then reached for her chin, turning her face towards him as his other hand rose to brush her hair away from her face. His finger tips traced first around, and then finally over the bruise on her cheek. She didn't tell him that it was a backhand, but he could tell the difference between that and a bruise left by a slap. "That'll linger a bit, but it's not permanent here, and neither are the bruises your other bruises."

Damien bowed his head as he considered his next words carefully. "Leah...If there were a way to fix your arm, and the bruises, all before the night's over, would you trust me?" As he finished speaking, Damien lifted his head, turning to face her once more. What he was considering was, for the most part, not a good idea, especially considering what they had to look forward to in the coming weeks, but he wanted to help her.

 

[monique_minx]

Leah was grateful that Damien agreed to check the damage to her arm, she could hardly move it for fear of painful shoots crawling up the bone and if it was bad before Reese then it was a lot worse now. Damien moved around to her other side, taking up the filthy fabric that had been his own shirt and unravelling it from Leah’s injured limb.

He took her arm and lifted it, bending it slowly but Leah still felt those shooting pains and her eyes screwed up in agony as she fought to control her reaction to it. Her eyes were shut tightly as Damien told her it wasn’t any worse than before and when he lowered her arm, she finally reopened her eyes. His fingertips took her chin and turned her face slightly so that she faced him, his other hand brushed her hair back gently and Leah remembered Reese had backhanded her viciously. Damien’s touch was gentle but she felt the bruising beneath his light fingers.

"That'll linger a bit, but it's not permanent here, and neither are the bruises, your other bruises."

Leah nodded a little, swallowing down another onslaught of emotional tears that she felt over Damien and the events of the evening. She watched Damien’s head lower and was caught unawares by his voice.

"Leah...If there were a way to fix your arm, and the bruises, all before the night's over, would you trust me?"

Leah shook her head, looking at him in pure confusion, “How? I mean, of course I…I trust you, Damien.” She gave him a soft smile then and continued, “But I don’t see how that would be possible…”

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien saw and understood the confusion in Leah's gaze and voice. When she didn't flat out turn him down though, he smiled.

"Magic of course." He said softly. "Magic as old as I am."

Deep blue eyes watched and studied Leah as he spoke once more. "The basis of the magic is simple enough. I would lend you some of my strength. There is no real risk for you at all, and even my own is minimal. When it's all said and done though, your arm should be healed fully."

Even as he spoke, Damien knew he couldn't tell Leah the full of what it would do. She might actually turn him down if he told her everything.

 

[monique_minx]

"Magic of course. Magic as old as I am."

“Magic?” Leah asked in some disbelief, magic was very real to her of course and even if it were not; the pyrohydra would have been more than enough to convince her of its existence. However, Leah had always been led to believe that only priests and sorcerers or men of great standing and power could harness magic and to her knowledge; Damien fulfilled none of those requirements.

“What would it do?” Leah asked after a long moment in which she decided that running in circles with questions would be fruitless and she would still not believe him entirely. Then again, there were a lot of things she didn’t know about Damien Denar.

"The basis of the magic is simple enough. I would lend you some of my strength. There is no real risk for you at all, and even my own is minimal. When it's all said and done though, your arm should be healed fully."

Helena nodded slowly, “Minimal risk to you? Define that.” She asked as Damien shuffled around and took up a heavy bag - one of his own and set it down on the floor, motioning for Leah to join him.

Leah moved to the floor and sat across from Damien, she watched him pulled a length of blood red ribbon from his bag, a dagger and a small stone water basin.

“Repleo unda!” Damien whispered harshly and the basin’s bottom started to flood with water, filling it to just beneath the brim.

Leah’s eyes widened in amazement, “How’d you do that?!” She realized it was a foolish question a second after he asked it but she couldn’t help herself. She recognized the Latin of course, it was a language taught in school after all and as far as Leah could remember; ‘repleo unda’ meant ‘fill water’.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien had heard Leah's question about his own risk, but he chose not to answer it just then. He'd get to it in time, but for now he wanted to prepare what was needed for the relatively simple ritual. He removed himself from the bed, locked the door so they wouldn't be disturbed, and moved one of his bags a little closer to the bed.

From that bag, he removed a length of blood red ribbon, a stone water bowl, and a sheathed dagger.

Damien placed the stone basin between them and spoke the command phrase. As they watched, the basin filled with water, stopping when it was filled to just below the brim of the bowl. He smiled and chuckled at her question. Then though, his face turned a bit more serious as he moved to kneel before the basin. He signaled for her to do the same. When she did, he took a slow and deep breath, his eyes closing just briefly.

When Damien's blue eyes opened, they immediately found Leah's hazel one's. His left hand scooped up the sheathed dagger, and with his right, he slowly withdrew it from the sheathe. As the blade came free, one would notice immediately that this was no ordinary dagger. It was made of what almost seemed to be an ebony stone or ore. "Obsidian." Damien said softly as he set the small sheathe aside.

While his blue eyes still locked with Leah's, Damien's left hand reached for hers, bringing it to hover over the basin. He then lifted his own left hand to do the same. "The obsidian is sharp, it will be almost painless. I promise you though, you'll feel better when it's done, just like it Alexandria." He'd added the last part to give her a basis for comparison.

Without any further hesitation, and their eyes still locked, Damien lowered the blade to his left palm. The blade came across, and just like he'd known, it was very nearly painless, the blade was so sharp and perfect. Even before his blood started to drip into the basin, Damien was switching the blade to his left hand, and moving to grasp Leah's left hand in his right. In the same singular and fluid motion, he made the same cut upon her palm.

There was no stopping it now though, and Damien set the blade down and reached for her left hand with his own. He clasped hers just so, their thumbs wrapping around each other as their fingers did the same. He then reached for the ribbon. "Use your right hand to help me tie this around our clasped hands." He said softly as lifted the ribbon. Between the two of them, they wrapped it around and bound it so, a simple knot, but it was good enough. Damien's gaze lowered briefly to their hands, but when his right one lifted to her chin, guiding her gaze to his own, he spoke once more.

"Strength of my strength, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, and soul of my soul, gifts offered by me and accepted by you, gifts binding me thus, till death do us part."

His eyes closed when he finished speaking, but with his guidance, their hands lowered into the basin of water. His hand gripped hers tightly as a soft glow started to emanate from the basin, slowly expanding to encompass both of them. How long it lasted, Damien didn't know. When it did subside though, he knew immediately as his upper body felt weighted down. It sagged a bit as his eyes opened, his breathing labored, despite the fact that they hadn't moved at all.

There could be no doubt in Damien's mind that the ritual had worked, but he had to see it for his own eyes. His blues, showing their fatigue, opened. The moment he saw Leah, he knew for certain it had worked. His right hand lifted to graze over her cheek, brushing over the spot where her bruise had been. Her skin shone brightly, not a spec of dirt, dust, or even blood marred her features. He offered up a smile as his gaze lowered to their hands. The water within the basin, was pure and clean, despite the blood that had dripped into it earlier as they'd clasped hands. His guidance brought their hands up, and their fingers slipped free the knot binding the ribbon. As their hands unclasped, one would notice immediately that again, any and all traces of the blood, were gone. The only mark on their hands, both top and bottom, was the single silvery scar on each of their palms. "Perfect." Damien said softly.

 

[monique_minx]

OOC: Apologies for my long hiatus, I'm very busy lately but I'll try to be a little more frequent with my posts from now on. Hopefully both Lucian and readers will be patient with me!

Leah shuffled into place as Damien signalled after the basin filled with water. He only answered her query as to how such a thing was even possible with the smallest of chuckles. Leah remained silent as Damien’s eyes closed and he took a deep, calming breath before opening those sharp blue eyes and looking directly into hers. He lifted the sheathed dagger and slowly removed the blade from it, murmuring its origin before Leah could ask. She gave the slightest of understanding nods, Obsidian was a type of jet black volcanic glass used most commonly among ceremonial tools.

Damien took her hand over the basin and told her quietly, "The obsidian is sharp, it will be almost painless. I promise you though, you'll feel better when it's done, just like in Alexandria."

As Damien sliced into his own hand, Helena nodded her understanding that he would cut her in much the same fashion. Sure enough, he spoke true when he swapped hands and made the briefest flick with his wrist; red droplets falling from Leah’s palm and into the basin’s water before she ever felt any pain. Damien clasped his injured hand in hers, their fingers lacing together like some macabre, pagan ritual.

He then took up the length of red ribbon, "Use your right hand to help me tie this around our clasped hands."

Helena nodded and fumbled for the end of it, assisting Damien in binding their hands together, her brow knitted in concentration until at last; it was done and Damien’s free hand guided her chin up until their eyes met. Helena’s arm was throbbing painfully with the effort it had exerted to do all of this and thus, her forehead was creased in an agonizing way but she did her utmost to ignore it. Damien spoke again but this time, it wasn’t to her.

"Strength of my strength, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, and soul of my soul, gifts offered by me and accepted by you, gifts binding me thus, till death do us part."

Damien then guided Leah’s hands down into the water, she gasped softly as the water began to glow and the light expanded to surround both her and Damien. Helena felt a kind of warmth, like heat, burgeoning within her chest and trickling out into each of her limbs. When it was over and the light vanished from them both, Leah felt like she was brand new again. The heavy weight and pain in her arm was gone, Damien’s fingertips lifted to brush her bruised cheek and when she winced; it was out of expecting pain rather than receiving any.

She smiled in surprise and brushed her own hand over it, patting her own cheek as if she needed to be sure. Damien’s gaze drifted back down to the basin and Leah’s followed it swiftly, her eyes widening as she saw the contents of the bowl; clean and bloodless. Damien lifted their hands and each slipped theirs free of the blood red ribbon that bound them.

Damien murmured, “Perfect.” And Leah looked at her palm, noticing the strangely coloured scar on her hand before both her arms flew out swiftly and wrapped Damien in a tight hug.

“That was amazing! My arm doesn’t hurt at all anymore! Where did you learn that?!” She whispered in one quick breath.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien studied Leah intently, watching her as he performed the old but simple ritual. He watched with a swell of pride in his chest as she felt the first effects of the glowing light, and then saw the bloodless water, and finally as she threw her arms around his neck.

With a broad smile, Damien returned the hug. He pressed his cheek against her soft hair, grateful that the ritual had worked, even if he knew the cost to himself.

"You forget how truly old I am my dear. That ritual is from old magic, old, powerful, and draining."

Damien added the last part to justify how tired he was likely to appear the next day. One day he'd tell her what he'd truly done, but it wasn't worth ruining her happiness. Instead, he chose to simply bask in her joy, knowing that she'd feel such excitement for a fair bit after, for reasons that she wouldn't understand. He was still here for her though, even if she didn't truly understand the full of his care and devotion for her.

 

[monique_minx]

"You forget how truly old I am my dear. That ritual is from old magic, old, powerful, and draining."

“Well…I feel great.” Leah said softly, a half smile with a little guilt and a lot of happiness adorning her lips, “Thank you.”

She released him from her strong embrace and lifted herself up off the floor. Helena moved swiftly across the room, filled with renewed power and a strange yet buoyant energy. She practically skipped to her leather satchel and reefed it open, pulling a grey cotton shift from its confines.

Without another thought or any modesty she usually possessed, Leah stripped Damien’s blood soaked and filthy shirt from her torso. She spun around, her breasts completely bared to Damien as she took up a new breast bandage and proceeded to wrap herself in it as she spoke to him.

“Though, I don’t know how I am going to sleep tonight. I feel utterly restless! Like I could run some kind of marathon and still feel like climbing a mountain afterwards! Do you feel like that? Did someone do this ritual for you once and that’s how you felt?” Leah spoke hurriedly, barely taking a breath as her nimble fingers moved a mile a minute to encircle her breasts with the cotton underlay.

When she’d finally finished, her breasts were amply supported and almost seemed larger inside their bindings. She threw the cotton shift over the top and looked at Damien expectantly.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damien remained on his knees, even as Leah rose. There was a wide smile on his own face as he watched the way she practically bounced to her feet and glided across the room. He understood what she was feeling, even if he hadn't felt those effects of the ritual himself.

Leah actions surprised Damien some, but he watched shamelessly as she peeled his bloody shirt from her body, and even turned to him, letting him see her perfectly full and flawless breasts before they disappeared beneath a breast bandage and a grey cotton shift.

Damien was so caught up in watching Leah that he almost didn't hear her words. When he did register them though, he took a slow and deep breath, trying fruitlessly to shake off the exhaustion that weighed on his body.

"No." He said with a small smile. "I feel a little drained to be honest, but I'm sure I'll be fine." With a low groan, he pushed himself heavily to his feet, moving to sit on Leah's bed, that smile still on his face as he looked towards her once more.

"An old friend taught me that ritual, taught but didn't perform. She was a seer of sorts and told me I might need it some day, and that if I did, I would know when the time was right. Given the nature of our quest, and the strength I see in you, I'd like to think that she would approve of my choice."

Even as he spoke Damien knew that whether or not his friend approved, the effects of the ritual were effectively irreversible. He'd given her a piece of himself, a very special piece of himself, and even if he could take it back, he wouldn't. He knew that he'd have to tell her one day what he'd truly done, but that day would not be today.

Damien put the thoughts in his head aside, just smiling at Leah as she basked in the energetic high that was the aftermath of the ritual. Deep down, he was glad that he'd done what he'd done, even knowing the cost to himself.