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100 Year War (Farcry/Risi

Why was she talking about this now? Well, if she really wanted to talk about it he could. After all, all he said was that he loved being inside her, it wasn't.. Oh, she was asleep talking. Caval found it humorous as she started to run around frantic trying to avoid the very conversation she truly wanted to bring up obviously. He considered even talking to her about it, it seemed fair enough and honestly it wasn't dire or anything like that. It's not like he said 'I love you' he'd just expressed how much he enjoyed sex.

Unfortunately Ivy then started yelling at him and being a person in pain and therefor ready to be irritable at the drop of a hat he could not help but be upset that she would yell and blame him. She was being bossy and inconsiderate and in many ways was just pushing her buttons. How could she go from being so sweet to such an ass. Caval let her know he was unhappy with her turn about in action. While he did get dressed and follow her lead he was snappish in return which of course didn't help the situation. Plus he glowered that pensive assholish glower he got whenever he was seriously unhappy, which was a horrible look, not only because it was mean but it also signified that he was going to be stubborn and almost childish in such. Yet he allowed his bandages to be changed and for some really smelly stuff to be smeared on his wound to help fight infection. All the while he would not look at Ivy who had decided that it was okay to mother hen him by picking on him, yelling and shooing him around like he was some idiot kid. He thought about that, about how she would need to not treat him like a kid. He was half again her age at least. No one treated him like this, so why did she think she could. Hmph.
 
He was mad at her. He knew it, she knew it, hell, the medic knew it. But she knew that the anger she has stemmed from herself, her actions, not Caval. She hated her instinct to mother, to baby, him or anyone else. But that's what happened when you took care of two children during the plague. Every scrape was a possibility of death. Her caution was out of compassion, but it seemed that he just found it irritating. It also appeared that he was only reply happy with her now when they were being intimate. Maybe she had let her heart get ahead of her. Perhaps they were just simple bed fellows. The thought strained her heart, proving how far he had manifested within her thoughts.

When the medic left she moved to his side on the cot. Her fingers interlaced with his unwilling ones. "When the black death was going on, you know my parents and brother died. But you don't know that my brother died from a scratch. A simple scratch that he got while fetching us water. So when you have massive bleeding wounds, I freak out a bit. I'm sorry." When she finished, Ivy removed her fingers from his and moved quickly out of the tent. She didn't owe him an explaination for her worry, for his fussiness, about him. But she felt she had to give him one, so perhaps he would understand her a bit better. She wasn't sure why she bothered though, she didn't matter much to him anyways. Meeting her brother and sister must have just been a line.

That thought broke her nearly in two. Walking quickly she gathered her things and a few more sets of clothes into her bag, sword at her hip, Ivy then followed with the first group that was leaving camp to find another. She didn't know any of the men, but she had seen a few faces before. They looked at her with distain and shook their heads, but said nothing. She wondered if they only held their tongues because of her ties with Caval. I wonder how long that will last, she thought morosely.
 
Caval tried to turn to stop her, to talk to her but Ivy just walked out on him. There was no "we can talk about this later" or even a "see you around." Just her saying she was sorry and then leaving. The medic held him down which despite his strength Caval was very weakened due to the soreness and pain that screamed through his body. Her concern and her story made sense he could not understand Ivy's mother hen like nature but to just walk out... That wasn't what Caval trained his soldiers to be and he never thought she was a quitter.

Wordlessly he pounded the back of his head against the wooden crossbeam of the cot. Why had he been so pig headed and mean and why had she been just the same. In fact Caval was seeing a lot of similarities. She was probably angry in part because he didn't want her to serve in the military but that was just him being worried for her. He'd seen many brothers in arms die in battle and he's held them, watched them bleed out, die calling for their wives, children, lovers, mothers. The idea of her in combat made him nervous... scared even much like she was Caval was guessing now when he was shrugging off his wounds due to her experience with her brother dying of the plague. Much like Caval got with people with bad coughs for his own reasons. He could understand this, intellectually but he hated being treated like a child, he was unused to it and it made him feel like someone, like Ivy was devaluing all he'd done to prove himself, to work his way up through the ranks. Soldiers who were coddled by women were often viewed as weaker than those who didn't.

Still he cared for Ivy and the idea of not having her around of not taking care of her, getting to know her depressed him and led to him lying on that cot feeling sorry for himself, daydreaming of what a life with her might be like, hoping she would come back to the tent but it never happened. After a while he told a messenger to round up his troops, those few that remained. Pushing himself up he made up his mind on what to do.

After a while he was standing in front of his men and for the first time he was at a loss of words as he stood there wondering where the hell was Ivy. Surely she would have come along with the rest of the unit. So he stood there waiting to see if she was late. Was she so angry with him that she was dragging her feet? No, she wouldn't do that. Caval was conflicted as he was angry with her, then worried, then feeling sorry for being angry and then angry again and so on. Finally he spoke to the men, giving them their orders to gather their things and that would be leaving within an hour.

Once done and still looking around anxiously one of the soldiers came up. "Sir... uhh, I don't uhh know how to say this..."
Caval waited for the young man to spit it out, cocking an eyebrow expectantly.

"You're umm looking for Iv-Ivan, right?"

Caval's eyes flashed with concern as his brow darkened. "Spit it out."

The young soldier worked up his courage and despite his initial falter gave his report quickly, "He... She left sir. She's already left with the advance party, or at least she was moving with them but so were a lot of refugees too."

The color left Caval's face as his heart broke into a thousand pieces. It wasn't because she had abandoned her unit or even if she had gone AWOL, it was that she clearly didn't want him, didn't even want to talk about it. To her they were over. Dismissing the soldier Caval fought his urge to give chase to her right then and there but he had a unit, a small unit of men to consider, he was their leader and they were his responsibility and she no longer wanted him.

Yet by the time the men were prepared he didn't care. He would lead his men to where they were to meet up with other French forces and supposedly some mercenaries and once he was there he would find her, despite what she wanted he still wanted her, needed her and at the very least he had to talk to her and if she could reject him to his face then he would know she did not care but he was not going to give up on her. No. And even if she wasn't there and she had moved on, he could then search for her. Ivy should be an easy person to find. After all how many women had their hair chopped short and might be walking around with a sword. He would find her.
 
The raindrops hit her face like the blood spatter of the one battle she did fight. The thought sickened her as she looked up into the dark, early morning clouds. The men traveling with her seemed to have formed a loose circle around her, as if she was to be protected. If she hadn't known better she would have thought it was Caval's doing. But he really only cared for the body, not what was inside in her eyes and he wouldn't have had the time when she left.

Refugees had began to gather behind them, as if the group of ten or twelve soldiers were enough to safe the fifty or so that were following. Some of which, looked at Ivy like she wasn't real. As if they were seeing things. It was quite obvious to everyone that she was quite female and also had the long broad sword around her. Had her clothes already not have been skin tight, the rain would have made them so. Frustrated with her sopping wet hair she dug around her bag for the small snippet of ribbon. Upon finding it, her hair went back up into its severe ponytail. Along the way though, she brushed the bruise on her cheek, reminding her of its origins. And who had saved her.

The water came down in sheets, making the once dirt road one filled with mud and puddles. The sploshed through, attempting to edge closer to the newest encampment with speed. Ivy soon found the blinding rain a godsend as tears welled up in her eyes. She did not sob though, in fear of alerting the men with her to it. Wiping the tears away left her face streaked with mud, but she didn't mind any more. Plus, the rain would surely get it off.

Her heart felt cold. Like the fire that had once burned hot within her chest had dulled to an ember, if not snow and ice. It hurt to breathe, and it wasn't simply due to the corset. her tears streaked down her face silently as she wondered how she would convince someone, any one now, to let her fight. She couldn't hide underneath Caval's wing any longer, knight or not. With another sweep of her fingers she got angry at herself for the tears. Surely he wasn't crying them for her. There was sure to be another woman to fit into his body and soothe his aches and pains. One that won't care if he bleeds out during the night, she scowed, knowing she could do a better job of keeping him healthy and safe than he allowed her.

When they reached the location, it was bustling with soldiers. Some gave her looks, others didn't notice, some counted her as a refugee. Guards at the entrance directed the new additions to a place to rest and later take orders for aide. Ivy knew that if she rested, she would look weak, but she would also be left to her thoughts. Her fatigued body protested, but she didn't listen as she walked up and asked for instructions.

"Ha! A woman? I had heard rumors, but I thought they were just that!" The men laughed at her heartily, their eyes groping her. Ivy felt the regular disgust for men who did such and simply demanded her orders. "Perhaps if you give us a little tease..." he tried. That's when she had had enough and gave him a right hook to the face. The man staggered backwards, and Ivy knew she was done being treated like dirt. Like a woman. "Give. Me. A. Fucking. Job. To. Do," she enunciated for him as he scowled at her and seemed to ponder the thought of returning a blow. He thought better of it and went told her they needed men to stockpile some armor and shield and such on the far side of town. She hiked up her bag snidely on her shoulder and began her trek to the opposite side of the base, only to meet the same response. Laughter.
 
Traveling was slow as the rain and mud clung to the soldiers as they made their way up the road. The cool, miserable wetness simply matched the sorrow that weighed heavily upon Caval. He was careful though to not allow his feelings to color how he related to his soldiers. Instead he was quite pleasant with his troops discussing with them what may come about. His soldiers though could see that he was trying, that their commander was torn apart and not the man he was before. It was not just because of his physical wounds, the camp had already figured out that Caval was sleeping with Ivy, it's not like they were even trying to hide it. Though his broken body was certainly slowing him up.

The weather was so bad that they ended up having to march well into the night before they reached the new camp. The amount of mercenaries and soldiers was shocking and Caval became worried for how Ivy would be received by so many disreputable people. He held no love for mercenaries. He knew what he did was killing people and he did so to make sure that his soldiers would be well trained and competent and survive to get home to their families, he did it to protect his own family, for his king and while the monetary rewards were at times nice, he did not kill for money.

Caval turned to his soldiers. "Alright, set up camp in our designated area to the south west of the barley field. Make sure your equipment is in repair and you get some rest." Then he stood there a moment, silent until he swallowed his pride and after taking a deep breath said, "If any of you come across information about Ivy or Ivan let me know. I will be out looking for her, just ... let me know if you find her." With that he gave them the rest of their orders before sending them off.

Despite his wounds screaming for him to rest he had to find Ivy, she needed to at least hear him out, to speak to him but how would he find her. As he wandered about he stopped random soldiers and asked if they had seen such a woman as Ivy. Of course the answers he got made him desire to knock the young soldiers down, to beat them for speaking about her as they would. Yet he kept looking for his woman, she had to be here somewhere.
 
Once the laughter had died down, the scowls and looks began, but she took it in stride. Simply watching as the others were doing, she attempted the same. Most of the men gave her a mixture of a look of disgust and desire. The worst was when her arms were full and they would graze their fingers across her backside as she passed. It was demeaning. She was a simple object to them, not a person let alone a soldier or an equal. She worked well into the night though, she couldn't stand the thought of having time to her own thoughts. But of course, the thoughts crept in on her, of Caval, in between the mens glances and touches.

Ivy knew her unit was on its way. She knew it was only time before she ran into him, even in a group of men this large. He was certainly an impressive man who demanded respect. Perhaps that was why he had hated it when she cared for him. She shrugged internally, it was who she was, she couldn't turn it off just to make him feel more masculine. Besides, he didn't see her in the same light as she saw him. It couldn't continue that way. It would hurt too much. Ivy could never have been a trophy wife. Wife. She was getting too ahead of herself now, and it needed to stop. Looking for a distraction she looked around the surrounding area only to see him.

At first she thought she was hallucinating. Surely someone would have made him lie down after that march. No. No one tells the great Commander Caval what to do, she mocked. Once she had dropped off the load of metal that was in her arms, she left the men without a word and headed toward him. She heard a few "Oh, come back baby"s but she gave them no merit as she stormed to him. It was obviously he was searching for something, Another woman probably, she rolled her eyes angrily. Tapping his good shoulder, he spun to see her. "Unexpected, I know. Sorry to tell you though, I'm the only woman for miles. You might not be able to find one to replace me in this sea of testicles," her voice was snippy, her hip was cocked and arms pinned to her ribs and she looked at him defiantly. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear him speak, yes she had left him in the tent and in the base but he didn't want her attention or care. Just the vessel that held them. She was sure that he could convince her otherwise if he parted those sweet lips of his so she continued. "I'm sorry I care too much. Perhaps you should look for a different soldier to bed. He wouldn't bother to check your wounds in the morning." Her voice hissed at him within the sea of men, her eyes were slits of iris. Her face was streaked with mud and had the hint of her tears still left. And of course, there were the muddy hand and fingerprint streaks across her back and arse, her arms and even the side of her neck. The knuckles of her right hand were puffy and purple, throbbing as she finally stopped working.

His face triggered an anger in her eyes. She wanted to punch him too, but the knuckles were beginning to hurt more now. Her blood was pumping throughout her extremities, preparing for a fight or flight reflex.
 
Searching for her, hoping she was alright, it was disheartening seeing all of these crude soldiers, so many of them beaten down, underpaid and underfed and how they might take that out on Ivy. It just fueled him to look for her all the more. Finally he got word that there was a woman down by where the old church was. Making his way over there he hoped she would still be there, still be fine and hopefully be willing to talk this time.

What he found though after being tapped on the shoulder was Ivy muddy and still raging against him talking nonsense so he couldn't even understand. What had he even done to make her be like this, why did it matter she was the only woman for hours, now she was saying he'd sleep with some other soldier it made no sense. Yet what he could see was how her body reacted. He'd lived a large amount of his life in conflict and he saw that she wanted to hit him, it was inescapable and yet he didn't know why, why did she want to hit him. She was upset, her face, her eyes, every muscle in her said so and it was all directed at him.

Furrowing his brow he looked at her for a moment until he finally spoke, his voice was low, rough from the hours of marching, searching, it was rough with the pain that somehow he'd caused her such sorrow, rough with his own anger that she would walk out on him, reject him for no reason or a reason that he could levy against her as well. It did not matter now. "Hit me." Caval said bluntly. "It is obvious you want to so hit me." He would not let her run away but he wanted her to get whatever this was out of her system so then she might talk.
 
"I'm not going to hit you," she said, not biting back her anger, "I may have acted like a man for a moon, but I'm not actually one. Plus, I've used my right knuckles for the day." She unpinned her arms and showed him her pink and purple hand.

Ivy wasn't sure what to say to him. She didn't want him to stay, but she also knew she didn't want him to leave. Nearly commenting that he needed to lie down she bit her tongue before she did so. He wouldn't take that well, or he'd take it as she was still caring for him. She feared what he would take that caring as. Most likely a bad thing to get mad at her over it.

She awaited his reply, almost wishing he would say something that would finally make her feelings definitive
 
Caval nodded sharply, accepting what she had to say. Though his lips pursed together seeing the damage she'd done to her right hand but he couldn't say anything as it might cause her to be even angrier with him, not that he understood why she was feeling this way.

"Ivy... what is going on? Why are you angry with me? I had to talk to quite a few commanders and assure them that you hadn't given up on the army." There was a brief pause before he stated, "I do not want anyone else, I want you and I thought you wanted me to, but clearly you've decided to run away like a scared girl from the only person who gives a crap about you." He didn't mean to be so upset and yet it is what he was at that time. He was angry with her, she was the one who did this, not him. "You didn't want to talk but just yell at me back in the medical tent, fine but then you ran away. I've had to hurry down here to try and find you before some of these fucking mercenaries got their hands all over you and it seems I got here just before that went to far. So I don't know what you're so angry about. Whatever it is, it's crap. If you are pouting just because I don't like being treated like a kid, you did the same thing I did when I said I didn't want you fighting. You've seen your brother die to a scratch, I have seen thousands die to war, but I guess you are the only one who knows loss or pain. You are the only one who can show concern and you are the one who thinks it is fine to run away and not talk leaving me to hunt for you."

His eyes glared at her, pissed that she's made him say this, admit how much he cared even if it was coming out in such an attack. "Perhaps if you ever cared about me you would have said we were through in that tent instead of making me have to march all day through the damn rain just to find out why you're so damn angry. So tell me, Ivy, what did I do that was so terrible to you because I think I've suffered enough pain and heartache to deserve an answer!"
 
Before he said anything, she saw how he appraise her hand. There was a care in his eyes. With a deep breath she knew what was coming. And from his perspective, she deserved it. She thought so too, now that she had found mostly what he had be thinking. She awaited the finish of his yelling, tears came to her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

When he finished, she didn't say anything, she simply moved closer to him and into a embrace, her arms wrapping around his waist. "I thought you just wanted me for sex. That you got mad at me for caring because you didn't want me to. Because you didn't want me, just my body." She squeezed him tighter, "I'm sorry." Ivy's tears were falling into his clothes now, unseeable due to the rain.
 
Caval looked at her confused, she didn't make sense at all. Now she was crying and what was this about sex. The only thing he knew was that she was angry about his not wanting to be pushed around and mothered but now she was saying this was all about sex. Slowly he wrapped his arms about her gingerly, unsure if something had happened which is why she was so... There wasn't even a way to put it into words.

He shook his head quietly, "What is this about sex? When did I ever do that to you?" His voice was incredulous. With her concern about sex he held back. Caval wasn't couldn't crush her against him as he would have. "So you ran out on me because of this? You thought I should march because you..." Again he shook his head just not understanding her at all.
 
"Because I thought that you viewed me as just an object to play with. Not a person who's feelings, worries, and care matters to you," she clarified, "So I figured I was expendable and you would want someone who didn't fuss over you, so I left." Ivy sighed, she felt like such an idiotic bitch now. It was all a simple misunderstanding because to ask what he thought she would need to explain her feelings to him. Something she was still afraid to do. "I thought you didn't let me fuss because you didn't want to me to stay with you."

It was a vicious circle of idioticness. She was so mad at herself now for the mass confusion because she refused to say what she felt, but still fully knowing she wouldn't then and she wouldn't now. Especially not after all of that, even with his arms around her. His arms. She wanted to mother him, telling him not to move his bad arm just to comfort her. Her lips pursed but she said nothing she wasn't sure he understood what was gout through her brain, or if it would be okay to care for him.
 
"When did I ever treat you like an object!?" Caval snapped. "So you just left me to worry because you thought you were expendable. Despite the fact that I've told you to be safe and tried to protect you." How could Ivy have allowed logic to leave her so completely. It was nearly impossible to comprehend what it was she was saying. None of it seemed to make sense.

So he began to piece together what it was she was telling him, "So you don't want me to have sex with you and you ran here without telling me because you thought, despite me never saying anything like it that I was through with you, causing me to march through this shit to find you. An act you supposedly are against whenever you are fussing over me. You think that low of me? You are very skilled at insulting me and making me out to be a true villain." He shook his head, an action he just kept finding himself doing with her now as he gripped her thin shoulders and pulled her away to look at her. She could feel his bad arm's hand grip was not nearly as strong. "It sounds like it is you who do not want me and if that is true then tell me here and now, because you may have forgotten I am not in a state of body or mind to be playing games." He would remember this insult for a long time to come.
 
Her eyes shifted downward, her body drew inward. She seemed so fragile and small as he snapped at her. But sh just stood there sadly and took it. She didn't want to look into his eyes and see how hurt he was for what she had thought. Ivy's body hurt, but she knew his did too if not more, and was filled with the same fatigue and heartache. He almost appeared like he was going to shake her, perhaps shake some sense into her. A crowd began to form, making Ivy feel even worse. Her tears were dripping down her cheeks now and her eyes blinked slowly. It was almost worse now with everyone watching.

She wanted to tell him that she wanted him, but it seemed that even if she did tell him it wouldn't be enough. She wanted to tell him that he was only kind to her after they had sex, and that didn't last very long but she didn't want the forming circle to hear that intimate detail. She wanted to tell him that she did know he wasn't in the state to be standing here, let alone dealing with all this and if she told him that she would be nagging. There was no right answer. A idea sparked though, a terribly weak one but it was a way out. Ivy looked up into his eyes, then allowed them to roll back as her body slumped forward. The girl fainted, and a quite accurate faint at that. The only one who would be able to tell would be the medics who were clear across the base, which she would wake up before they reached. Then, she could talk to Caval in private, hopefully calmer with her obviously frail body in repair.
 
Oh crap! Caval knelt to one knee as he tried to catch her, but doing so required to working arms and he only had one. The splint took a lot of the stress but even so he hissed in pain as he caught her. "Fuck!" He snapped as the pain shot through him. Then he spun on the crowd. "Out of my way." He commanded with his most insensitive and cruelest of tones. Carefully he lifted her up and having no choice with his one good hand he put her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Quickly he started to make his way towards where the medics were stationed.

Yet what stuck with him was not the pain but the sadness in her eyes, the worn out, tired eyes that displayed so clearly that she was hurt. But why, she was the one who had been rude finding one reason or another to tear at his heart. Still that didn't matter, what mattered was that she was taken care of, that she would be well.
 
This had only made her feel worse, causing him more physical pain just to ease some of her awkwardness. A few moments later she stirred on his back. "Caval?" she asked weakly, "Whats going on?" But soon they were at the medic area and a man was checking her over with glossy eyes. It was as if he didn't even see her gender, which she appreciated. He asked her a few questions, giving some well placed "Hmmm"s, and once he was finished he concluded, "You've simply been on your feet too long. There's too much stress, and I suspect that even in those few hours of sleep you had about a day ago you weren't sleeping fully. You just need some rest and some water. You can stay here until the beds get full," he looked around at the empty area, "Which could be awhile." With a slight smile the man wandered off to leave the two.

"Caval..." she began, "I'm sorry. I do want you. More than you know. And when you got hurt, I was so mad at myself for letting it happen just for pleasure. That was dumb. And then when I cared about your injury you got mad at me, so I got even more mad at myself. So then I figured you just didn't want me around for anything other than sex because thats the only time you weren't mad at me." Her eyes fluttered open and shut believingly for her 'condition', looking to him for comfort and forgiveness. Mostly understanding.
 
Caval stood over her protectively as the medic checked her over. His worry continued to eat at him wondering what would happen next and happy to find out that she was okay, just worn out caused such relief within him. He smiled and nodded his gratitude to the medic as he went off to find others who needed help.

Looking then down at Ivy the smile faded and he tilted his head to the side curiously. "So when we were in the river, when we spoke all of those times before we ever had sex, none of those times count for you? As for what happened last night, I asked for that you do not need to feel bad about that." The commander spoke calmly trying to understand her but still feeling she was either avoiding the truth or didn't know what the truth was.

"Listen, I am going to the quarters that were arranged for me. If you want to join me once you can, you may but right now I need some rest... and don't worry I won't have sex with you."
 
Her fingers locked into his strongly for a woman who had just fainted, holding him from leaving, "They did, but in the river you grew mad with me. And when I was in my fit I told myself you only said those nice things because you wanted sex. And I can't not feel bad about last night, I should have known better then to fold to your will. You just have a way with me that makes me feel like I'm not sure of myself. Its something I'm not use to. You give me such confidence, but I just don't know what to do with it."

Ivy's eyebrows knitted together as he made his last comment, hurt more so now. "I like having sex with you. I just thought thats all you wanted me for. I didn't understand, but now I do. Will you just stop bringing it up?" her eyes watered quickly, her sobs prevalent in the secluded area. No one but Caval would ever see her this vulnerable, she promised herself that.
 
"I have only been upset with you when you try to run my life, make me feel like you're my mother or whatever." Then with a pause he admitted, "And when you ran out on me, leaving me to worry." And alone but he would not say that. He looked down at her hand then back into her eyes. "I would never abandon you, Ivy." The message was clear and his voice informed her how betrayed he had felt when it was he in the medic tent.

At her request Caval nodded in agreement and stood there, holding her hand for a while, not sure whether he should go, because as much as he said he understood he was still torn up with frustration, anger and a damaged heart from all of her accusations and actions, each designed to wound him. "Are you feeling well enough to walk?" He asked simply. "I need to rest..." Admitting his own weakness. "...my broken body ... and heart." Caval had decided to not hide himself from her as she had from him and while at another, happier time he knew he would end up saying how much he cared for her, she also needed to hear those times when happiness was a distant memory to him. "Perhaps you would like to come to my quarters."
 
His mind, his body, his heart, his eyes held his exaustion and as Ivy took one look and her chest hurt. With a nod she got up, not letting his hand go. She felt terrible for everything she had done to him and she wasn't going to say anything to refute his feelings. Ivy rose slowly though and stumbled into his arms. "Sorry," she said softly.

Her body hurt and so did her hand, but still she knew Caval needed more caring than she did. She wasn't sure how to go about caring for him without mothering him though. Expelling a sigh she walked with him to the new quarters of Caval, the knight.
 
Caval smiled weakly at her as he led her off to the inn in the town which had been requisitioned for the officer housing. While not as large or as private as the home back in the last town the amenities were much nicer. The bed was of significantly better quality, there was food and drink being offered downstairs. As they walked along, Caval did not let go of her her hand, happy to have found her and know that she was safe.

As they passed through the main room Caval did request that a bath be drawn. After all he had noticed the mud now caking Ivy and that she would be wanting a bath and in fact he would want one as well. For now though he retired to the room set aside for him. Once inside he shut the door and looked quietly at Ivy for some time then moved over to the stool in the room and started tugging on his boot. "I'm glad you are okay. Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?" He'd heard what some men had said when he described Ivy, she was an object to some of them and he'd just wished he was feeling better to have done something about it.
 
She moved beside him quietly, clenchin his good hand with her good one. She never thought to ask the medic to bandage or even look at her hand. She was beginning to wish she had. Once the door shut behind him she craved to sit but was afraid of putting mud on anything else. So Ivy stood and watched as he began to untie his boots, pursing her lips wondering if she should ask if he needed help. With a gulp, she did. "D-Do you need some help?" She attempted to look as pathetic as he, not trying to mother just aide.

She moved to kneel beside him but waited until he gave her an answer to begin. A knock on the door signaled the drawn bath water. Ivy looked up into his eyes and gave him a slight smile, "I'm sorry I hurt your heart. But it's good to know that I matter enough to do that." It was terrible wording, but she hoped it coveyed how she felt and didn't hurt him further.
 
Caval smiled at her. "I have enjoyed your company many times besides when we have had sex. I wish you knew that." He said quietly and then he sighed roughly and leaned back as much as he could considering the stool. "Yes." He finally answered her. "My hand is too cold and wet to get these ties and without my other hand I just can't get this damn thing off." At least this time she asked instead of just dragging him off in one direction or another or making bold declarations.

In truth his entire body ached and he just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep for the next month but he knew that couldn't happen but maybe a couple of hours, just long enough to dry off some and warm up. He closed his eyes for a long moment. "You do matter, good lady." Then he dragged his head up to look at her but said nothing.
 
Her nimble fingers got to working on the laces and pulling the boots off, despite her now purple knuckles. "I am fine though. The men didn't dobanthing but poke fun and graze their fingers across my ass." Ivy shrugged and got up from her feet as he looked to her. "And you, good gentleman, matter as well." She leaned down for her forehead to meet his, looking into his eyes. Her blonde eyelashes brushed with mud batted softly then closed and sunk her lips to his carefully.

She did pull away though, her eyes slow to meet his and pull away completely, still feeling his hot breath on hers. "I'm going to go bathe, you should come with," she paused, "Can you even do that, or no?" With a slight shrug she pulled away slightly and once again pushed her fingers into his, she didn't want tonleave him again.
 
The kiss was pleasant, it was a reminder of the wonderful person Ivy is. Yet it was brief as well it had to be. The idea of a bath sounded nice but his body was almost too stiff to move. With effort he pushed himself up standing before he looked at her. "I'm not sure... I should probably just lie down and then see the doctor once I wake." It seemed like each day he was pushed to exhaustion before finally being able to collapse. "While I could use a bath, it may not be a good idea with my wounds." He gave her a tight smile. "Go enjoy yourself and if another man touches your ass you tell me."

As he spoke he carefully made his way over to the bed. The idea of watching her bathe was a lovely thought but he would have other opportunities.
 
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