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The Apprentice and the Merchant's Daughter (Kolath and Candira)

The Fox let the mask hide his blush at his grand mistake. He was pleased that she didn't draw out his mistake and sighed slightly moved over to her as she asked for help. "Of course." He gently lifted her up not helping her stand but instead carrying her in his arms bridal style. She had over done it and there was no reason for her to put more stress on her body then needed.

He carried her through the door from his common room into the bed room and laid her down on th bed after pulling the covers back. He smiled softly as he stood back up from placing her on the bed. "I…" he started to realize just what he had done and all the times he had dreamt of doing that with her, only not leaving afterwards. "I hope you rest well." And turned to leave.
 
She had been expecting him to just help her up, so it was surprising when he leaned over and lifted her up entirely. Aria held onto him, her arms around him. Her eyes locked with his and she blushed just a bit. "Thank you, Fox." She looked away then and let him carry her to his room, butterflies in her stomach as she realized what this would mean under any normal circumstances. She blushed softly at the thought that he usually slept here alone...or did he? What a horrible thing to assume!

She pushed those thoughts from her mind and let him pull the covers down, still holding onto him as he did so. The beautiful redhead lay in his bed as he set her down, her hair sprawled out on the pillow beneath her as her brandy-colored eyes stared up at him. Her arms folded over her chest, she lay there and watched him, something on his mind, though he stopped himself. "Is...is something wrong?" she asked, her eyes heavy. "I know I can't do much, but I can listen," she said pulling the covers up. There was a probability that she would fall asleep during his story, but she wanted to help if she could.
 
He sighed for that brief moment cursing her caring nature and her ability to pick out when someone was bothered, even through a mask. He had to think quickly because the real reason that he was troubled wasn't one that he could tell her. His mind was consumed with thoughts of her and the joy at having found her after all these years and to find her fighting the same fight that he was, even thought she fought it differently she still was fighting with him.

He sighed and turned back to her moving to sit on the bed next to her and smiling. "Only a few things mostly what to do now." He chuckled and looked down at his hands, still slightly tinted red from the blood in the healing tent. "Everything is so clear on what needs to happen, days, weeks, months from now even, but right now…what needs to happen now to make sure everything in those next months goes as it needs to for the whole of the kingdom." He sighed, "It's so clear what needs to happen but not what you need to do to do it." He sighed again and turned to look at her.
 
She was nearly asleep, but she smiled and nodded, understanding the problem fully. It was much like what she had to plan in order to get someone to side with her. How to do it was the problem. What to promise, what to withhold, what to say, and what to do in order to make people think what she wanted them to. Perhaps she was manipulative, but only when she was in the court. And she kept that life quite separate from her personal life. Aria reached up and took his hand, smiling drowsily.

"I understand. It's a great deal of pressure. But the way I see it, you've got a resource right under your nose and you haven't thought to use it," she said, yawning. "The women you captured are all members of the court. Use their knowledge," she said softly. "Learn what you can from them, gain their trust. Continue your training and believe in yourself. If anyone can bring about what needs to be done, I'm sure...it's you..." And here, she let go of his hand, her arm dropping back onto the bed as she drifted off to sleep, unable to keep her eyes open any longer.
 
He smiled at her as she tried her best through the haze of sleep give him advice. She was always there for him when she could be he remembered that much. He reached out brushing a hair back from her face watching her sleep for he didn't know how long. He pulled the covers up over her before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her hair. "Thank you my dearest friend for always been there even when you didn't know you were."

He turned and left having much that still needed to be done to get everyone settled down with the new people. It was already late in the day and so little more needed done beside making sure everyone had a roof over their heads for the night. There was much doubling up and would be for the next day or so till more shelters could be put up but the plans for that were already being worked on and so there was little left for him to do but rest for the next day would be a lot of hard work.

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The next morning he woke after sleeping on his couch and slowly worked out the tightness in his muscles and felt some of his joints pop from the weird angles they had been in. He splashed some water over his face to help wake up before going into the bedroom and looking down at Aria still asleep. He smiled and reached down brushing her hair back again before taking her shoulder and lightly shaking her. "Aria, it's time to wake for the day is well on its way."
 
That night, she dreamt of the last time she'd seen Flynn. It was a bittersweet memory. Only this time, in her dream, Flynn kissed her good bye. She was surprised by how real and wonderful it felt. How much she wanted to kiss him. Being here really just triggered so many memories about him, and she wished more than anything that she'd be able to tell him that she missed him every day. The kissing...well that must have just been a dream.

In the morning, when the golden light of sunrise streamed through the window and lit up her hair, The Fox was there, waking her. Her eyes fluttered open at his shake and she took a moment to focus in on him and remember what had happened. A small smile graced her face and she sat up with a yawn. She, for her part, felt a little stiff from overdoing it a little yesterday, but she would take more breaks today. Aria wondered if he hadn't slept in another place. She hoped that he hadn't given his bed up for her when he could have simply just walked her back to the dorm.

"Good morning," she said softly. "Did you sleep well?"
 
He smiled and shrugged at her question and placing a basin of water and towel on the stand he walked to the door. "Well enough my lady as I hope you did." He watched her for a moment his mind lost in memory before he blinked as realized he needed to give her some privacy. "Now we do have quite the day ahead of us so we best get on with it." He said clearing his throat and moving toward the door hoping she wasn't going to think him rude for leaving so quickly as the slightly poor night's sleep on the couch had left his mind slightly less sharp than normal.

He stepped out into the outer room quickly working to fold up the blanket and place it and the pillow he used on the couch away so as not to be seen. He then made himself comfortable waiting for her to finish getting ready.
 
Aria was glad that he seemed to have slept well and pushed the covers aside as she stepped out of bed, her dress up to her knees before she stood again. She didn't seem to notice if he was there for an extra amount of time, but was glad that he left her a basin and towel. "Thank you," she said with a smile. Then he left. She did her best to hasten their preparation time.

That said, she took a comb from the stand and ran it through her hair before she tied it up in a lovely style that was both efficient and softening. Without much thought, she made the bed and quickly washed her face and hands. "There. Much better." She straightened her dress and adjusted it just a little before coming out into the outer room. "Thank you for letting me stay. I promise I'll be more careful today." She smiled and waited for him to lead the way.
 
As she walked out of the bedroom he just couldn’t help but stare for a moment. He knew she was beautiful but there was something about her even in the same dress she wore the day before and slightly disheveled that she was still beautiful. He cleared his head of such thoughts standing and offering her his arm before moving to the door opening it for her. "Of course Aria and please do be more careful we need your talents available if something like this should happen again."

He stepped out with her and started to lead her down the raised path a short ways before he was noticed by a group of children out playing on the forest floor. "FOX!!!" they screamed and some quickly rushed up the ladder to grab his arms and gently tug him toward where they were playing. "Come play with use!?" more a statement than a request.

He sighed and looked back at her as he was tugged down into the clearing where the children played. He shrugged and then joined in with the games. He was of course able to easily out smart or out do everyone of them in the games but he didn't always. Instead he started too at times before letting one of them steal the ball or trip him up not that any of it wasn't planned but still the children loved it.
 
She caught his staring, but figured that it was just because he wasn't used to having a woman in his rooms. That thought made her a little too happy. What exactly what was she feeling for him anyway? He didn't give her time to ponder it, as he told her to be careful and offered his arm to her. The pretty redhead took his arm and walked with him along the path. It came as a little surprise to hear the chorus of young voices calling out for the Fox.

She giggled as the children stole her escort away to play. Aria grinned and watched him, her heart throbbing a bit as she watched the way he played with them. They loved him, and he seemed to genuinely care for them as well. Aria was approached by a few little girls who thought she was really pretty. The noble smiled and did their hair for them in pretty twists and elegant braids, sending them off to play like little princesses, only for them to return and beg her to be the queen. Unable to say no to their little faces, she wore the flower crown they made and played for awhile. Eventually, the pang of hunger got to her and she chose a new queen, giving up the crown so she could get something to eat.
 
The Fox played with all the children in the game for a long time just enjoying their youth, energy, and lack of cares. For that moment he could sit and forget about the worries that always plagued him. Would they be able to make things better? Were they only making it worse by everything that they were doing here? Did Aria remember him? And if so how did she remember him?

Just as these thoughts were going through his mind he looked over seeing her turning to leave the girls she was playing with. He realized that he had left her on the way to breakfast and she was probably starved as she hadn't eaten anything after the refugees had arrived.

Gently untangling himself from the children he shooed them off to play while he made his way quickly to Aria's side once more offering her his arm. "I think we have delayed breakfast long enough don't you?" He didn't notice the little girls watching them and giggling a little, at the sight of him being so gallant.
 
Aria watched him untangle himself, unable to stifle her giggle as she did so. It only made her wonder more about him. He was wonderful with children, but would he want to be a father? It seemed as though he would be a good one if that were the case. His gallantry pleased her, considering he'd been something of a boar the first time they'd met. Now that she understood his cause and what he was trying to do for those children, her image of him had changed dramatically. And it was easier and easier to like him....but perhaps she shouldn't get so attached. Shoving these kind of thoughts to the back of her mind, she took his arm and smiled at him turning to wave at her new little friends as they walked off.

"I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," she said, wondering what they would have to eat here. Probably something that was easier to make for lots of people. She imagined something like oatmeal. In any case, the thought of any food in her stomach was wonderful, and she was glad to have his company.
 
Smiling the Fox walked her toward the mess, the food wasn't extravagant but it was more than the normal family would have alone. Simply a hot oatmeal with options of fresh berries, nut butter, fresh milk, sugar syrup, and many other things, as well as a side of sausages should anyone want them. For the poor meat was rare enough let alone having it for breaking their fast, few would turn it down.

The line for food was short enough at this time, most were still getting up or had been up and just finishing the meal so the tow of them had little wait for the food. After they had gotten their food the Fox led her over to one of the long tables sitting across from her once she had taken her seat. His face was distant for a long moment clearly lost in a bit of thought as he so often was.
 
Grateful, Aria waited patiently in line and added a bit of fruit to her oatmeal to flavor it a bit and give extra nutrients. After all, she hadn't eaten much of anything yesterday. She took a link of sausage and no more, figuring that she had had enough meat in her time to sacrifice some for others. The noble sat opposite of the leader of these people and smiled. She began to eat neatly, but she saw that he wasn't really touching his food.

"Umm, are you alright, Fox? You should really eat, you know. I'm not one to talk after ignoring my needs yesterday, but I'll pay more attention to myself today if you will," she said with a smile. "Make sure you keep up your strength." Though she'd been a little embarrassed at falling asleep in his bed, Aria wasn't above wishing she could go back there. Knowing that someone so good was in the next room was comforting...and she liked the Fox, which is something she wouldn't have thought possible when she'd been captured.

She liked seeing him play with the children and open up a little, even if he couldn't fully share himself with her. Knowing what she knew of him was enough for now. He was good and kind, and that was all she really needed to know. She knew, though, that she would be in the women's dorm again tonight. And she wondered if anyone would gossip about her...
 
He blinked as she spoke bringing himself back to reality he forgot what she could be referring to for a moment before looking back down at his bowl and laughing softly. "Sorry I didn't mean to be distracted there for a moment." He felt the bowl to make sure it was only a moment and then started to mix in the things he had added to his breakfast. His mind wondered over the camp and the way that all the people there worked together for the betterment of the whole camp whatever that meant. He could only imagine what it would be like should there at one time not be a strong leader to keep reins on everything.

He dismissed the thoughts with a shake of his head and then looked at her seeing her own mind thinking something over and a worried expression on her face. "Something on your mind? You seem to be the distracted one now."
 
She blushed as he asked her what was wrong. "Oh, no. I'm fine. I was just thinking of some things. Sometimes the face I make when I'm thinking isn't a happy one," she said dismissively. With that, she started in on her sausage, eating it first. If they decided they wanted to talk about her, that was fine. She would explain herself if they asked, but otherwise it was no one's business but hers and the Fox's. She smiled as she ate, taking neat and efficient bites.

"You must like children. You looked like you were having so much fun with them earlier." She refrained from mentioning that she thought he'd be a good father--mostly because she thought it might be insensitive, given the fact that he wasn't really supposed to fall in love with anyone while he was here in his mask.

It was such a shame too, because if circumstances were different, she might fall for a man like him. But as it stood, she couldn't fall in love with him. He put a distance between them, and she...well, she needed to learn to protect her heart as well. She got the feeling that if she did fall for him, the Fox wouldn't want her to. He'd tell her something like "It's not meant to be while I'm wearing this mask."

Even though she thought all this, she was careful to keep her smile on. The last thing she wanted was for him to worry even more about her.
 
There was something still bothering her and he could tell, he always had been able too. He took the opportunity given to him as she wasn't looking at his face when she mentioned children. Making sure his voice sounded perfectly serious and completely controlled he finally spoke, "Can't stand the sight of the little devils. Honestly everything that is wrong with this world can be summed up in children. If we just stopped letting them act so pointlessly and uncontrolled then we might get something done."

For someone not looking at his face he would sound perfectly serious. That is till you saw the sly grin on his face, and sparkle in his eyes that made it clear he meant absolutely none of it. He was just trying to get a shock out of her and pull her out of the gloom that seemed to have settled over her, no one else would see it but he could even through that plastered on smile that she had on her face. Now he just hoped that it didn't back fire on him…again like that one time when the breakfast table had been left in a horrid mess because of another comment much like this one meant in teasing of her when they were young.
 
She was just about to bring a spoonful of oatmeal to her mouth when he started speaking. He sounded so serious at first that she thought...Wait, what? She looked up at him, wide-eyed, and then noticed that he was smiling. Her expression revealed itself to be one of contained annoyance. "Ha. Ha. Very funny." Still, she was smiling just a little.

"I really thought you did well with them, is all. They really seemed to like you and vice versa." She shrugged and continued to eat, a bit less gloomy. Had he been serious, he would have gotten a bowl of oatmeal to that masked face of his.
 
He smiled more and started into his oatmeal glad that he had at least gotten something of a response from her. He shrugged a little at her comment again about how well he did with the children. "They are important to all of us, weather we realize it or not. If we don't train the children to be better than we are then we are not fighting the right battle." He sighed and continued eating without saying anything. He had little else to say at this point wanting only to be with her even if he couldn't be with her the way he wanted to be.
 
She smiled and agreed whole-heartedly. It was nice to hear such a positive statement come from him, but then he clammed up again. It was hard to talk to him because she didn't know what to say. After all, she didn't know what he could answer. So she asked a safe question. "Will you be working in the infirmary today as well? Or is there another project that requires your attention?"

Aria found herself hoping that he would be working near her again, even if she would barely pay attention to him in the situation. She longed to be around him, and she wasn't entirely sure why. Something about this mysterious man was comforting and tender, and she couldn't ignore his kindness, nor his light heart, which he'd let show when he played with the children. The mask he wore kept the man inside in check, and she wanted so much for him to be free of it for just awhile so she could enjoy his company to its fullest.
 
The Fox shook his head slowly in answer to her question letting the reality of the world settle back on his shoulder, which visibly slumped forward slightly. The amount of work that he had to do was staggering at times and he was sure that he was going to go grey before his time with all the stress. "I truly wish that I could, but there are things that need to be handled and as it normally feels I'm the one that has t handle them."

He smiled, with a slight sour twist to it as he finished up his breakfast. He sighed and then looked at her again, "thank you, you have helped me not be so focused all the time like I have been for a long time." He stood and gently took his hand kissing it softly. "I hope to see you tonight before we retire."
 
Aria frowned as she saw that he wasn't going to be around her today. For some reason she couldn't hide her disappointment, but it seemed as though he wasn't very happy with it either. She smiled when he did, though neither of them was particularly happy. "Perhaps one day there will be more people to help you. I'm sure that the people here appreciate everything you do." With that, she finished her breakfast as well. She let him kiss her hand, a gesture that had always seemed so formal in the court and now seemed sweet and noble with him.

"And I hope so as well. Good luck in your work today, Fox." And with that, she curtsied gracefully and reluctantly left his side, steeling herself for the work today. There were still plenty of people that needed tending.

Aria washed her hands and face once more before she tied back her hair and set to work in the tent, taking a break every so often, rather than working straight through like yesterday. Most of the people who'd been alive yesterday were still alive and those that were not were having their rites read.

She did everything she possibly could until lunch time and then went back to the area where she'd had breakfast after scrubbing her hands again. A light meal that was stretched a bit with broth and the addition of beans filled her, and then she was off to work once more, feeling more useful and fulfilled than she ever had in the court.
 
The Fox watched her go to the infirmary sighing deeply, wishing that there wasn't still a war on. Why had it been her that had been the noble helping people. He knew that no matter who it had been they had to come and see the suffering for themselves, the tactics to get them there might have been better chosen but that was history now.

He watched for a time before one of the other core members came to him and touched his shoulder. "It’s a heavy burden you bare Fl…Fox. Did you know her?"

The fox nodded ignoring the near slip of the tongue. "From when she was a young girl that used to irritate me no end. I was her uncle's apprentice and I got to know her very well. Last time I saw her, she was just leaving for the court to learn its ways, her father hadn't been made a noble yet."

The man nodded, "You loved her."

"That obvious?" The Fox asked looking at him.

"Only to one that knows you," he paused, "And know they know you."

The Fox laughed before moving his hand into his pouch, "The letters are ready, you Arel and I have a lot of work ahead of us and after the first arrow flies we have to move quickly."

The man nodded, "Best get on our way, it’s a long way to the capital."

With that the men turned to leave being joined by a third before too long all dressed in the dark cloaks used for hiding in the woods. It was a day's march to the capital without captives and they had a bit of work cut out for them. It would be nearly three days before they would return.
 
At dinner, the Fox was not there. Frankly, that was all she remembered of the meal. She ate in silence with other women who'd been captured and brought here. She smiled at them when needed and listened, but since it was mostly complaints about fatigue from the work she just smiled and nodded.

Aria continued her work in the infirmary each day, sleeping in the women's dorm as she was supposed to. Much to her surprise, no gossip had started--at least none that she had heard. Almost no one had paid any attention to her after they started work. And when they got back, most assumed that she had gone somewhere to lie down and just fallen asleep. No one mentioned her and the Fox in the same sentence.

She supposed it was a good thing to not be associated with a rebel leader, but she wondered how she would feel when she had to leave this place. Her work here was important to her, and she felt...something for Fox. Though what it was, she was unsure of herself. But her father and mother must be out of their minds with worry--so too her poor uncle, who'd already lost Flynn.

As the days passed, she noticed very much the absence of her captor, but thought it best not to ask any questions. She took breaks regularly, and never tired until she was back in the dorm, already in bed. Many people were coming to know and like her here. She only hoped that it wouldn't hurt them to see her go as well.
 
It was three days before anything was seen of the Fox. It had been a normal day the people that had come into camp were all healing well and nearly all but the most extreme injuries had been release to their own care. The day had seemed to be a slow one when there was suddenly a cry from the edge of the woods. Men rushed to help and rumor started spreading almost instantly that the Fox had been killed that it was his body that the men were carrying.

Word came to Aria one of the members of the core leaders that she had gotten to know well. "Aria, we need you at the Fox's quarters…now." There was no argument in his words and fear in his eyes but he added nothing more to what was happening only that they would need her now and to bring anything she might need for healing.
 
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