The Sword and The Rose. ((Kolath x Butterfly))

Things continued to happen throughout the next few days. Nathan made it a habit of teaching the archery lesson which only made the normal teachers smirk as they watched him have a good day when Anya came to the practice and a not so good day when she didnâ??t. he always sat across from her at meals and took any moment that he could to talk to her enjoying her company.

There was only one person that looked on the two of them with anything but happiness, Jacob. He was the only one in the camp that knew Nathanâ??s secret and it was troubling him. there was only one major reason, one Nathan was spending large amounts of time with his future wifeâ??s handmaid.

Today Nathan got up early and rather than going off into the woods for his morning walk as he normally did he motioned the guard to leave that was waiting for Anya and instead waited for her himself. He knew she normally took walks this time of the morning and today he wanted to take one with her.

Anya woke, getting herself dress and washed for the day quietly, trying not to wake Terra. The two girls had gotten a bit distant from one another since Terra was banished to the hut. She really adopted the role of spoiled brat well for a handmaiden. She was a natural at it. More so then Anya had ever been at the task.

Once she donned on of the simple frocks she always wore, she tiptoed from the hut... only to find the Fox waiting there for her. Her heart fluttered slightly and she smiled, keeping her voice low still to not disturb the sleeping Terra withing the hut, "Good morning. What are you doing here?"

He smiled and offered her his hand. â??Good morning, I thought that I would accompany you on your walk today.â?? he smiled charmingly waiting for her to except. â??You remember how I said that we share all the duties here equally? Well I felt that the guards could use a break to day, and I wanted to be selfish and have you all to myself this morning.â?

She smiled, a light blush crossing her cheeks as she did take his hand, "I do tire out your guards, I am certain. I feel horrible sometimes for them, having to follow me as a wander about like... well... like I don't know. I feel like I'm a bird sometimes fluttering about your camp." She had to admit, it would be nice to walk with him. They had grown closer, even though she knew they should not. There was no harm in just being friends though. Right?

It would have shocked them both at how similar their thinking patterns were right now. He gently held her hand as they started to walk through the village. They talked softly about simple things, and about their lives. Now neither of them could tell the full truth but even without lying they were able to find many things that were the same with each of them.

As they were walking they saw several different people heading off in the same direction into the forest. All of them were women and often were carrying food or water if not then it was clean rags.

She had never walked this way before. The guards had always directed her towards the other side of camp before. And even though they were in the middle of a totally unrelated conversation, she couldn't help but to ask him, "Where are they all going? Is there something thing out this way?" She looked about, noting the end of the main camp and they were seemingly walking off into the woods, "They are just wandering out to nothing..."

Nathan looked out at the people heading into the woods and sighed softly. â??No they are going out to the medical wing of the camp. There are many poor hurting souls out there that need their help just to get by.â? He gently started to turn around slowly working to lead her the other way. There were sights back in the medical wing that it was best that not be seen by those that didnâ??t have too. Later today he had planned to go through the ward just to keep the poor souls spirits high but he didnâ??t want her to go through there if she didnâ??t want to.

Hey tried to turn her away, but she only turned back, "Medical ward?" she questioned. Then she thought about it. In the two weeks or so they had been there, she had not once ever seen and injury on a single person. "Why isn't it closer to the main camp?" Peering out, she tried to see beyond the trees to this mysterious place she had no idea even existed until now.

He sighed and came back over to her his hands lightly resting on her arms. â??We donâ??t want the children to see what is going on there.â? He sighed, â??its not a sight for the faint of heart, we try to take care for them all as best we can.â? He stepped in front of her taking her hand, â??Do you want to see why we keep it so far away?â?

Her eyes looked puzzled. His definition of a medical ward and hers seemed were very different. The worst she had ever seen was a bad fever that swept through their manor once when she was little. She had no idea the kinds of thing he was speaking of. "What do you mean the faint of heart? What kind of medical ward is it? I don't understand. A medical ward is a good thing." If there were skilled doctors and proper medicines...

He sighed and gently taking her hand and started to lead her into the trees. It was clear that she was very sheltered and the most she had ever seen of sickness was what she could see from her mistressâ?? high window. They soon came out of the trees into another smaller clearing. Laid out under the sun on cots around the clearing were dozens if not hundreds of people. Nearly every one of them was missing some part of their body. some were missing just their hand, or arm with the stump wrapped up in a cloth some bloody some not. But others were worse off having lost an eye or a tongue. This place was a horror show, he didnâ??t even ask before slipping an arm around her waist to give her support.

Of those that could walk and were up many came over to him in tears and knelt before him or just clasped his free hand. The group soon got rather insistent and he had to let her go so she wasnâ??t pulled into the group. They were all blessing him and thanking god that he had come. Through it all the Fox was maintaining a visage of strength but if she looked into his eyes he was clearly crying. It would take a cold hearted person not to be overwhelmed by the suffering around here.

Sheltered was not even the half of it. Locked away in a tall tower was more like it. This Anya was a humble person, it was of no help from her father. The Earl treated her like a prize to be kept under lock and key her whole life. She had hardly even seen poverty let alone what he was now showing her.

It took a moment for her to realize what she was seeing but once she did, a light gasp escaped her lips, her hand flying to cover the shock on her face. All the color drained from her skin.

"Who would...... who would do such things to these people?" she whispered lightly, not even sure if he heard her. It was more thinking aloud then anything else. "It's... it's criminal. Crimes against humanity..." It was a good thing he held her for support for without it, her knees surely would have buckled from the first wave of shock. By the time he let her go, she was alright to hold herself, but only just barely. She did not want to shame herself or these poor people by doing something stupid or embarrassing. Like swooning or gagging, for some of the sights were grotesque to say the least. They had it bad enough, she just didn't want to make it any worse at all for them.

She let them pull him away from her. As the pulled him into them, she faded into the background. The truth was she wanted to run but she would not, refused to, insult anyone by doing such a thing. That would be something the snobbish earl's daughter would do. The LAST thing Anya wanted to do. Even thought she felt weak in the knees and her head was getting fuzzy.

Finally after several minuets he pulled himself away from the group excusing himself. He came over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders and lifted her chin to look into her eyes. â??Iâ??m sorry this was too much.â? he took her hands softly and gently started to lead her away from the medical ward. â??Iâ??m sorry that you had to see that. To answer your question the regentâ??s men did that. Those poor people couldnâ??t pay their taxes because they had already given everything they had to the regent.â? His voice was a soft growl of anger as he told her about that.

She held onto herself just long enough to escape the view of anyone else before she could not walk any more. Without a word or a warning, her knees buckled, whatever color was left in her face vanished and she swooned. Sometimes it was just too hard to hide her true upbringing. She groaned a little as she started to tumble towards the ground.

As she started to fall toward the ground Nathan was quickly there. He dropped to one knee catching her before she hit the ground. He sighed and smiled gently slipping his arm under her legs he stood holding her bridal style. He carried her quickly through the camp and past the guards that raised an eyebrow at him but quickly acted as though they saw nothing when he glared at them. He took her into his private rooms and laid her down on his bed going to get some water and a cloth. Sitting beside her he started to lightly dab at her brow with the moist cloth cooling her head to help her wake.

She groaned a little, still seeming to be out. Her face nuzzled against the inviting coolness of the damp cloth her bathed her forehead with as she turned her face towards it. Towards him. In her passed out state, she licked her lips temptingly before the ended up parted ever so slightly, invitingly.

As she lay there doing such simple innocent things he couldnâ??t help but bite his lips, because all of those things done in a slightly different context would be a total invitation. He found himself leaning in closer and closer toward her soft slightly moist lips. it was like they were calling to him begging to be kissed. He could feel her warm breath on his lips as he felt just the slightest brush of his lips on hers. He pulled back his hand rubbing over his masked face. what was he doing? She had not given him permission to kiss her not to mention the problems with her being his bride to beâ??s handmaid. He sighed and went back to the soft dabbing of the cool cloth on her forehead.

She had no idea what he had been ever so close to doing as she came too a few moments later, still nuzzling her head against the cloth. "Ooooh," she moaned lightly as she slipped back to him, "What happened?" Her eyes fluttered open before she looked around. Not knowing this place she looked to him. "Where am I?" then her eyes grew as she recalled at least part of the answers she seeked, "I didn't pass out in front of them did I?"

He smiled shaking his head as she remembered why she passed out. â??No you didnâ??t and even if you had they wouldnâ??t have cared at least not that you had. They would have all worried about you wanting to make sure you were alright.â? He smiled leaning back in his chair as the thought about the people came to him. â??They are like that always ready to give even though they had lost so much.â? he sighed the looked around as her other question came to him. â??You are in my private rooms, just a short ways from your rooms, I thought it best to bring you here since I doubt that Terra would have cared.â?

"Oh," she sat up slowly, "Terra would have cared. About me at least." She smiled slightly, "However, if you came into the hut with me passed out, I'm sure you would have gotten a harsh tongue lashing for not taking care of me." She leaned back against the pillow and looked around his rooms. For the leader, it was not much different then their own quarters were. One would think he would take only the best space for himself. "Lady Terra is not as bad as she is here when she is in her own element." This was the truth. The TRUE Terra was no where near as bad as this fake one.

Nathan was highly embarrassed over what had almost happened without her permission. He sighed as she mentioned that Terra in her own element was a much better person. â??I can only hope so, for her future husbandâ??s sake.â? He stood and held his hand out to her, â??If you are feeling up to it we can continue our walk, or I can escort you back to your rooms to rest.â?

Terra's husband. Yes. For his sake, she would be much less of a hassle and for her sake, she only prayed her would not condon the very things she had just seen with her own two eyes.

She moved to sit on the edge of the bed and nodded, "Oh I'm up to it. Yes. I still am." She should not be so eager to spend time with the Fox, but lord help her... she enjoyed the company he offered her. Much more then the sour company that Terra offered her. She took is hand and rose, "I already feel much better."

He smiled and taking her hand led her back out into the camp. They stayed in the camp most of the time talking and walking just enjoying each otherâ??s company. The fox was finding that his days were made brighter by her company. He would be very sorry when he had to go back to the life that he would one day share with Terraâ?¦the very thought made him shiver.

Finally the day was getting on after dinner and clean up was done he was walking her back to her rooms with the food for Terra. â??Well I suppose that we should part ways my dear lady. I trust you enjoyed yourselfâ?¦and would you consider perhaps doing it again tomorrow, only a little less eventful?â?

She smiled. Had they truly spent the entire day together just... walking and talking? It had seemed to just pass so swiftly and had been a most enjoyable time. There was no telling if she'd ever have lovely days like this again so, "Yes, that would be lovely. IF you promise it will be less eventful," she smiled and laughed slightly before she moved to retire to her tent, "Goodnight Fox."

He smiled and nodded. â??To the best of my ability it will be less eventful my lady. Good night Anya.â? He waited till she was inside and then sighed walking back to his rooms taking his mask off and laying down. He sighed deeply looking up at the ceiling. He could feel itâ?¦he was falling in love with Anya and not just a short passing love it felt much more like it was that life long kind of love that you have only once.