How Much is That Doggie in the Window? [M]

[Zero]

The werewolf rolled over, listening as he heard the girls enter the room next to him. If he'd really wanted Tobias probably could have heard their conversation, but instead he was content to simply listen to the tones of their voices, which were a bit soothing.

Noises and voices in the slave market had never been soothing.

He heard Mia laugh and leave, then the soft sounds of Tessa pacing her room. Golden eyes opened and he raised his head to stare at the door that linked their rooms as he heard her come to the door, but nothing came of that and when her footsteps retreated to her bed he laid his head back down and closed his eyes again.

Years ago he'd have been tossing and turning his first night in a new place, but the year he spent wandering, never sleeping in the same place twice, had seen an end to that. His new bed was the most comfortable thing he'd laid on for probably...well ever. The bed in his own room growing up hadn't been this nice, and the few beds at inns weren't, and the ground or straw definitely weren't.

Even laying still Tobias couldn't fall asleep. His mind was still going over the day. He'd gone from sitting in a cell, to owned by the enigmatic Tessa who was far too kind-hearted to be dealing with slaves or slavers. More surprising had been him going from determined to escape at the earliest opportunity to agreeing to stay of his own volition.

Not just his, but the wolf even seemed content to stay for now.

Speaking of the wolf...

Tobias rose from the bed and undressed quietly before his body twisted and changed in the span of a few heartbeats. Transforming had been lengthy and painful once, but the more often he did it, the easier and easier it became. Golden eyes glowed softly in the dark as his senses immediately burst into life. It still amazed him how dull his human senses were in comparison to the wolf's - even when he knew that his human senses were far stronger than a human.

The shaggy brown and grey beast was huge - easily as large as a bear, easily as large as a pony - but he moved silently on paws the size of dinner plates as he paced his room once more, nose twitching as he took in the scents more thoroughly, passing the keen instrument by the bottom of both doors.

He'd have liked to have introduced the residents to the animal before letting him out, but there hadn't seemed like a truly opportune moment to bring it up. Hopefully there would be no cause to leave his room tonight.

Once the wolf was content and familiar with the room he climbed into his bed and curled up with a yawn, resting his large head on his pillow as he drifted easily to sleep even as large pointed ears swiveled alertly. The wolf was able to remain on guard and relatively aware of his surroundings even as he slept.

[DragonSong]

Tessa woke with a sharp gasp, bolting upright, hand flying to her throat where she was sure a shadowy figure had his fingers wrapped around her neck. It took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart and assure herself it had only been a dream. She collapsed back onto her pillows with a sigh, clenching her eyes shut.

Well there was no way she was getting back to sleep now.

She sat up again, more calmly this time, and looked to the window. The grayish sort of light of a false dawn filtered into her room. Isaac and Della would just be waking up about now, most of the others would probably sleep another hour or so. Gods only knew when her parents would get out of bed, that varied day by day.

Tessa swung her legs out of bed, tapping her feet on the floor. Well. Now that she was awake, she found she wanted someone to talk to. Her nightmare still flitted behind her eyelids, mocking her, and she shuddered. If she could talk with someone, assure herself it really was all a dream...

But Isaac and Della would be going about their chores now, and she didn't want to bother them. And she didn't want to wake anyone else, not for something as childish as this. So she rummaged about in the table beside her bed- sending nervous glances toward Tobias's door every time she made a loud noise- until she found a candle and lit it, then retrieved the book from where it had fallen near the foot of her bed the previous night.

Books were nearly as good as people, she found. Sometimes better.

[Zero]

The night passed without incident, Tobias slept deeply, peacefully, and without interruption, until near dawn. In an instant the beast's shaggy head had shot up from the pillow, ears facing forward and alert at the disturbance. Keen ears flickered and swiveled as they locked onto the source of the sounds, the sharp gasp had woken him, but now he heard the soft tapping of Tessa's bare feet on the floor.

With a soft huff he rose from the bed and moved to the door that separated his room from hers, still listening intently before he sniffed at the small crack at the bottom of the door. The wolf only smelled and heard the girl, his bristling fur relaxed as he decided there was no intruder or danger.

He could hear her rummaging through a drawer, then there was a small flicker of light and the smell of smoke. Tobias realized she'd lit a candle, but of course his eyes could see just fine in the pre-dawn light, but she probably thought it still fairly dark. The werewolf knew that everything was fine, but he still felt like he should probably check on the young lass. That gasp hadn't been from a sweet dream - that was for sure.

For a moment he considered giving a light scratch to the door and a whimper, but he wasn't sure how jumpy she was and didn't want her to scream and draw the entire house. Backing away from the door he shifted and pulled back on his clothing.

He should really see about getting a couple extra sets, before he needed them. When he transformed his clothes didn't change with him. Tobias had accidentally destroyed more than one set of clothes that way, and the last thing he needed was to be stuck in his wolf form in an emergency and not have any clothes for when he changed back. That would be an awkward situation for everyone and was sure to not win him any brownie points with Erik Varrys.

Once again dressed and human, Tobias knocked softly on the door. "You alright, lass?"

[DragonSong]

Tessa's head snapped up and she looked at the door. "Oh..." She put the book aside and got out of bed, crossing the room. "Yes, I'm fine." She opened the door to find Tobias standing on the other side. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she murmured, giving him a sheepish smile.

Now that it was clear he was up however, she found it much harder to resist the urge to interact with someone. "So, ah...did you sleep well? Other than me waking you up I mean?" Her gaze dropped awkwardly and she shifted where she stood.

[Zero]

"Don't feel bad for waking me, it's what I'm here for,lass." Tobias' eyes were still burnished gold when she opened the door as he looked down at her with an only slightly disheveled and sleepy expression. "Besides, I slept like a rock. Nicest room I think I've ever had, bed's nice and comfy too."

The werewolf's eyes lifted from her to look past her, eyes roaming over what he could see of her room with a slight frown before he covered his mouth in a yawn. Maybe he could take a nap later. Night was probably the time he had to worry about the most. He doubted that whoever these people were that they'd make a move in broad daylight.

"Can I come in? I know you said you're fine, but I'd like to just check everything anyway." Tobias had checked the room before she'd come in the night before, but it would make him feel better to re-check everything.

Maybe it would make her feel better too. Sounded like she'd had a bad dream.

[DragonSong]

She couldn't stop the breath of relief that escaped her and said much to quickly, "Please, come in." She stepped aside to let him enter. "I, um..." She bit her lip and admitted, "I know I'm being silly, but- well I had this dream and..."

Tessa trailed off and shook her head, rubbing at her eyes with the heel of her hand. "I'm being childish," she muttered, more to herself than to him. "There's no way someone could have gotten in here..." She crossed the room to sit on the bed, fiddling with the end of her waist-long braid, a nervous habit.

[Zero]

The werewolf didn't hesitate to step into the room as soon as he'd been given permission and Tessa had moved aside. Tobias figured it was probably improper for a man to be in a young woman's room like this, but it was his job to protect her and they'd put him in a room that connected for a reason, so he figured under the circumstances even her father couldn't get too annoyed with it.

"Anyone can get bad dreams when they're scared, lass. Doesn't make them silly or childish. I think given the circumstances you can go a little easy on yourself on this one." His first destination had been the window, and he tested the latch to ensure it was still firmly locked.

It was.

"Back when I first started regaining myself, when I was with Mable and she was teaching me how to control myself and manage what I'd become, I woke up screaming more nights than not." The werewolf was slowly walking around the room, sniffing here and there.

[DragonSong]

Perhaps it shouldn't have, but strangely that made her feel better. If someone like him could be plagued by nightmares, perhaps it wasn't so odd that she was after all. Shaking her head, she murmured distractedly, "I have a difficult time imagining you being scared of anything."

She suddenly flushed, realizing what she'd said, and she hurriedly added, "Not that- I mean you're perfectly justified to- I didn't-"

She gave up and dropped her head into her hands with a groan. "I'm just going to stop talking now," she mumbled, cheeks feeling very hot.

[Zero]

It wasn't as if it was the first time Tobias had heard that sentiment. He'd looked over the room enough to put himself at ease, and hopefully her too. Finished checking the room, he moved over to lean against the door frame, smiling in amusement at Tessa's fumbling.

"I know, lass. What could scare a big guy like me? Even more - what could possibly scare the big, bad wolf, eh?" His grin was good-natured, and he was poking fun at himself. He knew he was a large man and most made a lot of assumptions about him, but the werewolf hoped that most of those assumptions were quickly dispelled as people got to know him and looked past his size - or what he was.

"It's okay. Lots of people assume that someone like me can't possibly be scared of much. It's not true, but they think it. Truth is a lot of things scare me. Some of them even the same types of things that scare a lot of people." Although some of them weren't at all the same fears normal people had.

Most people didn't have to be afraid of losing control and accidentally hurting someone. Worse, accidentally hurting someone they cared about. It was why he'd wandered so much. Harder to care about people you didn't spend very long with.

[DragonSong]

Tessa began to relax, uncurling to sit more comfortably on the bed. He didn't seem to have found anything worth worrying about, and though she'd known that- logically- he wouldn't, there was something very comforting about how at ease he seemed.

She smiled, bringing her legs up to curl next to her body and leaning on her arm. "Things that scare a lot of people?" she repeated curiously. "Like what? It was always spiders for me." She closed her eyes and shuddered dramatically. "All those legs." She wiggled her fingers, scrunching up her face.

"Most people assume little ladies are scared of snakes and such, but honestly- no legs I can handle. More than four, not so much." She smiled in a self-deprecating sort of way, looking up at him. "You?"

[Zero]

A soft chuckle rumbled in Tobias' chest as she made a show of telling him that she was afraid of spiders. He supposed a lot of people were, but it was interesting to know she wasn't afraid of snakes. From his experience a good number of girls were.

All humor left the werewolf as he gave a grimace as she asked what he was afraid of. Well, it was only fair he tell her one since she'd shared one of hers. "You're gonna laugh, but alright. Geese. Hate them. When I was six Old Man Tinder's gander chased and pecked me for half a mile. Ma said I cried for three hours."

Tobias made a face. It was an embarrassing story, but he'd been a little kid at the time, and it was a big goose! Of course now that he was a werewolf geese weren't much of a threat, but he still didn't like them.

Unless they were dead. And roasted. Then they were pretty good.

Although, come to think of it, there probably weren't a great deal of people that were afraid of geese, so maybe it was a poor example. Or maybe it was a perfect example that he could be afraid of something so very...mundane.

[DragonSong]

A laugh exploded out of her before she help it and she clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh! I'm sorry, it's not that funny, really-" She giggled again though she tried to hold it in. "Gods, I'm sorry, it's just-" She couldn't seem to stop chuckling. It was such a relief to laugh after being so tense.

And the image of a goose chasing Tobias just wouldn't leave her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she said through fits of giggles. Trying to sober her face she said, "Really, it's not that odd. Della used to keep a goose to guard the entrance to the servants' quarters, and it was a vicious thing. It's just..." Her lips twitched up in a smile again and she raised a hand to hide it. "I just keep imagining it and- well, I didn't know you as a child, so I just have this mental image of all six feet of you running away from a goose and-"

She was off again, desperately trying to stifle the laughter by pressing her hands over her mouth, eyes sparkling merrily.

[Zero]

"Go ahead, laugh at my pain." Tobias said, unable to stop a soft laugh of his own. He could admit that the image of a man of his stature running from a bird was pretty funny. If he saw that he would laugh. Of course if he ran into a goose she might just get to really see it. Even knowing that as a wolf he could easily kill and eat a goose, he still couldn't help but be afraid when one came at him.

It wasn't logical, but a lot of time fear responses had nothing to do with logic.

"Feeling better?" The werewolf finally asked, a soft smile enhancing his warm brown-gold eyes. He'd known she'd been on edge when he came into the room, what with her nightmare. With all her giggling he was pretty sure he'd put her fears to rest for the time being.

[DragonSong]

Tessa nodded, still smiling. "Yes, actually." Had he told her that just to put her at ease? She wasn't sure, but her smile softened gratefully. "Thank you." She stretched her arms over her head and arched her back, yawning.

"I should probably start getting ready," she muttered, glancing out the window. The sun was really starting to rise now, and she knew Mia would be at her door soon enough. She glanced at Tobias and bit her lip; she realized he must have slept in his clothes and that they must be his only set.

She stood and moved toward her bureau, wondering how to say this while still being tactful. "Ah- would you like me to ask Andrew or Isaac if you could borrow a change of clothes? I mean, they'd be a little small, but Anna's handy with a needle, I'm sure she could them work. Until we can get you something at fits properly I mean." She smiled at him, pulling a shift out of the top drawer.

[Zero]

If she was going to get ready that was his cue to leave. Tobias blinked when she asked about clothes, something he'd thought of before coming in here, but hadn't thought about since. "Are you sure they'd only be a little small on me, lass? I know a needle can do wonders for clothes that's too big, but I'm not sure there's much wiggle room on clothes that's too small."

The werewolf grimaced slightly at the idea of wearing other people's clothes, or asking for more clothes to be purchased for him. Tobias had always worked for everything he had, being left more or less at the mercy of other's kindness put him off a little.

"If you could arrange to get me a couple extra sets of the essentials that should do it, if that's not asking too much. If it won't take more than a couple days I can probably go without borrowing from anyone." Tobias paused and tilted his head to sniff himself and scowl. "Where and when can I get a bath, lass? They don't exactly keep us fresh at the markets."

It wasn't that he smelled particularly foul, but he certainlly didn't feel clean, either.

[DragonSong]

Tessa chuckled, nodding agreement. "I'll talk to mother, I'm sure we can get you something." Then she tilted her head, thinking. "You could use the servants' bath- it's on the other side of the house from the kitchen, there's separate rooms for men and women. Or you could just use mine." She gestured toward the door. "Mia does all the time, so it's not as though I mind. It may be a little, ah, feminine for you, though."

A smirk played at her lips and she couldn't resist teasing, "Of course, Isaac uses the servants' bath, so..."

[Zero]

The servant's bath would make a lot of sense for a slave to be using. Especially if there were separate baths for the men and women. At least until Tessa mentioned Isaac, which immediately had Tobias turning crimson.

Gods, that was going to haunt him as long as he stayed here. The werewolf was sure Isaac was a nice fellow, but he couldn't stop the overwhelming embarrassment that seized him just thinking about the gardener. Not that he was good at handling women flirting with him, but at least Tobias was actually attracted to women.

"He...he wouldn't actually come in, would he? Nobody would come in while I was bathing, right?" Yeah, the werewolf would rather bathe in peace and very much alone.

[DragonSong]

Tessa laughed and shook her head, taking pity on him. "No, they'll leave you be," she said with a smile. "I was just teasing." Still chuckling, she walked to the closet and pulled out one of the simpler gowns she owned. Then she turned to face Tobias and said cheerfully, "Not that I don't enjoy your company but..." She trailed off and raised an eyebrow meaningfully.

At almost the same moment, then was a sharp knock at the door and Mia's voice calling, "Miss Tessa, you up yet?"

[Zero]

Well that was a relief. Of course she was teasing. Not even the flirty Isaac would just waltz in while someone was bathing. Tobias started when Mia knocked on the door, blinking and blushing again.

"Oh right." The werewolf couldn't get back through the door to his own room fast enough, practically stumbling over his own feet in his haste to get out of Tessa's room so she could change out of her nightgown, which she'd been wearing the whole time they'd been so very casually chatting.

With more than a little embarrassment he went through the main door of his room into the hall and tried to find his way to the servant's bath, which he was pretty sure she said was on the other side of the house from the kitchen, but within a few moments he found himself standing in a hall, rather perplexed and very much lost.

[DragonSong]

"No," Mia said the instant she entered the room. Tessa stared at her confused.

"No?"

"Madam wants you in the blue and silver one today," the maid said, crossing to her closet and pulling out a different gown.

"Why?" Tessa asked, frowning, but she let the younger women put the other gown away and began the lengthy process of donning the many layers of silver embroidered fabric. It was a very pretty dress, true, but not at all practical for day to day wear.

Mia shrugged. "Search me. I'm not here to argue with her." She began lacing up the corset, making Tessa gasp slightly. "Sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all. Then she asked, "Did I see Tobias sneaking out of here?" Her tone was carefully casual.

Tessa flushed at the implication but said evenly, "Yes. He was just checking on me."

"Mhm." Mia didn't sound convinced, but to her relief she dropped the subject, chatting away easily as she helped Tessa finish dressing then moved on to her hair. "There," she said finally, sounding rather pleased with herself. "I'm not sure what Madam has planned for today, but you will look gorgeous doing it."

Tessa laughed and rolled her eyes. "Well thank you." She glanced in the mirror as she made her way toward the door, and had to admit her maid had done an excellent job. Her simple braid had been transformed into an elaborate collection of plaits and loops piled atop her head and trailing down her back. And the gown really was a work of art, deep blue silks with patterns like starlight picked across it in silver.

It made her nervous. Nateri only wanted her dressed this nicely for very distinct occasions. She put the thought from her mind and said, "I'm going down to breakfast. Have you eaten?" When the younger girl nodded she asked, "Would you mind checking on Tobias, then? He was going to use the baths, but it's a big house and he's barely been here a day..."

"Got it," Mia said with a smile, slipping past her out into the hall and toward the back stairs.

"And be nice!" Tessa called after her, heading for the other staircase. "He's a bit- shy."