It was... Interesting.
No. No it was terrible.
Sapphire felt small here, compared to the buildings. His tail was curled around his leg to keep from bumping into anyone and luckily he was a little taller than everyone else and luckier still they didn't stare too much. He'd seen stranger people on his wanderings and he held his hands at his sides and looked around wearily. It had been a long time since he'd been uncomfortable.
Now it was his life. Being uncomfortable.
A gentle gnaw on his lower lip while his eyes darted around.
There was nothing here. Nothing he wanted at least. The scents he'd followed here were lost among the scents of everything else and he gave a little whine at how confusing everything was. There were no colours to indicate rank, some people had fancier coverings but... A shaky breath and he squeezed his eyes shut, curling his tail tighter around his leg.
Going home wasn't an option.
A wrinkle of his nose at a fruit vendor on the street and he walked carefully around it. Fruit. Eugh. He'd tried some a few days ago and nearly threw up it was so... Disgusting. Sweet and juicy and yuck. Who would want to eat that it was -- There.
Sapphires head snapped up when he caught the scent over the apples and he felt his heartbeat pick up. Saliva filled his mouth and he swallowed carefully, pushing aside a young man in his haste to follow. The need to follow made his legs move, the tail uncurl from his thigh. It waved behind him like a snake and he gave a shaky little breath.
There.
That scent.
A shaky breath and he reached out, his hand gentle before placing it on the shoulder of the person he wanted to... No. No. Inappropriate.
"Hi," He said, his voice a soft growl that made his own skin tingle. "Hi, I'm..." A rank. That was the only name he had, "Sapphire." A careful swallow so he didn't drool, "What's your name?"
She jumped a bit, startled by the touch, then froze at the stranger's voice.
Spinning around, the young lady took a step back and her eyes widened. "Lyra," she said shortly, looking him up and down. People in this city were so strange. Gods, she couldn't wait until she was done here and she could go home.
"Who are you? Why do you want my name?" she asked bluntly. Damn this guy was tall. And rather broad. Maybe she should have listened to her lady and taken an escort of guards with her on this little journey...
It was like his insides were fighting.
One was to protect and sooth and make better. The other wanted to rip apart anything that was distressing her. The worst part was that it was all his fault. It took a great deal of willpower to remove his scaled hand from her shoulder, though he leaned down a little to take in her scent.
"Sapphire," He repeated, his voice growing husky.
"You're mine," He blurted, "You smell wonderful."
Um...what?
Lyra started at him for a moment, completely stunned and speechless. Then she seemed to regain some mobility and skittered back a few steps. "What the- no I'm not!" she snapped, starting to panic a little.
Yeah, she definitely should have brought an escort. Or at least a bigger knife than the one hidden under her skirts. "I don't belong to anyone, sir. Now If you'll excuse me." She tossed her hair and turned to walk away, setting her shoulders.
No!
no. Wrong words.
"Wait!" Sapphire started, moving after her. He couldn't lose this one! Not her. "I'm sorry! I've just..." He continued. It was tempting to curl his tail around her leg to trip her but that would hurt her. That meant he couldn't do it. Right? His heart beat picked up and he grew panicked. What if she left? He'd just found her.
"Please wait?" He reached a hand out and drew his fingers through her hair, "I can explain. Please?"
She paused, ducking away from his hand- and the odd, not entirely unpleasant tingle the little touch sent through her- and scowled at him.
Huffing, Lyra tossed her hair again and folded her arms, stepping back briskly to put some distance between them. "Explain then. And make it quick."
Okay, she was being rude. But she was uncomfortable, in a strange city, and this- this man just wouldn't leave her alone!
His tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip and his pupils were wide circles - not unlike an excited cat. "You're mine," He started again, resisting the urge to reach out and caress her beautiful cheek. Sapphire just stared at her, taking in her features and curled his tail around his front, what flesh wasn't covered by scales on his face was flushed and he pulled the collar of his shirt to cool himself down.
It didn't work but the effort counted.
"I... You smell perfect. You're beautiful and I need you with me. Forever." Hormones, perhaps, were overriding his sense of self but he looked at her with wide eyes. There was a name for this, he knew it, just... Didn't know the words. "Please? You don't smell like another male, which means you're without, which means you can be mine."
Lyra took another step back, eyes going very wide. "What the hell are you on about?" she demanded, voice a little panicky. Oh Ansgar, this was it. This is how she was going to die, kidnapped by some bizarre, scaly man and- she didn't even want to think it.
"Look, I'm not from around here," she said quickly, trying desperately to smooth this over. "I'm not sure if this is just something you Serenians do, but I'm not comfortable with it. So if you'll just excuse me, I'll be on my way."
She nodded briskly and tried to breeze past him. I am calm, cool, and in control. Calm, cool, and in control...
"Serenians?" Sapphire looked confused, was that what these people are called?
"No. It's what... What?" Confusion, was she refusing him? A terrible pain in his chest hand he press his hand to it. This was worse than being thrown out. Worse than... Anything. "Please. Lyra." her name even tasted sweet. "Please don't leave. Please? I don't know how to explain, this has never happened before I just... You're mine." And if she ran or left he had ever intention of chasing her.
Something made her pause. Maybe it was that heartbreaking tone, or something in his expression, but for just a moment Lyra hesitated, looking at him.
Then she shook her head and ducked her eyes, murmuring, "Excuse me, I have to go." She started to walk quickly away, lifting her skirts a bit in case she had to break into a run.
Heartbreak.
Sapphire breathed in slowly, eyes squeezing shut and he wiped sweat from his face. No, not sweat. A tear. His eyes were leaking. His throat felt tight and his eyes burned. "Lyra?" He whined, a strange noise from the back of his throat and he swallowed carefully again. Why didn't she understand?
A gift.
His ears perked up and he curled his tail around his leg again.
She just needed a gift.
Her scent was ingrained into his being now, which meant he'd be able to find her anywhere, so chasing her wouldn't help.
He just needed to give her a gift. Show her what a great mate he could be. Provide for her and a litter.
That was it, right? Right.
Tonight.
He'd go to her tonight with the gift, then she'd take him. He was brilliant.
So, for now he let her go. Let His Lyra go on her way and he'd bring her a gift when the sun went down.
She bit her lip when he called after her. Why the hell did she feel guilty? He was the one accosting innocent young girls on the street!
Well...had he really accosted her though? He'd seemed so sincere, so desperate...
Lyra shook her head, forcing herself to think of other things as she made her way back to the inn she was staying at. It was just one random encounter. It might even be an interesting story to tell Petrin when she got back. That was all.
Forcing her steps to be a little lighter, she gave a nod to the innkeeper when she entered the establishment and retired quickly to her room, requesting for ink and parchment to be sent up. She settled herself at a small desk and started writing a letter, lighting a candle when it became too dark to see by the light filtering in through her window.
Silent as the night - sort of - Sapphire followed her scent after catching his bounty. Holding it in his teeth while he made his way to her window, which he pried open.
Thrusting his hand forward with the dead rabbit in it he poked his head through the window, "I've brought you proof that I would be a good mate. I can feed you! And a litter!"
Now she'd need to take him! Who could deny a hunter?
"What the-?!"
Lyra leaped to her feet, knocking her chair over and pressing herself back against the wall, eyes wide and chest heaving with pants.
Oh saints above. He'd followed her? "What are you doing here? How did you find me?!" Lyra shrieked. Her eyes flicked to the rabbit and went even wider. Oh wonderful. He'd brought an animal carcass.
Her fear stunk and he hissed at the darkness before he realized she was afraid of him. A frown and he stepped into her room, holding the rabbit in his hand and placing it on her desk, he licked his lips and wrinkled his nose. Why did she fear him?
"I... You're mine. I'd find you anywhere," He looked crestfallen that she didn't want his gift. Maybe jewels? He'd seen a few women wearing fancy dresses. Sapphire caressed the jewel at his collarbone, embedded in his skin. A physical manifestation of his soul.
He cast his eyes to the rabbit, "You don't want it? I got it for you." A longing look at her. All he wanted was to hold her. Breath in her scent. It was awful as it was wonderful because he'd lost everything but now there was a potential for a new everything and it was all her.
"I- no I don't want it!" Lyra exclaimed automatically, casting the rabbit a distasteful look. Sure, she'd hunted before, but she'd never done any cleaning and butchering of game. She wouldn't even know what to do with the thing.
Then her eyes flicked up, saw his desolate expression, and she found something in her softening a little. Oh for goodness' sake, he looked like a kicked puppy.
"Look...Sapphire." That was his name, yes? "I- I appreciate the gift, I suppose. But you can't just follow people and bring them dead rabbits! And I really don't belong to you. I'm not yours, you have to understand that. I don't even know you!"
It was slowly starting to dawn on her though that his intentions seemed rather genuine. Strange and startling, but genuine. She supposed it was possible that he was some- some creature who'd just never learned human boundaries.
A needy whine and he leaned down a little to make himself look smaller, his tail curling around his leg. Perhaps if he didn't appear so large compared to her tiny self, she would want him then? "But you do. I can scent it. You're the most wonderful thing I've ever come across, you have to be mine." It would be just his luck that his scent mate - he didn't even know the word for it - wouldn't want him and he pushed his hands through his hair and again looked crestfallen, casting an glance to the rabbit.
He took a careful step forward, "You could learn me. Know me. Please. Lyra. I need you," he rubbed his neck, rubbed at the jewel on his chest. "Please? I feel like I'd die without you."
She sighed, dragging her hands down her face and resisting the urge to groan in frustration. "No, you don't," she tried to reason with him, taking a step back and raising her hands. "I'm not sure what's going on with you, but you should probably just go on home, okay?"
She tried a small, polite smile. "I...appreciate....your interest. Really. But you seem to have made some sort of mistake."
"There is no mistake," Sapphire growled, growing as frustrated with her as she was with him.
For different reasons of course, "I know you're a simple human. But..." he rubbed at his chest, that little gem again, "If you're not mine than I'm yours." He let out a shaky little breath, feeling like it was torture that she didn't want him. What an awful situation. Looking confused and hurt he rose to his full height and paced, his tail flicking around impatiently.
"Is it because I'm not human? Because of my ears? My tail?" He looked down at his feet, bare with clawed toes, "Scales? I can't fix those. But..." Human, "You could get to know me? Maybe you'd like me being yours if you knew me."
She scowled, planting her fists on her hips. "No, it's not because I'm a simple human and you're not," she snapped at him. "God, you know how to charm a girl," she added under her breath with a sarcastic snort.
"Your- your tail and ears are fine," she muttered after a moment with a sharp exhale. Well. Not fine exactly. She had to admit they'd caught her off guard at first, but it was his talk of "mine" that was making her twitchy.
Lyra sighed, rubbing her temples. "Look, I'm sure you're- you're a lovely person. But I mean- love or whatever you're talking about doesn't work like that." From his talk of "mates" she assumed he was making some sort of romantic advance. "You don't just see someone and bam!" She snapped her fingers to illustrate her point.
Relenting a little, she added in a slightly gentler tone, "Maybe if we got to know each other we might...get along. But I'm afraid it's just not possible. I'm heading back to Connlaoth in three days."
It didn't?
Sapphire stared at her, frowning.
"But... Why not?" When she was gone he felt empty. The whole afternoon without her felt like it wasn't worth living. He rubbed his chest again and his ears drooped, tail curled up around his feet on the floor. "Maybe not for your kind but... For me it does," His tone sounded hurt, like she'd just insulted his entire species.
She was perfect. Why wouldn't she just let him keep her?
"I'll go with you." It was a statement more than a suggestion, "I'll keep you safe. I'd rather die than see you get hurt on your way to this Connlaoth."
Lyra frowned, opening her mouth to question what exactly his kind was, when once again she was struck speechless.
"No no no no no!" She waved her hands in front of her, eyes wide as she shook her head. "You can't come back with me! I mean-" She took a breath to try to calm herself. "Look, you don't have to worry about me getting hurt. I'll be fine."
Sighing, she sat on the edge of her bed, absently twining a lock of hair around her finger as she bit her lip in thought. "Okay. Here's an idea," she said briskly, slapping her hands down onto her lap. "You can- court me, or whatever, for the time I'm in Arca. Then you'll see that we're just not...compatible." She gestured back and forth between them. "But in three days, I'm going back to Connlaoth. Alone."
When she sat down, Sapphire was close behind, kneeling in front of her with his hands on either side of her hips. He could scent her and he closed his eyes and let it settle in him. The more he was around her the more he wanted her forever. Wanted to press himself against her and hold her in his arms and his hands fisted the blankets and he took a careful little breath.
"Why wouldn't we be compatible?" Sapphire whined, giving her his best look, pupils circles instead of slits.
She realized her mistake too late, and then he had her trapped. Leaning back as far as she could, Lyra felt her breath hitch at his closeness. "We- we just...wouldn't," she muttered, searching desperately for a more concrete reason.
"We're not even the same species," she exclaimed after a moment, glad to have latched on something. Giving him a quick once over, she added with a quizzical frown, "What exactly are you anyway?"
Gently and hesitantly his fingers grazed up her side, thumb trailing along her dress before he placed his hand back on the bed. He didn't want to frighten her, but he wanted to touch her. Press against her. Taste her. A careful little breath and he tilted his head.
"I'm Kulshedra. We guard the Soul. At least... I did." His head went down slightly, ears drooping down, "I'm from... North." In fact, originally he was from a place very close to Connlaoth, not that he knew that was what the name of the country was. "I was cast out. I..." He looked at her, gnawing on his lip slightly, "Only three days? What if I prove myself? What if you want me after three days? Then can I be yours forever?"
Lyra shivered at the touch. She wanted to convince herself it was discomfort, but that was only partly true. If she was being honest with herself, part of it was almost...excitement.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes and bit her lip. After a long, long moment, she murmured. "Alright. Fine. If you can make me..." She didn't want to say yours, she still wasn't fond of the term. "If I want you after three days, you can come back with me. Deal?
Sapphire licked his lips and he cast a glance to the rabbit, rolling his shoulders and placing his hands on her hips, a gentle light touch. Hesitant. It was a step in the right direction, now he just had to prove himself to be a good mate.
"Got any tips?" Another look to the rabbit, "I'm new to this. I've never tried to court a female before."
She sighed again- she was doing that a lot around him- and gently but firmly placed her hands over his and then moved them off her hips. She desperately tried to convinced herself that she didn't miss the contact. She had absolutely no doubt that by the end of three days Sapphire would grow bored with her and she would never have to fulfill her end of the deal.
"Well, for starters, you shouldn't touch a lady you don't know so familiarly," she told him. Following his glance to the rabbit, she added, "And perhaps try flowers, or maybe even sweets, instead of dead animals as a gift."
Softly pushing at his shoulders, trying to get him to give her some space, Lyra said briskly, "Right then. Well, I suppose you should head back to...wherever it is you're staying. I expect I'll see you tomorrow."
Flowers.
Sweets.
No dead animals.
"What about cooked animals?" He inquired, hands now hovering beside her waist. He wanted to touch her again. It did wonderful things to his body that he didn't understand. Sapphire closed his eyes and took a deep breath, relaxing that she'd let him be so close. Her being calm soothed his nerves and he gave a content sigh.
"I... okay." He breathed deeply and stood up, his hand caressing her cheek gently before he pulled away and curled his tail around his leg. "I'll... Go." He looked out the window and bit his lip before exiting, climbing from it and going to where he was staying.
Which, tonight, was right above her window to protect her. There could be dangerous things out here. Night monsters with many teeth and tentacles.
"Ah- well I suppose if you must, cooked animals would be...acceptable," Lyra muttered, rather baffled. She sort of flinched as he touched her cheek, then relaxed and almost leaned into the touch, a fraction of a second too late. He'd already moved away.
"Um. Goodnight, then," she called after him, simply blinking in bewilderment as he climbed back out through the window.
It took her a few moments to really digest what had happened, but once she had she let out a sharp breath and shook her head, standing to cross to the dresser in the room and change into a nightdress. Flopping onto the bed, she closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands, groaning.
Dear God, what had she gotten herself into?
Sapphire was up before the sun, sleepy and groggy but damn if he wasn't going to impress her enough to want to be his mate. It took a great deal of effort and some window breaking, but in his hands was a beautiful jeweled necklace. Gold and - of course - sapphires. His name sake. His rank. A lowly sapphire but he'd always found them beautiful. Perhaps a bit of his ego went into liking the gem.
Again, he was in the window and kneeling beside her bed, having been silent in his entrance.
Then, kneeling beside the bed, he watched her sleep, a purr rumbling in his chest while he held the necklace and watched her. He'd tossed the dead rabbit out the window after he'd returned and frowned at the blood on the desk - he'd clean it later.
Sapphire watched her sleep, seated beside her bed. She was beautiful.
Lyra had always been a heavy sleeper, but she was usually an early riser as well. Stretching and rolling over in bed, she gave a sleepy little whimpering sound and yawned, blinking her eyes open to look at the ceiling.
She was almost inclined to believe everything that had happened to her the day before was a dream. She felt rather peaceful. Until she turned onto her side and saw Sapphire staring at her.
"Saints above!" She bolted upright, eyes blown wide as she scrabbled back until she thumped against the wall. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Protecting you?" He whined, having reeled back, necklace in hand, "I... Don't do that?" He anticipated her request, frowning at her. Sapphire held the necklace to his chest and moved forward, though he smiled then, now she was awake and knew he was here!
He moved forward, resting a knee on the bed and holding out the necklace, "I brought you a present, Lyra." Sapphire grinned at her, his teeth sharp and lethal. Though his expression was pleasant enough and he rubbed at the gem on his chest.
"Protecting..." Lyra shook her head and clutched at her temples with a groan. So much of this was out of her comfort zone that she actually forgot she was only in a nightgown for the moment.
"That is a- a nice sentiment, but you really don't need to do that," she mumbled as she looked up, frowning, to see what he'd brought this time. She blinked. "Oh..."
It was a lovely necklace. A lovely and obviously expensive necklace. Gasping quietly, Lyra found herself leaning forward to get a closer look. "You...got this for me?" she murmured slowly, stunned, rather worried, and just slightly touched. "How- how? How could you even afford something like this?"
Perhaps it was unfair of her to assume he didn't have much money just from his appearance, but- well, she did.
Sapphire looked at what he could see of her body out of pure curiosity.
She was going to be his - someday - and she was already perfect, so he took his eyeful and just the glimpse of flesh made him want to see more. Push the skirts up and touch her scaleless legs. Marvel at her tailless-ness. Sapphire gave a rumble and he closed his eyes for a moment before she asked her question and his eyes snapped up to look at her.
How?
"I found it," He said, tilting his head curiously, "I'm a good hunter. For animals. For precious things. Please, let me be yours? I'll spoil you. We could be together forever. You'll want for nothing and I'll make you happy." Why wouldn't she just accept him? Sapphire gave a little needy whine and ducked his head down, crawling the littlest bit closer to her on the bed.
Dear god, it really felt like she'd somehow picked up a stray puppy. A very large stray puppy. With scales. And...claw-feet.
Lyra scooted a little further away from him, but she really didn't have a whole lot of room to maneuver. Giving him a narrow eyed look, she tried to clarify her question. "I mean where did you find it then. And how did you get it. Did you just- take it?"
She had a bad feeling she already knew the answer to that. With a small sigh she added, "And I'm sure you can do all those things. But that's not- there's more to being a...mate than that. At least for humans."
This was absolutely surreal.
Sapphire ignored her first question.
"What more is there? I'd provide for you and our litter. I'd die for you." Another movement closer to her, his hand out to touch her leg. "What else is there," he glanced at her waist, "I'm sure we're compatable for mating."
She couldn't really move any further back. "But- why are you so sure?" Lyra muttered, feeling a little like she was grabbing at straws. "You don't know anything about me, other than my name. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful mate for someone. It's just not me."
Why did she ask so many questions? Why couldnt she just follow her nose? If she did then shed know he was perfect for her. Sapphire stared at her, eyes wide, "please dont throw ne away, Lyra. Please?" He backed off a little, looking at her woefully.
Lyra sighed again. "Look, I'm not throwing you away," she said, a little irritated. Taking a breath and forcing her tone to soften, she met his eyes and gave him a small smile. "We have a deal, remember? You have three days to change my mind."
Hopefully three days would be long enough for him to get over this infatuation.
Waving her hands at him, she said briskly, "Alright, now shoo. I need to get dressed. Go...wait outside the door, okay?"
Obediantly he sprang up and looked confused. "Are you shamed? You dont need to be afraid of me seeing you. Im going to some day," it made sense to him. Already he was hers. Since she didnt care for the other way he said it.
Still he rubbed his arm and took a few steps back. Right she liked boundries. Sapphire heaved a breath and went to her door, obediantly leaving and closing it behind him. Where he waited impatiently.
She bit her lip to keep from arguing with him. She had a feeling it really wouldn't do much good, and at least he'd listened to her and left her alone to change.
Grumbling to herself, Lyra stripped out of her nightgown and chose a relatively simple dress from the clothes she'd brought along with her, something that wouldn't hinder her walking too much.
Glancing to the door, then to the small mirror on her desk so she could look at her hair- which really was quite a mess- she let out another little breath and crossed to knock on the door. "Um, Sapphire? You can come back in now, if you want."
She turned and seated herself at the desk, running a brush through her hair a few times before she started to twist it into a few braids.
She knew his name.
His ears perked up and he felt a warmth bloom in his chest when she said it. It pleased him on a strange level that she'd know his name. That she'd say it. Sure it was hesitant but... Still, just her saying it meant that for a moment she was thinking about just him.
Because he wanted to - why wouldn't he? - he went back into the room and watched her brush her hair. Enchanted at the locks. Sapphire couldn't help himself when he walked over to her and caught a loose chunk of hair. "It's beautiful," He said simply, resting a hand on the top of her back. Little touches. Start little, he had to remember. His Lyra wouldn't be so afraid of him if he started with little touches.
She went still at the touch, looking at him in the mirror. "What are you-"
Breathing out through her nose, Lyra forced herself not to snap at him. He just didn't know. It wasn't like he was hurting her or anything. "Thank you," she murmured, finishing the braid that swooped across her head to hold the rest of her hair back.
Smiling a bit, she twisted to look at him over her shoulder, subtly moving away from his hands as she did. "Yours is nice too." Most men she knew kept their hair a little neater, but the unkempt look was actually rather appealing.
Whoa, girl. Don't go there. Shaking her head quickly, Lyra got to her feet and brushed at her skirts. "Well then. I suppose the first day of this little deal starts now." She planted her hands on her hips and cocked her head at him. "Do you have anywhere you need to go?" Her own errands could wait a bit, if it would get this whole mess over with faster.
"No," He said simply and before he could help himself he leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips. It was clear Sapphire had poor impulse control - at least around Lyra - and he pulled back and smiled widely, ears perked up. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself." Then he paused, "What were you saying again?"
Lyra's eyes went wide and she froze, staring at him. "You- I- what-"
Her hand flew to her lips and she took a step back. Taking a breath, she tried to calm her suddenly racing heart and stammered, "Y-you can't just go around kissing people, you know!"
A soft groan of frustration- trying to ignore that despite the breach in propriety she hadn't really disliked the touch- and she dropped her face into her hands. "Look, Sapphire," she sighed. "You can't..."
Oh, what was the point. Instead of trying to explain the impropriety, she just shook her head and looked up at him. "Please don't do that again without permission, alright?"
The words 'why not' were almost out of his mouth, ears droopy, eyes sad. Then she spoke again and he looked a bit like a kicked puppy. What had been enthusiasm moments before was now disappointment and he gave a small nod, though his eyes lit up when she mentioned having to ask for permission.
"Can I kiss you?" He eyed her lips, having enjoyed the contact of the soft skin against his own.
Oh dear god.
She huffed out a sigh and frowned at him, fisting her hands on her hips again. Her heart twinged a little at his expression- he really was like a stray puppy, and she found she rather hated to see him look so crestfallen. It made her feel...guilty.
"No-" she started, then paused. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and muttered, "Not on the lips. The cheek is...okay, if you must."
Shifting her feet uncomfortably, she glanced at the door. "Come on. I have a few errands I need to run to day. If you'd like to accompany me, you may."
A few errands - whatever those were - to run for the day.
But first!
Sapphire darted in quickly and pressed a kiss to her cheek, hand briefly resting on her shoulder before he pulled back looking like the cat that caught the canary. A dopey smile on his face and he nodded. "I'd like that, I'd like to accompany you forever." he stated. It was a fact.
He would.
Sapphire couldn't imagine life without this woman anymore.
It was strange.
Good, but strange.
He held out his hand, "Can we hold hands?" He murmured, giving her a look, ears drooping ever so slightly.
Lyra felt her cheeks flush, though this kiss was decidedly more innocent than the first. She cleared her throat and tried to glance away from him, but found that she couldn't, caught in those strange eyes.
And he just seemed so sincere- where with any other man she would have accused him of feeding her a line, with Sapphire she realized that she fully believed he was just stating fact.
She eyes his offered hand for a moment, then gave a sharp, resigned sort of exhale. "Alright," she conceded, reaching out to lace her fingers through his, then turning to leave.
Well, it would keep him close, at any rate. She wouldn't have to worry about him wandering off.
With a brisk, "Come on, then," Lyra led him through the inn and out onto the street.
Like a good Puppy he kept beside her, giving her hand rhythmic squeezes because he could. The looks were curious more than hateful and he met just about every gaze with his own. "Lyra," he said softly, his voice a gentle rumble in his chest, "what do you need to acquire?"
She glanced at their joined hands, then at his face, doing her best to ignore the looks they were getting. "A few basic supplies for my trip home," she replied after a moment. "And..."
She tilted her head slightly and slowed her pace, glancing into the window of a shop. "Well, I thought I'd shop around a bit for a gift for a friend." No, nothing there. She shook her head and kept moving, though at this time of day the streets through the market district were quite crowded and it was slow going.
"Gah." Lyra frowned and paused, then moved toward one of the narrow side streets. "Come on, maybe we can cut around some of this foot traffic." She glanced up at him again. "Why don't you tell me something about yourself, Sapphire?"
That's what people did when they were courting, right? Not that they were really, but she'd play along for now.
Sapphire blinked down at her, letting her lead him along. He even politely snarled and some of the people and didn't almost trip them with his tail. A few more things and they were going to a side street. Weren't those things dangerous?
His ears perked up.
Tell her about him?
She was interested in him?
Sapphires heartbeat picked up and he smiled at her, blinking his big blue eyes.
"I... Um... Am from a tribe. You are mine and... One day I hope to have many children with you." He looked at her expectantly, like she should just throw herself in his arms , "Now... Tell me about yourself."
Oh boy.
Lyra shook her head slowly and sighed. Well, at least he seemed to be trying. "No, Sapphire, that's...not really what I meant." Although she supposed leaning more about where he came from would be good, if he's tell her.
"I meant more- what are your interests? What do you like doing for fun? What's your favorite food even, that sort of thing." She shrugged and turned to lean them down a smaller side street. "I come from further north, Connloath. I am a lady-in-waiting to the Lady Stark. I...enjoy being outside, riding, swordplay, things like that."
She looked up at him. "Okay, now you try again."
Sapphire stared at her with a blank look on his face. Interests? Favourite food? His interests were what furthered the clan and his favourite food was... well. Dragon meat was always delicious. Obediently he followed her, hand giving a squeeze every now and then to remind himself that the love of his life was still right there.
"I... Enjoy... climbing trees?" He questioned, one ear perked up along with his eyebrow, "Also Dragon Meat makes my mouth drool-y." And now it was his turn! "What are you waiting for?"
"Dragon meat?" Lyra wrinkled her nose. "That's...interesting." Then she blinked and tilted her head to the side. "Waiting for? What do you mean- oh." Lady-in-waiting.
She chuckled and shook her head. "No, I'm not actually waiting for anything. I serve my lady- I wait on her, that's what it means."
She giggled again, so distracted by her odd companion- and the constant little squeezing of his hand- that she didn't notice the small movement at the end of the little alley, a shadow that darted passed to huddle in a sunken doorway.
Sapphire was too enchanted by his soft little human. The scent of the city was so strong that one extra body didnt change how it burned his nose. Sapphire smiled brightly when she laughed, finding he really enjoyed that sound.
He just... "I want to squish my face to your face," he blurted out, still gazing at her fondly. Then there was a dull thunk and Sapphire stared at his shoulder curiously and wondered how long a knife had been in his arm. Then the pain set in. His pupils were tiny slits and his mouth pulled back to show an impressive set of teeth.
Hands grabbed Lyra, grubby arms wrapped around her middle and Sapphire snarled. The voice spoke up.
"One step and she dies, Friend. All's we want is anything of value."
Sapphire snarled, hand hovering over the knife in his arm. He'd said step but he knew he meant movement. Any of value. They already had the only thing he valued. "All I want is my woman," he said softly, hissing through his teeth.
Lyra laughed again- she sort of understood what he meant, but the phrasing was rather entertaining. "Look, I already said that's not appropriate-"
Her voice choked off and her eyes widened. "Sapphire!" She tried to move forward, but then his arms were around her and there were three- no four- men surrounding them.
Her blood ran cold and she pressed back against Sapphire with a small noise of distress. It was rather embarrassing, but she could hardly reach the knife stored in a sheath on her thigh in this position, and without it she was relatively defenseless.
And Sapphire was hurt. The thought sent her heart jumping up into her throat, a panic that was almost unreasonable.
The man who'd first spoken laughed at her companion's reply. "Then we'll take her too." He nodded toward Lyra and one of their attackers darted forward, aiming to slash Sapphire's arm as he grabbed her wrist and tried to jerk her forward.
The slash dragged across his blue scaled arm, making the cut ragged, but the meat below was red and the blood ran freely. Still, he didnt let go. She was his. "She doesnt want to go with you!" He snarled, bearing fangs and shifting his stance.
If she did want to sure.
Sapphire backed up, his arm bleeding. "I will kill all of you for threatening me and mine if you don't leave. Now."
One of the thieves hesitated. Perhaps it was something about the primal predator that he could see in Sapphire, but the others either didn't notice or didn't care.
They smirked and moved in again. Lyra and Sapphire were closed in on from all sides. She cringed back, managed to jerk her arm away, and bared her teeth at their attackers.
"Get away from us," she hissed.
"Sure," the thief chirrped.
Sapphire snarled, hands ready to rend flesh from bone. It would frighten his though so he kept steady. Was careful. the blood dripped from his arm and he lifted his other hand, flexing his fingers.
It was a quick movement - he was impressed with himself - and all that was left behind was a soft gurgle, throat slashed. Panic. Fear. Sapphire just snarled again, his blood mingling with the mans on the ground. "I will do the same to all of you, any shinies we might have cant be worth your lives," well, shinies His hand. He had no shinies.
A scream caught in Lyra's throat and she stared, wide-eyed, as the theof's body fell to the ground.
The others hesitated, seeming to consider their options. Finally, one grunted, "Yoi better watch your backs. This ain't over." They vanished, slipping back down the alley.
Lyra's legs were a little shakily as she stumbled forward a step. "Sa-Sapphire?" She swallowed thickly, face pale. "Are you...you're hurt."
She was determinedly not looking at the body on the ground.
Sapphire ignored her.
Instead he grabbed her hand with his not bleeding one and dragged the girl away, angry, frowning. Chest tight with worry. Ready to spring and pounce. His steps were quiet and his ear flicked a little at unfamiliar sounds.
"It's fine," He lied, voice gravelly. A brief look to Lyra and he pulled her close, curling an arm around her back and holding her to his chest. Her scent was sweet with fear and he nuzzled down into her hair, eyes closed. He almost couldn't protect His. "We just... Need to get you to safety. It's fine. I'll be fine." Sort of.
Blood dripped to the ground audibly while he held her, in the other.
Lyra stiffened, a little surprised, then hesitantly wrapped her arms around him, hiding her face against his chest for a moment.
"You're hurt," she repeated quietly once she'd managed to control her breathing somewhat. "Come on, let me see." She tried to take his hand, despite the fact that hers were still shaking.
Her scent calmed him. Of course rage still boiled in his guts but... calm. His eyes fell closed and he took a few more deep breaths to calm himself. "Fine," he said curtly, holding out his gashed arm to be examined. A little frown at her and he winced slightly at the movement. The cut was deep and blood flowed freely.
"Will looking at it help?" He asked, curious, perhaps she had powers he didn't quite understand.
"Not exactly, but it will help me see how bad this is- God." She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Come on, we need to get you to a healer."
Taking his hand was surprisingly natural, and she tugged him gently back toward the light and bustle of the more trafficked streets. "Here, I should bind it with something," she was babbling quietly. "What do I have...handkerchief!" She suddenly paused, digging through the small purse she'd brought along and coming up with a delicate, embroidered little piece of cloth.
"Alright, hold still. I'm not practiced healer, but I can at least do something until we can get you some real care," she murmured, wrapping the fabric around the cut. Her movements were swift and businesslike, but her touch was surprisingly gentle, fingertips brushing lightly against his skin.
She glanced up at his face. "...Thank you," she murmured. "You...might have saved my life, back there."
Sapphire let a purr rumble through his chest, licking his lips and letting his eyes fall closed at the attention. Maybe, if it got her to touch him, he should get hurt more often. Sapphire smiled at her thanks, ears perking up, fangs showing.
"I would do anything for you," he said earnestly, touching the cloth that his blood quickly soaked through, "you're mine," he nodded. Then again, he might have also been the reason for the danger she was in.
"Bring me to this healer, it stings," he instructed, indicating his arm.
Lyra quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not yours," she told him easily, releasing his injured arm so she could take his hand again.
"Come on, this way...I think..." She didn't know this city, but there had to be someone she could talk to, right? Someone to point them in the right direction- ha!
"Sir?" She waved for a guard's attention, the man lounging against a wall as they came out of the alley into the open air markets. If he wasn't off duty, he certainly looked it. She gritted her teeth internally. Sloppy.
"Sir, excuse me." She pulled Sapphire behind her as she approached. "We need to report an attempted robbery, and if you could point us toward a healer...?"
The guard looked down his nose at her, then flicked his eyes to her companion. "Attempted robbery?" He jerked his chin at Sapphire. "Big beast here scare 'em off?"
Rejection.
Sapphire looked a little heartbroken at her dismissal of his claim but he gave a disappointed little noise before letting himself follow her. The pain radiated from his arm but it wasn't the worst pain ever. Licking his sharp teeth he looked to the guard and wasn't impressed. Where were his claws? Where were his teeth?
How as he supposed to protect anything when all of his bits were so dull?
"Yes," Sapphire hissed, pupils contracting into angry little slits, "Big Beast did scare them off," His voice grew hissy and lispy with his anger and he squared his shoulders and tried to look bigger than the guard - which wasn't difficult, Sapphire was a huge man-beast-thing.
The guard gave Sapphire an unimpressed look and then pointed down the way, above a door was a sigh with a little pot and plants. An apothecary. Sapphire frowned at the man and with his good arm he shuffled Lyra off.
"You are mine," Sapphire stated again, giving her a challenging look, "You will accept this one day. Until then," He held out his arm at her again, the cloth she'd placed on him growing more damp with blood, "Fix it. It's beginning to hurt again and I don't enjoy pain like some others do."
When the posturing began Lyra reached out to lay a hand on Sapphire's good arm gently, trying to soothe him some. She gave the guard a quick nod and bustled her companion toward the apothecary shop.
Her brow furrowed at his newest declaration and she gave him a stern look. "Sapphire, you don't get to claim someone like that. I'm a person, I don't belong to anyone."
Her shoulders slumped slightly as she opened the door and pushed him through. "But I will help you. Not because you're telling me to, but because I don't want to see you in pain. Do you understand that?"
Sapphire let himself be pushed into the building - because Lyra was doing it and only because of that. His footsteps were careful and he kept his tail out of the way, curling it in front of him ever so slightly so he took up less room. For now, he would ignore Lyra's claim that she wasn't his. She was.
One day she'd accept that. "I understand," That's what she'd want to hear.
Hopefully one day soon, he supposed, on some level, that if she wasn't going to be his mate he might as well take care of her forever. A guardian of sorts. He was good at that - or at least he had been. Sapphire licked his lips and looked around the room, making sure to be between whatever was between it and His. Sapphire looked around, "Why are we here?" He looked to Lyra, confused, "How is this place going to fix my arm?" He looked at it, frowning when he moved it and it stung.
"The place isn't. The person who runs it is," Lyra replied.
As if summoned, a rather skinny, wizened older man suddenly appeared through a door that must lead into some sort of back room.
"What's all this then?" he grumbled, looking Sapphire over with an air of slight befuddlement.
Lyra turned to him. "Please, my friend is hurt. Some men tried to rob us, and he got hurt fending them off." She stepped to the side slightly and murmured, "Show him your arm. He'll help."
Annoyed Sapphire flung out his arm.
The blood, still not quite clotted, dripped in an arc and he may have gotten the old man. Still, a slight frown and he glared. Lips open slightly to show off his sharp teeth.
"Fix it," he hissed, frowning. It hurt and he was quite done with pain now.
The man blinked and took a step back, frowning at the wound.
Lyra hissed in a breath and laid her hand on the small of Sapphire's back. "Gently," she urged quietly. "I know it hurts, but you have to be patient. This man will help you, just...be kind."
The healer huffed and muttered something to himself, then instructed, "Have a seat." He gestured to a small cot tucked into the corner. "I need to collect some poultice and bandages, please wait just a moment." He glanced to Lyra. "Ah...do you-"
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I have coin, I promise you. Please, just help my friend."
He nodded and bustled away and Lyra looked up at her companion. "You should sit, really."
Sapphire scrunched his nose.
It smelled in here.
Like gross old man.
At Lyra's insistance, Sapphire wobbled over to the cot and sat down awkwardly, tail off to the side. He made sure to grab Lyra's wrist and drag her along with him, catching some part of clothing and bringing it to his face. He couldn't stand the scent here.
"I am kind," he finally growled out, inching close to her to press his forehead to her. Maybe he could illicit more touches if he played up how hurt he was. "Lyra," he said simply, looking ip to her with large golden woeful eyes, "can't you fix it?"
"Oh-" She froze in his grip, blinking down at him. Then, with a sigh, she relaxed slightly and let her hand rest on the top of his head, his face pressed into her bodice as he seemed to be scenting her skirts.
The poor thing just looked like a kicked puppy, and she didn't have the heart to scold him for his impropriety.
"Sapphire, I'm sorry," she murmured. "I don't have any medicinal skills, I can't make it better, sweet." She hardly noticed the term of endearment, speaking as she would to soothe a child. She stroked his hair, then her fingers trailed absently to the backs of his ears, giving gentle little rubs as she might have with a dog or cat.
"Here we are!" The healer returned, paused a moment when he saw their suddenly rather intimate embrace, then mumbled something about young lovers and got to work. Lyra didn't bother to correct him. "Show me your arm, lad. I'm afraid this may sting a little."
Lyra kept one hand in Sapphire's hair, stroking his scalp and ears, and offered the other to him. "Just squeeze my hand if it hurts, okay?"
Sweet?
Sapphire glanced up at her for a moment, looking curious. Then at his arm, again, looking curious. How did she know he was sweet? Did she taste him while he wasn't paying attention? He would have noticed her tongue on his wound. He flexed his fingers and looked at the puffy angry flesh. Brain going to the image of her lapping at his wound and he tucked his face closer to her bodice. Those would be, by her standards, inappropriate thoughts.
The touch to his ear earned her a quick flick of them though with his eyes closed and pressed against her, the ear flicking stopped and he just purred, no doubt vibrating his mouth against her stomach. He'd missed what the healer had said, turning to glare at him for a moment when he'd called him lad - Who was Lad? and then he held out his arm like he'd been told to.
A soft growl and he ignored Lyra's hand, curled his good arm around her and held her to his face, covering it with... Well, whatever he could press his face into of hers, waiting for the healer to do his healing business. Nose crinkling at the idea of being stitched up or bandaged. "Tell me when it's over," He grumbled into her clothing, eyes closed, breathing steady, arm at an obviously awkward angle so he would be able to be as far away as possible from the healer man.
Lyra winced, digging her fingers further into his hair. Was he...purring? Yeah, definitely purring.
She sighed and curled over him a bit, continuing to stroke his back and pet his ears and hair. "It's okay, Sapphire, it'll be quick, I promise," she murmured softly, glancing at the healer sidelong,
The old man was speeding some sort of antiseptic paste on the wound, then he pulled out a needle and thread. Lyra tried not to wince again, and without thinking she laid her hand against Sapphire's cheek to tilt his head toward her with a smile.
"You're okay. Just keep looking at me, alright?"
The healer plunged the needle into Sapphire's flesh, stitching the wound closed quickly. "I just need to bandage it," he muttered. "Change the bandaging regularly so it doesn't get infected while it's healing, okay?" he added to Lyra.
Sapphire decided that he quite liked the headpets.
Pondered on other ways to get himself hurt so that she'd keep touching his head and ears. His eyes were closed for the most part, teeth clenching at the feel of the paste. Hating how it stung, even a little bit. His ears were pinned back in his discomfort, but aside from the teeth clenching and the purring he didn't really move. His eyes flicked to Lyra when she moved his head and he let his face relax, eyes opening and looking up at her.
A little nod and every time the needle went into his flesh he winced, but keep eye contact.
She had really pretty eyes.
This human was clumsy though, Sapphire decided, looking over shoulder to the healer-man and then back at Lyra. "It will heal fine," Sapphire said briskly - not that he knew. He would lick it though... Or try to. Maybe Lyra would lick it...? He purred at the idea of having her tongue on him anywhere. A true bonding moment. He took a deep breath, eyes closed slightly before he nuzzled against her, curling his arm around her middle and leaning back finally.
"Are we done? Am I healed?"
"You're doing so well," Lyra murmured softly, stroking a thumb over Sapphire's cheek with a smile. Yes, it felt like she was comforting a child, but that was the easiest way for her to deal with this at the moment.
Poor thing didn't seem like he really knew how to get by around humans.
As the healer finished bandaging him up, Lyra passed him a few silver pieces with a nod of thanks. "Yes, sweetling, we're done," she told Sapphire absently. "You still have to be careful with that arm though, let me change the bandages every so often, but we can leave."
She tried to take a step back and realized his arm was still wrapped around her. "Um, Sapphire? You've gotta let me go now, alright?"
Did he have to?
Sapphire looked up at Lyra, not trying to hide the pout.
He'd enjoyed his hands on him far too much.
Still, he sighed and looked away, letting his good arm away. A moment to look at the bandages before he sighed and closed his eyes. "I can't protect you like this," He grumbled to himself, looking at the bandage before he looked to Lyra. His ears were pinned back and he looked to her with woeful eyes.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" Because it would be better than a roof.
"Oh... Well..." She looked down at him, biting her lip, then sighed and closed her eyes for a long moment.
"Yes. Yes, you can stay with me. I'll make you up a bed or something, okay?" She hesitated a moment, then stroked his hair again, her fingers brushed passed one pinned ear and she tapped it lightly with a small smile.
"Come on. We can get you back to the inn, then I'll come back out to finish the errands I have to run, alright?" It would probably do him good to sleep in a proper bed.
She still was rather hung up on the idea that he'd saved her in that alley. Now that things were calming down, the action he'd taken to protect her kept circling her mind. Maybe...
Maybe she shouldn't be so quick to dismiss him in three days- not because she wanted to encourage his romantic advances, but because she was starting to form a rough idea of a plan.
Wait what?
Sapphires ears perked up instantly and he blinked at her with wide eyes. Wait. "Really?" His voice was soft and he didn't quite believe it. This was great! Maybe he could try to convince her... no.no. that would be bad. Even back home a persuading was considered bad form.
When Lyra kept him it would be because she wanted to.
Not because he could do terrible things to her with his mouth.
Sapphire smiled at her, flicking his ear from when she tapped it. His arm throbbed but it paled in comparison to the excitement if getting to stay with her. "Lets go?" He smiled and moved to get up, waiting patiently for her to lead the way.
She chuckled at his eagerness and took his good arm, tucking her hand into the curve of his elbow. "Come along then."
Maaaaaybe this wasn't her best idea, but she couldn't not do it, somehow. He was just so- so... Sapphire. Helpless, but not. Sweet but a little overbearing. And lost. He seemed lost.
Damn her bleeding heart.
"Okay, see this?" She gestured to their linked arms as she led him back out onto the street. "This is typically how a gentleman escorts a lady," she explained. If he was going to be courting her, she may as well teach him how to go about it properly.
Sapphire was very lost.
Lost in Lyra's eyes. He just stared down at her while they walked, watching while she tucked her arm around his and he blinked at her and listened and... He was a gentleman? Sapphire blinked at her before giving her a little nod. Wincing when a shock of pain radiated from his wounded arm - luckily not the one she kept touching.
"I am a gentleman," He continued, giving a nod and letting her lead. Before, he'd found her living space by following her scent. Now she was with him and, well... He couldn't really remember where she stayed. "Lyra," he sighed, "Thank you," He offered her a small smile, his ears pinned back before he looked away and but, quickly looked back and kissed the top of her head.
It was an attempt at being sneaky, but the looks they got from a person or two were a little judgemental and Sapphire pulled his lips back to show his teeth.
Lyra smiled. "Yes, I suppose you are. Of a sort." Manners could be taught after all, if he was willing to learn them.
She started a bit in surprise when he kissed her head and glanced up at him, eyebrow quirked. "Sapphire..." Her eyes darted to the few passerbys who'd stared and she sighed. Honestly, she thought they were probably more scandalized by Sapphire himself than the fairly innocent kiss.
She ignored the fact that two days ago she would have considered the touch highly improper. "I'm sorry, sweet, but you can't do things like that out in public," she told him quietly. "It's...not proper, in most places."
Not proper.
Pah.
Humans and their not proper.
Did they know how babies were made?
Did it scandelize them so?
Sapphire closed his eyes for a moment as another throb of pain climbed up his arm. A soft hiss of breath and he nodded to Lyra. He could play nice. "Can I do it in private?" He said in a hushed voice, looking down at her, pain in his eyes. The talking was a nice distraction and he did enjoy seeing her blush!
She sighed and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "That...depends. On a number of factors, not least of which being-"
She glanced up to meet his eyes and her voice trailed off. "Sapphire, what hurts?" Her voice had gone from lecturing to worried in an instant. She could tell he was still in pain, but she didn't know what she could do to fix it.
"Come on, let's hurry back," she said with a small sigh. "I'll fix you up a comfortable place to rest, okay?"
Sapphire didn't know what to tell her.
What hurt? Well, plenty hurt.
Still, when he opened his mouth and looked at her with the most woeful look he could muster, the truth didn't come out. Well, it was the truth, but it was the metaphysical pain he spoke about. "It hurts that I can't put my lips on you because it's not proper." He sighed, ears down turned before he let his head droop forward and he nodded at her.
"Okay." there was a pause, "Can we rest together?"
Lyra found herself sighing yet again as she quickly led Sapphire back to the inn and tried to usher him up the stairs to her room without drawing too much attention. She was so wrapped up in this task that she couldn't find the mind space to come up with an answer for him for a good few minutes.
Finally, she huffed out a breath and murmured, "I will stay with you until you fall asleep, to make sure you get some rest. Then I have business to attend to, alright?" She decided not to comment on his kissing infatuation.
Once finally in her room, she shooed him to the bed. "You should...probably remove your shirt." His pants were staying on. "I'll have it washed while you sleep."
Sapphire followed obediently, head down, ears down. Tail droopy. He was the epitome of down trodden and woeful. He cast his big gold eyes at her occasionally before he'd sigh softly and droop his head down.
Finally they were in her abode and he reveled in the scent of her everywhere and he just wanted to roll on her bed and wrap himself in her sheets. "Business?" He said softly, looking at her wide wide eyes before doing exactly as she instructed, whipping his shirt off quickly and without protest. Sapphire was quite the specimen, his muscles were defined and the lights that bounced off his blue scales made them glitter and shiny.
He slowly handed it over and looked around, chewing on his lip gently "Where should I rest?" a moment to look around again, at the bed, "Are you sure you can't stay?"
Oh God damnit.
She should have made him keep his shirt on.
This was a horrible idea.
Doing a spectacularly poor job of attempting not to stare, Lyra bundled up his shirt and jerked her head awkwardly at the bed. "You can sleep there, for now at least." She hesitated, then let herself sink down to perch on the end of the bed with a sigh. "And I said I'd stay with you until you fell asleep, didn't I? Then I'll finish my errands. I'll be back before you even wake up."
She tried for a reassuring smile and reached out automatically. Again she hesitated, eyes flicking down to his broad chest and back up to his face quickly, a flush spreading over her face. Then she let her hand come to rest on his head, carding her fingers through his hair in what she hoped was a soothing way.
"Get some rest, Sapphire. God knows you've earned it."
Sapphire tilted his head, an ear tick-tocking before staying perked up with curiosity. Beds. He knew how those worked. Fluffy-lay-down things that didn't move. Then again, the people in cities didn't really travel their whole homes with them - ever. A baffling idea.
Obediently he crawled into the bed and lay down sideways, head propped up on a pillow and his black and blue hair fanning across it. He watched Lyra as she moved, listened to her curiously. Against his will his eyes fell closed and he forced them open, eyes bright and sharp looking.
"Can't you rest with me?" His voice was soft, finding the lay-down-thing comfy. Dreadfully comfy. His eyes were hooded while he spoke and Sapphire took in a deep breath, reaching out to catch her wrist, "Just for a bit?"
Lyra stared at his fingers gently encircling her wrist. He was so out of it she could have broken the hold easily- not that she thought she'd really need to. Strange and...froward as he was, Sapphire had been nothing but gentlemanly in terms of what she was comfortable with, once she'd explained what he could and couldn't do.
She sighed and rubbed at her face with her free hand. Well...she had said she was going to remain with him until he fell asleep. Wouldn't hurt to be a little...closer.
"Alright," she murmured, laying down beside him- on top of the covers, though she allowed him to continue holding her hand. "Just until you fall asleep, alright? But I promise I should be back before you even wake up."
Sapphire purred delightedly when Lyra finally gave in and laid down beside him.
This was good.
This meant that she was going to be his. Eventually. Maybe not today. Probably not tomorrow. Small movements though and he just gave Lyra a smile. "Do you promise to be here when I wake up?" his voice was soft and he just watched Lyra with hooded eyes, fighting off sleep. "The bed is really soft."
She smiled gently and— despite her better judgement— reached up to lay a hand against his cheek. "I promise," she murmured.
She could manage that, and it was a simple enough thing to make him happy.
Sapphire was positively beside himself with glee that his Lyra would be there when he woke up.
Surely she could just choose to leave. Sapphire would understand - he'd be heartbroken and disappointed - but he'd understand. Also he would follow her anywhere because she was his to protect and keep safe and... Sapphire drifted off quickly. Though he struggled to keep his eyes open. Ultimately, Sapphire fell asleep, breathing turning slow and calm.
Which meant that left Lyra to do her routine without a strange blue lizard man stalking her every move.
Lyra waited until she was sure he was asleep, then slipped from the bed and straightened out her rumpled clothes and hair, blushing a bit though she wasn't quite sure why.
She gathered up Sapphire's shirt and her coin purse, and moved for the door. She dropped the shirt off with the inn's washerwoman before slipping out into the street.
Lyra was good on her word, if nothing else. She was back before Sapphire woke, tuckign the few parcels she'd gone out to pick up into a corner of the room. His shirt wasn't clean yet, so she'd bought him a new one, laying it out over a chair in the far corner.
She turned and tilted her head, watching him sleep for a moment. Then, with a small sigh, she climbed into bed again, letting her head fall heavily onto the pillow.
His dreams had been cruel.
The pain from his arm leeched into his sleep had turned the beasts and monsters into man eating shadows. He'd twitched and been fitful, had woken up once of twice from pain only for the claws of sleep to pull him down again.
The dreams turned kinder though, when that scent came back and flooded his senses. The kind sweet warmth of His was back in a more solid state than just being in a room of her things. "Lyra," her name was a caress of air from his mouth and his eyes peeled open ever so slightly with immense effort. "I'm happy you're back," Sapphire's voice was a husky rumble and he sighed again, doing his best to wake up but failing immensely because he just couldn't manage to open his eyes.
Despite herself, Lyra had begun to doze a bit as she lay there. The sound of her name woke her fairly well though, she she sat up a bit to look down at Sapphire with a small, crooked smile when she realized he was still half-asleep.
"I brought you a new shirt," she told him with a wry little quirk of her lips. "Once you're properly awake you can try it on. And..." She bit her lip. She'd had some time to think, and her vague semblance of an idea had solidified into something with more clarity. Still probably a little harebrained, but her mistress had always told her those often turned out to be her best ideas.
"And I think we should talk. About our...arrangement."
Sapphire almost gasped at the kindness.
A shirt? For him? His chest warmed at the idea of the kindness presented and he sighed happily, "thank you," he grumbled again, finally able to crack an eye open, even if it was only slightly. Though, Lyra continued on and he finally opened his eyes at the dread that washed cold through him at the mention of the arrangement.
She didn't want to continue. Sapphire blinked a few times to fight off the wave of exhaustion to look at her properly, not trying to mask the clear despair and worry on his face, though pain from his wound marred his features as well.
"The arrangement was three days," Sapphire protested," there's still two left for you to decide if you want me to be yours as well."
Do not give in to the puppy eyes. Do not give in to the puppy eyes.
"Yes," Lyra replied slowly, looking away from him. Her will was strong, but the man had an uncanny ability to look like a whipped dog begging for scraps, despite his bulk. And claws. And tail. "But I was wondering how you might feel about...extending that time. With a few more...qualifications."
She took a breath, then looked back to him, working to keep her expression calm and collected. "I told you I need to be heading home to my mistress at the end of three days, so you have that long to prove that you're serious about this...courtship. Thing." Another breath. "But, considering what happened today, with those vagrants in the alley— Sapphire, you were very impressive." She tried for another small smile. "I was wondering if you might be willing to...accompany me home?"
She quickly held up a hand as soon as the words were out of her mouth. "That is not to say I am agreeing to a—a partnership. Not yet. If you come back with me, you would serve as my guard on the road. And possibly longer. That would also mean that I have more time to consider your...offer." She tilted her head at him. "Does that sound alright?"
Sapphire gave a noise that sounded like a purr and his eyes drifted closed when he realized that the news was not terrible. If anything that gave him a purpose. He was her guardian of sorts and he nodded though paused while he simply continued breathing - though it was rumbling and not unlike a large cat.
"It would be difficult at first because of my wound," Sapphire seemed almost like a normal man in his semi-asleep state. The driving urge to keep Lyra as his was subdued and if anything his mind, while tired, felt unclouded by the driving instincts to claim his own. "I would be pleased to keep you safe, Lyra. I have nothing here but you." Which was true. Sapphire had nothing and no one.
Perhaps that was what was driving the need to keep her. Sapphire simply wanted a purpose and a home. He peeled an eye open again to look at Lyra before it closed again and he lifted his wounded arm, having curled up on his side with his good arm against the bed, "You may rest against me, my scales are softer to the touch than they look," and considering a large portion of his upper torso and arms were covered in scales, that could only be a good thing.
It wasn't that late in the day, but the morning had tired Sapphire out completely as well as not having slept the night before.
"Oh, I don't think—"
Lyra paused, looking down at him, then sighed and shook her head. "This is so inappropriate," she muttered as she laid down beside him in the bed. Because despite her better impulses, the morning had rather gotten the better of her, too. Thanks to Sapphire she hadn't been injured, but the shock of the whole thing—and her determination to get her errands done while her strange companion slept—had left her feeling fuzzy and drained.
"You're allowed to touch me," she decided on a sigh as she closed her eyes, "but only where you would if we were in public, alright?" May as well start laying down some more of these ground rules if he was going to be traveling with her.
...His scales really were surprisingly soft. And warmer than she'd expected. She made an effort to keep to her own side of the bed, but there was only so much she could do with the limited amount of space. "We can't sleep too long," she murmured, already starting to drift. "I have to speak with...the innkeeper about...meals and...such..."
In public?
The tip of Sapphire's tail did a little tic-toc and he remembered how she let him hold her hand, so shifting slightly he rolled slightly to be more on his back before reaching out with his good hand to gently clasp one of her hands in his own. "Just a rest," he sighed, taking comforting in the contact.
Maybe she would let him sleep like this all the time.
It wasn't just a rest though, once he had her much smaller hand in his Sapphire was sleeping so deeply it was like he hadn't done so in ages.
Lyra could feel him dropping off, felt the way his breathing went deep and even in a way that indicated this was certainly going to be more than a nap, but by that point she was dozing herself and couldn't quite managed to wake either of them up.
She wasn't sure exactly how long they slept, but when she next opened her eyes the angle of the sunlight drifting through the inn's window indicated that it was well into sunset. She blinked blearily, then suddenly sat up with a low curse.
Hoping not to startle her companion, she laid a hand carefully on his shoulder and whispered his name. "Sapphire. I'm leaving, okay? But I'll just be downstairs, I'm not going far."
There was a few moments between waking and sleep where he was back home. He'd have to wake up for his shift soon and stand vigil, gently shoo away attentions and those who would distract him for a moment. What would happen if the fire went out? Tragedy. Discipline.
Sapphire side the sweet voice of Lyra turned his attention into a thin wire on her voice. Leaving? His eyes snapped open and his pupils turned into slits, his nostrils flared for a moment while his tired brain processed what she meant and the rest of the words.
Not leaving forever. Right. She still had use of him, still wanted to keep him around. With a little bit of effort, Sapphire sat up, moving a hand over to gently check the bandage on his arm. "I can follow you so you don't get hurt," he whispered shimmying off the bed and rolling his good shoulder, being perhaps a bit too close to her so that his hair tickled her cheek and his arm might have brushed some of her torso. Totally accidentally on purpose.
"I will even wear that," he pointed to the shirt like it was some awful piece of clothing, and then paused, "I will need help though my arm is ... painful." And then he knelt down so that if Lyra chose to, she could help clothe him. Sapphire tried not to smile at his scheming at getting her close and innocently putting her hands on him. Every little touch and gaze was like taming a beast.
"Oh, you don't have to do that," Lyra tried to protest, but he was already getting up. She bit back a sigh and told herself that she did not shiver as his arm brushed against her side. She took a small step back, trying to reestablish some semblance of propriety--not that there was anyone around who would really care, but it was the principle of the thing damnit.
"Sapphire, I've seen you wear shirts before, you're not fooling me," she laughed lightly, shaking her head when he pointed to the shirt in distaste. "You may not like them, but I'm afraid they're the social convention.
When he asked for her help dressing her instinct was to refuse. But...well, he was only hurt because he'd been protecting her, and it honestly had been a fairly nasty cut...
"Fine," she acquiesced with a sigh, gathering up the shirt and moving to help slip it on over his head, carefully threading his arms through the sleeves before she gave it a light tug to let it settle right. "Here, hold still," she ordered, taking another step into his space--and out of propriety--to tie closed the lacing at his throat.
"There." She looked up, and when her nose nearly brushed his forced herself to take two sharp steps back. "Well. Ahem. Ready then?"
Sometimes he wished this society wasn't quite so prudish. Maybe once they were out into the forest he could be more comfortable. Sapphire paused while Lyra helped him with the shirt, eyes closing and ignoring the pain moving his arm caused. It would take time to heal. Could he protect her in this state? He doubted it deeply.
That would remain his secret though.
The simple task of tying the lacing at his throat made him smile ever so slightly, his eyes drifting closed before he reached up to touch it like it was some sort of precious gift. Something that was so simple to her meant so much to him. She didn't have to tie the knot to make him more presentable, but she did.
"Thank you," he said softly, brushing the back of his hand against hers when she pulled away and he stood up and looked down at her, pushing the hair away from his face. "I'm ready, Lyra," Sapphire purred, " lead the way." His fingers itched to take her hand, a driving impulse that he resisted though is fingers twitched to do it. Then there was a rumble and he felt his stomach clench, "Ah, is there any food we can eat while we're not in the room?"
"Oh!" Lyra laughed, shaking her head at herself. "Of course, we'll eat before I talk to the innkeeper. I'm sorry, I didn't even think--when's the last time you had a proper meal?"
She moved toward the door, gesturing for him to follow, and slipped out into the hallway and then down the stairs to the main floor of the inn, which was largely taken up by a hearth set in one far wall, and something like a tavern room occupying a majority of the rest of the space.
She wrinkled her nose a bit. It wasn't exactly the nicest place she'd ever stayed, but she was the one who'd insisted on traveling discreetly. With everything happening back home...well. Best not to draw too much attention, that was all.
Of course, the massive, scaled man trailing along behind her didn't exactly help with that. Ah, well. At least he could hold his own.
"Here." She procured a table and waved politely to get the attention of one of the serving girls weaving her way through the room. "They hardly have a wide selection, will a stew serve?" she asked, turning her attention back to Sapphire.
When was the last time he had a proper meal? The question floated around in his head while he followed Lyra down to the dining room quietly, making sure to keep his tail tucked close so that he didn't accidentally knock anything to smash it into a wall. When she found a table he sat obediently, curling his tail around his foot and looking at her through his messy mop of blue hair.
"Ah, yes, of course." He nodded to her about the stew, "I ate a rabbit," Sapphire answered her question, nodding his head to upstairs indicating he'd meant to answer up there. "Do you like the food here? I've never had it." Polite dinner conversation was a thing, right?
Lyra snorted, quickly raising a hand to cover her mouth. “It’s…passable,” she chuckled after a moment, absolutely tickled by his attempts at casual conversation.
Damn. She’d taken a liking to him that was steadily growing; while not inherently bad, it certainly wasn’t a helpful impulse.
She ordered them some food before returning her attention to her companion, elbow on the table and her chin propped on her hand. “So…you’re a hunter. Or you were, back—back in wherever it is you come from?” She hoped prompting him to talk about himself might serve both to keep him distracted and also offer her some more information about her strange lost puppy.
Sapphire pondered for a moment, eating as politely as he could, careful to open his mouth an appropriately amount so he didn't startle or scare anyone. Would Lyra scream the first time she saw him like that? Would she hate him?
"I wasn't a primary hunter, no." he whispered, looking away but not elaborating further, seemingly unwilling to explain just what he did. He went quiet, continuing to eat the food and rather pleased with the taste. Sure rabbit was good but this had some interest flavours and a different texture. "What do you do?" he looked at his arm and motioned to it, "do you do... People... Fixing?" Sapphire pondered then what the word was for when people were wounded and went to a Healer for humans. People Fixing seemed right.
Lyra propped an elbow on the table—very unladylike—and rested her chin in her palm as she watched him with a bemused sort of smile.
Not a primary hunter, huh? What exactly did that mean?
She laughed quietly and shook her head at his question. "No. No, I'm not a healer. I...well." She frowned a bit, trying to think of how best to explain. "I serve as lady-in-waiting to Lady Petra Stark. That means I tend to her, ensure her household operates smoothly, occasionally take care of the less savory aspects of politics that a proper lady shouldn't be dealing with—"
She cut herself off, then laughed and shook her head again. "Never mind. It will probably be easiest for you to see for yourself when we return to Connlaoth."
(No need to pick this back up if you don't want to! I just thought it would be fun to go back and reply to these poor things I've abandoned. <3)
Lady-in-waiting. Sapphire scrunched his nose while he turned the word in his head. After the explanation he decided it wasnt a proper name at all. "None of that sounds like waiting," he commented, continueing chewing on some stale bread while they waited for their meals. It was wholly unattractive and his mouth did open too far a time or two while he did his best to discreetly remove the food from his teeth to not frighten his companion.
The rest of the bread remained uneaten, despite his hunger, and he gave it a look like it, delicious food, had betrayed him. "So, lady-in-waiting'ing is... you doing someone else's job?" He questioned, one ear flicked up and his head tilted to the side. Lyra deserved to be taken care of. Doted upon. "Perhaps you are a red here, taking care of an Opals other duties," he said under his breath, mostly to process the information in terms he fully understood.
"Do you... like it?" Idle conversation was difficult, he found and he stared down at the table.
"I...do." Lyra found herself hesitating over the affirmation, as though her mind wasn't quite caught up with her voice. "That is...Petrin and I have known each other since we were girls. She's very dear to me—I like helping her. I wish to do everything I can to support her."
There. That was true, and it didn't feel so complicated as acknowledging whether she "liked" her duties or not.
"What about you then? Your people?" she asked Sapphire with a small smile. "You said you were...a hunter? A guard? Did you enjoy that work?"
Liking your job was a foreign concept.
Sapphire frowned slightly at the table, half afraid to look up at the companion he'd attached himself to. Her question brought his blue eyes to hers and he almost sighed at her smile. She was beautiful and every time he looked at her he just wanted to scoop her into his arms and drown her in affection.
"I was a hunter, I would get food for my tribe." Enjoy it? He looked down at his hands on top of the tail and his tail gave a little flick at the end, "I don't think I did. I was good at it though - It didn't get me Chosen - but perhaps that was because of my colouring. Sapphires aren't known for being good Fathers." Which was untrue, but a lie he told himself to ease the sting, he drew his fingers over the blue scales on the backs of his hands before he looked down and away slightly.
"I could provide for you," He said sheepishly, like he hadn't been spending the time since he'd met her to convince her to keep him, "Perhaps not with... Money but with everything else."
"Sapphire." She sighed and punched the bridge of her nose. "It's not a question of you being able to provide. I'm sure you're quite competent. It's...human courtships are typically more complicated than that. Well." She huffed and sat back, folding her arms. "I suppose it is for some. I...have to consider quite a few factors when looking into...a partner."
God. There were so many things he said that hinted at a life that was so foreign to her own she couldn't even make sense of it. How could she explain this to him?