Holding her hand, Darius led her through the back alleyways so they avoided the main sidewalks and streets. They quickly arrived at the smithy. Darius tried the door and found it locked. He figured it would be and slipped around to the back where he knew the back shed area would be open. During the summer hours the smaller forges and tools were set up on the benches in the open air shed. One side held the workbenches and the back wall held a variety of tools on pegs. The north side was closed off. And the two other sides had tarps that could be dropped to keep the weather out. The front remained open. This was where the forge was and there was still a great deal of heat coming from the forge.
“Stay right here.” Darius said as he disappeared into the shed. The warmth of the forge actually felt good against her face, almost making her drowsy. She didn’t get to drift away as Darius returned very quickly holding shimmering metal in his hands. Darius grabbed the poker and gave the coals a stir coaxing more light out of them as well as a few crackling sparks. A soft orange-red glow illuminated the area close about them. Vitaria came over to stand close to him so she could see the mail. Darius turned into her as he held the mail up to the light for her. Speaking in a low, subdued tone, her eyes flicked from the mail to his face. The embers burnished his cheeks and forehead with a ruddy blush of flickering reddish orange. His hair picking up the highlights of warmth. She listened intently for a while until she became fascinated by the flickering of light and shadows across his face. A shadowing of rough beard stubble removed any boyish softness from his face. Soon his voice drowned out to a low rumble, she could see his mouth moving, but wasn’t really paying much attention to what he was saying. A small breeze tickled a little more light from the forge causing a light to sparkle in his eyes like twinkling stars. His voice became comforting as she closed her eyes and for just a moment she allowed herself to slip back to when she was dressing his wound. He was just as close to her and had looked deep into her eyes for the first time. She unconsciously leaned into him, allowing his warm, masculine strength to envelope her. She could smell his soap, but it didn’t mask the male muskiness all men exude. The female side of her awakened. Any and all traces of being an archer and soldier drifted with the sparks on the night breeze.
A gentle poke in her ribs accompanied by a “Vitaria are you listening to me?” brought her quickly back to where they were; standing dangerously close to one another. She stepped slightly away from him making Darius want to kick himself for jarring her.
“Is something wrong?”
“No…I’m…nothing.” She answered as she fingered the mail and marveled at how similar it looked to her Uncle’s pattern.
“Well something’s the matter,” His gaze almost stern.
“It’s late. Probably just the night air and the fire’s warmth, I just felt sleepy.”
“Uhmmmm, If you say so.” His expression softened to her nearness and vulnerability. He had to fight the urge to reach out and pull her closer to him. He gave her a tender smile and was about to say something when something caught his attention out beyond the glow of the forge. He snapped his head about as he tried to figure out where the sound was coming from. Without much ado, Darius began pushing her back into one of the darkest areas of the shed until her back hit the wall and he pinned her there with his body. She started to struggle against him, Darius sensed she was about to scream and brought his hand up to cover her mouth, his own mouth close to her ear as he whispered harshly.
“Shhhhh! Someone’s out there. Listen!” He turned his head away from her as he looked out of the shed towards the forge. She continued to struggle in his grasp and he was beginning to lose his patience with her. His voice, low and harsh.
“Stop! I’m not trying to do anything, but save our asses. Trust me.” He released his grip on her mouth.
“Why?” Came her angry whispered retort until she heard the unmistakable snap of a twig under someone’s weight.
“It could be Jake you know.” She paused before adding, “It might be an animal.” But even she didn’t believe that. An animal would just shuffle it’s way through or would have taken off.
“No.” Darius said shaking his head, but still not turning to look at her as he continued to strain his eyes to see. “He lives the other way, as does Jenna. No reason to come this way now.”
An odd snuffling sound accompanied the cautiously approaching footsteps. A shadowy figure was just beyond the light. It was oddly shaped and the clothes were definitely something he didn’t recognize, they were too big for the body inside them. He couldn’t see a face, because the hood was pulled up over burying it deep within. Darius wanted to have a closer look and was about to pull away from Vitaria, but she grabbed a hold restraining him. “No!” came her mental whisper. “Wait.” His frame didn’t relax, but he stayed where he was. The figure also froze as if it heard her. The shrouded figure turned and headed for the shed. As if providence were watching over the two, a sudden small gusting wind dervish swirled around on top of the forge causing the coals to dance to life. The small wind devil of hot air and flaming sparks illuminated the area for just the briefest of seconds before changing direction and making a beeline for the shrouded figure. The sparks flying about like angry, fiery red bees. The light followed the sparks as it lit up the eyes within with an eerie, sick glow. They closed in a heartbeat as the stinging sparks rushed in biting and burning the face within. Arms flailed against the sudden onslaught to no avail as the sparks found their mark and the figure growled painfully. The pinwheeling arms brushed the hood back slightly revealing the rat-like profile as bony, ugly hands thrashed about. Darius made an involuntary gasp at the sight drawing the creature’s attention despite the flying sparks. Vitaria slid herself along the wall towards the corner, pulling Darius along with her. She put one hand up to his mouth hushing him as the other stayed wrapped around his waist preventing him from moving away from her. His one arm around her waist as well, pulling her into him protecting her. The next sound Darius heard came deep from within Vitaria’s chest as she growled like a large boar raccoon while stamping her heel in the dirt floor. Whatever, or whomever it was decided to stay out of the shed as it scurried away into the night. Darius managed to catch sight of the cape color. It was a deep russet brown. He turned back to face Vitaria. Her eyes locked with his, as they reflected the glow of the forge an occasional red crystal spark launched itself up into the night air from the coals as they calmed down.
Vitaria’s hand caressingly slid across his mouth to his cheek then to his shoulder before skimming slowly down his back to rest in the small of his back. She looked up into his eyes then to his mouth. Her head tilting up slightly and to one side, lips parting, inviting him to kiss her. Her breath quickening, breasts rising and falling rapidly as they brushed against his chest, bodies pinned against one another. Darius leaned into her as she used the wall behind her to support them both. Darius’ eyes flicked from her eyes down to her soft mouth. The tip of his tongue just barely coming out to wet his lips as if in anticipation of tasting something sweet before disappearing back into his mouth. Dreamlike he leaned his head down to kiss her when he stopped, tightly squeezing his eyes shut before shaking his head as if to clear it. He dropped his forehead down on her shoulder, shaking with desire, heart pounding as it never had before with a girl. He took deep breaths, his chest heaving trying to regain control of himself. With a concerted effort he planted both his hands against the wall and pushed himself away from her, walking back towards the forge.
“I’m sorry. That was not my reason for bringing you here…honestly, I really did wish to show you the chain mail that Master Finian and I created.”
His back was to Vitaria as he leaned forward and grabbed the edge of the forge. It took a moment for Vitaria to compose herself before she followed him to stand beside him. She placed her hand on his arm getting his attention.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything was to happen it would have been because I wanted it as well. You were honoring my request of respecting me. Thank you.”
A warm smile lit up his face just as the embers did, Darius turned