Chapter 5

he felt a wave of pure excitement ripple throughout her body, like the ripples created by the water that he dripped upon her. She wanted more, much more. But who was this strange man? Why did he excite her so? He made no advances towards her, and she wondered if there might be something wrong. Was she not attractive enough for him? Did the sight of her naked form not excite him as his touch did to her? Perhaps he was a holy man, but no, that cannot be, after witnessing the carnage that occurred in the inn below. "Why doesn't he just take me?" the question burned through her mind.

She opened her eyes for a moment, basking in his pampering, a smile crossed her lips as she looked at him. Her mind reeled as he spoke again, "Okay mi'lady, it's time to wash those pretty locks of yours." She felt his hand upon her head and suddenly she was under the blood tinted surface of the wash water.

Her gasp as he lifted her head above the wash water was the first sound he had heard her make since her screaming in the room below. She wiped her eyes and caught a glimpse of him. Was he smiling? She found her head back under the water. Was he attempting to kill her? Her senses peaked. He brought her head up once again. She gasped, trying to breath, furious that he would be so harsh. She wanted to tell him to stop, but before any words had a chance to form on her lips, down she went again. He was enjoying this, she was certain of it now. She felt his grasp loosen on her head, and she came up for air.

Before she opened her eyes and almost before she had finally been able to take a normal breath of air, her anger exploded. She Wiped her eyes, she fumed "What in God's name do you think you are doing?!" Her eyes opened to discover that he was standing on the other side of the room, drying his hands on a towel near the night stand "I am perfectly capable of washing myself, thank you very much!" Her words flaming from her mouth, as she watched him standing there. "He's smiling, I knew it," she thought, "He is actually enjoying this!"

"Finally," his voice boomed, "I was beginning to think you might be dead. Tis nice to see there is still fire there." He chuckled softly to himself.

She didn't know what to think. She was furious, excited, angry, and enchanted by this stranger who had chosen to care for her. She felt ashamed for having blown up at him the way she did, and she blushed instinctively. She remembered that she was naked, and immediately reached for a towel to cover her embarrassment. She stepped out of the tub, and make sure not to reveal anything subjective, but felt his warm eyes follow her every move. That tingle began to return as she continued to wrap herself. She moved to the basin to check the soaking clothes, appreciating his thoughtfulness in putting them there.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and tried to see any glimmer of what he might find attractive in her. She saw nothing. She glanced through the looking glass and saw him staring at her from where he stood. She watched as he placed the towel on the night stand and he began to take a step toward her. Her heart began to pound in her chest once more. She watched as he stopped mid stride, he paused and turned away.

"You saved my life in there," she muttered softly, "for that I am eternally grateful." She watched him through the mirror as he lifted his head to the ceiling and whispered to himself.

He faced her back once more, "I was merely doing what I felt was right mi'lady." She watched as he fumbled for the words, "I was only protecting the loveliest creature I have laid my eyes upon." His words touched her and she took a sharp breath.

"He likes me," she thought, thrilling to the notion of his hands upon her once again. She turned away from the mirror to face him. Those tingling sensations grew more within her once more and she moved toward him.