Chapter 5: Chapter 5

What did she want from him? Was she trying to tickle something out of him?

Arin eyed Elain across the fire. Her long blond hair fell around her shoulders like a veil, her pink dress, which had looked so good on her earlier in the chapel, was dusty from the journey. Besides, she probably didn't feel good about it.

Ever since he came back with the animals he had killed, he could see how unconsciously she was constantly pulling at him. What he found most disconcerting was that she always arched to her back, sucking air sharply through her teeth when she thought no one was paying attention to her.

Arin still met her eyes over the fire.

After a few moments, she lowered her eyes and played with her fingers nervously. "Aren't you tired at all, my lord?"

Not really. Not even after dinner. He felt surprisingly awake. He was looking forward to the city tomorrow.

But if he looked at Elain, she probably didn't share his energy. She looked tired and exhausted.

"You don't have to wait for me to lie down, Elain. Go to bed if you're tired."

He meant well, but Elain looked a little offended. But immediately hid it again. She nodded reservedly and fiddled around in her surroundings to set up a place to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning I felt like I had been run over by a carriage. Besides, my husband had thrown my coat over my head while I was still asleep.

Arin didn't sleep all night. I didn't know how he did it. When I opened my eyes, he was shirtless by the glowing embers of the fire, drying his upper body with a rag. Drops of water still glistened on the ends of his hair. His whole body was evidence of hard combat training and hours of riding. As his hand ran the rag over his chest, I watched his back muscles, mesmerized. I realized with surprise how disappointed I was when Arin put his shirt back on.

While I was still trying to figure out where I was, Syman stuffed the remains of the wild boar into his mouth and babbled wildly at Arin. I doubted at first that he was really listening, but he grinned and occasionally nodded politely.

I, on the other hand, still didn't quite know where I was.

"Can we go then?" Arin so surprised me with his question that I could only stare at him in silence.

It always took me a moment to wake up to think straight.

Arin - black knight - husband. So far so good.

"Elain? Are you still asleep?" Syman laughed and nudged my shoulder.

"Let them wake up in peace. Not everyone is used to your babble in the morning. You are like a washed-up old woman."

Syman jumped up, mock offended, and performed an exaggerated bow.

"If you allow me, my lord! I'll go take care of your horse now!"

"Hurry up..." Arin grinned.

Syman disappeared.

When I tried to get up, the corset stopped me. I had to falter in the movement. The steel bars pressed against my ribs, nearly crushing my waist. That god damn thing!

Arin walked over to me and offered me his hand. "Is something wrong, my lady?"

I couldn't get a word out and just nodded.

"So brazen to lie,..." Arin remarked dryly, expressionlessly raising an eyebrow.

"It's already over. Thank you for your help, my lord."

Arin said nothing more, but didn't flinch immediately when I pulled my hand back. If I told him my corset was killing me, he might want to take it off me.

After Syman emerged from the bushes we rode on. Arin picked me up between his legs again and handed me a waterskin. While riding, he often took a sip of it and put it back in my hands. As if we've been doing this for years.

boar worry It was an overflowing city with many smells and impressions. I liked her straight away.

It smelled like bread, spices and then delicious roasted meat. As we rode past a candy stall, I saw a lot of delicacies that I wasn't familiar with. The choice in this city was hard to comprehend.

The alleys where little boys met and tossed coins made me nervous, or the worse ones, where women with provocative dresses conspicuously talked.

Such deserted streets made me suspicious. Unusual.

We stopped a little away from the fray. Arin first dismounted me, then said something to Syman, and then dismounted himself. He took some coins and handed them to me.

"Syman will accompany you, I'll be right back."

"My lord?" I raised my hand with the coins.

Arin smiled mischievously. "I don't like trusting Syman with my money."

Again he shouted something to Syman and then dragged Pocket behind him into one of the alleys. Of course, black knight. Belongs in black alleys.

"Elain! Get on your feet so we can start!"

Together with Syman we bought bread, salt and bacon. The one that cost the most. I would have preferred not to take him at all. If only because of the smell, which would attract many animals. As we rode back to our starting point, Arin emerged from an alley looking serious. It was a different one than the one he had just disappeared into.

We rode on immediately. Eberworry was already out of sight and it was getting dark when Arin finally stopped and we set up camp.

He didn't say anything about the expensive bacon. In fact, he said very little all evening.

Syman, that traitor, fell asleep first, leaving me alone with Arin in that questionable silence. He sat across from me by the fire absentmindedly sharpening a dagger. I watched him do it for a while. Every move he did seemed to have become second nature to him years ago.

The dagger itself was simple and elegant. Its handle was covered in brown leather with a blue woven strip of silk. So thin that I didn't notice it until I took a closer look at the handle.

Arin stopped suddenly and put his whetstone away.

"Elaine."

I looked up. Arin looked at me blankly, but I also saw amusement in his eyes. "If you're tired, you don't have to wait for me. Go to bed already."

I was getting offended! I didn't have to be told through the flower when it was my bedtime. "Will you send me back to bed tonight, my lord?"

My voice sounded harsher than I intended, but I liked that. I was an adult No child to be sent to bed. If he so disliked my company, he should tell me so frankly. Or go away.

Arin's gaze remained expressionless. But one eyebrow rose. Albeit hardly noticeable. "My lady? Have I offended you?"

"You haven't. I just don't want to go to bed yet." I was glad my voice sounded steady.

My father Jacob's working people liked to challenge me. They thought because I'm a woman, I would be second to them all. You had to get used to a certain appearance.

"I didn't force you into anything." His voice sounded amused as he continued to grind. That couldn't be serious!?

The Lord Knight made fun of me!?