Private Tales Those Fallen

[Anastasia]

She trembled slightly in distress, it moving through her body in a soft wave before dispersing.

She looked up at him, her expression still wavering. "One night. I'll give you. One night. But tomorrow-- It's all hands on the mission. And if for a moment, just a moment I end up distracting you. That's it. We have to stop. I'll remove myself if I have to, i won't be a dangerous factor for our people. Especially now."

 

[Saul Talith]

"Okay." He nodded, smiling just slightly.

She was right in a way.

There was a time for...this, and then there was a time for the mission. Saul would have to remember that. He would have to cut his life in two. He thought that he could do that, he thought that he could focus and bring himself to the right state of mind. It would be hard but...

It would be worth it.

His hand reached out for hers, fingers wrapping and gently tightening around her palm. "I promise."

He squeezed.

"Nothing will happen." Saul sounded confident, so self assured that it would have been hard for anyone to doubt him.

 

[Anastasia]

She started down that confidence, it's presence always something that soothed her. It's quantity never uncalled for and its existence always proving true.

He had never led her astray before. So as she looked him in the eye and felt the weight of his words on her shoulder ... She relaxed a little, nodding.

She squeezed his hand back, leaning forward and resting her weight against him in a type of hug. She shivered against him again, a dull ache leeching back through her.

"Okay. But.... tonight... can we just... sleep?" She asked softly, minutely worried he would be expecting more.

 

[Saul Talith]

For a few seconds he just sat there and smiled, fingers squeezing her palm.

"As long as we're together." That was really his only demand. Saul didn't need anything else, not at the moment. The Stakes were already high enough, and right now there was a part of him that just wanted to sleep for the next week.

The tension that had fallen over the two of them, the weight of the other Templar's expectations, all of it had been pressing down on him like a ton of bricks.

Some of it was good, it forced him forward, but smaller parts weighed far too heavily upon his shoulders.

"We'll stay in herethough." Saul said with a smile. "I don't need Edwin winking at me and nudging me half the night."

 

[Anastasia]

She laughed against him, wincing and putting a hand on her stomach as she did so. A spec of a blood stain began to form on her tunic, seeping out from the leathers underneath.

She grimaced, pulling back. "Just the stitches," she reassured, glancing once and pressing firmly. "I will-" she grunted, standing. "Go get fresh supplies ... and maybe you can pour some wine for us.

 

[Saul Talith]

He glanced down at the wound with no small amount of concern, frowning slightly for just a few seconds before he offered her a quick nod.

"I can do that." He was pretty sure that the liquor cabinet still had something in it. Perhaps a small gift from the Councilman who had actually gifted them this ship in the first place. He was still somewhat surprised that had actually worked out in the end.

Slowly, Saul stood.

"I'll pour only the finest." His hand squeezed hers again. "I am the Captain after all."

 

[Anastasia]

Ana smiled tightly, squeezing his hand and stepping out. The door closed behind her with a soft click, the chilly ocean air washing over her, clearing her mind.

She slowly shook her head at herself, unsure if she even approved. But one night. They had all given each other one night before, she reminded herself. There was no harm in just ... one night.

She set out for one of the girls. She nearly had one of them help her with the dressings, but as she stumbled into the warm, mirthful state of Templar below ... she kept her needs to herself.

She fetched Leone's kit and tucked it under her arm, passing off congratulatory smiles before reentering the night above deck and slipping silently back into Saul's cabin.

She locked the door behind her, sweat beading on her brow.

 

[Saul Talith]

Two cups of wine already sat on the center table, the bottle resting besides it.

Saul knew next to nothing about Wine...or really any other kind of liquor truth be told. It wasn't something that he had been taught about in school, and most certainly wasn't something that had interested him all that much. He'd tried his best though, and if Ana checked she would find he had opened two or three other bottles before finding one he liked.

It was the effort that counted, not the wasted wine.

He smiled as she entered the room again, though immediately frowned as he noted the spot of crimson that clung to her side. "Do you need help with that?"

Saul didn't exactly have the steadiest hands when it came to this kind of work, but he was good enough compared to some of the others. Certainly better than Ana doing it herself.

 

[Anastasia]

Her gaze tore from the classes of wine back down her side. She grimaced, having forgotten about it for an ever slight moment. "Sure," she agreed, passing off the kit as she moved for the drink. She brought it to her lips with a hand that was slowly growing shaky, the adrenaline from the night leaving her.

"...Hm," she murmured appreciatively, taking it with her to the bed.

"I'm afraid I uh... ruined this tunic." She looked at all the gold on the table, finding it odd how abruptly wealthy they were now. "But I guess that won't be an issue now, will it?"

 

[Saul Talith]

"What do you mean?" He glanced over to the gold. "Oh."

Saul smiled slightly, grabbing the medical kit from her and waiting for her to take off her tunic. "No no, that's all mine Ana."

It of course was not, but it was funnier this way.

"Most of that is going to be spent on buying the fastest race horse I can buy." He nodded to himself as he unlatched the small metal piece on the front of the kit.

The thing wasn't exactly stocked with the best equipment, but it would do.

 

[Anastasia]

She rolled her eyes at him, placing down the glass and gingerly removing the cloth. Underneath it was her leathers, strapped down against her bare skin itself. The blood oozed out of the hole left by the dagger, stained gaze covering the wound under it.

"I'd love to see that. Give Edwin an excuse to throw you off the ship like you know he keeps wanting to do." The playful glint was clear in the man's eyes every time Saul stepped near the edge.

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul reached out gently and began to unstrap the leather armor, if only because if he was to replace the gauze properly he needed them gone.

"Edwin?" The Commander said with a scoff. "I can run circles around him."

That wasn't exactly true. When it came to skill with a blade he and Edwin were about equally matched. He was of course better at anti-magic, but blade to blade they were on par. It had lead to a small rivalry between himself and his right hand, a friendly competition where they sought to best one another. "Everyone knows it."

Saul continued on as he pulled the leathers away and grabbed one of the small scissors to cut away the gauze.

 

[Anastasia]

She bit her lips as he worked at the leathers, reaching to drag the tunic over her chest as the leathers clicked to the ground. Not even a chemise had spared to cover her skin under it, their only belongings what they had on their backs. She self-consciously clutched the tunic to her chest, glancing down at the red that coated her stomach.

"Yup," she grimaced. "Pulled the stitches." A bit expected after killing three Templars single-handedly. "It's fine just- ointment. Fresh guaze."

She grabbed the wine and took a heavy draft, ignoring the heavy sting of fresh air on it.

"Maybe," she admitted to the previous conservation. "Question might be-- who can swim better?"

 

[Saul Talith]

"Me, obviously." Saul stated plainly, glancing down at the wound with a frown.

Before he grabbed the kit he would need for the stitches he reached over to the edge of the bed and grabbed a tunic he had placed there a little while ago. There was a loud rip as he tore the cloth into strip, and then he stood to walk over to the liquor cabinet.

From it he pulled some sort of spirit he didn't recognize, though it's smell was enough to tip him off to the fact that it would work well here. "Running, swimming, fighting."

Saul said as he poured some of the liquor on the new made rag and glanced at her, giving her a second to ready herself before he began to clean the wound.

"Everyone knows I best him in everything." He dabbed at the wound gently. "I just lose sometimes so he feels better about himself."

 

[Anastasia]

She cried out, she couldn't help it. The alcohol slipped into the places the cauterizing had failed, starving off infection and effectively making her feel like she was being tortured.

Ever a wimp.... she made up for it on the battlefield.

He could count himself lucky she didn't sock him, though the desire was there as she tossed her head back and hissed at each touch. "I said ointment!" She snapped at him.

 

[Saul Talith]

"That comes after!" Saul insisted, grumbling quietly.

The Ointment stopped infection from coming in, it did not stop what was already there. Not really anyway. She had been running around like this for who knew how long, likely since they'd gotten to the bank.

Better to be safe than sorry. Tossing the rag to the side Saul shifted slightly, getting out the small jar of ointment.

"Relax." He told her quietly, dabbing his finger in the odd green waxy substance. "You'll be fine."

With a gentle dab he applied the ointment.

 

[Anastasia]

She whimpered at each touch, though in truth the real pain was gone. She just hated it.

"Hope Edwin shoves you overboard," she grumbled. "I'll help in-- just woosh. You cry like a baby in cold water."

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul let out a 'pffft' then took his finger away and picked up the small needle and thread.

"Hold your breath." The Commander told her, one hand gently resting against her stomach so that he could make sure she wouldn't lurch away when he went to sow up the wound.

He'd never quite liked doing this. It was an odd sensation, stabbing someone with a needle. A strange hangup for someone in his position to have, but it was why he hadn't joined the medical corps. Too strange.

Waiting just half a second longer, Saul quickly began to stitch up the broken wound.

 

[Anastasia]

Much cursing pursued, though in the end the damage was righted and Saul's face escaped undamaged. Though threats had been made.

She laid there afterwards, panting and covered in sweat, more from distress than anything. "I'm going to vomit on your pillow for that." She tossed the one she had been clutching at him. "I said ointment."

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul caught the pillow effortlessly, snatching it from the air just before it hit his face. In his other hand he'd still been holding the needle, and for a brief thought his mind wandered to what might have happened had he stabbed himself with the damned thing.

"You need to clean a wound." The Commander insisted.

In all fairness he could probably have just used water and a rag...but he had wanted to make sure there was no chance of infection what so ever.

If only because he didn't want Ana getting even more sick. "You'll thank me when you're not turning green."

The Commander said as he cleaned off the needle and returned everything to the small medkit.

"Unlike some I listen to instructions." Sometimes anyway.

 

[Anastasia]

She groaned and crawled further up the bed,half clutching the tunic to herself as she did so. "Bullshit. I remember that time in Carsdi, everyone does."

Saul had gotten hurt himself. A rare event all the same, but it happened. The commander at the time, the one he would come to replace, and left to deal with the threat on his own. Saul and Ana had been given a firm order to stay there, stand down, and rest.

Did Saul listen? No. ... Did it save the commander's ass though?

Yes.

"The wine." She made a grabbing motion towards him, eager for the numbing effects. Wimp.

 

[Saul Talith]

"Well when they're good instructions." He grumbled quietly as he stood from the bed and grabbed the Wine on the table.

Half a second later he returned with the glass.

"There." He told her. "You'll be fine."

The wine was quite good, though he suspected Ana's reasons for wanting it had nothing to do with the flavor. She'd never done well with this sort of thing, ironic considering she was the best fighter of them all. "You're lucky it wasn't Berrick stitching you up."

Compare to that giant Saul's hands were almost dainty.

 

[Anastasia]

She crinkled her nose at Saul. There had been a reason for her liaisons with Berrick, and while the size of his hands and been nice for nightly passions or smithings... stitching ... not so much.

"Berrick would have listened when I just asked for ointment. Ialsobethewouldn'thavedruggedme," she grumbled into the wine glass, drinking deeply. It did taste nice, she could appreciate that. And laying in a bed with the day's task behind her, it did a lot to ease her as well, the rest be damned.

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul glanced down at her. "Sorry what was that?"

The Commander plopped himself down on the bed.

It was a surprisingly comfortable mattress, not something he would have expected to find on a ship. Granted this room belonged to the Captain of the vessel, but still. He would have said it was more comfortable than his bed back in the Compound.

"You'll have to speak up." Saul said leaning over slightly.

 

[Anastasia]

She narrowed her eyes at him over the glass, slowly lowering it from her lips. "Three words," she threatened softly.

"Lord. Commander's. Underwear."

How they had ended up in the flag pole when they were young, not many knew. Well. Besides her. And damn had it been good black mail against Saul growing up.