Private Tales Those Fallen

[Saul Talith]

He shrugged, his face instantly becoming a mask of innocence.

"I have no idea what you're referring to or talking about." Of course that was not at all the case, but he had become quite the actor.

It was different than lying, or that's what he told himself. This was protecting his co-conspirators, not just himself. There was honor in that, duty. He would never break.

"You must be getting delirious." He insisted. "Loss of blood and alcohol to boot."

The Commander clicked his tongue. "You best get somesleep."

 

[Anastasia]

She pursed her lips, not buying it and deciding to call his bluff.

"Very well, Sir." She pushed the glass into his chest, then did a mockery attempt at a curtsy while still sitting propped on the bed.

"I shall leave to retire," came the pointed words.

She started shimming off.

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul very gently placed a hand against her, the other wrapping around the glass of wine that was now pressed against his chest. He didn't want the damn thing to spill everywhere, ruin the one good bed they'd experienced in the last four months of traveling and living.

"I don't think so." The Commander said as he pressed her back to lay down on the bed. "As your doctor I'm restricting travel."

It helped that he was stronger than her.

She could likely outpace him in a fair fight, but a contest of strength? That was his all day long. "Bed rest is what I recommend, and will enforce."

He nodded sagely.

 

[Anastasia]

She gasped, her recovering abs giving right out under the pressure.

"Oh you ass," she cursed softly, stuck there.

 

[Saul Talith]

"Doctor." He intoned.

There wasn't really much argument that she could give him anyway. Ana probably could have walked, but undoubtedly she needed to rest and relax.

The fact that the wound hadn't opened up anymore than it already had was something of a miracle, and he was more than a little surprised she felt as well as she did. The knife had missed vital organs, but it was still a knife to the abdomen.

Though perhaps that was some of his bias showing.

"Respect my medical authority." He told her. "Otherwise we'll have to have a chat about decorum."

 

[Anastasia]

"You drugged me for four days, I've had enough sleep, Doctor." And still, she did not resist it further. The sweat was still beading at her brow. A touch on her forehead would reveal a fever. She did better at hiding discomfort than true pain. And they had been breed to strong to give into injuries when they had things to do.

She shivered, abruptly realizing she was shirtless and his tunic on haphazardly covered the chest he pressed down against.

She blushed, raising a brow at him. "I want a new tunic out of this." She bargained.

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul gazed down at her, watching the goosebumps spread across her skin. He frowned for a brief moment, then reached over and grabbed one of the furry blankets that had been stashed against the wall.

The Commander supposed it had probably been made in the east somewhere, mostly because he'd never quite seen anything like it. The texture reminded him a large cats fur, he wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that. "I suppose I can spare some of my hoard."

A loud sigh escaped him, as though it would be a chore.

"The rest will be for the racing horse though." He nodded to himself.

 

[Anastasia]

She laughed, taking the blanket and tossing her tunic to the side. Best saved for scraps now. She cuddled under the blanket, shivering one more time before calming.

"Oh look, the panty stealing doctor knows generosity. Now that'll be a story for the gossips." She took back her wine, taking a slower, more appreciative sip. "Mmm, at least we've something nice tonight. S'usually watered piss."

 

[Saul Talith]

"I don't believe I've stolen your panties since we were sixteen." Saull retorted quickly, smirking at her for just a few seconds until he bounded into the next portion of their conversation.

"It's nice." He agreed quickly. "I think the Councilmen left it behind."

A gift on top of a gift he was sure. Without a word he stood for a second, grabbing the bottle from the table and bringing it back to the bed. He looked at the label, frowning for a second before he offered it to Ana.

The script on the bottle was illegible to him, a language he was not familiar with. "From the...west?"

It was a complete guess.

 

[Anastasia]

She blinked at him, but he already moved on.

She reached out, switching wine glass with bottle so she could look at it without spilling. She turned the words towards her, reading naturally. "Greener grapes farm." She double took, realizing the change in language. "I mean... what?"

The script swirled through her head, the sounds of a foreign language echoing through her like a distant dream. She abruptly felt dizzy, disoriented. "Where did you get this?" She demanded.

 

[Saul Talith]

He blinked. "The cabinet."

Saul pointed to the small shelf in the corner of the room. There were a few other bottles there, including the two that he had opened on search for something that would actually be palatable.

"The councilman must have left it." He reasoned. "Or the previous Captain."

Actual Captain, not someone like Saul. "This was a merchant ship before we got it, remember?"

From what he understood the ship had made it pretty much all over the world.

 

[Anastasia]

She stared blankly around her, confused.

"..." She handed him back the bottle, shaking her head. "Maybe you're right, Doc. I'm losing it." She pet the blanket, still looking half confused.

 

[Saul Talith]

He frowned for a moment. "Why don't you get some rest?"

Saul wasn't entirely sure what had just happened, how Ana had been able to read the label or where her reaction after came from. Either way though his skin had begun to prickle and he suspected there was more going on here than he actually understood.

Still, she had lost blood, had a bit to drink, and was perhaps over all tired.

His fingers gently brushed against her cheek.

"We can check it more tomorrow." Saul assured her quietly. "None of that is going anywhere."

 

[Anastasia]

She slowly nodded, sliding down near flat into the bed.

"...Weird," she mumbled to herself, waiting for him to join her before her before she got any more settled. Which she was clearly awaiting, not settling any further.


A discussion with any of the original others would give him hints to a past she wasn't seeming to entirely recall.


She rubbed at her face, more disoriented by the swirls images and sounds in her head, bright and strange and.. foreign

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul stripped off his own tunic, tossing it onto the table.

He'd never particularly liked sleeping with a shirt on, mostly because it ended up being somewhat itchy. Chugging down the last of the wine in his glass he placed it on the floor before gently laying himself down besides Ana.

As he did so he tucked the pillow she had tossed earlier under his head. "Not so bad, is it?"

Saul asked, trying to draw her attention back to the situation.

He had no idea what was going on in her head, but the last thing Saul wanted was for her to spiral into a mystery that had been brought on by a wine bottle. Today was a day that called for joy an celebration, nothing else.

 

[Anastasia]

"Hm?" She looked to him, following his attention. She glanced around the room, a slight smile catching at her lips. "...Yeah. Not so bad, Doc. ...Rather impressive, actually," she admitted, setting against his chest.

"You've pulled off a lot, Saul. I dunno how you do it."

 

[Saul Talith]

"All of you." There was no hint of sarcasm or joke in his voice this time.

Saul had a habit of making outlandish claims, boasting, even pushing things a tad too far, but with this? This he would always be honest.

"I couldn't have done it without all of you." Even this ship was something that had largely fallen into their hands through the work of others. Valerie, the Templar before them, the fact that they had built enough of a reputation to even be considered for an item of such value. "I just take the credit."

He smirked. "So don't tell the others."

 

[Anastasia]

She made a noise of amusement, glancing up his chest at him. "Two tunics. And new leathers," she bargained, melting comfortably into him and the luxurious bed as the wine licked over her. It never took much, the thick draw of it sweeping pleasantly over her mind, lulling her into deeper relaxation.

 

[Saul Talith]

He smiled for a brief second. "One tunic and a leather outfit."

Which was of course not the same thing as the leathers she was talking about.

A contented sigh escaped him though, a hand running through his black hair as he pulled it back. A part of him wondered what the next day would bring. Their mission...more of a campaign really, was far from over. They would have to fight more, challenge other Templar, and taken on the beliefs of others.

Still, he knew that he would be able to make it through all that.

As long as he had them, and her, by his side.

 

[Anastasia]

She crinkled her nose. "What good would that-" She whapped his chest in understanding. "Oi! I already gave you a dress. What more can you ask for?"

And a dress had been strides enough for her and her comfort level, a blush at her cheeks as she was reminding of their current position.

 

[Saul Talith]

Saul smirked at her, a hand coming gently to rest on her hip.

"Well I can think of a few things." The Commander couldn't help the mirth from flooding into his voice, suppressing a chuckle he went on. "But I don't think now is the time for that."

He gently pressed his fingers against her skin. "Maybe tomorrow."

Saul said, still not fighting the amusement in his voice.

"If you're nice to me." An even more difficult demand, really.

 

[Anastasia]

She whapped at him again, if just to hide the nerves coming out of her. She was also more skittish sober. More modest. "Tomorrow's the mission, end of story," she said with a slightly hard tone. She could distract herself, she could try to live in the moment. But even a statement like that would pulll her out of it, the nuce hanging over their heads never far from her thoughts.

 

[Saul Talith]

"You really need to stop hitting me." Saul commented dryly, noting the red marks that were beginning to appear on his chest.

In truth he had forgotten their little deal.

Lost in the moment his mind had been allowed to wander. He supposed that was exactly what Ana was afraid of, the fear that their thoughts would be the end of them and somehow bring about a horrid fate. He frowned for just a brief moment, though slipped back to a smile a moment later.

"The Mission." He agreed finally. "But not now."

He restated as he drew her fully into his arms.

 

[Anastasia]

She whapped him one last time for good measure, not fully reassured as his arms went over her. She bit her lip, feeling herself relaxing back into him, disturbed by the ache inside her chest that only grew the more she entertained this moment with him.

Gods, she didn't need him too, did she?

"You're a bad influence, Saul," she commented dryly, her arm going around him as well. "A really... really... bad... influence..." She let her heavy eyes drift close.

 

[Saul Talith]

"I disagree." He commented quietly, trying hard not to rub at his chest where she'd now struck him at least four or five times.

He'd have to make sure to wear a shirt around the others, lest they think Ana was abusing him.

A smile touched his face at the thought, his fingers tightening on her hips for just a brief moment before he forced himself to relax. He was not as tired as her, but the days events still weighed as heavily as one might think. He took deep breaths, closed his eyes and kissed the top of her forehead.

Sleep was inevitable.

A part of him regretted it, regretted the coming day, but at least they'd had the night.