writingrin

The Deposed Dilemma

"Lose her kingdom?" she smiled mirthlessly.

She didn't mind telling him, although she didn't want to think about it. Her fingers drummed on the table briefly and she looked at them. They were still ragged but they were already growing out again. They'd been perfectly manicured her whole life before now but if she had a file she figured she could probably fix them herself. She might have to look into that next. But this was just stalling...

"My biggest mistake was firing Tyrell, I think. Then again... if he'd been there maybe they just would've killed him." Still, she couldn't help thinking that if not for her pride... He would've been there to save her. It wasn't like she'd been in love with him so why hadn't she gotten over his rejection?

"I don't know how they got in. They were just suddenly there, in the middle of the night. It didn't matter what I did to fight them of or cry for help. They'd killed everyone they met on the way in." She'd seen some of the dead bodies while they were carrying her out, not even dragging but actually carrying her. She was already gagged and tied up by that point. And treated to one of many speeches about her wickedness and how unfit she was to be queen... She'd wanted to gouge their eyes out for such insolence!

"I remember being kept somewhere like a cave. Maybe a cellar. But only for a night. I kept thinking that someone would find me but there wasn't time. I have some vague memories of the trip here... There was definitely a ship. But I was so sick... And drugged... for most of it." She lost the formal pose she'd been sitting in and drew her knees to her chest and hugged them, lowering her face. The rest was pretty basic. They'd already dressed her in a peasant's dress and then they just dumped her in a foreign country with no way to live. She still didn't know why that had been their plan. Was it the plan or had something gone awry? It was still effective though. She would never make it back home. They got their wish, she may have lived but she may as well be dead.

The Deposed Dilemma

She took a breath too and turned back around. There was a little chopping left to do but once that was done she dropped things in the pot to boil, slowly, as he directed. Including the spices. Last of all the milk. She picked up the spoon she'd seen him use last time and stirred it. The cheese was already melting! She was actually COOKING!

She smiled a little and turned back to him. At his words, she paused for a second and then said, "No. It was fine." She wiped her face as if she was sweating and poured some water for both of them and even for Humphrey. She crouched on the floor to give it to him and pat his head.

"I had several hunting dogs at the castle," she said, folding her arms on top of her bent knees. "This little guy reminds me of them a lot." She patted him one more time and stood up.

The Deposed Dilemma

She was grateful she didn't have to ask for his help. But the WAY he came to her aid... She startled slightly and glanced over her shoulder questioningly. But she didn't pull away. She swallowed and nodded, trying to focus. But he was too close. She held herself away from him slightly, and yet could still feel the muscles of his chest pressed against her back. Her mind was all to happy to remind her of what he looked like with his shirt of as well. Heat crept up her face. His weighty arms encircled hers warmly. And he had his own distinct smell, too. She took a breath, finding it not an unpleasant smell...

But then she dropped the knife and pulled away, flushed. "No--Yes, yes. I've got it, Berek." She turned away but he could probably still judge how red her face was by how red her ears were! She crossed toward the fire and checked on the water. "It's boiling. Um, what do we do now?" She raised a hand to her mouth and bit her knuckle, briefly closing her eyes. She couldn't become attracted to him. She just couldn't let that happen... They were LIVING together. He was a BLACK SMITH. No matter how sweet he was, buying her roses, looking at her and touching her like she wasn't cruel or cold or ugly, OR crazy! That was the worst of it. Or the best of it. The way he simply looked at her sometimes!

The Deposed Dilemma

For being so tired, he was still very chipper. She actually liked that about him, although if she'd met him back when she was a queen.... Well it was best not to go down that line of thought, wasn't it?

When he brought the ingredients she started to get nervous. But she paid close attention. Once the water was starting to boil over the fire she took off the mittens and took up the knife. It wasn't the first knife she'd ever held, but it was far sturdier than ones used at dinner time. "So I just... chop... all of this?" she asked, looking at the spread. She picked out the cheese first and cut it up. But the potatoes... she couldn't just slice it or stab it with a fork and cut it. She had to actually hold the end with one hand? She did so very gingerly, her fingers far away from where she was trying to slice. But of course that wouldn't work, she was being to timid! The potato slid away, practically laughing at her.

The Deposed Dilemma

Ferona relaxed slightly. She took the apron and looked at it strangely. But once he put his on she copied him. It felt particularly weird but she understood it's purpose, at least.

She followed him into the kitchen and set the rose down. Her mind flashed through the cookbook but settled on her first night here.

"The stew?" she suggested. It seemed easy enough.

The Deposed Dilemma

No mention of showing her how?! And as to 'what she would come up with' well surely it would be awful?

"I'll set the house on fire," she warned him. This was one of the many fears that had cropped up while she was reading that useless cookbook. Just got a house over her head again, only to burn it down like it was under siege. Her face was seriously fretful.

The Deposed Dilemma

Proud of her, huh? That was strange. She mentally shrugged and left off petting the dog.

The truth was, she was dying to go back into town. Now that she wasn't just some street person they could all terrorize or pity. And now that her ribs were healed. She could go shopping for herself! "That sounds novel!" she said. It would definitely be better than staying here, bored, all day. But then he had to ruin it with talk of the donkey. "Oh, not the donkey!" she cried, shuddering.

But he must have thought she was cold? Come to think of it, she was a bit chilly. But soon that changed. As it warmed up, Humphrey settled nearer to Ferona and began to doze. Berek seemed tired too, laying down like that. There was something attractive about the casual pose but she looked away from it.

"I--" she started and then paused, questioning what she was about to say and why on Earth she would say it... 'I could cook something for us'? No she could NOT. What was she thinking? She twisted toward him. "Alright. But show me how to cook something too."

The Deposed Dilemma

She glanced around and then sat next to him on the cot, continually toying with the rose.

"Oh, it was fine. Before the needlework I was reading with Humphrey. And then I tried moving those rocks but the..." she waved a hand around, "the cart is too heavy." She tried to think of something less dull to say but there wasn't much. "Oh and Humphrey played catch with me for a while. Didn't youu?" she picked him up so that he was sitting on the cot between them and petted him. "What else did we do?" she was forgetting something...

The Deposed Dilemma

She was just thinking of herself, like she always did. She would look silly, especially with just the rose and not the scarf... but that wasn't even the image he'd suggested! It was just... it WAS a touchy subject!

But the moment HE began to think badly of himself her stomach twisted. She hadn't meant...

"No!" she said, reaching out for the rose and accidentally taking his hand in the process. She looked at their hands but left hers there. "Um," she faltered, something she rarely did, "No, it isn't... I'm sorry." She took the rose and slipped her hand away slowly.

She brought the rose to her face and smelled it, closing her eyes. For a just a second, the lovely smell reminded her of home... Then she kind of held it to her chest, blushing now, and thanked him.

The Deposed Dilemma

She'd been beginning to blush and so had he. Why was it so hard to make eye contact with him for very long, sometimes? So she'd looked away.

At least he appreciated the gift! She'd started out doing it because she was bored but eventually that's what it had become--a present. He didn't give her a direct, flowery compliment like she was used to but clearly liked it and thought it was well done. That pleased her.

When he began talking about her hair, she set down the dress and snatched up the scarf. She fiddled with it anxiously while he talked. But when she realized what he was getting at, she blushed. A rose to wear over her ear? She grimaced slightly at the thought. She would look too silly!