There was no knock at the door but Bear heard the hinge creak and turned his head to look. He had gathered enough breath to tell whomever it was to go away, but it was Lady Arianda, so he kept his growl to himself. He looked at her a moment. He swallowed hard against his aching tight throat. He turned his head away from her and let it rest on the pillow again.

Arianda stood just inside the door and leaned against it to close it... and to support herself. She'd been told but had not imagined this. Bear was lying on his stomach on the settee in his room, his new room, in her tower. His back was slashed, a piecework of deep red stripes across it.

She straightened up, squared her shoulders and swallowed to put some moisture back into her dry mouth. With as much voice as she could force out, she said, "You will be pleased to know that Master Rivello has met with... an accident." She paused to gather her voice again. "Since he has been a long time..." What word to use? Friend? Associate? Visitor? No. Move on, she thought. She took a deep breath and continued. "... we have agreed to help with the dispersal of his estate." She was weakening, still looking at him and the fact that he would not look at her. "We have taken picca into our care, as well as a few others." She finished with one last comment. "You have some idea what was found in his possession."

Without turning his head, Bear summoned the breath to ask, "How does she fair?"

Arianda's shoulders slumped again. She spoke more softly, "Bear..." She was not prepared to give him the full disclosure on the girl. It was too horrid and he was pained enough already. "Thankfully she should heal, given time. We've seen to the best for her and the others."

When the knock came, Arianda nearly jumped, even though she had called for it. She opened the door and whispered something to the servant outside. Carefully taking the items given, she bid the door be closed again then turned with basin and pitcher and cloths and such as Maxwell had tried to get Bear to accept earlier but he would have none of it.

Master Rivello had left after his need was satisfied. Maxwell saw the condition of the girl, even though the lord took great pains in trying to sneak out of the castle. Maxwell set to his tasks concerning Rivello, as only he can, then rushed down to the Dungeon to see what had become of the Bear.

Being freed from his bindings, however gently, Bear had reawakened and was shot through with all the pain that took him. He fought Maxwell and the other staff to get away. He managed to storm out of the dungeon and get to his room in Amethyst Tower before collapsing onto the settee. It was a precious few feet closer than the bed.

Bear's arms were folded up under a pillow. He draped one leg off the side to ease the tension across his back. He waited for time's healing and tried to will his deep pain away. All attempts to speak with him or help had been met with fierce refusal, so Maxwell decided it might be best to wait until Lady Arianda returned from her errands. Bear had, until now, been undisturbed for several hours.

The Lady walked to the settee cautiously, unsure how he would react to her coming closer. She gripped the edges of the basin. The burden was heavy but served to steady her has well. She knelt to set the basin and other items on the floor beside the settee. Rising again she slipped out of her brocade gown. She hadn't taken time to change her traveling attire once she was greeted with the news. After folding the gown and laying it across a chair, she returned to Bear's side in only her satin chemise. She looked over his back again and felt petty for being concerned about ruining a dress, when he had been so brutally beaten.

Bear had listened. He'd heard her shuffling about. He heard the pitcher shift with the basin as she set it down. It hurt to swallow and breathe, much more so to speak. He hadn't the energy and didn't know what to say. He had done what was asked of him. He had served her guest. He had taken picca as commanded. His failure was only after Rivello went mad. Yet suddenly he felt compelled to whisper, "I am sorry, M'Lady."

Her heart lurched. Her hand lifted to brush softly across the top of his head. Her voice was choked and heavy for him. "Bless the Moons! Dearest Bear... What could you be sorry for?"

Bear shivered to her touch. The tingling pricked more pain across his back but he could not help it. The gesture and the emotion in her voice struck him deeply. His defenses rose. "I allowed... " He swallowed and took in a measured breath. "...your property to be damaged, again."

Arianda could not help but smile at this, however weakly. She reached carefully over to his face, letting her fingers find his cheek. "And as punishment for this, you shall now allow me to tend the damage." She started to draw his hair from his shoulders and back. Both of them hissed as she discovered his bleeding had made long strands stick to his wounds. Arianda gulped. "I wish you had let Maxwell take care of this earlier."

Bear slowly turned his face back to her. His brow furrowed with pain and the moisture gathering in his eyes made it difficult for her to look at him. She felt her own tears welling up. This was not something she wanted anyone else to see, ever. As a diversion, she looked down at the basin and began unloading the pitcher and other items from it.

He watched her, though the sight of her was less than clear. "If you would rather not, M'Lady..." He didn't want to say it. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable or to have such a task, yet he wanted no touch but hers, at least not right now.

She looked back to those softened gray eyes and managed, "Nonsense." before having to bite her lip and turn her gaze down to the basin again. Her hand shook lifting the pitcher to pour the warm water into the basin. She blinked her watery eyes and a tear slipped over her cheek. Arianda managed to wipe away the drop as she pretended to brush at a stray strand of her hair. She set the pitcher back down and began to soak a cloth in the water. "You may be rather upset with me before I'm through here."

Bear grinned his half grin and she saw it out of the corner of her eye then looked at him. He simply said, "Nonsense."

Arianda wrung out the cloth yet left it still very wet. She reached to his back but before she touched him, she said. "We shall see."

He turned his head away from her again. He knew her work would show on his face and he didn't want her to see it. He hissed as Arianda carefully dabbed at dried blood to free his hair. "You know... I like your hair best when it's unbound... except in this case." He only grunted in reply. She continued until all of his long hair hung together in front of her, draped over his arm. She dropped the bloody cloth into the basin and dried her hands on another, then began to gently braid his thick raven silk.

A relaxed moan escaped him as her hands worked within his hair. It felt much better than the other tending. It was short lived though. When she had tied the braid off, she began again to dab at dried blood and cleaned around the slashes on his back. Every time he flinched or sucked in a breath at her actions, she whispered an apology but continued. She could hear his fingers flexing and grasping beneath the pillow.

Though the wounds were now clean, his back was still horrific to behold. She lay the last of several bloodied cloths into the basin. With her task complete, the weight of his injury descended upon her. She sat a moment trying to still her quickened breathing. She was sickeningly warm and flushed. Her hand smoothed over his upper arm for only a moment, then she rose and walked around the settee to the window.

Arianda's tears would be delayed no longer, but no matter, she had distance and her back was to him. She didn't know he was watching her shoulders rise and fall minutely, quickly, as she fought for control. She didn't know his weary eyes could see her satin shivering or the moonlight shining through the fabric to silhouette her shape. He wondered if she knew what a comfort it was to have her here with him, to have her tend him.

Her ragged voice muttered at the night, "Tis my fault. I handed you to him."

"No." came Bear's voice through the dimly lit room. "Surely you could not have known."

Arianda turned and hoped the shadow over her face hid the streaks of her tears. "Never... again..." Her voice was low, growling, filled with anger and force. "That demon has been handled, but none other shall ever be allowed such opportunity here." Her hand gripped the amethyst teardrop hanging against her chest. She hissed through clenched jaws, repeating the vow. "Never again."

Bear watched her turn aside and this time caught the glimmer of moonlight across her wet face. He sighed quietly. His fists flexed. But he hadn't anything to say to her that he thought would help. He could not move to comfort her as he so very much wanted to. Neither could he accept the full measure of any comfort she might give him, not in his current condition.

She went to her folded dress and fished through the brocade to find a pocket. She withdrew a pouch from it and weighed it in her hand thoughtfully. With her back turned, she slipped her free hand up as nonchalantly as possible to wipe at her face.

Her composure back in place, Arianda turned and walked to the settee. She knelt where Bear could see her. She worked the small pouch under the pillow carefully and pressed it into his hand. Bear arched a brow and searched her face. What he could see was her business like gaze upon him. She cleared her tight throat before finding her whisper. "This is the payment from Rivello." It stirred her ire again just to say his name. "It is now yours." Her hand wrapped over his fist, closed around the pouch of gold coins. Her cool blue gray eyes stayed locked on Bear's dove gray ones.

"It's more than thrice what I paid for you. I should have been suspicious when he offered such a sum." She set her jaw at the thought that she could have, should have, prevented this. "I feel that today you have earned this purse." She started to slide her hand from under the pillow again but Bear caught her wrist in his other hand. She looked down at her pale arm trapped there then back to his eyes, gone softer and violet. His voice was mostly breath. "M'Lady Arianda..."

Again her composure was slipping. She pulled at her arm, trying to release it. She did not wish to hear what he might say next. Bear held her in place a moment then let her hand slip through his. She rose to her feet and stepped back from him. She wanted to escape. He was watching her too closely. He was seeing her... HER. She shook the stray thoughts from her weary mind and squared her shoulders to resume business.

"Bear, when you are healed, I will change your duties. I want you to help with the gardens still and certainly I will have things for you to do elsewise, however, I will make you a watcher too."

He wanted to ask but merely arched a brow and listened, assuming she would explain. He watched her shadowed form move gracefully within the satin as she paced. Her hand idly toyed with her amethyst on its chain as she made the decisions even while she voiced them.

"Given any doubt at all, and there would have been with... that one..." She knew he would realize she meant Rivello. "... We shall escort guests or watch them. If need be, secretly. I will not permit this treatment. Certainly there is punishment, but destruction of property is idiocy and not at all acceptable here."

She was basically lecturing, to herself perhaps, but as he watched her, he was bolstered by her passion, especially in defense of... In mid-thought, Bear realized that she had reinforced that he was property. He'd thought there was something more or was he only hoping?

"I am certain Lady Terin will agree." Arianda continued. "There are many hidden passages in this castle. We can make it possible to covertly watch activities when a guest has reason or request for privacy. Of course," She paused and grinned. "This would apply only to areas where guests might be found, not the castle entire."

She was alight with the notion now and stepped to him again, dropping to one knee, speaking excitedly. "Maxwell already serves as watcher to some extent, though as a participant in activities. You shall too, my Bear. You will assist or stand watch or steal behind walls and protect our property." Her eyes were glittering with their warmer blue gray.

Bear grinned his half-grin. "Aye, M'Lady. I would take great pleasure in serving you this way, if it is your wish." He would take great pleasure serving her in any way, he thought. His eyes also shined, mirroring her enthusiasm and with the lingering thought of how she had said 'my Bear.' It was a small thing perhaps, but to him a much needed confirmation, that he was hers.

Arianda patted his arm and brushed a stray strand of hair back from his face. She then rose and walked over to the bed. "Now, we are both in need of rest and shall have it. I'll stay with you through the night, should you have need of anything." She lay down on his bed and drew a light cover over her. With his head turned he could see her, he could wish that he was able to join her, but barring that, at least he could fall into sleep with the sight of her. Many nights since his arrival at Double Moon, that vision had only played at his mind. Now, she was really there.

As sleep came to Lady Arianda, a little nagging thought slipped in. The Bear had money, in hand, more than enough to buy himself back from her. Would he? This was not a thought for pleasant dreaming. Nor was the image of him being lashed by a madman. Both plagued her with fitful sleep, but sleep she did.

(Next in this thread: Diversion in the Hot Spring)