Witt Will Not Save You (Adventure and Romance)

Part 18

Maive made a move for the sword when she was sure neither Harlen or the collectors were watching. She carefully removed it from its place amongst the leather bundle, the faint shatter of the collectors masked her foot steps as she backed away from the tree that it was leaning against. She swiftly headed for that cluster of rocks she spotted earlier and crouched behind one. She slowly unsheathed the sword to reveal the marvelous reflective metal of the blade. She gazed at it in wonder, it was quiet the upgrade from her old rusty dagger. She decided that if she was to ever die at the hands of a sword, it would be an honorable death if it were a sword as beautiful as the one she held in her hand. 

Maive suddenly heard footsteps in the distance, she didn't have to guess who's they were she could tell by the pace and the sheer power of each step that it was undoubtably Harlen. This meant that he had realized that she had fled. She moved quickly but silently, she started carefully ascending the large rocks until she was well and truly above standing height. She counted the steps he was taking and peaked her head over the edge of the rock she was on and saw Harlen with his sword in hand surveying his surroundings. He looked the most on edge as she had ever seen him, she pushed her body up slowly when his back was turned. Their stood Maive up on the rock leaning down at Harlen.

"Ahem." She huffed to get his attention.

Harlen spun around and flung his head up to see her standing over him on this rock. His eyes flickered with rage, but Maive could have sworn their was a hint of relief in them as well. 

"You know you really shouldn't leave these things just lying around." She said tauntingly.

"Get down." he said sharply.

She held the sword up in front of her and smirked down at him.

"Alright you had your fun, now get down before I come up there and drag your ass down myself." He spoke with a harsh tone.

She simply ignored him as she swung the sword with one clean swipe, it hummed in the air as it sliced through a layer of fog. She admired its golden handle and the symbols trailing down it, knowing Harlen watched every movement.

"Wow" she breathed to herself before swinging it again.

Harlen begun to turn red, his eyes beamed up at her with intent, Maive noticed.

"I will come down if you agree to train me. Show me how to fight, how to wield this. . . beautiful thing." She said running a finger over the cold blade.

"Well first of all that is not yours, may I kill whoever left unattended." He added.

"And second of all you clearly can not be trusted." He said trying to keep at bay the heat rising in his throat.

No one had made his blood boil so much, in fact most people were quite afraid of him and would never dare jab and taunt at him the way Maive did. 

"I could say the same thing about you." She retorted.

His eyes fixated on every breath, every movement, and every sly, seductive smile she wore across her face. This was a dangerous game she was playing.

"Get. Down. Now." He said slowly.

"Not until you agree to teach me." She said back in the exact same tone.

Neither one daring to break their gaze from each other. It felt like minutes had passed until Harlen sucked in his breath.

"Fine." He said finally.

"And. . . I get to keep this sword." She added, again flashing him a wicked smirk.

He sucked in another breath holding his tounge, not wanting to agree to anything else but somehow at the same time wanting to give in to her wish. She arched a brow at his silence.

"Yes." He said hesitantly.

"You promise?" She said intently.

"Yes." He said still with that burning anger in his orange flecked eyes.  

Maive's face beamed with delight. She gripped the sword tightly and started a careful descent down the rock, ensuring she avoided the slippery moss. Harlen watched, holding his breath.

When she was almost at the bottom, she held the sword more firmly so that Harlen would not snatch it away the moment she hit the ground. The last incline she turned and sat at the very small edge. Harlen was already there within arms reach of her, but before he could do anything she held the blade to his chest and spoke.

"You definitely promise me." She said.

He stopped right as the tip of the blade met his jacket. He slowly lifted a hand to it as he spoke in that that low voice.

"A promise is a promise and I will not break it."

He carefully lowered the blade from himself. Maive knew that a promise was indeed a promise, and that he would keep his word because he was too self-righteous not too even if he would not enjoy it. So, she finally lowered the sword and pushed herself off the rock, but before she could object Harlen had braced his hands on her hips to ease her down. And now he stood there with her between himself and the rock, chest to chest. Maive suddenly felt herself staring up into those flecks of orange in his blazing eyes. Her lips parted as he leaned in angling his head down at her and spoke into her ear.

"Don't ever do that again."

Although he had whispered it, his low, growling voice sending a shudder through her body, he had said those words with such sharpness it took her ability to form any sort of words away. Then without even so much as a look at her he let her go and walked back over towards the collectors. A silent order for Maive to follow him, she took in a deep breath as she realized she had her back up against the rock gripping the handle of her new sword so tightly her knuckles were white. Damned him.