The Witch and The Thief

24

Maera sighed and hung her head as she squeezed her eyes shut and softly admitted, "I've enjoyed being with you, aye... regardless of only knowing one another a short time, and under trying circumstances that most assuredly should have set me against you."

"Aye, you've had ample opportunity to witness my flaws," he replied with a frown, wondering if she'd given him some sort of backhanded compliment.

She scoffed and settled her left hand on her hip as she replied with a fair amount of sass, "Your tone implies you believe there is only a handful, but we both know you're riddled with them."

Deciding he needed to get their conversation back on track before he lost complete control of the moment, he blurted out, "I've enjoyed being with you as well." The admission felt like the biggest understatement he could have possibly uttered.

Maera had trouble catching her breath and couldn't help but wonder if she'd misheard him. "You have?" She watched Lachlan for a minute, "Is that what you've been trying to say this whole time, you like spending time with me?" T'was better than being told the opposite, but Maera still found it disappointing.

"Not exactly," he hedged.

His palms grew sweaty, and his heartbeat kicked up a notch. Why was this so damn difficult? He plucked one of the little star-shaped flowers and twirled the short stem between his finger and thumb as he tried to gather the courage to tell her how he felt.

Thoroughly exasperated, Maera threaded her fingers through her hair in irritation and cried out, "I wish you would stop with these games and get to the point if you have one." Her arms dropped to her side, and she scowled. "You're making it very difficult not to want to curse you purely out of vexation."

Since words had failed him so far, Lachlan decided he'd have to show how he felt, the only way he knew how, and pray either she would understand, or he'd gather the courage to tell her.

"My point?" Lachlan tossed the flower aside and reached for her.

However, Maera quickly stepped out of Lachlan's range and into the shelter of a shadowed alcove and put her hand out to stop him from following. She shook her head, her voice breaking as she commanded, "Don't, I can't bear it."

"Don't what, lass?"

Tears gathered in her eyes. She blamed it on the exhaustion permeating her entire being after all she'd been through. "Kiss me. T'was what you planned on doing, wasn't it?"

Adopting a calmness he didn't feel to help put her at ease, Lachlan leaned against the moss-covered wall and lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. "I thought about it... do you want me to?"

Any attempt on her part to hide her feelings or deny she very much wanted him to pull her in his arms and kiss away all her worries and fears disintegrated. She didn't have the energy to pretend anymore. The raw emotions consuming her filled her voice when she ignored his question and asked, "Why?"

Now was his moment to declare his feelings, Lachlan realized, staring at Maera. She looked fragile, as though she were made of shattered porcelain, held together by nothing more than frayed twine, and expended all her strength simply to remain standing.

"I'm not a poet," he blurted out, taking a step forward, "but when I'm with you, I wish I were."

Maera held still, barely daring to breathe as she watched him approach her with the same caution used toward a cornered, untamed beast.

"D'you remember asking what my idea of a quiet life looked like?"

She swallowed and nodded. How could she forget when his reply had wounded her heart?