Glass Rose

Chapter 2A

Laera felt his hands first, warm and rough against her shoulders, quickly blending into the background of her dreams. "Get up."

"...G'morning Captain," She slurred, her eyes still shut. It had taken her a bit to recognize his voice, and once she did, she was almost certain anything he wanted from her could wait. Her body fell back into the bed, into the soft plush mattress.

"Laera. I'm not joking. Get up." The Captain's voice was barely above a whisper. His hand lightly moved down her back, tickling as he pulled her limp body from it's bed.

She stumbled up, too asleep to argue, muttering small apologies for leaning into his side. Laera prepared her eyes for the blazing sun, but she was shocked to see the castle was still dark. The Captain still had his hands on her, one around her side helping her move and the other on her wrist, keeping her close to him. If the years of maids seeing her getting dressed in the mornings and shadows constantly watching her hadn't completely drained her self-consciousness, she might have felt embarrassed by the low cut silks that dangled around her as a nightgown. However, it didn't bother her, and it seemed the Captain was too focused on the thoughts racing through his mind to care.

His thoughts were far away, contemplating, as his eyes staggered between the door, the walls, and the windows. He held onto Laera like she would turn to ashes if he blinked. The more she looked at him, the more questions raced throughout her mind.

She lightly peeled her hand from his and instead wrapped it around his wrist. Her curiosity was begging for answers, and he was the one who had them. As she squeezed his arm, he pulled her towards him, instinctively. The Captain's eyes fell back into the present, only now noticing their closeness.

Suddenly, Laera was all too aware of the his rough, freezing hands grazing over her skin, and the heavy warm air that settled in the spaces between them. His pulse was steady underneath his skin, slow and without falter, and she prayed he couldn't feel hers rising. His eyes bore into hers, a calculating gaze, as it seemed the Captain's mind was incapable of resting. Laera wondered if he felt as uncomfortable as she did. Her arms shivered, and while she was eager to discover what had happened that forced the Captain to wake her up, her groggy voice only choked out, "Where are we going?"

The Captain didn't respond, quietly taking her out the door and into the hall and breaking his stare.

His refusal to answer surged her interest.

"Where are we going?" She repeated, her tone more commanding, louder, as his grip around her getting fiercer, his movements more controlling.

Laera thrashed back, her weight falling, but he was strong, his face set in a grim expression as they moved. She could feel his hands adjusting, his hold changing, tightening and pulling and grabbing.

Her pleas grew more desperate as they went, her arms still jerking back, her body still challenging his movements, but he didn't let go. Instead he moved faster, pulling her towards him as he went. His movements were like a plan. Swift and nearly flawless with its execution. His eyes were clocking the surroundings swiftly, finding paths without stopping, and every small creak in the floorboards drew his immediate attention. She was pulling, yes, but he was pulling her back, with just enough strength to keep them from toppling. Every part of his body was sensing and reacting what happened around them. With a small sigh and a silent prayer to the Gods, Laera turned her attention to the walls, watching the windows go by and waiting for a clearing.

She sprung into action, forcing him into the wall. Wincing at the quick thud his back made, she pressed her knee into his stomach. Her hands roamed to the bricks beside his head, and she pushed off with the momentum she had left. Her feet took a few unbalanced steps back, and when she straightened herself, she found the Captain glowering at her.