|
Denzell pet Sloane as he looked over the view. He grew silent once more, seriousness overtaking his usually clueless mood. He hadn't noticed it and wasn't terribly affected. |
Emma blinked at Denzell again and frowned slightly when she noticed how he was again, moving to gently touch his arm. "Denzell?" She spoke up again, looking worried. "Are you alright? What's wrong?" She'd never seen him be so serious before! Why was he being so different now?
|
Sloane too grew concerned, lightly bumping his head against Denzell's chest for attention. He patted him in response absently, deaf to the noises and blind to any actions. There was something about this city... |
Emma finally stepped before Denzell, pushing up on her toes to look him in the eyes. "Denzell!" She tried to snap him out of it, grasping at his shoulders for decent balance. "Denzell, are you hungry? I'm sure they have something good to eat here!" Food always seemed to get him!
|
His eyes turned down to look at her. Still enveloped in a cloud of solemnity, he barely managed to respond with a, "M'hungry..." |
Emma pouted when the man didn't really snap out of it, huffing and walking ahead of him. She didn't like how Denzell was! What was wrong with him? She'd just go get food herself and it was up to him if he wanted to follow.
|
Denzell sat down upon the bed, still looking out the window and petting the feline. His mood was far too heavy to be swayed easily. |
Emma frowned when she found that she was sitting alone, sighing as she thought over what she'd order for dinner. She wound up getting soup, stirring it around slowly, pursing her lips a moment. She couldn't stop worrying over Denzell now though; why was he so strange? Now she was alone... though she supposed she could have gone to ask Arturo to join her. "...Well darn." She mumbled, taking a spoonful of the soup into her mouth.
|
Arturo had laid down to nap. Somehow, all the excitement of being out on something besides a mission and having freedom was exhilarating and exhausting him. He folded his hands behind his head and rested. |
Emma finished her soup alone, paying and heading outside for some fresh air to look at the water, pushing her hair back over her shoulder slowly. It was so nice out... but she was lonely. This was something she'd have loved to have shared with Aidan or Tobias at some point, but now she didn't have anyone.
Emma looked around when she thought she was being watched, frowning to herself when she realized she was being leered at by a few men outside as well--probably lonely travelers. When one man tried to advance on her, she gasped and tried to get away, taking a fast tumble into the waters with a shriek--she didn't know how deep it was but all she knew was she couldn't swim!! |
Arturo had remained unaware of what occurred as he slept in his bed. In his brief dreams, he revisited his youth. The house beside the shore, his family, and the days he would spend sailing. If he could retired instead of die upon the battlefield, he would love to return somewhere reminiscent of his hometown. Just not there. It was nothing more than a ghost town. |
Emma flailed in the water, trying to grab onto something to pull herself out, her fingers slipping over the wet surface of the ground. Her dress was hindering her moves as she tried to resurface, and the next thing she knew she was being dragged out of the water by her arm, sopping wet and coughing.
The man didn't waste much time in flopping her down onto the ground, where he'd yanked her out was fairly secluded, though not very far from the tavern her companion's were settling in. She coughed up some water as her face was covered, muffled by a hand, her hands shoving at him, trying to keep him from taking her dress off, though ideally, all he had to do was push it up. She bit his hand, throwing her head back to yell for help, crying. She felt like she was fifteen years old all over again, so weak that she couldn't shove the man off. All that training was for nothing after this change! It wasn't long before she was left laying there, tears streaking her face. Her legs closed tight and her dress was bunched up against her thighs. She had mud smeared over her face and hands, skin under her nails from clawing at him. Emma walked slowly back towards the room she shared with Denzell, though she didn't know if she wanted to go in, leaning against the wall outside of it, sliding down the wall just outside and she began crying again, hugging her knees to her chest. Why were people so horrible? |
Sloane had scratched at the door until it opened enough for him to slide his slim body through. His senses had picked up on Emma, and he trotted over to rub against her legs. His wet nose touched her hand. Nudging his head against her hand, he tried to motivate her to pet him. The cat purred and looked at her through his slanted eyes. Meanwhile, Denzell was exploring the city. There was something...something bother him. Something he had suppressed for so long, or even forgotten about his past, was coming to life. |
Emma gently pulled him into her wet body, sobbing quietly as she curled up there. "Sl-sloanee... why are people so cruel?" She whimpered, slowly picking up from the floor to go into the now empty room a moment, stripping of her wet, muddy clothes, wrapping up tight in the sheet before venturing to Arturo's room, still soaked.
She pushed the door open and moved to curl up on the bed with him, tears still streaking her dirt smeared cheeks. "Arturo..." She whispered faintly. |
Sloane trotted after Emma, meowing how he wasn't cruel. Arturo shifted some when he heard the door and Emma's voice. His eyes opened, drowsy from his nap. Sitting up, he looked at her approaching figure. "The---Emma, what happened?" |
Emma clutched at Arturo as she pushed her head down into his shoulder. "N-Nothing...nothing, just... Denzell's not in the room--I don't want to be alone, please... please don't leave me alone." She said, tears flowing down her face heavier.
|
Arturo wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back slowly. "Oh Emma..." Feeling like she didn't want to discuss the matter, he did not push it. |
Emma clutched to Arturo like she might die if she let go of him, wearing only that sheet and her sopping wet hair over her slender frame. She soon began to relax and calm down as the man rubbed her back, loosening her hold on him.
"Ar-Arturo... can I sleep in here... with you?" SHe felt safe with him, in his arms. |
Arturo nodded. "Of course...Let's get you dry and..." He noticed her bare shoulder. "Dressed first." He held on still, feeling as if she wouldn't relent on her hold quite yet. |
Emma kept her head tipped down--she could feel the ache of her jaw and lips where there were probably some light bruises beginning to show from being smothered by that hand to keep her from yelling out anymore than she had.
"I-I fell... in the water..." She whispered, not finishing what had happened after that, closing her eyes tight a moment. She understood why Danielle had cringed away at his kiss when she was Theodore... She wished she didn't though. |
"You can wear some of my clothes till your dress dries then," he offered softly, looking over her face and tousled hair with concern. Obviously it was far more than just a fall in the waters. |
Emma finally began to release her hold on Arturo when he offered her some of his clothes to wear, nodding a bit. "Thank you..." She murmured, using the backs of her hadns to try and wipe the tears and dirt away, pouting at the gentle throb in her jaw and lips as she brushed her hand over them.
|
From his pack, Arturo retrieved a well worn shirt for her. It was comfortable and soft to the touch, just what he imagined would be suitable for a girl. Returning to her, he set it down. With a rag, dipped into the water basin, he washed away some of the dirt on her face. |
Emma let him get the shirt, wincing a little when he brushed over a particular spot on her cheek that had gotten rather tender. "Ah..."
She waited until he was done washing her face off, holding the shirt tight and pulling it on over the sheet, letting it slide away as she covered up. |
He promptly apologized once she winced. To ensure the wetness wouldn't chill Emma's body, Arturo stepped back and drew the droplets moistening her skin up and away. "Would you like to sleep now?" Arturo's voice was still somewhat heavy from being awaken in the middle of his sleep. |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 09:31 AM. |