Anything...

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 19th September 2005

Characters: Verora, Meijah
Description: Verora realizes that Jerandra's arrival has tipped the balance of power between herself and Meijah even further...
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 8, day 3 of Turn 3

Verora was curled in her cloak when Meijah came into the cave that was serving as their home for the night. She'd done her best to find some sort of comfortable spot, but the ground was cold and hard, and she couldn't seem to stop her shivering. As much as she hated Meijah, she thought sometimes that she would put up with anything he did to her just for the small comfort she could find in huddling next to his warmth at night. Meijah laid down the firewood he had collected and set about building a fire. He glanced up at Verora every once in a while. "You're awful quiet."

"I'm tired," she said quietly, resisting the temptation to snap. Now that Meijah had Jerandra around, he might decide he didn't need another woman if she became too much of a burdan. The balance of power had just shifted sharply out of Verora's control, and she didn't like it one bit.

He sat down in front of the fire, staring into the flames as they leapt higher, consuming the dry fuel hungrily. "Where is Jerandra?"

It was harder to keep her voice even this time. "I don't know. I'm not her keeper."

"What's this all about?" he asked as he turned his eyes towards her. Surely, Verora couldn't be _jealous_ could she?

Verora inched closer to the fire, still shivering. "What's what all about?"

"The woman for some reasons thinks you can be useful to her and she has promised you a reward for your services should this crazy plan work. I would think you would be a bit more grateful."

"And her plans have worked so well thus far..." Verora muttered under her breath. The heat of the fire was slowly thawing frozen fingers and toes, but she couldn't help wishing Meijah would stop fiddling with it and come sit next to her. "You could leave any time. I certainly am not stopping you," he said as he pushed a log closer to the flames with another piece of wood.

She watched him for a moment, wondering if he'd already decided to do away with her. She inched a little closer to him, gripping her cloak around her with dirty hands. "I have nowhere else to go." "A fact I think you better keep in mind, my girl," he said almost testily.
Meijah knew that he would give her what she wanted eventually. He would be a fool not to take advantage of a woman desperate to please in his bed, after all. Still, it was fun to make her squirm and work for it.

For the briefest moment, her shoulders stiffened as if she'd snap a reply at him. A gust of wind cut into the cave, bringing with it the sharp smell of snow, and she slumped again. It was useless to resist. Without him she'd die in a matter of days, if not candlemarks. Meijah stood and stretched. He walked over to their sleeping area and lay down, looking perfectly content and unphased. The man could care less if Verora shared his bed or not - or at least he let it appear that way.

She hated him. It didn't stop her from standing on shaky legs and moving to lay down next to him, huddling as close as she could to try and calm her body's trembling. Some days she thought she'd give anything just to be truly _warm_ again. "You know, I've been thinking," Meijah said as she curled up next to him.
"Perhaps now that Jerandra's here we should sleep separately. You wouldn't mind finding another sleeping spot, would you?"

"Why?" she asked in a voice that bordered far too close to panic for her liking. "Well, you make it no secret that you hate me, though I don't know how I earned it since I'm only in this mess from helping you." He shrugged as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "Maybe Jerandra would be happy to share my bed? That way you wouldn't have to pretend interest in me anymore. I'm sure it would be a relief."

She shivered again, but didn't move away from him. "I never pretended interest." "Hmph," was his only reply. Inwardly, however, he was pleased. He knew he was getting to her. Not long now and she would be trying every trick at her disposal to get a rise out of him, her eyes filled with honest fear and desperation. That thought was more exciting than any touch or caress. She would be willing to do anything to prove herself to him.

Last updated on the September 19th 2005

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