Day Two, Dusk

After Eve killed off three rabbits and a fox, they decided to head back to her cottage so she could make him dinner as payment for the hunting lessons. Markium carried the kills in his pack and wiped his sword of blood with a damp rag.

"I don't have much in ways of food," Eve explained. "This took longer than I expected it to, I was going to start a garden behind my cottage."

"Well, maybe tomorrow before I go, I can help you with that?"

Eve stopped in her tracks, the cottage just barely in sight, and looked at him. "You're gonna leave?"

"Well, I'm headed to a village nearby called Ommaxam, maybe find a place to live there, get work, you know?"

"How far away is this village?"

"Days walk, maybe two. If we skin these rabbits, you could come with me and we could sell the pelts for you. Use the money to get you some gardening equipment."

She nodded silently and started walking on toward the cottage.

Markium had seen this kind of action before from an old girlfriend when he said he was leaving home to go to school.

"You want me to stay, don't you?" he asked.

"Well, it would be nice to have someone around to help," she explained. "I mean, I'm still pretty new at this, one of those rabbits has more holes in it than a T-shirt. But you have your plans, and I'm a stranger to you."

Markium stepped in front of her and pulled her into a new embrace, comforting and warm. "You're no stranger to me," he whispered into her hair. "You're my friend and Ommaxam isn't going anywhere. I'll stay as long as you need me."

She looked up into his eyes and smiled. "Thank you." They walked together, talking about their life back on Earth, what they did, who they knew. They sat downwind of the cottage, skinning and cleaning the animals, talking and laughing. Markium ended up starting a fire and roasting one of the rabbits over a spit. "Wish we had some barbecue sauce," he sighed, turning it slowly.

"I'll get us some water and plates," she chuckled and headed to the cottage.

She opened the door and the room was pitch black, aside from the moon shining a bleam of light that glowed on a shirtless figure next to her bed. She kept her eyes to the floor and walked into the kitchen.

"Hello, Ronim," she spoke, reaching for two plates.

"I see you made a friend, my darling," his smooth, sultry voice grew as he stepped closer.

She strained to reach the top shelf to grab the plates and felt his body pressed to back.

His smooth, muscled hand slid up her arm, just barely toughing her skin, and grabbed the plates for her. He bent his head down and whispered into her ear, "Trying to make me jealous?"

"Why would I need to make you jealous?" she asked, taking the plates from his hand. She felt his eyes follow her around the kitchen as she stacked two plates and cups, grabbed a bucket of water and headed toward the door but stopped before she went out.

"Ronim? Can I ask a favor?"

"Anything, dearest. Your wish is my command, your hearts desire will be answered." He walked up behind her and wrapped his firm arms around her waist.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you could build a small shed or something for my friend to stay in tonight?" She smiled her brightest, closed her eyes and turned to face where she thought he was standing. "I can use it for gardening after he leaves."

She felt his hand slide from his waist, hook on the back neckline of her dress and slip it off her shoulder, placing light, soft kisses down her neck and toward her shoulder blade. "I supposed I can do that," he whispered against her skin. "As long as he stays out there." With those words, he placed a firm kiss on her back and she felt a warmth spread through her body, a burning sensation under his lips and hands. She gasped suddenly, almost dropping the bucket of water. The warmth engulfed her whole body as his touch slowly vanished.

She shook the feeling of his touch and strode toward Markium, the fire and their cooked dinner.

He looked up to announce the finished rabbit but froze at the sight of her pale skin shining in the light of the fire.

"How's the rabbit?" she asked setting the bucket down, dipping a wooden cup in and handing him some water.

"It's beautiful," he whispered, not taking his eyes off her.

She sat next to him and took a drink herself. "I've never had rabbit, is it any good?"

He tore a few pieces off, set them on a plate and took an empty one for himself. "Try it, I think you'll like it."

She took a bite of the meat and it fell apart like dark meat chicken, moist and delicious, something she would definitely enjoy again.

They ate, talked, laughed, until the rabbit was just bones and the fire was dead. Markium took the bones and buried them by the forest edge while Eve cleaned the dishes and doused the embers with the rest of the water. They walked back in the glow of the moon to see a shed close to the stream.

"I don't remember seeing that," Markium speculated.

"Must've been the angle when we walked up before," she answered. "We were both hungry and tired. Now we're just tired."

He opened the door and saw a cot with pillow and blanket in the corner and one wall lined with shelves.

"Garden shed?" he asked.

She smiled nervously and shifted the bucket to another hand. "I hope you'll be comfortable, and if you need anything I'll be inside." She wrapped her free arm around his neck and pulled him into a hug. "Good night, and thank you for helping me today." She kissed his cheek softly and went into her cottage, but some part of her imagination thought she heard Markium say, "Good night, princess."

Closing the door behind her, she slipped the dress over her head, looked down at her linen slip, mud and blood covered limbs and thought of following the stream and see if there is a lagoon near to bathe in. 'I'll try tomorrow after gardening,' she's thought and crawled into her bed.

She felt the wall behind her and moved forward slightly but they walk seemed to move forward with her. She reached a hand back and felt a muscular abdomen of a large man. She closed her eyes and sighed, "Hello, Ronim."

He didn't answer but rolled her over to face him. She kept her eyes closed, allowing him to move her. He moved her hands from by her side, one in his chest to feel his porcelain pectorals, the between his neck and the pillow, feeling the silk of his hair tangle in her fingers. She sighed contently and whispered, "Ronim, why are you helping me?"

He put a finger to her lips and shushed her quietly. "Sleep, my dearest," he whispered and kissed her forehead. A sudden rush of warmth and calm filled her until she fell asleep with the last thing she heard was, "Because I can help you, my darling. Because I can."