Chapter 7: The Tides of Tension

Katheryn woke to the golden rays of sunlight spilling into her cottage, the warmth of the morning washing away the remnants of sleep, she stretched, groaning softly as the events of the previous night replayed in vivid detail.

Her hands flew to her face as she muffled a groan. "What in the world was that?" the embarrassment hitting her now that she was awfully sober. The whole ordeal had been ridiculous: Troy running away like a scared animal, Samo's sudden appearance, the way he had loomed over her with an intensity that left her heart racing.

She poured herself a cup of water, shaking her head in disbelief.

"First, he saves me. Then he ruins the one bit of fun I've had since getting stuck here," she huffed.

But her annoyance quickly shifted to confusion.

Why had he acted that way? She thought back to the beginning when Samo had been a quiet, steady presence, his actions protective but never overbearing.

As she chewed on a piece of bread, her frustration ebbed, replaced by a flicker of doubt, was it duty? Or... was it something more? The idea unsettled her, and she shook it off, focusing instead on the day ahead.

Her morning routine was interrupted by a sudden burst of noise outside her window, she peeked out to see villagers gathered near the road, chattering excitedly, at the center of the commotion stood Athanasi, fresh from his hunting trip.

He looked rough, his face smudged with dirt, his clothes disheveled, but he carried himself with his usual aloof confidence, a large deer and multiple foxes were strapped to the back of his horse, earning impressed murmurs from the crowd.

Katheryn rolled her eyes, turning back to her work. Trust Athanasi to make an entrance, she thought dryly.

It wasn't long before a knock came at her door. She sighed, already knowing who it would be.

Sure enough, Athanasi was leaning against the frame, a smug grin plastered across his face.

"Miss Prophet-Witch," he greeted, his tone dripping with mockery. "How's the village pet this fine morning?"

Katheryn sighed, crossing her arms. "Are you here to flaunt your latest trophies or just to be a nuisance"

Athanasi smirked, stepping inside uninvited. "You wound me, Katheryn. Can't a man check in on his favorite sorceress?"

Ignoring his playful tone, Katheryn leveled him with a flat stare. "Are you going to keep acting like an arse, or do you want to be useful for once?"

His grin faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of surprise, then he laughed, a deep, genuine sound.

"Useful, huh? Fine. Enlighten me. How can I, the village's resident arse, be of service to you?"

Katheryn arched an eyebrow, stepping past him to grab her notes from the table. "I need to gather herbs from the forest. If you're done parading your kills around, maybe you could help."

Athanasi's brow shot up in mock offense. "I just spent days in the forest, and you want me to go back already? Truly, you're merciless."

Katheryn shrugged, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Guess you're useless, then."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You've got some nerve." He studied her for a moment, his teasing demeanor softening just slightly. "Fine, I'll help. But Samo's coming too. The village head wouldn't let you go anywhere without both of us watching you."

Katheryn nodded, trying to appear nonchalant, though her heart skipped at the mention of Samo. "Fair enough," she said, turning back to her notes to hide the faint blush creeping up her cheeks. Stupid butterflies, she thought. Get it together.

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The next morning, they set out at dawn.

The forest was alive with birdsong, the air crisp and cool as the trio rode side by side, Athanasi, visibly exhausted from his hunt, slouched on his horse, his eyelids drooping, Samo, in contrast, was as rigid as ever, his dark eyes fixed ahead as he rode in silence.

Katheryn sat perched on her horse, trying to appear indifferent despite the tension lingering in the air, she felt awkward, unsure how to break the silence between them. Maybe I should've stayed home after all, she thought, fidgeting with the reins.

Hours passed as they travelled deeper into the forest, the trees growing thicker and the light slipping through the canopy above.

Katheryn's boredom mounted, and she finally guided her horse closer to Samo's, her curiosity outweighing her hesitation.

"Are you ignoring me?" she asked quietly, her voice hesitant but tinged with humor.

Samo glanced at her, his brow furrowing. "No," he replied, a little too quickly.

Katheryn smirked, tilting her head. "Then why haven't we talked at all this morning?"

He looked at her, his gaze flicking to her lips for a brief moment before he turned away. "What do you want to talk about, Katheryn?" he asked, his voice low and measured.

She felt her cheeks flush, her mind scrambling for a response. "Uh... are you married?" she blurted out, immediately regretting the question.

Behind them, Athanasi let out a loud laugh, the sound startling in the otherwise quiet forest. "Samo? Married?" he guffawed. "He's too busy being my father's dog. The poor bastard hasn't even held a woman yet!"

Katheryn's eyes widened as she glanced nervously at Samo, who grunted and rolled his eyes, clearly irritated, she bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. A virgin, huh? That's... surprising.

Turning to Athanasi, she smirked. "Based on looks, I'd think you're the one who's never laid with a woman."

His laughter stopped abruptly, and he turned to her, mock offense written all over his face. "Oh, you're going to regret that, little witch. Come here."

Katheryn grinned, sticking out her tongue before urging her horse into a faster trot. "Catch me if you can!" she called over her shoulder, her laughter ringing out as she darted ahead.

Athanasi smirked, shaking his head before spurring his horse after her, the two of them raced through the forest, their playful banter echoing between the trees.

Samo watched them from behind, his lips twitching into a faint smile despite himself. "Kids," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. Yet, he couldn't help but find their antics amusing, even endearing.

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As the morning stretched into midday, the group paused to rest near a small stream. Katheryn dismounted, stretching her legs as she took in the peaceful surroundings.

"Not bad for a morning's work," Athanasi remarked, leaning against a tree.

Katheryn rolled her eyes, brushing past him to examine some nearby plants. She had work to do, and she wasn't about to let Athanasi's antics distract her.

Samo, meanwhile, stood a short distance away, his gaze steady as he watched her. 

She knelt by the stream, her hands brushing over the leaves of a plant she recognized from her notes. As she worked, she felt Samo's presence behind her, his shadow falling over her like a protective shield.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence between them filled only by the soft rustle of leaves and the babble of the stream, Katheryn found herself glancing over her shoulder, meeting his gaze with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.

"You need anything?" she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Just wondering what plant that is.." He muttered, his face finally free from his constant scowl.

"It's mullein, it'll will be very important. " She muttered, knowing the whole village will depend on this plant.