He watched me. "Everything honestly, and well, we can minimize your impact if you stay in my castle in the North." He waved to the server.
I had been in the middle of taking a drink when he replied. Spitting half of my sip across the table as I gasped, I grabbed up my napkin, trying desperately to clean up the spray. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry." I dabbed the table after hastily wiping my mouth. "But did you say... castle?" I looked to him, waiting for him to laugh as if it were a joke.
“Well it's carved inside of a cave, so if that counts? But yes." He shrugged casually. "Unless that stuff bores you, then of course I can just arrange a room for you here."
I cleared my throat, pushing the glass away from me slightly, almost in defiance so as not to embarrass myself again. "Well, I mean, who doesn't want to stay in a castle, right? But I don't want to be a burden or raise any alarms. So, it's up to you." I looked around wondering why he was even there if he had his own castle… until I recalled him claiming to own the tavern.
He smiled. "You will be fine as my guest. I would be happy with you there.” He paused when the woman arrived at the table, taking his order for several items to be wrapped to go. “It's a long walk if you are able, or I can get a carriage for you." His eyes scanned me, taking me in, almost as if I were a treat.
I adjusted in my seat, my nerves unsettling me. He really needed to stop looking at me like that. He was making it incredibly hard to stay behind my walls, guarded. Damn. I had to make a decision. Going to a castle was appealing, but I would be going with Kane. And it was his castle. None of my options came without risk. "Walk or carriage. What? Not going to offer to carry me?" I joked. "I can walk, but if you don't want to tire your royal tootsies, we can get a carriage. I'm fine either way." I bit my lower lip. "Then again, how far of a walk is it?"
"Oh, it is a long way from this town. I would of course carry you if you can handle being that close to me." He smirked and drank from his flask a bit more. "Walking for me isn't a big task. You seem rather short legged on the other hand."
I gasped. "Short legged? What..." I shook my head, not sure if I should be offended. But offended I was. "I'll do my best to keep up either way. It is your choice what mode of transportation we use."
"Well we need to shop for you along the way. You will need cold weather clothes for sure. As curvy and delightful as you are, I don't wish you to freeze," he notes blatantly.
I nodded, my smile gone. "So, I’m short legged and curvy. At least you added delightful." I audibly huffed. "I have very little money. Probably enough to pay for this meal. So, I will have to make do. And if we're going far enough to go from this warmth to a cold weather clothes climate, I doubt walking would be wise."
What smile he might have had grew with my response to him. "Oh, did I offend you? I love short women personally… and curvy. Forgive me if I caused that frown. I can cover the cost of clothes just as I’ve said I have your meal covered. We will be taking portals to travel through most of the ground, so don’t you worry your pretty little head about the distance. You will see." His smirk revealed how much he seemed to enjoy the fact that he riled me.
A slight hint of red stained my cheeks as I blushed. "Oh. You do? Sorry." Now I was doubly embarrassed. "Portals?" I was apprehensive about that, yet, once again, saw no other choice. "Well? You lead the way. But I hate to put you out even more for clothes. I really am starting to feel like a burden. Are you sure you're not just trying to clean me up to sell me off?" I half joked, pulling my bag into me once again.
"Oh, I am just trying to take you home with me first, then I might sell you." He laughed hard. "Relax a bit. If you can't tell, I can more than afford some clothes. Appreciate some Naelyraian hospitality." Kane got up and stretched. He moved his hair from in front of his blue eyes and cracked his neck as he eyed me over once more, holding his hand out to me. "Shall we?"
I swallowed hard as I stood, dropping my napkin on the table. "Okay." My eyes ran over the other patrons and the workers as I stepped around the table and up next to him, taking his hand.
I was dwarfed compared to his towering frame. A sizeable difference between us. He was tall, thick with muscles, lean, statuesque. I… short, petite, slender. Our only similarities were that our faces were both sharp in features, and we both had long hair. But even in the latter, they were opposites with him being blonde and me sporting dark brown, almost black hair.
He smirked and nodded to me as he walked us out of the tavern, taking the boxed items he’d requested as we exited. We walked around Eldercairn, and he told me about the city - a city that was made entirely of broken-down pirate ships, near what was formerly a large body of
