Closed [The Rearing Stallion] A Life Repaired (Shiress)

[Alex Cromwell]

Season of Spring, Day 13, 513 AV

Alex pushed open the door to the Rearing Stallion, greeted once again by his most favorite of smells, blood and booze. He moved through the sea of bodies and grabbed a chair at the bar. He draped his fur coat over the chair, took out his waterskin and placed it on the bar, and tapped the bar with a couple of gold mizas, trying to get the attention of the barmaid. Then, one of the coins fell from his grasp and clattered to the floor. Alex reached down and began to pick it up, until he heard a familiar voice. "What can I get you?" Alex picked the miza up off the floor, and his mouth dropped open. It was Shiress. He had saved her from the vile Zith, and then had left her for dead in the woods by Syliras after a wolf attack had left him grievously wounded. He never thought that he would see her again, let alone alive and kicking. "Uh, excuse me." Alex said quickly as he hurriedly grabbed his cloak and waterskin. He booked it out the door, bumping into a few less than elated patrons.

Alex ran into an alley and collapsed onto the street, panting and winded. He had a million thoughts racing through his head. He had left her in the middle of the woods, battered and bleeding. How the hell had she managed to survive out there? Alex wondered if he had not done enough to try and help her when she was in pain. He wondered if she would even remember him if he mentioned who he was. He had grown some facial hair since the last time he saw her, and had gained a few scars, but other than that he didn't look much different. He cursed himself for not mentioning who he was, because she needed to know who saved her life. He mustered up his courage and started walking back to the bar.

[Shiress]

Shiress offered the pale skin stranger a polite smile as he stooped to the floor, but as he glanced up to her the shimmer of red coming from his eyes spread an expression of surprise across her face. She'd never seen such colored eyes before, or she didn't think she had. As the patron scrambled his belongings together Shiress, thinking her expression insulted him, tried to form words of apology, But before she could speak he bolted for the door and was gone. She stood staring at the door as it slowly closed. She didn't mean to insult the man with her surprise. She felt horrible in doing so. She quickly untied her apron and placed it on the bar and stepped out from behind it heading for the exit to catch the stranger and explain. She stepped quickly through the door and onto the street peering around. "He's gone" She sighed. She turned to retreat back into the tavern only to run headlong into a chest. Stepping back in a daze her eyes moved up the figure as her hand brushed fallen hair from her face. Her eyes widened locking on the red eyed stranger. "I wanted to apolo..." Her words cut short as her eyes fell deep into his. A frightening sense of familiarity came over her causing her to stumble backwards. She looked away quickly not liking the feeling that had just came over her and slowly she looked at the stranger again "I-I just wanted to apologize if I offended you. I have never seen such colored eyes before." Her words drifted off in a whisper as she quickly looked away again. "It's nice to meet you, sir. Im Shiress and I'll hope you will return for that drink." She gave the stranger a glance with a half smile curling one corner of her lips then turned to make her way to the tavern door.

[Alex Cromwell]

As Shiress began walking back to the bar, Alex reached out and took hold of her arm. The resulting contact brought back the memories of the fight and how he had chosen to leave her in the forest. He began to shake. "Shiress, do you know who I am?" Alex turned her around. He prayed that she remembered. She needed to know that he wasn't dead. Or maybe she had lost her memory completely after the attack? Alex didn't care. She needed to remember what happened and who he was, otherwise he would lose her forever.

The memories of the fight began to come back to Alex's mind. Even as he stood there in the street, trying to make Shiress remember, the wolves and the Zith were there, attacking without mercy. The howling of the wolves, the sounds of steel on bone, and the finality of him leaving her all culminated in one huge memory. She needed to know.

[Shiress]

Shiress felt strong fingers wrap around her small arm. She turned her body slowly as the stranger spoke. "Know you?" She mumbled, her green eyes studying his face. She knew she had not seen him in the city since her arrival. The only memory that failed her was...Her eyes fell away as broken visions of a large Zith, blood and pain filled her mind. Nothing in her desired for these memories to come to her fully repaired. Her eyes moved back to the mans looking deep into the glow of red coming from them. Her eyes widened. The eyes that she was looking into suddenly was looking down on her, tree's swaying behind them. With a gasp she stepped back, her gaze fell to his chest. "I-I can't...I don't know." She said with a shaky voice. She didn't want to remember this, recalling the horror that attacked her. No. It was tucked away deep inside her, hidden from her memory and there she wanted it to stay. "Im sorry, you have mistaken me for another. " She said as she turned again toward the tavern entrance.

[Alex Cromwell]

Alex pulled her closer, and pinned her against the side of the building. She had to know. There was no other reason for her not wanting to remember, besides forgetting about the Zith. " I found you, in the forest, battered and bleeding. A Zith attacked you, and I bandaged you up as best I could. I carried you as far as I could to the city, and then three wolves attacked us. I killed them, but I was wounded. I covered you with their bodies, and I left you there." Alex thought about what he had said to her as he carried her through the woods that day. Maybe it would spark her memory. "My name is Alex, a Kelvic of the Cromwell Bloodline. I have fought the clan known as the Wolf Hunters, and I have killed their leader. I was born on the field of battle to a dying mother. I was trained in the Martial Arts since I was but a pup. I am the watcher of the night, the nightmare of thieves', brigands, and killers. I am no longer the hunted, I am the hunter." He prayed that this would work.

[Shiress]

Shiress was being pulled back again by this man her back and arms pushed against the stone wall. Fear and shock fused together as the expression on her face, her eyes darted around the man looking, hoping someone would help her. She struggled to pull away, but could do nothing against his strength. Her eyes closed as he began to speak. "Please don't." She whispered tears streaming down her face. She tried to escape the mans words. She forced her face away from him hoping not to hear what he had to tell her. Found you, battered, bleeding, Zith, carried you, wolf. Every word he spoke beckoned her memory, still she struggled to push it back. "Leave me alone. You don't know me" She screamed as her body struggled harder to get free. The more she fought the harder the mans arms pushed her tiring body against the stone. With failing strength, her body gave in and sunk hard into the stone. Her face lowered and tears streamed off her cheeks. "Alex." She whimpered as her eyes slowly opened. Despite her efforts memory began to flood her mind. A familiar face looking down on her, those same eyes. Him carrying her broken body, his voice praying, strong arms wrapping around her as warm fire light bounced around a dark forest. Then came the memory of being alone, frightened and covered in cold, dead bodies of wolves. Her face slowly lifted to Alex, her tear stained eyes locking on his. "I thought you were dead." Anger began to fill her as the memory came whole. "You left me." She growled through gritted teeth. Her knee shot upward meeting his center. As his grip gave way she pushed against his chest and watched as he crumpled to the street. She couldn't move, her body still weighted by the flood of memory. Her hand covered her mouth as she turned into the wall away from Alex.

[Alex Cromwell]

Alex groaned as he gripped his stomach. Where did she learn to kick like that? Alex winced as he peeled himself up off the street. He walked over to Shiress and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I left you because I had no other choice. I would have died out there if I had not. I knew that you would be safe. You are a fighter, I felt it in you when I revived you. Please understand, I never wanted anything but to save your life." Alex hoped that Shiress would understand that not only was he trying to save her life, he had to look out for himself. "I didn't want to leave you, but if I hadn't, I would have also been one of the bodies laying in that clearing. I left you so that I could come back and find you."

Alex knew that his words were going to fall on deaf ears, so he adjusted his gear back to is rightful place, picked up his sword and knife that had fallen from his belt after Shiress had kicked him, and began to walk down the street, wishing that he had never brought back the painful memories, along with the memory of him.

[Shiress]

Shiress slowly tilted her head watching Alex as he gathered his belongings. Her first thought was to let him go, let him walk away while she attempted to collect her memory and make sense of it. She turned her body leaning her back to the wall. After several hesitations to speak she finally called out. "Alex," She stepped away from the wall and up to the kelvic placing her hands against his broad chest. "Im sorry." Her hands slid up to his shoulders as tear filled eyes found his. "Thank you, Alex" She said lowering her head to his chest.

[Alex Cromwell]

Shiress pressed against Alex, wrapping her arms around him in what Alex took to be a gesture of repentance for kicking him. He pulled her close to him and whispered in her ear. "I would never let anything happen to you." Alex was becoming light-headed, and his chest began to hurt. He was usually emotionless, but something was happening to him. He was becoming frightened by what he was feeling. Feeling any emotion was a weakness in his eyes. He had to stop this before it went any further, lest he might do something he would regret for the rest of his life. He gently pushed Shiress to arm's length and looked into her eyes. "Shiress, I know it has been weeks since you have seen me, but this cannot turn into a relationship. I am a nomad, plain and simple. You belong here in Syliras. My place is in the Wildlands. I hope you can understand." Alex leaned in an placed a small kiss upon her cheek.

Alex then gathered his gear and began walking towards the city's main gates. He needed to go out and clear his head for a few days. Hell, maybe he would even travel to one of the distant islands. He had never been on a boat before. Then, another thought struck him. What the hell am I doing? I came back just to tell her she is never going to see me again? What is wrong with me? Alex turned, looking back at where Shiress was standing. He couldn't leave her. Not now. Not after all that had been said. He started to walk to her, then he began to run.

[Shiress]

Shiress stepped back slightly confused by Alex's words. His kiss on her cheek was replaced by her hand as she watched him gather his things and walk away. Relationship? She was lost for words. Had she said something, done something that suggested she wanted a relationship while in the woods? Did he? I'm not..I don't..I cant. A relationship...? She couldn't imagine herself in a loving relationship, she couldn't imagine someone in love with her, she wasn't even sure if she knew how to love someone else. She didn't even know how to love herself. Her green eyes trailed along the road until they met Alex. Her mind was torn with memory and emotion as he stepped further away. She began to turn away back into the tavern, but hesitated when she noticed Alex looking back. She stepped out onto the road watching him as he began to walk back. Her heart pounded in her chest as he began to run. The anticipation of his reaction frightened her. This was all to much. She wanted to run, but stood in place and drew in a breath. Her hands met his chest as she spoke. "Alex, please, wait." Her voice began to quiver. "A relationship?"