hawkeyekate | (no subject)

As her cries grow quieter, he starts to sing a lullaby about a Princess finding her way home.

She closed her eyes, and relaxed against him. Using the music to help control her thoughts and her breathing. She started to hum a counter melody.

So he sings, changing the song over time though the worry keeps eating at him.

She hummed a little longer, and her voice faded out.

She finally said, "Xaldin's going to stay away from my teammates and I. Good thing. I wanted to help, but I don't care now. If he fades, that's on him."

Xaldin, full of arrogance and pride like a Sheriff's man but without even hate behind him.

His grip on her tightens and fire flashes in his eyes as he searches for words.

Kate tightened her grip on Will.

"Will. Don't. This is why I didn't want to tell you in the bar. He's a waste of air. He's nothing. Literally. Let him stay that way if he wants."

"'e 'urt ye."

The words are sharp.

Kate considered her words before she admitted.

"He grabbed me. For a moment, and let go when I attacked him." She then frowned, "He let me punch and kick him, slashed him with my sword, and stabbed his foot."

Will's quiet but the anger hasn't left his voice,

"Aye an 'e'll say that 'e did na wrong an let ye 'urt 'im so tis all fine. Doesna work like that."

"I had offer to spar with him, and he said that wasn't enough. That I had to hurt him just short of torture for it to work. Or there was one other way, then grabbed me, and asked if I'd be intimate with him." Disgusted expression crossed her face.

Kate snorted, "Now the whole reason he was embracing Billy like that and sticking his tongue down his throat makes more sense. And Billy told me that Xaldin was 'playing nice' because he asked first and didn't just take. Starting to wonder if any of them are worth bothering with."

"Why'd 'e accept the offer if 'e knew sparrin' wouldna be 'nough? Sounds like we're all just toys for 'im, way to get what 'e needs."

"It is, he needs to use something, including people to exist. No better than some parasite or vampire."

She shook her head, "He accepted my help, but not the sparring part. That's when he said it wasn't enough."

"Should 'ave been clear what that 'elp meant. Seems there's a way 'e prefers to get that aid an that is ne'er right. I dinna care if 'e's na 'eart, 'e's a fargin' brain!"

"I know, but Will? Don't go after him. I saw him use his six lances to attack a target at once and it exploded on impact. He's on his own to not disappear. Let him."

There's a long and complicated moment before he answers, his voice harsh,

"Willna, but only for ye."

"I don't want to lose you. Not because of some parasitic worthless bit of air."

She hugged him again.

"If he hurts Billy again, then? If we have to get an army to take him down, we will."

"Aye."

He holds her tight, running out of words and ways to not go and hurt something.

Kate stroked his cheek.

"Stay with me. Please."

She hugged him tighter, and then kissed him with passion and desperation.

So he kisses her back, letting the way he holds her be his answer.

Her arms looped tightly around his neck, and she continued kissing him back.

In time he has to breath and rests his forehead against hers, the anger and fire is still there but banked for a moment,

"Lord, Kate, dinna wish to see ye 'urt."

"I know, I don't want you hurt either."

She then added, "Save that fire for the Sheriff and his men, you'll need it then."

"Aye. Do ye wish to eat yet?"

His hand gets lost in her hair as he kisses the last of her tears on her face.

She shook her head, "Not that hungry." She settled against him again.

"Rest if ye can then. Na one will be comin' this way."

The rain can be heard pattering on the cottage roof above them as he snuggles her into his arms.