Pincer (1)

I can finally breathe as Rose’s feeding quickly ends. I can see once again. As I raise my head up, I see Rose literally shining below me. Her lips glisten with proof of our kiss. Her subtle flushed cheeks tell me she liked it.

"Woah," she whispers.

I smile. "You look beautiful."

"Ah. Thank you…"

I get off her, and by the time I'm done helping her up, her glow has faded. Her hair is glistening though, and tied into her usual ponytail braid. She had no chance to put it up. Is this what it always looks like when she is properly fed? Is that why she always looked so healthy at Valtross Manor? She had plenty of people to slowly sustain her.

We both look everywhere besides at each other. Feeling awkward from it all, I let out a small laugh. This earns me a curious glance from Rose. One that eventually turns into a full-on smile reaching her eyes. She reaches out and gently caresses my cheek.

"Do you really love me, Eve?"

I struggle to speak the truth. I feel so embarrassed that I want to crawl into a hole and die, but she doesn't let me. "It's a lot harder than that to explain. But I have to… try to face it, to not run away.” I sigh and take a moment to gather my thoughts. “I feel something for you all. And, it very well may be 'love.'"

It’s as honest as I can be, and I see a momentary fit of jealousy cross her face. It tickles me to see that emotion on her. Oh gods, I'm a horrible person.

I put my head in my hands in shame. Rose is flustered and spits out several utterances in quick succession, seemingly mistaking my reaction as something else.

"No. Please. Just, ignore everything I said okay?" I try to laugh it off and turn away, but she pulls me back to face her again.

"No one can ever replace my husband in my heart,” she says. “Not now. Not ever."

I nod. "I don't think anyone could. I don't think anyone has that right. No one can replace anyone else. I'm sorry for being stupid. Let's just go back to the camp. At this point, there is no way we're not gonna be part of a huge misunderstanding."

Once more, she doesn't let me turn around. This is really starting to get on my nerves. I wanna run away, damnit!

"But maybe one day, he could have company."

I squint my eyes. Tilting my head to the side, I ask, "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

She releases a coy giggle. “I must profess, I wouldn’t know the first thing about how such a relationship without a man would work. But you would be the teacher in such a case, yes?” Punctuating her bold statement, she gives a wink.

That completely fries my brain. Totally, utterly breaks me. What do I even say to that? I don’t even have to find out as she leans in, gives me a quick kiss, then runs off back to camp. I’ve never seen her so light on her feet.

The trek back to the camp went too fast. I had no idea what to say to the others when they inevitably questioned me. Luckily, Rose was serving food when I returned. Other than a curious glance from Abi, no one said a word. Likewise, our dinner went by as normal as any other…until Abi finally speaks.

“Okay. I can’t hold my tongue anymore. What the hell happened to you two?” Abi nearly shouts, threatening to spill her food everywhere.

Of course she can’t hold her tongue. How could she? Here I am, sitting on the ground eating my food. But Rose? She’s sitting on the tree behind me, with her legs on either side of me. Even if she isn’t specifically acting any differently, she sure as hell wouldn’t be sitting with me like this just a few hours ago. But I don’t even know what to say so I busy myself with my food.

“Well, seeing her try so hard for my sake has warmed me up to her. Is that so bad?” Rose says.

“Well, no, but come on. Dom, this is weird right?” Abi asks.

“I will not be pulled into this. I have learned in my life to simply let women be.”

“You useless, old fool.”

“Shut up, you deranged shrew,” he retorts.

“Deranged enough to kick your scrawny ass.”

“My spells would stop you long before you had a chance to swing that sword at me.”

“Wanna put that to the test?” Abi banters.

This kind of thing goes on for much longer, and it seems like I’ve been saved, for now. I look up at Rose and watch as she takes her bottle of water from her lips, offering me a smile. It warms me from the inside. What is this nonsense? It’s just a smile. If I thought about how crazy this night was, never would I have imagined bedtime would be a simple affair.

It was so much harder to get Abi to calm down when she saw Rose lying down on my blanket to sleep. Somehow, Dom saves me again though. I’m thinking he has become good at dealing with Abi.

Turning my attention to a much more immediate cause for concern, I’m greeted with Rose’s beaming face.

“I don’t mind you sleeping here but…”

“My, my. Do lovers not sleep together where you are from?”

“Rose, were you any more direct…”

“My my. You are still younger than me. I suppose I forgot about that. Ah, the indirectness of youth. But I am an old woman, and you will have to pardon my candor.”

I reach out and flick her nose. Her eyes go wide. “What is it?” I ask. “You can’t be older than thirty.”

Her eyes begin to mist. For a moment, I freak out, thinking I overshot her age and I’ve upset her. I can tell she sees I’m confused. She rubs at her eyes and apologizes, but doesn’t explain to me why my words affected her so.

She simply says, “You really are the person I remember.”

I roll to my back. She squeezes in tight and lays her head on my chest.

“Goodnight, Rose,” I whisper.

She glances over to see the other two still going at it, arguing over what warriors amongst the Knights each one thought the other would lose to. Taking this moment, Rose gives me a quick kiss on the lips.

“Goodnight Zer- I mean... Eve. I’m sorry. I shall endeavor to do better. You have just made me so giddy this night, it is as if I were but a girl again.”

I push some strands behind her ear and leave my hand tangled in her beautiful silver-white hair. Her blue eyes show the moon reflected in them. The firelight casts a dancing shadow on us. I look out to Dom and Abi, and cast a meaningful glance towards Rose. She’s rhythmically breathing now, swiftly falling asleep.

I swear tomorrow, I will save them, and end all of this.