"There are very few things in this life that you don't have a choice in. And those things are not asked."
The room grew quiet, as both Zeven and Christopher locked eyes. Neither of them ready to give in. After a long silence, Zeven released her with a cold motion. He reached down into his boot and pulled out a dagger. She recognized the blade. It was the one that he used to call the truce.
He threw the dagger down at Chris's feet, without breaking eye contact. "Do what you want. Agree to the truce, attempt to slit my throat, run away to your father, the choice is yours. But mark my words, touch someone I care about again and I will call off everything and take great pleasure in you, and your kingdom's destruction."
With that he turned on his heel and left.
Zeven went back downstairs to where he left Brennan.
He hadn't moved much since the last time, but now Gunter stood beside him applying bandages to his injuries. Mae was going to lecture both of them after seeing her brother wrapped like a mummy.
"Do you think you can make it home tonight? Or should I let Mae know you'll be here for a while?" Brennan grunted, looking up and seeing Zeven leaning on the wall across from him. "I'd better go. It's not a good idea for me to stay." Gunter stepped out of Brennan's way as he made it to a standing position. He swayed slightly before steadying himself on the countertop.
"There's no way he's going to make it home on his own, you'd best go with him Gunter." Zeven tilted his head toward Brennan. Gunter nodded silently in agreement before coming to Brennan's side and carefully wrapping his arm around his waist.
Zeven watched as the two of them slowly shuffled out of the room and then out of the front door. So much had happened in a short amount of time. He looked back on the day's events, but found that he wasn't angry so much as apathetic. Suddenly a wave of tiredness swept over him. Doubting he'd still be tired by the time he walked up to his room, he took a seat at the bar and laid his head on the cold countertop. Feeling nothing but empty, he shut his eyes as sleep enveloped him.
Footsteps came and went front the front door, but Zeven paid them no mind rousing from his sleep only enough to register who they belonged to.
Zeven was only freed from his dream momentarily. As soon as he closed his eyes he was brought back to the corroded world in his memories. The only clarity came from things that he vividly remembered, the rest was a blurry imitation as his mind tried to fill in the blank space with.
He was back at the cottage. The woman was singing something, but it was distorted in the dream. At one point it must have been a beautiful song, but now it felt compressed. Like overlaying multiple memories at the same time. She came over to him and cupped his small face in her hands. Her blue eyes were the only thing he could see. Pulling him in, she held him in her arms. Her hands held him like he was her own child. Soothing him but rubbing gentle circles on his back.
He must have been upset about something, but he couldn't remember what. All that mattered was that she was there with him. He felt himself being pulled away from the innocent part of his dream to the darker part that always came after.
Forced to watch the same scene over and over every night. His mind fought with itself, seeking to destroy the precious memories he carried in an attempt to spare him the malicious after image.
Another set of footsteps came, but they didn't stir him at all. He was caught in a helpless state, like a cub caught in a bear trap, helpless to escape. The footsteps rounded the corner into the kitchen.
A glint of light reflected off a blade woke Zeven with a start. But the blade was not raised above his head nor was it angled toward his chest. It sat on Christopher's hip as she bent and stooped around the small kitchen area. If she saw him she made no indication as she kept searching.
He couldn't see what she was looking for, but he watched her arm draw back holding something that was not there before. She turned and began walking back where she came from. Once she was within reach, he stretched his arm catching her wrist in his hand.
Startled, Chris froze. Taking a second before looking over her shoulder. She followed her shoulder down with her eyes and then followed the opposing arm up to the person she was avoiding. There was no convenient escape in sight, so she marked retreat off her list of options.
"What are you doing up so late? Or more accurately, this early." His voice sounded tired, and his eyelids dropped. Chris turned toward the voice. Rolling her shoulders back, he was tired, if it came down to it she may have the advantage. Zeven didn't release her hand, but his grip softened considerably.
"After you." She looked him in the eyes. Zeven didn't stifle the yawn as it overtook him. He let go of her hand and Chris moved it back. If he minded the way she drew back it didn't show as he propped his elbow on the counter and rested his head on his hand.
"Would you believe that I couldn't sleep knowing that you were in the house?" It was said with a languid expression. Just on the verge of flirting, but too tired to be so bold. "I believe it is now your turn." He gestured toward her with his free hand.
"You seem rather calm, what makes you think I'm not here to kill you?"
"You'd have done so already if that was the case. "
"Then I'm looking for Brennan."
"Nothing to worry about then, he went home."
"I'm escaping." It was a last ditch effort to make herself seem less weak than she felt.
"You're not wearing shoes."
She looked down and sure enough she was barefoot. "They're by the door. "
"What are you really here for?" He didn't sound angry, just exhausted. He made no attempt to grab at her nor to exert physical force to get what he wanted. Chris felt her body sag as she brought her other hand forward. Held tightly was a red apple, Dulled only by the moonlight. As if on cue, Chris's stomach rumbled.
Zeven chuckled as he leaned forward and plucked the apple out of her hand. She put up little resistance as he did this. But she tensed when he reached back again. She felt his hand lightly brush her hip and she fought the impulse to shove his hand away.
Zeven came away with the dagger he had previously thrown at her. Holding the apple in one hand and the dagger in the other, he carefully cut the apple down the middle. And then into several pieces. He laid the sliced down on the countertop as Chris watched. When he had finished dividing the last slice, he used the dagger to stab a piece before offering it over to Chris.
"You are aware that a knife would have worked better?"
The light of the moon bounced off of the smooth metal as Zeven held the outstretched slice. Carefully Chris grabbed the apple and brought it to her mouth. Zeven drew the dagger back and rested on his arm again as she ate the apple slice. Wordlessly he stabbed another and held it her way. "I would prefer if you didn't do that." Chris was quiet, afraid to put up too much of a fight in the event that he wanted one. Tired or not, as long as he had that dagger there was no way she could win.
Zeven met her eyes, before shrugging. He turned the dagger around and ate the apple slice himself. Chris leaned backward ready to run. Instead he just pushed the pile of apple slices towards her on the counter. He leaned back and closed his eyes.
Chris seized the opportunity and stepped closer. She grabbed another apple slice and began to eat it. Zeven never moved, appearing that he had simply fallen back to sleep. When Chris had finished the pile, Zeven cracked his eyes open looking at her through the fog of sleep. Chris had put her forearms on the countertop and leaned forward at the waist. She looked deep in thought, her brow was scrunched and her eyes were focused on something off in the distance. He could see her thoughts as they danced across her face.
She felt his gaze and stood upright once again, she put her mask back on and hid everything she was just thinking. Zeven had to stop from rolling his eyes. It was obvious how she felt, but she did everything to keep from acknowledging it. In that way he felt a kinship towards her. Their last conversation hadn't gone well, and there were still numerous questions that hung in the air like stars in the night sky. Or pieces of glass scattered on the floor.
He thought he would have to be the one to break the silence again, but just as he opened his mouth to say something, he was caught off guard. "Call the truce." Her voice sounded tight and heavy as it filled the space around them. Zeven's gaze drifted from her eyes to the tension that consumed her body.
He was taken aback. Out of all the things she could have said, she was willing to make herself a pawn in his hands. Zeven has all but convinced himself that she would try to run once again. "Whatever it takes." He was drawn out of his thoughts by her words, "whatever it takes to stop the war, that's what you said, and that's what I'll do. But, if you think that I'll quietly step aside and let you take over my people you have another thing coming. "
It was the most she had ever said consecutively to him, and he didn't know whether to be impressed with her resolve, or with her naivety. All he knew was he wouldn't be bored for a whole month. And after that… who knows.
Zeven sat up straighter, now awake. He cocked his head to the side as his eyebrow raised. "Why?" Her face paled. "What do you mean, why?" He had her attention and she had his as he watched every move she made, waiting for her to slip up and reveal her true intentions.
"I mean why should I be the one to call a truce? After all your actions today prove that you are the unreliable one." Chris bristled, but didn't disagree. Her actions were not in a sound state of mind. "At least I still have my honor." "At what point have I lost that?" "When you sent a spy into my ranks."
Zeven ran his hand through his hair "It is a time of war. I did what was necessary."
"Are you saying that without it you would have lost?"
"No. I am saying without it, it would have been harder." His gaze shot through her. There was no emotion behind his eyes, only an unbreachable wall. "I will admit that... my curiosity drove that decision more than tactical necessities. However it was always… enjoyable to see what you would do next..."
She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise, as he tilted his head her way. She ignored the last part and focused on his reason behind sending Brennan "What were you curious about?" She didn't want to hear the answer, but she had to know.
"You."
Chris felt herself take a step back, and Zeven did nothing to stop her. Even turning his gaze away from her for a moment. Chris felt sick, she felt very sick, and had to fight against the weakness in her knees. "Why?" It came out sounding dry and pained, like she had swallowed broken glass.
"It doesn't matter now."
He avoided the question.
She pushed past the fear and into the anger, "Did we ever stand a chance? Was the entire war just a game? Just a stage for you? Do you know how many lives were lost-"
"It was not my decision!"
"You are the crown prince and leader of the army. I can't believe that you had no say in the matter!"
"Did you?" He was angry, but it was not directed at Chris. "Did you ever get to refuse." He saw her tighten her hands at her side as she looked down and away from him. "I didn't think so."
"My people's blood is on your hands."
"Just as mine are on yours. The reason I need you is to prevent anymore bloodshed. I have seen my fair share of death. Enough for several lifetimes."
The two stood opposed. The space in between them was filled with a heavy weight. Zeven leaned back on the counter and ran his hand through his hair before resting the weight of his head on it. He was exhausted, and had nothing left to
give. "This gets us nowhere. We are back to where we started-" "Call the truce."
Zeven sighed, "we've been over this, there is no point-" "Call the truce and I will follow it. If you seriously intend to stop the bloodshed between our countries I will do whatever it takes." Chris took a step closer, and then another until she was close enough to reach out and touch him.
He saw that she had moved closer. He closed his eyes once again and thought about all that had happened in the short amount of time she had been here. He was testing her resolve, all his previous plans had been thrown out the window. And now all that he could do was watch and wait. "I'll make a deal with you. We play the game, as I first laid it out to you. I win or you win, and whatever the consequences are we deal with them as we go. But we seal it on a blood pact."
He nudged the dagger closer to her. She grabbed it without hesitation and sliced diagonally across the soft flesh of her left palm. He paused for a minute as she held the dagger back out to him. He looked at her face, he could see her resolve. Then he shifted his gaze to her hand. The blood had begun to drip down her wrist.
He met her eyes again. Before taking the dagger and slashing the same line on his own palm. He set the dagger on the counter and extended his bloody hand out to her. Without breaking eye contact she clasped his hand. Her eyes never left his, but her sharp breath betrayed the pain.
Blood fell to the floor like flower petals off a tree in the forest. Both of them kept quiet. There was nothing to say because in that moment it was easy to see what the other felt.
As soon as they released hands Chris was overcome by exhaustion. It became a chore to stand. She swayed on her feet before half resting half collapsing onto the bar. Her eyes shut and it was all she could do to stay awake. She heard Zeven shuffling on his stool but didn't bother until he touched her left hand. Too tired to argue, she let him pick it up and snuggly wrap it to staunch the bleeding. When he was done he let her hand go.
Opening her eyes for a second she looked at her hand. There were red stains on it that made it obvious that Zeven had not yet wrapped his own hand. Wordlessly reached over to him and grabbed the bandage out of his hands as he struggled to wrap it tightly enough himself. She wound it around his hand several times before securing it. They made eye contact for a second before a yawn brought tears to Chris's eyes. Zeven knew that Chris hadn't slept much, if at all these past few days. And it was unlikely she'd be able to get up to the sofa much less her room at this point.
"I called dibs on the bar. You should just lie down somewhere. Gunter is used to finding me in odd places in the morning, it's probably fine;" He knew that she didn't have the energy to do anything else, just staying awake was taxing for her.
He was right. Chris didn't even have the strength for a single comment as she sunk down to the floor where she stood. It only took a second, but he heard her breathing slow and deepen and she finally gave into sleep.
Realizing that he didn't have the energy to stay awake either, he laid his head back down to the counter, closed his eyes, and fell asleep to the sound of her softly snoring.