Markos dug a thin chemise from Iliana's pack, dressing her in the garment before tucking her under a sheet on her bed. He watched her sleeping face and hoped that it wasn't too warm for her. He and Caelyn had fur blankets to stave off the cold. They'd been sleeping out in the wildness for the past several weeks, a winter night inside solid walls on a mattress was a blessing. He gently kissed her forehead. He turned and saw two empty beds. 'Did Caelyn fall asleep or did he go talk to Cameron?'
He peeled off his shirts before grabbing a fresh set of clothes and towel, heading back towards the bathroom. Once past the blue brocade separating curtain, Markos paused outside a closed white wool curtain leading into the other bathing chamber. "Caelyn?"
There was a splash before a groggy voice replied. "E..h?"
"You okay?"
"I... just. Come here for a second."
"All right," Markos pushed through the curtain.
The chamber was smooth grey stone with a large white fur rug beneath a large cedar tub in the center. Off to the right sat a large stool with Caelyn's clothing draped over it while the left side had an overturned silver cup on the stone. Caelyn sat in the middle of the tub, rubbing his eyes. His chest was covered with a patchwork of scars and his left shoulder to his elbow was covered in a large intricate tattoo in purplish-black ink.
"They injected you with Maraium already? I thought it came at least a year after full vows?" Markos's brows furrowed as he stopped short of the tub to give his friend some privacy.
"I didn't know why at first." Caelyn ruffled his damp hair with a yawn. "It was small for a few months but my handler talked up the glory of it. It didn't slow me down like they hoped. They tried to explain what I was doing as Teiwaz's blessing but then I started hearing the voice."
"Is that why it's called the Word? Because you hear it talking?"
"Seems like a reason." Caelyn shrugged. "If we're lucky, we can keep you from getting inked up. As long as we are alone and on the road, the Order won't interfere. We'll teach you how to control it so you can hide in plain sight. If you attract their attention, they might bind you to a Whisperer to report your every move." He pointed at the arrowhead Markos wore as a pendant.
"What about it?"
"Whose arrow was that?"
Markos winced. "Uh."
"I'm not going to take it but we need to talk about it since it is important to get all of our cards on the table so we can figure out how we're going to play this."
"...An elf maiden."
"How long ago and where did you meet her?"
"Beginning of fall. At a ancient willow at the river side. I haven't found the spot since then."
Caelyn rubbed his chin. "Interesting. I've been having difficulty getting information on how elves navigate around to avoid detection. I don't know if its something like unicorns have that makes them impossible to find if you are seeking them or like Iliana's ability to conceal her presence." His expression was thoughtful.
"This is magical then?" Markos lifted the arrowhead between his fingers.
"The metal isn't on its own. As far as I can sense, it's not enchanted. I don't know... if it's you channeling through it or something else. But, you fought her and kept the arrowhead?"
"Yes. Haven't seen or noticed anyone like her sense then," Markos replied with a frown. He let the arrowhead fall against his collar again. "You didn't want to have this conversation in front of Iliana?"
Caelyn shook his head with a chuckle. "It's not that. The missions you'll face later will only get harder. Some templars will swear oaths of chastity but you aren't bound to that. You're not an eunuch, no one expects you to be." He scratched the back of his neck, trying to find the right words before glancing back up with steely blue eyes.
Markos shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms across his chest as he waited for what Caelyn had to say.
"Listen. I don't know how you feel towards this elf but there's a chance they will send you to kill her. If I echoed the advice of the Order to never let an elf steal your heart, I don't think you'd listen. From how you're acting, you might be in some level of attraction. Be it love, lust, or curiosity."
"A...h! N..no!" Markos blushed stepping bac, waving his hands in protest. He glanced back towards the sleeping chamber and lowered his voice. "It's not like that!"
"We're not that much different in age, I've just more time to l sort out how I feel." Caelyn smiled warmly, reaching for a towel before he rose from the tub and covered himself. His voice took on fond determination. "Gods willing, Iliana will live for years yet. I'll do anything to save her. Am I wrong to understand that you feel the same way?"
"Yes." Markos bit the inside of his cheek. "I'd do anything in my power to protect her and kill the ones that've hurt her."
"It's okay if you feel more or less than that." Caelyn tugged on a bathtub's plug before gathering his belongings. "I love her, we'll save her." He brushed past Markos. "I have to make my report to Cameron and get a raven out to the Order. Tomorrow, we'll go through the ritual to make you a member of the order and more to the next phase of training." He patted Markos on the shoulder before disappearing through the curtain. "I recommend that you take tonight to write home. I think your family might miss you."
Alone in the bathroom, Markos wasn't sure what to think. He stared down at his hands, running his thumbs over the calluses at the base of his fingers on his palms. 'They'd order me to kill her.' He imagined the elf's heart shaped face and her sky blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight as she smiled at him. He felt lighter but then the image shifted to her eyes going wide and her falling onto him, covered in blood. He closed his trembling hands into fists. 'No. That can't happen. I can't do that to her. We'll stop this.' He closed his eyes and took a deep, steading breath. 'I have to focus. I'll get cleaned up and prepare for tomorrow.'
He heard muffled conversation outside. 'Oh, Iliana must've woke up. I should hurry and bathe then.'