A dozen few dozen eyes were trained on her. Eve couldn't spot one empty seat in what looked like a Tavern. The place looked five times bigger inside than how it had appeared from the outside, everything from its floors to its ceilings made of polished wood. A flight of wooden stairs stood to one side, leading upstairs.
There was a single candle at each table, shedding light on the toppled bottles of alcohol and what once must have been some kind of meat, surrounded by a group of men and women. Most of them were garbed in purple, their well-fitted coats hugging their huge figures, their steely gazes unmoving from her face.
A single silver crescent decorated their sleeves. Eve drew a deep breath. Soldiers. They were all soldiers, she thought, cursing her luck under her breath. But she didn't recognize the insignia on their sleeves. The king of the north had a soaring eagle on his flag. So who were they? She wondered.
"Who is she?" She heard someone whisper.
Eve turned to the voice, keenly observing the silent soldier on whose lap was a pretty-looking girl in a tight-fitting dress. Her lips were painted red and her tanned skin was glowing with perspiration. The soldier refused to answer, his gaze unwavering as his grip tightened around the woman's waist, silencing her with a single movement.
The woman frowned but didn't protest, much like the other women sitting on some of the men's laps. Her brow raised as her gaze slid over a woman in a soldier's mail, a scantily dressed woman clung around her figure as she lounged against the cushion. As if pulled by some magnetic force, her eyes slipped further towards the right.
On the same plush sofa was a man on its other end, more scantily dressed women flanking all his sides. With just one look, she could see that he was different from the others. A black velvet robe pooled at his feet, its insides covered in fur and its edges embroidered in gold.
His pale hands were deep inside the dresses of two other women sitting on his fitted dark pants, moving slowly yet steadily. The women barely noticed her, their eyes closed as they arched their necks back in pleasure. Another woman had her hands wrapped around the man's neck, hiding his face in her chest protectively as she glared at her in irritation.
Eve looked away from the sight, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Her heart slammed against her chest nervously, the sight in front of her quickly burning through her need to find a resting place. She cursed under her breath as the wind whooshed in through the open door and whirled past her, sending a shiver through her body.
"Close the door." Came a deep male voice from ahead, her eyes immediately darting to the man in black.
Her heart dropped as she met a pair of golden eyes, his disinterested gaze traveling down her shivering form slowly. He looked like a fallen angel, lounging against the cushion with his muscled legs wide apart, making space for the women pining at his feet.
He slowly rose, pushing one of the women away from his lap gently. Her disgruntled protest fell on deaf ears. His every step was graceful, like a predator gliding towards its dazed prey. Eve found herself lingering over his chiseled jaws and the bulge on his neck, sliding down his muscled chest, left wide open by an array of undone golden links. She could feel his gaze on her skin, sending tingles through its surface.
"Or get out." He said, his eyes snapping back to her face instantly.
"Hmm?" Eve asked, suddenly pushed out of her thoughts.
The man took another step forward, closing the buttons on his dark silken tunic one by one. Eve immediately tensed, her one leg moving back as she tilted her torso towards the side in defense. Her eyes fell on a golden crescent insignia on his chest. A long sword cut through its curve, reminding her of the coach parked outside.
"The choice is yours, peasant." The man warned, stressing on the last word.
Eve frowned at the words. She wasn't pleased with his tone. But she surely wasn't going to protest, not when the entire room was filled with his people. It was not a smart thing to do, given the circumstances. What was she to do? Should she leave? But where else would she go? She was wet from head to toe and it was a very cold night.
She remembered the feeling of being watched as she had pushed through the muddy roads. Maybe it was all in her head, or maybe, it was real. Whatever the case was, she didn't want to find out. Eve didn't feel as brave anymore. This place was her only resort, at least for the night.
Suddenly the man leaned forward, grabbing her arm in a quick move. Eve gasped, surprised by the movement. Her cloak flapped open, unveiling her pale skin to his gaze. She stood paralyzed in front of the stranger, his golden eyes skimming over her exposed chest that was barely covered by her torn dress.
Her heartbeat skyrocketed, thumping against her ribs like a war drum. For the first time in her life, Eve found her fight subdued. He was standing too close to her, his hips slightly grazing her own and the tips of his long dark hair tickling her forehead. She could feel his breath on her face.
Eve shuddered as he leaned further in, inches from her lips, drawing in a deep breath as he stared right into her eyes. Something flashed in his eyes, making them glow for a fraction of a second. Her eyes grew wide in shock. She immediately stepped back by instinct, the man's grip tightening around her wrist as he pulled her back.
He then slowly tugged at the edge of her cloak, sliding it back into its place with a disinterested expression. Eve once again found herself gazing into his eyes, the orbs of gold like the lightest of honey, against the sun. It was the most peculiar color she had ever seen on someone, almost reminding her of a certain animal.
She shook her head. No. That was not possible. Maybe she had read too much into it all. Maybe, it was just a flicker of the candlelight playing its tricks on her. But what at all was she doing, letting a man lay his hand on her? She thought, chiding herself in her mind. The man narrowed his eyes at her, a strange expression playing on his handsome features.
"You smell," He whispered, his hand lingering on the edge of her cloak for a second too long. Eve frowned, glaring at the man in irritation. That's it. If he was going to say something creepy, then the man was definitely going to get the taste of her fist tonight, she thought, gritting her teeth at the feeling of his warm breath against her forehead. The next moment, he pushed her aside, stepping away from her with a wrinkled nose. "Disgusting."
Eve steadied herself effortlessly, turning to the man angrily. But before she could say something, a woman rushed towards them, the scent of her perfume pushing into her nostrils before her silk-wrapped form appeared in between the two of them.
"I'm sorry for the disturbance, my lord." The woman said in a sweet voice, bowing at the man in a hasty apology.
The man huffed, sidestepping the woman as he walked out the lodge, ignoring her apology. Eve's eyes naturally followed him outside. But the man had disappeared into thin air leaving no trace behind. She stepped out the door, standing on tip-toes to see if he had gone to the carriage.
But the gleaming dark coach stood there beside the makeshift stable, undisturbed by any movement. Where did he disappear? She wondered, unable to comprehend how anyone could do that. Before she could make much out of the situation, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Eve turned with a raised brow, annoyed by the disturbance.
Before her was a beautiful woman, dressed in the finest of silk that she had ever seen. Her dress clung to her figure emphasizing her curved and a long cut dipping low on her largely endowed chest while another slid up to her narrow hip, revealing a spotless caramel skin. Her lips were painted with the brightest of reds and her high cheekbones were powdered pink.
"Who are you?" The woman asked, sliding her long silvery hair to the side.