Eva's gaze caught Lucas' attention, but he kept staring directly into the fire. Far be it from him to make her think about him more.
The cat spirit was right, he needed to think of a different way to 'win' the girl. He hated that phrasing though. Eva was not some sort of prize to be won.
He was already starting from a disadvantageous point in more ways than one. Lucas did not know how human males courted females either.
Normally, elves would naturally start spending time together over several years. Once the cloak was accepted the courting process was official and solidified.
'It really is too late to tell Eva about the cloak now.'
He had started feeling anxious when she stopped wearing it despite knowing how hot it was. There was still the bow and bracelet that he had yet to give her. Even now, they sat in his pack unused.
He would need to find her a decent sword as well at the next village. Something light would be good for her small frame. Perhaps, he could even get her a set of daggers.
'It never hurts to have more options when it comes to protecting yourself.'
He had already begun to craft some arrows for her new bow. Lucas wanted to surround her with gifts from himself. It made him think selfish thoughts.
Though the one thought he wanted to have, that he dared not utter, was, 'Mine.' Slight movement on his right told him that Eva had finished observing him and turned to prepare for sleep.
A slight smile swept across his face. It was the kind of smile that one made when their small bit of happiness ended. As he cleaned up the plates, he nodded to himself the moment she fell asleep.
Her exhaustion was his fault. The training regime he put together for her, had been pushing her past her limits. It hurt him to cause her discomfort, but the path she was choosing would be dangerous and she needed to survive.
Lucas would fulfill his promises to her. He would get her to the Capital and train her to the best of his ability. He would keep each and every silent promise, too.
'I will love you for as long as I live.'
He lightly caressed her face before heading to the nearby river. Lucas was not brave enough to say that thought out loud.
If he said those words, he would force her to reject him. It would hurt them both, so those words could only ever live on in his heart since Eva was strong willed.
At times she would let down her barriers around him, but she had her own goals which he was not a part of. Her fight was to be among those in the human world, which he was not a part of.
The abilities she had shown him were already at the level of the lowest of elves. The more he pushed her, the more the fire within her burned.
Since he could not put out that flame of hers, he would watch from the sidelines. He had to keep his mind busy with what he could do for her. Those things were to teach her how to survive, how to fight, and get her to her destination.
It was not a lot for him to handle. His own training had been much harsher than hers. If his father had not been banished from the village, perhaps he would have become a warrior.
However, since his life turned out the way it did, he felt lucky. His life had meaning with Eva. Each day it felt like some new gift given to him. If he was a warrior his only choice would have been to kill her as soon as she got so near the village.
Still, Eva and Lucas were fundamentally different. Lucas did not seek revenge on the village for the poor treatment he received. Eva sought for revenge for the murder of her family. Maybe if the village had sentenced him to death he would feel different.
His ties to his father were slim at best. It was easy for him to acclimate to a new guardian after he left. From the small bits of her life she had revealed, intentionally or not, her life had not been a happy one.
Yet she still felt so strongly about her family. It confused Lucas, but a single thought made him understand.
'If she had been the one that had been killed in front of me…'
Lucas could probably destroy the person that did that to him with no mercy. Even the thought of someone attempting to take her away brought out such strong emotions within him.
'To think I have finally found something to care about in this life.'
He picked up the clean plates and dishes and headed back to the campsite. Checking his bag he made sure that there was enough food for the next days' meals.
Having to hunt so much was a blessing in disguise. He was steadily earning enough to afford the tools Eva would need once she was in the Capital.
Most of the elven villages used the human currency the closer they got to the Capital. Lucas had even seen some humans in those villages. It was a strange concept for him.
There were more settlements around this area too. Lucas assumed it was because farmland was so abundant in this region. Merchants seemed surprised when he would show up with a stack of furs to sell.
He had finally learned the denominations of human money. They were divided up amongst copper, silver, and gold. One hundred coppers equaled a silver. One hundred silvers equaled one gold.
It was a simple system if you thought about it. Apparently, there was money above gold, but it was hardly ever used. The merchant who took the time to teach him had laughed and said, "You will most likely never see them."
That was enough for Lucas as he didn't intend to get too caught up in human matters. If he had to, he could live off the wilderness.
With each new region he made sure to stop in and study the different herbs of the region. If he found any valuable ones he would take them in to sell.
Of course, he would always keep a steady supply for Eva. In order to make sure she could achieve her goals, he was always quick to treat any wounds she received while they were training. Not that he ever gave her any serious wounds.
He would always consciously pull back right before striking her, but leave just enough force behind the move to leave a bruise on her pale skin. Even keeping that much force tore his heart to shreds each time.
'It is all in order to give her the best training.'
He would reason with himself for hours into the night. Even today there were fresh bruises on her exposed arms. Lightly he brushed his fingertips across her arm and willed the bruises to heal.
Little light green lights burst from his fingers and glowed on the area he touched. The bruises began changing color as they healed right before his eyes.
Lucas stared at his hand and traced the next bruise. He felt a slight exhaustion within himself when he was done.
'Was this the blessing the cat left me with?'
His thoughts were churning wildly in his head. Healing was a special magic that very few possessed. Lucas had not given much thought to the appearance of the cat or its message.
Now he wished that he had taken the time to thank the spirit. It was hard for one to know how powerful spirits were at a glance. At first, Lucas had only thought an animal was peering at him from the shadows.
Somewhere off in the distance a black cat yawned from atop a high branch.
******
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