The door closed with a click, and he could hear Iris take a deep breath. Perhaps, readying herself to continue insulting him in every possible way.
" Undress," He cut her off before she began speaking. It had been a long day as he began shedding each item of his garments.
" No," Came the immediate refusal to obey his command.
He turned to her, still very much at the door watching him as he closed the distance between them.
" Undress or you will have to bathe me tonight," He waved at the length of his body," All of me," He emphasised pointing at his groin as her eyes followed his hand.
She gulped, and raised her eyes, somewhat pleading and scandalised at the very notion that she would have to touch him there. Not an ideal way.
" I don't want to undress and most certainly I don't want to bathe you," She took a deep breath," Any part of you," She grimaced in mild disgust. His nerves were stretched thin.
" Then fight for the right to keep your clothes on," He took a steadying breath, feeling his control slip away. Livid green eyes burning with incandescent flame locked into his. It was a short burst, that faded rather quickly.
" I said no," Her reply made him chuckle, and look up at the ceiling. Gods may have mercy.
" You'll have to do more than say no," He paused, " Fight. Claw your way if you have to...With your last breath. You challenged me to a life-and-death duel knowing that you would lose. You're dragging your feet while you wait for your ending to come," He curled his finger around the hem of her tunic, as he did the night before to rip it off.
" I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of surviving. I'm tired of running. I'm tired of losing. I'm tired plain and simple," Her shoulders sagged, leaned against the door, and closed her eyes.
" Just get it over with," She whispered, as he tugged on the tunic, and the sound of fabric ripping was the only sound that filled the silence between them.
A silent tear stained her argent skin, as she began trembling under his touch. It was a pitiful sight. Just waiting for the end to come. To be reunited with the one she loved.
He didn't bother with the skirt and peeled her off the door, and a moment later the knock came.
Tugging on the ripped tunic, Iris made her way towards the bed and climbed on it, hugging her knees while he let in the maids who laid the table and prepared the bath for them.
Shuffling, dishes scraping against the wooden table, the sound of steps, and water splashing in the tub were the only sounds in the room. None spoke, but the maid's eyes kept flitting towards Iris, who sat on the bed with her head buried in her knees.
He waved them off when they were done without as much as a thank you. He picked up the ledger he'd left on the table and reprised perusing it. The inventory had been finalised, by Evin. There was still no appraisal for the jewellery in the treasury. But there weren't that many anyway. Not as many as there should be.
" Let's have dinner," He raised his head to look at her," And a bath after," He added when she raised her head to look at him, affronted.
" I'm not hungry," She whispered. And the dance commenced once more.
He didn't bother going through the trouble of arguing and did the same as he did before picking her up and placing her on the chair, as she was curled up on herself.
She'd probably welcome death with open arms if it weren't for her stubbornness to help the people of the South in an attempt to be absolved of her sins.
He shoved a spoonful of stew under her nose and was taken with some reluctance and a glare, but nothing more was said during the meal.
" Time to have a bath," He said as he finished removing the remainder of his vestments. After a few moments she raised her eyes to meet his, and with that, he sauntered towards the bath. She didn't move but watched. Positively livid at the idea that she would have to wash him.
He didn't bother to beckon once more and slipped inside the bath. After what happened in the village he didn't have it in himself to fight her. She had eaten all her food. And that was sufficient. Perhaps he was moving too fast. It had only been two days. Patience wasn't his strong suit.
He lacked many things. Possibly not suited to deal with that sort of situation. Briefly, he wondered how Dakran had managed to stay Maya's heart. For all he knew, Sylus held Maya's affections before Dakran came along.
He didn't have moons. He didn't want to wait moons. For her to realise that what happened that night between them was more...
The water turned cold, and that was his cue to get out of the bath. She was still at the table, vacantly looking at the empty plate before her. She didn't raise her eyes but sighed. It had been a long day. A man died, by his hand. Possibly a good man.
Slipping under the covers, Corvin threw one last glance to Iris who hadn't moved from her spot and lay his head on the pillow.
Sleep was quick to come. After many years of sleeping with one eye open, the silence and peacefulness surrounding him, albeit a little unsettling and unfamiliar was a small mercy.
Something pricking his skin jolted him awake and once again he found Iris looming over him with his blade pointed at his throat. She could have easily slit his throat, but she waited for him to wake up.
The deep scowl etched on her face, and the stiffness of her body, made him smile. She was pulling together the courage to do it.
An endearing bravado. Instead of speaking, he'd settled to watch her expression bathed in soft moonlight. Her ethereal glow made the green of her eyes swirl as if it were liquid. Her soft features, button nose, full lips, and still donning the torn tunic were things he'd never truly noticed about her. It was hard to when other things caught his eye.