* * *
Smaragaid leaned against the cool stone wall, wishing that simple action didn't require so much movement. Those two carrion scorpions had beaten him bloody. They might have killed him, but Miss Erinara was a skilled young druid.
He glanced over at the seated Celt. She had accompanied him on these expeditions several times before. Every time, he ended up owing her his life. Of course, he attacked creatures he normally wouldn't around her, but it was the principle of the thing.
Smaragaid walked over and kissed her.
Miss Erinara looked most shocked, her eyes going very wide.
He blinked up at her. This was strange. "You feelin' well?"
Slowly, her eyes slid back into focus and she seemed to become aware of the surrounding world. "You, um. You kissed me."
Smaragaid nodded slowly. Maybe that last scorpion had hit her harder than he thought. "That I did."
Miss Erinara nodded and fixed her eyes on the big scorpion at the end of the hall. "Oh."
He glanced up at her curiously. "Want to try it?"
He practically felt her blink. The scorpion must have hit her very hard.
"Try what?"
"De queen down dere." He gestured at the big one at the end of the hall.
"The queen down... oh. Right. Of course." She sounded rather distant.
He looked up at her in puzzlement and shrugged mentally. Who understood the short-lived races?
They dealt with the queen, though he was once again battered and bruised.
Miss Erinara brushed the all-pervasive dust off her tree and sneezed. She turned to look at him then. "Um, Smaragaid?"
He glanced up at the slight cough she made. "Aye?"
"You didn't, um. Mean anything by... you know. When you, um. Kissed me. Did you?"
Smaragaid grinned impishly. She was blushing! How cute! "Did you want me to?"
Her eyes widened again and she sucked in a sharp breath. "I- I don't-"
He reached out to touch her as she seemed to search for words. She froze, her arm tensing under his hand. "Are ya all right?"
"I'mfinereallyIamI'mfine."
He blinked helplessly and removed his hand. She certainly wasn't acting fine. "Okay."
She let the breath out that he hadn't realized she was holding. "You didn't, um. Answer my question."
He blinked at her again. "I didn't?"
Miss Erinara shook her head.
He looked up at her dark eyes. "Did ya answer mine?"
"I-" She blushed furiously, her tree shaking slightly. "I asked you first."
He shrugged. "Even if I did, Mi'lady would probably not allow it."
She picked at a splinter in her round shield. "You still... you still didn't answer the question."
Smaragaid grumbled and kicked at one of the nearby cairns. He didn't like these questions. "When I dodge, you're not supposed ta just pull out anot'er knife."
She looked at the ground meekly, her dark hair obscuring her eyes. "I'm sorry."
He looked at her sharply. "I'm de one dat should be apologizin'. Kissin' a girl dat doesn't want to be kissed is rude."
"I didn't say that."
Miss Erinara wouldn't meet his eyes when he looked at her.
"I think we should be getting back to the city."
He looked at her, hurt. Why wouldn't she look at him? "Aye."
She bit her lower lip prettily before turning away.
The End