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“You can sleep in my tent, if you want,” Astrid offered.
Eliza looked over at the tall beast master, tearing her eyes from her brother joining the coven girls under the pavilion.
“Uh… I’m sorry, what did you say?” the female Ashvale asked.
“I said that you can sleep in my tent if you want,” Astrid repeated with a patient smile.
“Oh, well… I mean, I don’t want to…” Eliza answered, looking back at Elliot and the girls. Was it just her or was someone missing?
“I don’t mind, I like the outdoors anyways,” the vagabond woman explained, reaching her right hand up to idly pet Venn, “helps Venn feel less trapped and all that.”
Eliza looked up at Astrid, narrowing her eyes in thought. After a few seconds the red head would sigh and nod. It took her a couple more seconds to remember that Astrid was blind.
“Ah! Okay, yeah, sure, I would… I would like that. Thanks Astrid,” Eliza said, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.
“No problem at all,” she answered with a chuckle, then turned her head to the left slightly, “you can also sleep in my tent if you want, Cassandre.”
“What? Cassandre…hey!” Eliza’s eyes became wide as she turned to her left to see said small woman right there. She was still holding onto the Ashevale’s lantern. “Oh! Cassie! Sorry, I, uh, didn’t see you there…”
There was an awkward pause.
“...Hey wait a second!” Eliza said, turning back to Astrid, “How the feck did you know she was there!? You can’t see!”
“A fact I need to be reminded of, apparently,” the vagabond woman scoffed, “I heard footsteps and felt the warmth of the lantern. It wasn't too hard to narrow it down.”
“You heard…” Eliza began and then trailed off as she looked back at Cassandre who was currently just staring down at the ground. Even with Astrid’s enhanced hearing, it was hard to imagine that she could detect such a quiet person.
“I-I’m sorry…” Cassandre stuttered out, “I didn’t mean, t-to…”
“Oh, you’re not!” Eliza quickly interrupted, turning to fully face Cassandre and placed her hands on the coven woman’s shoulders. “No, no, I… I would love to…” she glanced over as she saw Astrid walk away. A glare at the Vagabound woman's back showed her feelings.
“I really don’t want… to be a b-bother,”
“You’re not a bother!” Eliza said, perhaps too loudly as the small woman flinched and she lowered her own volume. “I-I mean… I guess I just thought that, you know, you would rather… be with Miss Dahlia… and the coven ladies.”
When there was no response, the redhead continued; “I mean… they’re your mates, aren’t they? Especially Dahlia, you know?”
“...Yes, but…” Cassandre continued, looking even more dejected, “I…I don’t think… Dahlia would want me, beside her while…”
This time her dejected look turned to her still bloodied clothes. Eliza’s expression softened before shaking her head.
“Yeah but… Dahlia’s your mate, ya know? Plus… she seemed out of it and I’m sure she would like your company even…” her voice died down as she realized that she couldn’t honestly say that Dahlia wouldn’t be freaked out by her friend’s own blood. Of course, given everything that happened…
It might at best be a 50/50.
“Well, come on then,” Eliza said as she turned to where Astrid said her tent was, “let's get nice and comfy on the… ground now, hey?”
“I-I’m sorry, Miss Eliza,” Cassandre said, taking a step back, “I-I can just-”
“You,” Eliza interrupted again, walking back to Cassandre and taking the hand that wasn’t holding the lantern, “can just come sleep with me in Astrid’s tent.” There was a brief pause as the coven girl struggled to say something. “Come on, let’s go.”
Cassandre hummed her agreement and the two made their way to the tent along the rock face. It was completely dark but the lantern helped to reveal that… there was nothing but grass. Eliza couldn’t help but sigh at this. Not even a bed roll. Her back was going to hurt. Did Astrid even sleep in this tent?
“Miss Eliza?” Cassandre asked.
“Huh?” Eliza began, then closed her eyes and shook her head, “Sorry, I was just thinking. Let’s get comfortable, alright?”
Cassandre simply nodded in response and Eliza would allow her to enter the tent first. After a moment, the merchant took off her jacket and folded it up so that it could be used like a pillow. At least it would be something. She initially intended it for herself, but seeing Cassandre just sitting there, hugging her knees, the taller woman would sigh.
“Here,” Eliza said as she sat down next to Cassandre and placed her jacket behind her, “something to keep your head comfortable and all that.”
Cassandre looked behind her. “Oh, thanks…” she said, then sat in thought for a little bit, “um… Miss Eliza… do you mind… um… do you mind if… we keep… keep the lantern on?”
“Oh, uh, of course Cass,” Eliza said, smiling at her, “yeah, that’s no problem.” After another short pause, the merchant asked, “It’s… it was so dark there… huh?”
Cassandre simply closed her eyes and shivered. Eliza quickly moved closer to the woman and put an arm around her shoulders.
“Oh, ah, I’m sorry… I mean I was just trying to say… I know… what you went through…” Eliza tried to clarify, “what with being there and all… though…”
This time the taller woman was able to stop herself before bringing up the obvious trauma that was on Cassandre’s face. The smaller woman shook again and Eliza gave her a small squeeze.
“I know it’s not going to be easy… but try to get some sleep,” Eliza encouraged, then reached with her right hand to gently take the lantern from Cassandre’s hand and place it behind them. “We’ll keep this right here so we’ll have plenty of light. Okay?”
“Okay…” Cassandre answered.
Eliza smiled and moved to remove her arm… until she felt a hand on her loose shirt. She looked down at Cassandre’s hand holding that piece of clothing and then backed up at the woman.
“I, uh…” a blush crossed Cassandre’s face, contrasting with the dried blood, “do… do you mind if… I sleep… close to you, Miss Eliza.” Her blush grew as Eliza’s eyes widened, “I just… it’s just that… you’re very warm, Miss Eliza…”
“Oh, uh… thanks,” the merchant said, closing her eyes and smiling, “that’s very nice of you! I’ve been told I’m nice before but it’s always good to hear. Especially from such a fine lass like yourself.”
“Umm…” Cassandre continued, blushing even more, “I meant… more… literally… you’re very warm…” As the redhead continued to look at her in confusion, Cassandre had to look away, “and it’s… cold out… though not as cold as…”
“Hey, hey!” Eliza said as the smaller woman began to shiver and held Cassandre closer to her side. “It’s alright, you’re safe now. Sure, yeah, I don’t mind at all. Especially if it helps you sleep.”
“Thank you…” Cassandre said in a small voice, following Eliza as the taller woman as she laid down. After a pause the coven woman would lift herself and take the folded jacket. “Miss Eliza?”
“What? Oh… thanks,” she said, lifting her head so that Cassandre could put it under. “You are a real sweetheart, you know that?”
“So… so are you, Miss Eliza…” Cassandre said as she settled against the taller woman’s shoulder.
Despite everything, it didn’t take long for the smaller woman to fall asleep. Though Eliza chalked that up to just how exhausting the day had been. Sadly for the merchant, her mind just kept racing. Just… what had happened? Why did those wraiths come? Just where did they go when they were caught? Was it the Mothers? The Brothers? What did it all mean? Plus the blue flame was now back and-
Eliza’s train of thought was interrupted when she felt something touch her stomach. A quick look down showed that Cassandre had moved a hand there… lightly hugging the red head in her sleep. It was all very cute.
Eliza smiled once more and moved to pat the woman on the head. “We’ll get through this,” she said, laying her head back down and closing her eyes, “we’ll get through this…”