The Disappearance Of Lady Heysan

[Stare]

They went through a door, into the room that she had once been so familiar with - filled with a table, chairs and too many ropes and chains in neat coiled piles to bear. His hand at her shoulder she more eagerly let herself be led into a room beyond that, then one after in which had armchairs, a crackling fire and a low table already set with a waiting pot of tea …

She slumped her way over to a chair and gestured to it.

“Am I allowed to sit, sir?”

“I could make you stand for all the pain you have put me through, girl,” he curled his lip, then he graciously waved a hand. “But yes you may.”

Huffing, but waiting until his hand stopped his movement, Stare swung and dropped into the seat, her eyes on his. Curiosity and ferocity raged behind her eyelids. She snapped when she saw him remain in his position, standing there.

“Why are you leaving?” she asked abruptly.

He breathed in slowly as a strange weary look came over his eyes. Then he looked right at her.

“Before I answer that, get it into your head matter your arguments, Stare, you are staying here. This is the safest place for you, where those I trust can keep guard over you.”

“I can very well take care of myself,” she protested. “You sent me to the shore, to find out what was happening with the ships. I was fine, Nosdyn and I-”

“Stare,” he said firmly. “No.” She opened her beak again and he raised his brows, “No. There are no arguments here. I might be gone sometime and I will not risk you.”

She stood up then, out of the seat she had won, but defiant and bold, her hands twisted into fists. “I hate this place, Vitruvion. If you have to, fucking hole me up in the house, but not here. Not here. In this,” she waved her hand erratically to the walls. “Hell!”

“Oh so you would stay in the house if I told you to?” He folded his arms, brows raised. “Stay in your room when apparently it was so difficult when I first moved you there?”

“Yes!” Stare shouted back at him, taking a daring step towards him. “For days, weeks if you told me, but I'm begging you not here.”

Vitruvion went silent for a moment before his expression changed. His thin but perfectly formed lips twisted up into a resemblance of a pleased smile. His eyes glistened with a certain amount of pride as he took a step towards her and laid a hand on her head, running his fingers down until they cupped her jaw. Standing beneath his awesome prowess and vigour Stare felt her breath catch in her chest, frozen to that spot in that odd and single moment.

“My dear, you are everything I have hoped for. I am proud of you,” he sighed. “But - here is safer than anywhere else. You are the most valuable thing I have, and I will not lose you.”

Her eyes dropped down, and she let out a small grumble. “You speak of me like a possession.”

He let his hand fall, shrugging uselessly. “You yourself have said that you are 'mine’. It's suitable language, and will do for now. However, the matter still is not altered that I do not know how long I will be gone and I cannot take you with me where I am going, and here there are guards for your safety as well as attention. Thus-”

“What has happened, Vitruvion?” she asked quietly, “Why do you not know how long you are gone for?”