2 Entering Paradise?

"Well? Verlian, what do you think we should do?" A nervous looking black haired boy asked.

"Shh. Dino, I'm thinking." Verlian rubbed his hand on his chin as he looked over at Ravynne. His men had found her on the rocky shores of the river near death and brought her to their village. Verlian was the leader of them and, by their laws, was responsible with deciding what happened to newcomers.

Ravynne was lying on the bed before them, a brown and black pelt – looking to be that of a deer – covered her body up to her chest. Her arms were laid out, covered in bandages with hints of blood seeping through and her neck and face were bruised with minor scrapes. It had been almost a full day since she was brought in and her long honey brown hair was still slightly damp.

"I-I know that you said no more outsiders but Ver….she's just a girl!" Dino said in a pleading manor. He looked to be about 15 and was almost covered in scars.

"Leave us." Verlian demanded with a low and threatening tone. The boy didn't hesitate and quickly rushed out of the room. Verlian paced around the room, glancing over at Ravynne every-so-often.

He huffed in anger as he headed back over to the bed and sat on the edge. He held her face in his hand and gently moved her head from side to side. Her face was beautiful, even if it was bruised and scraped. From what he could tell, all of her injuries were fresh.

"No scars, huh? Must be from a noble family with a face like that then, but if that's true then what about…?" Verlian thought as he glanced over at the corner of the room. Hanging there above a fireplace were her clothes. There was nothing 'noble' about them. They looked cheaper than what the people in his village wore and they weren't that well off. Just as he was about to get up and investigate the articles of clothing further, he felt Ravynne's skin brush against his.

His eyebrow perked up as his attention shifted back to the injured woman next to him. Her hand was weakly clutching his wrist and her eyes were beginning to flutter open. "…ey…t…is….yo….me….?" Was all Ravynne was able to make out as she was coming to. Verlian's voice was so deep it felt as though it was massaging deep inside her eardrums. As her vision became clearer, she saw a tall lean, muscular man with broad shoulders standing over her. His long black hair was falling over his shoulder and caressing her skin while his deep reddish-brown eyes seemed to be penetrating her soul.

"What is your name?" Verlian repeated, this time speaking slower while leaning closer to Ravynne's face.

"Ra-Ra" her voice was barely above a whisper. Her throat felt as though a sandstorm was blowing through it as she spoke. Verlian quickly handed her a cup of water that was left by Dino on the table beside the bed and helped her sit up to drink it. Once she finished drinking, Verlian gently laid her back down. Despite her injuries, her skin was so soft.

"Ravynne," she coughed out "My name is Ravynne. Where…?"

Verlian held his hand up to stop her from speaking. "This is my domain, Evania. My men brought you here last night. I was asking for your full name." He was speaking so calmly that Ravynne felt her body relax. She felt so safe.

"Ravynne is my full name. Thank you for letting me stay here. I've never heard of Evania before. I'm from-"

Verlian held his hand up again, and she was sure she saw a slight twinge of annoyance expressed in his eyebrows. Ravynne sighed, she was tired of people interrupting her. "You are not welcome here. I want you gone once you can stand." He stood up, blocking the light coming in from the door way and crossed his arms. Ravynne was having trouble reading him. His voice never showed any hint of anger or displeasure and his facial expression was completely blank. If not for that slip up earlier she would have thought he had no emotion.

"Please." She cleared her throat. It was easier to speak now. "I have nowhere else to go. Please allow me to stay. I will do whatever you want. Please." She was still too weak to raise her voice, but the desperation in her tone was still there.

Verlian bent over and stared her straight in the eye, "Whatever I want?"

Ravynne nodded, "Whatever you want."

His eyes glanced to the doorway to avoid her gaze. He was shocked although he didn't show it. He had expected her to backtrack on her proposition, not confidently keep eye contact and agree without hesitation. He leaned in further after noticing a shadow at the bottom of the door way and whispered in her ear, "What is it you're good at? I have no interest in wasting my time. Keep your voice low."

The way his breath brushed against her skin caused a shiver to run up her spine. Its heat spread across her ear and neck. A light pink hue spread across her cheeks and her eyes fluttered.

"I-I'm good at...learning…. Whatever you need me to do, even if it's something I can't do, I'll learn how to do it and I will be of service to you."

Verlian chuckled, "And who will teach you? Me? Or maybe, one of my men? That is time wasted teaching you when I could just find someone who is already educated." Ravynne scooted away, wincing in pain from her injuries. She couldn't take his breath on her any more, not with a voice like that.

"Please, I beg you. I will shadow you and learn from you and your men. I will find my own food and my own water so that I won't take away any of your resources. I won't stay with you forever, just until….until I get my revenge." Shock appeared on Verlian's face before he burst out laughing.

He stood up and covered his mouth with the back of his hand, his other placed firmly on his side.

Dino and a much older male rushed into the room, their eyes so wide they looked like they were about to pop out of their heads. "What's happening?!" the older male exclaimed, his eyes darting between Verlian and Ravynne.

"Ashke! Get her something warm to wear, she's coming with me." Verlian said to the older one through his laughter.

"Right away, sir!" Ashke responded with a bow before rushing back out the door.

"Ver? How can she go with you when she has such serious injuries?" Suddenly a look of horror spread across Dino's face, "Wait…I've never seen you laugh so hard before….Are you....you're not gonna torture her are you?!"

"Shadow, is this not what you asked for?" Verlian turned to face Ravynne smiling mischievously.

"Ah…well….it is what I asked for." Ravynne replied nervously. Just barely scooting caused pain to surge throughout her body, now she was going to be actively moving? What did he mean 'go with him'? Judging how Dino was reacting, she felt it was best not to ask and just be thankful that he was going to give her a chance. All she could do now was do what she did the night before - SURVIVE.