Einah & Magnus

Identity Revealed

Frantically, I looked around the room for anything that I might need. I had to get out of the inn. I couldn’t believe that by some twist of fate I had seen Magnus again at the tavern. He didn’t recognize me, I was certain of it, but I was going to be out of there before he had the chance to figure it out and capture me again. I was not going to a dungeon ever again, that was certain. I was just about to open the door and leave when I realized that I was still in my lavender gown. It would be too difficult to escape wearing that, so quickly, I undid the laces of the kirtle and struggled to pull off the closely fitting cloth. I was just pulling my shift over my head when I heard the door open and knew my identity was found out. I faced the stern soldier with a brave, unafraid look on my face. My chin held high, I looked into his eyes, standing there straight wearing only my chemise.
“Yes? Can I help you with something? I was just about to turn in for the night.” I said haughtily, trying to keep the façade alive.
“Drop the act, Einah, I know who you are.” Magnus eyed me with suspicion with a hint of something that looked very much like admiration. He took in my disheveled look, and the full knapsack lying on the bed. Self-consciously, I hugged my arms to my chest, feeling that his eyes could set my chemise on fire in their heat. Being in such a feminine garb made me feel vulnerable, and I longed for my leggings with the reassuring feel of my cool blade against my thigh.
“What do you want, Magnus?” I asked bluntly. For a moment indecision flickered in his eyes, and I saw something strange in those deep blue depths. It was strangely like compassion, though I knew him to have very little of that. I also thought I saw desire hidden in the dark pools of his eyes. But it was almost a faraway desire, like a love just remembered. Again he shook his head as if to clear it, then his eyes took on a determined gleam as his gaze traveled over my body.
“That’s quite a question to be asking me right now.” He said slickly. My eyes flew to his in alarm, blinking in surprise. He took a few steps closer to me, and my heartbeat increased with each step. He held my gaze easily.
“I’m not going back there.” I said, stepping away from him. Panic started to get a grip on my heart, freezing the blood in my veins. I kept imagining the dungeon; being dragged kicking and screaming down into the dark, hellish abyss again. At that moment I realized that no matter what it took I would not go back there, and looked at him defiantly. While my insides were quaking I managed to look him straight in the eye unblinkingly. With each step he took my heart began to beat faster and faster inside my chest. If I were being honest with myself I would admit that it was not entirely from fear of the dungeon. Especially when a lock of his long brown hair fell down in front of his face. I was made aware of just how masculine and handsome he was.
As if that hadn’t confused my senses enough, he caught my arm in his hand and held me close. For a moment I was consumed with the feeling of his large, calloused hand on my arm, so hot to the touch that it felt like he had burned right through the sleeve. Oh how I wished for some proper attire then, to give me some sort of shield from his brute physicality.
I swallowed hard. “I will not go back to that dungeon, Magnus. I would prefer to die honorably and free.” I could keep the fear out of my voice, but not out of my eyes. He saw it in there and I knew that I had inadvertently told him my biggest fear.
“Oh, and what would you do about it?” He asked casually.
I became acutely aware that his hand had stopped clenching my arm and instead had begun to caress my skin through the thin fabric of my shift. Angered by my own respond to that, I pulled my arm away and put my back to him, heading towards my clothes. “I will do whatever it takes.”
“Good.” He said, striding purposefully towards the bed. Quelling my quickening heartbeat, I reached down and slipped into my chausses, trying very hard to ignore Magnus, who had very casually lounged on my bed, watching me like a cat stalking its prey.
“Would you please turn away so I can finish getting dressed?” I asked impatiently when he didn’t look away.
“And deny myself a view of your beautiful body? I think not.” He said arrogantly, piling his hands behind his head. “Besides, what are you getting dressed to get into bed for anyway?”
I looked at him in shock. How dare he just presume that I would change right in front of him! Then my eyes narrowed as I realized the challenge present. He didn’t expect me to change. Determined to thwart him, I squared my shoulders to him so that all he would see was my back as I slipped my chemise off and pulled the tunic on.
Triumphantly, I faced him again. I flipped back my hair haughtily and propped my hands on my hips insolently. The smile died on my lips when I saw how dark his eyes had become as he started at me. The way he looked at me at the moment caused strange sensations to go through my body. I could feel my knees weaken, and my mouth went completely dry.
“I propose a deal.” His voice was considerably more lower pitched than I remembered, and it interested me. “I won’t take you back to the dungeons if you’ll take this to Malkanen.” He dug in his cloak and pulled out a piece of parchment with the seal of Magnus’s general on it.
I reached for the paper but he pulled it easily out of my grasp, since I would have to lean over him to get it. Instead I looked down at him in irritation. “What is it?”
“Fake military communications. I want you to take these to Malkanen. Then you can go get that little knife of yours.” He finished with a mocking smile.
I propped my hands on my hips. Now he was belittling my life’s mission? Then a realization dawned on me. “How did you find out about that anyway?”
“You talk in your sleep.” He said simply.
“I do not. What did you do to me?” I accused, eyes flashing.
He simply laughed at me, lifting up my chin with his fingers so that our eyes met. “Ahh, my little tigress, there’s no need for you to sharpen your claws on me. Did anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are when you’re angry?” He laughed at my reaction to that, then yawned and headed toward the bed. “Come, let’s sleep, since you have a big day tomorrow.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked shrilly when I saw him reaching for his trouser clasp.
“Undressing so I can sleep. Surely you don’t expect me to sleep fully clothed like you apparently like to do?” He asked, arching a brow in amusement.
My jaw dropped in outrage. I started feeling an entirely different sort of panic than I had felt just minutes before. “I expect you to leave my chambers immediately. You have no reason to stay here.” I said haughtily.
Paying no attention to me, Magnus continued undressing until he was in nothing but his underclothing, climbing into my bed so I could easily see his bare muscular chest. He seemed to be challenging me with his eyes to back down from his dare.
Well, I for one was not going to sleep on the floor again, especially in my own rooms. Stripping down to only the bare essentials of protection, I slipped beneath the covers, seething inside. Talking through clenched teeth, I told him, “Be forewarned, I will not let you take advantage of me.” To my astonishment, I was rewarded by the sound of his light breathing across the bed. The confounding man was asleep already! Resolutely I moved as far away from him as possible, forcing myself to sleep, though I could feel the warmth of his body through the sheets, calling to me since I was painfully aware of how cold the night was. I closed my eyes and kept them shut until sleep finally claimed me.