Chapter Seven

It's going to be a while between updates, have loads of work due and the ever dreaded dissertation.

Enjoy xx

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The sun began to sink below the Pennines in the distance as the legion pulled off the road and began to set camp for the night. A feeling of ease came over those who’d been walking all day as well as those who were finally able to leave the seat of their horse. But for Esma, nothing could soothe the anxiety that rose in her heart as the night grew ever closer.

Blandus was sure to be expecting her to be free for him tonight.

He’d once expressed his pleasure at her silence on the matter, but there would be no escaping the sobs that wracked her chest through the thin canvas of the tents they were to be occupying, well that she and the other higher ranking men would be occupying.

A large hand landed on her shoulder, causing her to jump out of her reverie, “How are you with cooking?” Juan asked hopefully.

“Juan, you can’t ask her to cook for us.” Felix stated, his thick German accent almost completely disguising the words.

“I’d love to cook for you, it’d make me feel useful.” She sighed thankful for a distraction, “what have we got?”

“What we can catch.” Juan grinned putting an arm over her shoulders as he walked with her and Felix to the edge of the woods, “What would live in here that you like the most?”

“Hog.” Esma stated without thinking, “Just a nice piece of plain hog and some herbs would sit just right.”

“Felix, we’ve just been given a death sentence.” Juan teased shaking his head.

“I think we have, I was hoping for something like rabbits. I’d love a new pair of rabbit gloves, the dogs got mine.” He sighed holding up his hand to show the badly repaired holes around his fingers.

“If you can get me a big enough rabbit, I’ll make you a pair.” Esma grinned. “I’m shocking at any kind of clothing but gloves, I can do well.”

“You are my favourite kind of female.” Felix laughed pinching her cheek playfully before grabbing his spear. “Come Juan, time to hunt some boar.”

“I’ll make you something out of the skin too.” She promised as they trudged into the trees and soon disappeared from site, leaving Esma to wander the shrub line for anything to go with their dinner.

“Sorry to ask, but I heard you saying about making Flavius gloves.” A young soldier asked stepping forwards slowly, he looked about the same age as her so she nodded. “I hate to be rude, but could you fix mine?”

“What happened to yours?” she asked stepping forwards to inspect his torn glove.

“One of the others tried to stab me, I caught it and it ripped my glove, missed my hand.” He admitted in a low voice. “My name is Alvaro.”

“Esma.” She smiled pulling the glove quickly from his hand, “Follow me, I’ll get this done quickly.”

“Where did you learn to sew?” Albus asked looking over the shoulder of the young solider as he sat watching Esma fix his gloves.

“My father’s arms.” She stated a smile touching her lips, “There was a lot of fighting when we were young, I’ve always stitched people back together.”

“But not clothes?”

“Material is way too delicate.” She smirked looking up into his laughing eyes.

“But I’m not?” he asked winking before looking around as she quickly knotted the stitching and passed them back. “Where are Juan and Felix?”

“Gone to find me something to cook.” She grinned, not being able to stop it from touching her face as he stood before her arms akimbo.

It was almost painful as she forced her eyes to stay on his face and not stray to where she knew rippling muscles coated his arms, but then again she could stare into his eyes all day. She’d relished in spending the last few hours in his company, and was looking forwards to the next few days, just terrified of those nights.

“I’ve set your tent up by mine.” He said turning back to look down at Esma, instantly panic swept over her features. “You’ll be alright.”

Acting on urge, Albus rang his fingers across her cheek in an attempt to take that fear away; he wanted to promise nothing would happen to her. But she wasn’t really his. She never would be.

“As long as any wild animals head to your tent first.” She laughed; a smile crossed his lips as she came back from herself.

“Looks like you’ve got some work on your hands.” Albus laughed nodding his head over to the tree ling, “They’ve killed half the forest.”

Esma tore her eyes away from her friend to look at the others, Juan had a boar over his shoulder as Felix waved a fox and a rabbit at her grinning.

“The rabbit was too small for my gloves, so I thought you can have that and I’ll have fox gloves.” He stated as she beamed up at him, taking the two animals off of him.

Albus fought jealousy as the smile wasn’t directed at him, but was strangely proud of the fact she could make gloves so easily. “Get cooking then woman, we’re hungry.” He teased passing her his knife to prepare the meat.