Topic: A Decent Proposal

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 11:56 EST
In the wake of Uther and Han's departure for the valley, Brona and Aedan were left alone with the Mullen brothers at her family farm. They weren't expecting Mahon and Nemone to return for at least another couple of weeks, and by then, Brona was very much hoping to have all three Mullens invested in staying near Pax. Cody was already thinking about trying his hand at teaching; Nate, she was sure would take to Millie once she engineered a meeting for them. It was Eli she was a little more confused by, unable to think of anyone or anything that might induce the eldest brother to stay when his brothers decided to. As it turned out, it wasn't anything to do with her sneaky conniving that made the decision for him at all.

The pared down militia needed all the help it could get while most of the fighting men and women were away at the valley, and Eli had been asked to patrol an area that had rung with the howls of the mutants the night before. No one expected the mutants to still be there, but there was always the chance that someone on one of the homesteads was injured or in need of a decent burial. He'd had his way marked on a rough map, and after a brief check in with Brona, had come away from the Dugan farm with a sturdy packet of food to keep him going on his travels.

Eli had taken to his new duties quickly, learning the layout of the area and the comings and goings of the villagers, as well as the habits of the mutants. His knowledge came in handy there, as far as the militia was concerned. He and his brothers had been hunting mutants for years and knew more about the creatures than anyone in the village, even those who were part of the militia, and far more than those on the council. A few had grumbled about the brothers, hesitant to trust newcomers, but they were slowly proving their worth, especially Eli. Patrolling for mutants wasn't anything new for Eli Mullen, and he'd set out that morning just like he would any other, his horse packed with weapons and provisions for the day.

The homesteads he had passed by midday had been none the worse for wear, the families within happy to check in with him and make sure he was confident to continue on alone before allowing him to do so. The furthest reaching homestead was the quietest - just a simple house, with a stable and tiny forge set beside it, a well laid out garden, and a few livestock corralled. There was no sign of any damage, suggesting that the mutants hadn't come here the night before, but equally there was no sign of the occupants.

Suspicious by nature, Eli knew he couldn't be too careful where mutants - or even outlaws - were concerned. The place looked peaceful enough, but without any sign of life, he wasn't sure if the owners were busy working or if there was something more sinister going on. He thought about shouting to see if anyone was around, but if there was trouble, that would only alert whoever or whatever was causing that trouble. Instead, he secured his horse and started toward the house, his fingers on the heavy handle of a pistol he wore on a belt at his hip.

The mare wandering loose at the side of the house gave some indication as to where the owner might be, her head swinging up to watch movement of some kind in the direction of a small copse of trees not far from the back of the house. And yes, there was movement there; half-hidden in the trees themselves, there was the suggestion of a being, watching the newcomer from their hiding place.

He was going to knock on the front door, like any decent human being would, but the wandering mare and the movement in the trees caught both his attention and curiosity. "Hello!" he called as he started slowly in that direction, fingers wrapped around the trigger of his pistol, though he had not yet drawn yet from the holster. "I'm from the village!" he called, hoping it was just a scared kid or something and not an ambush, but the mare seemed calmed enough, as though nothing was out of the ordinary. "I'm patrolling the area for mutants!" he called, giving whoever was there an explanation for his presence. He just hoped he hadn't just caught the attention of any mutants or outlaws.

Whoever was behind the trees was also armed - it was obvious in the sound of a shotgun being cocked. "Close enough," a female voice called to him. "Stop there and prove it." The voice was definitely coming from that copse of trees, and if he squinted, he could probably make out the shape of a woman standing there, concealed by the greenery.

"Whoa," he said, upon hearing the unmistakable sound of a firearm being cocked and readied to fire. He eased his hand off his own gun and lifted both hands in the air to show he wasn't a threat - at least, not unless he had to be. "What kind of proof do you want' I'm a member of the militia, patrolling the border. Ain't got no proof other than that!" he called back, moving slowly closer. He could tell there was a woman there, not only by her voice but by the shape of her silhouette amidst the trees. "You all alone out here" That ain't too safe." He obviously wasn't a mutant, so she must have been worried about outlaws.

"I don't know you, don't know your face," she pointed out. "How'd I know you're not someone coming here to try and rob me" If you're from Pax, you'll know names." The greenery rustled a little as she adjusted her stance. "I do know how to use this, you know."

"I'm sure you do," he muttered mostly to himself. "I'm new in town. I don't know many people yet. Do you know Joss, Uther, Brona" I know them. Joss and Uther are on the council. Brona's a healer." A healer who was falling in love with his brother. Oh, he knew that already. All the signs were there.

"You know Brona, huh?" There was a pause, and the greenery parted as she stepped out. Quite aside from the shotgun held firm against her shoulder, she was striking to look at; petite, curvaceous, dark-haired and blue-eyed. She was also stark naked and dripping water, offering ample evidence as to what she had been doing before he'd ridden up to the house. "All right. Why are you out here?"

As he took in the view, he felt parts of himself he'd thought he'd forgotten reminding him he was a man with a man's needs and desires, but that was no way to greet a lady or earn her trust. "Um ..." He cleared his throat and shifted his weight, uncomfortably. "Maybe I should wait over there," he said, pointing to the horse he'd secured to a tree. "While you, uh, get dressed."

Her brow rose as she looked at him along the barrel of the gun. "You're not going anywhere until you answer the question," she informed him, though it couldn't have been more obvious that she knew exactly the effect she was having on him. It might even have been her intention. "Why are you here, and are you alone?"

"I already answered your question," he told her, sounding a little bit peeved. He was used to being the one in charge, not the other way around, and the way she was making him feel was starting to annoy him. He liked to be in control, and his own body was betraying him. "I'm patrolling for mutants, and you're obviously not a mutant, so I'll just be on my way," he told her, turning slowly to leave.

The sharp report of the gun went off instantly, startling her mare into a run for the paddock nearby and making the ground by his feet erupt as the shell embedded itself into the soil. "You're on my land," she reminded him calmly, reloading with a sharp, practiced jerk of her hand. "You alone?"

He visibly flinched, instinctively ducking his head and freezing in place as the gun went off, jarring his self-control. "Yes, I'm alone!" he shouted back, hands in the air to show he meant her no harm. "Crazy bitch," he muttered to himself, too low for her to hear him. "You wanna shoot me in the back, go ahead. I'll make sure to tell the council not to check on you anymore since you shoot anyone who gets close."

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 11:57 EST
"Better." There was silence for a moment, and finally the sound of the gun being made safe behind him. "Go on then, run back home and tell Big Momma that the weirdo is still kicking." Seemingly confident that he was who he said he was, she slipped back into the greenery, where her silhouette announced she was dressing herself.

He wasn't sure who Big Momma was, but he wasn't about to stick around long enough to get shot by some crazy bitch who liked to prance about naked and shoot at strangers. He couldn't blame her for being too careful, especially if she was all alone out here, but he didn't take too kindly to being shot at. He turned slowly around, to make sure she was true to her word. He might have been curious about her, if it wasn't for her lack of manners; then again, his own manners left a lot to be desired. The fact that she was obviously attractive didn't hurt, but he preferred his women a little less loco.

When she emerged again, it was easier to understand why she was quite so unfriendly to strangers. She was tiny, smaller than Brona, and despite the gun resting against her shoulder, she was obviously at a distinct disadvantage if it ever came to a fight. She came to a halt a few feet from him, her pants a marked difference to the women in Pax, who almost all dressed in long skirts. "Had to be sure," she told him - not quite an apology, but the closest he would get to one. "People get funny about a woman on her own out here."

"People get funny about being shot at," he replied, as he looked her over. Clothes didn't do much to hide her curves, but at least, she wasn't naked anymore. Still, his body liked the look of her, even if she was half crazy. "I'm sure you got your reasons," he said, as he started back toward where he'd left his horse, only to find his horse gone. "Son of a bitch."

"I'd rather shoot the wrong person than get raped or killed," she pointed out, tilting her head back to look up at him. He was handsome; better looking than anyone else who'd come out this way from Pax before, by far. He was also obviously capable of looking after himself, and seemingly unattached, if the militia were sending him out this far alone. "You got a girl?"

"And bury the body?" he asked. It was hard to tell from the sound of his voice if he was being sarcastic or serious. He scanned the horizon for his horse, before sticking two fingers between his lips and whistling. "Prolly took off after yours," he said, shoving the brim of his hat back from his face, more habit than anything else. "A girl?" he echoed with a snort that more than answered her question. "Why you ask" You wanna apply for the job?"

She glanced toward the paddock, fairly sure that his horse would be back as soon as her own mare decided all was safe by the house once again. "Not exactly," she answered him thoughtfully, looking him over once again. "Want a wife" Comes with room and board, in exchange for a little help around here. Interested?"

He actually had to chuckle a little at that. "Five minutes ago you were looking to shoot me. Now you wanna get married. That's some courtship," he said, not really taking her seriously. As pretty as she was, she was obviously nuts. He whistled again, shouting the horse's name. "That damned horse don't get back here soon, we ain't gonna make it back before nightfall," he said, mostly to himself, thinking out loud. They both knew what happened when the sun went down.

"More solid than pretending to fall in love at first sight," she pointed out, turning to look across the field. "If he isn't back in time for you to get home safe, you can stay the night," she offered a little reluctantly. "Pretty sure Shay won't mind sharing her stall for one night."

"You trust me to stay the night?" he asked, still not quite sure about her. He didn't bother to remind her that she'd just taken a potshot at him a few minutes ago, although they both knew she'd missed on purpose. He looked to the western sky where the sun was already starting to set. "Ain't gonna make it home in time," he muttered again. "Damn it."

Her eyes snapped toward the horizon. "I don't reckon you're stupid enough to do something you'll regret," she shrugged mildly, a frown touching her face. "Mutants'll be by tonight. They bypassed me last night." Raising her hand, she stuck her fingers in her mouth, and let out a peculiar whistle. Across the field, her mare pricked up her ears and began to head toward the house. More unusual was the sight of the pigs, two cows, and three goats perking up and heading around toward the back of the house in answer to that whistle.

And there was his stallion following her mare. "Son of a bitch," he muttered again, a little surprised to find his horse following hers. "Looks like Jake's taken to your mare," he remarked as he watched the animals returning from the field. "How you know they'll be by?" he asked, though he was very well acquainted with mutants and their behavior.

"Hunting pattern," she shrugged. "Hold this." She handed him her shot gun, moving with the animals to where a large, wide cellar door was set into the grass of what should have been the back garden of the property. Taking hold of one door handle, she heaved it open, doing the same with the other, to reveal a passageway sloping down beneath the house, big enough for even the horses to pass into easily. Evidently living out here on the edges made people a little ingenious when it came to protecting their livestock.

He arched a brow as she handed him the shotgun. Apparently, she either was crazy or she'd decided to trust him. He chose to believe the latter, for now. "Mind if I ask how you manage to survive out here all alone?" he asked. Between the mutants and the work, he wasn't sure how she did it all by herself.

"My stunning good looks and amazingly sharp wit, of course," was her reply, but it came with a quirk of a smile on her full lips as she glanced at him. "C'mon in, unless you want to stand out here all night. I don't think your horse is gonna walk down here by himself, do you?" She clucked her tongue, ushering the smaller animals down into the cellar, and turned to land a healthy slap on the backsides of both cows to encourage them to do the same.

He snorted again at her reply, assuming she was being sarcastic. "Don't think mutants care much for good looks," he remarked before replying to her question. "Ain't sure. He seems a little taken with your mare," he said, as he took hold of his horse's reins. "Maybe we should separate them," he suggested, though he wasn't sure if her mare minded the attention or if his stallion would tolerate separation.

"Well," the petite woman said, stepping to one side as her mare headed down into the passage with the confidence of a creature who had done it far too often, "the only way to separate them would be to keep him outside, and he'll be dinner for the visitors. Your choice, but I'd rather risk a colt than have to ferry you back to Pax tomorrow myself."

He winced, catching a possible hint of her distaste of Pax, or maybe she just couldn't spare the time. He followed her down the passage, leading the stallion by the reins. "What are you doing way out here on your own?" he asked, trying to sound curious, though he was a little more than that. Depending on her answer, he thought he wasn't so very different from her. Maybe, like him, she'd lost her family and been forced to live alone, or maybe she just preferred it, though it that were the case, why had she mentioned marriage" A marriage of convenience, but whose convenience, exactly"

"I'm not from around here originally," she admitted, pausing to let him pass by. There was light to follow through - the passage opened out into a wide cellar, separated for the animals to bed down into and lit with high-set lamps. "You think men have it hard settling in a new area? Try being a woman and doing that. I got lucky when Bart offered to marry me." She turned to pull the heavy, thick doors closed behind them, settling an equally heavy bar across them to keep out any attempt at entry by the mutants.

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 11:58 EST
"Neither am I," he said, though he was wary about telling her too much. He took a look around at his surroundings, appreciating the security and soundness of it. A lot of work and thought had gone into this place to make it safe and secure. "Bart," he echoed. "What happened to him?" he asked, already guessing the answer before she gave it to him. Mutants, most likely, or the women from the valley. "You gonna stay down here until morning?" he asked, as she closed the doors and secured them. He would have helped if she'd let him.

"No, there's stairs up into the house," she gestured toward the rough wooden steps leading up from beside the stall where her mare had made herself comfortable. "Bart ....got into a fight with an unwelcome guest," she said, irritation more than sadness in her voice. "Bastard drew a knife and stabbed him. Looked real surprised when I shot him in the chest for it." She shrugged. "Anyway, that was two years ago. He's out back, buried deep. Only person who took me at face value."

"I'm sorry for your loss," he told her, surprising himself, as much as her, with the sincerity in his voice. He knew what it was like to lose someone you cared about, and he didn't wish it on anyone. "Sounds like he deserved it," he said, without passing judgment. He could only imagine what the bastard might have hoped to gain by stabbing her husband, but he had a feeling it might have had something to do with her. It hadn't been mutants then. "You stay here when the mutants attack?"

She nodded, glancing at the mattress and blanket tucked into a corner. "They'll leave the house alone if there's no light visible, and I'm not exactly going to be winning any prizes if I try and take on a pack by myself, am I?" she pointed out wryly. "It'll be a couple of hours before they swing by, though. Come up, I'll fix something for dinner. My name's Dale, by the way," she added, mounting the steps to push open the door at the top and lead him into the kitchen above.

It wasn't every day a woman invited him to dinner, even if it was by necessity. "Eli," he offered, returning the favor. "I should get my horse settled," he told her, though he could do it later. It seemed they were both going to be spending the night.

"Take your time," she nodded. "Not like you can get out without me noticing, is it?" There again was the flash of a smile as she slipped out of sight, and he was left in the company of the animals. The cows, predictably enough, had gone straight for the feed, as had the pigs, but Eli was on the receiving end of three rather piercing looks from the goats as they chewed and inspected him. The horses seemed only to have eyes for each other.

"What are you looking at?" he said to the goats, once she was out of sight. Staying here overnight wouldn't have been his first choice, but with daylight waning, he didn't have much choice. He couldn't complain too much about the company. It didn't take too long before he had his horse settled, fed, and watered. He'd removed his saddle and pack, as well, and laid them somewhere safe from the goats before finding his way to the stairs up which she'd disappeared.

By the time he got upstairs, the kitchen was filled with the inviting scent of coffee, beef searing, and warm bread. Evidently, despite living alone, Dale did not live on the barest of bare minimums. She glanced up from her wide stove as he came into view. "Everything settled?"

"Yeah, think Jake is making eyes at your mare though," he told her, tugging the hat from his head and making a meager attempt to smooth out his hair. "Smells good," he said, remarking on dinner. "You sure you don't mind me staying?" he asked, though they both knew trying to make it back to the village now would be pure suicide.

"I might not be that welcoming when I don't recognize people, but I'm not gonna send you out there to die just getting home," she informed him. "It's been a while since I had any company for more than an hour. It's probably good for me." With a practiced hand, she flipped the steaks over in the pan and left them to do, lifting the lid of the pot beside it to stir the contents, which smelled mouthwateringly creamy. "Still undecided about marrying me?"

"Maybe your cooking will convince me," he said, though if the smirk on his face was any indication, he was probably just teasing. "Mind if I ask why you stay out here all alone?" he said, helping himself to a cup of coffee.

"You can ask anything," she pointed out with a shrug, not bothering to add that she wouldn't necessarily answer. "I'm not comfortable in the village, and if I give up this land, it'll be given to someone else. It was Bart's land. I might not have loved him, but he looked after me. The least I can do is look after his land for him."

He turned to face her and took a lean against the counter, the coffee mug between both hands, his hat hanging from a chair. He looked disheveled and tired from a long day on horseback, but the coffee was invigorating and he didn't mind the company. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed the company of a female, other than Brona. "How'd you come to be here, if you don't mind my asking?"

Her gaze flickered toward him, studying his face and form. She wasn't so much admiring him - although there was plenty to admire, even she had to admit that - but more that she was trying to gage his trustworthiness. "I can trust you, right?" she asked him quietly. "This isn't something you'd tell the council?"

"Hardly know the council. Kinda new in town myself. Only been there a few weeks," he told her, not wanting to say too much, though it hardly mattered. If he was going to stay in town and continue to do these patrols, it was likely they were going to run into each other again. He figured it couldn't hurt to tell her that much, especially if it would gain him her trust.

Dale sighed softly, checking the meat as it sizzled in the pan. "I ran away," she said quietly. "From a place called Shayan - little village up in the mountains, you probably never heard of it. Hitched a ride with a trader, got here. No one'd take me in because they didn't know who I was or where I was from, and there wasn't anyone to speak for me. So when Bart offered me a home in exchange for a marriage, why shouldn't I take it?"

That answered his question in part, but not completely. "Why'd you run away?" he asked, coming straight to the point. There was no point in beating around the bush, after all. He knew what it was like to not feel welcome, but he made no comment on that just yet. She didn't seem like the type to cause trouble, so it must have been that trouble had been caused for her. The question was, what kind of trouble"

"I shot my father." The look she gave him was a challenge, daring him to react to that news the way the people of her village must have done when they'd found her father's body. But there was also fear there; genuine fear that he might tell the people of Pax what she had done, and of the consequences of such a telling.

Most men would probably have been shocked by that, or maybe even scared off, but this was Eli, and Eli had seen a lot of crap in his day - and done some questionable things himself, like kidnap a healer at gunpoint to help his wounded brother. That wasn't the worst of it, but he always done what he felt was necessary to keep his brothers safe, and if that included having to kill someone, so be it. He blinked and arched a curious brow, the only change in his expression. "Why?" he asked simply, assuming she had to have had a good reason for it.

"I wasn't prepared to let him hit me again." That was all she said, but it was obvious that her father had been free with his fists. It must have been a long time coming, and might well need a little more explanation, which she did offer, albeit reluctantly. "One of the men in the village had asked him if he could marry me. He beat the crap out of him, and then beat the crap out of me, and he just didn't stop. I was twenty, I should have been married already. But that was when I really knew that I would never get away from him."

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 11:59 EST
"Well, then ..." he started, not really wanting to judge her. "Sounds like you did what you had to do. I ain't gonna blame you for that. Done some things I ain't proud of to keep my brothers safe. That's the way the world is, Dale. You do what you gotta do to survive and thank God for every sunrise." Since when did Eli believe in God"

She studied him for a long moment then, surprised by his response. "You're really not a village kind of man, are you?" she said, almost wonderingly. "If I'd told anyone else that, they'd have strung me up from the nearest tree and called it justice."

"I reckon you knew that already or you wouldn't have told me." The hint of a smile flickered across his face. "Reckon we're two peas in a pod. Maybe I should marry you," he said, though he was mostly teasing her now. He took another appreciative sip of his coffee. "Ain't my place to judge you."

A faint smile touched her full lips at his teasing answer. "I wasn't joking, you know," she told him. "If you said yes, we could get it done tomorrow. I get the council off my back, you get land to your name, and we both get a little companionship. It's not a bad deal." She turned to serve the meal onto plates - steak, smothered in a peppery, creamy sauce, served with warm bread. Vegetables depended on what was in season, and she was waiting for her crop to ripen fully before harvesting.

"You gonna feed me like this every night?" he asked, catching the smile at her lips. He had no intention of rushing into marriage, but maybe there was some truth to the saying that the way to a man's heart was his stomach. And speaking of stomachs, his grumbled loudly at the smell of the food, his mouth salivating.

"Depends how good you are in bed," she shot back, and this time she let him see her wide grin as she set the plates on the table, refilling his coffee cup before joining him there. "A really good sleepless night, and I might even make a dessert."

"I've had no complaints," he replied, matching her grin. His body tried to remind him of what she'd looked like naked and that he hadn't sleep with a woman in as long as he could remember, but his stomach won the battle over another part of his anatomy. First things first. He couldn't fulfill one need until the other was satisfied. "You don't waste time, do you?" he teased as he joined he at the table, wondering if she'd made this same offer to many other men.

She raised a brow as she cut into her steak. "What, you think I have a collection of dead bodies at the end of the garden?" she asked him in amusement. "Believe it or not, I've never made this offer before. But then you are the first man I've ever met that I wanted in my bed, so I guess that makes you unique."

"Says the woman who had a gun pointed at me not more than an hour ago." It was said with equal amusement, though he hadn't found it too amusing at the time. "Reckon I should be flattered. No point in beating around the bush. Life's too short."

"I was naked, and I didn't know who you were," she protested laughingly, rolling her eyes as she ate. Her gaze, however, lingered on him as the food between them slowly disappeared, perhaps seeing a little bit further than the disheveled facade she had shot at earlier. "Is that a yes?"

"You still don't know who I am," he replied, cutting into his steak with the voracity of someone who was starving to death. She had his name, and he'd told her a little about himself, but that hardly made them friends or even acquaintances yet. "That's a maybe." And that maybe was about a tumble in bed, not necessarily about marriage.

"You could have done anything to me," she pointed out. "We both know a shotgun isn't going to stop a man if he's determined, but you've been nothing but courteous. You're in my home, but you haven't once made me feel threatened at all. You're obviously a strong, capable man, unafraid of the big wide world. You're pretty much an ideal husband. And you're sexy as all hell, so the wedding night would be fun, too."

He took her explanation in stride until she got to the end, almost choking on a piece of steak at the flattery. He laughed, but not in amusement. "Now you're just teasing me," he told her, not really believing her assessment of him. "I ain't opposed to a roll in the hay. Don't need to be married for that."

"That isn't what I'm offering," she shook her head. "Much as I might want you, if I lose what little reputation I have, the council will pitch me out and I'll be on my own with nothing again. I don't trust them to do right by me. I'd trust you to."

"They can't do that," he said, eyes narrowing and face darkening. "They ain't got the right. This land belongs to you, fair and square," he said, tapping a finger against the table as if to emphasize his point. "Who you share your bed with is none of their damned business." It seemed he was not as trusting of authority as she might have thought.

"Since when has that ever stopped people in power from doing what they want?" Dale shrugged. "I stay a respectable widow, or I get married. That's the only way I keep my home, and ..." For the barest moment, her confident facade faltered, sending her gaze skittering away in case he saw. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

He grunted a reply. While he didn't mind a roll in the hay, he wasn't sure he was ready to agree to marriage on such short notice. He studied her a moment, noticing the way she turned away from him at that confession and deciding she wasn't lying. But there was something else he needed to know. "What's the rush?"

She drew in a slow breath, looking down at her fingers as she picked at the bread in her hands. "There's a man on the council," she admitted carefully. "Bart was his older brother, and this land would have gone to him if Bart hadn't married before he died. His own wife died a few months ago, and the hints aren't very subtle. But he has the power to turn me out, anytime he can get the majority of the council to agree with him."

"The land belong to the family?" he asked, curiously. It wasn't really his place to come between family members in a land dispute, nor was it his place to decide who was had the right to the land. His own family farm would have been his someday, if mutants hadn't killed his mother and forced them off the land.

"No, Bart carved this homestead out when he was a young man, with his first wife," she explained. "They built the house, they set the boundaries. They expected to have children, but it never happened for them. I think maybe Bart was hoping I'd get pregnant, but I think he was shooting blanks. Anyway, his brother was expecting to get this land to add to his own, and because of me, he can't just sweep in and take it. If he can intimidate me into marrying him, he will, and if he can't, he'll work on getting me thrown out. He's kind of ruthless."

"What's this brother's name?" Eli asked, cutting into his steak again, as calmly as if he was merely asking about the weather. He wasn't planning on going so far as to kill the man or anything like that, but he might be able to do a little intimidation of his own.

"Willem Ryder," she told him, but shook her head. "Don't get involved unless you choose to marry me, Eli. You're new in town" He could have you run off, and anyone who speaks for you, too. He's the head of the militia."

"You believe in long engagements?" he asked, a bit of a smirk on his face. There was more than one way to skin a cat, or so the saying went, though he didn't really know why anyone would literally want to do that. "No one's running me off, unless I wanna be run off, Dale." It would take a lot more than one man on the council to do that, and he was slowly making a few friends of his own.

"No one around here believes in long engagements," she said, but she couldn't help chuckling at his smirk even as she rolled her eyes. "Most folks, soon as they decide they're getting married, it happens within a few weeks. When Bart asked me, it happened that same day."

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 11:59 EST
The expression on Eli's face turned serious. He had never really considered marriage before or any kind of long-term relationship. He wasn't sure if he really believed in marriage anymore - or at least, not in love - but she wasn't talking about love. This was a marriage solely for convenience, albeit with benefits. They both stood to gain by it, and yet, Eli wasn't sure he was ready to make a split second decision on a matter that would potentially change his life forever. "I need to think on it," he replied simply. Whether he disappointed her or not, he couldn't make that kind of decision when he'd only known her a few hours. Maybe a courtship, but he'd wait to see how the rest of the evening went first.

She nodded slowly. "Brona can tell you about me, what everyone in the village knows and a little bit more," she offered. "Her mama patched me up when I arrived, and she patched me up when Bart died. She probably knows more about me than anyone in Pax." She took a bite of her bread, pausing to mop up her sauce with what was left in her hand. "Smart girl, that one."

"I think she's sweet on my brother," Eli admitted, sopping up what was left of his sauce with his bread, as well. "She patched him up after a mutant attack. If it wasn't for her, I reckon he wouldn't have made it," he told her soberly. He didn't bother to add the fact that he'd basically kidnapped her at gunpoint to do it. All's well that end's well, or so they say.

"Is he sweet on her?" she asked, tilting her head curiously. It was one thing for Brona to be sweet on someone; it would not bode well for his brother if he did not return the sentiment. Pax was very protective of its young healer, even if she didn't realize that. "People won't let her be played with. Hell, even I'd get involved if someone broke her heart."

"I'm pretty sure it's mutual," he replied. He and Cody hadn't had a chance to talk about it much, but he knew his brother well enough to tell he was smitten. "Don't want him getting hurt either. My brothers are all I got left," he told her, only realizing afterwards that that was more than she had, but then, at least she had a home.

"That's good, then." She flicked a glance at him, keeping to herself the opinion that if his brother was anything like him, then Brona was a lucky girl. "Don't think about it too long, okay?" she asked, her last ditch attempt to get something concrete out of him.

"You got a list of men waiting to take my place or you just worried about Willem?" he asked, with a slightly sarcastic tone to his voice. After all, he figured if she had other prospects besides him, she would have said so. Or maybe she just found him halfway suitable enough.

The look she shot him for his suggestion that she had a list was almost venomous. "I'm not going to hang around to be thrown out if you decide against me," she informed him. "I'll need time to pack up and leave long before autumn hits." She rose to her feet, turning to rinse her plate under the squeaky faucet before setting it aside.

"That ain't what I meant. Don't you want some time to get to know me first?" he asked, knowing he'd irked her, but not really caring. She had to understand what she was asking him wasn't something he could decide on a whim. "I promise you this ....I won't let your brother-in-law take this place away from you, but I need some time." He got to his feet to help her clear the table. "What if we say we're courting for now and use the time to get better acquainted" Think that would keep the buzzard off your back?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't really know how far he'd go. You could be putting yourself in danger just by saying you're courting me, and I don't want your blood on my hands, Eli. Marriage is one thing - it's irrevocable, no one can argue against it, and once it's done, the land is well and truly out of his hands. If he thinks there's a chance he can stymie any plan to keep Bart's land away from him, he might kill you."

"Been hunting mutants most of my life. I don't scare that easy," he reassured her, becoming irritated that someone would put her in this situation in the first place. "Maybe I should have a word with Willem," he mused aloud, though if the man was really that dangerous, that could lead to an ugly confrontation. There had to be another solution that would appease them both for now.

"And what would you say?" she asked rather pointedly, turning to look up at him. "You couldn't say anything that might be in any way possessive of me or the land, or he'd take it as a challenge. He scares me, Eli, and not without reason. I wouldn't have asked you at all if I thought there was any way I could safely stay here without putting myself in his power."

"Dale, we hardly know each other. You're talking about marriage. That's a lifetime commitment. I don't wanna put you in any danger, but I can't decide on something like that after knowing you for a couple of hours. What if it don't work out' What if we hate each other" What if my brothers and me decide not to stay here?" There were too many what ifs, though he had a feeling Cody wasn't going anywhere, so long as Brona was here.

She considered this for a moment, and her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Then she reached up, took hold of his collar, and pulled him down into a kiss that was best described as fierce. She was hardly an unwilling participant, either, enjoying that closeness as much as she could before drawing back. Her brow rose with teasing confidence. "Even if we do hate each other, imagine all the angry sex."

The kiss surprised him, to say the least, and he was no unwilling participant either, his body betraying him once again. It really had been too long. If he wasn't imagining things, there were definitely sparks between them, and he found himself torn between kissing her again or resisting her seduction. That was exactly what she was trying to do, he decided, and while he'd enjoyed it, he was as stubborn as she was. "Still need time to think on it. Let me talk to my brothers first. Couple of days, at least." He didn't think that was so much to ask. He glanced at the window. "Getting dark. We should get downstairs."

Pressed close, she slowly released her grip on his collar, easing back from him. "I'll get another blanket," she said softly. "And I need to check the shutters are locked up down here. I haven't opened any of them upstairs today." She took in a deep breath as she turned away, her cheeks flushed. Married once though she had been, she'd never kissed or been kissed quite like that, or been quite so eager for the kiss in the first place. It was disconcerting to discover that just standing close to the right man did tingly things to her body. "I, um ....I'll be right back."

He lingered for a moment longer than necessary in the embrace that had been thrust on him unexpectedly, but not necessarily unwelcome. "I'll check the shutters. You get the blanket," he told her, unable to hide the tiniest of smirks from his face, clearly amused by the flush of color to her cheeks, as if she'd never kissed a man before. Or maybe she'd just never kissed one she actually found attractive. He couldn't help the swell of male pride and ego at the thought of that. He still wasn't sure he wanted to marry her, but he sure as hell found her intriguing.

Backing up, she nodded, and abruptly turned and fled out of the room, acutely aware of her hot cheeks and quickened heartbeat. That had certainly never happened with Bart, that was for sure. Her boots thumped quietly on the stairs and across the landing as she went in search of another blanket and pillow, the mattress in the cellar being more then big enough to take two. And that was another thought ....after a kiss like that, was she going to be able to behave herself when they were lying side by side" Eli had certainly confused her senses far more than she could ever have expected him to.

For a woman who'd been pointing a shotgun at him not more than a few hours ago, she was sure interesting. He chuckled a little to himself as she hurried away, knowing that kiss had left her a little bit flustered. To be honest, it had left him a little weak in the knees, too, but he was too stubborn to admit it. Whatever happened between them, it was at least going to be interesting. He went about closing and checking the shutters and securing all the doors and windows, while she went to fetch the extra bedding. He found himself tugging at his shirt and pulling it up to his nose to see if he smelled before realizing what he was doing. He'd been out patrolling on horseback all day, and he smelled like it, but there wasn't much he could do about that now, and they were staying the night with the animals anyway. Why it was suddenly bothering him, he wasn't sure. He'd only met her a few hours ago. What did he care what he smelled like?

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 12:00 EST
It took longer than was strictly necessary for Dale to reappear with her arms full of blanket and pillow, but she had been trying to cool her face down. Not that it helped, because the moment she looked at Eli again, her cheeks flushed once more. "Uh ....all secure?" she asked, her voice just a little muffled by the pile in her arms.

"Seems to be, but I've known mutants to break through locked doors and windows if they know someone's inside. Better get downstairs. It's safer there," he told her, though she knew this already. Why he was worrying about a woman he'd only just met, he wasn't quite sure, but he didn't want to that right now. He didn't want to think about that kiss either or how it had stirred feelings inside him he'd thought no longer existed.

"All right," she nodded, fidgeting for a moment. "Here, you take these down, and I'll sort out the door." She handed him her armful of bedding, and turned to extinguish all but one of the lamps, plunging the kitchen into gloom.

"I'll wait for you," he insisted, even as she thrust the bedding into his arms. If she wasn't going downstairs yet, neither was he, though neither was armed. He'd left his weapons downstairs with his pack and his horse, but it hadn't been dark long, and so far, it was quiet outside.

"I mean the door to the cellar," she explained. "I won't be out of sight, I promise." She bit her lip against adding anything to that, realizing that she had just pandered to the male need to protect the female by promising not to stray. "Just needs to be sealed up so no light gets out, that's all."

"Right." He nodded, realizing his own mistake as he headed back toward the door that led to the lower level. He was a little dismayed at his own bravado when it came to a female in a state of distress, even if she did seem more than capable of taking care of herself, but then he was used to taking charge and protecting those he cared about, even if those he cared about had long since stopped needed his help.

Sorting out the door proved to be rather entertaining to watch. It had clearly been put in by her late husband, who had also clearly been a fairly tall man. There was something quite endearing about watching this fiercely independent woman jumping up to catch the lintel with one hand and hanging there, a good two feet the ground, while she stuffed a padded rope into the tiny gap at the top of the door.

He sighed as she struggled with the door and reached up to effortlessly stuff the padding into the gap for her, his fingers brushing hers as he leaned past her. Once that was accomplished, he slid an arm around her waist to lower her to the floor, the bedding wrapped up in the other arm. He stood well over six feet in height and could easily reach another two or three feet over his head.

The soft gasp that escaped as his fingers brushed hers was just preparation for feeling her heart start hammering in her chest as his arm wrapped about her waist. She very nearly didn't let go of the lintel in time, looking up at her guest with wide eyes as she swallowed. "Uh ....thanks," she managed awkwardly, taking the dangling rope in her hands to finish stuffing it carefully in the gap around the door. If she just happened to brush back against him as she bent down, it couldn't possibly have been intentional. Not at all.

He stepped out of her way as much as he could, waiting for her before starting down the stairs with the armful of bedding. He didn't bother to reply to her offer of thanks, as he was trying too hard to control his own pulse rate and reaction to her closeness, inwardly berating himself for being such a sucker for a pretty face - not to mention her other features.

With the lamp in hand, she led the way down into the cellar. It wasn't the most homely of spaces, but given how predictable the mutants were in their hunting patterns, she didn't spend too long down here in the grand scheme of things. There was the mattress, and that was enough. The animals were entertaining enough to watch, especially when there were piglets. Setting the lamp down, she turned to take the bedding out of Eli's hands. "Kind of close quarters down here, but there won't be any blood involved," she said, trying to regain her equilibrium a bit. "We can watch Jake trying to mount Shay."

He came to a halt beside her, their fingers brushing again as she took the bedding from his hands. "Mmm," he murmured. "I can think of better ways to stay entertained." Though he didn't make any suggestions as to what those ways might be. "Must get lonely here all alone," he mused aloud, though she had alluded to that fact already. As difficult as his life was, at least, he had his brothers - or had, until recently. Now that they were in Pax, things might change, at least as far as Cody was concerned.

"Eye Spy doesn't last long," she countered, trying very hard to keep her mind off what other entertainment he might have been referring to himself. Chaste widow, she reminded herself, crouching down to spread the blanket and prop the pillow beside her own. "It does," she admitted to the loneliness easily enough. "I travel into Pax once a month, to trade for what I need, but most of the time I'm all alone out here."

"It's quiet," he remarked, taking a look around at the animals who were getting themselves settled for the night, as well. Quiet wasn't a bad thing necessarily. He liked quiet, though he wondered how long it would take before it got too quiet. He'd become accustomed to being a drifter, not staying in any one place very long. "Ain't considered settling down in a long time." Not since before ....but he didn't want to think about that now.

"Is it such a horrible idea, settling down with me?" Dale asked him innocently. "I'm good at being a wife. I can cook and clean, and I look after the animals and the vegetable garden. I'd be up before you to make your breakfast; there'd always be good food on the table, and I can be good company when I'm used to it again, and ..." This time, she didn't even mention the sex, figuring she was pushing her luck in the first place.

For lack of a better place to sit, he took a lean against a stall, frowning over at her in concern, slowly realizing how badly she seemed to need his protection. It had to gall her to know that, being as independent as she was. It must have been humbling to practically beg for his help. "It ain't a horrible idea," he replied, crossing his legs as he leaned back against the stall. "I just ain't sure if I'm staying here long. Depends on my brothers." It depended on a lot more than that. Of the three of them, he was most distrustful of villagers, having been made to feel unwelcome more than once in the past. Brona had assured him they'd be welcome, but he wasn't too sure. If he took to the road again, would she be willing to go with him, and why was he even entertaining that thought' Maybe he was lonely, too. Especially now that Cody seemed set on Brona, and Brona was fixing to get Nate matched up.

"Don't you think your brothers will want to stay?" she asked curiously. "If one of them really is sweet on Brona, and she's sweet on him, they might decide to make it official." She shrugged; normal social rules weren't really something she was that concerned with, but he seemed very set on being concerned with his brothers, rather than himself. "If you didn't have brothers, would that change anything" You can't live your life for someone else, no matter how much you might want to."

"If I didn't have brothers, I prolly wouldn't be here," he replied, but explained no further than that. Whether he'd be dead or alive, it was unlikely he'd have found his way to Pax without Cody or Nate or even Brona. "I ain't the nice guy you think I am, Dale. I done a lot of bad things in my life, and I got a lotta blood on my hands." Most of it was mutant blood, but he'd had his own share of troubles over the years. He wasn't overly proud of what he'd done to Brona, though she didn't seem to hold it against him. "Being with you could put you in danger, if it ever catches up with me."

She looked surprised at his concern, laying her hands on her hips comfortably. "And being with me could put you in danger," she pointed out. "I have blood on my hands, too, and you already know I'm not a nice girl. Could be we're a perfect match."

"What would you say if I told you I forced Brona at gunpoint to treat my brother's wounds?" he asked, giving her an example of just one of the things he was feeling guilty about. He wasn't sure why he was telling her about it, when he hadn't told anyone else, but if she was serious about this, then she needed to know the truth about him. "I ain't proud of what I done, but I was desperate."

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 12:01 EST
"I'd say ....if you'd really done it like that, you wouldn't have lived to join the militia and come out here," Dale pointed out. She might not socialize much, but she did know her neighbors. "But desperation makes you do strange things. You didn't hurt her, did you? And it's all worked out for the best."

"No, I didn't hurt her, but ..." He frowned, wondering what he would have done if she'd refused him. He didn't want to think he'd have shot her. That would have only made him just like the people he hated. "He was dying. I don't think he'd have made it without her help." And yes, it did work out for the best, but who was to know that then" She could just as easily have turned him in to the council for what he'd done.

"And you thought a healer would begrudge you acting out of desperation to save someone you love?" she asked incredulously. "Only a cold-hearted bitch would have shopped you to the council for that, and unless you were standing over her with a gun at her head while she worked, I doubt Brona considers it force at all. Now if you held a gun to me and tried to force me to do something ....well, it would depend on what you wanted me to do. If I didn't like the idea, I'd claw your eyes out, but then, I'm a scrapper."

"Funny thing to say to someone you're fixing to marry," he said, a hint of teasing in his voice, despite the seriousness of the conversation. "I'd do anything to keep my brothers safe. Promised my Pa I'd take care of them, and that's what I intend to do." Though they were grown men now and fully capable of taking care of themselves.

"So what about you? Isn't there anything you want to do with yourself, or does it all have to be about them?" she asked him pointedly, untying the belt at her waist to remove her leather vest.

He was slightly distracted, not by her question, but by the simple motion of removing her vest. "Hmm?" he murmured distractedly before forcing his gaze back to her face. "Never thought about it much. Always fancied myself a farmer, like my Pa, but after the mutants ....After they killed my Ma, there didn't seem much point."

She shrugged out of the vest, turning to drop it down at the end of the mattress and stretch, her back to him. "I'm sorry about your parents," she offered sincerely. "I know a homestead isn't exactly a farm, but there's farming involved. And we're close enough to Pax that you could keep close with the militia, if you wanted to. I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to take that kind of risk with your own life, no matter how much it pissed me off."

"Why would keeping people safe piss you off" There are some real threats out there, Dale," he pointed out, mutants notwithstanding. "'Sides I thought this whole thing was just a matter of convenience, so what should you care what happens to me, 'cepting you don't want Willem to get his hands on your land." He wasn't sure why what she'd said had annoyed him, except that he'd been in charge of his own life for a long time and wasn't about to let anyone tell him what to do, including her.

"You don't listen, do you?" she shot back at him, not at all fazed by his annoyance. "I didn't say it would piss me off that you'd be saving people, I said it'd piss me off if you took risks with your life. I also said I wouldn't stop you, even if it did piss me off. What woman do you know would be happy with her husband putting himself in harm's way constantly?"

"'Course, 'cause without me, you're a chaste widow again having to fight off an old buzzard who's prolly got eyes for more than just your land." He knew he'd said too much, but it somehow irked him to know she probably didn't really give a damn about him, except where it benefited her. But then, what did he expect from someone he'd only known a few hours" He seemed to realize he was being unreasonable, or maybe he just didn't want to talk about it anymore, and his expression softened. "You should get some rest. They'll be here before long."

She stepped back as he laid out for her in plain terms her own problem, her eyes flashing angrily. "Why don't you go and shove your head up your horse's ass?" she suggested in a snapping tone. "That way you won't have to watch when I get forced onto my back by some old buzzard." She turned on her heel and marched away, ostensibly to check on the cows.

She didn't get far though - he grabbed hold of her arm as she brushed past him to keep her there a moment longer. "You stubborn gods-damned woman ..." he started, blue eyes flashing with anger and maybe a little passion he rarely let show. "I ain't gonna let that happen."

She stiffened the moment he touched her, staring fixedly at the hand wrapped around her arm. "Touch me in anger, and I swear to God, I will rip your testicles off," she warned him through clenched teeth. Her eyes rose to glare up at him. "Not gonna let it happen" Marry me. Taunt me about it again, and the deal's off the table. I'll leave before I let anyone treat me that way again."

"What way again? Like your father" How do you know I ain't just like him' How do you know I ain't just like Willem?" he countered, though he loosened his grip on her arm before dropping his hand entirely. He was trying to make a point, but she didn't seem to be listening either.

"Want me to make it easy to find out?" Dale demanded, her hands moving to unbutton her shirt. She was angry enough not to be thinking particularly clearly, or she would never have pulled the shirt open and put herself on display, as it were. "Go on. Prove to me that you're just like Willem and my father. I dare you."

He frowned down at her, realizing in that moment that she was as damaged as he was and just as angry. The look on his face wasn't pity exactly or even sympathy, but a rare look of compassion very few had ever witnessed on his face. He sighed again and reached for her, but only so he could help her re-button her shirt, trying hard not to let his eyes wander, even as much as he wanted them to. "You don't have to do that. I ain't like them," he told her, cocking his head suddenly, his fingers still on her shirt. "They're coming."

The gentle way he re-buttoned her shirt without even glancing at her bare skin sent Dale's anger skidding away, leaving her feeling ashamed and embarrassed by her own actions. She blinked hurriedly, looking away in an attempt to hide the urge toward tears from him, only to realize that he was right. The animals had gone still, every head turned toward the cellar door shuttered against the garden outside. The atmosphere was tense, suddenly; tense with the knowledge that certain death was close. Dale swallowed, twisting to extinguish the lamp, but in the darkness, her hand crept into Eli's. She had spent too many nights alone, listening to the scraping of claws against the thick wooden door, to ignore the presence of another human with her for once.

He had a longer reach than her and only had to reach a short distance to get that lamp extinguished, one arm instinctively around her shoulders to pull her close. He wasn't quite sure why he'd done that, but it seemed the thing to do. Once the lamp was out, they were engulfed in darkness, and he touched a finger to her lips to silently tell her to keep quiet. How many times she had hidden here, he couldn't guess, nor could he imagine the terror she must have suffered all alone, and he felt a sudden and unexpected swell of something he couldn't quite put a finger on at the thought of it. Maybe it was just male bravado and the need to protect; maybe it was something more, but in that moment, he couldn't imagine leaving her here to suffer this all alone any longer.

In the darkness, it was easier to drop the fierce facade. As Eli's arm went about her shoulders, Dale turned to him, one arm about his back, the other hand pressed over his heart, concentrating on the beat beneath her palm. She was stiff, trembling just a little, always aware of the one night she had not secured the shutters properly and had been forced to listen to that questing scratch on both doors down into the cellar, any hope of escape cut off entirely. That was not the case tonight, but she was still afraid. The goats pressed up against their legs, as silent as they were, but tense with fear of their own as those deadly claws searched for a way in that was denied them.

Dale Mullen

Date: 2015-10-04 12:02 EST
He knew that so long as the mutants couldn't find a way in, they'd be safe, but all it took was one mistake, and they'd be goners. They had let their anger get the best of them, though he thought they'd caught themselves in time. He felt her trembling against him and wrapped both arms around her to hold her against his chest, the beating of his heart slow and steady, despite his own fear. He smelled of sweat and horse and the open air, his body warm and his arms more than capable.

They stood there in the dark for what felt like an eternity, wrapped around each other, as much to comfort one as to protect the other. After only a few minutes - though it felt like hours - the scratching faded away, and they were aware of the mutants moving on. The animals relaxed, and Dale felt her own quiet terror ease away, letting her breathe normally once again. But she didn't take her arms from about Eli's waist. "They're gone," she murmured. "They'll be back before dawn, when they circle back."

"You shouldn't be here alone," he told her, keeping his voice lower, though the danger had passed. He, too, was reluctant to let go of her, until he was sure they were safe. As brave as he'd tried to seem, his palms were damp and his pulse had quickened.

It was impossible for him to see her expression in the darkness, but she was almost smiling as her cheek left his chest, her head tilting up as though she could see him. "So marry me," she said softly. "Don't let me be alone anymore."

Though he couldn't see her there in the dark, he could feel her moving near him and almost feel her eyes on him. He touched her cheek, finding her face unerringly in the dark, as if he was accustomed to it, and bent his head to kiss her. It wasn't the fiery passionate kiss they'd shared earlier, but slow and tender - the kind of kiss that promised something more than just passion. It had been a very long time since he'd kissed a woman like that, and he wasn't quite sure why he was doing so now. It just felt right. That was the only explanation he had. It wasn't quite an answer to her question, but it was promising.

Promising, indeed. Perhaps just as promising was the way her arms tightened about his waist as his lips found hers, the way she rose easily onto her toes to share that kiss with him, feeling her heart thump in her chest. It wasn't the passion of before, or even an after-effect of the fear. It was as much a promise from her as it was a promise from him. There was more here than simple convenience.

It was a tempting offer that was hard to resist, especially given the way she made him feel, and yet, the thought of his brothers kept nudging at his mind, and he wondered if he'd ever be free of the burden of responsibility that had been placed on his shoulders as eldest. He had to talk to them first before he could make a final decision, and perhaps that would give him time to get to know Dale better. He drew a quiet sigh, still holding her close, not out of fear or necessity, but just because he liked the way she felt in his arms. It was a strange feeling after so many years of being alone. "Let me talk to my brothers, and then we'll see," he told her quietly. It wasn't a promise exactly, but it was hopeful.

She nodded, only remembering after the fact that he couldn't see her. "Of course," she conceded. "You have family to think of. Of course you should talk to them first." There was no way to disguise her soft sigh, however quiet it was, given how closely she leaned against him. What would his brothers say' Would they endorse such a hasty joining, or would they change his mind" "The mutants won't be back until the early hours," she said, her voice a little stronger now. "We should try and get some sleep."

If nothing else, she had given him a lot to think about. She was right about one thing - now that his brothers were grown, it was time he think about what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Did he want to spend the rest of his life alone, while his brothers found wives and had families of their own, or did he want that, too' Some forgotten part of his heart ached with longing for that very thing, afraid to dream, afraid to hope, afraid those hopes and dreams would only be shattered before they'd had time to bloom. And yet, this a single kiss and embrace from a woman he hardly knew had given him hope. It was silly, he knew, and yet, she had stirred something in him that he'd thought long dead and forgotten. "Yeah," he replied, though he wasn't sure how much sleeping he'd do. She had given him a lot to think about, but for now, they both needed sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream. Cody had quoted that to him once from one of his books, and Eli had laughed, but he was not laughing now.

Perhaps the darkness made her somehow bolder, but before she untangled herself from him, Dale pressed closer, tightening her arms about his waist as her face pressed into his chest, breathing him in without even trying to hide her actions. Only then did she loosen her grip, turning blindly toward where she thought the lamp was, her arms outstretched to search for it.

What did he need to sleep and dream for when a perfectly lovely dream was standing right in front of him' Eli held her close a moment longer before letting her go, presumably in search of the lamp. He let her slip through his arms in search of that lamp, but he wasn't sure he wanted her to slip through his arms forever.

She fumbled for a moment in the dark, then a match flared, illuminating the space around them. The goats were still there, chewing hay and blinking in the light, but the other animals had settled down, certain there was no danger close by. Dale looked pale in the golden light from the lamp, but there was still the flush on her cheeks as she looked up at Eli. "We should try to rest."

"Yeah," he admitted again, seemingly at a loss for words since that kiss. He studied her for a long moment, noting the pale complexion, as well as the contrasting flush to her cheeks. If he hadn't noticed before how beautiful she was, he did now. While she tried to put on a brave face, he had felt her trembling in his arms and knew better. Still, he gave her credit - she was braver than most, living out here all alone, but maybe neither of them needed to be alone any longer. Morning would be arrive before long, and with it another pass by the mutants. Until then, they had a long, dark night ahead of them, and a lot of time to think. "I'll get the bed ready," he said, reluctantly stepping away to spread out the blankets over the mattress, one side belonging to her and the other to him.

She watched him in the dim light, a part of her already wondering what it would be like to share her life with this man. She'd made the offer on a whim, but the more she learned of him, the more determined she'd become that he took it seriously. Now that he was serious about her offer, she couldn't help hoping, however uselessly, that his brothers wouldn't change his mind. It wasn't just convenience - there was something compelling about Eli, a call that she wanted to answer, for the first time in her life. Easing closer, she hung the lamp from a nail on the wall, her fingers twitching to touch his hair as she passed behind him, a gentle touch that caressed more than mussed.

He'd grown strangely quiet in the moments following that embrace, as if it had changed something deep inside him - touched him in ways he could not yet comprehend. It wasn't love, no, not yet, but there was something happening between them that was more than just physical desire - some nameless connection he couldn't quite place. When he felt her fingers touch his hair, it stirred something inside him he hadn't felt for years - not since his mother had died. It was as though the wall of ice he'd built around his heart was melting, all because of one brave and beautiful girl.

"We should get some sleep," he told her, finding his voice at least, if only to repeat what she'd already said. He shrugged off his coat and hung it from one of the stalls. There wasn't much point in undressing anymore than that. The night would be cold with nothing more than their body heat and the blankets to keep them warm.

With her vest already set to one side, Dale nodded, sliding herself onto one side of the mattress. She didn't bother removing her boots - experience had taught her to always be ready when she had to spend the night down here, no matter how uncomfortable that made sleeping. "Make yourself comfortable then," she suggested to him. "I promise, I don't have bugs or bite."

"Nor do I," he replied, a little too seriously perhaps. He didn't remove his boots either, but he did find his pistol and keep it close, not because of her, but because he, too, had learned that one could never be too careful. He settled himself onto the mattress on the opposite side of her, taking a moment to draw the blankets up over her, with little regard for himself. He'd slept in far worse places than this, and whether he knew her or not, there was some deep-seated need inside him to protect those who needed protecting.

Dale couldn't help laughing a little at his care of her, rolling toward him to draw the blankets up over him as well. She tucked herself against his side automatically, without even considering what he might prefer, her arm draped over his waist as she settled in. "Thank you," she murmured softly, knowing that she had asked a lot of him in the few hours since they had met. He didn't have to entertain any of it, and yet he was.

"Go to sleep," he told her, touching a finger to her lips to silence her once again, one arm going around her to hold her close. For warmth, he told himself, though he knew it was more than that. Until this very moment, he hadn't realized how alone he had felt for so long - just like her. Alone now that his brothers no longer needed him.

His brothers might no longer need him, but this little woman did. Fierce and independent she might have been, but she had shown him her fear and her loneliness, and invited him to help her. She had almost begged him to, not purely because of the land on which they currently sheltered. It ran deeper than that. Dale had been alone for too long, long enough that she was desperate for someone to alleviate the crushing emptiness of her home and life. Eli was a white knight, whether he knew it or not, and she had no intention of letting him ride away, never to be seen again. As she curled into him, obediently shutting her eyes, her lips quirked into a faint smile as a plan formed in her mind. If he didn't come back out here in a couple of days, she'd go looking for him. Wouldn't that give the gossips something to mutter about"

He was as lost in his own thoughts as she was in hers, even as he held her close, her body soft and warm and inviting beside his. And even as she closed her eyes to sleep, he remained awake, studying her in the lantern light, listening to her breathing, wondering what she was dreaming. He'd had dreams of his own once a long time ago - a lifetime ago. Did he dare hope those dreams might come true? It was the last thing his weary mind considered before surrendering at last to sleep.

((So much for Brona being a match-maker, huh' Huge thanks to Eli's player!))