Athgar felt confounded. He didn't know how to behave in this situation. Back in Athelwald he simply would have married the girl his father had arranged for him and be done with it, but then he remembered that his life had fallen apart when he had failed to become a hunter.

Seeing the look of despondency on his face, she moved closer to him, placing her hand upon his. "I'm sorry," she said, "it was not my intention to embarrass you. Let's get you recovered first, the rest we can discuss later."

"Yes," he agreed, "that's probably for the best."

Athgar awoke in the middle of the night, opening his eyes to a room filled with moonlight. Gentle breathing came to his ears, and he looked about, trying to find its source. Glancing to the floor, he spotted Natalia, lying on the rug, a folded up dress acting as a pillow.

Athgar rose from his bed, stripping off the blanket and carrying it over to her. He gazed down at her as she slept, then placed it over her to keep her warm. She stirred as he did so and he froze in place, worried she might awaken to him standing over her, but all she did was shift her position slightly, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He returned to his bed, treading as quietly as he could.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Nothing," he whispered.

"You put a blanket on me," she said.

"You looked cold."

"I didn't expect you to give up a blanket for me, but thank you."

"You should let me sleep on the floor," he said, "I'm not used to sleeping in a bed."

Natalia sat up, her outline visible in the gloom. "You didn't sleep in a bed?"

"I did, but not a bed like this," he clarified. "I've always slept on the ground, except in the Orc hut, their beds are more like shelves."

"Orc hut? What are you talking about?"

"Don't let it trouble you," Athgar said, "go back to sleep."

"Well I can't go back to sleep now, you have me intrigued."

"Is that a dangerous thing?"

"If you have to ask that," she said, "you don't know me very well."

"It's true, I don't," he replied.

"Don't what?"

"Know you very well. All I know is that you're from a rich family that wants you back, and you can use water magic. Oh, and you ran away from home. I imagine there's a lot more to know about you, but you don't seem the sharing type."

"I take exception to that," she said, "I like to share."

"Oh, really?" He asked. "Then tell me something about yourself."

"There's nothing to tell, and you're trying to change the subject," Natalia said. "You were the one that brought up Orcs. Were you held prisoner by them?"

"Prisoner? Where would you get that idea?"