The Arsenic Widow #Wattys2015 (mxm)

Chapter Twenty Seven

Another chappy is here already!! I'm happy with where this story is headed now, considering I felt like it was headed in a really sappy direction before! And no, not just because Incent had his hands caught in sap!!

Thank you for the constant support! You guys are the people making me want to continue writing this and making me want it never to end! <3

I must have fallen asleep somewhere along the way. I remember Acorn's 'brother' catching up to us, and then I simply drifted off. Maybe they hit me over the head? I'm not too sure. All I know now is that I've woken up in some sort of nest.

When I opened my eyes, all I could see was the sky. I had to blink several times as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, but it didn't take long. At first I thought that I had been on one of my hunting trips and I had been forced to sleep in the middle of the woods again, but I realised quickly that I couldn't see any trees. In fact, I couldn't see anything around me.

I sat up, my heart racing in my chest in an almost painful manner. I clutched at my shirt as I tried to calm myself down and look around the area. I suppose that wasn't exactly going to help me calm down, but at least I was doing something.

The nest was made out of twigs and rags, like a normal birds nest was. I could finally see the tops of trees, but they were next to me, not above. I shivered as a cold wind blew over my shoulders and I crept to the edge of the nest to look over it.

Gulping, I noticed that I was too far in the air. It was cold and my hands were shaking, and I knew I couldn't jump to safety from here.

I took a moment to relax and move around the nest, getting my blood flowing through my veins and warming me up somewhat. Once I had gotten to a stage where I could open my fingers without them trying to break, I began trying to figure out a way out of the nest.

I was guessing that it was the demon's nest, but he had slithered off somewhere and I didn't want to be here when he got back. So I got to the closest branch to the trunk that I could and slid onto it, clutching to the leaves for dear life. I glanced back at the safety of the next but shook my head. While it was flat and somewhat comfortable, I knew that I couldn't stay there forever. Even movement couldn't keep me from a hypothermic reaction for too long.

Shifting over to the trunk, I grabbed it tightly and counted to ten. I had never felt so panicked about height before, but this was a much different situation. I looked down, focusing on the next branch and used the trunk to slowly lower myself onto it. My foot slipped for a moment and I panicked, before I realised I was alright and wasn't going to fall. I celebrated internally for a moment, knowing I was one step closer to freedom.

I got down another branch and had to hold on for several minutes as a freezing cold wind brushed over me again. I knew I couldn't climb while I was shivering so hard and fighting a wind with nothing more than the clothes on my back. Even if I had been smart enough to use the cloth from the next and made it into something I could have used to get down, the wind would have stopped that plan from working.

Taking a deep breath, I continued making a way down the slippery tree, gripping onto anything I could and praying that my leather pants wouldn't fail me now. When I was close enough to the ground, I slipped off my branch and landed on my feet with a breath of relief. I glanced around, trying to work out where I was.

It was a damn shame that all I could see was trees. So useful!

I squinted up at the sky, trying to find the sun to I could follow it somewhere. Maybe find a village or a place to rest without ending up walking around in circles. The trees were too high and thick for me to properly see it. I cursed loudly.

"I thought you were better than that," a voice hissed over my shoulder. I yelped and stumbled away, turning around to face the stranger. Only, it wasn't. It was the demon who considered himself my 'master' or something equally weird. Whatever he thought himself to be, I wasn't interested. I backed up and glanced around for a weapon but he noticed. "Trying to fight me? When are you going to realise that I'm much stronger than you?"

I shook my head. "You're not stronger than me! If you were, you'd have had me years ago!"

"Oh," he chuckled. "But I did have you years ago. Remember? I had you again and again..."

He tasted the air and I flinched, but refused to show any of my fear. Why couldn't I have just stayed in my kingdom and finished up my years as a hunter? I wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't accepted the deal. I shook my head. No, I think he would have found me anyway.

"Come on," he purred. "Back up we go." Before I could move, he had wrapped his tail around my waist and dragged me up the tree behind him. I did the best to shield myself from the branches and bark, but ended up with blood running down my forearms from the effort. In less than a minute we were back up in the tree and I felt despair well from within. No matter how good I got, the only way I would get out of this tree and away from him faster than he could move would be to throw myself out of the tree and pray for death. If there was ever a time to become religious and hope for divine intervention, now was the perfect time.

The demon laid me on the nest and snickered softly. "Little human, you may call me Lothaire. I like to change my name often, but for now I'm sticking with that." He paused, as if expecting me to carry on the conversation and ask him why he changed his name, but when I was silent he frowned. "You're going to need me up here or you'll freeze to death. You'll learn to love your saviour." His tail released my waist and pulled back slowly, caressing my body as it did so.

I shivered as I turned away from him, lying on the cold floor. I heard movement behind me and felt him lie down next to me and wrap his arms around me. As much as I would have loved to struggle against him, I felt his body warmth begin to warm me to my core. My shivering eased and I finally asked him a question.

"I thought lizards were cold blooded. How are you so warm?"

He chuckled soft and low into my ear, and I felt his tongue flick out and touch my ear. "I'm not a lizard. I'm a demon. I thought you knew that already?"

He was mocking me, I could tell, but I didn't take the bait. He shuffled closer and stroked my hair with his hand. "How about I make you something to eat later?" He asked. "Oh, and good news. That bird's shit worked. Looks like you're getting better."

I jerked in surprise, realising I had forgotten. It must be working, considering I wouldn't have been able to get down the tree without the added health.

"Also, your precious prince has left you." He started laughing. "After his brother told him you were an assassin, he wasn't about to come after you and take you back to court where you would just kill him. Shame. You two were so cute together."

"Is he really Acorn's brother?" I whispered, unable to deny my curiosity.

"Oh yes!" He responded eagerly. "But oh no. He's... both and neither. He has a bit of the man's mind and body, but not all of it. He's only fifty per cent himself. Perhaps even less. Maybe more body? But that body is dripping away."

I shuddered, remembering what that flesh sounded like when it hits the floor. He laughed as if he could hear my memories. "You're lucky I don't drip like that." I could practically feel him smirking, "Well, I do drip, but not like him." I knew the moment of question and answer was over so I shut my eyes and refused to answer him. He continued to laugh softly as I fell into a tense sleep where I dreamed of a grand escape while Acorn waited with our horses and joined me on our travel back to his castle.