No one has to know

Chapter 12

Catherine and Bash sat, attempting to enjoy the overcooked rabbit that Bash had accidentally left too long over the fire while they were dancing.

"You know, I'm so hungry, I don't even care that this is awful." said Bash.

"Well maybe you should've paid more attention while you were cooking it." she replied.

"Well it just so happens my attentions were better spent elsewhere." he said.

"Is that so?...You know you were so curious about my talents, why don't you tell me about yours." she probed.

"Other than hunting, I can't say as though I have any." Bash said.

"Oh come now, everyone is good at something." she assured.

"Alright, well, I'm sure you can't tell from this particular meal, but on occasion, I have been known to be an okay cook." he said.

"Really? Well, you'll have to prove that to me sometime." she said as Bash smiled.

"I might just do that." he said.

They finished their food and put out the fire. As they were preparing to leave Bash noticed Catherine staring at him.

"What?" He asked.

"Beg your pardon." she said.

"Well, you were staring at me. Is something wrong?" he said.

"It's just...once we get to Paris we won't be able to just be us anymore, you know, we'll have to go back to hiding. It was hard enough before, but now that I know what it's like...well." she looked away.

"I take it that means you're enjoying my company." He teased.

"And why wouldn't I be?" she said turning back and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, just because things work well in one arena doesn't mean when you put it in a different setting that it will feel the same." he explained.

"It doesn't feel the same..." he raised an eyebrow "It's better." she said, he kissed her.

"I think it is too." he told her. "And I was hoping you felt the same. But I suppose that does make it all the more difficult doesn't it? I hope that's not going to scare you away from me again."

"No it's not. I'm afraid that's the problem." she said. "In some ways I wish I could walk away, but that proved to be rather unpleasant...So strange how you've become so important so quickly."

"I know what you mean." he said picking up her hand and running circles over it with his thumb. "We should get moving." he added after a beat.

After they'd been walking a few hours more they started to hear some voices. Bash held up his hand to let Catherine know to be quiet. He tiptoed forward and peered through a large bush to see where the voices were coming from. He saw a group of four large men. They were stopping to rest, but they were clearly not the type of people you'd want to associate with. He took a few steps back.

"What is it?" Catherine whispered. "Are they pagans?"

"I doubt it. From the way they're dressed I'd say they are more likely road bandits." he whispered back.

"What do we do? You're outnumbered. We can't fight them." She asked.

"Maybe we can wait them out if we can stay quiet enough. Hopefully they'll move on quickly." he said ushering her behind another bigger bush that had a large boulder next to it. They sat down with their backs against the boulder, Bash's arm around Catherine's shoulders, and waited silently.

After a couple of hours the sound of the bandits chatter stopped. A few moments passed, then Catherine spoke.

"Do you think they've finally gone?" she whispered.

"I don't know." he said. He got up to look through the bush again. He started to turn back."I don't see them. They must have...." he stopped as he met with a sword in his face.

Tobecontinued.... (Yes it's a cliffhanger. I'm such a little shit)