Fan Fiction ❯ Starrlei ❯ Chapter 3: Arguments and Kisses ( Chapter 3 )

Starrlei

Chapter 3: Arguments and Kisses

By Selenity Jade

 

::What is she doing, Rian?:: Dylyan asked his steed suddenly spotting Starrlei near the town gate. She wore her form fitting brown riding leathers, her silver hair tied into a loose tail on her head, and appeared to be arguing adamantly with a very old woman.

 

::Conversing. Or arguing.::

 

::Smartass. I can see that! She looks like she's going to attack the poor woman,:: Dylyan noted dryly.

 

::I doubt she will, Lyan.::

 

::Well, I don't think she's the type, but I think we'd better go over there, eh?::

 

Lyrian snorted. ::Whatever you say,:: he agreed reluctantly, yet nevertheless lazily walked over towards the pair.

 

"Hey, Starrlei!" Dylyan called to her.

 

She snapped her head towards him, her eyes flashing with anger. "What do you want, Dylyan? Can't you see I'm busy here?"

 

"What I see is some poor old woman being harassed. I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to hurt her."

 

Starrlei glared at him. "Don't be ridiculous! I would never attack people needlessly. Besides, this 'old woman' can take care of herself!"

 

"I'm sure, Starr. I'm sure," he drawled.

 

"What did you call me?"

 

"Hm? I called you Starr. Do you have a problem with that?"

 

"Since when are we close enough for you to give me a nickname?"

 

"Since we'll probably be stuck together for an awfully long time. Haven't you ever been called Starr before?"

 

"No, I have always been called by my full name."

 

"Really? Well, I'm calling you Starr whether you like it or not. Everyone deserves a nickname."

 

To Dylyan's surprise, Starrlei blushed. He felt his mouth drop. She looks beautiful when she blushes.

 

Lyrian snorted in his mind. ::I bet.::

 

::That wasn't exactly a thought for you, horse.::

 

::I'm fully aware of that.::

 

Dylyan shook his head. ::Beast,:: he scolded fondly.

 

::Thank you.::

 

"Since you were kind enough to give me a nickname, I must return the favor soon."

 

Dylyan shrugged. "Suit yourself, Starr."

 

"Will you leave now? I need to finish my conversation that you so rudely interrupted."

 

"Sorry. Meet you at our room? How long?"

 

"I'll only be an hour, two at the most."

 

"See you in two."

 

x

 

"You're late," a very annoyed Dylyan snapped as soon as the silvery woman entered their room.

 

"Sorry," she apologized happily earning a raised eyebrow from her partner.

 

"What's got you so excited?"

 

"I know a way across the chasm!"

 

"How?" Dylyan leaned forward.

 

"There is a bridge."

 

Looking at her as if she'd lost her mind, Dylyan returned to leaning against the wall. "A bridge? And we missed it?"

 

"Yes. It's hidden."

 

"How in the hell do you hide a bridge?"

 

"Wards, Lyan. Wards. A mage passed through here soon after the chasm appeared and magicked a bridge here, along with wards. You have to know where the bridge is to see it."

 

"Why hide a bridge?"

 

"To keep the nasties away from it, of course!" She was fairly bouncing with excitement.

 

"Nasties? Like what kind of nasties?" Dylyan laid down atop the bed with arms folded underneath his head. He closed his eyes with a tired sigh.

 

Sitting herself beside him on the bed, she poked him in the stomach, earning a grunt from the occupant. "Like nightshades, ghouls, dragons, and others."

 

"So those things last night were nightshades?"

 

"Yes. They appeared with the chasm."

 

"Wonderful. When do we leave?"

 

"In the morning."

 

"It's still quite early in the afternoon, why not now?"

 

She stared at the figure relaxing on the bed. "Were you hit in the head too many times as a child?"

 

Cracking an eye open, he gazed at her silently for a moment. "Excuse me?"

 

"By the time we reach the bridge, it'll be dark. Nightshades like the night, moron."

 

"Oh, well how was I supposed to know? I haven't even heard of nightshades until today!"

 

Starrlei slapped the side of Dylyan's handsome head with the back of her hand.

 

"Ow! What was that for?" he exclaimed looking resentfully up at the beauty beside him.

 

"You are such an idiot sometimes!"

 

"Gee, thanks. You sure know how to make a man feel better about himself."

 

"I'm not here to make you feel better."

 

Dylyan sighed. "Women," he said, rolling his eyes.

 

Smacking him again, Starrlei glared down at the helpless man before her.

 

"Ow!"

 

"Then don't say such things."

 

"You don't have to hit me!" he whined.

 

"You don't have to be such a moron!" she shot back.

 

"I'm not!"

 

"Yes, you are!"

 

"Look here, Starr, I'm not the one smacking innocent men around."

 

"Innocent men? I do believe that is an oxymoron."

 

"Ha ha. Very funny."

 

"I thought so," she said to him with a smirk.

 

"You're incorrigible."

 

"I know."

 

Dylyan glared up at her. "Can I take a nap now?"

 

"No."

 

"Why not?"

 

"We still have things to do!"

 

"Like what? I already bought supplies."

 

"We need to discuss some things."

 

Dylyan looked at her suspiciously. "What things?"

 

"Like how we're traveling together. Word has gotten out. Some very important people want you dead."

 

"I noticed," he drawled, closing his eyes again.

 

"They know you are traveling with a Zuni."

 

"Hm-hmm."

 

Starrlei quickly smacked him again. "Pay attention!"

 

"Ow! I am paying attention!"

 

"Sure, sounds more like sleeping to me!"

 

"I wasn't!"

 

"Yes, you were!"

 

"I wasn't!"

 

Starrlei sighed and continued. "We need to pretend to be something other than a Zuni and a traveling warrior."

 

"Okay, fine. What do you suggest?"

 

"Husband and wife."

 

"Say WHAT?!" He sat straight up in bed looking wide-eyed at her.

 

"It'll be easiest and least likely to give us unwanted attention. I know it's used the most, almost cliché-ish. Yet people don't pay attention to couples. They talk when a man and a woman who aren't married traveling together."

 

Glaring at her, he chose his words carefully. "You do realize this means we'll have to share the same room and the same bed from now on, don't you?"

 

"Yes."

 

"And we may wake up wrapped up together like we did this morning."

 

"I'm aware of that."

 

"Fine. I'm still a warrior though."

 

"Yes, that is best. Not many people are going to start trouble with a warrior. I, however, will have to pretend to be a doting wife. Women warriors are not common."

 

Dylyan grinned.

 

"Don't get any ideas! I will kick your ass in private if I have to!"

 

"Sure you will!"

 

Glaring, she crossed her arms over her chest. "I won't be scared to have a 'lover's quarrel' in public. And you will not like it."

 

He blanched. "Okay, okay! Anything else I should know?"

 

"No, that's all for now I suppose."

 

"Can I sleep now?"

 

"No!"

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because it's the middle of the day, you idiot!"

 

"So?"

 

"You are so lazy!"

 

"Excuse me? All I want to do is take a nap! How does that make me lazy?" Arching an eyebrow at her, he waited with mild patience for her comeback.

 

"You just are!"

 

"Nice one, Starr. Until you can come up with a reason, I'm going to sleep."

 

She fumed a moment before growling, "You are such a coward!"

 

He snapped his eyes open. "What did you say?" he asked quietly.

 

"I said you are a coward, Dylyan."

 

He suddenly grasped her shoulders almost painfully. He pushed her against the wall, his face inches from hers. "I am not a coward. I have never run from anything in my life. I suggest you shut your mouth before you say something that will get me really mad," he hissed.

 

"You are a coward. You can't even be in the same room with me! Like being alone with me is such a bad thing. You'd rather sleep! Like you're running from a little girl. Big bad Dylyan scared of lil' old' me!"

 

He grasped her shoulders tighter, his hands shaking slightly in rage. "I suggest you stop talking now. You won't like the consequences."

 

"Why? What are you going to do? Hit me? Kill me? What the hell is it about me that makes you so afraid, Dylyan?"

 

"I am not afraid of you."

 

"Then why do you act like that!?"

 

"You want to know why? Fine," he snapped, before crushing her lips with his.

 

x

 

AN: Ack.

 

Thanks again for reading this, especially Amdk (only prologue so far, but hey!) and James! You guys rule!

 

Lovies!