After we ate breakfast, though it was more of a supper. It was a vegetable stew. Very delicious, but not something I would normally eat in the morning, Eren tended to my injured ankle.
I was laying back in the bed, my feet dangling over the edge, with Eren on his knees, unwrapping the bandage from my ankle.
It was swollen, and puffy, and it hurt to move it. Eren ran gentle fingers over my foot and ankle, feeling the muscles and torn tendons.
His fingers felt cool against my skin.
"It appears ye walking on it this morning irritated it. Ye need tae be more careful" Eren said, taking a wet cloth and rubbing it over my ankle, gentle and light.
"How do you know so much about medical stuff?" I asked, my eyes fluttering. It felt nice; the warm cloth rubbing against my skin.
"My Da taught me. I learned most of my survival skills from him" He answered, now drying my foot with a clean, dry cloth. "He taught me about plants and herbs, what they do, what's poisonous and what's no', what tastes the best in stew" He grinned. He took a roll of clean gauze and started to wrap my foot.
"Did you learn hunting from him as well?" I asked, glancing at the bowl I had eaten from. There had been bits of rabbit in it.
"No. That's was my Ma." He said. "Is it to tight?" He asked, talking about my foot.
I shook my head and he continued binding it. "I don't know anything about surviving. I'll probably eat a poisonous berry or something along those lines. Or get eaten by a bear"
Eren chuckled softly. He finished with my foot and then moved to my wrist. "Do ye really no' know anything?" I shook my head, watching the gauze go slack around my wrist. It wasn't nearly as swollen or red as my foot. I didn't sprain it as badly.
"It wasn't something they ever concern themselves with. I was supposed to live my whole life in a castle, with servants. I was never meant to leave the palace without someone accompanying me. So I was never taught."
Eren started to clean my wrist with the same gentleness as my foot. The water hadn't cooled, even the slightest. "I'll teach ye"
My eyes widened and I looked at him. "Really?"
"Of course. I would feel guilty sending ye out on yer own when ye dinna have the slightest idea on how tae protect yerself." He dried my wrist and bandaged it. "I'll be right back" and he stood and walked out of the room.
I sat back on the bed, and propped my leg up on one pillow. A minute later, Eren walked back in. He was carrying a book. Leather bound, and well loved. The sticking looked like it had come loose, restitched and coming loose once again. He sat next to me and opened it up, angling the pages towards me so I could see it better.
Inside the pages were hand paintings of plants, with neat writing of the plants name, and its uses. Eren flipped through the pages quickly, but kindly, not showing me a specific thing, but letting me know what was in the book.
"My father wrote this book years ago. It's a catalogue of all the plants he's ever come in contact with."
He stopped at a random page and opened up.
A beautiful painting of a pink and white cluster of flowers.
Valerian. Helps with insomnia.
"He used this book tae teach me about the different plants and herbs. There's so many"
"Yes" I felt exasperated. There were a lot. How on earth was I going to remember all this in two, maybe three, weeks?! (Eren said that would probably be how long it would take for my ankle to heal)
"A lot of these are from different countries, you'll never find them in the wild"
"Oh thank Gods" I suddenly felt relieved and my heart fluttered when Eren laughed.
"I can teach ye how tae hunt, and some basic medical procedures. Like splinting"
"Right," I nodded. "Thank you" I ran a gentle hand over the painting of a leaf. "These are beautifully painted."
"My Ma painted them, my Da wrote it"
"Your mother also taught you to hunt?"
"Aye. My father knew, but he spent most of his time inventing things."
"Inventing?" I asked, curious.
"Oh aye," Eren nodded, a proud grin on his face that made me giddy inside. "He's made tons of stuff to make life more convenient, I have some stuff here that you'll see" Eren set the book on my lap. "He also trained animals"
"Animals?" Now I was shocked.
"Aye. Birds mostly. They would caw when humans got to close to the cave we lived in, and a wolf that would chase them off. We also have ravens that carry out messages"
"Why don't you give your letter to a foot soldier?" I asked, thumbing absentmindedly throughout the book on my lap.
Eren looked at me and raised a brow. "We're uh...trying to stay hidden"
"Oh" I felt me face heat up and I looked away, feeling sheepish. "Right"
I couldn't see it, but I felt Erens grin. "So he trained ravens." Eren whistled between his teeth. A high pitched sound that was almost to high an octave it hurt ones ear drums.
I heard a loud caw in answer, and a beautiful black bird came soaring through the entryway. It landed on Erens shoulder and aimed it's black eyes at me. "Rasmoke" Eren spoke firmly and the raven jerked its head to him. "This is Levi. He's a friend" Eren put a hand on my shoulder and kept it there. Rasmoke started at me, before he, or it, fluffed it's wings, and screeching at me.
I jerked back, my heart pounding. "Ye can touch him" Eren said with a grin.
"What?!" I asked, eyes narrowing at the birds talons.
"He won't hurt ye."
"Like hell"
Eren rolled him eyes and held his arm out, towards me, and the great bird hopped down the length of his arm, and on my shoulder in a flap of feather wings.
I yelped, clenching my eyes shut, preparing myself for the sharp talons and pointy beak to break my skin, but the only thing I got, was a sharp tug on my scalp.
"Ow!" The bird was pulling on a lock of my hair.
"He likes ye," Eren grinned.
"He's being very mean"
"Oh, that's no' mean" He laughed, before whistling again, and Rasmoke flapped his wings and landed in Erens shoulder. "He was getting to know ye, so he kens not to harm ye when ye get near"
"Wonderful" I huffed, reaching up my hand to smooth my hair back. I looked at the bird, who was cocking its head to the side to peer at me with unblinking eyes. Other then the fact it didn't seem to blink, it was a beautiful bird. He was large, though I wasn't sure how big ravens normally were, and his tail feathers were a blackish green.
"Pretty bird" I cooed, and Rosmoke cooed back.
"Told e he likes ye" Eren grinned. "Go on" He shook his shoulder and with a caw, Rosmoke flew out just as he came, fast.
"Did you help train him?" I asked.
"Aye. I actually enjoyed learning and training. It was a good bonding moment for my Da and I. I enjoyed learning new things."
"Sounds fantastic" I smiled, still amazed at the fact he had a pet raven.
"What about you? What things did ye do growing up?" Eren sudden question caught me by surprise. I looked at him, before shyly looking at the book still on my lap.
"Not much. As a prince, you have certain criteria you have to meet." I started with a small shrug. "When I was two, I started being taught how to properly talk, then how to eat, how to dance, how to keep my posture perfect." As I said this, I straighten my back, both as an example and out of habit. "How to make sure not a single hair is out of place. It was quite boring really" I chuckled, though it held no mirth.
"Well, when ye weren't being proper then. Surely there was something ye loved tae do, fur fun"
I thought for a moment before a small smile pulled my lips involuntarily. "I love reading. Being able to travel to mystical lands, fight monsters and save the world. Live hundreds of lives and never leave the comfort or solitude of your home. It's amazing."
"Well ye are talking to a monster" Eren said this with a grin.
"Hardly" I grinned back.
Erens eyes softened, his smile turning from a joking one, to something much more tender.
His green eyes then widened and he cleared his throat, looking away. "I have a friend who has a room like my treasure room, but instead of gold, it's books." I smiled, imagining it. "Though, they are all nice and tidy, not just waves of it on the floor" He chuckled. He then looked at me. "What else did ye do?"
"I loved to ride" the answer came to me a lot faster than I thought it would.
"Ride?" Eren raised a curious eyebrow.
"My horse, Bell." I grinned. "I always had a passion for animals. It was really the only freedom I had. It was also the only time I really got to spend time with my father, with no distractions of his duties as King" my smile slowly feel, remembering her. "I would have taken her with me, but there was no way to get her over the wall" I pressed my lips together, tears brimming my eyes. I missed both my father and my horse.
Eren stayed silent while I fought back my tears. It hurt to much to cry, my eyes burned with the threat of them. "Ye love this horse?" Eren asked, sounding distant. Not physically, but mentally, like his mind was somewhere else, though not completely, he was still waiting for me to answer.
"Yes. She was a birthday present from my father. I love her very much." I choked on tears and cleared my throat. "She's all I have left" my voice was weak, and broken. She truly was all that was left, and I abandoned her.
"What do horses eat?" Eren asked, and I blinked, momentarily stunned from my anguish.
"Hay, and oats. Apples and carrots can be fed to them as treats"
"Hay is dried grass?" I nodded. "And where do horses live? Do they sleep in your room?"
"N-no, they stay in the stables. It's a few feet away from the palace. It's where they eat and sleep, and are groomed."
"And who takes care of them?"
"A...a stable boy" I furrowed my brow. Why was Eren asking all this. The brunette was staring at the wall, but not seeing the wall. I could see the calculations in his brain.
Eren nods slowly, before looking out the small window.
"It's nearly noon. Is there something ye would like tae do?"
I blinked at him, surprised by the sudden subject change. "I...I need to pee" I said, bluntly. Amelia always did her best to try and get me to not be this way, because it's not proper, but it never worked.
Eren smiled. "I'll help ye."
I shift way when Eren reaches for me. "I am plenty capable of going piss by myself"
"I'm sure ye are, but ye can't walk. Yer ankle needs rest" He grabbed a hold of my arm and pulled me to him, before picking me up, like a princess, and walking out of the room.
He held me like I weighed nothing.
I should be mad about this, about the way he's holding me, but I'm not. I was too distracted by his hard muscles and smooth skin. He had put on pants, but he was still very shirtless.
I bit my lip, my fingers tentatively touching his Adam's apple. Then moving down to the hollow of his collar bone, and then across the bone.
I could see goosebumps rise on olive skin, and Erens hands tightened their grip on me.
I knew I shouldn't do this, this was entirely inappropriate, but I couldn't. I physically could not bring my hand to stop as it traced the contours of his chest, and shoulders.
I hadn't noticed Eren had stopped walking. I barely noticed him putting me gently on my feet.
Even with the cold stones against my bare feet, I didn't stop my roaming. Now both hands were on him. I felt like I was in a trance, fully aware that I should stop, but I couldn't, and didn't want to.
My fingers ghosted over his pecs, and down his abdomen, lightly touching the groves of his flesh.
His stomach tensed, and the muscles tighten, becoming even more defined than before. I gasped softly. Oh gods he was beautiful.
One hand touched his hip, while the other moved back to his shoulders.
His skin was covered in goosebumps, and a shiver ran down his spine when I delicately touched his hip.
He sighed, just on the edge of a moan, and pressed his forehead against mine. I tore my eyes away from his body to look at his face.
His eyes were closed, and he was breathing deeply, his lips parted.
I'm sure if I lifted my leg up, I would feel an erection. That both excited me, and scared me.
I kept my feet firmly on the ground, and moved my eyes to his neck, and I noticed something.
In the junction where his neck met his shoulder was a small spot that was just slightly pinker than the rest of his skin. My curiosity got the best of me, and I pressed my fingers against the spot.
Eren jerked, and snatched both my wrists in his hands before shoving me against the wall. I felt his teeth sinking into the flesh of my neck and I let out a shuddering gasp.
And then there was nothing. Erens hand were still holding my wrists to the wall, and his teeth still in my neck, but he had stopped. He was shaking, and growling. A deep, animalistic growl that made me remember he was a dragon.
I stayed very still, fear creeping in on me. All Eren had to do was move over slightly and he could rip my throat out. It was a terrifying notion, but also...exciting.
But Eren didn't move, he kept his teeth firmly in my neck, just under my jaw. I could feel blood make a path down my neck.
I slowly started to relax, and Eren unlocked his jaw. "Don't. Ever. Do that. Again" he growled at me, his body still shaking. His lips brushed my cheek as he talked. "I won't be able to stop myself next time"
I felt my body go limp, I had given up all my defenses, I would let-no-I want Eren to do whatever he wants to me. "Eren"
But the dragon let go of me, and I fell to the floor. I blinked and he was gone.
I sat in silence, my legs shaking with want. I was shocked. I had never felt lust like that before. I've been horny before, I was a teenager, technically still am. But I have never desired anyone. My fantasies were always faceless, nameless men, and now I wanted Eren so bad it hurt.
I sat there, taking deep breaths and keeping my hands firmly away from me.
What was Eren doing? Was he touching himself? I know he was turned on, even if I didn't feel his arousal I knew he wanted me.
Stop!
Stop! This is not the way to kill your boner.
I slowly stood on shaking legs and limped over to what resembled a chamber pot. I peered down and furrowed my brows.
There was water in it.
This couldn't be a chamber pot. Did Eren take me to the wrong place?
Now that my erection had died, I really had to fucking piss. I bit my lip. "Eren!" I shouted. Silence. "Eren!!" I yelled louder.
"What?!" I heard him yell back. He wasn't that far away.
"What the hell is this?!"
Silence and then footsteps coming my way.
Eren pokes his head into the small room. "What?"
"This" I pointed at the bowl filled with water.
He blinked at me, looking at me like I was an idiot. "It's a toilet"
"The hell is a toilet?"
He blinked again before understanding came over his features. "Sorry. It's one of my dads inventions. It makes it easier to go to the bathroom, ye dinna have to carry a chamber pot out every time ye use it." Eren gestured to the so called 'toilet'. "There's a tank" he pointed next to the 'toilet' where a big wooden keg stood. "I have to fill it with water every so often, but it feels up the bowl of the toilet, and when you're down doing yer business" he grabbed a rope that was connected to the bottom of the toilet. "You pull this, and it opens up a door, that is attached to some pipes, and it takes it out of the cave and to a pit I dug a few yards out."
"Black Magic" I joked, taking the string from him. I tugged on the rope, and the bottom of the toilet opened, sucking the water down. It made a loud sucking noise and I jumped.
"Don't hold it open." Eren took the rope from me and dropped it, and the trap door closed again, and then water filled the bowl.
"I was joking, but now not so much" I gazed in wonder at the toilet. I never had to worry about emptying the chamber pot, but it always disgusted me.
Eren smiled at me, before glancing away. "Well, do yer thing, I'll be waiting outside tae carry ye back" and he walked out, giving me privacy.
I did what I needed to do, and flushed the toilet. I then waddled over to the bowl of water on a pedestal. This was something I recognized.
I dipped my hands into the water, and was surprised to find it warm.
How the hell was it warm? Eren did not just fill this.
I shook my head and grabbed the bar of soap and washed my hands, rinsed them, and dried them on a piece of cloth.
I limped my way out of the room and found Eren standing in the hallway, his arms folded casually. "How is the water warm?" I blurted out as soon as I saw him.
He blinked in surprise before he smiled. "I can control fire, in other words, I can make things a certain temperature by applying fire to it." He snapped his fingers and the torches in the hall were snuffed out. Another snap and they were lit.
"Wow" I said, quiet dumbly.
Eren chuckled. He walked over to me. "Let's get ye back tae bed"
I blinked at him. "You're going to carry me?"
"Ye can't walk" Eren said simply. "Just...don't do anything"
I looked at me feet. "Okay"
"Thank ye"
He lifted me up easily and started walking. My hands were around his neck as a way to stabilize myself. I was staring at his neck, at the pink circle.
"I'm sorry" I said quietly.
"Fur what?"
"Touching you like that" Eren was silent. "It was inappropriate and inconsiderate. I didn't have consent to do so and I'm sorry" Now that the lust had worn off, I was now filled with embarrassment. I shouldn't have done that, and now Eren might kick me out. I still haven't learned anything about surviving, and I most likely fucked up any chance I had.
"I won't say I dinna enjoy it" Eren sat me down on the bed. "But we can't" Eren sighed. "We don't know each other, and this is strictly friendly" he made a gesture between us. "I'm going to go check the snares" and he left.
I flopped back down on the bed and groaned. Why did I do that? Why couldn't I keep my hands to myself? Why? Why? Why?
I pressed my lips together and dug the heels of my hands into my eyes. Now it would be awkward and weird between us, if Eren didn't kick me out.
An hour later, Eren walked into the room, a string of dead rabbits on his waist. One was in his hands, and the other was holding a knife. "Let's learn how tae skin an animal"