Mirelha lay unconscious on the bed, without her magic her body felt weak most of the time. It was getting darker outside, the moon that provided a semblance of light had begun to retire leaving the starless night sky to shine upon the tired trees. A figure stood at the edge of the room, the darkness covered his entire figure leaving only a silhouette. He just stood at the corner staring at the figure laying on his bed sleeping peacefully. she's been passed out for up to an hour and had finally began to stir awake.
"How did I pass out?" Mirelha asked herself as she tried to sit upright, "one moment I was fully awake and the next moment I fall asleep? He must have done something to me". She continued to mutter whilst checking under the sheets to see if anything happened.
"I didn't do anything to you Sunshine. Your body just can't handle the absence of your powers", the silhouetted figure spoke, pushing himself forward and began walking towards the bed. "Your powers are like your life force and since I have them caged your body is weak and needs excessive rest to stay alive".
"You say that like it's something casual", Mirelha spat still checking herself, clearly not satisfied with his answer.
"Here in the Marshlands it takes a lot to be classified out of the ordinary", Calix replied leisurely, as he began buttoning down his shirt.
Seeing what he intended to do, Mirelha's face turned bright red, thank God for the cover of darkness,she recollected her traitorous nerves before forcing herself to speak, "what do you think your doing?"
Calix froze for a fraction of a second before replying, "you can see me in the dark?"
"Not perfectly, but clear enough to know your taking.... Taking off your clothes". A smirk crept up on his lips.
"Well sunshine, considering the fact that this is my bed don't you think I have the right to sleep in it too?" Calix couldn't help the smirk that widened seeing her red face turn a few shades darker, nothing beats toying around with your prey.
"So you intend to sleep in the same bed with me?" Mirelha spoke her face already the color of a freshly cooked lobster.
Calix looked calm and unfazed by the idea and even paused briefly to reply her, "yes I do", before tugging on his shirt and pulling it off. His hand then reach for his waist band and Mirelha instinctively tried to yell, but her body was to weak for that and she ended up feeling dizzy. Putting her hand in her head to steady herself she spoke, "please don't".
Calix froze mid action, "you shouldn't yell like that, you could pass out again." When Mirelha didn't respond the crease that had unintentionally appeared on his forehead deepened, "did you hear me?" This time he got a weak nod, but her head still hung low as if trying to quell the dizziness. Calix reached out to lay her back down but her entire body nearly leapt out of the bed as if his touch was going scald her skin. So he turned around and walked towards the edge of the room, picked something off of the stool and came back this time to sit on her side of the bed.
"You need to eat", but Mirelha only recoiled more.
"That's the only way you'll regain a little strength."
"Why did you really bring me here?" Her question hung in the air like mist before a coming storm, causing Calix to look up towards her.
"I've told you, you have something I need, it's as simple as that". His tone was final, signaling that topic was off the table for discussion or questioning. "Now eat before it gets cold".
"Why do you care", Mirelha spoke her tone bolder than before.
"I don't", Calix replied placing the food beside her, "but I need you alive and for that you'll have to eat".
"You know you wouldn't have to bring me food all the time if you just free my powers. Back in Solarel I could go a couple days without food and still be alive", Mirelha spoke, the last part a whisper to herself.
"Is that why you ran?" Calix maintained his usual tone, but this time there was an undercurrent to it, but Mirelha didn't respond, and just reached for the plate before bringing it up to her lap and began eating.
It was obvious to him that she wasn't going to answer him, but something kept pushing him to ask questions. He's never been the one to mind about people's backgrounds, that was Rune's job, but her. She made him curious, and for someone like him that shouldn't be a good thing.
"What are you running from?" The question slipped out before he could take it back. He didn't expect an answer, after all she hates him for kidnapping her and bringing her here so why would she tell him anything. But for a second when she recalled her stay in the castle he could see the fear in her eyes, such fear that shouldn't be known by creatures of the light.
"Not what. Who." Mirelha corrected, "someone who was supposed to protect me and teach me all I'm supposed to know about myself. Someone who betrayed me and....." Realizing she was was saying too much she instantly relapsed into silence. But by then she'd already given him a glimpse into her former life. The shadows around Calix seemed to have turned denser and the air came to a standstill, but he didn't say anything and just sat there for a few minutes before getting up and walking towards one of the windows in the room.
"Now tell me what you really need from me", Mirelha asked rasing her head up to look at him, he had his back turned to her so she could not see his reaction, but from the way his back tensed up at the question she knew he heard her.
"I've already told you", he replied firm and stiff in his tone.
"If there's one thing I've come to understand in the two days I've been here is the fact that you don't give anything away for free. I just told you a piece of information don't you think it's only fair if you do the same?" Mirelha asked. But her question was met with silence, she could tell Calix was struggling to contain something, most likely his aura, cause the room now felt icy and cold.
Mirelha felt something tug on her heart strings whenever she saw him, almost like she couldn't control herself whenever he was around. Driven by an unknown force and an inexplicable urge to sooth him, she got up and began making her way towards him. He seemed oblivious to her advancing and just stood rooted in place, he was so still Mirelha began to doubt if he was even still breathing. She stood within touching distance but Calix had yet to move from his position. His aura leaked into the room despite his attempts to control it, and it got stronger the closer one got to him. Mirelha could tell but somehow despite her weakened state she was able to get so close effortlessly, it's like her body was already used to it. She reached out towards his back wanting to do something to help him control his aura before she freezes to death, but as soon as her palm made contact with his back he instantly turned, so quick it made Mirelha stumble. But that wasn't even what she was worried about, the color of his eyes were no longer midnight blue but a vivid shade of Aubergine.