She looked up, and then down again. "Just a dream." she whispered and turned her attention back to her hands, fiddling in her lap. She didn't want to tell him what the dream was, plus she knew he did not want her pity. She couldn't help buy feel bad about what his situation had been. He would live with that for the rest of his life.

''We are safe now.''
He stood and began to wash his face, waking himself up. He did not speak or look at her. They both found it hard to maintain eye contact he thought.

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She went over to him "Is it really how you feel in the ring?" her eyes were haunted with the memory of what she had felt. Now she had seen a little of why his eyes looked the way they did. "I am so sorry...that you had no choice, that you don't know many more feelings besides that." she looked down, ashamed at what she had just said, and waited for the rebuke.

He was stunned at her words. How could she possibly know what he felt like when he fought? No one truly did.
He was stung by her words, it seemed that she was pitying him once again.
''Do not think you know my thoughts. '' His eyes flashed as he continued.
''When I fought in the arena I was free. I reveled in the feeling of it. You will never understand how it feels. To be there is to be more than a common slave, I was a god with each victory, none my equal.''
Something else stirred in his eyes at his next words, but it was not anger.
''It was all I had in my life. I gave it up, searching for something more. Something that may not even exist.As such, I stand alone''

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She swallowed and shrank away from him, realizing her mistake. She quickly turned away and retrieved her things, and went to the door and over to the main room to wait for him to continue their journey. She would not make the same mistake again. She wasn't pitying him, but she had just seen how angry he could get.

As she left he could sense her fear. He washed his hands and then went to collect his things. He pulled on his cloak and packed his things.
He walked over to where she stood, avoiding her gaze and left the room, grunting at her, indicating her to follow him.
Crixus knew she had meant well, but all the same he despised peope pitying him. He couldn't understand it.

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She kept her eyes down and followed him silently. Her gaze never leaving the ground. She was afraid to speak lest he still be angry. She pulled her hood low over her face, tucking her hair into it. Well, now she knew what not to do, she thought ruefully as they walked in silence.

Crixus went and bought what supplies he could afford, the shopkeeper eying him with his hood and cloak drawn about him, he must have looked odd.
He turned and they left the village behind them, still walking in silence. As they walked his anger began to leave him, bit by bit. He still made no attempt to speak to her as they moved on, the sun beginning to set.
Crixus couldn't help but remember when he had held her up to view the sunset. It did not feel like it had been merely a few days ago.

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She followed him still, feeling quite the fool. She suddenly remembered that one night they had shared, and bit her lip till she tasted blood. She was a fool. As it got dark, they found a campsite, she spoke softly. "It's my turn to stay awake." it was hardly audible, and she sat against a rock that still held some of the sun's warmth in it.

He sat down, pulling out something to eat, not replying. There was still tension between them, she was still afraid to speak directly to him, which amused him but also felt justified. She had angered him with her words.
He finished his food, and searched in his bag and pulled out a knife.He looked in her direction as if considering something.

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She sat against the rock, her eyes down. Well, now she really couldn't wait to get her little cottage. It would be a refuge. Her hood was still pulled over her face as she sat waiting for him to go to sleep.

She was not even looking up at him as he watched her. He decided what to do.
Standing up, knife in hand, he began to walk towards her, a grim expression on his face.

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She heard him approach, and looked up. Then her eyes got wide and she scrambled away, her face white as she saw the knife. She had not known she had made him that angry. She stood and backed away from him, fright taking her voice from her.

He watched her back away from him and stopped moving. His eyes moved from her to the knife and realized what she thought he was going to do. It irritated him.
He snorted in disgust and threw the knife at her feet.
''For your protection'' he said, before turning his back to her and returning to sit down, angry.

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She let out a shuddering breath. And slowly bent to pick the knife up. She sat back down against the rock. "Thank you...I'm sorry...I thought you would...because master would..." she pounded her knee with her fist, frustrated that she couldn't even speak right. She also knew it only irritated him more. She turned and curled into a tight ball against the rock, waiting for another rebuke.

''I am not your master'' he said shortly. He closed his eyes and lay his head back against a tree, not speaking.His anger would impact his words, so he was not going to speak.
He drifted into a light sleep, he felt troubled. He saw himself shouting at Eonwe who was shying away from him, crying. He took a whip and began lashing at her back, drawing blood with each stroke. Looking he saw Abrax laughing and kicking at her. His eyes snapped open, his heart rushing madly.

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