Blackfeather Woods sacré bleu!

09.22.16 — Ending added.

Every time an expression seemed to crack the female's face, it looked as if it might be painful. Kove, however, could not bring himself to care about any discomfort that she may or may not be in, for the task he had in mind would mean that it didn't matter anyways. She would be to him nothing more than a tool, despite his words of friendship and trust. It seemed that, in many cases, words alone were far more powerful than actions. The smallest of lies could cause so much damage, perhaps even more than a physical attack, and so he'd allowed for his charms to take over. To con the female—which was far easier than he ever would have expected it to be—and lure her into trusting him. In the end, every lie told would be worth it, and never, he knew, would the statements weigh heavily on his mind. No, he could not care for some tool, for she was not truly alive in his eyes. Enough so that she'd be useful, but within her, he saw no freedom. Already she was his, and he'd shared with her but a handful of words.

The bond of trust that seemed to connect her to him was so strong already, that she'd be willing to trespass. The thought was almost laughable, but he kept a calm expression, falling into his old ways. "Good," he'd voiced, a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. It was planned, perhaps even forced, but done so in a way that it seemed true—done so in a way that might reveal to those that knew him just how useful he could be. "I have a nice home for you to stay in. It's dark and cool, perfect for this warm weather." Of course, never would he mention how he spoke of a place meant for prisoners. That just wouldn't be a very friendly thing to do, right? Oh, how he had missed the days in which he could act in such a way. To her, he looked, motioning with his head for her to follow him as he entered the territory. "This way, this way," he'd called to her, his voice just above a whisper. "Be quiet, or else you'll wake the unfriendlies." Kove did not alert anyone of what he was doing, for it would serve as a wonderful surprise for them. He would offer a life in exchange for the end of the famine, and then he would allow for his mark to be fixed with her blood.

It would work, he was certain of it.

Into the woods had he led the foolish woman, taking her along paths least traversed, and stopping only after they'd reached Wolfskull. It was there within the cave that he'd stowed her away, keeping her trapped there until the moment came in which her life was needed.