For The Whored: Beyond Ch. 29

"Oh, but we do." Said one of the men. "She trains you; we can see it."

One of the men grabbed her skirt. "Let's see how well she's trained you."

Katie tried to wiggle free from between the three men, but they began to grab at her. She dropped her basket and screamed.

Sunwood heard the scream. For a moment he thought he imagined it, but it happened again. Soon the voice echoed through the grove. Dropping his clippers, he took off running through his garden, and into the Grove. Finding Katie being assaulted by a group of men, he dove without thought. Plowing a fist into one man's face, he grabbed another by the throat and squeezed. The Uninjured man pulled out a knife and shoved it in Sunwood's side. Sunwood grunted and backed handed the man.

The first man clamored back up and pulled his own dagger and buried it in Sunwood's arm. Sunwood dodged the third man's dagger, as the second man recovered and pulled his own weapon. The trio circled Sunwood, swinging and jabbing at him. Sunwood swung wide and caught a man in the mouth, and another in the eye. He kicked the third in the stomach. They dove on Sunwood, who shoved and punched and kicked. A slash across his face enraged him. Casting a sunfire on one man shocked the attackers. They ran away, the torch of the sunfire burning at their bodies.

Sunwood turned and found a weeping Katie trying to gather up the spilled contents of her basket. "Katie..."

"I... I'm so sorry." She whimpered. "I'm so useless."

Noting her disheveled clothes, Sunwood stooped down and took the objects out of Katie's hands. "Stop, stop this now."

"I just..." Katie buried her face in her hands.

"Shh." He pulled her into his arms. Taking a deep breath, he instantly regretted it as her scent filled his nostrils. "Don't cry. It's not your fault."

"Why? Why would they...?" She hiccupped.

Sunwood frowned. "I think it's time you knew the reputation of the Grove."

"Rep... reputation?"

"Some nights, every couple of months or so, Elunara drags Grogek out to the Grove in the middle of the night, and they have sex in public, in front of a large crowd, who bet on her antics."

"She does WHAT?" Katie's eyes were huge as she stared up into Sunwood's face.

"It is true. She has been doing it... for a long time. Most women avoid the Grove for this reason. The only ones brave enough to come out here are Elunara and Tippy. Tippy occasionally sends out a servant, but once they learn the reputation of the grove, they never come back."

"That's..." Katie blushed and put her hands to her face. "Elunara, you're so forward."

Sunwood laughed. "That's one way of putting it." He sighed. "Now I am afraid that you will not come back because of this incident..."

Laying her head on his chest, she shook her head. "I... They can't make me stay away."

"What?"

"Those... those... assholes won't run me off. I'll come out here every day for the rest of my life, just to prove them wrong."

"The rest of your life?"

"Every day. Unless I can't for some reason."

Hugging her tightly, he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry I dropped our lunch." She whispered.

Sunwood laughed. "That's the least of my concern. My concern is only for your safety."

Katie scooted out of his lap and began picking up the spilled contents. "We should have our picnic."

After helping her re-fill the basket, he smiled down at her. "Come with me, I know a better place to eat." He reached out.

She took his hand. "Better?"

They walked hand in hand with Sunwood carrying the basket. He led her to the cottage and around behind it.

When the garden came into view, she gasped. "Look at all the flowers!"

"I thought you'd enjoy this." He whispered.

"I've never seen so many varieties! And all in one place! Did you do all of this?" She twirled around and looked up at him.

"I've spent a great deal of time out here."

Stooping down, she ran a delicate finger over the edge of a flower petal. "Where did you get all of these?"

"Here and there." He walked through a pathway to the clearing and sat down the basket. Taking out the blanket, he spread it over the grass and dirt. "Come, let us eat and I will explain."

Katie stopped by several plants and bent down to smell them. "What is this one called?"

"Aethril." He gestured to the garden at large. "Most of my garden is filled with alchemist herbs, because they are easiest to get and trade for. I have alchemists come and offer services for my herbs, and in turn I sell what I do not use for more plants."

"But it's not all random. You organize and design and..." She twirled around in the center of the garden. "It's so beautifully laid out."

He tugged at her hand. "Come, sit with me."

Obeying, she smiled brilliantly at him. "Oh, you have to tell me everything. Every flower, every vegetable, everything."

He brushed her hair out of her face. "It might take a while."

"I'm patient." She took out a sandwich and bit into it. "I have to be."

"You have no idea." He murmured.

Suddenly, she clapped her hands together. "You can teach me!"

"Teach you?"

"To tend to your garden. I used to live on the farm and... oh." Her face fell.

Desperate to keep up with her many moods, Sunwood frowned. "Oh?

"Well, I couldn't help that much on the farm. The fainting spells, you know. I mean, I used to help the ladies with their gardens, but even then... heat does horrible things to me."

He considered. "First of all, I keep my garden well-tended, so there's not much for you to do..."

"Oh." She sighed.

Putting his finger under her chin, he lifted her face. "It just means that you won't have to work that hard. Besides, I am a druid, I have healing capabilities. I can tend to you, just like before."

Heat rose in Katie's face. "Right." She hated fainting, hated it even more when it made her feel weak and embarrassed.

Sunwood jerked his hand back and grabbed the first thing in the basket he could find. Shoving an entire sandwich in his mouth, he was able to resist the urge to kiss her. She was adorable with that color in her face, those bright blue eyes wide and innocent.

Looking away, Katie turned her attention back to the garden. "I see you've even included peacebloom."

A cough and he cleared his throat. "A simple flower, but I enjoy it."

"I recognize some of the simpler flowers, but some of these are quite exotic."

"After lunch, I'll show you the pride of my collection."

Katie pulled out her board and propped it up, making notes and trying with some difficulty to draw little pictures of the flowers. Since he had little to no skill, she stopped and went back to her description of colors and shapes.

They both reached into the basket at the same time, bumping hands. Sunwood blushed, but she couldn't see it. "Sorry." She smiled. "You first."

"No, you."

With a giggle, she took the next half of her sandwich. "Let's not over polite ourselves."

"That's a pretty sound."

"What?"

"No-nothing." Sunwood grabbed another sandwich. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She looked up at the sun. "It's not too hot today. Still chilly."

"I meant... I didn't mean your health; I meant the scare you had earlier."

"Oh." Katie wrapped her arms around herself. "Oh, I'm fine. I mean... I guess, with everything together, one might think ill of me."

"Katie..." He brushed her hair out of her face. "It wasn't your fault."

"I... I think I know that. But, it was scary. I was so scared." A tear escaped.

Sunwood scooted closer to her and brushed a hand down her back. "You need to tell Elunara. I can't help you in the way that she can."

"Oh, but you did help... At least they didn't hurt you."

He blinked down at her. "Actually..."

She jolted up. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Your happiness is more concerning to me."

"Where did they hurt you?" She began running her hands over his arms and body. Finding a sticky spot in his arm, she jumped up. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you...?"

Katie ran into the cottage. Fumbling around the sink, she found some cloths and a pitcher for water. Filling the water, she ran back outside. She dunked the cloth in the water and began washing his arm. "You should have told me!"

"I was..." He winced "A little preoccupied, and I can heal myself."

"And yet, you haven't." She admonished. "Let me clean this out and you can heal it."

Considering her sudden alarm, Sunwood debated with himself. It was a little stab wound; one he should have taken care of in the Grove. Yet, here she was, touching him willingly. "They also got my side." He pointed.

"Sunwood!" Katie rinsed the rag and started washing off the other wound. "With all this dark fur, I can't see the blood." She complained. "I'm just having to guess."

"It's really not that bad."

"It is to me." She fiddled with his side, finding the puncture. "Any higher and he would have punctured your lung."

"Watch." Sunwood casted swiftmend. "See? Small wounds healed quickly. I even over healed."

"Are you sure? There's just blood all in your fur."

"I'll wash in the lake later."

Katie put her hands on her hips. "Sunwood..."

"Would you like to see the pride of my collection?"

"Don't distract... what is it?" She eyed him curiously.

Standing up, he took her hand and led her to the edge of the garden. Hidden in the shade was a tall, thin plant with a wide, pale blue flower on the end.

"Oh, it's so pretty."

"It's a Talador orchid. I managed to convince some adventurers to bring me back some cuttings, and I extracted the seeds myself."

"Can I touch it?"

"I'd rather you not. It's extremely delicate, and hard to obtain. It takes a skilled mage to open a portal to Draenor, and the environment there is hostile. Speak to any Mag'har and they'll tell you the vindicators have lost their ever-loving minds and patrol viciously."

"You have such amazing skill, Sunwood." Katie looked up at him and smiled. "I think I'm going to enjoy coming here every day."

"You meant that?"

"I try not to lie. It's not right to lie about anything."

He brushed a hand down her back. "I will wait for you, then."

"Besides, as scared as I was, as upsetting as it has been... I've been... well, I've been looking for some turning point. Something for our hero to rescue the farm girl from. I was thinking a dragon, but that doesn't seem as scary. It seems done before. Wouldn't it be nice to change that?"

"You're putting that in your story?" His eyebrows shot up.

"Maybe I'll change my knight to be a Tauren." She giggled.

His chest tightened. "No, don't."

"Why not?"

"Because I want your first story to sell, and no one would read about a silly Tauren. Keep your human, write your story. Add your scare if you want, but please, don't add me." He kept to himself that it was a wish fulfillment that would hurt to read.

"I guess you're right." She sighed. "In any event, I might make her the healer."

"Huh?" His brain was stuck in his loincloth.

"Well, it just came to me, really. I need my board." She jogged away.

He followed behind and watched her with interest. "What?"

"You see," She began scribbling on her board. "He jumps in the save her from some men... three? No, ten. Ten men, and he gets badly wounded. He saves the day, bringing down all his combatants, but she must then save him. She tends to his wounds and heals him. With a power she didn't know she had. Yeah, I like that. She's desperate to save him, and poof, power."

"You are Elunara's child."

"What?" Katie looked up from her writing.

"She does that too. Gets an idea in her head and starts scribbling. You should go to Elunara tonight. Tell her you were attacked. Let her do or say whatever it is she will, and then listen to her. You've had a scare, and I worry about you."

Katie stood up and put her hand on Sunwood's cheek. "You're sweet. Alright, I'll do what you say."