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They had been in Zena for almost a week when the storms hit. At first one would have thought the way that the snow shimmered under the sunlight was beautiful but as the sunlit skies gave away to gray clouds the realization of something darker would take away most of that beauty. For those who had lived in Zena their whole lives a winter storm was nothing unusual, but at least they were prepared and wise enough to take shelter for the stronger winds and snows that pelted the ground. It was surprising to see how such delicate snowflakes could turn into icy pebbles that bounced over the already frozen grounds and gave way to slippery trails and bruises on unprepared bodies.

Thankfully Tryston was a native to Zena and had expected the extreme weather with the first snowflake's fall. Unfortunately, however, he knew better than to take residence in a town as despite the blizzard's strength and ability to slow travel he was wary of taking any chances of discovery. They had escaped from Constynce's husband, yes, but that meant nothing to the Brotherhood. If word got out that he had been the one to rescue the leaf woman then he knew that trouble would be lurking for them around every corner. If Rhag'na's tales were true then it was a dangerous time for anyone who was loyal to the old leaders.

Chivalry and all honorable intentions are dead and replaced by greed and darkness. The thought stirred something inside of him, something ugly and full of hatred, and Tryston had to simply clench his fists at his side as he circled around the cavern shelter he had found. Even though the winds whipped around him he was accustomed to such bitter cold and the iceling simply shrugged off the gale before heading back inside to where a small, flickering fire greeted him. In the backside of the cave away from the winds were a bundle of furs that he had gathered just in time from the last town. Two packs and some other necessities also lined the cavern walls, but it was towards the piles of fur that Tryston looked, "Constynce?" He asked his voice faint against the winds that howled outside. As he spoke the name the iceling shrugged off his outer cloak and shook the snow off towards the entrance of the small cavern. At his side was a bag that had his recent catch, a small mammal for dinner that had been lost in the snows and made for easy prey - more so that he could put it out of its misery before the cold took its spirit away. He just hoped that she would be alright with that. Perhaps I should have found something....more green? Not like much of that could be found currently save for the nuts and winter berries he had already gathered into another bag resting near the furs for anyone to pick at.

Well at least she was alive. Tryston rose an inquisitive brow at the one comment before moving forward to pick up the bag and to shake a few nuts into the wooden bowl he had carved earlier. If anything he wasn't one to do much talking and rather was attempting to give Constynce space so that she could adapt to everything that had just occurred. Sympathy was something he did not know how to express so he kept quiet. If anything talking of her 'husband' would make him want to run the man through a few more times, something which was also a new emotion for Tryston who typically kept his cool rather than succumbing to such rage.

As she hid beneath the pile of furs Tryston went to work. He faced the winds so that he could take care of gathering more wood which had to dry near the fire first before he placed it on the flickering flames which greedily licked at the new source of energy and began to burn more fervently. Taking out a dagger from his boot the knight also began to prepare the meat so that he could stake it over the fire alongside the nuts that he placed around the edges of the flames. Some herbs that he recognized were used to wrap around the meat along with some spices he had kept from Tale, something he hoped would make the meal more bearable in its simplicity. As the flames crackled and the nuts slowly began to roast alongside the meat Tryston simply stared over the fire before peering back towards Constynce, "A few more minutes." He stated breaking the silence as the warmth of the growing fire and smell of meat began to fill the cavern.

It would be a lie to say that Tryston was not amused by the scurrying of pelts towards the fire. If one wasn't certain that a person had been in that mess then they would have perhaps thought that a strange creature was emerging from the darkness. Tryston was thankful that she was hidden by those furs else Constynce would have seen the smile that had dared to flicker across his face. Instead as she finally settled next to the fire he took a stick and rotated the meat as it hung there over the fire, "Hm?" He blinked in surprise as a face actually appeared from the furs, "Ah, yeah." The iceling nodded before standing again and moving away from her.

One may have gotten the wrong impression that he was trying to get away from the face that had emerged but the truth was that he was going behind her to gather up the lost furs so that he could push them around her legs to make sure that she was still warm, "Care of getting too close." He motioned towards the fire before working to pull the meat and the nuts free and with a dagger he carefully began to shred the meat into a bowl where it cooled. The last thing he wanted was for her to have to fight with the bones when he could just do this part for her. Silently Tryston finished cutting through the meat and after rolling the nuts into a bowl with it he sat it next to the piles of fur that made up Constynce, "The fire is roaring so you may be able to stand the cold if you'd like to feed yourself, but here try." He held up a piece of the meat towards her lips for her to taste to make sure that it was worth getting out of some of the furs for.

If anything it appeared that his silver gaze warmed ever so slightly as she accepted the food and seemingly enjoyed it. His fingers skimmed over the meat once more before he lifted a piece to his own lips. As he tasted the meat Tryston paused only for a moment as he realized he was touching his fingers to his lips after just touching Constynce with the same hand. Was this an indirect kiss that some of the village girls had been all giggly about when he was younger? The iceling's brow furrowed in a frown as he pondered why such a memory, why such a concern would come up now. And it wasn't like they hadn't kissed before...a realization that he quickly shoved aside before he cut more meat for Constynce and slid the bowl over. Thankful that the fire was also making his own cheeks flush, something rare for the typically cooler body temperature he had, Tryston found himself nodding towards the bowl, "Hopefully this can warm you more and give you strength."

He glanced away and back towards the swirls of white that made up the blizzard raging outside of their shelter, "I'm sorry that it's so harsh here." He found himself saying as he tried to move on from thoughts of kissing and how close he was currently to Constynce, "Zena is not always so...unpleasant." What was he saying? This was a land of ice, something that she surely despised because she lived to bring life and warmth to others and especially to those plants she nurtured so lovingly. His gaze shifted to study her face for a moment before the crackling of flames caught his attention once more. He had to be careful after all that the fire didn't get too carried away or worse go out on them. At least he knew it was good for now considering how strongly the flames danced, casting shadows about them in the cavern. Since he wasn't much of one for talking Tryston let his one sentence break through the silence before he settled once more back into it and picked at their simple meal.

A shadow of what one could assume was a faint smile appeared across his features, "That's good." He murmured as he glanced back towards the fire, his gaze never on Constynce for too long. The looks he always gave where brief, quick glimpses just to make certain that the woman he was sitting next to was there and actually okay. Subconsciously he kept his gaze busy with everything as to keep his own pale eyes from revealing the turmoil of emotions that resided inside of him whenever he was with Constynce. As it was the danger was past - at least that which resided for Constynce in Tale - and what was done was done. Was it fair of him to feel so much guilt for the life that his quest had ruined? If one could consider freeing her from that devious b*****d as ruining her life. It had at least taken her far from the comforts of home while leaving her here in the bitter cold of Zena. While Tryston felt at ease in such weather he knew it was not the case for someone like Constynce. She deserved better, she deserved the warmth of the sun on her hair and the vivid colors of the forests that blossomed flowers around her.

Yet her sudden words disturbed his thoughts and caused Tryston's stomach to clench in a strange way, "Ah." He replied with a nod, "When we get to our destination I'm sure there will be plenty of clothing for you and a warm room." He thought of the place that Serana had told him of and Tryston felt a flutter of something akin to hope in his heart. If this sanctuary of sorts could take care of her and have plenty of room and secrecy for them then it was definitely a place to be. He just hoped that this storm would pass quickly so that they could get there by the new moon.

He grew quiet again as he thought about their destination and what he should do for them to get there safely. After a long moment of silence he reached forward to grab the remaining nuts and after taking one for himself he left the bowl next to Constynce, "Will this be enough for tonight? I can try and find more..." At his words the winds howled outside as if daring him to even dare venturing outside in the snowy landscape.

Tryston stared at the fire thoughtfully forming his description before daring to speak it out loud, "My friend who is there explained it as a great stone manor surrounded by wilderness. A town is a half day's journey from it and that was where I encountered her." He trailed off as he remembered their brief meeting and how she just like Constynce had thought him dead. Such memories made him glance down at his hand thoughtfully, any crystals had faded to white almost like ice or glass, while his own gaze was hauntingly silver rather than the typical gold of the ice race. Whatever had happened in that mountain pass....well he didn't wish to dwell on it. He was alive and protecting those that he cared about and that was all there was to things.

"The owner provides for beasts there, like some sort of sanctuary. Not many travel there save for those who are in need so I doubt we will see any of the brotherhood or those from...Tale there." The words were bitter and it was hard to hide the anger that surfaced at the mention of both parties. One he despised for turning his home into a den of vipers while another he despised for touching, for harming someone dear to him. While he wasn't certain why he felt so drawn to Constynce it was no lie that Tryston cared deeply for the leafling at his side and he would do anything to protect her, even if it meant falling into a ravine under a wave of snow again.

As she kept him from venturing back outside Tryston found himself shifting, subconsciously inching ever so slightly towards her, "Then I suppose we must wait out the storm. Are you tired?" His question was soft as his silvery gaze studied her. It had been a long journey and while he felt riled still from the emotions surrounding it all the iceling was also fatigued. While he would not show it to Constynce all of his limbs ached and his strength was quickly reaching its limit from never truly resting since saving her in Tale.

His gaze ever observant Trytson found his fingers twitching as if they wanted to reach forward to wipe the woman's eyes himself. She was in pain, that much he recognized, and the iceling still felt guilt that his actions had dragged her into this mess. Yes she had married one of the culprits involved in his quest, but surely he could have just left her alone...yet he had asked her to go and find information for him. Information that had gotten her caught and in trouble. His silver gaze softened, sorrow tightening his chest, and Tryston subtly shifted closer.

"Ah." So she was tired. It was a relief knowing he could be near her, but the man was still worried. Did they have enough food, enough warmth to keep them through the storm? He was certain that he could endure but he was wary for the one who wasn't accustomed to such storms. Still as she asked if he would sleep next to her Tryston found his breath caught before he slowly nodded his head, "Of course." They could spend the night here, the winds surely would die down and the snows would still, then in the morning they could head out and get to that promised Sanctuary.

And it wasn't like they were doing anything other than sleeping together. It was for survival purposes and nothing more. Tryston repeated that through his mind a final time before standing so that he could toss a few more sticks in the fire and drag some furs towards the back so the smoke wouldn't disturb them, "You can lie next to me and we'll stay warm. In the morning we will head out, alright?" As the words slowly left his hesitant lips the knight arranged the furs before lying down himself, a spot open next to him for Constynce should she wish to still sleep right next to him.

As Constynce snuggled into place next to him Tryston found himself testing his willpower. Their travel through Zena so far had been haunted by those from Tale and the need to survive, the necessity of beating this blizzard before it lost them in the mountains and covered them with snow, that Tryston hadn't had time to even think of getting closer to the woman. He couldn't explain it as he always had such a reserved personality but something about the woman who exuded life and reminded him of a brilliant summer day tempted him to do things that were quite not like him. Even now he imagined just stretching an arm over her side to tug her close, to try and comfort the soul he imagined was aching inside of that chest. How could she not be in pain? Her whole life had been uprooted to marry some man and now here she was uprooted once more while fleeing from the one that she had dedicated herself to. Not that it had been the most willing of situations since it had been arranged by their home villages...the thought forced a frown on his features.

Either way she had been claimed by that vile man. The thought twisted Tryston's gut raising a hint of wrath from the normally calm swordsman. It was both possessive and protective, a desire to make things right for Constynce by wiping out any threats to her happiness. His gaze saddened at the realization that he still had yet to forget the day he had kissed her, but he forced such thoughts away. He had his quest and there could be no room for distractions, not while the Brotherhood was in danger.

Yet such determination melted as warm and gentle fingers graced his cheek. Tryston's gaze widened and he slightly opened his mouth in surprise before realizing that a question had left those tempting lips, "Perhaps...another day maybe two at the most." He replied quietly leaning into the touch, his breath gently tickling her neck as his gaze studied her, a hint of longing only showing for the briefest of moment in those cool orbs before he closed them in an attempt to regain some composure, "Will you...be alright?" To trek the rest of the way in the morning, to face the bitter winds, to have him hold her right now, to have him kissing her...the thoughts dared to cross his mind as he stilled himself to keep from moving to her. Instead he simply opened his gaze again to study her as he rested his cheek against that warm hand.