CHAPTER SEVEN-THIS IS SPECIAL

"I thought they were going to kill you. I don't think I've ever been so scared of anything." As Nicholas rode off, Daniel turned his forehead back to Rosemary's leg and balled her hand up in his against his lips.

Unwrapping her finger from his big hand, Rosemary pointed it into his chin, and he glanced up at her finally. "I'm fine thanks to you Daniel. That was amazing. I had no idea you could do those things."

Blinking rapidly as he studied her face, he shrugged his shoulder. "I know what you mean. You looked like you're fairly good with that sword. Maybe you didn't need me there at all."

Rosemary chuckled and searched the landscape to avoid his eyes. She realized she could never again hide herself from him but having him inside her head was uncomfortable. "Well, I suppose I'm not completely useless."

As his rough, calloused fingers started to stroke the soft back of her hand, Rosemary's eyes met his again.

The unspoken link between them that they were both too afraid of to name yet, was getting stronger every day. It was something he didn't understand, because no one had ever loved him and one that she was afraid of speaking into existence only to have everything ripped away when he decided she wasn't worthy.

When the uncomfortable silence became too much, Rosemary nodded to the woods. "Come on, we should be getting back. It's nearly time for gathering."

Watching Daniel mount his horse, Rosemary sighed out a relieved breath. She'd wanted so many times to talk to him but never found a reason to do so. Having him rescue her seemed a bit over dramatic but was as good a place as any to start.

As they trotted back together through the narrow path home, Daniel glanced to Rosemary. He read her thoughts fairly easily now, but he wanted her to actually talk to him, so he pretended not to know. "Why did you decide to go to Earth?"

Rosemary's eyes wandered off in the distance. She was ashamed of the choices she'd made that led her to London and wished she could take back the last year or two. "I wanted to learn more than I could here. I'd memorized every book and apprenticed with the best healers in the land but I wanted to be the best. I was so stupid. I never should've left the woods."

Pushing a stray low branch out of her way, Daniel did his best to comfort her. "What happened to you wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong."

No matter how many times those words were said to her, Rosemary would never believe them.

Shaking her head , Rosemary smirked at her own childish desires that sent her away from home. "It's over now. So, are you happy here in the woods Daniel? All this must be so different from the world you came from."

Looking at Rosemary, Daniel's rarely expressive face smiled at her. "I'm very happy. My world had nothing left for me in it, I never belonged there anyway."

"Well, after all that goblin business, I'm certainly happy you came." Glancing over to him, Rosemary smiled at how close he was becoming to their family. "My brothers, they're so very fond of you. You're like another brother to them. Seeing how they are with you is quite a sweet thing to watch."

Every happy look she allowed him to see was like another door to his powers being unlocked. Daniel wanted to keep her laughing forever because he grew stronger each time the sound rang through his ears. "And you? Am I like a brother to you Rosemary?"

As her pale, alabaster skin suddenly became flushed with color, Rosemary bit her lip and looked away. "No Daniel, not like a brother."

Finally getting the sign he'd needed to press for more from her, Daniel sighed before saying anything else. "I wasn't sure you were ever going to talk to me. Do I need to kill goblins every time I want to get your attention? I will if you want me to, I don't mind at all."

Rosemary laughed out loud at Daniel's dry humor, but he wasn't really trying to be funny this time. He'd burn down every goblin, troll or witch to keep her favor. "No, I won't make you work that hard anymore, I promise."

As they finally came to the city's gate, Daniel suddenly realized he was out of time and the ride was about to end. "You're the reason I came here, Rosemary."

Rosemary's eyes darted back to him. "What do you mean?"

Stopping right inside the gate before the cobblestone path that led to the stables, Daniel blocked the way with his horse. He needed her to hear it from his own mouth.

"You came to me in a vision just when I need you most and asked me to save you. I was about to die, but when you called out to me..." Daniel put his hand over his heart and shook his head. "Your voice made me stronger and I got back up and killed the emperor, so I could get to you. All those things I did back there in that field, I couldn't do any of that before I saw your face. You made all that happen."

Seeing her reaction, Daniel feared he'd gone too far, that his words were too much for her, but he couldn't stop himself. She'd shut him out all these weeks, and he needed to spit the truth out before she did cut him off again.

"In my vision, you were the one who brought me here. I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you." He paused a minute before saying, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I wanted to go find you but I didn't know how."

Rosemary shook her head and squinted her eyes at Daniel as she sensed his guilt rising up inside him. A paralleled reaction moved up her stomach, and she did her best to bring him back from the dark thoughts in his mind. "No, no that's not your fault. There's no way you could've known what would happen."

Daniel looked down at his hands and balled them into fists. Like Rosemary, it didn't help to alleviate the guilt to hear those words. "What he did to you burns me up inside."

Looking back at her, Daniel decided to say everything he felt and let it play out however it may. "You're all I think about Rosemary. Every night I dream about you and every day I pray you'll say something to me finally."

She smiled at him and her heart fluttered but the doubts in her mind came back. "I'm not sure I know what to say right now."

Inching closer to her, Daniel looked at her with a seriousness he hadn't yet. His words were more of a demand then a kind suggestion. "Tell me you think about me too. Just say it."

A shiver ran through Rosemary and she nodded unconsciously. There was no thought in her mind safe from Daniel and no use pretending she had a choice anymore. "All the time."

As they reached the stables, Daniel helped Rosemary down from Jarl then they handed the reins over to the groom.

Daniel took Rosemary's hand and pulled her into his side as he slid her arm into his to walk her back the way he'd seen her father do so many times.

Daniel was far from being a gentleman, but he studied Nicholas and his sons interactions with Rosemary and tried to treat her in a similar way to be respectful and show her that he was right for her.

He never cared about the opinions of any of the women he ever bedded, but the thought of doing something wrong in front of Rosemary was distressing.

As nervous as Rosemary was about being under the watchful eyes of the city's dwellers, Daniel burst with pride as he escorted her along the street to the Great Hall then up the stone staircase to the main house where they lived.

Stopping in front of her door, Daniel regretted that their time alone was over, and he ached for just a few more minutes. Taking her hand again, Daniel licked his lips and looked down at their interlaced fingers. "Will you sit with me this evening?"

Huffing out through her nose as she smiled at his request, Rosemary looked at their hands as well. "I have dinner with you every evening."

Daniel looked up in her face and shook his head. "Beside me."

Pinching her lips together into a silly grin, Rosemary rolled her eyes playfully at Daniel. "Alright then."

Backing up to turn away, Daniel let go of her hand and started to walk to his room. Before she even got her hand on the handle of her door, Daniel turned back and looked at her. "What is this Rosemary? The way I feel about you, " he sighed then continued, "it feels like I've known you forever and I don't understand anything. I've never felt this before. This isn't normal, is it? Because I feel like this is special."

Without looking up to him, Rosemary shook her head. "No, it's not normal Daniel. This is special. I'll see you at dinner."

Leaving him in the hall, Rosemary closed the door behind her and panted for air as she pressed her back into the door. Daniel wasn't born into the old religion and still had much to learn. He had no idea why he felt so strongly for her or why his powers were now multiplying so rapidly.

The truth was that Rosemary knew what was happening, but she was too afraid to admit it to herself. She was in denial about a lot of things happening to her.