<span style="color: #FF0000">He was pleased that she could be taught and brought to heel, like a good woman. Long as she continued to do as he said and minded her mouth, they would get through this with no issue. Just had to stay focused and the two of them would get through this hell and they would be able to part ways soon enough.<br/><br/>After about an hour they came to the river that he had spoke of, though at a glance he realized he had not taken into consideration the uncharacteristic heavy rains they had been having. The current was swift and even from the shore line he could tell that it was deeper than it was supposed to be. A sigh of frustration spilled from his lips, the hood of his cloak pushed back, fists on his hips as he thought about what to do. <br/><br/>Sure, he could carry her and they would probably make it across with no trouble, but that would require him to touch her. Honestly, he would rather watch her try and flounder about in the current and deep water than pick her up and help her royal pain in the ass out. <br/><br/>A grumble he gave, as he shrugged out of his backpack, then knelt to rummage through it for some rope. That in hand the pack was returned to his back while he looped the rope about his waist and then walked it over to her and repeated the process, though he was a definitely a bit rougher than he had to be. When he was satisfied she was secure he faced the water and wadded into it without a check with her. <br/><br/>If she was not ready he did not care at all. All she needed to do was keep up with him, that was all that he cared about.<br/><br/>The first few steps that he took were not bad, then suddenly he sank up to his waist. It took a moment to get his footing but then he began to wade through the water to the other side.<br/><br/>"Come on," he said as he tugged on the rope that bound them together, like a leash.</span><br/><br/>If she could hear the thoughts he had about her "heel"-ing, she'd have gone postal right then and there, and given him that slap he deserved. She may have even tried a punch, just to make sure he really got the point across. But, where she didn't, she behaved "like a good woman" and merely followed behind him, jumping at the sound of twigs snapping and animals scurrying by into the brush.<br/><br/>And that's how it continued, jumps, hitched breaths, and a grumpy inner-monologue about her royal guard and how much she despised each and every one of them. Only when they got to the river and she saw his reaction did her thoughts shift...to him and his inability to plan. "So...let me get this straight," she started, her tone smug disbelief. "The great Ranger, with his great plans and all-knowing mind, didn't account for the rainy season and the rise in the river?" There was a laugh, followed by a shake of her head and an eye roll as she waited for his "instructions," ready to push them back at him with yet another snarky comment.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">If my father could see me now...</span><br/><br/>As it was, he was rough with her, tying some rope around her like she was no more than cattle and waded into the water without her. She stood on the beach incredulous, as though waiting for him to come back, as though he were kidding. The sudden sinking had her heart jumping, taking a few steps back from him, unwilling to step into the water...<br/><br/>...And then stumbled forward as he tugged the rope. Grimacing, she moved forward, the cold of the water catching her off guard. Her breath audibly hitched, cloak pulled in tight around her as though it'd help with the temperature somehow. But, each step was harder than the last. The thought of wading through the water, unable to see how deep it was due to the swirling current, the mud being lifted from the floor, had her panicking. It wasn't as though princesses ever had need to swim, so she wasn't even sure she'd float.<br/><br/>The inevitable sinking came, freezing in place as she struggled to catch her footing again, moving forward when the rope pulled taught, hoping it didn't go much deeper than it already was.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">You can do this...It's not that bad...Just keep walking...You'll be fine.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Slowly and with care he trudged on, through the water, his back pack now up and over his head. It had been treated and coated in oils and fats to help it repel water, but he still wanted to make sure that most of it was dry. All the while he could not stop thinking about that look she gave him and her comment. The tone and her mannerism....<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">The fucking nerve of that stupid uptight bitch. </span><br/><br/>He was the greatest, he was the best that there was. How could it be his fault that the current river situation slipped his mind? When he had been summoned rudely to take this piece of human merchandise to her new owner. If he had been keeping to his own personal schedule he would have been on his way up into the mountains. Up there to do some hunting in the snow, catch the animals while they were still in their full winter coats. Those pelts would fetch him the best price and the money from them alone was often enough to last him for most of the year. <br/><br/>But was he there? Was he out doing what he normally did? <br/><br/>No. So, it was a normal and reasonable mistake that forgot to take into account the recent heavy rains. <br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">That stupid... ungrateful....spoiled...little....moronic...twa...</span><br/><br/>The train of thought is cut immediately short when he took a step and sank all the up to his chin, "Woah!" <br/><br/>It took a moment for him to get his footing again, the current a bit stronger in this spot in the river, but soon he had his feet under him again and he began to make progress again. The thought was there to let her know about the sudden drop, in case she missed his reaction. Yet, he declined when he recalled how she taunted him. <br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Let's see if the bitch can swim.</span></span><br/><br/>The further into the water she got, the more her nerves were getting the better of her. Each inch that the water rose on her form had her breath hitching, and the instinct to run the opposite way and demand he find another way growing exponentially. The water was too dark, rapidly moving, feeling like she'd get swept away at any moment, rope connected or not.<br/><br/>He seemed as preoccupied as she was, though she doubted it was for the same reason. Her attention shifted to the water directly around her, trying to watch her feet moving, but the water was too murky to see.<span style="font-style: italic">Just breathe. You can do this, Maria. Just because he seems to have little regard for your life and only sees you as his pay day, doesn't mean he'll be completely callous,</span>she tried to reason, taking shaky steps, every now and then jerking forward as his steps were far ahead of her own.<br/><br/>She was oblivious to his sudden drop off, and the "woah" he loosed as she slipped herself. The bottom of the river was mush, nothing steady, her shoes sinking further and further into it with each step. Constantly having to readjust her footing, her balance, she slowly made her way out, all the while berating him mentally.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Of course he didn't account for this. Big and bad, and an ego the size of Veruu, you'd think he'd be ab-</span><br/><br/>Her thought cut off as she lost her footing completely, disappearing beneath the surface before she could even take a breath. Feet barely skimming the bottom as she was pushed along, down the rapid-moving river, her legs kicking out trying to get about the surface for a much needed breath. But, no matter how hard she kicked, couldn't break above the water's edge...<br/><br/>And then things got worse.<br/><br/>Her legs, while swinging rapidly to try and kick herself up, one of her legs got lodged in between two rocks. Yes, it kept her from floating down any further, but she couldn't raise herself up enough to grab a breath. Hands reaching up, she could feel the air, but it was just out of reach of her face. She kept splashing around, hoping he'd hear it, that he'd double back, alternately yanking on the rope to catch his attention, but her panic had eaten more of the oxygen than she'd managed to take in prior, slowly slipping under, body growing limp, the air bubbles she'd been exhaling ceasing as no more oxygen remained.