New dress.

Misha was bigger than the previous one. Instead of a well or two, a thin stream of clear water moving restlessly down the slope with a splashing sound crossed the whole colony in a perfect half. She could hear some musicians playing in a nearby pub, accompanied by a woman's voice singing some joyful song.

"Thank you for not killing him." She purred as they walked in the closest shop with clothes and equipment.

Bugak got quiet as he tried to think of a way to explain that he made him live only to extend his pain and misery. That he crippled him and made it impossible for him alone to take proper care of his wounds, leaving him completely reliant on the help of a well-skilled healer.

He didn't consider his opponent worthy of proper combat with cold weapons, so he decided to beat him with bare hands to humiliate him even more.

"You are welcome." He snarled as he was waiting for her behind the curtain, to allow her to take new garments on.

"Come here." She whispered and pulled him behind her, forcing him to turn around and crouch down in front of her in this narrow space.

"I'm so angry with you. How could you not tell me about a serious thing like this?" Anna scolded him with a low voice.

Carefully, with shaking hands, she pulled the blade out and packed it with yarrow powder to disinfect and stop the profuse bleeding of his wound.

Bugak was quiet, only his squirming and irregular breath exhibited his discomfort.

"Promise me you will tell me sooner if you get hurt." Anna watched the thin slit healing at a quickened pace. His clothes were damped from that thin string of blood leaking for so long from his wound, together with his back, where the blood was already dried.

But he just sighed and nodded, before he stood back up and stepped out of the tiny cabin used for changing clothes, to give her more space.

Anna came out a moment after him, holding her garments in place.

Bugak gladly helped her step on a low stool so the tailor would be able to adjust the clothes proportions, as these weren't made to fit her. Not like the ones she got at the beginning.

His touch left a red smudge on her arm, so he waited for a moment when no one would pay any attention to him and tried to wipe his bloody fingers on blue silk prepared on one of the tables.

Anna bought a plain white blouse and a long skirt with pockets from fine fawn leather, both soft and flexible. She looked different from the frightened woman he met. Her eyes were still sad, but her lips smiled so often and much brighter than earlier.

And he loved it.

"It fits." He said when she turned a few times in front of him to show him her new clothes as they stepped out of the store.

"You are supposed to say it looks good on me." With the warmth of a thousand suns, her smile radiated joy as she leaned closer to him. Her lips met his bare forearm, leaving a tender kiss. It was a simple gesture of affection.

"I like it, it looks good." Bugak's amused grin remained fixed on his face as he observed her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

It was clear that she had just realized they had shared a kiss amid a bustling village, with onlookers everywhere. The realization seemed to hit her all at once, causing her face to turn a deep shade of red. Bugak couldn't help but find the situation amusing.