Friday, December 1, 2006

14

As the man rode up to Alena, she turned over to look at him and was stunned to see the slave, Greydere sitting atop the war beast. He sat the horse as if he had been born and raised on it. He looked down upon Alena, quietly looking over her ripped clothing and dirty, blooding and bruised face. He looked off in the distance where Wolfram had run, seeming to debate whether he should follow the culprit or if he was needed here to care for her.

Alena made up his mind for him. She told Greydere that she knew the man who had done all of this to her and they could send people after him once she was back at home. Without saying anything in response, he climbed from the saddle and helped her from the ground. He walked her over to the stone bench. The horse silently followed, munching the fresh green grass along the way.

Greydere went about the business of gathering Alena’s belongings, picking up her cloak and putting it across her bare back. In the mean time the horse had gone to the stream for a fresh drink of cool water then it had come back to where Alena sat and appeared to stand guard over her. So far Greydere had not spoken a word to her. He hadn’t so much as looked at her again after his first review of her appearance. He was really making her mad.

“Have you nothing to say to me?” Alena stood there with her hands on her hips. She looked daggers at Greydere who ignored her. “I command you to speak to me.” She was yelling at him. He packed her belongings in the bags hanging over the back of the horse. He still did not speak to her or look at her. She walked up to Greydere and slapped him in the face and immediately collapsed in a heap at his feet sobbing hysterically. Greydere knelt beside Alena, waited a moment and then took her in his arms. She could feel him shaking, his body vibrating like a plucked string. Alena looked up into his face, startled by what she felt. She looked at his face. His jaw was tight, the muscles pumping blood through his temple. He looked ready to explode. He looked into her eyes. She reached up, grabbed his head and pulled his face towards hers, locking onto his lips. At first he held back, but then he plunged into her mouth, ravaging her lips and tongue. Alena gave back as good as she got, biting Greydere’s lips, sucking his tongue.

Greydere pushed Alena from him. They both sat back on their heels looking at each other and breathing heavily. He was shaking his head. Alena was not sure if he was trying to clear his head or if he was telling her, no. Maybe he was doing both. She couldn’t imagine what had gotten in to her. She supposed it must have been delayed shock setting in and her need for human comfort after being attacked by a mad man. What would people think if they knew she had acted like a harlot with a slave? They would be disgusted at her lack of self control. Her behavior made her sick to her stomach. She had a distinctly queasy feeling some where in her lower abdomen and her legs were shaking.

Greydere was taking deep breaths and still shaking his head. He stood up, stumbling slightly, only to place his feet wide apart to balance himself. He continued to breathe deeply, his back turned to her.

“It is best if we do not speak of this moment to anyone,” he said. “Neither of us would want anyone to know what just happened.” He walked over to the horse and grabbed its bridle, leading it to her.

“Can you mount this horse to ride back? I can move him to the stone bench to make it easier.” He would not look at her.

“Greydere, I will speak of this to your master,” said Alena. “Look at me, please.”

He looked at her with confusion in his eyes. There was also some emotion there that she could not define.

“My master?” His eye brows were drawn together as he stared at her as if she spoke another language. Then his face relaxed and he smiled. “No, we would not want you to tell my master. That would not be best for either of us.” He pointed at the horse.

She shook her head.

“I’ll walk back. I do not think I can manage riding a horse that large right now.” She moved over to Greydere’s side to get out of the horse’s way. Greydere dropped the horse’s reins. It followed behind them as they slowly walked their way back to the village. They walked slowly as Alena’s injuries were starting to pain her now that she had nothing else to occupy her mind. To take her mind off of her body’s feelings and her own thoughts she began to ask Greydere questions.

“What were you doing when you came upon me?”

At first, Alena thought he wasn’t going to answer her question. He took so long to before he spoke.

“I was out exercising Brutus. He has not had much to do lately.”

“You brought him across the lake to exercise him? Surely there are better places near Zell? Why would your master want his horse brought across the water?”

“I did not bring him across the water. I brought him over the mountain and he is stabled in Deepshade; a small stable with little room. This seems to be the best place for him to stretch and an enjoyable valley in which to spend an afternoon. At least, it was until today.” He gave a crooked smile. A breeze picked up, playing with Greydere’s hair, blowing the curls slightly into his face. Alena was taken with a nearly irresistible urge to brush his hair from his face and stroke his eyebrows and cheeks. She moved closer to him, her hand brushing against his arm. He jumped away from her as if he had been burned.

“You must not,” he said. She could hear the pain in his constrained voice. He turned to her and grabbed her by her upper arms holding her tightly but not causing pain. She looked into his blue eyes and leaned into him. He held her back. His breathing had become rapid again. She held his gaze. Her mouth parted and she licked her lips. This seemed to be too much for him to bear. He pulled her to him and locked onto her mouth. Their tongues wrestled with each other as they ground their bodies together.

The horse broke them apart by nudging his nose between them. It whinnied and nodded in the direction of the town. They looked over and realized they were in easy view of anyone who may be looking in their direction. Luckily though, no one seemed to be about. Greydere pulled the horse between them and they walked back the rest of the distance in silence with the horse as a chaperone.

When they got to the bridge, Alena went across first followed by Brutus who made the wood of the bridge creak under his weight. Greydere followed across last. They had to walk back in single file and still Greydere kept Brutus between them. When they reached the square, they saw the first person since entering town. This was Leni out on an errand. She looked at Alena and screamed. Both Alena and Greydere had forgotten how badly hurt and disheveled Alena looked. Leni started to run home, but Alena stopped her.

“Leni, come here child,” Alena said.

Leni stopped in her tracks and came back to Alena.

“You must calm down. Come here by me so I can lean on you. I find I am suddenly very tired.” Alena went to put her arm around Leni’s shoulder, but before she could use Leni to rest upon, Alena passed out and collapsed to the ground.

Greydere wrapped the reins to Brutus around a fence post. He called Leni over to him. He told her to go home and let her mother, Marta, know that he would be bringing a hurt Alena home and she needed to get her bed ready and call The Druid. Leni ran off, yelling to a few people she saw along the way, the news that Alena had been hurt.

Greydere scooped Alena up in his arms and carried her home. He savored the closeness he felt with her against his chest, but did nothing that would be considered in any way wrong.

He found himself greeted at the door by many towns people trying to ask him questions about what had happened. He just shook his head and told them all later. Marta was at the door and she let out a little yelp when she saw Alena’s face, which Greydere realized was quite swollen. He hoped that everyone assumed it was from her injuries and not from the brutally raw kisses they had shared.

Marta ushered Greydere back to Alena’s bedroom. He carried her in and laid her gently atop the furs and blankets piled there. He tried to stay but he was shunted out of the way by maids bringing in cloths and fresh clothing and grooms bringing in leather buckets of hot water to fill the bath tub more quickly and extra wood to keep the fire burning hot in the grate. Marta told one of the grooms to usher Greydere out of the room. He was pushed gently but firmly out into the main hall room and shown to the seat by the fire he would not take the day before. He saw Balder the Druid pass by and go into Alena’s room. It wasn’t long before all of the men were shoed out including Balder the Druid. Then most of the maids were sent out, a couple let back in; one carrying cold water in a pitcher, another with wine and the third with warm honey mead.

Balder the Druid came to sit with Greydere by the fire. He asked Greydere to tell him what had happened. Greydere explained the scene he had come upon in the meadow. He did not know who the other man was. He had never seen him, but he said that Alena had told him she knew the man. He felt sure that when she was able to talk she would be able to identify him. Balder asked Greydere if he had fought the other man.

“No, he ran off before I could reach him. I am sorry.”

“I do not ask to chastise you. You seem to be injured. There is a bruise on her cheek and your lips appear to be swollen.”

“I fell down,” said Greydere.

“Ah,” said Balder. That one sound served to make Greydere feel very guilty. He looked at Balder and he did not think Balder believed him. As a matter of fact, he thought that Balder may actually know what ad happened between Greydere and Alena. He could not see how that was possible but Balder’s next comment confirmed his suspicions.

“Why do you not tell the truth?” Balder looked Greydere directly in the eyes. “Why do you continue with this pretense?”

Greydere jumped up, muttering something about having to take care of his horse. He left, bumping into Tomas the Magistrate from Zell. Tomas joined Balder by the fire. Balder filled Tomas in on what he knew so far, keeping any suspicions he had about Greydere to himself.

Marta had brought Alena around with a bowl of vinegar under Alena’s nose. She woke sputtering and coughing and crying out at the pain her coughing was causing her ribs. Marta scooted everyone out of the room, leaving herself alone with Alena. She gave Alena the honey mead and let her sip at it while Marta finished getting the bath ready with lavender, rue and mint. She then helped Alena out of bed, to a standing position, so Marta could help Alena off with her ripped, dirty and bloody clothes. Once Marta had Alena naked, she helped Alena into the tub. Alena laid back and began to relax. Marta checked out Alena’s clothes and decided they could not be repaired. She almost threw them into the fire in disgust then thought better of it. Maybe she should give them to Balder and Tomas as proof of the injuries Alena had suffered.

Marta took a quick look over at Alena to see that she was doing alright and not passed out in the water, then she slipped out of the room and brought the clothes to Balder and Tomas sitting by the fire.

“Has she said anything yet?” asked Balder the Druid.

“No. She just woke and I have her relaxing in the bath tub. What did Greydere tell you?”

“Only that he had come upon Alena being attacked. He only got a brief look at the man before he ran off up into the mountains. He did not follow but stayed to help Alena.”

“He did not fight the man?” asked Marta in puzzlement. “He was injured.”

“No, he says he fell and hurt himself.”

Tomas snorted into his mustache. Marta shook her head. They all knew something was not quite right with Greydere. Balder thought he might know what it was but he was not ready to say anything to anyone yet.

“You had better go back in to Alena,” said Balder. “She may need you. When she is cleaned up and dressed and in bed call me and I will look at her injuries and I will give her something to sleep. But Tomas must also speak to her so that he can start looking for the man who did this to her. And we must know exactly what he has done, too.”

1 comment:

weirsdo said...

I am not surprised to find Greydere is not what he appears to be.