by Ciara Lake
“I’ll get it off. Sorry, Angus, but she’ll be missing a finger. She’ll be able to do her duties still. The ring belongs to me. I’m gonna take it back.”
“No,” Breanna yelled, stepping away from the threatening man.
Angus stood up too. His expression looked morbidly excited as he watched them. “Cut it clean,” Angus instructed.
To her surprise, the ring fell off. It hit the table, bounced, rolled, then spun, stopping right in front of Hugh. It sparkled like a star.
“’Bout time you came to your senses. I’m gonna forgive you for takin’ it. I know it’s an unusual temptation. Shiny and all, makes it hard to resist. Females are simple.” He studied it where it laid on the table. “Those look to be diamonds.”
“I thought it was your ring. If it’s your ring you’d know if they were diamonds or not.”
“Shut up.” He waved his hand. “Go get changed into a decent dress. Show some respect for your intended. He’s come to look over what he’s gonna be gettin’. Get dressed, then come back here and sit with us.” Hugh leered at her. “Angus wants to spend some time with you.”
Angus sat back down to resume eating his stew. He gobbled it down like a hog. Before Breanna walked away, she saw Hugh put the ring in his shirt pocket.
It’s my ring. The urge to scream pressed at her throat, but she knew it would serve her no good. Rushing away from the men, she climbed the ladder to the loft. When she reached the privacy of her room, she sat down on the side of the bed and cried.
“Bre, get down here. You move too slow. Angus is a wanting to spend time with you.”
As she changed her clothes, she listened to the men talk.
“It’s some ring, Hugh,” Angus said. It sounded like his mouth was full of food.
“Yep, I know.” Hugh belched. “Breanna’s a good girl. She’d been eying the ring for a while,” Hugh lied. “It’s hard for a dame to resist trying it on. She’d not steal from you.”
“Well, I ain’t got no rings like this one laying ’round.” Angus laughed. “I’d keep her too busy to be stealing anyway. She sure is a beauty, she makes me ache just thinking about her. I had no idea she was so lovely. Even dressed in a rag, she looks like no woman I’ve ever seen. Even Fiona never looked as good. I can’t wait to wed then bed her. No wonder you keep her hidden away.”
Breanna felt sick to her stomach.
“Bre, get down here. Now! We need some more stew and ale.”
Breanna hurried back in order to avoid further conflict with Hugh. After she served them some more stew and ale, she fixed a plate for herself and sat down at the other end of the table.
The night went fairly well. Hugh, despite being Hugh, tried to behave better in front of Angus. For the most part, the men conversed as if she wasn’t there. Every now and then, she refilled their wooden cups. The more ale they drank, the louder they got. From time to time, Angus would look at her, making faces. She assumed he mistakenly thought they were seductive. He grinned big, showing his toothless mouth. Angus’s dark eyes were beady, small in his fat face. His dark hair was thinning and oily. He was more muscular than Hugh. Angus really did work for a living as a blacksmith.
“I’m going to take Mother her supper.” Breanna stood up.
Both men ignored her. They’d been drinking too much to really care. Finding each other’s stories funny, they laughed louder as the night passed. Each continued to try to top the other’s story.
After she prepared a plate for her mother, Breanna left the room. Fiona still sat in her rocking chair, sitting in the dark.
“Mother, do you want me to light a candle?” Breanna asked.
She stopped rocking. “No.”
“Are you hungry?” Breanna held the plate of food out toward her mother.
“No,” her mother replied without looking at her. The moonlight spilled into the room.
“Should I leave the food, just in case?”
“No.” She shook her head as she started rocking again.
“Do you want to get ready for bed? We can change your nightgown. You’ll be more comfortable in a clean one.”
“No.”
“Okay, I’ll take this plate with me. Call me if you need something.”
Her mother finally looked at her. “You’ve changed. Hema’s changed you.” Her emerald eyes were vacant again.
Breanna left. When she got back to the front of the house, Angus was standing by the front door.
“I’m goin’ home for the night, my sweet Breanna.” He grinned. Breanna was careful not to get too close to him. “Soon you’ll be goin’ home with me.” He winked. “I’ll be contacting the priest to arrange the date.”
No. She wanted to scream at the both of them. “There’s no rush.” She smiled brightly. “We should get to know each other some more.”
“Oh, sweet Breanna, I’m in a rush.” Angus eyed her as if she were a prize. Hugh laughed loudly. “We’ll get to know each other well after we wed.” Angus nodded toward Hugh, then walked out the door.
“Lass, you did fairly well tonight. You look good for having your ass whipped today. I hope it taught you a lesson.” He looked hard at her. “You clean up good. You even look better. I’m gonna hit the hay. Get this place cleaned up before you go to bed.” Hugh belched as he walked toward his bed. Within minutes, he was snoring.
Breanna cleared the table and cleaned up the room. Blowing out the candles, she made her way up to her loft. The moon shone bright, its illumination lit the house in an odd silver light. It seemed much brighter inside the house than usual. She could see the moon from the window in her loft. It was enormous and looked very close. Changing into her nightgown, she slipped into her bed. Bringing the blanket up to her face, she thought of her ring.
“The ring’s mine. I want it back.” She gritted her teeth. Looking at her hand where it had been, she gasped. The ring was on her finger. It shone as if an unnatural source lit it from within. “How did this happen?”
It twinkled at her. Breanna’s mouth fell open. She sat up, moving to the edge of her bed.
“Am I losing my mind?” She tried to pull the ring from her hand, but it wouldn’t budge. Standing, she paced the floor. “How in the world did it get on my finger again?”
She twirled it on her finger, it would not be removed. Warmth radiated from it, spreading all over her. Not as much as the first time she’d put it on, but enough to notice the sensation. It was as if the ring was communicating with her.
Glee of its return made her smile. The ring flashed bright in response to her strong emotion. Laughing happily, she softly kissed it. “Oh, what am I to do when Hugh finds it missing and on my hand?”
Chapter 3
Axel sat up in his large bed. Someone had called his name, rousing him from a deep sleep. The sound of her voice made his cock stir, his legs become restless. A soft kiss touched his cheek, fully awakening him. The kiss was warm and sweet. He could smell her scent on his skin. His heart jumped in his chest, and a pulse of energy raced down his spine. He knew what he had to do.
The room was dark except for the dim light from the walls twinkling with gems. Pushing the silk sheet and fur coverlet aside, he stepped out of the high bed. The candles in the chandelier flamed to life. Walking to the fireplace, he rested his hand on the stone, leaning against it. The fire roared as if greeting him, blazing hotter.
He touched his cheek. The feel of her tender lips were still on his face. “How sweet your kiss. I want much more.”
With a snap of his fingers, he stood dressed in his trousers and a tunic. A belt hung at his hips armed with his special ruby dagger. Boots to his knees hugged his legs. He walked out of his bedroom, heading to the main staircase. As he made his way down the corridor every chandelier he passed came to life, lighting his path. Again, a pulse of energy raced through him, calling him, as if pushing him to quicken his pace. He stood at the top of the enormous staircase, his eyes narrowed as he recognized the sign of distress from the one who called
him. Walking down the clear glass steps, he made his way to the front entrance.
The great hallway was magnificent. No furniture graced the area. It was a blank, elegant canvas for his future wife to decorate as she wished. He’d built the castle, but not taken the time to make it comfortable for anyone but himself. The only items in it were those things which had caught his interest over his lifetime, treasures such as tapestries, some chairs, and a few paintings, along with the necessary pieces he needed such as his bed and dining table. If he needed something, he merely created it.
As he approached the double front doors, they opened. When he walked through, they closed behind him, and then he heard them lock. A gust of cold wind hit his face, blowing his hair back. He gathered his hair and wrapped it with a leather strap.
As typical this time of year, it was snowing hard. A new layer of snow covered everything. The moon loomed full, its bright light reflecting on the white snow, making it almost seem like daytime. Stars twinkled as if competing with the moon. The contrast between the midnight sky against the white landscape made a magnificent picture.
He inhaled deeply, the pure, crisp air cooling his loins. The touch of the one he sought had heated his blood to nearly boiling. Following the path leading under his drawbridge, he entered his portal. A swirl of energy transported him to another place, far away from his Icelandic home.
When he exited the portal, he knew where he was. “I’ve not been to Britannia in ages.” He looked around. Deer standing at the edge of the water scatted away. “Not much has changed.” He sniffed. “This is deeper inland than I’ve been.” When exiting a portal, Axel always knew where he arrived in the world, as if a compass was part of him.
Making his way through the river, he finally reached land. The air had a bite but only a few snowflakes were falling. Axel could feel temperatures, appreciate changes, but he was impervious to any discomfort. Very few things brought him pain or issue. Not much could hurt or stop him. He was an ancient troll, and the older he got the more powerful he became. Whoever attempted to cause him harm would be woefully sorry.
Following the beacon which roused him, he made his way down a dirt road. Bare trees lined the road. Glowing eyes of animals watched him from behind the trees. He crossed another bridge. In the distance, he saw a small home. The path narrowed. It led to a house with a barn. The house looked quaint, neat, as was the barn. Axel looked up at the moon. The same moon shone down on this part of the world. A dog howled in the distance, an owl hooted.
A split rail fence enclosed part of the farmyard, keeping the cows contained. They were quiet, peacefully sleeping on their feet. The house seemed quiet, all inside were asleep. Axel sensed what he sought. The woman slept inside the home, not currently in distress. Relaxing, he slowed his pace, circling the house. Some of the farm animals acknowledged him, but made no complaint. He sent a silent message of peace, calming any possible distress the animals might have had regarding his presence.
“I’ll wait here to see what we have.” Axel stood watching the house, his eyes on the front door. He remained unmoving as he waited for the next day for his prize to be revealed.
* * * *
Breanna rose early, she couldn’t stay in bed, she was too worried about the ring on her finger as well as how Hugh was going to react when he noticed it gone from his pocket. “Maybe he got drunk enough last night that he forgot about the ring. No, I doubt it.” She shook her head, talking to the ring as if it understood her. “He’ll probably look for it first thing. It’s hard to forget you.” She caressed it in a loving way.
Dressing, she headed down the ladder. It had grown chillier in the house. Stoking the fire, the flames quickly warmed the house. She lit the candles on the table, making the area glow in soft yellow. She loved early mornings like this. She loved the peacefulness.
“Hello, Tabby. You still sleeping?” she cooed. “Do you need to go outside?” He got up and walked over to her. Rubbing against her, he purred. “You’ve been paying me lots of attention lately.” Breanna opened the front door to let him outside. “Go on, Tabby cat. Scratch when you want inside.” He hesitated on the threshold, then turned to come back inside. “Go on outside,” Breanna encouraged, then peered out into the darkness.
The moonlight lit up the dark blue sky, a heavy fog rolled around, the earth glimmered white with frost. There was an ethereal quality outside.
Her ring made her arm pulse as if energy moved through her. “Ah…it feels good.” She looked at the ring, it glistened. Tabby rubbed against her. “It’s beautiful outside. Go enjoy it. I love it when it’s like this. I don’t see anything unusual out there. It’s just frosty and bright.” Tabby ignored her and headed back to his spot.
Boiling water, Breanna made a cup of spice tea. It smelled delicious. The warm cup felt good to her hands. Inhaling the flavorful scent, she sat down. The scent made her think of her father. “I miss you, Papa,” she whispered.
Her father had bought the tea from a merchant who traveled through the town, and he’d given it to Breanna for her sixteenth birthday. That wasn’t so long ago, only two winters past, but it seemed like forever. Breanna had hidden the tea from Hugh. He’d rather drink ale, but he would have taken the tea just to hurt her.
As Breanna sipped her tea, she gazed at her ring, looking closely at each stone. “You’re simply beautiful. You make me happy. I’ll not lose you to Hugh. I’m tired of him taking everything.” What he couldn’t sell or barter off he hid. She kissed the ring again. Her lips tingled. “Perhaps the stars have sent you to me as an answer to my wishes.” The tingling sensation moved to her womb. Twirling the ring on her finger, she studied the artisanship. “You’re truly perfect. Whoever made you is very skilled.”
The ring was so beautiful. She had never thought she would hold a diamond or anything of this value. Her imagination went wild.
“Did you belong to a queen? Or maybe you were a gift to a princess from her handsome knight? I like such an idea.” Breanna grinned. “The ring’s beauty a testament to his love. Maybe the prince will look for it, finding me, his princess.” She giggled softly.
She looked up to see the cat staring at her, his bright eyes wide as if wondering whom she was talking to. “Don’t look at me like that, Tabby. I can dream.”
Breanna got up to pour another cup of hot water. Lathering a piece of bread with butter, she ate her breakfast. After eating her fill, she cleaned her mess. She laid out breakfast for Hugh, hoping it would soften his mood. Surely, he’d have a headache that morning after a full day and night of drinking.
“Please let him forget about the ring.” She picked up her cloak, putting it on carefully as to not rip it further from where Hugh had grabbed it and torn it. “Come on, Tabby, I’ll go outside with you. Let’s go feed the others and get out of this house. It stinks of Hugh. Anyway, I want to go outside, it looks wonderful out there, crisp just as I like it.”
She opened the door, and cold air rushed inside. Tabby tagged along, staying close to her. Her coat gapped open in the back letting too much cold air in. She shivered. The coat was barely in one piece. She needed to sew it up later, or maybe she could borrow her mother’s.
Clyde called to her when she opened the barn door. “I’m coming, boy.”
Feeding the chickens their grain and bread, she walked around the farmyard. The flock trailed behind her. Apparently, it was a lot earlier than she thought. There wasn’t any sign of the sun rising. Maybe something else had awakened her. Breanna giggled as the chickens followed behind her, clucking as they picked up the feed off the ground. They followed her into the barn where she fed Clyde. A line of chickens formed behind her.
When Breanna left the barn, she paused momentarily and danced around. She was having so much fun in the frosty morning. Clyde came out of his stall door watching her. “I know, Clyde, I’m having too good of a time.” Breanna laughed. He nickered, begging her for some more grain. “You’ll have to wait for tonight to get more feed. You just eat too fa
st.” She shook her finger at him. He shook his head then pranced around the fenced yard, doing a dance of his own.
She hated to go inside. It was so nice out there, but it was too dark to walk to the cove. The woods at night were scary. Too many eyes watching her. She’d better wait until the sun rose. She picked Tabby up. She was reluctant to go inside, worried that when Hugh saw her he would remember the ring. Humming, she sat on the front step putting the cat down. Tabby made himself comfortable at her feet. She rubbed his head.
Holding her hand up again, she inspected the ring. “I can’t stop looking at you, my beautiful ring. What am I to do? Really, what am I to do about Hugh? He’ll try to take you from me.”
Breanna sat there for quite some time, until the sun started to appear in the horizon. She watched the sunrise as an orange golden light rose in the sky. Slowly, it started to warm up a bit. As soon as she heard Hugh fumbling around inside the house, she got off the steps. Heavy footsteps stomped toward the door.
“Bitch.” The door flew open, hitting the wall and bouncing back. She’d moved away from the door just in time. Hugh stomped outside and marched over to the edge of the porch. His eyes were bloodshot, and his shirt hung out of his pants. What little hair he had was eschewed on his head. His hands fisted at his sides. “You thieving bitch. Where’s the damn ring? You took it from me.” He lunged toward her, nearly falling down the steps. “Give me the ring or I’ll kill you.” His face was an ugly blotched red, beyond how she’d ever seen him before, surely the man would pass out soon.
Breanna backed up. This time she’d not let him get a hold of her. “The ring’s mine. It found me,” Breanna shouted. “I’ll not let you take it from me. You take everything, none of it’s yours.” She backed up more. Rage burned inside her. “You’re the thief.”
“It found you.” He chuckled. “How ridiculous, you’re a worthless little tart.” He sneered. “You’re as crazy as your mother.” Laughing, he stomped after her. The sound of his footsteps sent a chill of terror skittering up her spine. “You’d better stop running if you know what’s good for you. When I catch you, you’ll be sorry. You know the ring’s not yours.” He pointed at her. “You lie, bitch. You want to steal it from me,” he raged, shaking his fist. “Everything in this house is mine. You understand me? I own everything here, including you.”
