Scold's Desire

by Marie Hall

  "I did not. The torches were not even being lit when I came inside," Io defended, though she knew he was more right than she was.

  "I told you to ride; you did not even get to Dorby today."

  "It rained last night; the roads were a muddy mess," Io said, though he'd been out today training so he was aware.

  "And had you not walked, it would not have mattered if it snowed," he countered, an edge to his voice she'd not heard in a while.

  "I will get there tomorrow," Io told him, annoyance growing that he criticized her ability to attend her duties.

  "Did you settle the squabble between the guilds?" Again, his tone told her he already knew the answer.

  "It is more than a squabble," she snapped. "If it was only a squabble, it would be done." She could feel the burn of tears. How could he think she couldn't do something so easy as settle a squabble? These matters were more complicated and she was doing her best to give everyone as much satisfaction without compromising the entire industry.

  "Then you need to be able to give it more of your time. You cannot afford to waste time walking nor can you show up already tired and unable to..."

  "I do not arrive tired," she denied, though today she'd needed a few moments before she was ready to enter the fray.

  "You will not walk, Io. If you intend to try again on the morrow, you will ride out and—"

  "I do not ride," she yelled, spinning around and crossing to the other side of the room.

  "You do; you choose not to," Xavier didn't quite yell back. "And tomorrow, that will not be your choice to make."

  Io spun back to face him. "No," she said, hoping he'd stop now before he gave the command.

  "If you do not ride, Io, you will not go out."

  "No," she yelled, stepping right up to him. "No, you will not do this to me again. I do not ride any other than Wednesday."

  "If you do not ride—"

  "I cannot ride," she yelled, her voice cracking as he continued to impose his will on her.

  "You can, and you will, or you will stay behind the gates until Wednesday is available." There was no give in the command and Io was as hurt as she was angry.

  "You will not condemn me to this again. You will not," she said and blinked to stop the tears that threatened.

  "I condemn you to nothing, Io. You will take another mount, and you will go about your business. You must stop restricting yourself to the use of only a single horse. There is no one who does that when a selection is available." He reached out to touch her, but she dodged away. "Io," he warned, reaching for her again. And again, she moved out of reach.

  "You cannot force this on me," she whispered but not softly enough he didn't hear her.

  "I can. You will ride out the gates." He stepped toward her, and though she'd come back to the house hoping to hear reassurances, needing to hear them, she couldn't even look at him now. Without another word, she made her way to the bed chambers and slammed the doors shut behind her.

  It was late when Xavier finally joined her in bed. She heard him when he tried to give some kind of reassurance, but it came without a retraction of his command she ride and she didn't respond. He was gone when she rose to try again to get the guilds to agree on terms.

  The argument unsettled between herself and her husband creating a strain was only made worse when she was stopped at the gates and told she wasn't to be allowed to pass if on foot almost sent her back to the house to cry. But she wouldn't give in so easily. Not this time. This time, she'd give a fight back. Ignoring Randolph who stood holding the reins on the very same dapple mare, she stepped up to Matthew, "I will ride with you out the gates."

  "My lady?" the young soldier questioned as he leaned down to give her a hand up.

  "He said I must ride out the gates; I am riding out the gates," Io said with more confidence than she felt. It was a sound argument in her mind.

  "My lady, I do not think our lord meant that you—" Samuel started

  "I am riding out the gates," Io said as she settled behind the youngest of her escorts. "So ride."

  The group of men hesitated a moment more then urged the animals forward, and when no one stopped her, Io felt she'd gained a small victory. More so when, just out of sight of the house, she brought Matthew to a stop and slid from the horse so she could walk the rest of the way. Despite their protests, the soldiers with her today didn't try to force her back on any horse and again the small victory gave her more confidence. If it was confidence or everyone involved in the negotiations was tiring of the fight, good progress was made and Io sent all the guild leaders away with some final numbers and agreements, fairly sure they'd come back in two days ready to make a deal. She needed to spend the next day dealing with the planting schedules or the farmers would start the season behind, throwing everyone off.

  Walking back, the confidence stayed with her as she realized she'd be back well before sundown today, and when Matthew didn't question her again about wanting to be given a hand up on his mount, she was sure all would be as she wanted it. All that confidence was swept away with Samuel's one soft exclamation as Io set her foot in the stirrup and prepared to mount.

  "Uh-oh," she heard the man say and turned to look where he was looking. Xavier sat upon a horse at the top of the last ridge, and given his stiff posture and then the way he rode toward them, this was not going to end easily.

  "I gave you a command, my lady. Did I not?" Xavier ground out when he reached them. With little more than a jerk of his head, the soldiers were sent back to the house.

  Io ignored the sense of abandonment and faced her husband. "And I followed it," she said, calling on that confidence she'd used all day.

  "You will deny you walked to Walsh?" he asked, dismounting and holding the animal—not Cloud, she noted—back so he could step close to her.

  "I rode out the gates," she said and knew instantly it'd have gone better had she just begged forgiveness.

  "You'll be riding my knee when we get home," he growled out, grabbing her arm and dragging her to stand so he could lift her up. She was seated and he was behind her before she could consider anything in response. "This was blatant defiance, Io." He wrapped his arm around her then kicked the horse into a fast trot.

  "I rode out the gates as you commanded."

  "You knew exactly what I intended you to do, and you knew you were ignoring my command. Not just the spirit of it but the purpose of it."

  "There was no purpose," she refuted, though she knew full well the purpose was to prove she could ride another horse. Only she didn't want to chance he was wrong.

  He pulled them to a stop and dismounted then pulled her down. "You can deny it to yourself, but you will not stand here and say such to me. You were told to start learning to ride more than that one horse so you could improve your skills and not be left without if it is not available."

  "That one should always be available," Io said, even as she turned to keep her backside away from him. "You cannot make me capable of what I am not capable because it suits you better to not have my needs matter enough that I am not left without." She wasn't even sure what it was she was trying to tell him anymore. She knew the soldiers needed their horses more than she needed hers. She knew for the safety of all under Xavier's protection, in this, she could never be the priority. But she wouldn't be bent to his command, when the last time she was, it cost her so dearly, and she didn't mean being thrown, though Xavier probably thought that was what she meant.

  "You already are capable; you are being completely unreasonable in your stubbornness on this matter. But I assure you now, I will attend to it personally," he said as he snatched her arm and started them toward the house. "Right after I attend this act of defiance." He dragged her inside and through the hall; pointing her toward the stairs, he landed his hand hard in the center of her arse. "Get to our chambers and wait for me there."

  Io swung around and despite the crowd in the hall, she again tried to defend herself. "You cannot charge me with defiance. I d
id as you said. Exactly as you said."

  Xavier grabbed her shoulders and spun her back. "Get gone from here now, my lady, or you will be more sorry than you have been in some time." He gave her a small shove, and Io, taking the threat seriously, fled.

  She didn't wait long for him to follow. As he came through the door, Io knew the long stretch from the last time she'd endured her husband's wrath was about to come to an end.

  Chapter 5

  Xavier took a deep breath then pushed through the chamber door. The moment he set eyes on her, he knew she knew she was completely wrong. Not that it made what he intended easier, but at least if she acknowledged that point, he'd not be repeating this lesson. Still, she tried again to convince him, or maybe herself, she was justified.

  "I did what you said," she told him as he turned and closed the door then slid the bolt so no one would disturb them.

  "You were to go by way of horseback to Walsh," he said in a firm but not loud tone as he pulled his tunic off and tossed it to the chair. "I told you not to walk. I even yielded to your defiance yesterday." She opened her mouth as if to say something but then closed it and dropped her eyes to the floor. "Your defiance today could have led to both your endangerment and the endangerment of your escort. Correct?" Her head jerked up, and he saw her bite down on her bottom lip. "Correct?" he asked again and watched her sag a bit before nodding her head once. "Why do I have your guard go about in the same manner as you go?" He'd have her restate the reasons he'd given her to ensure she understood all of what she was about to be punished for. When she remained silent, he stepped closer. "Tell me, Io. Why does your guard walk if you walk and ride if you ride?"

  "So they can be properly prepared to provide my defense, without concern they add to any dangers I might find," she mumbled.

  He allowed her to go with only four men if she rode away from the house, as long as she wasn't going more than three leagues' distance. If she walked, no matter the distance, she was to have eight men with her. "If you are on foot and they mounted, they must keep focus on your position so you are not trampled. You cannot be safely among cavalry if you are acting as infantry. The two do not mix well, not even with only soldiers." He walked past her then and took a seat under the window. She was slow to turn, and again, she'd dropped her eyes to the floor. "Come here," he called and waited. He was doing his best not to return to dragging her over and down across his lap. He was, as Seth commented once, trying to be more civilized in any chastisement he gave. So far, it seemed to work in his favor, but Io hadn't pushed the boundaries. He could hardly recall the last time he'd felt a true thrashing was appropriate. "Io, come here."

  She didn't move; she also didn't look at him as she shook her head and quietly repeated, "I did exactly as you said to do."

  "You did not; come here."

  "I did," she yelled, looking up and accusing him with her eyes of some injustice. "I did, and this is not right. You cannot force me to do what I cannot do."

  "I do not force you to do something you cannot. You can ride. And setting that aside, you will not defy me in such a blatant manner, nor will your defiance be allowed to put you or your men in danger." He leaned forward and snagged her wrist.

  "Nothing happened. Nothing," she yelled and tried valiantly to pull free.

  "Do not, Io," he warned, finally capturing her other wrist and positioning her to his right side. "That is the most unacceptable answer and you know better than to give it." With a yank, he pulled her down, but she managed to slip to her knees, forcing him to let go her hands and grab her around the waist.

  "I did as you said; I rode out," she yelled, ending with a sob as he forced her into position over his lap and yanked up the hem of her skirts. "No," she wailed and reached back to try and push down the only protection she might think she had. Capturing her hands again and pinning them to her back only started her legs kicking. "No," she sobbed out again.

  He lifted her, setting her more forward and then dropped his right leg over both of hers. He again had to lift her skirts out of the way. It didn't escape him she was fighting more than usual, but she'd also not been here in sometime. "Io," he called, holding up her hands so he could tuck the material up her back then setting them down to hold it in place. "Io," he tried again.

  "No, I did what you said." She twisted in an attempt to get free, but he had her pinned and she sagged when the attempt failed. "No."

  "You will not defy commands, Io. And you will not complicate attempts to protect you." He raised his arm and took aim at the twin swells still squirming over his lap.

  "Do not!" Io's cry turned into a scream when his hand connected.

  He raised his hand and delivered another with the same force. Io screamed again and increased her struggle. He brought his hand down again and waited. He needed her to accept this so he could bring it to a fast end. One more with more intensity, and Io's struggles eased. "You will obey commands, even if you find them unfair or unjust," he told her, laying down smack after smack. He covered the entire surface of her arse at least twice. Io screamed and cried through every bit of it. "And you will not hinder any practices done to keep you safe," he added then took aim at the underside of her arse and the very tops of her thighs. It took less than a dozen strokes for Io to give in and surrender, going limp over his knee and trying to catch her breath as much as let the sobs out. He added two more to the roundest part of her arse then lifted his leg from over hers.

  Io hardly hesitated to push herself off his lap, landing a bit hard on the floor. Xavier stood, careful not to step on her, then moved away to give her whatever time she might need. Before, he'd have forced her into his embrace, but he'd done that more for his own comfort than hers and so now, when they quarreled, he stepped away. It was usually only a few minutes before Io was seeking him out. This time as he watched her struggling to get off the floor and keep a hand over her mouth to quiet the crying, he sensed something different. Something wasn't right in her body language. It wasn't that she was defeated or withdrawn, or even fearful. He waited, ready to step up as soon she turned to face him, but she never did. Rather, once steady on her feet, she made a dash for the bedchambers, leaving a trail of echoing sobs in her wake.

  He followed her, stopping at the entrance as she threw herself down on the bed and sobbed. It was hardly a thrashing worthy of such drama. He could only guess it was either the time between this and the last or, and dread climbed from his gut to his chest, Io still wasn't willing to accept his final decree. If it was the former, he was sure to suffer only some sulks and pitiful looks. If it turned out to be the latter and they couldn't find resolution, without a doubt, he'd be putting his hand down again and in much worse fashion.

  He stood, watching a moment more, then headed to the door. Unlocking it, he stepped into the hall and waited. Io's sobs still reaching his ears, he hesitated to go far. But his wife ran a neat house and it took no time for a servant to come up the hall to make sure all was well and nothing needed doing. "Will you please fetch a meal for your lady?" he asked.

  "Yes, my lord. Right away," she said, turning to head back the way she came, only to stop and turn back. "Should she like some fresh cider, too?"

  Xavier cast a glance at the pitcher on the table. He didn't know for sure it was the same from this morning or how much might be left, "Yes," he said stepping back inside but then, "Thank you."

  "Always our pleasure, my lord," she said then dashed away.

  Shaking his head, he closed the door and headed back toward the bed chambers. Io still lay weeping and sniffing; she'd dragged a pillow close and had her face buried in it. "A meal is coming, Io, if you want to eat." She didn't acknowledge him. With a sigh, he pulled the doors closed enough she'd be shielded when the servant returned then took a seat in his chair. When she was ready, she'd come to him and they could speak. He fell asleep in that chair, meals and drinks untouched by either of them.

  Io sniffed again and shifted more right so she stood directly in front of the chair. Xavie
r slept, but she knew by the rhythmic flexing of his fingers and the lack of snores, he didn't sleep soundly. Another sniff and she watched him start awake and lean forward. The dark room concealed his expression, giving her a bit more courage. She sniffed again, took a breath, and told herself to stand her ground.

  "Io?" The soft questioning in his voice undid her, and the words came out on a sob.

  "You cannot command me this." It wasn't what she meant to say. It wasn't the well worded argument she'd planned, but it was all she managed and she hoped it was enough. It wasn't.

  "I have, Io. I do," he told her, leaning back.

  He couldn't. He couldn't, why did he not understand that?

  "Io?" His tone was harder, and any resolve she'd known fled, as did she. Back into the bedchambers, onto the bed where she could pull the bedding over her and forget this failed attempt.

  Maybe by morning, she'd have the strength to say what she wanted to say about him not trying to force this on her. Reaching out, she grabbed the covers and pulled them over her the best she could. She'd wanted this matter settled. The night without her husband was always colder than she could stand. She'd wanted him to concede and to take her in his arms. But he didn't.

  "Io?" The bed sagged with his weight. "Io, we cannot do this." She felt his fingers brush her cheek as he eased the furs down from her face. She blinked at the light. Xavier must have lit a few torches. The flickering yellow and orange cast on his sharp features emphasized to her what she'd long ago forgotten. He husband was a feared and dangerous man. But as he shifted to stretch out beside her, gently brushing hair from her face, she remembered why she'd forgotten that. He wasn't that way with her. Why, then, was he insisting, commanding?

  "I cannot," she whispered then watched as his eyes searched her face, sliding down her body and with a heated sigh came back to her face, a scowl set in place.

  "Io," he started, sitting halfway up. She felt her backside clench. He was fast, though, and when he reached out, snatched her hand away from her thigh where it rested and yanked back the covers, all she had time to do was tense. "You can ride; you will ride."