by Marie Hall
Her eyes narrowed on him. He'd not thrashed her in a while, but he wondered if he might have to. A sore seat was effective when Io grew stubborn and defiant. Xavier pulled back and straightened his posture. "You will no longer be allowed to be derelict in your duties. No one is allowed to neglect their responsibilities; you are no different. There is no excuse. Call on the men if anyone refuses you. Make progress before I return or you will be met with the painful end of a strap." He turned away, then turned back, climbing a few steps to reach her. He took hold of her chin and leaned in, "I would prefer to be able to… reward your effort," he said as he closed the distance and joined their lips. She tasted of milk sweetened with honey. Advancing the kiss when she didn't try to stop him, he used his tongue to trace the fullness of her bottom lip. He flattened his palm on her cheek and drew her closer. She gasped and he moved in to plunder her mouth and strip out every bit of intoxicating heat. Not until he started to pull away did he notice she gripped his arms. That grip tightened when he pulled back more, then she abruptly let go and sat back.
Her eyes shone bright and her lips were swollen. He could see the pulse in her neck beating fast. "Do what you can, Io, to ensure the latter outcome." He brushed his thumb along her jaw, a smile tugging at his lips as she leaned into his touch. He couldn't stay now, but when he came back, he'd have the chance to set all this right. He stepped back turning on his heel. If he didn't go now, he'd not make it through the gates. He pulled on his gauntlets, not giving into the urge to look back as he took the reins and mounted. He looked back once as he rode out. Io was on her feet listening to Gunther tell her something, her hand pressed against her mouth.
He rode out with the slightest hope he'd come back to the house he'd shared all winter with Io. One that was warm and joyous.
* * *
Xavier rode back through the gates, noticing the lack of activity. It could be the heat of midday had people at other work. He smiled. Io wouldn't keep people laboring in the sun if they could be used in another manner until it cooled. He dismounted thinking he'd come home to his wife's compliance. Perhaps too, she was back in their chambers.
"My lord."
Xavier turned to see a younger man he knew was part of Io's personal guard. The man looked both scared and pensive. Neither boded well. His momentary joy vanished.
"Sir," the man started again. "I mean… That is…"
"Say it, man." Xavier knew already things at home hadn't improved and given this man before him, he suspected they were worse.
"My lord, Sir Gunther sent me so when you came back, I could tell you…"
"Tell me already." Xavier sighed, it was sure to be bad.
"Xavier."
His stomach turned and he swallowed back both an oath and bile as he turned and faced Charlotte Brice. "Mother, why are you back?"
"Do not be rude, Xavier," Charlotte scolded and Xavier ground his teeth. "I expect better from you than to greet me with such disdain after I have had to wait on you. Your father would be ashamed."
Xavier felt his face heat and leaning in, he placed a kiss on her cheek. "I beg pardon, Madame," he muttered. Then her words registered. "How long have you been here?"
"More than a week. We must be about preparing things. I do not want to wait much longer." Charlotte walked away as she talked, he didn't follow.
Xavier turned back to the man who'd greeted him. His expression said it was Charlotte's return he'd tried to warn Xavier about.
"Xavier, do not stand there, plans need to be completed," Charlotte called glaring at him now.
"What plans, Mother?" Xavier didn't move towards her. "Where is Io?" He was concerned for his wife with Charlotte again in the house.
"She is gone and good riddance. Come, Sabrina has been patiently waiting on your return."
"Gone?" Xavier's glare fell on the man.
"Yes, gone. She is not good enough. You need a proper wife. But now we may have to wait until spring before we can celebrate your marriage," Charlotte huffed.
"Mother, I am already married." He stepped towards Charlotte then turned back towards Io's man. "Where is Io?"
"Gunther holds her at the inn in Paxtire," the man got out, as Charlotte yelled for Xavier.
Xavier remounted and set his spurs. The man scrambled to mount and ride out with him. Paxtire wasn't far. It wasn't the distance; she shouldn't be gone. She may have felt unsafe. The fights had become physical before Charlotte and the Blakes departed. Still, Io should have been shielded by the people of the house, her guards at least. If she had a physical confrontation, he'd be willing to forgive her leaving. However, if she simply abandoned the house to an enemy, so to speak, he'd make his displeasure known.
Xavier pulled his horse to a stop at the Horn and Hare and dismounted. Gunther came through the door before both feet were on the ground. The man who headed Io's personal guard looked strained and worried. It wasn't a normal look, even with his only duty being the protection of Io.
"My lord." Gunther held up his hand to hold Xavier back.
"Io?" Xavier tried to push past but was held back.
"She is in the shire, but she is not here at the moment." Gunther dropped his hands now.
"Where is she?"
"I will tell you."
Xavier's fists balled as he reminded himself this man's sole purpose was to protect Io. And it was no secret Gunther didn't approve of Xavier's occasional heavy handedness. "Tell me where my wife is."
"My lord," Gunther hedged. "Xavier. Is Io truly your wife?"
"What?" Xavier knew he shrieked but what was this to question his marriage. His mother sounded sure she needed to complete the formalities so he wed Sabrina. "Why is there any question?"
Gunther seemed to relax. "My lord," he began, took a deep breath then went on. "Your mother's arrival put in question—"
"Any question was answered by the king. He refused Io's request for an annulment, everyone knows—"
"Your mother has come with a priest, the one from your house in Southtown. He proclaims your vows invalid; said they were taken under duress. When I told your mother of the king's decision regarding the annulment, she announced an appeal to the church. That priest and your brothers say they will bear witness to the nature of your union."
Xavier opened his mouth but couldn't think of an adequate response. Nothing would convey his utter dismay at his mother's vulgar meddling. Io wouldn't challenge this because she wouldn't know how. He scrubbed his hands over his face.
"Your bothers are both in residence."
Xavier started at that announcement. "Damn this," he muttered. "Where is she?"
"At the river, by the mill. Sir, they were not here a full day and they were on her." Gunther trailed after him. "Xavier," he grabbed his arm and pleaded. "Io was undone by their arrival. She did as you asked with the house, and it was for naught in only a few hours. Then she was told the marriage is not valid and no one could say for sure…"
"Was she assaulted?"
"Io made no claim she was," Gunther said, but he didn't look so sure it was fact.
"She is not to run from home," Xavier ground out. How many times would he have to make her understand? "Have her belongings packed and saddle her horse." He'd get her back to the house and make sure he set the lesson. He wouldn't have his wife running and finding herself in harm's way.
"All she has is that little sack; she walked here. She does not ride, remember?" Gunther shook his head. "I think she might be halfway to the forks if she were mounted."
Xavier's jaw clenched. He'd told Io she couldn't leave the house on foot. He wanted her to stop behaving like a child because a guest had ridden her horse. He didn't know if he wanted to be thankful or angry. Gunther wasn't wrong. Io might have gotten a good way from home if she'd ridden out.
Xavier stopped when he spied her. She laid on her back with her head in Sarah's lap. Her bare foot kicked at the water. Io's maid spied him first. Her reaction was minimal but he knew when she alerted Io. Io sat up, turned to
face him briefly then scooted closer to the water. His lip twitched up. His wife loved to swim. She probably missed it with the restriction he placed on her.
Xavier's chest tightened. Why did she have to be so stubborn? He didn't ask much and he'd give her anything. But it wasn't in his wife's nature to make things simple. She wouldn't ever be the kind to unquestioningly accept. She'd always fight and resist. And Xavier didn't want that to change. It was the trait that most made it possible for her to have survived before he claimed her. And before the complication of having his mother in residence, it was the trait she'd used to make his house and lands an enjoyable place to be.
With a sigh, Xavier started towards them. Sarah scrambled to her feet. He almost smiled. This woman might fight him if she felt it necessary. As for Io, she kept her back to him as she sat on the bank kicking her feet in the water.
"Sarah, go home," Xavier commanded. "Find your brother and stay with him I will have words when I return."
He watched the maid closely. She'd no intention of doing as he ordered. She never took orders from him. She was Io's maid, her friend and she was loyal only to Io. "I stay with my lady, sir."
"You will do as I say or you will not serve my house." Xavier grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "Get gone or I will see Lucas makes you wish you had."
"Come, Mistress Sarah." Gunther stepped up and tried to pull her away but she dug in her heels.
"Sarah, go with them. Have Lucas send you back to your mother's house. You have no reason to stay," Io said, still facing the water.
"As you want, Io," Sarah softly replied. Without further protest, Sarah started on her way. Xavier's body tightened in frustration. People in his house should obey him. That woman only listened to Io.
Xavier turned to Gunther. "Take everyone back."
"My lord," his tone and expression questioned.
"Go," Xavier commanded. He didn't need to explain himself. The man hesitated but turned and walked away. "Io," he started only to pause and think before he said anything he might later regret. He'd learned well enough Io would take a careless word to extreme ends. It wasn't helping she wouldn't turn and look at him. "Io," he started again, stepping closer so she might look at him. "Io, you were not to run from home--"
"Home does not exist," Io interrupted, looking up briefly.
"Io." Again he paused to think what he'd say. "Io, did mother hurt you? Physically?"
"Should I have given them the opportunity? No, I left. As they told me."
"You were commanded not to leave, Io. I commanded you stay at the house." He didn't need to fight with her over word semantics.
"You cannot command me. We are not wed. I was ordered out by the lady of the house." Io climbed to her feet, facing him for the first time.
Xavier considered her carefully. She didn't seem defeated as he might expect. In fact, he knew that defiant look better than he knew anything else. Io was ready to fight and she'd no intention of fighting fairly. "Io, you are my wife. You are lady of my house."
"I am not. The priest said—"
"He is wrong." Xavier stepped up and grabbed her before she could twist out of reach.
"Our vows—" Now she didn't look so defiant, so sure.
"Our vows were given freely. What took place before that priest was nothing," Xavier said making her recall they'd twice gone through the marriage ceremony. The first time before Io understood he didn't want to spend his life pushing her down. Then again after Io willingly agreed she'd rather stand below him than stand without him. He'd not accepted that vow from her. Rather he required her to stand beside him. "Do you remember the vows we took? What I told you I expected from you?" He knew she remembered word for word everything said. He watched her pull her bottom lip between her teeth.
"They work to undo it," she finally whispered.
"They cannot."
"They appeal to the pope and he will undo this. The pope is more powerful than your king."
"If an appeal is made to the church I will have them arrested for treason. It is the will of the king I serve. It is his will, and mine, that you be my wife. I told you I did not need anything more than the contract to claim you as mine." It wouldn't matter if his family learned Io was a royal bastard while on the way to the gallows. And if it came to making that choice, he'd make it in favor of Io. She was his future. He wouldn't let her go. He pulled her closer to him now. She dragged her heels, not coming easily.
"You are only bound to me by—" Io choked out, trying to pull free.
With one hard jerk, he brought her against his body. She tilted her head back to look up at him. "It is not the contract, or the vows which bind me to you, Io. It never was those things," he fairly growled and, even as she struggled, he dipped his head to join their lips. It was no kiss he placed on her mouth but a claim she couldn't deny no matter what anyone told her. She took a moment to respond. Once she yielded, the passion that was always there flared to life. Xavier worked his lips over hers until she parted them with a gasp that ended on a moan. His tongue drove into her mouth to plunder her sweet taste and he thrilled to the feel of her own tongue doing battle to push back into his mouth. The bite of her nails on his arm told him she didn't want to let go of what they had. He could take her home, take her to bed and they could each take their pleasures.
For need to breathe, he broke the kiss. Xavier dragged his cheek over hers and felt her shudder at the prickly stubble. "You are mine, Io," he whispered in her ear. "Mine, forever."
Her forehead came to rest on his chest and he felt her take a deep breath. Then he felt her head shake. "No," she loosened her grip, dropped her hands and stepped back. "No. It is not what anyone wants."
"Io, the only wants that matter are mine and yours. I want this, you. Do you tell me now you do not want me?" The hurt sliced through him. He'd honestly thought Io only asked for the annulment because his mother drove her to it. He'd said some regretful things. But he'd never thought she wouldn't forgive him. Perhaps she was dissatisfied with their union. "Io?"
"I want… nothing," she spat stepping out of reach. "It does nothing for me to want. I know nothing but disappointment. For anything I might want, anything that I might try to claim, is denied or taken. I will not want this any longer. I will not want it so when it is gone, I will not be left struggling to manage with only myself to rely on."
"Io," he snapped and reached for her only to have her step out of reach again. "Io, you are denied nothing, nothing was taken from you except for what you willingly surrender—"
"I surrender nothing," Io shouted back. "You, all of them." She waved her hand in the direction of the road and the house. "Have taken everything."
"You walked away. You abandoned what you have and those who depend on you." Xavier knew this was escalating as he felt his own rage and saw Io's building.
"I had nothing, least of all someone to depend on," she screeched then spun away and stomped off in the opposite direction of the house.
Xavier gave chase, catching her around the waist, he lifted her and started towards his horse. They'd settle this at home. Io's struggles increased. He shifted his hold so she squirmed on his left hip and continued forward. Stopping beside his horse he abruptly let her go.
Io landed on her feet but she stumbled, giving him the chance to grab her again as he took up the reins. "We will discuss this at home."
"There is no such thing as home. I am not going back." Io pried at his hand. Pulling and jerking to get free.
"Io, I am done with this. We are going home. You will assume your place and you will not run again."
"No."
As far as Io being blatantly defiant went, she couldn't, in Xavier's mind, be more so. And perhaps if he'd not just come back from dealing with two equally defiant families on his border; if he still didn't have to discover his mother's purpose for returning, and if he didn't have a bad feeling in his gut about the future with this woman, he may have found the will to show patience.
Unfortunately for
Io, it wasn't a good moment to refuse him. He took her arm, stepped away from the horse, went down on one knee, and jerked her forward hard enough to send her face down over the other knee.
Io started shrieking before he had her skirts up. Her hands came back to cover his target. "Do not," she yelled. Trying to both protect her arse and get off his lap.
"I will and you will remember my commands are to be obeyed," he said as he adjusted her forward so her face was in the dirt. She could either put her hands on the ground or protect her backside. Leave it to Io to manage both. Her left hand pushed her off the ground—her right did its best to shield the soft flesh Xavier was about to thrash raw.
"Do not," her voice cracking as a panicked cry slipped out.
Xavier captured her right hand with his. Transferring it to his left, he used it to pin her skirts high on her back. "We are going home, Io." He raised his hand and brought it down fast and hard.
Io cried out and scrambled to get away. Her feet scuffed the dirt and she strained to gain even a hope of escape. "I will go," she cried looking back over her shoulder. "I will go."
"Yes, Io," Xavier said raising his hand again. "You will." With that he began his endeavor to turn the pale flesh red. His hand struck with a steady, well-paced force and Io's fight was quickly exhausted. Xavier waited for her to go limp before he changed targets and started to bring up color on the back of her thighs. She was a sagging, sobbing mess before he ended the punishment. Xavier pulled her back to kneel beside him. He caught the cuff of his shirt and wiped her face before standing and pulling Io to her feet. "Now." He gave her a shove towards his horse. "Home."
Io stumbled forward sobbing. Her right hand slapped down over her mouth to muffle the sound and Xavier shook his head. Why she screamed like he murdered her during the punishment but tried to become silent after, he didn't know. With a sigh, he took up the reins and reached for Io, intending to place her in front on the horse.
