by Luke, Monica
“Perhaps,” Bayl reasoned, and said nothing more of it, but as he rode, he thought of her.
As the men hunted to feed those they marched, as Bayl hunted with them for the fun of it, he happened upon a bunch of wild flowers and gathered some in his hand, which made Belon look at him curiously.
“Why the look?” asked Bayl, his annoyance obvious.
“There was not look, my lord,” Belon denied, yet in his mind, he knew the auburn haired young woman had begun to sway his lord.
Once a few of the men returned, some with deer, others with rabbits, as the young women dressed them by the stream, Bayl searched among them for Liha; then when he saw her, instead of riding his horse to her, he walked.
As he approached, when she saw him her heart raced and she turned her body to take deep breaths to calm herself, then when he was close turned again, as if she had been calm all along.
“If you wish it,” she said before he could speak first, “I will bring you something to eat from the deer I am dressing.”
“That would be kind,” Bayl said; then gave her the flowers, which she took gladly.
“And for you,” she said; then gave him the flower out of her hair that she had picked earlier as she walked, “Though it is nothing to what was given me.”
“It will do,” Bayl half smiled, as he smelled it.
Later that evening, as Bayl sat around a fire and talked with Belon and a few others, Liha approached him.
“Bayl,” she said softly, as a hush came over the men because she used his name, and because she had spoken to no one, but him, “For you.”
Gratefully, Bayl took the roasted deer from her hands.
“Did you eat?” he asked before he bit into it.
“Yes, just earlier with my grandmother,” she answered, “I took care to see that you had only best parts of the animal.”
“I will taste it,” one man said, then took a piece of it, while other’s watched closely to see if he took ill, and though Liha thought that was odd, she said nothing of it.
As she watched, Bayl bit into the meat too and nodded.
“It is good. I thank you,” he said, which brought a smile to her face.
“Then I shall leave you,” she said humbly and walked away.
Right away, the men began to make bets among themselves as to how long before one would give to the other. Some that before a three days time, she would upon his horse. Others that before a three days time, he would be upon her in his tent, all set in their minds to watch and wait eagerly.
“There is such warmth in our greetings,” Liha said to her grandmother when she walked back, “It saddens me that he has not yet spoken to me at length. Shall I feign an ailment to get him to speak with me longer?”
“Do not try to deceive him,” her grandmother warned, “Or such will be your life with him.”
“Then shall I release him from my heart?”
“Just as you had those try to woo you,” she said wisely, “He does as well. He is handsome, though I have seen many who march us who are, but he has a way not like the others, and again, I swear he is set apart from them in some way.”
“Give me your wisdom,” Liha begged, “If not he will slip away.”
“Men want what they cannot have,” she said; before she lay down to go sleep.
Again, Liha followed her grandmother’s words and did not feign an ailment, but when he rode by her and slowly trotted, she made certain not to look at him.
“Good day,” Bayl greeted, but she did not smile, nor did she speak; instead, to him, as she did with the others. She displayed dourness towards him, yet in her heart, Bayl was far from being like the others because she began to love him.
At first Bayl ignored her obvious discourtesy, but when she did not speak to him again, he became insulted, then angry.
“You do not speak,” he finally said to her, “Why?”
“Such needless toil,” she said, as she looked ahead, “To one who will not speak much at all. I gather this will be all. So I will spare myself needless words as well.”
Angered by her, Bayl rode off. In his power to have her creamy white flesh stripped from her or just leave her in the middle of nowhere for wild animals to tear her apart, he did not.
Instead, as he rode ahead with some of the men, the more he tried not to think of her, the more she filled his thoughts before suddenly, unable to stand it, he turned around and rode back to her.
Wisely, she did not try to resist as he boldly put her on his horse. Her heart racing again this time from his dominance; she struggled to breathe feeling swoon, as he now mounted it behind her and rode away.
“I see Therdon and his men have won the wager,” Belon said aloud, as he watched Bayl ride off with her, which made several laugh, “Gather two men and ride behind them, but keep a good length away.”
**
Freely, Seda walked the roof of WorrlgenHall and gardens below, and as envious eyes from women watched her every step, she made certain to remain humble, but only flesh and blood, she could not help but feel special that she had won the king’s favor.
As she walked, away from Nona since that night a servant forced her away to go to Uded’s chamber, she thought of her friend and went to see her in the meal house.
Quietly, she entered; then stood at its doorway, but Anla saw her first.
“Did you come to work or boast?” she sneered hatefully.
“I came to see Nona,” Seda said, “But reason what you will.”
As Nona walked inside, when she saw Seda standing in the doorway, ran to her and hugged her.
“Such happiness,” Nona said quickly, “I am glad all is well.”
“And you,” Seda said, stepping back to look at Nona, “As I look at you, it is clear that you are not the same.”
Nona beamed.
“The man who struck Uded down,” she said with such a glint in her eyes that Seda knew.
“You court him,” she blurted before she could finish.
“Far more wonderful,” Nona said, and smiled even more, “He is now my husband.”
“I cannot hold to such words,” Seda gasped, her heart filled with joy.
“Hold well to them.” Nona said, and sighed, “And this, I carry his child.”
Truly surprised, Seda’s hand flew to her chest.
“No more,” she gasped again, “Or my heart will burst with joy for you.”
“Enough!” Anla blurted, “Though you lay under the king until he tires of you and no longer must work, Nona still works and has her tasks.”
“She is right,” Nona said, then hugged Seda tenderly and went about her duties.
Later that night again the king came to Seda in her chamber to be with her, but as he pulled her close to sleep, he knew something bothered her.
“Speak to me,” he whispered, “What saddens you?”
Seda rolled onto her side to face him.
“As I walked, I went to the meal house and saw Nona,” Seda answered freely, “She was the only who befriended me when you were away as others spoke cruelly to me, and now that I am not there, others speak cruelly to her.”
“Then reveal who and I will deal with them harshly.”
“I cannot carry such a burden to know I caused another such pain,” she whispered, “But I beg a favor.”
“I will give it,” King Rone said eagerly, as with every second with her, her every word, touch, or sigh had begun to make him love her, “I will grant anything.”
“Nona is wed to one of your guild warriors. His name is Laad,” Seda said, “Does he come to mind?”
“Ah, now I know who hastened his return.” King Rone reasoned quickly what to give her, “And when I begin court again, I will reward him and move his place.”
“Then I beg you; move Nona’s place as well far away from Anla and her cruel tongue. She carries his child.”
“I will make her your servant.”
“Please not my servant, she is my friend.”
&nb
sp; “Then speak your wish.”
“I beg for time to reason,” she pleaded. “To find out what she enjoys.”
“My answer shall be yes,” he said and smiled, “I feel such joy in my heart, had you asked for half of all I had, I would have given it to you.”
“Those are bold words,” she teased.
“Draw close to me,” he whispered, “So we may sleep.”
The next day, again Seda hurried to the meal house to speak to Nona about her idea hoping Nona would be pleased.
“Reveal to me what you enjoy doing in WorrlgenHall,” Seda asked her secretly, “And it shall be so.”
Right away, Nona thought of what she could do. Laad usually in the courtyard training those who sought to be bowman during the day, she wanted a duty that would keep her close to him.
“I ask to be near my husband when he is not away,” Nona whispered, “We only see each other during the day when I bring him food.”
“Then speak it,” Seda said excited, “The king vowed to grant it.”
“I want to be a server in the gathering hall,” Nona said, as she thought, “With that during the day when I am done. I can be near him.”
“But with that you would still be near Anla,” Seda warned, “If not for you, your husband would have found me long after much harm had been done to me. We shall have it seem that you are under me as my maiden, but in truth from that you are free to come and go as you please for as long as the king will have me.”
“Blessings to you,” Nona said, then rushed away to tell Laad.
Rushing through the courtyard, Nona found him teaching other men the art of being a skillful bowman, and as all stood and watched, they marveled at how easily he shot the arrows into the center of the straw, as if it was nothing.
Patiently, she waited and marveled as she watched him as well; then when he turned to help another with their aim, saw her and went to her.
“How long have you gazed at me?” he asked, as he climbed onto some of the stone bricks; then lifted his head so she could bend down and kiss him.
“… not long,” she said through her marveled smile, “Such skills you have. How did you come to have them?”
Laad smiled wide at how awestruck she looked.
“The art of the bow and riding from hunting with my father; the blade from both my father and Irek,” Laad answered; then smiled even wider, “And the skill of pleasuring another in bed, and not only care if I am pleased...”
“Yes.”
“From the beautiful one I stand before.”
“We must speak of other things or be alone at once with your flesh close to mine to test your skill more,” Nona teased.
“Laad,” one of the men called to him impatiently, “I cannot hold this bow string at length for long.”
“I have pleasing words for you,” she said quickly when Laad looked away.
“Can your words hold a time until we are alone?” he asked her tenderly, “If not, I will hear them eagerly.”
“They can.” She smiled, and left him.
That night, instead of the going to the men’s hall, Laad went right away to their borrowed room; then as he saw Nona laying on the bed waiting for him, quickly undressed and lay beside her.
“Your words,” he said, as he greeted her with a kiss, before anything else, “Speak them.”
“I no longer must work in the meal house,” she happily revealed, as she got closer to him, “Seda has asked me to be a maiden to her for as long as she is with the king.”
“Then I am glad,” he said truthfully, “I had set my mind to ask the king to move you.”
Nona became excited that an opportunity for them to have a chamber instead of a room presented itself. “Husband, set you mind to ask the king something other.”
“Speak it.”
“Ask for our own chamber. Uded’s is empty,” Nona blurted, and slightly bounced with enthusiasm.
“I remember it as loathsome and gloomy.”
“I will make it not so,” she countered eagerly, as she touched his face, “It is much bigger, and will be fitting for you and our child to come.”
“One day we will live on land in a home of our own.” Laad sighed, as he thought of his childhood, “Green grass far reaching so our sons and daughters can run freely beyond stoned walls.”
“Sons and daughters.” Nona inhaled and smiled, as she rubbed her well-rounded stomach, “Many you will have.”
Tenderly, Laad put his hand on Nona’s stomach also; then leaned his head down and whispered close to it.
“Do not remain within much longer,” he whispered, “Your father is waiting to see you.”
“Soon,” Nona said, as she removed her hand from her stomach to put her fingers into Laad’s dark thick hair, “Now sleep. Your day has been long.”
“Then rest your head on my chest,” he said, as raised his head, then lay back and pulled her to him, “That I may dream with the two I love close to me.”
**
That night in Seda’s chamber, again the King Rone came to her, instead of sending for her to come to him, and as he entered, she ran into his arms.
“Rone,” she whispered, “Nona agreed to be under me, and though I do not know how long you will have me, until you tire of me she is happy with it.
Her words humble, moved by them, King Rone looked at her.
“She is happy to wait on only you for such a time?”
“Until you tire of me,” she said softly “And I no longer have a chamber that you may come to me.”
“Hmm,” King Rone said quickly, “But now I have set in my mind that there will be only one chamber…the kings.”
“Then for me, where will I be?” she asked, yet dreaded her question should it be not what she hoped to hear.
“This day, I meet with my quorum,” King Rone said, as he walked to the fire, “And revealed to them what they and many believed would never come from my mouth again.”
“Yes, my king,” Seda said, afraid to breathe as his voice changed to a commanding tone.
“That WorrlgenHall will again have a queen.”
“Who, my king?”
“From the first, I have opened myself to you,” he confessed, “And as you boldly gazed upon my face, I saw you as my queen.”
“My king,” Seda said, her words bold, “Would you have made a dog your queen, had it gazed upon your face.”
“Shall I be angry?” King Rone questioned, annoyed that Seda did not burst into tears humbled that he chose her, “There is your tongue again, feeding you bold words.”
“Forgive me I beg you,” Seda quickly said, “I love you. Would it hurt to hear such words from you as that and know it is why you chose me.”
“Be my queen?” King Rone whispered, “The king loves you.”
“Yes, my king.”
**
Now besotted with Liha, Bayl put her and her grandmother upon horses so neither would have to walk, and each night he and Liha rode off together to talk freely, yet no matter where they went men always followed.
Each morning, as Bayl rode to go in the front of the men, he stopped alongside Liha and spoke to her tenderly, and each night as he ate, it was always from something she had prepared and brought him.
“Such love I have for him,” Liha told her grandmother, as they rode one morning, “Yet he has not spoken such words to me.”
“Have you to him?”
“I have not.”
Each day, Liha’s grandmother closely watched Bayl along with those around him, and though he mingled and carried on well with the other men, from the very first time she saw him, she knew he was peculiar, but could not reason why.
“You must let him speak the words first,” her grandmother’s wise advice to Liha, “I would wage all many women have told him they loved him.”
“We have journeyed far,” Liha said, “And soon we will be at this place called WorrlgenHall. Once there, I know he will forget me.”
“Granddaughter,” she
warned, “I know what you seek and I will not. If he loves you then he loves you. If not, then not, but you will not deceive him.”
“I have tasted his lips and he mine.” Liha sighed, “Such that I believe he wants more from me, but…”
“Let him want,” again a warning, “But, do not yield to him.”
Liha’s grandmother laughed at her own words. “Resist the passion inside you for him and he will love you.”
“If such words will ever come from him,” Liha said anguished.
Just as Liha spoke, a horn sounded and she saw men rushing pass them.
“Something is wrong.”
“Look!” her grandmother said; then pointed.
To the left of them, strange men covered in ashes from head to foot lined the landscape. Some on horses, but most on foot, right away charged towards them.
“Run!” Belon shouted to the men and women, “Run to the river’s edge!”
Quickly, all ran; then Belon and Bayl gathered the men in a line in front of them.
“I gather we will defend those we march?” Belon questioned, as he withdrew his sword.
“We will,” Bayl’s proclamation as he withdrew his own, “There is one we march who is to be my wife.”
Bayl let out a loud cry and all charged forward, then as the fighting began, the men on horses slashed their way through the thick of the strange men taking off limbs before more in black charged forward too.
“Who are these people?” Bayl shouted as he fought.
“I have heard tales that they worship the moon or a volcano!” Belon shouted back unable to remember; then groaned loudly when an arrow pierced his shoulder.
Quickly, when the man aimed to shoot another one at Belon, Bayl charged towards him and cut off his arm.
“Ride back and guard those we march,” he ordered Belon.
“I have but a minor wound,” Belon said, yet his pain was great, “I will fight on.”
As Liha reached the river’s edge, she worriedly turned and watched the men fight.
“I cannot find Bayl among them,” she said. Her eyes searching frantically to spot him, “I pray he has not been slain.”
