by Luke, Monica
“He has never wed, but children I cannot say. He has left his seed in many women.”
“Is that so?” Irek asked puzzled, “And Ogorec?”
“Without wife, yet his choice of if a man or woman he longs to leave his seed in.” the man jested, “Some question.”
Irek raised a disapproving brow. “What?”
“It is a hushed rumor.”
His brow raised, his expression turned to a frown as he looked at him. “The guild warriors swore an oath of brotherhood, yet you speak coarse of your brother. I would wage much that his sword has saved your hide more than once.”
“It has,” he admitted, “It is only rumor. I meant no harm by speaking of what I have heard.”
“Then hold your ungrateful tongue,” he scolded, “Your coarse words have no place among men who bravely fight and die for the other.”
“Forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive, just hold your tongue,” Irek’s blunt comment as he turned his horse and rode towards the gate.
Once at the gate, he waited until he saw Laad and called out to him.
“Farewell and do well,” he said him, as he put his hand on his shoulder, when Laad came to him, “Just as I know you will.”
“I will give nothing short of my life for my king and kingdom.”
“Then, you will do well.” Irek confidently nodded, and rode away.
**
For days Irek pondered the idea Belon and Ogorec trying to make himself doubt his suspicion, yet the more he thought back in time, the more he remembered that often during his restless nights more than once he had seen Belon or Ogorec walking from the other’s hall in early hours of the morning.
Now only days after the men had left, still having difficulty sleeping, he rose from bed with his wife and dressed to walk the garden to clear his head until he got sleepy again.
As he walked, also in the garden to clear his head he came across Belon who was outside training by himself, and reasoning it was fate that both were out at such an hour, he took the time talk to him.
Quietly, he stood and watched him for a time observing his skill.
“Well is your skill,” Irek complimented, as he now approached him, “Yet, remember Belon, do not hold your sword so far from your body when you turn. Your arms are to long for such.”
“It is one of my weaknesses,” Belon confessed, “That I shall keep from at once.”
“A weakness indeed…” Irek said; then added, “There is another weakness I want to have words with you about.”
Belon looked at him curiously. “What such weakness?”
“Walk with me,” Irek only said, “That we may speak away from ears of others, should someone be awake too.”
Belon stuck his sword in his sheathe and followed; then as they walked when they got by the east wall as they looked out into the darkness, he began to speak to Belon.
“I would reason the men just before the Valley of Tul near the trading settlement,” Irek said, “If Laad stayed the course.”
“Then they are moving with haste,” Belon said.
“Such was the set course,” Irek said, and looked at Belon to see his expression, “Who wants to be away longer than needed from loved ones.”
Belon said nothing, as he looked out into the darkness.
“Speak it Belon,” Irek said now facing him, “What is this between you and Ogorec?”
“We fight under brothers who fight battles together,” Belon only said, “And in so we have fought side by side often.”
“Belon,” Irek said annoyed with him, “Such battles have the king, Orem, or I not sent you out on to fight that I know that already. Your answer to me, makes me reason you believe I am a fool.”
“What has made you ask me such a question?” Belon asked to avoid answering it, “I fear it is a trap.”
“One with ease to answer if nothing was hidden,” Irek said, “If there was nothing between you to hide.”
Belon said nothing, again looking out into the darkness.
“You will answer it,” Irek said, his voice firm, “But as I watched you look at Ogorec as he rode off, the answer was clear.”
“Then I will not answer it.”
“How long has it been?” Irek asked, Belon answering his question by refusing to.
“Over two springs.” Belon sighed, his answer his confession.
“And what will it lead to?”
“I cannot say,” he said inwardly glad to speak of it to another, “Other than we both cannot end it. We have both tried many times.”
“I dare speak and shudder,” Irek said and recalled a fear, “To bring up the name Tohlor.”
“He fell from the outer wall drunk,” Belon lied, “And it grieved us much to hear it.”
“Then it gladdens me to hear you both had no hand in such a fate.”
Without words, Irek began to walk away and Belon followed him.
“It is good that even in hushed rumors all hold you both in high regard such that they follow you into battles,” Irek said and stopped, “But it is a wrong between you and Ogorec for the you both serve under lords who are brothers, and one that I will not turn my head and look away.”
“What do your words means?”
“Dare you both quarrel and be angry with the other in battle. How can you protect each other as well as our lords? With no will of your own tempers may rule you and harm to others come from it”
“Shall I turn in my guild warrior’s bands and armor, and leave this place?”
“Will you end what is between you?” Irek asked.
“As my words before,” he confessed, “I cannot stop what burns within me for him.”
Irek sighed; then began walking again.
“Shall I turn in my guild warrior bands and armor, and leave?” Belon asked again.
“With Ogorec away,” Irek commented, “How will he find you when he returns? Such anguish I reason he has already to torment him.”
Belon looked at him; then nodded his head. “I am grateful to you.”
“When he returns set your course,” Irek said, “It will grieve me greatly to lose two such brave men.”
**
Three days since they set out, as the band of men camped just before the Valley of Tul, Laad stared at the stars late into the night.
Just before he prepared to sleep now something he did always when he felt lonely away from Nona, he held her hair beads in his hand and thought of her until he grew tired enough to close his eyes, but as he searched his pouch for them, he came across something else too.
At first unable to find them, his heart grew anxious at the thought of losing something so precious, until he saw a deep green long embroidered thin sash just about the length of his arm with black patterns along its edge.
Surprised, he picked it up; then unfolded what it wrapped, which were her hair beads and wrapped it around his hand; then as he held the sash, he smelled it.
Her scent from it filling his nostrils, he inhaled deeply through his nose and wondered when she could have secretly put it in his bag.
“Oh my wife,” Laad said under his breath, as he smelled it, “Before you was there even life within me?”
Once more, he smelled the sash before he tucked it under his sleeve, then twirled the beads she gave him between his fingers, as now his mind flooded with thoughts of their unborn child.
His thoughts of would he have a son again or now a daughter consumed him, and the more the thought of it, the more his heart soared with joy.
As Laad’s mind recalled the vision of how a smile as warming as the sun sweep across his son’s face whenever he held him, his brief thoughts of joy, again turned to anguish as his heart longed to have him in his arms, as well as his mother.
The moon bright, Laad turned and looked at it and wondered if Nona was awake or asleep, and again he pulled out the sash she made him to smell it, and the scent of her so strong upon it, a rush of desire went through him.
Such was its smell a deep ache seized him, as the soft wind blowing upon him in the cool of the night sent a surge between his legs, as beyond his control he felt himself become rigid with want.
So great was his want, had she been by his side, he would have been upon her at once with unbridled vigor so passionately he would make her moan loud enough for all throughout the land to hear.
“There is no sleep for me again this night,” Laad said to himself as he again put away the sash, but this time along with the beads; then walked to his horse.
As Wurden lay nearby, when he saw Laad mount his horse, he rose and went to him.
“If you ride again this night to look over the land before we go inside the Valley of Tul,” Wurden said, “I will ride with you.”
Laad looked at Wurden; then nodded. Friends before both could even ride a horse; he thought him as brave and skilled and could think of no other to have by his side in battle, as well as by his side in all things.
As both now rode, Wurden looked over to Laad and knew his mind was far away.
“What haunts you?” he asked, “And brings that faraway look in your eyes.”
“Nona,” Laad said, “Again a child grows in her womb, but she is only five moons along. I will not be with her when the child comes.”
“Ah, someone broke his vow,” Wurden said, through a laugh.
“How do you mean?”
Wurden laughed harder. “Not so long ago you paced back and forth and swore never to put your seed in her again. I may not be gifted for learning, but I dare say I only know of one way to put her in such a state.”
Laad said nothing at first as he rode alongside him, yet within him, he laughed.
“Spill, spill,” Wurden teased, “And spill.”
“Careful,” Laad now teased back, “I command over you too. Should I make you dig holes or groom horses and clean up after them?”
“You dare speak such words,” Wurden said, as he looked at him, “If you do, I will reveal to all what I know about you.”
“Speak it,” Laad said curious.
“As a boy how you ran screaming like a girl,” Wurden threatened, “As a wild goose chased and pecked at you.”
Laad laughed. “That slipped from my head.”
“Aaaahh, I am well sure it did,” Wurden’s playful threat, “I have many boyhood tales of us.”
“As I,” Laad said, “Dare I speak of the boy who could not swim and I saved.”
“Huh,” Wurden said, “That one escaped me.”
“Shall I go on?”
“No.” Wurden gave in, “But I am sure your son Elaad would love to hear that goose tale.”
“Speak of it,” Laad said, “And I will tell your son Bine how you climbed a tree and afraid to come down because you went to high how I had to throw rocks at you to make you come down.”
As both laughed at their threats to the other, they stopped when they noticed others riding behind them, and Loth and Glen in the lead, who ever since they saw Laad fight with Borek, then show him mercy, had from that day forward other than the king or lords, pledged their loyalty to him.
“What reason is there for a small band to trail us?” Laad asked them when they caught up with them.
“What better way to make the time pass, if we cannot sleep,” Loth answered.
“I see ten behind you.” Wurden noticed.
“It seems to be a restless night for many,” Glen added.
“Then we shall ride,” Laad said, and rode off.
Laad and Wurden rode hard, as Loth and Glen, along with ten others followed; then when they reached the river of black sand, as they stopped to allow the horses to drink, Laad spoke of something that bothered him.
“When we ride out again, we should arrive by mid morning,” Laad said, “Yet I wonder why since we are so close not one has ridden ahead to meet us as done before.”
Loth looked at Glen, and at once, both stepped forward.
“If you grant it, we can ride ahead and see if there is trouble there,” Glen whose voice was heard above Loth said, “And if so, one of us can ride with haste back and give word of it.”
“I grant it,” Laad said, “We will stop at this river and wait before we cross it.”
“I will go with them,” Wurden said, as he mounted his horse.
“Wurden,” Laad said warily, “Do you reason it wise? They are faster riders and younger.”
“Mind your tongue…” Wurden teased, as his back straightened proudly, “They can all learn from me.”
After the men rode out, early that morning just as Laad said he would do, he waited before he crossed the river, and as Baric and Ogorec waited by the river with them, Baric looked to Laad.
“The men you sent out,” Baric said, “Did they give word of when they would come back?”
“No, my lord,” Laad said, hiding his concern for Wurden, as well as the others, “But I reason it wise to wait. If we do not hear from them as the sun peaks, I would reason they met an ill fate and with wariness we should enter the valley.”
“Then we will wait,” Baric said, then rode off.
After the sun finally slowly began to rise, when still no one had returned, Ogorec became impatient.
“We have waited long enough,” he said, but as he spoke, someone saw Loth riding hard.
Quickly, Laad, Baric, and Ogorec rode to meet him.
“Speak!” Laad yelled worriedly, jumping off his horse to grab him just before fell to the ground.
“The valley!” he said, as he panted; his clothes bloody and his face beaten, “They are among them!”
“How many?” Ogorec asked, as he circled him on his horse
“I saw only a handful in the valley, but about one hundred rode pass as we hid.”
“What of Wurden and Glen?” Laad asked, noticing how beaten Loth looked; now fearing the worse.
“As we spied, some who lingered rode by and saw us. We parted as we fled,” Loth answered, “I fought fiercely to get from their grips and barely escaped with my life.”
Anxiously, Laad looked ahead, but didn’t let on that his mind raced with thoughts and worry for his friend.
“One hundred,” he said calmly, “I will wager they plan to spread men from Celgon all the way to the sea.”
“Now they know we are out scouting,” Ogorec voiced his concern.
“They knew we would soon enough,” Laad said, as he looked to the valley. His mind readying for vengeance had an ill fate befallen Wurden by their hands. “The time for clashes again may be at hand.”
Chapter 11
Seda sat next to the king at his table in the gathering hall and smiled as she listened to him speak remembering how from the back of the room after she had served everyone at the table, moved by his commanding voice she would go behind a door and gaze at him.
As she ate while he spoke, discreetly she put her hand under the table onto his knee, and when he felt her gently squeeze, he put his strong hand under the table too and rested it on top of hers.
Slowly, she turned her hand over so their palms met; then intertwined her fingers with his, and as their fingers coupled tightly, he leaned over to her.
“If not for many around me,” he whispered in her ear, “I would ease my hand under your dress and feel your wet warmth.”
“Oh my king,” Seda blushed almost sure others had heard him, “Even with my belly as it is, you still long for me.”
“Never will my want for you fade,” he assured her, “With each breath I take, it burns wildly as my love deepens.”
“Rone,” Seda whispered, as she ate wild cherries. Her favorite fruit with her other hand, provocatively tugging at the stem with her teeth, “Rush our eating and any matters for this night so we can be alone; being with child stirs me such that I cannot get my fill of you.”
King Rone stood.
“The hour is late,” he said, as he did, “Matters of the court hall will have to hold. The king and queen will turn in for the night.”
; Seda smiled; then stood too, but when she did, she doubled over and cried out in pain, as she grabbed her stomach.
“Seda!” he said, as he held her, “What pain overcomes you?”
“I must have stood to hastily,” Seda said as she tried to straighten herself to walk, but only cried out and doubled over again.
“Call for Orhan!” King Rone ordered, as he swiftly put her into his arms and carried her.
“Husband,” Seda said softly. Her arms around his neck, “I did not mean to bring about such a fret over me.”
“Silence my love,” he hushed her, “You are but a feather in my arms and to bed you will go.”
“I have teased you with my words of passion,” she whispered, “Forgive me.”
“Did the king not order silence?” King Rone said lovingly, yet firmly as he cradled her closer to his chest, “Obey.”
Quickly, all parted in the gathering hall to allow the king to pass, but murmured among themselves curious what was wrong as he rushed away with her.
Holding onto him tightly, her heart racing with excitement from being in his strong arms, Seda snuggled her head on King Rone’s neck as he carried her.
Just as he ordered, she said nothing then, as if he had glided her back to their chamber on an eagles’ wings, before she knew it, they were there.
“Undress her,” King Rone ordered her attendants, “And put her to bed.”
Just as he spoke, Orhan walked into the chamber.
“You called for me.”
“It is the queen,” he said, as now away from her his voice showed his fear, “She bent over in pain and could not walk.”
“I reason the time is drawing near,” Orhan gathered, “Full is her womb and the moon’s cycle has been near nine.”
“Yet I feel. “King Rone feared, “When she cried out, it was a not what I have heard before.”
“Let her rest this night,” Orhan said, “In the morning we will see how she is.”
Now undressed and in her bed gown, Seda lay in bed.
“Husband,” she whispered, as he talked to Orhan who pressed her stomach with his hand.
“Yes, Seda,” King Rone said, as he looked at Orhan, then at her, then back to Orhan as he pressed.
