by Luke, Monica
Both their hearts about to explode from within; his heart reaching her first before his body, he kneeled beside the bed, then put his forehead to hers, and when he noticed how one eye was dry, while the other streamed a trail of tears, lifted her out of it.
With Nona in his arms, he carried her to the chair by the fireplace; then sat her sideways on his lap, and her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, she buried her head in his strong chest.
Still no words between them, he untied the strings of her bed gown; then as it fell and rested around her tiny waist, he lifted her and let slide down her legs to the floor, while she unstrung his pants and slid them down.
Nona now naked in his arms, Laad cuddled her close, as he listened to her softly sigh in his ear and felt her breath upon his neck, while his hand gently ran up and down her smooth thighs.
One last gentle stroke, his fingers moved to feel inside her heated moist walls before gently he replaced his fingers with his manhood.
As she held him tighter awaiting his deep thrusts, there were none, as he rested his forehead on the top of her head; then when she looked up at him, he kissed her tenderly, while he thrust inside her until their tender silent passion reached its peak.
When it had, Nona inhaled as Laad’s body shivered while all within him spurted hard into her; then with her in his strong arms; he carried her to their bed.
“I pray I leave this world in no other way than close to my only love,” his words to her when he lay beside her to sleep.
Soundly, Nona slept; then suddenly sprang up in bed, and looked to her right for Laad to be next to her; then when she did not see him, her body slumped saddened fearing she had dreamed it all, until she looked down at her arm.
“How beautiful,” she said, as she raised her arm to examine it more; then looked across their chamber.
Laad, sitting in a chair holding their daughter, gently he cradled her, and smiled at Nona.
“Laadnia,” he said.
Nona smiled and put on her bed gown, then walked to him and ran her fingers through his thick black hair.
“Laadnia,” she repeated, “Laadnia, daughter of Laad.
After she took their daughter from him to feed her, Elaad woke and rushed into Laad’s open arms; then once he swung him around, he put him on his shoulders and walked with him around the chamber.
“Aaaaah,” Nona said playfully, “I plead to be in line for such… yet with me, I ask that you turn me so I can be facing you upon your shoulders.”
Laad stopped; then looked at Nona. His eyes widened with surprise because he had never heard her speak so provocatively.
“Umm,” he said when he put Elaad down, “I shall grant that plea very soon.”
Lovingly, he walked to his beloved.
“My heart has missed you so,” his loving words, as he put his arms around her, “This day I give only to you after my words in front of the quorum and king, and also words to Wurden’s family.”
“Husband, I am sorry you lost your good friend,” Nona said, and held him back, “If you wish, I can go to them from time to time.”
“The kindness within you is also why I love you.”
“With haste give them your words,” Nona said, and smiled, “We will be eagerly waiting.”
As he spoke, he turned when he heard a knock on his door.
“The day is early,” he said, as he walked to it curious who it could be.
When he noticed it was Loth, another smile graced his face when he saw how eager he was to begin the day.
“I gathered you would be still in a deep sleep,” Laad said, as he stood at the door.
Loth laughed.
“In time yes,” he said, “Yet my body woke of its own will, and I could not rest again.”
Laad nodded; then looked to Nona and smiled before he closed the door to go to the king’s court to speak to him and the quorum, but before he did, he spoke with Wurden’s family comfortingly and revealed to them his dying words.
Once in front of the king and the quorum, his words the same as Baric’s account, when he gave an account of what he called “ash people” the king nodded his approval.
“Such a fine head upon your shoulders,” the words he now often spoke when he referred to most everything Laad did, “And one that I will make well use of.”
Not allowed to attend this particular court meeting, Loth waited in the hallway; then when Laad walked out of the door, he joined him.
“You and your wife join me and mine this day to eat,” he said, as they walked.
“We would enjoy such,” Laad said, “But I beg it be another time. I devoted this day to be alone with my wife.”
“Alone.” Loth laughed, “You have a young son and child; there is not much passion with them so close.”
“There are ways.” Laad slightly chuckled, as he thought of her on his lap last night.
“Bring them to us.” Loth laughed, “And enjoy such time with only your wife alone.”
Laad stopped, and turned to Loth. “I thank you for offering to watch over them, but long have I been away. This day I devote to them, as well as my wife. “
Loth nodded.
“As you wish Lord Master,” he teased, as he began to walk away.
“Loth,” Laad said after Loth took a few steps, “Laad…”
“Laad Lord Master or Lord Master Laad,” Loth said, and playfully threw up his hands; then walked down the hallway.
Amused, Laad shook his head, as he watched Loth throw up his hands and walk away, and chuckled to himself at how steadfast he seemed on giving him that title.
**
Once the other band of men arrived back at WorrlgenHall, Irek decided to speak with Ogorec about his relationship with Belon, instead of waiting for Belon finally to come forth with whatever they had decided to do, but as he watched them, he noticed a change in them.
Their words to the other few, Irek also rarely saw them near the other, other than when their lords went outside the walls of WorrlgenHall.
“Belon a word,” Irek said, after watching them for a while, “I can see there is a change between you and Ogorec. And no word has come to me of you or him leaving.”
Belon looked away, the anguished look in his eyes obvious. “Ogorec and I are no more.”
“Then what could not be quelled has quelled?” Irek asked sarcastically.
Belon grimaced. The words he was about to say tore at his throat like jagged rocks. “Yes, well quelled.”
“Mmhmm,” Irek sounded off skeptical; then asked, “Will there be woes and trouble within these walls from you both under your lords?”
“There will be no woes or trouble,” Belon said, as he looked to Irek, “What we once had is no more other than we serve our king and lords.”
Irek said nothing, while he thought to himself, and Belon believing their conversation was over began to ride away, but when he did, Irek stopped him.
“Belon,” he said, and rode a little closer to him, “Under a lord you are seen more than any other. I will hold my tongue, but use great toil to keep your desires in hand and from shaming those over you.”
Belon nodded and rode away.
Ogorec, who used common sense, already knew to heed Irek’s words to Belon without any warning. He was discrete with his relationship with him, and to not taunt Belon and have him jealously challenge Ovfren again, hardly looked at him or spoke to him if he could help it.
Although, Ogorec said nothing to Ovfren outside of simple commands when needed, he loved him.
Each racing to the other in late hours of night or first light, Ogorec always the one who left word of when and where to meet, one night Ovfren surprised him, and left word for him.
Just as promised, Ogorec hurried to Ovfren, but as he rode, a dread seized him when he got closer because he realized the path was leading to where he and Belon often met.
Once there, Ogorec saw Ovfren waiting marveling over the beauty of the high and low grassy mounds he watched.
&nbs
p; “We rode the lands this day,” Ovfren said, as he looked out when Ogorec approached him, “And as we passed all that came to mind were of us embracing here.”
Ogorec smiled, and stood next to him.
“Do you enjoy the sight?” he asked, pleased he found them a place meet. “When we wake at dawn it will be to the sun rising right above us.”
Ogorec smiled again, but this time lowered his head.
“Ovfren,” he solemnly spoke, “I pray my words not hurt you.”
“What such words?” he asked, as he turned to look at Ogorec noticing his head lowered.
“Here,” Ogorec said, “Were we stand, was once a place Belon found for me and him.”
Ovfren said nothing, as he turned and looked back out. Ogorec words like a scab scraped off a healing wound, he thought of all the seasons the two had together to know of many places to be away from others.
His head still slightly lowered, Ogorec raised it and looked out as well, but said nothing as he searched to find words to soothe the hurt he knew Ovfren felt, and gripped his hand lovingly.
“What words must I speak to soothe the hurt I know you feel?” he asked as he held his hand, “And they will flow from me eagerly.”
“Why speak of it?” he questioned puzzled and saddened, as he shrugged his shoulders, “It was unknown to me.”
“Even if my words are hurtful,” he confessed, not wanting to meet there again, “I will not keep anything from you.”
Again, Ovfren looked out mulling over thoughts of Ogorec and Belon.
“Speak what goes through you head.”
“Such is my fear of him haunting us from place to place and putting a wall between us,” he shook his head with worry, “Such is my fear.”
“Then speak the words,” he said willing, “And we will leave with haste.”
“Leave the place we stand?” Ovfren asked, as his head turned to Ogorec.
“No,” he avowed, as he looked back at him, “WorrlgenHall.”
“Under a lord you are,” Ovfren said. His slight angst mollified from Ogorec’s willingness to leave WorrlgenHall on a whim just for him, “I would never ask such a thing.”
“Ovfren,” Ogorec said, his words of devotion coming from deep within him, “Yes this place was a place where Belon and I met – yet here no words of love came from me as they do for you. I love you.”
Ovfren closed his eyes and sighed comforted by Ogorec’s words of love.
“Or words of this,” Ogorec averred, as he released his grip; then took from around his neck the boar tooth he wore given to him by his father, “I give you something I hold dear to me - and bond you to me.”
As he took it, surprised by his gesture, Ovfren took of the shark tooth necklace he wore around his neck given to him by his father, and gave it to Ogorec.
“We were already bonded long ago,” he said, as he held Ogorec’s gift, “When you vowed your love to me just beyond the Lake of Hebor.”
As both stood silently recalling their act of devotion to the other, Ovfren broke the silence.
“Shall we leave this place and embrace at another?” he asked.
“This place,” Ogorec spoke at once. His heart quickened, as always from his willing readily devotion to Ovfren, “Will be a place of old haunts, as well as any place and long forgotten. Now that I am with you there is no other before you or shall be after you”
Trusting all he spoke as truth, Ovfren’s heart lifted.
“Such passionate words flow from deep within,” Ovfren now teased, “Such that I fear when we ride out, I will not be able to sit upon my horse with ease.”
Ogorec rolled his eyes, as Ovfren showed his playful humor; then glad their somber moment was past them, gripped his hand and forced his arm behind his back, before he kissed him.
“You will for a time,” he said. His breath heavy with want when he pulled his lips away, “Only if you wish it.”
As Ovfren put his hand deep in Ogorec’s hair with his arm still locked behind his back, he fell to his knees pulling Ogorec down with him.
“I wish it always.”
Chapter 18
Not long after Laad returned to WorrlgenHall with the rest of the men again Irek took ill, but this time as he lay sick in his bed, the severity of his illness hidden from all except his wife as long as he could, he called only for Laad to come to his bedside chamber.
As Laad stood beside him, he began to raise himself in bed to speak to him.
“Death follows me closely,” he made his confession, as he groaned and moved, “And with that spoken you must know what I had seeded for you.”
His words veiled, Laad reached for Irek’s arms to help prop him up in bed comfortably, but did not understand.
“Always words clouded to me,” he said once he was propped more comfortably, “Reveal what is behind them.”
Irek looked at Laad, and asked him to sit, and only after he did, did he begin speaking again.
“I lost my only son in battle long ago when he was just a young warrior.” Irek revealed and reached for Laad’s hand to pat it, “And when Boek died you became the son I lost. I proudly watched you grow from boy to man and leader doing all I could for you, and I shall do one last thing.”
Still Laad did not understand Irek’s words, and began to believe he was possibly losing his senses from illness.
“What one last thing?” Laad was however curious.
“I am setting in place what you are to become by planting a seed.”
“Become?”
“You shall become what you rightfully should be. A king.”
Laad stood and hurried to the door, then opened it to look out and make sure no one was near; then closed it.
“Your words spew treachery,” he was quick to quell him, “You are dying, yet you hasten death should others hear your words, and from it put my family at harm, as well as me.”
Irek laughed; then coughed loudly before he began to speak again. “My words are not of treachery, but of a seed.”
“A seed of treachery,” Laad added.
“My words are not of rebelling against the king or his sons.” Irek coughed annoyed. “But that you are in high place should fate bring about a wind of change?”
“Irek,” he tried to dismiss his ideas, “You are ill, and should rest and speak when your mind is suited for reason.”
“My mind is well suited to speak what is within.”
Laad groaned; then sat again. “Speak.”
“Long have I put words in the king’s ear of you…And from it I will have you take my place as Lord Helm when I die watering the seed.”
“Such words!” he protested, as he stood again, “I will not.”
“Sit!” Irek mustered enough air into his lungs to put fire behind his command, “And you will take my place as Lord Helm!”
Laad shook his head in disbelief, but obeyed. “There are more worthy, older, and wiser.”
“There are none more worthy,” Irek said avidly, “And age is not always a companion to wisdom.”
“Irek,” again, Laad protested, “Others envy such a place. To give it to me will make me hated among many.”
“If such is true,” he told him, “Then win them to you.”
“Irek,” again, Laad began to speak his protest, but Irek interrupted him.
“My words are as unbending as steel and stone,” he said, “When I die Lord Helm you shall be.”
“Then I pray you live long,” Laad rose annoyed, and walked out of his chamber.
**
Inside the walls of WorrlgenHall, still Laad worried over Elgen’s warning. Other than the one hundred men they killed at the Valley of Tul, they came across no one else.
Elgen’s words made clear of what his brother Thogor wanted, suddenly for him to give up without a fight, was unlikely, yet still as the scouts and guilds rode the lands, they found no signs or heard words of threats.
Feeling unsettled about it, Laad kept his thoughts to himself until he spoke
to Loth who had become his trusted friend, as well as the only regularly with him, and by how they finished each other sentences, and were of like minds, if strangers observed them together would swear the two were brothers.
As they walked the battlement walls, another of Laad’s habits when his mind was troubled from matters with the kingdom, one evening while they talked, he voiced his concern about the Celgon matter.
“A smaller kingdom they are,” Loth said, one of those times, “And they hunger longing to devour the land of Worrlgen, as a wolf does its prey.”
“Yes,” Laad agreed, “But even a hungry wolf dares not pounce upon what it knows it cannot bring down.”
Loth nodded; then as Laad stopped, his eyes squinted, as a thought came to him about what he just said.
“What?” Loth asked curiously.
“Such fools we were. Wolves do hunt in packs for their prey. Celgon is seeking the help of others so many can fight against our king.”
“Then Elgen coming to WorrlgenHall,” Loth said, as again they walked, “Was a lie to send us to the south as he made pacts to the east.”
“Yes,” Laad quickly agreed, as he now walked down the stairs of the wall to go to the king’s court and reveal what he now believed.
Irek still stricken to his bed, Laad took his place in front of the quorum and spoke of his concern.
“Such came to mind with me too,” King Rone agreed, “Yet no scouts or spies have brought word of any seeking to bond.”
“When the time is fitting,” Laad said, “I will have spies ride to the east and tarry to see what pacts are being sought.”
All in agreement, when all left the king’s private court, as Laad was about to leave too, King Rone called him back to him.
“How is Irek fairing?” he asked concerned.
“I fear his state is as before long ago,” he answered, “But strong willed he is. Such that I believe he will be well again.”
King Rone nodded.
“He is well fond of you, and his speech in your favor is endless, as well as my queen’s,” King Rone added, “He wants you to take his place.”
