by Luke, Monica
“Lord Helm,” one said, once all four had come to a complete stop, before immediately, one held out his palm, while another guard put a sash across it.
As Laad looked the other guard, he put two bands upon it; then held it up for Laad to take.
“Your bands,” he said, as he waited.
Slowly, Laad took them, and his face turned flush with pride. The bands made of bronze compared to the guilds, who wore leather black ones, they were the same that Baric and Bayl wore, and as he looked at them, he noticed the Worrlgen crest, the image of a hawk, etched into them, making pride and sadness rush through him.
“Loth,” Laad said, after the guards walked away, but stared at the bands lost in thought.
Knowing he was at a loss for words, Loth waited patiently a bit longer before he again responded.
“Yes, Laad,” Loth soothingly said, concerned why Laad had turned so somber.
“This night, be ready to ride out with me,” he said, as he turned to him. The serious look on his face still causing Loth concern. “Speak of it to no one. Not even your wife, but trust we will be gone all night.”
Loth nodded without hesitation, but questioned Laad. “Should I ask the reason for our ride?”
“To see a well aged Erlbanic healer who is far away.”
“For the reason?” his leading words for an answer, knowing there was more.
“I ask for your trust.” Laad only offered.
“Loyal I am to you,” he avowed, “Such that I give my life for you above the king and his sons, and would take a life by your word before theirs.”
As he put his hand out, Laad took it and held it hard.
“Ready yourself,” he said, “And we shall meet just outside the gate before the sun sets to ride out.”
**
As they both rode in, about to part at the gate, Ogorec pulled his horse next to Ovfren’s horse.
“I will be away from you,” he told him regrettably. Waiting as long as he could before he had to, “Just after the harvests, Lord Baric or Lord Bayl ride to give grain for the winter to the far northern villages. This season Lord Baric is to go.”
“How long?”
“No less than four nights,” Ogorec answered, as he looked up at the outer gate opening.
“Such woe.” Ovfren heaved a sigh, “I shall long for you.”
Ogorec smiled to try to ease his woe. “As I.”
Spurring his horse on, Ogorec turned to guide his horse along the gate, but as he did, when it passed Ovfren’s, he reached out and slightly glided one finger caressingly over his.
“Some may see,” he warned when he touched him.
“Let them see,” Ogorec said, avidly, “I vowed I would not hide my love of you.”
Pleased, Ovfren smiled back, and glided his finger over Ogorec’s as well.
“Will I see you this night before you ride out?” he asked, hopefully.
“You must,” Ogorec answered with zeal, “I mean to have my way with you the same as I did this night before I go.”
“Us under the stars?” he asked. Wondering if that is what he meant.
“No,” Ogorec laughed at his innocent ways at time, “You under me.”
After both laughed, they parted and went about their day, but when nightfall came, instead of going right to the chamber, Ogorec, who worried about Ovfren’s safety, went to speak to Belon first.
As he turned down the hallway of Bayl’s guilds, Ovfren, who was coming up the back walkway, happened to see Ogorec walking, and knowing Belon’s chamber was close, jealously followed him.
Once at Belon’s chamber, at first almost opening the door as he used to do without knocking, quickly Ogorec caught himself and stopped; then knocked.
“Who?” Belon asked.
“Ogorec.”
Nothing heard at first, after a long pause, finally Belon spoke, “Enter.”
Quietly, Ogorec walked inside; then stood on the far side of the chamber away from him.
“Why are you here?” he asked; his words cold and short, as he sat on the edge of his bed looking at Ogorec.
“I will be away from WorrlgenHall for many nights.” Ogorec answered, as he leaned against the wall.
Belon frowned; then half laughed. “Is your skull so thick that you reasoned that was unknown to me?”
Ogorec ignored his sarcasm, and spoke more. “My mind is troubled of you finding cause with Ovfren to taunt him?”
Belon looked at him puzzled, and leaned back.
“I gave you my word,” he replied brooding, “Not to harm your pup.”
“And what of your words to him?” he added.
“I have none to give him,” Belon’s reply.
Relieved, Ogorec turned his head and looked around his chamber, and long since he had come to it; he was surprised to find nothing had changed.
“You look the chamber.” Belon noticed, “Dare times come to mind of our passion in here?”
Ogorec looked down, and ignored his question.
“I ask of you more,” he said, as he inhaled and exhaled hard instead.
“What?”
“That you watch over him while I am away.”
At once, Belon leaped out of bed angered; then walked towards Ogorec.
“What!” he blared, “Bold you are Ogorec. Bold you are! You betray me with him; then you ask me to watch over him! Now you have gone mad!”
“You will watch over him,” Ogorec said, his voice toned and commanding.
“No!” Belon blared, “I will not see after your piss pot!”
“I ask it,” Ogorec added. Ignoring the insult to Ovfren, “And you shall.”
“Why is it?” Belon asked, as he huffed and threw up his arms in disbelief, anger, and frustration, “That you reason he is such that he cannot fend for himself. Could the reason be you have made him weak like a woman?”
Angered, Ogorec turned towards the door to leave, but when he opened it, Belon leaped forward, forcefully pushing it closed with his forearm.
It all done in the blink of an eye. The door caught Ogorec’s foot pinning him in place, and startled by it, he gripped the hilt of his sword.
“Unsheathe it, and I will bend the steel around your neck,” Belon slowly threatened, as he looked into his face.
“The steel will long before that be in your throat,” Ogorec threatened back; then ordered, “Move from the door!”
Belon’s face so close to Ogorec he could feel the heat of his breath. He began to breath heavy, and as he stared into his intense eyes, unable to control his want, suddenly kissed him hard, but Ogorec turned his head away.
“No,” he spoke his now seemingly easy and ever-ready rejection.
Belon sighed, as his heart beat rapidly from his kiss to Ogorec, but weighed heavy from his instant rejection.
“You bond yourself to him, but there will always be more of a bond with us,” he said, low and exact hoping his verbal jab would leave a mark, “You killed a man for our sake.”
Ogorec’s head sprang back to Belon, as if a tightly wound cord released.
“Such is true,” he jabbed back, “Yet, for him my bond is this. I will take a life for him and many, not for the sake of passion, but for the sake of love.”
Unable to counter his verbal blow, Belon released the door; then stepped aside letting Ogorec now easily walk out of it.
At the end of the hallway, Ovfren waited; then when Ogorec walked out and passed, then not noticing at first, stopped and turned.
Surprised he was there he looked at him disapprovingly, but began walking again,
“Walk!” he yelled out without looking back.
Ovfren followed, then when both were in Ogorec’s chamber, Ovfren crossed his arms and rested against the wall.
Unaware he did, Ogorec took off his tunic, then poured water into the basin and splashed it on his face, then when he turned his head, noticed.“Why pin yourself to the wall?”
“To wait for words of why you went to his chamber,” Ovfren answered, before se
curing his crossed arm more tightly, “I want to hear them.”
“It is not your worry,” Ogorec replied, as he dried his face.
“What of your words that you would hold nothing from me?” Ovfren asked, “Speak.”
“My words are unchanged,” he bluntly replied.
From his blunt reply, Ovfren’s arm uncrossed in an instant, as he moved his back off the wall and refused to let that be the end of the matter.
“Ogorec!” he shouted resolved, “You will answer me Ogorec! I demand you annnsss …”
Ogorec turned. His patience already close to its peak, Ovfren’s shouting took it over.
“Do you reason you can speak to me in such a way?” Ogorec roared, “If so, you are wrong! You will silence your tongue and ask me nothing else!”
Enraged, Ovfren walked towards the door to leave, but Ogorec roared again, “Do not pass that threshold, I command it!”
Ovfren became defiant, and unphased by his roar.
“Command me all you want!” Ovfren roared back, “As that of first in command, I will obey you, but as two in love, but angry with each other, I am walking pass this threshold!”
“Ovfren!” he called out, but by then Ovfren has passed through the door.
At once, Ogorec followed him; then when he caught up to him in the hallway, grabbed him by his arm and forcibly pushed him against the wall, but still angry, Ovfren struck him with his fist across his temple.
Stunned briefly more from surprise than the actual blow, Ogorec purposely hesitated in his reaction to Ovfren’s impulsive act.
“Hear me well Ovfren,” he looked at him sternly, as he breathed through his nose angrily; his temple still stinging from the blow. “Strike me again and you will put me in a rage.”
“Shall you put to task all you taught me?” Ovfren threatened accepting his challenge, but he didn’t strike him again.
Ovfren’s stare at Ogorec intense, he saw the fire in his eyes.
“No,” Ogorec said, “There is no need.”
Both breathe hard in front of the other in the hallway, and as if in a standoff of will, neither spoke, but it was Ogorec who calmed first.
“A fire came from you,” his words, as his demeanor softened.
“Anger came from me!” Ovfren; however blared still angry.
The stare from his gray eyes stern yet hypnotic, as they entranced him, Ogorec calmed even more.
“Then forgive me,” he said softly, and turned to go back to his chamber, “For bringing such.”
Saying nothing else, Ogorec turned and walked back to his chamber, and as Ovfren stood in the hallway debating whether he should leave or follow, he leaned against the wall frustrated and banged his head against the stone; then walked back into Ogorec’s chamber.
Quietly, he closed the door, and again stood against the wall.
“Speak it,” Ovfren, now calmed as well, said, “What reason did you have to go to him?”
After he took off his pants, then climbed under the furs, Ogorec answered him. “That no harm comes to you while I am away,” his half-truth.
Ovfren sighed loudly. The air from his mouth hissing a sigh of relief as would a tomb’s vault opened after being sealed for ages; he walked closer to Ogorec.
“Such was my worry,” he admitted, “…of worse words.”
“I pray it seizes you always once and for all,” Ogorec said, as he looked up at him, “That I want and love only you.”
As he smiled, Ovfren still had not come to bed.
“Will my own hand be what pleases me this night?” Ogorec asked, glancing up at Ovfren while touching himself.
“No, it shall be me who pleases you.”
Widely, Ovfren pulled off his clothes, then pulled the fur off Ogorec and looked at him.
“Umm.” He hummed pleased at the sight of Ogorec rigid, as he climbed into bed, and got on his side to face him.
“Such fire you had in the hallway. I want made known to others,” Ogorec said, as he moved closer to him, “As you fight, ride, train, and in all things.”
Ovfren breathe out hard when he felt the heat of Ogorec’s body, and his manhood poking him.
“Shall I thrust into you?” he whispered, as he pulled even closer leaving no space between them, “With this fire within me to make it known to you as well?”
“It is well known to me,” Ogorec said, as he felt Ovfren rigid too, “…well known.”
As their bodies clung to each other, Ogorec moaned his anguish.
“Four nights; four long lonely nights without the feel of your body beside me…”
Anguished also, Ovfren moaned back. “My body will crave you such that I fear I will die from my hunger.”
Overcome by his words, Ogorec, although it didn’t seem possible, clung to him even harder longing for Ovfren to begin thrusting inside him.
“Ssssssss.” Ogorec hissed long once he finally began, “Make your thrusts last long into the night…Ssssss.”
Their breath heavy upon the other’s face; their bodies intertwined as they lay on their sides. Under the fur the heat of their passion lasted long into the night, then both drenched with sweat , finally, Ovfren cried out when his body seized, and his body in harmony with Ovfren’s, Ogorec cried out too.
“Uuh,” was all that could come from Ogorec as his muscles tightened.
Ogorec barely beyond one spastic groan, Ovfren pushed him onto his back; then got between his legs and looked down into his face.
“Four nights.” He moaned, becoming rigid again almost right away, “We have spilled only enough for one.”
“Umm,” Ogorec’s only words delighted with Ovfren’s youthful vigor, “There is that fire again.”
Chapter 21
Just as asked, Loth met Laad at the gate, but before they rode out, Laad stopped at the church to pray, and after patiently waiting, when he walked out and jumped on his horse, Loth questioned him.
“Do we ride in the night towards danger that one should pray?”
“No,” he answered, “But towards things unknown such that I pray God sees me through it.”
Both riding hard; they traveled late into the night; then when Laad saw the dense deep forest in front of him, he stopped.
“Where are we?”
“We are at the Forest of the Lost or what others call the Black Forest,” Laad answered, “Where the Erlban men fled in the days of King Edre long ago. The king had all of them burned alive or so he believed who refused to abandon the old religion, but some fled and took refuge here. The king did not pursue them into it and named it the Forest of the Lost forbidding any to go into it for any reason and to this day there are those who still practice the old way.”
Inhaling as he stared, the wooden box Irek’s wife gave him in his pouch, he looked to Loth; then kneed his horse on.
Both riding slowly, Loth’s eyes keen to the left, Laad’s keen to the right, as the foliage and trees became denser, Loth looked to Laad.“Dare we lose our way?”
“Just ahead,” Laad responded, as he nodded, then got off his horse, knowing to look for the thicker trees, “When the trees thicken we are there.”
Carefully, following the written instructions, after Laad got off his horse, he whistled three times, paused and whistled three more, surprised that even in the thickest forest; the sound resonated to the top of the trees.
Both standing next to their horses, they eyes going back and forth carefully watching their surroundings when even though their heads were still, after what seemed a long time, they heard sounds of leaves rustling and twigs snapping moving closer towards them.
Cautiously, Loth stared intently towards the sound, as he drew his sword. “I fear my sword will not be without blood on it this night.”
Taking no chances, Laad pulled his sword too.
“Then we shall meet what comes out of trees head on,” he said. His stare intent as well.
Both ready to strike; when they saw two old men wearing heavy long robes walk out. The threat
of the two being able to overpower them doubted, they looked to the other and put their swords away.
The two old men said nothing to Loth and Laad, and waited for one of them to speak first.
“In this forest a tree stands out. I am the tree,” Laad yelled out, more words given him to say, “I seek the aged Erlban Apalgohor,” Laad added, “Irek is dead and his ring I now wear.”
Saying nothing, the men turned and walked away, and after Loth and Laad looked at each other puzzled, guessed they were supposed follow them.
Walking for what seemed like a long time, as the foliage became even denser, they had to tie their horse and leave them in order to continue.
“I am putting that trust you asked of me to the test,” Loth said, yet now he became more curious, “Yet I am peaked to know why we are here.”
As Laad opened his mouth to answer, he noticed numerous small huts suddenly appearing in front of him. The huts surrounded a large one; then when they reached it, one of them extended his arm.
“Wait must wait here,” he brusquely said.
Only inside a few minutes, he stuck his head out of door and signaled for Laad to come forth, but when Loth began to move forward to, he blocked the door with his body.
“He rode with me,” Laad was adamant when he did it, “And will go inside with me or I will not.”
The man looked at Laad annoyed, but relented; then moved to the side so both could enter.
Slowly, both Laad and Loth walked looking curiously around as they did. The smell of incense permeating all through the tent, they noticed candles lit from one end to the other with wax from them piled high; and dried animal bones here and there hanging from strings making both wonder what they could be doing with them.
Still walking, Loth leaned over to Laad.
“What is this?” he commented never having seen anything like it before.
Again, as Laad was about to speak, he stopped when he heard a name.
“Ronegavlaad,” an old Erlban man cried out in a weak yet commanding voice, as he stood facing them, “Come forth.”
“My name is Laad,” he corrected him.
“Come forth.”
Warily Laad stepped forward along with Loth.
“Such a name he called you,” he whispered.
