WORRLGENHALL

by Luke, Monica

  “Let me hear them,” Ogorec leaned, and whispered in his ear, but he didn’t put himself inside him. Instead, he shifted his weight on his arms as he lay over him, and with deep love looked into his face.

  “So joyful is my life,” Ogorec whispered, beside himself, as he looked down at him, “To love so dearly and be loved as much.”

  Just as he whispered in his ear, Ovfren moved his hands from Ogorec’s body, and put both hands on his head before he gently bit his earlobe and softly whispered in his ear.

  “Aaaaah Ogorec my love. Ah I love you and shall not be without you.” Ovfren sighed, “Until I am dust.”

  **

  Not long after their return, and back to walking along the walls of WorrlgenHall together before they began their day, Loth looked out; then back to Laad troubled.

  “There is much grumbling among the high guilds,” Loth blurted to get it out of his mouth, “I have known since our return, but kept it within until now.

  “I have heard nothing,” Laad mentioned.

  “You would not,” his response, “But for me, I am among them more to hear their words.”

  “What such grumbling?”

  Loth looked hesitantly at Laad, knowing it was his decision that Ogorec and Ovfren no longer be clandestine with their love for the other.

  “It is Ogorec,” he said, “The high guilds are bitter of his command of them, and the reason is his open love for the guild Ovfren.”

  “And,” Laad listened intently knowing there was more.

  “They see it as an insult,” he added, “And mock he loves a boy.”

  “Boy…Loth, have you seen how tall, fit, and strong he is?” Laad questioned peeved, “He is well beyond a boy, and only young.”

  Loth sighed; the men spoke what they spoke, and how they felt was beyond his control.

  “I can see in your face, there is more within you as well,” he said, as he looked at him, “Speak it Loth.”

  “Ogorec and Belon fought with Osgorad, and two of his friends not long ago. All behind Ovfren who fought with his Brother Egar, and to add to this, Belon hurt the shoulder of the one with Egar. And, dare I bring to mind two in high command fighting openly in a courtyard who you had lashed openly?”

  “Do you reason Ogorec is the only guild within these walls that embraces in such a way?” Laad questioned annoyed.

  “No, I reason he is not,” Loth answered at once, “But he is seen by many for the reason he is a commander and by that, they see Ovfren who shadows him.”

  “Would you not want to be near someone you love?” Laad asked, now frustrated.

  Loth didn’t answer. He knew anger was building within Laad, and looked backed out over the plains until Laad calmed.

  Still frustrated, Laad inhaled deeply, and looked out also before speaking again.

  “He willingly spoke he would release his command or leave WorrlgenHall for him,” Laad revealed, “My words to him were to stay. I will not swallow my words and ask him to release his command.”

  Both again silenced, and looked out, but soon afterwards, Laad suddenly came up with an idea.

  “Have Aron gather only the guilds from low to high,” he ordered, “Make them walk all the way the northern glen.”

  As ordered, Aron called them all out; then when all had gathered and curiously asked why, wouldn’t tell them.

  “All will walk to the northern glen,” Aron, after keeping them in suspense for a while, finally shouted.

  His order bringing about loud grumbling, Aron ignored them.

  “Walk!” he shouted.

  Laad silently watched them, but when he didn’t see Ogorec or Belon among them, called Aron over to him.

  “Ogorec and Belon as well,” he ordered.

  Right away, Aron went to Ogorec’s chamber and woke him.

  “Laad has commanded you, as well as all the others, walk to the northern glen.”

  At first refusing, Ogorec rethought his hasty decision. He knew Laad had a good mind for reason; and knew all this had to be for a purpose. But, still he grumbled just like the others, dressed and lined them, as well as Belon, when Aron went to him.

  Right away, all walked to the northern glen, which took most of the morning; then once there, they waited still wondering why.

  “In rows of twenty,” Aron commanded, and the men obeyed.

  After they lined, when they saw Laad ride to them with Loth behind him, Belon questioned him.

  “We are all here as commanded,” he finally asked what they all thought, “And for what reason?”

  Saying nothing at first, Laad rode in front of the first row of twenty.

  “It was made known to me this day!” Laad rode and shouted so all could hear him, “That guilds both high and low who fight and die for the other in lands near and far, within the walls of WorrlgenHall are not as one!”

  The men looked at each other, but none spoke.

  “We bleed and die side by side! We march, eat, and hunger side by side! We kill those bound to kill us side by side; yet, side by side we cannot look past another’s will in matters of his life!” Laad shouted, as he rode to the other side! “Dare we care what a man does when not on the field of battle as long as it doesn’t bring harm to his fellow guild when in the face of his enemy?”

  Still all were silent.

  “We are one!” Laad roared, “And will behave as one, and if not your will; then leave WorrlgenHall at once if your time of service is done. If not; then have your right hand cut off and you are no longer bound to Worrlgen!”

  At once, the men murmured to themselves and those beside them, but none spoke against Laad.

  “Until we are as one in all things!” more of Laad’s roar, “All will dig this land his height wide and deep across the northern glen until it is done, and at sunrise we shall do the same on the southern glen!”

  After he spoke, twenty wagons rode up with shovels, picks, and forks in them.

  “Begin!” he shouted; then jumped from his horse.

  When Loth watched Laad jump from his horse and get a pick, he shook his head knowing he was to dig too, and jumped down.

  “I know my back will hurt this night,” he teased Laad, and picked up a shovel.

  “As all ours will,” he said, as he looked at the men, “But, all will hurt as one.”

  All through the morning, the men dug nonstop, including Ogorec and Belon, then when Nona and Loth’s wife brought food for all of them in a wagon, as all sat down to eat here and there, Ovfren got his food; then walked to find Ogorec to eat beside him.

  As he looked down the line at the men sprawled here and there, Belon saw him first.

  “Your pup looks for you.”

  “Ovfren,” Ogorec corrected followed by a warning look.

  Belon rolled his eyes. “I mean Ovfren.”

  Ogorec stood and alerted him where he was, and as he walked over to him, Laad and Loth watched Belon closely worried something bad would happen, but as he was about to sit Belon moved out of the way so he could be right beside Ogorec, so they kept eating.

  After they ate, the men got back in their places to work and again dug and shoveled the earth; then when they finished half the northern glen, Laad got on his horse to talk them.

  “Half the glen is done!” he shouted so all could hear him, “Shall we work long into the night and finish this as one, or shall we gather at dawn and work more; then make our way to the southern glen?”

  At once, one of the men stepped forward.

  “Work as one!” he shouted.

  “Be as one!” another shouted.

  “Finish it as one!” still another came forth, and shouted.

  After one shouted; then another and another; the men began to chant and cheer each other on while they dug hard and deep into the earth, then just as dusk fell upon the land, all now dirty, sweaty, and well tired; finish the long trench along the northern glen.

  “We are done!” one man shouted, followed by the cheers of the others.

&n
bsp; Quickly, Laad jumped on his horse and rode in front of them all.

  “As one we are and will be!” he roared, “Outside the walls of WorrlgenHall, as well as inside! We are a brotherhood of guilds, and will kill and die to defend this kingdom from all who are against us!”

  Again, the men cheered and a great roar echoed throughout the glen as Laad listened, and when he turned, he looked to Loth who nodded pleased at how he had motivated the men to be as one.

  Chapter 23

  As time passed, the love Ogorec felt for Ovfren very tender and deep, as well as passionate, and his devotion to him just as strong, now almost inseparable, as Ogorec lay in bed in his chamber, he tossed and turned unable to sleep.

  Ogorec’s body now used to the warmth of Ovfren next to him, with him away on watch for the night he thought nothing of it when they kissed before he left, yet as he lay he couldn’t make himself go to sleep.

  Gathering he was being weak for being restless because Ovfren wasn’t next to him, he turned onto his side; then forced his eyes closed, yet as hard as he tried, still he couldn’t go to sleep.

  “I am weak,” he said aloud, as he turned onto his other side, then flipped onto his back.

  Again, he forced his eyes closed and willed himself to try to sleep, and again just lay there lost in thought about Ovfren, and what he was thinking, doing, seeing, feeling at that moment.

  Common for them to lie facing each other before they slept tenderly kissing or teasing, as they spoke of their day, Ovfren would turn his back, and Ogorec would pull him close to sleep.

  His arm around him at times or as Ogorec slept, Ovfren’s leg over his at other times, sometimes to wake him, Ovfren would glide his hand down his stomach to touch and rouse him, and as he thought of it, and his smell, warmth, and sounds he made while he slept, he missed it such that he ached.

  “I am to weak,” Ogorec said again, and jumped out of bed; then began to dress, “But let it be so.”

  At once, he dressed, then sheathed both his swords and looked for Gath.

  “Where did you put Ovfren this night?” he asked when he found him.

  “This night he is on the southern glen.”

  Ogorec nodded; then rushed away, but as he passed the gate, he saw stacked blankets and thought of the cool night air and of how the wind blew between the rocks of the glen, and grabbed one.

  Right away, he rode hard to Ovfren. Then, when he saw him in the distance standing looking out, he made his horse trot slowly, because he didn’t want him to know he had rushed to him, but in truth he did, because he had longed to be near him even if to just to stand next to him, as he watched throughout the night.

  When Ovfren turned to see who approached him, when he saw it was Ogorec, smiled wide.

  “I loathe watching at night,” he confessed, as Ogorec rode closer, “And long to be in bed with you.”

  As Ogorec looked at him, he took the blanket laid across his horse and gave it to Ovfren.

  “To take the chill off you from the night air,” he said; before he bent down to kiss him.

  Quickly, Ovfren stretched to kiss him back; then looked up at him and smiled as he wrapped the blanket around himself.

  “What will you do now?” he asked, “I am not able to sleep with you this night. My watch is all through the night, so I will sleep inside my own room when I am done here and not go to your chamber.”

  Ogorec looked out; then back to Ovfren.

  “Sleep escapes me this night,” he said, as he casually jumped off his horse.

  “Then stay awake with me,” Ovfren happily suggested, “And watch with me.”

  Once Ogorec was next to him, he got behind him, and put his arms around him before tenderly kissing on his neck.

  “I shall,” he said, as he turned Ovfren, then took the blanket off him and put it around both of them.

  Warmed by each other, both stood and looked out for a while saying nothing as Ogorec looked to the left and Ovfren to the right, then Ovfren began feeling playful.

  “Speak your truth,” he teased while Ogorec held him, as they watched, “You missed me such that you could not sleep alone in bed?”

  Slightly laughing, Ogorec rocked back and forth behind him playfully.

  “You will have to torture such truths out of me,” he teased, again kissing his neck.

  Ovfren chuckled, as he looked out and inhaled content, knowing that such was their love, Ogorec now couldn’t sleep without him beside him.

  “Sleep will come to you again after this night.”

  “Will it?”

  Ovfren turned to face Ogorec after he spoke. Smiled and wrapped the blanket around them again.

  “Yes,” he said assuredly, “With me beside you.”

  Knowing he was right, Ogorec sighed deeply, as he thought of Ovfren’s words of sleeping in his own room when he was away.

  “When we vowed not to hide our love,” he said, “No night has passed you have slept away from me when I am here.”

  “Such is true.” Ovfren agreed, unsure why Ogorec mentioned it.

  “My chamber is your chamber.” Ogorec readily offered, “Even when I am away, sleep in it and when I return from here or there such pleasure I will have waking you from your sleep to tenderly lay beside you or ravish you.”

  “Umm.” Ovfren mused at the thought of it; then began to kiss on Ogorec’s neck.

  “Noooo ah nooo Ovfren,” Ogorec groaned, as he felt himself unwillingly become excited by his kisses, “We are in an open glen. Do you want me to make you moan across the plains and it echo to all?”

  The thought of it funny, Ovfren began to laugh hard.

  “No,” he agreed, as he laughed, “My moans are for your ears only.”

  “You shall moan after sunrise,” Ogorec assured him.

  “Then let us beg for sunrise,” Ovfren said, as thoughts of impending pleasure now consumed him.

  “Let us,” Ogorec agreed as well, as he looked to the horizon.

  **

  When fall and winter passed again bringing spring, as planned Laad chose two men to journey east who worked well with their hands to blend with those from the region and spy to find out what alliances King Thogor may have sought.

  Now two seasons passed since he had done that, when he heard nothing from them, he became concerned and discussed the matter with Loth and Laad.

  As both talked about what to do before Laad went to stand before King Rone and officially ask about sending others to check on them. As he walked along the courtyard to go inside, a message arrived for him, and as he read it, Loth looked at him intently waiting to find out what it was about.

  “King Thogor has a sister,” Laad said, as he raised his head and thought of how she might look if compared to her brother’s with white hair.”

  “And of it?”

  “She was to wed Lord Borlos whose father is King Badralondar head of a large tribal clan called Vells last spring, but he became ill and held to his bed, and now is well,” Laad continued to speak what he read.

  “And is why he deceived us,” Loth spoke, “To have us far away.”

  Laad nodded; then continued to read.

  “She prepares to go to him as we read this,” he said, and looked up, “And is set to journey this night.”

  “Curses,” Loth said, irritated, “We have found the pact he sought.”

  “Shall we stop a wedding? Laad and Loth questioned aloud at the same time.

  Both gave the other a mischievous grin and hurried the king’s court, and as Laad spoke to the king in his private chamber, Loth waited for him in the outer court.

  After King Rone listened to Laad and read the letter himself, he agreed and gave him leave to handle the matter how he saw fit, and as Baric and Bayl listened, both restless decided to go too.

  “Gather you choice of men,” he told Laad, “And head them off.”

  Laad nodded, bowed and walked out, right away charging Loth to choose who would ride with them, while he figured out which paths fr
om WorrlgenHall to travel to get their the fastest.

  “Their journey will be a slow one.” Laad believed.

  Knowing she would be traveling with a wedding caravan, a path to cut them off came to Laad.

  “Then if we do not tarry we can get ahead of them,” Loth suggested.

  “Choose the men with haste,” Laad agreed, as he began to walk to his chamber to say goodbye to Nona.

  Once there when she saw him hurry inside then begin to pack his belongings, she stood in front of him.

  “What is it?” she asked, as watched him.

  “We must ride out with haste,” he answered stopping briefly to hold her, “I have only enough time to pack and kiss you and the children before we ride.”

  “Only enough time for a kiss,” Nona questioned, as she held him back, “Will you hurry away from me with only a kiss?

  “Nona my love,” Laad said, knowing what she was thinking, “The men are waiting for me.”

  “They can wait,” she insisted, “And the children are sleeping;” then began to undress him, as she pulled him to their bed.

  When Baric and Bayl walked by Ogorec and Belon quickly, both stood and followed, and as they walked and listened, when they found out they would ride out right away, Ogorec thought of Ovfren.

  As Baric and Bayl went to say goodbye to their wives, he rushed to their chamber to say goodbye to Ovfren and pack some of his things, but Ovfren wasn’t there, so he packed his pouch; then hurried away to look for him, but couldn’t find him.

  “Curses Ovfren where are you?” Ogorec cried out, as angst grew within him knowing the hurt Ovfren would feel if he left him with no words, as well as his own hurt to leave him without saying goodbye; then just as he was about to walk down a third hallway, he saw Ovfren causally walking along.

  At once, he rushed towards Ovfren, whose smile went bright when he saw him, but faded when he saw the serious look on Ogorec’s face.

  “What is wrong?” he asked worried.

  About to speak, when he saw three servants also walking along behind him, he waited for them to walk pass him, then pulled Ovfren by his arm and found a corner to talk to him privately.