WORRLGENHALL

by Luke, Monica

  “Soon enough, is not soon enough.”

  Belon burst into laughter. “When at WorrlgenHall I will have you pressed hard under me, but for now we shall race.”

  Another grin graced Aderac’s face.

  “And lose,” he playfully taunted, “I have a new horse.”

  “That you shall lose riding,” Belon said, as he winked, “It is not just the horse that brings a victory. Who rides it also brings the victory.

  “Then, I know you will lose,” Aderac playfully challenged, “I have been riding a horse, before I could even walk.”

  Belon winked lovingly. “We shall soon see, now get back alongside the others.”

  “Yes, yes shielding one,” his reply, as he fell back alongside the others when they caught up to them, and rode quietly along.

  **

  “Is it true?” Ovfren asked when Ogorec walked inside the cottage for the night.

  “It is.”

  “Such dread,” he now fretted certain Lord Cadon’s memory of what happened was still fresh in his head.

  “We shall behave as if this is all past us,” Ogorec said, trying his best to remain hopeful and positive, yet deep within he hated Lord Cadon, and if he hated him, he was certain the feeling was still mutual.

  “Ogorec, I am worried.”

  “Do not be.” Ogorec’s feigned assurance, “This is to honor Lord Oen’s coming of age and nothing more. We will be friendly to one another.”

  Ovfren nodded, wanting desperately to believe Ogorec’s words.

  **

  After they raced and Aderac won, Belon jumped from his horse, sat down, and leaned his back against a tree, and at once Aderac got between his legs and rested his back against his chest.

  Both enjoying the soft spring breeze from the cool night air blowing on them, they always relished their tenders moments of late night kisses and cuddling.

  “Look at the moon, so bright it is,” Aderac finally said, when he looked up after nestling the back of his head into the crevice of Belon’s shoulder, but instead of looking up to see it, Belon looked down and kissed him.

  Always closing his eyes to enjoy the full effect of his kisses, when their lips parted, he opened them and softly hummed.

  “Pleasing this is,” Belon whispered content, “In the wide open, under the moon and stars alone with you.”

  “Pleasing yes,” Aderac agreed, “Alone under the beautiful moon and stars with who I love arms wrapped around me.”

  His body tight in Belon’s grip, Aderac nestled even more.

  “Speak them,” he then urged.

  Knowing what meant, Belon sighed, as his mind thought back on the event.

  “King Thogor, Lord Cadon, and Lord Elgen brought a chest of gold to WorrlgenHall as a token of peace, but as all spoke and drank in the gathering hall later, Lord Cadon set it eyes on Ovfren.”

  “Set his eyes?” Aderac questioned.

  “He lusted for him and had his guard offer gold to Ovfren if he would come to him late in the night.”

  Aderac gasped. “Such a deed!”

  “Yes,” Belon agreed, “And it angered Ogorec, who made Lord Cadon’s guard swallow the gold and after he did, he hit him in the face and left him on the floor.”

  Aderac held his breath while he listened and as if a child completely captivated eagerly urged to hear more. “Speak it Belon. Speak it, then?”

  “When he woke,” Belon continued, “He challenged Ogorec, who knew he would.”

  “And then?”

  “They vied to the death, but in truth, it was Lord Cadon, Ogorec longed to kill.”

  Now breathing with his mouth wide open, Aderac turned and faced Belon. “And?”

  “They fought across the courtyard in front of all as he taunted Ogorec about Ovfren to enrage him; but Ogorec refused to allow his words to make him falter.

  Finally, Ogorec championed by cutting off Lord Cadon’s guard’s head; then walked over to Ovfren to honor him with it before he threw it over the wall.”

  Again, he gasped.

  “That was a wonderful tale. Such a wonderful tale,” Aderac marveled, “He was bold and fearless for the one he loved. Never have I seen or known such in all my life.”

  Filled with jealousy by how Aderac marveled over Ogorec’s challenge for Ovfren’s honor and fought on his behalf. Also now wounded by how enthralled he was over the two, who caused him anguish long ago, and his words of marvel, Belon’s brows furrowed.

  His demeanor now morose, Aderac didn’t notice because he was in front of Belon and couldn’t see his face, and he had stopped talking.

  “Such a sight it would have been to watch,” Aderac continued, “Such a sight.”

  “We should get back,” Belon now abruptly said, and quickly moved off the tree, and since Aderac was between his legs leaning completely on him with all his weight, he fell backwards against it.

  After groaning from his tall frame suddenly rising, Belon brushed the leaves and grass off him; then saying nothing began walking to his horse.

  Also groaning, but because his back had hit the tree. Aderac stood befuddled and watched Belon silently walk to his horse, and when he saw how instead of jumping on it, he stood facing away from him, gathered something bothered him.

  Now even more befuddled, he began to walk towards him to question his sudden change in mood; then suddenly striking him from how he became silent, knew he had marveled over the tale just a little to vehemently and was even foolish enough to say he had never seen or known such bold fearlessness.

  When he realized his great stab into Belon, he rushed over to him, threw his arms around him from behind, and nudged his forehead deep into his back.

  “Belon,” Aderac softy called his name after he held him a few seconds before urging him to turn and face him.

  When he did, Aderac again softly spoke.

  “I have cut into you more deeply than what was done to you by the guard long ago,” his words of remorse truly beside himself.

  “You did nothing wrong,” Belon only offered.

  “Oooh, but I did Belon; I did speak so wrong!” he declared at once, “I did speak so wrong.”

  Belon stiffened. His words did cut deep into him.

  “Such fearlessness he did for his love,” Aderac said, as he touched his face, “Yet, it is but a breath of air from one’s mouth in a wind storm to that of the fearlessness from you on my behalf.”

  “Fret not Aderac,” Belon quietly said, “You spoke nothing wrong.”

  Knowing he was still wounded, because he didn’t call him a loving pet name. Now concerned, Aderac knew he had to get him out of his mood and walked back to the tree; then sat down.

  “We should get back, Aderac,” Belon, who was still standing by his horse, said as he watched him do it.

  “Ride off if you wish,” Aderac only responded, “As for me, I shall remain.”

  Now annoyed with him, as well as, wounded Belon jumped on his horse, then looked over at him. “If you do not rise, I will leave you here all alone, I swear it.”

  As both looked at the other, neither spoke while Belon waited for him to rise; then when he still hadn’t budged, Belon broke the silence.

  “Aderac!” he ineffectually commanded, “Rise!”

  “Go,” his daring words, certain he would never be able to do it. “Worry not for me. I will join you soon.”

  Belon huffed; then kneed his horse, which trotted a few steps; but even annoyed or wounded, just as Aderac knew. Unable to ride off and leave him alone, he stopped.

  “Errrrrr.” He groaned loudly while jumping off his horse and walked to Aderac, then looked down at him frowning disapprovingly at his obstinate behavior.

  As he watched him come towards him and look down, Aderac said nothing and simply looked up at him. His eyes filled with apology and regret that his tongue was insensitive in his praise of Ogorec for Ovfren.

  Belon mumbled and suddenly moved to sit down. “Move your body off the tree,” his command as he did. />
  Obeying, Aderac did and again Belon got behind him; then slid to the ground and put his back to the tree.

  “Now move closer as you were before.”

  Nestling his body close, Aderac again rested his head between the crevices of Belon’s shoulder.

  “My honey,” Aderac whispered once his head was nice and snug; then waited anxiously for his response.

  The breeze stilled and silence now filled the air, making those seconds waiting for his response seem like an eternity.

  “Yes Aderac, my sweet,” Belon whispered back, and at once Aderac smiled when again a loving pet name for him pleasantly rolled off his tongue.”

  “You know there is no other who is my champion. Forgive me for wounding you with my praise of him for Ovfren.”

  “I have?”

  “And,” Aderac averred, “If I could have it so, I would have you as my husband, as well as my champion.”

  Belon burst into laughter, just as Aderac knew he would.

  “Do you know what you are to me?” he asked, as he now lovingly wrapped his arms completely around him; then playfully bit his neck.

  “What am I Belon?” he asked, as he delighted as always in the sound of his contagious laugh and relished the feel of his strong arms around him.

  “You arrrreee,” he teased.

  “I am what?” Aderac anxiously asked, “I am what? I am what?”

  “You are, my silly love.”

  Aderac sighed pleased; then tilted his head up to Belon and when he did, he looked down and their lips slowly tenderly united, then after they kissed twice more, they rose to rejoin the others.

  **

  “We shall be there in two nights and a day, my king,” Ulgor, his first in command said when he walked into the king’s tent, “Yet, forgive me for my boldness, such dread I have.”

  King Thogor nodded and looked at his brother, who was sitting across from him, and the reason for the dread.

  “I am in no mood for your foolishness while here,” his snide remark.

  Cadon looked at him insulted.

  “I did nothing wrong,” he protested, “How was I to reason their ways were not as ours.”

  Not sharing his views or approving of his ways, King Thogor scowled at him.

  “Hold your tongue and keep what hangs in front of you tucked away and to yourself,” he warned, “If you bring dishonor again as before, this time I will not be as overlooking and will banish you.”

  “Then why must we all go to WorrlgenHall,” Cadon again protested, “You go.”

  “We of Celgon were asked to come,” King Thogor blurted, “And though I gather a shudder when done, meant you as well.”

  Cadon huffed and stormed out of his tent, but as he walked along, he passed Elgen who noticed the scowl on his face.

  “I gather more scolding words from brother from the look on your face?” Elgen questioned.

  “Always.”

  While Elgen walked alongside him, Cadon began to express how he now felt about his older brother.

  “He is more like father now that he has settled, wed, and had a son, and I fear has no desire to spread Celgon’s grip all the way to the Eldernon Sea. WorrlgenHall is wood and stone lived in by long haired dogs and should not stand in our way.”

  “What do you reason?”

  “We have sat back long enough first with father and now with our brother. It is time for change, if not by treaty, then by might.”

  Elgen looked at him skeptically, recalling their father’s and father’s father tales of Worrlgen’s and Celgon’s battles, all of them with Celgon on the losing end.

  “Dogs or not,” he surmised, “It is us who brought a chest of gold to them and shall I bring to mind the heads they sent back to us along with our sister.”

  Both bitterly briefly silenced, as they walked and thought of it.

  “From such a deed,” Elgen now added, “Was when we should have struck back, instead of seeking peace.”

  “Fret not,” Cadon assured, then stopped and looked around to make sure no one was listening, “Not one day has passed, that I have not sought ways to see that peace come to an end.”

  Again they walked.

  “Do your still desire the golden haired one?” Cadon casually asked.

  “No more than you desire the one that fated Vron to lose his head.”

  Cadon let out a hiss as he thought of it and of who did the deed. “How dare you spoil my night by making his face be inside my head?”

  Elgen laughed. “You will see him soon. In truth, you will see both of them.”

  “Just as you will her face.”

  Elgen groaned lustfully as he thought of Nona. “Never has another woman that breathed been given such beauty.”

  “Reason her one day soon as yours,” Cadon whispered his seed of treachery, “Should Celgon again war with Worrlgen. Dare her husband fall in battle? After we conquer them, when the others are enslaved show kindness to her by not enslaving her and comfort her?”

  “She will only hate who brought that fate upon her husband,” Elgen said shrewdly.

  “Yes, at first,” Cadon gathered, “But in time all wounds heal.”

  The thought of it making Elgen’s mind wander again to her somehow in his arms and under his embrace, he looked at him.“What goes through your head?”

  “In time you will know,” Cadon only offered, “But whatever deed, you must be in line with me and when the time is right, follow along.”

  “I shall Brother,” Elgen offered his pledge.

  **

  “Well,” Loth said to Laad, as they walked the wall and spoke of the upcoming vies and its prize, “I trust none and shall be on my guard, as well as have the men be.”

  “Wise,” Laad agreed.

  “It is true King Aderac is coming with Belon to watch?”

  “True.”

  Loth laughed, as he thought of the last time he was there and of the antics between the two in the gathering hall.

  “What makes you laugh?”

  “King Aderac leaping over the table to get to Belon after he sliced into chest, such a sight it was.”

  Laad laughed too, the act well pass them, now was very funny.

  “As some tried to reach for their cups,” Loth added as he laughed, “He knocked them over.”

  Both laughed so hard their sides ached.

  “With them there are no dull times,” Laad had to agree.

  “Well, after all he is a king,” he said, as he bent over now holding his aching stomach, “And we both know how Belon is.”

  Both laughed a while longer; then when they regained their composures, again spoke of concerns.

  “And now we shall have them again within the walls, and with Lord Cadon from Celgon.”

  “Keep your head from worries,” Laad tried to think more positive, “They will only be here for two nights and then be on their way.”

  “Such is true,” Loth replied, but added a sarcastic chuckle, “But remember, Lord Cadon was only here for one night and Vron lost his head that morning.”

  As they spoke, horns sounded and instinctively both walked to the northern wall, and looked into the distance.

  “Ah.” Loth noticed when he looked out and saw men carrying King Aderac’s banners and crest, “Belon and King Aderac are early.”

  “Send word to King Baric and let us rush to greet him,” Laad said, “They did not send a message ahead of when they would arrive just they were coming.”

  Quickly, Loth descended the wall and gathering Belon would enjoy being greeted by an old friend had Rulgesic ride with them.

  When they meet up with them, after bowing to King Aderac, Rulgesic looked at Belon and gave him a jesting look of disapproval.

  “Did it leave your head that you are companion to both kingdoms?” Rulgesic’s playful question, “That means you must come to the other from time to time.”

  Belon jumped down; then greeted his friend with a hearty hug. “Long has it been again,”
>
  “Yes, again to long old friend.”

  “Your chamber is ready for you King Aderac,” Laad said, “If you are tired and wish to rest.”

  Aderac nodded, then all spurred their horses forward go to WorrlgenHall.

  “King Baric is in court,” Laad said, after they got just beyond the gate, “Shall I send word to him that you are here?”

  “I want to enjoy my stay,” Aderac said pleasantly, “And not be bound by title and place. I am here to watch alongside Belon and want you be with me as you would any other visiting. I will see my cousin later.”

  Just as asked, all treated Aderac as any other visitor and that night in the king’s hall, the men all ate, drank hearty, and talked pleasantly about the upcoming vies and who they favored.

  When the hour became late, Aderac, who drank a little more than he should have while he talked and jested with all at the table, stood, and a little plied, he bobbled and slightly stumbled before using the table to balance himself.

  “Such dread to leave all the pleasantries,” he slurred, as the room spun making him open and close his eyes several times hoping to still the swaying tables and teetering chairs, “But, I am well tired and shall withdraw for the night.”

  Even though, he asked they treat him as any other, all quickly bowed their heads when he rose to leave the table.

  “I reason he is a little more than tired,” Belon stood and teased, then rushed over and grabbed his arm to help him walk, “I will see him off to bed and withdraw as well.”

  That morning when Belon got out of bed, it woke Aderac, and after he stretched, he sat up slightly to see what Belon was doing and immediately grabbed his head from a pounding headache.

  “Oooouuuuuu,” he said at first, followed by an, “Umm,” when he saw Belon across the room relieving himself, as he immediately forgot about his aching head, and now stared lustfully at his tight muscled perfectly shape rear.

  Belon turned, as his hum sounded throughout the chamber. “What was the umm for?”

  “It comes to me,” Aderac answered, groaning as he sat up more, “That we have not embraced once after we left Ivodgald. What of the promise you made to press me under you?