WORRLGENHALL

by Luke, Monica

  “So be it,” all agreed.

  “Our dogs will tire and not make it.” The villagers knew, reluctant to wear them out, “We need our dogs for hunting.”

  Taking a few silver coins out of his pocket he knew wisely to pack should he have to bribe or pay someone, Belon tossed them to them.

  “They will tire,” they still insisted.

  Belon let out an irritated grunt from their greed and then reached again into his pouch. When he did, his hand felt the odd shaped wood that fell out of Aderac’s clothes when he picked them up.

  At first only preoccupied with getting a few of his clothes so the dogs could follow his scent, he haphazardly tossed it into his pouch and forgot about it, until he reached for more coins.

  As his thumb dug into the deep aged ridges of the darkened wood, his mind drifted to Aderac’s reaction when he gave it to him and of how his face lit before he hugged and kissed him, then immediately put it with his other odd whatnots.

  Overcome, that Aderac actually brought it with him to WorrlgenHall, when he eyes lifted to those staring at him waiting for a decision, there could only ever be but one.

  “Tell me when to stop,” his words, as he again reached into his pouch, bringing out all gold coins prepared to give them all of them.

  After his hand emptied, giving them enough probably to buy a pack of dogs for each family within the village, they nodded.

  “You will have them trail his scent until they find him or fall dead trying,” Belon; however, did warn.

  **

  Now well into the night, when Aderac looked around, he noticed the men now asleep and when he tried to move to free himself, the pain so great it made him certain; if not several, at least one of his ribs were broken.

  “Ouuuuuhhhh,” he groaned; then groaned again when he moved his jaw up and down; then side to side, before he slowly tried to rise to look around more.

  Carefully, as the men soundly slept, he tried to loosen the ropes, but stopped when the one now on guard and the same man that kicked him woke and looked at him hatefully.

  Easing back down for fear he would kick him again, or worse, carry out his threat to cut out his tongue; he decided to use his greed to persuade him.

  “You,” he whispered, “Come close, and I shall make you a grand offer.”

  Curious about his offer, the man did.

  “If you release me,” he whispered, “I swear you will have much more than gold. You will have jewels, horses, land, and I will even give you a noble place in a kingdom far north.”

  The man sneered at him.

  “Your words to Rengad were you are a servant. How can a servant give someone a title?” He taunted and laughed, knowing he lied, “We shall have your wealth and still hold you.”

  From his words, Aderac knew they meant to hold him for ransom and trying to bride him was useless.

  Not even seconds after his comment, sounds of barking dogs heard close, the man hurried to a small mound to look out and saw a line of torches riding towards them.

  “Wake!” he shouted, as he ran back into their campsite, “Wake, they have found us!”

  At once, the men woke and gathered their swords and knowing they had no time to flee, as a defense set a blazing fire ring around their campsite and readied themselves to fight.

  When he saw the red flames just ahead of him, Belon became confident he found Aderac and certain the men who held him had set themselves to fight to the death, gave his command to send them on their way.

  “Guilds slay any that flee out of that fire ring,” he commanded, “Men of Ivodgald they took our king! Let none remain breathing!”

  When he saw them charging forward to rescue Aderac, Rengad ran over and grabbed him and when he did, Aderac arrogantly smiled. “My lion comes -”

  Riled by his words, a slighted spark now lit in his eyes; before he struck Aderac and took out his knife to slit his throat, but he stopped when suddenly horses jumped over the blazing fire with Belon in the lead.

  “Aaadeeraac!” Belon thundered. His eyes frantically trying to spot him right away before any could try to harm him out of spite.

  “By the tree,” Aderac alerted, “Belon, I am by the tree!”

  Now unconcerned with Aderac, feeling challenged, Rengad ripped open his tunic; then held his sword up to Belon as he flexed his chest and arm muscles.

  “I will take great joy in slaying your lion,” he boasted to Aderac; then looked back at Belon.

  Belon, who only noticed Aderac at first, now focused his attention on the man boldly standing in front of him. His sword high and his chest bare, Belon knew by his readied gaze and baleful grin that he wanted to fight with him as a challenge.

  “Come lion,” Rengad challenged, as he stepped forward and tried to goad him, “We shall see who the true slayer is.”

  His head ringing from being stuck with the rock and tired from running hard; then riding half the night. Belon’s mood now raw, he growled at him in no mood to fight back and forth needlessly.

  “Another night I would gladly agree.” His growl as he jumped off his horse with sword in hand and ready. “This night, I am in no mood.”

  “Tribesman!” Aderac yelled and kicked up dirt with his bare feet to distract him, and even though his head turned only for a moment, Belon seized the opportunity and pounced on him.

  Although, he didn’t tear him to pieces as Aderac predicted, Belon cut into him from the inside of his neck going deep into his chest.

  His almost severed body teetering right and left as if undecided which way to fall, finally fell hard backwards before what seemed an endless flow of blood soaked into the earth under him.

  As Belon widely stepped over his mutilated frame like an out of place log blocking his path to Aderac, Aderac’s arms opened wide to receive him.

  “Oh, Belon! Oh, honey!” Aderac’s frantic words of relief when Belon walked over to him, “I knew you would find me. I knew you would!”

  “Dare I never breathe again if I could not?” Belon swore, as he tightly held him.

  After a short kiss, Belon cut him free from his tether to the tree and as he looked at him more closely saw the large gash on his chin, his bruised cheek, and that his chest and feet were bare.

  “What did that filth do to you?” he asked concerned, as the strong hand that almost cut a man in half tenderly and gently touched his face, before he took off his own tunic and slid it over Aderac’s head.

  After he did, Aderac looked up about to answer him; then noticed one side of Belon’s head covered with fresh and dried blood.

  “Oh no, your head is bleeding!” Aderac cried out when he saw his wound and forgot about his own injuries as he began to worry over him and reached to touch his head, “Belon, honey your head is bleeding. Someone, get me something for Belon’s head!”

  “Worry not about me, I will tend to it later,” Belon insisted, and gently grabbed his hand, “Speak what they did to you.”

  “One hit me when they took me, and once here another kicked me across my chin and face. I fear my ribs are broken from when another kicked me in them,” Aderac answered, as he groaned after he again put his arms around him.

  Although, angered they hurt him, knowing they did it by kicking him after humiliating him by tying him to a tree with no shirt or boots on, enraged him.

  “Dare they be so bold to mar the face I love to gaze upon, then wound and shame you!” he exclaimed, and vowed, “Every Segoran that breathes shall be wiped from the face of the earth for this!”

  After his men finished killing off the others, and the guilds the ones that tried to flee, all rode over to Belon for a command.

  “Search them all,” he commanded, “Find the king’s ring and amulet.”

  “And, and Belon,” Aderac interjected, fretting they wouldn’t find it, “Have them find what means all to me.”

  Moved that he was worried about it, Belon smiled and again looked up.

  “And a guild wrist band,” he quickly added, as th
e men walked about searching, “As that of the one on my wrist.”

  While they looked, slowly Aderac tried to walk, but bent over in pain and without hesitation; Belon held him up and made him lean on him.

  “Make something to pull him,” he commanded, “He cannot ride.”

  “I can ride,” Aderac insisted, trying to be strong, “I can.”

  “No,” Belon spoke against it and tenderly touched his cheek wanting to kiss him again, but refrained.

  “Yes, honey.”Aderac smiled and relented.

  While quickly cutting wood and tree limbs to make a pallet to pull Aderac, one of the guilds yelled out.

  “I have them!”

  Right away, he brought them to Belon, who took them and as he was about to put Aderac’s ring back on his finger, he stopped him.

  “I shall wear that later,” he said, “Put on me what I want.”

  Belon again smiled knowing which item he meant, and put his guild wristband back onto Aderac’s wrist.

  “Let us get you back and to bed to rest and heal.” He doted and tenderly gave him a small kiss.

  “What shall we do with the bodies?” a guild asked.

  “Let them rot.”

  Once back at WorrlgenHall, knowing Aderac needed to rest and probably felt traumatized, no one questioned him about his ordeal and after the servants cleaned his wounds and bound his ribs, Belon had them put some herbs in his drink so he would go to sleep right away.

  “Belon have them tend to your head,” Aderac still worrying about him said, as he lay in bed waiting for him lay beside him.

  “Aderac, do not worry over me,” Belon slightly chided, while opening the door for the servants to leave, “It is you who needs tending to, not me.”

  “But, Belon your head ...”

  “Sleep,” he urged, “So you can heal.”

  “Bel...” Aderac began to speak, as his eyelids became heavy, “Bel…”

  Unable to finish whatever he was about to say, Belon smiled and looked at his love now fast asleep.

  Ready for sleep himself, he went to the washbasin to clean his wound first, but as he was doing it someone knocked on the chamber door.

  “How is King Aderac? Ogorec asked concerned when Belon opened the door, “And here is your belt, sword, knife, and axe.”

  “He will be fine,” Belon said, after he took them and put them on the table, then went back to the washbasin, “He is stronger than many seem to believe.”

  Ogorec nodded and smiled; then came inside.

  “You should eat and drink something,” he suggested, as he stood watching, “I am told you ran far to get back before found, and once found you rode half the night to find him with nothing to eat or drink, and did all this with a wounded head.”

  “I shall later after he wakes,” Belon’s devoted words, as he looked over at Aderac; “If he wakes and I am not here it will sadden him.”

  “If you wish,” Ogorec offered, “I can bring you something.”

  “I thank you, but no,” Belon’s reply, “When he wakes, I will eat and drink with him.”

  Again, Ogorec nodded and stepped closer to put his hand on his shoulder and give him a hearty friendly pat.

  Truly intending only to do just that, as he looked at Belon, dutifully and lovingly concerned for Aderac and thinking nothing of his own wellbeing. Belon now a different person than he was long ago made an impulse come over Ogorec.

  “Very well,” he said, but as he was about to use his hand to give him a pat, instead, he put it behind Belon’s neck and moved his face to his.

  Slowly Ogorec’s lips went towards Belon’s, who when he noticed it, didn’t try to stop him and allowed his assumed gentle kiss, but the feel and warmth of his lips coming back to Ogorec’s memory made him press harder and kiss him more passionately.

  When he did, Belon didn’t pull away. Instead, he breathed passionately back into his mouth returning it as Ogorec held him, which Belon also responded to by putting both hands on Ogorec’s head holding it tightly.

  While they kissed, thoughts flooded into both men’s memory of what was once between them, and their kiss lasting longer than any kiss ever shared between them, when their lips finally parted, a stunned Belon said nothing, as he breathed heavily on Ogorec’s face.

  “Speak,” Ogorec finally said, unsure what to say himself.

  “Why?” Belon wondered, his chest heaving deeply, “Ogorec, why now after all this time?”

  “I cannot say.” Ogorec’s truth; his chest also heaving deeply, “It could be for the reason you are not the same as you once were.”

  Unsure what to say to his answer, Belon turned to the basin and splashed water onto his face to clear his head before he turned back to Ogorec.

  “For so long, I craved to feel your lips willingly to mine again such that I was tormented,” he voiced, and looked at him mystified he did such a deed after all the time that had passed since both willingly kissed, “For so long Ogorec.”

  “I know.”

  Belon took in a long breath through his nose, then after letting it loudly flow out of his mouth; turned and looked at Aderac, who was still sleeping soundly, and when he did his heart overwhelmingly fluttered.

  No longer needing water to clear his head, suddenly his thoughts became clear as crystal.

  “What did you reason would come from our kiss?” He wondered, as he looked back at Ogorec.

  “I do not know,” Ogorec had to admit, still deeply in love with Ovfren.

  “I do know,” Belon said, and put his hand on Ogorec’s shoulder, “Nothing will come from it. He is my want and love, as I know Ovfren is yours and that is as it should be. What was, was with us and is no more.”

  Ogorec nodded, he knew Belon was right. “Forgive me.”

  “There is nothing to forgive,” Belon readily said, “It is you who opened my eyes long ago of my selfish ways, and now that they are open, they see only him and shall until I am no more.”

  Again, Ogorec nodded.

  “Just as it should be,” his agreeing words and this time, he did give him only a hearty pat; then turned and left.

  Pensively, Belon closed the door and after he secured the latch, he paused briefly to recall the spontaneity of their kiss and vowed to himself never to do something so foolish again.

  When he walked to bed, about to climb in, he couldn’t help but stare down at Aderac.

  “How did I not fall under your spell when my lips first pressed to yours?” he questioned bewildered, but pleased to love so deeply and passionately, and have that same love returned to him, but two fold, “A fool I was to not love you from the first.”

  All day Aderac slept; then late in the evening, his eyes suddenly flew open before he instinctively turned his head to the right to look at Belon, but didn’t see him.

  “Belon,” Aderac called out to him curious where he could be.

  “I am beside you,” Belon said, and turned onto his side from his back.

  Surprised where he lay, Aderac turned his head to the left to look at him.

  “You are on the wrong side of the bed. You always sleep on my right.”

  Belon let out a loving laugh. “I know, but I didn’t want to move you.”

  Wanting to laugh too, Aderac tried, but his jaw and ribs hurting him, he groaned; then when he tried to move so they could change sides, groaned again.

  “Stop it,” Belon said sternly, “Stay where you lay.”

  “Yes, Belon,” Aderac sighed, “I must obey my heart.”

  “Speak it again,” Belon said, as he moved closer and smiled, “Speak it again.”

  “My heart,” Aderac said softly, “Belon, you know you are my heart.”

  “Ah, and my heart races,” he said, “When I hear it.”

  Belon smiled, and looked at Aderac’s face for a long time without saying anything.

  “What goes through your head?” Aderac asked.

  Truly proud of him, and of how he didn’t cower, if he wasn’t so injured he w
ould have made love to him until both passed out in the other’s arms.

  “So brave you have been,” he whispered, as he gently touched his bruised cheek with the back of his fingers, “So brave is my king and love.”

  “I knew you would come for me, and you did,” Aderac said proudly, as he turned his head more to him, “I had no reason to fear. You are my warrior, my champion, and my lion.”

  “Your lion,” Belon repeated, as he looked at him curiously.

  “Yes, my lion,” Aderac repeated proudly, “I warned him my lion would come.”

  Tenderly, Belon kissed him. “This lion has not even the strength to roar without his love.”

  “Ah, and now it is my heart that races,” Aderac whispered.

  “Let it race,” Belon’s words, as again he gave him a gentle touch with his hand, “I love you Aderac, and you without question are my strength.”

  “A hollow vessel I am,” Aderac said moved, as his eyes glistened, “Without you to fill me with your love.”

  Belon moved his body closer to Aderac and snuggled close without touching his ribs.

  “I miss the children,” he said, as he did, “What do you reason they are doing as we speak?”

  “Hmmm,” Belon answered, and lifted his eyes towards the beams above him to think, “I reason Ihon is chasing Beladera around with some strange creature he found, with Belo running behind them barking at them both.”

  “He does indeed bring them from outside and puts them in his chamber,” Aderac remembered, “And frightened Ondra, the chamber servant almost to death when one jumped onto her as she cleaned his chamber. She screamed loud and long and was afraid to go in his chamber again.”

  “Hahahahaa. “Belon laughed loudly, amused by Ihon’s mischievous ways.

  Aderac laughed too, and grabbed his side from pain. “Ouuuuh.” He groaned.

  “No more laughing,” Belon quickly said, “Until you heal more.”

  “No more of much else.”Aderac pouted.

  “Such is true.” Belon kissed his head. “But when you are well again, we shall begin again and much.

  “Umm.” Aderac hummed, “I hope to heal right away.”