by Luke, Monica
“Belon is not from Worrlgen anymore,” he spouted his apparent contempt, “It is not his matter. Hold your tongue and only speak to Laad or Loth.”
Belon’s forehead creased still gathering Osgorad resented the blow to the head he gave him with the pommel of his sword long ago.
“True,” he shrewdly replied, “But I am commander to a kingdom united with Worrlgen whose king sits on that hill watching us. Dare you hold from me anything, with all that has gone on these many days, that if known could keep him from harm? Speak all you know and now, or I swear to you Osgorad. The pommel of my sword against your head long ago will feel like a thump to what you will feel if you do not.”
Osgorad swallowed hard and loud from Belon’s threat, then looked out and saw King Aderac staring intently over at them.
“Very well,” he relented.
“Then speak,” Belon impatiently demanded.
**
“Are the two back?”
“Not yet.”
Laad hummed; then turned to Loth as more suspicions entered his head.
“Now that you revealed your wariness, I have reasoned on much of what you spoke the other night,” he said, as they talked on the wall, “King Gegorad did indeed ride to us with no first in command, and that is indeed strange.”
“True,” Loth commented, “Why would one be fearful of treachery if they are the ones doing the treachery?”
“King Aderac graciously promised him a chest of gold for his troubled stay,” Laad scoffed, “When all learn he is behind this treachery as well, he will not get gold, and instead cold steel.”
**
From what Osgorad and Adeon revealed, immediately Belon hurried back to Aderac.
“What is it?” Aderac asked, as he stared at him trying to read his face; then he looked over to Osgorad and Adeon who Belon made wait for them, “What did the men speak to you?”
“Betrayal!” Belon revealed through clenched teeth, wishing he had killed more than just the two from Hemrock.
“What betrayal?”
Knowing Aderac would fret right away, Belon instead, called for the children to join them to delay telling him.
“Belon,” Aderac said firmly, knowing he was stalling. “What of your words that you will hold nothing from me?
“And I will not, Aderac.” He tried to dance around it. “My words of that were of other things, not this.”
“You will speak it at once,” Aderac demanded.
“King Gegorad on his way back to his kingdom, when he stopped for the night,” Belon said seething, “Met with two men from Celgon, along with men that looked like the Segorans. All stayed a long time in his tent.”
“So much betrayal!” he said shocked and seethed as well, “So, so much.”
“Indeed,” Belon agreed, and added, “Two kingdoms have joined to bring down Worrlgen in some plot. You are in more danger here Aderac. I am sending you and the children back to Ivodgald.”
“Noooo! Belon, honey!” Aderac complained with distressed emotion, and about voice his objection more, stopped because the children were now next to them, so he held his tongue.
“Let us get back with haste,” Belon said, as he turned his horse.
As Laad and Loth looked out, when they saw Osgorad and Adeon riding in with Belon, and the others right behind them, Laad guessed Belon already knew.
“Where are you going?” Loth asked, as Laad hurried down the stairs.
“We both know somehow Belon got them to speak.”
Once they passed the gate, Belon sent the children to the chamber; then after he helped Aderac off his horse, and stood in front of him, Aderac looked at him concerned.
“Belon,” Aderac said, and gave him a stern look.
Already knowing what Aderac was about to say, he interrupted him refusing to listen.
“I will not yield.” Belon had already resolved. “You are the children are returning Ivodgald.”
“Honey, no,” he still objected, “We shall agree to send the children back, but I am staying.”
“Aderac!” Belon raised his voice, speaking more firmly, “You will not go against me!”
Aderac interrupted him, speaking back to him just as firmly.
“I must,” he asserted, but didn’t raise his voice, “I must be with you, and dare it be only when all is good that I am. I shall be with you when they are bad as well. I am the King of Ivodgald, Belon, and I am your love. As both, I command and demand to remain.”
Belon huffed, but knew Aderac’s mind was set.
“Yes, you are both,” Belon said, and sighed while distorting his face now helpless to argue the point more.
After Aderac tenderly and lovingly touched his face, when he turned to walk away, Belon made his expression stern, and followed Aderac to court.
All waiting for them, when Aderac walked inside with Belon as always close behind him, Baric spoke first.
“What do you reason Cousin?”
“I believe,” he answered, as he walked in front of him. “Two kingdoms have joined longing to bring down one, but what they failed to reason is this. Worrlgen is not one. Its might is united with Ivodgald’s might, and we shall wrap that might around the neck of Hemrock and Celgon and choked them to death!”
As he spoke, Baric’s quorum hummed.
“Court scribe!” Aderac yelled.
King Baric’s scribe raced in front of him.
“Yes, King Aderac.”
“Parchment, dyes, and quills.”
Quickly, he brought Aderac what he demanded; then as he wrote. The court so quiet the smallest of needles falling to the floor would have sounded like clanging bells, all waited until he finished.
“Grand Commander Belon,” Aderac called out, and at once Belon walked to him.
Looking only at him as he did it, Aderac took the knife out of Belon’s belt and cut into his finger.
After he put his blood next to his name, he looked into Belon’s eyes, and gave him back his knife, then once Belon took it; he signed the parchment, and did the same.
“It is done,” Aderac said, as he looked up at all those around him, while folding the parchment; then when the scribe poured wax on it and closed it, Aderac sealed it with his king’s ring
Once the wax hardened, Belon took the sealed message, and gave it to one of his men.
“Only, and I mean only in the hands of Gueden!”
“Come let us speak in my private chamber,” King Baric said to Aderac, “Along with our high commanders.”
As Belon was about to follow Aderac, Osgorad stood and yelled at him, demanding he apologize for threatening him if he didn’t reveal what he had found out.
“Forgive me Osgorad,” Belon agreeably said in front of all, then walked close to Osgorad so only he could hear him, “I spoke wrong to you in the glen. I did not mean to threaten you. Should harm come to him by anything withheld from you that could have stopped it? I will not threaten to harm you again, I swear to.”
Osgorad scowled, as he breathed heavily through his nose, then turned and stormed away.
**
Later that night, after going over at length the details of how and who would march where once Ivodgald’s men arrived and some of the tactics they would use, Enek unable to sleep went to the men’s hall to have a drink.
Tall, brawny, and handsome, when he walked inside and sat alone, after he got his drink, almost instantly a woman came and sat beside him.
As she flirted with him, Enek enjoyed it. Long since he had had any release, he decided that night he would have it with her, and as she pressed her body close to his, he took his hand, and ran it up and down her inner thighs.
“Umm, hot are your thighs, I wonder if what is between them hotter.”
“Move your hand more and know for yourself,” she suggested.
As he did, Ovfren walked into the men’s hall to get a quick bite to eat before he went on his watch, and while waited, he looked across the room and noticed Enek running his hand up
a woman’s thigh. Not knowing Enek saw him, he jealously frowned, quickly stood, and stomped out without any food.
“Come,” she whispered, as her hands went into his tunic slowly moving it up and down his strong chest before she added in his ear, “Let us go and enjoy the other.”
Enek groaned when he saw how Ovfren had stomped out, and knowing it upset him, for reasons he couldn’t explain, felt he had to speak with him.
“This night I cannot. A sudden matter has come before me,” he said, as patted the woman on her rear, “Perhaps another night.”
The woman looked at him disappointed, but said nothing else as Enek moved her hand off him, stood and walked away.
Unsure where Ovfren went, he walked around looking for him, but unfamiliar with WorrlgenHall, gathered he could be anywhere.
About to give up, just as he walked down another hallway, when he glanced over the balcony, he saw him walking across the courtyard towards the stables.
Quickly, Enek sprinted towards the stables and looked for Ovfren, but when he didn’t see him, softly cursed and began to walk away.
“What do you want?” Ovfren asked. His tone filled with both anger and jealousy.
“I came to see about my horse,” Enek lied, still breathing heavy from running.
Ovfren glared at him, while he walked to his horse.
“Have I somehow angered you?” Enek asked.
“Why would you believe such?” Ovfren asked, trying to feign indifference.
“Ooooh,” Enek sounded off, and crossed his arms, “I believed you were from the scowl on your face in your men’s hall, before you stormed out?”
“No,” Ovfren bluntly lied back.
Both blatantly lying to the other, they stood across from the other in a standoff.
“I must go,” Ovfren finally said, but added a sarcastic comment, “I would not want to hold you from that woman in the men’s hall.”
Enek burst into laughter. “Ah, then I did not anger you. I only made you jealous.”
Angered that his jealously only amused him, Ovfren impetuously rushed towards him to strike him, but when he did, Enek’s reflexes faster, grabbed his fist.
“Let it go!” Ovfren demanded.
Refusing to release it; instead, he took his fist and put it to his chest. The same chest a woman’s sensual hand slowly moved across just minutes ago, yet even Ovfren’s fist now gave him more of a pleasurable sensation than her open hand.
“Open you fist now,” he made his own demand, as he did.
Weakened lustfully by his control of him, as Enek squeezed tighter, Ovfren opened his fist, then when he moved his palm to travel down his tight stomach, Enek inhaled and moaned pleased by the heat of his hand on his flesh.
Slowly, as it traveled lower, for the second time Ovfren’s hand now touched Enek’s manhood, but unlike before, Enek didn’t move Ovfren’s hand to feel his actual flesh or caress him.
“I want to feel you as I did before.” Ovfren moaned, noticing that he didn’t.
“If you do, you will have to move your hand yourself,” Enek’s reply, as he stepped backwards into the shadows.
Eagerly, Ovfren stepped with him; then slowly put his hand down Enek’s pants.
Once again, his hard shaft in his hand, he began caressing it with both soft and hard taunting strokes, breathing heavily.
“Dare you seek release with another?” Ovfren questioned while caressing him, still filled with jealously that he put his hands between a woman’s thighs in the men’s hall, “What of your words that I am always in your head?”
“You are, but I am only a man.” Enek’s moaning answer, as he did, his body now wanting more from him, “And need release just as you do.”
Now even more jealous that she was still an option, Ovfren took his other hand and put it behind Enek’s head pulling his lips to his, and as they feverishly kissed, Enek wrapped his strong arms around him.
“You cannot seek another,” Ovfren lustfully ordered into his mouth wanting to lay sole claim to him, “If you do, I shall burn with jealously.”
“I fear you have put some spell on me,” Enek said in disbelief. His mind going back over his life up until he rode to WorrlgenHall, and how never once had thoughts or desires come to him of any other than women, yet now his mind and body ached with want for Ovfren.
“Then be spellbound.” Ovfren moaned.
Enek inhaled deep to clear his clear his muddled head, and remembered what he told Ovfren just days before.
“Go Ovfren,” he said, as his strong arms pushed Ovfren’s body from against him.
“But,” Ovfren said, looking at him puzzled. Now so weakened and taken with Enek, this time Ovfren would have succumbed to his desire.
“I am not one for this,” Enek again resolved, “To hide in shadows or meet in hidden places to be with you. It is not within me to do so, nor shall it be. I can have any I want, and when I want at my will. I spoke to you of what you must do, and if you cannot, then go.”
Wounded, yet filled with desire such that he couldn’t ride his horse without feeling pain. His shaft completely swollen, Ovfren lashed out with words.
“You are doing it again!” he blared, beside himself with lust and anger at his boastful indifference, “Being haughty, and now vain, just like Belon!
“I am who I am, and only that,” Enek chided him. “Just as Belon is who he is, do not scale us again.”
“And do you now just toss me aside, as one would nothing of worth?”
“I cannot toss what is not within my grasp,” Enek shrewdly answered.
“I am in many ways.”
“You are far from it.” Enek knew, “In all the ways I would want, and need you to be.”
“But,” Ovfren blurted; his lips about to lie.
Enek nodded his head, put his hand deep into Ovfren’s hair, and spoke before Ovfren spoke a lie just to try to sway him.
“Of great worth you becoming to me, and dare I let you touch me if you were not,” Enek confessed, “And should you become mine, I shall treasure you, but you shall be my treasure alone, and not belong to another, which you do.”
“I love him,” Ovfren confessed, “I do.”
“Then be with who you love.”
Anguished, Ovfren stepped back, taking a moment to look at Enek’s handsome face and body, as if he now could actually forget it.
Inwardly cursing Belon for sending for him to come to WorrlgenHall, disturbing his and Ogorec’s content relationship, he sighed deep and loud.
Ogorec was humble, tall, handsomely dark haired and brave, yet older. Enek was haughty, taller, handsomely blonde-haired, and brave, yet younger. He jumped on his horse to go on his watch for the night torn between two, by love and desire.
**
Before bed, both watched the stars, as Aderac stood in front of Belon at the large window in the chamber. Belon’s arms wrapped around him, Aderac’s head resting back in the crevice of his strong shoulder. Every time Aderac leaned his head back and looked up at him, Belon would look down and give him a tender kiss.
“The children are still unhappy you are sending them back,” Aderac revealed after he nestled his head again, “And spoke it to me after you kissed them before bed. They had me promise to speak with you about letting them stay.”
Belon sighed hard, he didn’t want them to go, but he wanted them as far away from danger as possible.
“I reason so.” He knew, “But one day I hope they understand that I do what I do for their sake and yours.”
“They want to be near their father just as I want to be near my love.” Aderac said, as he turned to look at him, “And I reason one day they shall, but this day they do not.”
“Why are you making sending them back more painful for me than it already is?” Belon’s angst, as he looked back at him, “When you know my family is all to me.”
“What?” Aderac asked, as he tilted his head up to look right into Belon’s eyes, “Speak such again.”
�
�This is painful for me as well.”
“No,” Aderac said, as he smiled, “The other words.”
“My family is all to me.”
“Ooooooh.” Aderac grinned wide, and reached to put both his palms on Belon’s cheek, “So wonderful does that sound from you; so very wonderful honey.”
Belon also started grinning and pulled Aderac closer to him so their bodies pressed together again, before he put his strong hand behind his head and kissed him.
“Let us get into the bed.” He moaned into his mouth, “And you shall hear other wonderful sounds from me as you thrust inside me.”
“Umm,” Aderac said, and took his hand to lead him to the furs on the floor, which were closer than the bed, “For that, we do not have to be in a bed.”
**
Chapter 54
Wedded, then crowned right away, now sole King of Celgon after the accidental death of King Thogor’s young son, Atorad did not waste time putting his plans into effect, and sent a letter to WorrlgenHall demanding the body or bones of his queen’s brothers.
He had hoped this would incite the people of Celgon if King Baric refused, fueling them even more than his lie that they lured them to WorrlgenHall just to kill them.
Later, once the others made it back to Celgon, curious about what had happened; Atorad called them before him to give an account, but only one could, because he had lingered around in the courtyard.
“What happened when at WorrlgenHall?” he asked the man.
“A man confessed that you and Lord Cadon had a hand in paying men to ride throughout Worrlgen land robbing those they passed, while dressed like the Segorans.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes,” he eagerly answered, “And spoke he had a way to put truth to his words.”
“How so?”
“That part I could not hear.”
Atorad inhaled deep, letting his mind wander back to when he meet with the tribe and made his deal, what they could have to prove he actually spoke with them, then it came to him.
“Rengad,” he said under his breath.
When the man turned to leave, concerned he could reveal Celgon actually incited Worrlgen to wrath he called out to him.
