She sucked in a breath and waited. She wanted it just as much as he did. He'd be leaving the next day. She'd never see him again. He may be killed in the coming wars.
But none of that registered as his lips met hers. They were soft and warm and tasted like the tea she'd just served him.
Wren's arms snaked around her waist and pinned her against his hard chest. She ran her hands up over his arms, the sides of his face, into his hair. One of his hands yanked the ribbon from her hair and pulled the braid loose before he tangled his fingers in her curls.
“Mira,” he groaned as he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.
He didn't have to explain what it meant. She knew. She felt it too, an impossible weight that settled around her shoulders.
Before they could break apart, the door was flung open.
“Mira,” her mother yelled. “What is the meaning of this?”
She came in followed by Mira's father and a man from the village named Hendry. Hendry was a middle-aged man who had lost his wife and child a few years before when sickness ravaged the village. He wasn't a particularly nice man or even nice looking, but he had status.
Hendry looked from Mira to Wren and his eyes narrowed before he pushed through the door to leave without a word.
Mira's mother turned on Wren. “You! We let you into our home. We give you food. How do you repay us? You take advantage of our daughter and ruin everything. I want you out. My husband will retrieve your horse. I don't care if you're well enough to travel. You will leave this village.”
Mira's father went to get the horse and Wren hung his head. The smile that so often graced his face was gone, replaced by desperation.
“Mira,” he started.
“I said out!” Mira's mouth pushed him towards the door. “My daughter has more important things to worry about – like if her fiancé will forgive this dalliance.”
“Fiancé?” he croaked.
Mira couldn't believe what she was hearing. She met Wren's tortured gaze and shook her head. “There's no one. I promise.”
Outside a horse snorted and Wren's shoulders dropped.
“He isn't well enough to ride,” Mira pleaded with her mother.
“That is no longer your concern.”
Wren looked up once more and gave her a final sad smile. “By tomorrow I should be strong enough. I'll just stay in the forest tonight. I'm sorry to have caused so many problems, but I do thank you for the care you gave me.”
Mira choked back a sob as he disappeared out the door into the bright sunlight. A chill sank into her bones and she sat on the edge of her bed.
“Honestly, Mira,” her mother scolded. “Your behavior is the reason no one wants you – until now, that is. Hendry is finally ready for a new wife and your father and I have given him your hand. Now I must go and convince him that he didn't make a grave mistake.”
She rushed off and Mira buried her face in her hands to muffle her sobs. Wren's face appeared in her mind. His kind words rang in her ears. His humor warmed her heart.
All gone.
She was to marry a man who would be neither kind nor funny.
Her father returned with Tara and Toro in tow. The twins saw her tears and hugged her tightly.
Time passed and all she wanted to do was curl up and forget the day.
But she was a dutiful daughter.
She was always a good girl.
So, she got up and tamed her hair, even pinching her cheeks to give them color. Then she fixed dinner. Her mother returned as she was cutting a warm loaf of bread.
Hendry was with her. He scowled at her and took one of the only chairs that sat around the table, leaving her to stand as they ate their meager offerings.
Hendry wiped his mouth on the back of his arm. “The wedding will be in two days.”
“That soon?” Mira squeaked.
“Why wait to have you warming my bed?” He rose from the chair. “You will walk me out.”
Mira swallowed past the lump in her throat and set her plate down with a nod. Her mother gave her a warning look and she knew what it meant.
She was to give the man whatever he wanted.
Hendry stopped outside the door and faced her. His eyes scanned her from head to toe. “You're not quite the beauty my first wife was, but I guess you'll do.” He sighed as he reached out and ran a hand across her shoulders, assessing. He moved lower, squeezing her breasts.
She held back a yelp.
His hands ran down her sides and around her back until he was gripping her buttocks. Her skin crawled as he pulled her towards him and claimed her mouth.
His kiss was not gentle as Wren's had been. It was rough as he assaulted her tongue with his. He tasted of tobacco and ale and it was all she could do not to gag.
He pushed her away from him abruptly. “Yes, you'll do nicely in my bed.”
As he stalked away, a shiver ran through her. That had to have been the vilest man she'd ever met and her mother made sure she was shackled to him completely.
Was it spite? Did she really hate her that much?
That was the moment everything changed for Mira. She realized there was nothing left for her in that small village. Her mother was cruel. Her father didn't care. She would miss her brother and sister, but that wasn't enough.
She re-entered the small house and crawled into bed, pulling the covers up over her head, and waited. It took a long time for the rest of her family to settle down and go to bed.
“I just wish we could have done better for her,” her father whispered in the dark.
“You're soft. Hendry is the best that girl could snag,” her mother replied.
Then everything was silent as they drifted off except for the loud snores of her mother.
* * *
Mira didn't know what time it was when she snuck from her bed. Her bare feet made no sound on the dirt floor of their home as she grabbed her few possessions. By the door sat her father's beaten up weapons. They were in disrepair, but better than nothing. She grasped the curve of the bow and stuffed the pile of arrows in her bag before pulling the door open, cringing when it made a soft thud.
Looking back, they were all still sleeping. She watched their faces once more knowing that it was the last time. A part of her knew she should be sad, but this life had never felt like hers. She'd never belonged. She hiked her small bag onto her shoulder and made her way through the deserted streets as quickly as she could.
It took her about an hour to get from the village to the forest, but the excitement kept her tired legs going. It wasn't until she saw the glow of a fire that she started to run.
A form was sleeping on the ground close to the flames. Too close.
She dropped her bag and ran faster. If he rolled, his cloak could catch fire.
“Wren,” she yelled as she saw the edge of his cloak burst with a tiny flame. She grabbed his water skin from the ground beside him and doused it, spraying Wren's face in the process. He woke up sputtering.
“Damn, that's cold.”
“I wouldn't have had to pour it on you if you weren't sleeping so close to the fire. Do you enjoy needing someone to save your life or something?”
He grinned as he finally woke enough to realize it was her. “By you? Always.” He removed his wet cloak and got to his feet. “Shouldn't you be with your fiancé?”
She scrunched up her face. “I can't marry him.”
“But your parents …”
“They don't get a say if I'm not even there for them to control.”
“What do you mean?”
“I'm coming with you?”
“No.”
“What?” She planted her hands on her hips. “You said it yourself that the king needs anyone who is willing to fight. Well, I'm willing.”
“No.”
“Is this a woman thing?” She glared. “I thought we already went over this. If you don't want me to go with you, then I'll just find my own way to the palace. I can't stay here.”
“It isn't a woman thing,” he said. “I can't stand the thought of you going to war.”
“And you think I like that you're going? I just met you days ago, and already I find myself worrying about something happening to you. I've never felt like this. I …”
He cut her off with a kiss that held everything she'd been trying to say, everything she felt. He didn't argue anymore. She pulled him down near the fire – but not too near – and they kissed until they fell asleep.
The next morning, they woke in each other's arms as if that was a normal occurrence. Wren was feeling okay to ride and they both mounted the horse and set off towards the palace of Dreach-Sciene.
He was no prince. She was no princess. There would be no happy endings.
Because war was on the horizon and they'd just traded everything they were to fight for everything they believed in.
The End.
About the Author: Michelle Lynn
Michelle Lynn writes many genres, mainly because her mind tends to be all over the place. She writes dystopian and contemporary romance, but her true love is fantasy. Tenelach is the follow up short story between Prophecy of Darkness and Legacy of Light in the Legends of the Tri-Gard series by M. Lynn and Michelle Bryan.
When she isn't writing, Lynn is spending time with her family in Tampa, Florida, swimming, reading, and being the major TV nerd that she is.
Books by Michelle Lynn:
Dawn of Rebellion
Day of Reckoning
Eye of Tomorrow
Choices
Promises
Dreams
We Thought We Were Invincible
We Thought We Knew It All
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michelle-Lynn-Author-706537056079631
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMichelleL
Website: http://michellelynnauthor.com/
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