by Marie Hall
"If the many times you speak of are the rides in the morning," Xavier said, a bit of humor possible now that he breached the walls between them. "Ask any of the men here, Io, I am sure more than a few were witness. Those mornings Sabrina rode out the gates when I did, she did not ride with me. I rode to the training fields, where she went I do not know." They both looked around then to see many heads nodding. "And when I rode out after that kiss, I am not sure at all. I planned to ride back to the Red Hare to find a woman and be done. I did not get as far as the river before I turned around. I met her on the road. She was waiting. She proclaimed she wanted to be my wife, that she would serve me better than you. She did not take to my telling her she would never be as good as you and I wanted no one else especially a woman who shared herself so freely to gain advantage in my house."
Io gasped but then leaned against him and squeezed her arms tight. "You did not say such."
"I did, as unmanly as that is to throw insults at a lady. It was not at all chivalrous and she took great exception and tried to slap my face but I pulled back and she fell off her horse and it bolted. I was about to leave her in the dirt, but…"
"You could not." Io gave him her most put upon sigh and hugged him even more.
"I could have but I did not," he said and step back so he could see her. "I should have. I listened to her bawl all the way back to the gates." He set his knuckles under her chin and tipped her head back.
"You did not want her?"
"I do not want her."
"You want me?"
"Only you." He started lowering his head.
"Even though I am no lady?" Her eyes drifted shut.
"What need have I for a lady when I have a goddess?" He met her reach and claimed the soft lips he missed for so long. Io's hands came around then slid up over his chest to clasp behind his neck. In a matter of heartbeats, Io gave him back everything. Her warmth, joy, mind and beauty were his again. And maybe, too, her trust.
He put his arms around her low and lifted, giving her the advantage of being over him. And she held back nothing. Her mouth worked over his. Her tongue waged war with his. His every sense was filled with her. In all the battles fought, this was the only victory that mattered. This was the only one with a reward so great as to make it truly worth the struggle.
He felt her smile against his lips then lift her head and lean back in his arms. When he looked, it was to see a beam of sunlight splashing down on her. All around nothing but black clouds and rain but, in that moment, the heavens seemed to signal approval of their reconciliation. And given the roar of applause heaven wasn't the only one. Every man in the party celebrated. But it was short lived as the sun was blanketed with clouds and the skies let loose the hold on the torrents of rain held while Xavier lay his soul open to his wife. The very woman who was just snatched from his arms. Before he could even comprehend she was gone, Ian was practically throwing her in the back of the wagon, out of the rain.
"Go." Gunther shoved him. "Go ride with her. She cannot be out in this and she will not stay in if you are. Go." He shoved him again. "Not that it means much, I do not know of any man I could respect more."
Xavier wanted to thank him but he wasn't given the chance as everyone scrambled to get covering around them. Long strides, splashing through puddles Xavier made quick work of climbing in the back of the wagon. He pulled his feet in just in time to hear a coughing fit overtake Io. He looked at her over his shoulder as he pulled the canvas closed and secured it. She sat at the edge of the furs dripping water in a puddle all around her.
"Well, do not sit there, woman," he snapped at her, then smiled. "Get undressed."
Chapter Thirteen
Io gritted her teeth and drummed her heels hard against the furs. "I do not want to stay here," she said before a fit of coughing made her have to sit up. Xavier slid closer and patted her back until the fit ended. She tipped left to rest against him.
"I do not want to thrash you," he said, letting his hand slip along her side to rest at her hip. "The snow is already as deep as my knees; it would be near up to your neck." She gasped pulled away and shoved him back hard. His laughter rolled over her sending little pricks of heat along her skin. She tried to give him a mean look but he laughed more and, sitting forward, collected her against him.
"I am not small and weak," she muttered against his chest.
"Weak? No, you are not. Small? I think I could make a case." He pulled her into his lap, bringing the furs around her.
"I do not want to be left in here, alone." She brushed her lips over the small nipple and smiled at his sharp intake of breath.
"Io." He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face away from his body.
She gave a heavy sigh. It was like this all night. She lay next to him feeling his hard cock pressing against her, but every time she'd reach for him or try to rub against him he stopped her. For a man who claimed he wanted her so much he wasn't doing much to take what he wanted. "You could stay with me." She tried to again lean into him.
"Io," he sighed and set her out of his lap. Reaching for his shirt and tunic, he had them on before she untangled the covers enough to try again to entice him to do more than hold her.
With a frustrated growl, she slammed her hands down. "I do not want to be left."
"You are not being left." His tone had a slight edge, but his expression stayed neutral. "You could not walk through that even if I let you. You would be exhausted, wet and frozen before we went half a league." He leaned over and pulled the edge of the tarp back. Just the small opening allowed a rush of cold in that had Io diving for the covers. The sky was bright with the thick white snow falling. A half league more and it'd be past Xavier's knees.
Io sniffed and dropped her head so she could see her nails as she tried to smooth the edges. Xavier wasn't wrong, she couldn't walk, but he seemed eager to be away from her.
"You know," Xavier said softly, brushing her hair from her face. She lifted her eyes enough to see him. "You cannot walk but… if you might… you could… ride with me."
Io felt her chest tighten and she moved to sit on her hand to hide how much it trembled. He couldn't be serious. He knew it wasn't possible. It wasn't.
"Io, I know the idea frightens you and for good reason." He set his hand over the one she used to rub at the scar on her thigh. He lifted it and set it aside then took hold of her ankle and pulled her leg over his lap. He had the shift up to her knee before she acted to halt the exposure of the marred skin. "Stop," he commanded. When she hesitated, he leveled a look at her making her shudder, the tension used to hold the material slipped.
She worked hard to hold back the whimper as his thumb brushed the smallest wound, but when his long fingers wrapped under her flesh and bumped over the rough marks left when the pitchfork went through she couldn't hold it back. She took his wrist and tried to lift his hand away.
"Shh, shh," Xavier soothed. "Stop." Despite her attempt to keep him from touching there, he went on stroking the spoiled flesh. The feel of his fingers, warm, strong, exactly as she remembered made her body tremble with a different emotion. The next whimper mixed with a moan as Xavier's hand climbed up past the scars. Her whole body clenched in anticipation of where he might touch her next. "Ride with me, Io." His lips moved against hers as he spoke. God yes, that was what she wanted to do and she'd have said so if his mouth wasn't crushing down on hers.
The heat created by his lips seeped in and spread across her chest while his fingers continued to stir the flames in her lower body. All night she'd spent waiting for him to act, to give her this satisfaction and now he was going to make it worth the wait.
"Ride with me," he said as his lips nibbled the corner of her mouth.
"Yes." Her reply came out on another moan and she knew in the next second he'd be over her, in her and then…
He was already climbing out the back of the wagon by the time Io realized he left her. "Get dressed, warmly," he said, hopping down and drawing the tarps clo
sed. "I will get my horse and after you eat, we will go."
He left her sitting there. The memory of his smile and his touch still burning her. He left? He left. He left and all Io could do was drum her heels on the floor boards and slap her hands into the furs. Oh that man and what he could do to her. And did she really agree to ride? The thought cooled her quick enough.
She didn't have to, he wouldn't force her and, even if he would, the others would stop him. But with the only other choice being to sit in here the whole day she might at least see if it was something she could do. And maybe once she was outside he'd see she could walk, even in waist deep snow. She dressed and made sure to be well bundled before crawling from the wagon. It took two men to help her push through the snow, walking wasn't an option after all. But oh what Xavier could convince her to do. Sometimes she did wonder if she'd any will of her own at all.
***
Xavier adjusted the furs over Cloud so he could wrap Io in them once she was mounted. He'd his saddle and packs stored in the wagon as the narrow, high saddle wouldn't accommodate her riding in front and he didn't think she'd feel safe behind him. He finished the adjustments then turned to find Io waiting a good distance away.
She looked uncertain and scared. He might be better served forcing her back into the wagon, but he wanted his wife able to ride again. For while he prayed it'd never be necessary, if she needed to escape to safety, he wanted her to use a horse to do it. He planned to restart her lessons once home and, of course, to find a few horses she'd be able to replace Wednesday with, but it wouldn't hurt to give her a little confidence riding Cloud before he was forced to bully her back on her own animal.
"Come," he called, holding out his hand. She looked like she was going to step towards him but she didn't. "Io, it will be all right. We can ride together as we did last time we traveled." His encouragement was enough to bring her a step closer but that was all. "If you do not want to ride, Io, I understand. We can put you back in the wagon and…" Her hand clasped his and she allowed him to pull her alongside the big war horse. When he moved to lift her up she jerked back.
"You first," she said, keeping her eyes on the ground.
"Io, it is easier if you go on first. I can—"
"Go," Jon said, bending down to cup his hands so Xavier could mount.
Biting his tongue, Xavier set his foot and let Jon boost him over Cloud's back. Ian held Xavier's right leg to counter the pull of Io's weight as he lifted her. Both Jon and Gerald helped get her seated, lifting as Xavier pulled. He heard her whimpering as he folded the edges of the furs around her stiff form. He shifted closer and placed her as he wanted so they could ride comfortably.
He felt her fingers clutch at his shirt, and fought the instinct to force her hands back inside the covering. They should be warm enough caught between their bodies. "All right, ready?" he asked, lifting the reins and signaling they would start. "Remember the first step jolts," he warned then squeezed the horse's sides with his legs.
Io cried out with the first step forward but as the big animal moved through the deep snow with a smooth motion she relaxed. They traveled on, the snow not letting up and several times Cloud shook his big head to shake flakes away. Each time, Io stiffened, and it took a while for her to again settle.
"You know he missed you greatly," Xavier said as a means to distract Io.
"Why do you say so?" she asked and shifted closer to him.
"Because it is true." Xavier switched his grip so he held the reins in one hand and could use his free arm to hold Io secure. "Do you know if not for him we might not have found you?"
"True?" Io sounded awed and she tipped her head back to look up.
"True, we were looking for you everywhere after we found your coat, but…" He forced her head back down and pulled the furs up to keep the snow off. "We could not find you, but he somehow did. He got away from me and had his head pushed into some bushes. I remember thinking he was stupid. He was going to hurt himself and I would lose a fine animal. He refused to let me pull him back. I was trying when I looked and saw you." Xavier tightened his arm around her then. How close to losing her he'd come wasn't something he'd ever forget. "I do not know if we would have found you as well hidden as you were."
"I do not… remember," she told him.
"You were ill. I was happy enough you were found, even if it was by my horse. Maybe when we get home I will retire him. Or…" he teased, "I can get you a ladder and you can have him."
That caused her to laugh, "I would not need a ladder. Cloud would get down so I could get up."
Relief washed over him at Io's easy remark. That she'd even suggest she'd be willing to ride was more progress than he hoped for. Keeping with the teasing Xavier added, "Well, I should give him to you, seeing as how you have made him all soft and pet like. He is probably no good for battle now. He is always looking for carrots and apples."
"Oh, you should not say such things," Io laughed and reached around to pat the sleek neck. "Cloud is a very fine war horse." She patted the thick muscled neck again. "Are you not?"
Xavier could only laugh and the horse bobbed his head up and down as if he agreed. He'd not give Io the stallion, he wouldn't be a safe mount for a woman, for anyone not knowledgeable with the training and habits of the horse but as long as the banter kept Io at ease, he'd keep on with it. "And let us discuss that, my lady." He hardened his tone which caused Io to sit away and look at him. "What think you to go and name my horse? And to name him Cloud?" His outrage was a little too dramatic and Io burst out laughing.
"My lord, you have had this animal more than a decade." He gave her a curt nod to confirm that. "In all the time you did not think to name him?"
"Horse. Horse sufficed as a name. And look at this animal. There is not a spot of white on him. Cloud? Io, that is just cruel."
"Xavier?" She gave him a strange look and then with one finger pointed skyward.
Above them, dark clouds threatened more bad weather and trouble traveling. The clouds were nearly black, Xavier let a groan of defeat escape. Io was correct, not every cloud was white. In fact, her take on the name made it a rather powerful one. A storm cloud often brought destruction, like his destrier.
"…and it could also be a cloud of dust or smoke, neither of those are white." Io was going on.
With a shake of his head and a chuckle, Xavier gave in. "I concede, Io. It is a good name. Still," he growled in her ear before poking her in the side which made her squirm and giggle. "You cannot go about naming other people's things."
"I suppose then I should not tell you what I call your—"
He covered her lips with his to hush her before she could say anything which drove him mad. Last night was hard enough without her teasing nature mixed in. Having her pressing against him made the ride anything but easy for him. He eased back enough to speak, "Hush wife." He dropped another kiss on her lips. "No more naming my things."
She giggled but shrugged and seemed ready to settle back against him when her body went completely stiff and a scream rang out. Before he could get a solid grip, she was tipping backwards off the horse. He managed to grab enough of her to cause her to twist midair and rather than her head or back she landed hard on her hip. The havoc made the horses closest rear and stomp but Io didn't pay them any mind as she rushed across the road and pressed against the rock face. Several of the men rushed to her side, a few took hold and started her back towards Xavier. Io's panic became pronounced. She wouldn't be taken to him and it took a moment to figure out why. A quick look left answered everything.
While the rouged cliffs climbed high and were thick walls to the right, to the left the road fell off in a steep and deep ravine in the pass they moved through. Io had no desire to be anywhere near such a thing and she was fighting and screaming to get free of the men who were dragging her closer.
"Let her go," Xavier commanded. He sidestepped Cloud through the others and met Io before she was forced halfway across the road. "Let her go. Do not force
her." His words weren't registering with the men. "Get your damn hands off her." She was freed instantly and pressed against the rocks again.
He walked Cloud towards her, keeping his broad side to her. She seemed to be trying to decide if creeping forward or back down the road was the better choice. Her hysterics were not helping her make any choice and eventually she slid down to sit in the snow and wrapped her arms around her knees while she sobbed.
"Io," Xavier called the same time he raised a hand to stop the men stepping towards her. "Io?"
"No, no, no, no," she gasped out between heavy weeping.
"Io." He tried a soft tone once more but her lack of response prompted him to switch to a harsher more demanding one. "Io," he bellowed and gained her attention if not her calm. "Stand up. You cannot sit in the snow and stop yelling before you bring down a slide on all of us."
Mostly practical, his command was obeyed and she stood. Her hands came up to cover her mouth. A few ragged breaths and she settled more. She searched for a way to get further from the edge of the road and cliff but some of her normal sensibility returned. He could see her as she tried to make her plan.
"Io, come here," Xavier said and pointed to the ground beside the horse. It was only a few steps for her to take but she refused. "Io, come here." He tried again but again she refused. "Io, here. This far. It is only a step or two. I am between you and the edge. You cannot go over with me in the way." This was a test of her trust in him and when she stepped up and wrapped her arms around his leg, he knew he passed. "Stand still for a moment, Io. Hold onto me and be still," he told her, brushing his hand over the top of her head. "Get those," he told the men standing around waiting for instructions and pointed to the pile of furs lost when Io took her tumble. The men gathered them up, shook them out and handed them up. He took his time sorting them out which gave Io time to collect herself. "Io," he called softly and waited until she looked up. "We must keep moving."
