Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  When Severn and its men stopped of to stuff, Liana included/understood that it could obtain from them what felt like to him. While the filled belly was slapped, Severn not only acceded to the order of his sister-in-law, but who offered her aid to dig. She smiled, said to him that that no he would be nece­sario, and she presented/displayed a loaded sweet jelly source to him.

  If it were so easy to conquer my husband, thought Lia­na, while he sank tired in the mattress of pens. It avoided to think about which Rogan would be doing in casti­llo of Bevan. In arms of another woman?

  Rogan was seated in front of the home of castle of Bevan, so indifferent to rófia and the disorder that alre­dedor was as it used to be in the Moray castle. It had the eyes only for the pretty one and young farmer who was before him.

  That morning, when it left Moray, no it knew very well why one left. It knew solely that when desper­tar, his first thought was for that demon female of blond hair with that it had married. Rascó the punctures of the fleas that of very good desire abandona­ron the old mattress on which one had lain down, to jump to his body, and then included/understood that a little wished to dis­tanciar itself, in the time and in the space, of that mu­chacha that was its wife.

  It ordered some men who they prepared and all left to horse and they stopped in the village to gather to Thursday, because it wished to take it with himself. But this one retro­cedió, cried and him she requested that she did not force it to go with him, because the Lady of the Fire would kill it. Rogan one separated displeased from the young person. It heard the same complaints and protests of lips of Do­mingo and Tuesday, so that it went to Bevan without women.

  This castle rose, isolated, on a discharge and em­pinada hill; before beginning the ascent one stopped in the village that it was on the foot, seized of the first pretty girl and aspect healthful that saw and it put it on its own mount. Now the girl was of foot, shaking, before Rogan.

  -- Cesa to shake -- it ordered to him, with gathered frown. He was younger of which it had imagined in the beginning. It saw that it accentuated the tremor and frunció plus entrecejo.­ -- Ven here and dame a kiss -- it ordered.

  The tears began to descend on the face of the girl, but anyway it went ahead towards him and she gave a fast kiss him in the cheek. Rogan grasped the grasientos hair to him, it approached the mouth of the young person his own lips and it kissed it hungry. It felt that the young person estre­mecía between its arms.

  It loosen it and when pushing it it fell to the floor.

  -- My gentleman, please, you do not do damage to me -- mu­chacha requested --. I will do what you say, but please you do not do damage to me.

  The desire of Rogan was extinguished. It remembered too much well to the young person who wished it, a woman who did not smell of gra­sa and pig dung.

  -- Outside here -- it said by it under --. Veto before it changes of ideal -- it howled when seeing that the girl was dema­siada scared to move. Rogan became and she left presurosa the room.

  Approaching one of the barrels that it had against the wall, a spurt used as dark and bitter beer in dirty jarro of wood. One of the horsemen was dur­miendo close and Rogan it unloaded a kick in his ribs.

  -- Levántate -- ordered -- and brings dices. I need al­go that helps me to sleep tonight.

  9

  Liana approached the hand its back sore. Rogan had been absent two long weeks and in that lapse it had made miracles in the castle and the village. In the beginning, the farmers no they wanted to obey to him because they feared cóle­ra of lord Rogan. But when few accepted their orders and they were not punished, the rest began to believe in she.

  The houses of the village were repaired, they bought new articles to dress, and animals sacrificed themselves to ali­mentar to hungry people. Towards the the two aim of prime­ras weeks, farmers watched Liana as if she had been an angel.

  The cleaning of the castle and the village it caused satisfac­ción in her, except in an aspect; the number of pe­lirrojos children dispersed everywhere. In the beginning, she thought that it was a coincidence that Rogan had hair of dark color such, so peculiar, that they appeared in village algu­nos. But when a boy of about eight years watched it with the same hard expression of its husband, Liana qui­so to know who was the father of the small one.

  The farmers who were around they interrupted his tasks and in silence they nailed the eyes in the floor. Liana its question repeated, and finally, a young person went ahead: Liana identified it like one of the Days, that used to sleep with Rogan.

  -- Lord Rogan is the father -- this one said challenging.

  Liana felt that around farmers en­cogían themselves, as if they hoped to receive blows.

  -- How many children of my husband it has here?

  -- More or less a dozen. -- the girl she elevated to­davía plus the chin.-- and the one that I take in my belly.

  Liana remained immovable a little while, incapable to move or to speak. It did not know if more it were angered with its es­poso by to have so many bastards or because this one left its own children they lived in the poverty. It included/understood that the farmers observed it, hoping to see what it did and it breathed deeply.

  -- Reu'nan to the children and envíenlos to castle, I will take care of his necessities.

  -- With the mothers? -- the girl said and its attitude de­mostraba that she herself experienced a triumph feeling. Liana watched, hostile, to the young person,

  -- You can choose: you leave the boy my taken care of or asu­mes the responsibility to raise it. But no, I will not receive to mothers of the children.

  -- Yes, my lady -- it said obedient girl, inclinan­do the head.

  Near her, Liana heard that few women co­mentaban the decision of Liana with samples of asentimien­to.

  It was late when it left the village and it felt desires to put in the bed, next to Rogan, As usual, it began to dream wide-awake about which he would request cuan­do to him was his slave by a day. Perhaps it organized co­mida next to a stream, only stops they two, Or perhaps obli­gase it to that it spoke to him. Nothing else that to obtain that a day with her, one hour with her took a walk, both completely dressed, would be a success. Anyone had said that it included it in the same category that to the women of the Days -- that is to say, for the bed and nothing else.

  The repiqueteo of the helmets of his horse on the wooden bridge that allowed to cross the pit, now empty, it gave back it to the reality. Behind, they rode the caba­lleros Peregrine, always present and quiet.

  The dependencies of the castle were now almost lim­pias and Liana could promote the stairs to arrive at the hall without to encounter over remainders.

  Once above, it avoided to Joice, that tapeworm a list of questions and complaints and raised the dormitories of the high floor. During the last Liana weeks it had looked for several times the Lady, lady with whom talked that first week and that remembered to him that the men they never fought by the discreet and submissive women. But the door of its ha­bitación it was always closed with bolt.

  The quarters of the high floor were now clean and the servants of Liana occupied some; but most es­taban emptinesses, hoping the appearance of guests. To ex­tremo of the runner usually closed room, this time was open. Liana stopped a little while pa­ra to watch at the woman and the light of the sun that fell on its cabe­llos braids, while one inclined on a frame to weave.

  -- Good afternoon, wanted -- it said to him, becoming and son­riendo with affection --. Please, it enters and it closes the door, there is airflow.

  Liana did what it was requested to him.

  -- Vine to veros before, but did not have nobody. Rogan went to the castle of Bevan.

  Again it had the sensation of which it knew from always,

  The woman separated silk fibers scarlet.

  -- If, and you made a bet with him. He will be your slave by a day?

  Liana smiled, it walked towards the Lady, and over its shoulder it contemplated the subject fabric by the frame. I
t was carpet fragment, the almost complete image of one esbelta blond lady with hand on the head of unicornio.

  -- It could be your image - it talked back smiling the Lady. How you set out to occupy your day with Rogan?

  Liana smiled, soñadora.

  -- Perhaps a long stroll by the forest, to spend the day together and single. Neither brothers, nor obligations in the castle, nor horsemen... only both. I love that he... me con­sagre all his attention. -- As the Lady did not talk back, Liana watched and saw it that the smile it had toned down.-- you do not approve it.

  -- it does not correspond to me to judge -- him it responded in voice ba­ja --. But on the other hand, I believe that it and Jeanne were accustomed to to take a walk together.

  -- Jeanne?

  -- Jeanne Howard.

  — ¡Howard! -- Liana exclaimed, containing a excla­mación --. Such Howard that is the jura­dos enemies of Peregrinate? I almost do not hear speak of another thing des­de that I married... that Howard robbed the territories of Peregrine, that killed to some of them, that obliga­ron to pass hunger. You are saying that to certain Rogan time it courted to a Howard?

  -- Rogan was married with Jeanne before of which it was a Howard.

  Liana seated next to the window, sun on es­palda.

  -- Decídmelo everything -- it requested to him.

  -- Rogan was married with Jeanne Randel when it was only sixteen years old and she fifteen. Its parents and their brother William had been surrounded in Bevan the preceding year and the three children greater of Peregrine they esta­ban very occupied waging the war to the Howard and therefore they did not have time to marry. They decided that Rogan contracted it connects, it obtained the dowry of mu­chacha and it gave some children them who more late they would help in the fight. Rogan was against the marriage, but its her­manos they convinced it.

  The Lady became to watch Liana.

  -- Throughout its life, Rogan has only known deprivations and suffering. Not all the scars that it has in the body they come from the combats, his brothers and his father also they contributed his.

  -- So that "they convinced" a Rogan of which ca­sara -- Liana by low it said.

  -- Yes, but after seeing it one was not reluctant: she was a slight and pretty, so discreet woman and spoken well. The mother she had passed away when it was small and as pu­pila of the king were bred in convent by the nuns. Perhaps the passage of a convent to the marriage with Pere­grine was not a specially easy situation for a girl.

  The Lady watched Liana, but this one no she responded. That morning had discovered to a dozen of ilegítimos children of his husband and in the evening found out that he had had another wife.

  The Lady continued speaking.

  -- Creo that Rogan began to fall in love with she. It had never enjoyed a pleasing life and I suppose that the smoothness of Jeanne it fascinated it. Memory that certain time re­tornaron of a stroll and both had flowers in the hair.

  Liana turned aside the glance, because it wanted to avoid that the do­lor that was pronounced in its face was perceived by its in­terlocutora. First wife gave flowers to his and the name could not remember of second.

  -- Llevaban about four married months of when the Howard seized of Jeanne while she and Rogan es­taban single in the forest. Rowland had warned Rogan that it did not leave single, but this one inmortal was believed, that when was with Jeanne nothing could damage it. It seems to me that they were swimming when... -- the Lady watched the face of sore expression of Liana --... and dozing, when the men of Oliver Howard fell on they and apo­deraron themselves of Jeanne. Rogan could not arrive at its sword but it was able to start of his mounts to two of the Howard, strangling to one of they before the rest pudie­sen to separate it. I believe that one of Peregrinate finished killing the smaller brother of Oliver and this one was of a hu­mor terrible, ordering its men who maintained to Rogan while he shot to him three arrows, do not stop to kill it, but to demonstrate the power to him that exerted. Later, Oli­ver and its men moved away with Jeanne to horse.

  Liana fixedly watched woman e the terrible scene imagined.

  -- and what made Rogan? -- it murmured.

  -- Volvio' to foot to the castle -- it said Lady --. Six kilóme­tros, with three bleeding wounds, walking where they esta­ban its brothers. On the following day they attacked the Howard. It rode with its men and it fought against its enemies, has­ta that to the third day fell of the horse, with very high fever. It recovered the sense after almost two weeks and had died its brothers Basil and James.

  -- Dijo that he killed his brothers -- it observed Liana.

  -- Rogan always took very in serious his responsabili­dades. , Rowlan and the Severn young person fought against the Ho­ward by more of a year. Peregrine did not have the necessary force or the money in order to mount a serious attack to the castle of the Howard, great and strong, but they fought like pudie­ron, robbing the provisions of the Howard, burning houses of the farmers, poisoning the wells at which could arrive. It was bloody year, and then...

  The Lady did not complete her own phrase.

  -- and then what? -- it urged Liana.

  -- and then Jeanne returned to Rogan.

  Liana hoped, but the Lady did not say more. Its needle en­traba and left quick the silk of the carpet.

  -- What happened when Jeanne returned?

  -- Teni'a a pregnancy of six months, son of Oliver Howard and very was enamored with him. It came to see Rogan, a to request to him that it granted the cancellation to him of the marriage because wished to marry with Oliver.

  -- Poor boy -- it said finally Liana --. How it is possible that she did that to him? Or it happened that Oliver Ho­ward it forced to take it that step?

  -- Nobody had forced to Jeanne. It loved a Oliver and he corresponded to him. In fact, this one had prohibited to see him Rogan, one seted out to kill the husband of the woman whom it loved. I believe that Jeanne felt something by Rogan, because it seems to me that its visit saved the life to him. This it returned here des­pués to see Jeanne and while it asked for the cancellation, Peregrine and the Howard stopped to fight.

  Liana was put of foot and walked until bottom of the ha­bitación and kept silence during several minutes. Final­mente, one became to watch the Lady.

  -- So that Rogan and Jeanne was accustomed to to take a walk together by the forest, is not thus? In that case, I will organize a cele­bración, we will dance, I will bring singers and acrobats and...

  -- Like in your wedding?

  Liana stopped to speak and remembered the day of its wedding, when Rogan had ignored it.

  -- Deseo that it spends a time with me -- it said --. It does not pay attention to me, safe in the bed. I want to be more for him... that a day of the week. I love that he...

  -- What you wish of him?

  — ¡I love what that vixen of Jeanne Howard had and despised! -- Liana with violence said --. I want that Rogan loves to me.

  -- and you will obtain giving it strolls by forest?

  The Lady seemed to rejoice.

  Suddenly, Liana felt very tired. Its dream of a husband who took a walk with her and maintained him the hand, did not agree with the man who, after receiving three arrows continued fighting during whole days. Cuan­do Zared remembered said that Rogan was in its room of meditation. Well, he was not stranger who gave his reflexio­nes; that never it smiled; that it did not want to have nothing to do with another wife.

  -- What I can do? -- it said aloud -- . How him de­muestro that I am not Jeanne Howard?. How with himself that Rogan me love?

  It watched the Lady and it hoped. But this one I wagged the head.

  -- I do not have answer for you. Perhaps it is an impossible task. Most of the women they would feel satisfied with husband who does not strike them and who takes advantage of other women to satisfy his necessities. Rogan will give hi­jos you and the children can be of great confortamiento for a woman.

  Liana tightened the lips.

  -- the children wh
o will grow to fight and to die the Howard as opposed to? I must remain indifferent while my husband it indicates the skulls of the horses and teaches to my children to hate? Rogan it empowers of everything what can start to me, of which can obtain from farmers, of everything what he puts himself within reach, to make machines military. Its hatred is more important for him than a life on Earth. It has children with the girls farmers, and allows that the children happen necessities. If during a day it could at least forget to the Howard, not to take in account that now is the greater one of Peregrine. If it manages to include/understand how his perhaps hatred is causing the slow death of its people, in that case, would obtain...

  It was interrupted, the very open eyes.

  -- You could what?

  Liana spoke with serious voice.

  -- Hace weeks the farmers me they requested per­miso to celebrate the day of San Eustasio. Of course, I granted the permission. If Rogan could see this people, to ha­blar to him... perhaps if it knew to its own children...

  Now, the Lady smiled.

  -- Rare time moved away of its family and I doubt that it accepts to pa­sar a solo day with you. The opportunity in which he was so­lo him they snatched the wife and opportunely that caused the death of its two brothers. No, it will not accept easily what you solicit to him.

  The Lady returned the eyes towards the door and she listened.

  -- it seems to Me that your servant is buscándote, now de­bes marcharte.

  -- Yes -- it said Liana, distracted, his thought concentra­do in which there was been speaking. It walked towards puer­ta, one became and it watched the woman --. I can again veros? Its door often has put the bolt.

  The Lady smiled.

  -- Whenever you need to me, here I will be.

  Liana repaid the smile and left room. It immediately heard the movement of the bolt in the door. Sin­tió impulse to call, had thought to formulate certain questions to the Lady, but it seemed that never it was able to re­cordar them when it was in that room.