He closed his eyes, as he held Aura closer and smelled the sweetness that seemed to cling to her like perfume. He brushed his lips over hers in a fleeting fashion then sighed with regret. If he had remained at Vernon's he would have been sampling her favors once more. With this trip it could be almost a full week before she would be in any shape to receive him.
Well, he conceded, it was not that unusual that he traveled and lived without the favors of a woman. It was harder this time though, because he found himself without any great control, especially with this particular woman at hand. As this had never happened with any other woman, it gave him something to wonder about.
He didn’t wonder long as sleep overcame him. When he woke in the morning, Aura had already risen, bathed, and had made a fire, where she was sitting as she braided her hair. He could hardly believe that she was able to bounce back so quick. Perhaps he was underestimating his bride. He decided he would be able to tell better when they arrived home.
Thorn had not been the only one surprised by Aura's resiliency as Edwin had watched his new sister in law extract herself with extreme care from his brother's arms then slink from the camp, to be followed by her wolf. As he had been assigned the dawn watch detail he had risen to accompany her, knowing that if anything happened to her during his watch Thorn would never forgive him.
Edwin watched as the wolf took up a guard position to protect his lady and Edwin smiled at the thought of a dog doing the same job that he had done at camp and doing it so well. The wolf was, Edwin thought, almost as good as he was at watching, which he considered just as well, for if he had been equal in task, he would have been discovered. As it was he was not too brave when he stalked them, for he felt that discovery could prove quite painful.
Feeling more than a little proud of himself Edwin smiled at his astuteness. Most men would have missed seeing Aura as she had left the camp. She was good at making herself disappear. He thought of the look that was apt to cross over his brother's face when he woke to find his wife gone without his noticing her defection and he grinned. Thorn had always prided himself on his lightness of sleep.
Edwin followed Aura for almost a mile and a half before he came across her beside a river. He watched as she sat on the ground and let her hair down to comb it out. He froze as he noticed her careful scanning of her surroundings. Then, satisfied that she was alone, she undressed, and slipped naked into the river to swim and clean herself. When she was through with her body she washed her clothing thoroughly and hung them on some bushes to dry.
No wonder his brother lusted after his wife and feared losing her. She was glorious. Edwin sighed to himself and frowned as he pushed a hand through his hair, thinking as he did, that he had been away from his own wife too long. For as attractive as he thought Aura might be, she was Thorn's wife and not worth the trouble that the feelings she was unconsciously inciting in him would cause. He decided that she would be safe, guarded by her wolf as she was, and he left, going as silently as he came, to make his way back to his place at camp.
Aura returned to the camp over a half an hour later to make her way over to the center of the campsite, which had been designated at the place for the main fire. Edwin watched as she placed the wood on the still glowing embers of the fire from the night before then watched as she settled down to care for her hair.
Thorn, he noticed, began to stir in his sleep and became aware that he was alone in his bed. He smiled in amusement as he watched the look of fear and watchfulness that come over Thorn’s face then noted the look of relief as he spotted her, braiding her hair by the fire.
Life was going to be interesting at Thorn's for a while and Edwin wished he lived closer. Elizabeth was going to love her new sister in law. They would have to get together as often as they could.
CHAPTER XIX
Both brothers watched Aura as she tended to herself then jumped visibly as her wolf howled in the distance. She smiled, and turning, noticed Thorn as he rose to approach her. She flashed him a bigger smile as she invited.
"Do you want to come along, or am I on my own?"
He smiled back as he held out a hand to her to help her up as he asked. "So where are we going?"
"About a half a mile North. Wolf has brought down an animal that he cannot drag on his own. He calls for help." She finished rising then let go of his hand as she raced to her horse, calling back to him as she ran. "Do not dawdle, he is not on his own out there you know."
She jumped onto the horse bareback and raced towards the sound of the wolf's second summons. Thorn followed suit, shouting orders as he started after her.
"A few of you can follow me, the rest can break camp and get ready to ride. When you join us ahead we will eat then start anew for home."
Edwin took over, glancing at Thorn as he galloped off after his wife to answer the call of the wolf. He snapped out a few names and orders then headed for his own horse to follow Thorn's trail. They were not going to leave him behind. He led a small troop of men and he rode to see for himself whether the wolf really killed for his lady or not.
Thorn almost caught up to Aura as she led the field and had to reign in sharp as he watched her hurl herself from the mare to race to Wolf's side. The wolf, it was plain to see, was quite proud of itself, as it had every right to be. It had just brought down an eight point stag, all on its own. It was a feat any man would be proud of, never mind a single wolf.
Thorn shot down from his horse to see to the downed deer, while Aura hugged her wolf and congratulated him on his kill. The wolf licked her face and whimpered in frantic ecstasy as he wiggled and gloried in her attention. Thorn watched the exchange and envied the animal his treatment. He wondered how long it would take for his efforts to be welcomed with as much enthusiasm as that blasted wolf. Already he grew weary of the wait. He gave a heavy sigh as he turned back to his work. For all he knew it would always be this way.
The rest of the men arrived on the scene, led by Edwin. It did not take long before they had butchered the meat and they left to join the main troop in a less dense area of the forest. Wolf trotted beside Aura's mare, with his tongue lolling out his mouth and with what Thorn thought, a smug smile on his face. Considering the pleased look and bearing of his mistress, he conceded that the animal had perhaps more than one reason to feel the way he did.
The carcass was taken away when the group rode into camp and while the venison was sliced up for further distribution, they ate. Aura demanded and received a prime piece of the meat for her wolf. By the time they had all finished their meal and things had been cleared away, everyone was ready to move on.
By the middle of the third day that they traveled, Aura was beginning to wonder how she had ever thought that England was a small country. In the time period that they lived now, it seemed quite large indeed. Thorn rode up beside her, after seeing his brother and his troop off into a different direction and he spoke.
"In a few more hours we should be home Aura. I would like you to know what the house I am taking you to is like, as it is not too much of anything yet. I have needed no more until now, so I left it as it was. When we have settled I would like to talk to you about us building a new home. I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter."
Aura's expression grew pensive, though she gave no comment. The land around her was very young and she decided that he had not yet had time to build on the virgin territory. She turned her eyes, almost the shade of violet on to Thorn and sighed with fatigue as she asked.
"Have the horses still another few hours in them?"
It was not the response Thorn had hoped for, but he supposed he would have to be satisfied with it for the moment.
"The horses will be fine. You might also notice that their pace quickens. They knew they are close to home and that a good feed and warm stall is just a couple of hills away."
"I am pleased they are so sure of their prospects. I wish we could all share the same degree of enthusiasm."
"I am no ogre Aura, I shall see you car
ed for and safe. I ask only one thing in return for all that I will give you personally and by way of possessions. Your love."
Aura looked at him, while revealing nothing of her inner thoughts then replied. "You place a very high price on your gifts. What would you say if I told you that I did not believe what you offer is worth the price?"
"That will change. You guard your heart well Aura, but I will have it nonetheless."
"If I ever offer you my heart, it will be because I feel you are worthy, not because you feel it is your due." She urged her horse into a faster pace and he had his mount keep pace with her, until about a half an hour before they were to reach his home village. He then leaned over to pluck her off of her horse and placed her onto his horse before him.
Aura's objection to this treatment was immediate. "Is it impossible for you to leave me some degree of dignity in our arrival amongst your people?"
He replied. "In a few moments we will round the bend and you will be able to see the home that is to be ours in the near future. I want to feel your reaction. I also want everybody under my immediate protection to know that you are my lady."
"They will accept me as a lady more readily if I am not plastered against your chest."
"I am striving to make a point and an impression." Thorn argued back.
"I know.” Aura came right back at him. “At the expense of my dignity."
Thorn considered what she said then relented, returning her to her own horse as he did. His lady had pride, let his people see this for themselves, for it was not misplaced.
The first thing Aura noted was the filth and squalor about her and she tightened her lips in anger as they rode through the town. People peeped at them through doors and windows. A few waved but there were no great joyful signs of greeting, as she would have expected the people would have given their lord. But then, she decided, why should they? He rode through the town with all the arrogance of a master.
She noted the attitude he seemed to have and she was angered further. How could he? How could he be so outrageously self-righteous while the people who served him lived like a bunch of rats? She almost gagged as the smell of animals and people living together in such close unsanitary conditions assailed her senses. Things, she vowed to herself, were going to change. She would not allow such filth to exist while she lived nearby, and as lady of the manor, she would have plenty to say about it. Thorn caught her attention, as he pointed to a building on the top of a hill and claimed it as his own. She just nodded in a curt and silent reply.
They rode for about another mile before he stopped before the building that was to be their home. He dismounted and, taking her by the waist, lifted her off the back of the mare. Aura looked about herself in interest as a stable boy ran to take the horses and then noticed, for the first time, that they were completely alone.
"Where did all the men go?"
Thorn smiled as he replied. "Home. They have been leaving us a few at a time as we traveled through my lands over the last couple of hours. They return to their own homes and families, something some of us has not seen in months. They will be made to feel very welcome tonight and for a change they will sleep in a bed instead of on the cold ground. Tell me, my lady, shall I be made to feel anywhere near as welcome as they do tonight?"
"It is not my place to make you feel welcome, as this is not my home. Also, as I remember, you have a terrible tendency of abusing a person's hospitality."
"So I remember you telling me, but as you do not yet feel this is your home I shall take it upon myself to make you feel welcome." With that Thorn swept Aura into his arms and entered his house. "Welcome, my lady, to your new home." He then kissed her, seeking a response that she successfully suppressed.
Aura looked about herself as he ended the kiss and set her down in the middle of the room. There was little furniture in the building and what was there was covered in what she estimated had to be no less than a full inch of dust. The floors seemed less dirty, but held signs of other occupants, which she thought Roger would have made short work of. She moved from room to room, taking care not to get any dirtier then returned to where Thorn awaited her. There had been only five rooms to inspect so her tour had ended quickly. When it was over she turned to Thorn to pass on a meek suggestion.
"Perhaps we could sleep outdoors another night, until I have had time to do something about the condition of the place."
Thorn noted the look of distaste on Aura’s face and asked. "Do you not like your new home?"
"It might be perfectly fine when I see it in the full light of day Thorn. But for now, all I can see is that it needs to be cleaned and cared for." She paused then and drew a breath, as if to fortify her nerves before blurting out. "Thorn, I refuse to sleep in such filth. I just will not do it."
His lips tightened as he returned. "Well sleeping outside is strictly out of the question. I will not have my tenants thinking you are not as you should be."
"Why not?" She snipped back in her sarcasm. "Afraid they might be right? Thorn, I meant what I said. I am not going to sleep in here unless we can get at least one room cleaned."
Thinking it would be easier to compromise than continue to argue. “What can I do to help?” He offered, with a sigh of resignation.
"To begin with I will need some proper light, as well as some cleaning supplies. While you get those I will start a fire so I can boil some water. You can pick a room for us to sleep in and I will clean it. After I have the whole house cleaned and in order you can sleep in one room and I in the other."
This was too much for Thorn. He was ready and even prepared to help her in her efforts to do what she felt she needed to do to live here, but he was not going to agree to separate sleeping arrangements.
"Let us get one thing straight right from the beginning Aura. You may do as you wish with the house, but we share the same room and the same bed. Do I make myself clear, my wife?" He emphasized the last two words to get his point across.
She signed then replied. "Just find me some light and some supplies to clean with. We will handle the rest later."
"Yes," he promised sternly. "We certainly will."
For Thorn, who had never thought that cleaning was more than dusting things off and washing anything foul, his wife's preoccupation with the matter was intimidating.
So, for the first few days he went off from the house, to go hunting, or to work on the building of his tower walls, to escape her ministrations. Granted, the place did look a lot better, but she did not seem to be satisfied with just the cleaning of her own home. She decided the whole village had to be reorganized and cleaned as well.
The people humored her, as they felt equally intimidated by her title, her manners and most of all, her wolf. They settled themselves down to work along side of her. For, to be honest, she never asked any of them to do anything that she would not have done herself, nor she was afraid to show them that this was the case.
As Thorn labored on his stronghold he often paused to watch his wife as she worked in the village. His men noticed the proud possessive air in the Lord's look as he watched her, and sometimes cheered, as he would ride to her side, to sweep her up onto his horse to give her a wild and passionate kiss. The women, working with Aura laughed at their Lord's antics and at how he made his lady scream in shock and outrage. Aura was, more often than not, returned to her feet disheveled and blushing with mortification at his treatment. She knew better than to berate him for it, for the only time she had, he had dismounted and kissed her so soundly that she could barely stand.
After a fortnight of Aura's labors Thorn had to admit, as he rode through the neat little town, that if he had not witnessed the transformation himself, he would never have recognized the town as his own. The pigsties were moved away from the houses and the homes were cleaned, inside and out. There were little buildings erected beside or behind each of the cottage, which Aura had decreed, was to take care of personal waste.
Things did look improved and as much as the peop
le had complained about their new lady's high manners and strange ideas, they now sang her praises as they took a new sense of pride in their meager belongings. Aura had tended their wounds, comforted their children and befriended the villagers. Aura, Thorn decided, had done very well and deserved to be told so.
As Thorn had labored by the side of his men they often told him how their wives spoke of how Aura would watch him as he toiled. They said that they wondered why she looked so sad. They reported that there were times when she would give him a wistful look, then sigh as if in regret. It was this piece of information, coupled with the knowledge that her most strenuous work was finished, that sent Thorn home a little earlier, eager to be with his wife. Perhaps now, he thought with a smile, they could begin their married life in earnest, as although she had never banned him from her bed, she had always been too tired to give him more than a few words of attention.
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