"I sought compensation for the injury you did me before the battle, but I would never have kept her from you Thorn. This was to last only a few moments, something to repay you for the hell you put me through."
Thorn's reply was scathing and it seared through the great room. "Has my life not been hell enough these last months since she has been gone?"
Vernon had the grace to look ashamed, though he offered no words to tell his friend so. Instead he answered his other questions.
"Aura showed up after, or during the battle, I am not sure which. I found her amongst the wounded, as you might have done if you would have thought to look, instead of sweeping the remnants of the invading army. I have watched over her night and day to keep her safe for you. Also, she did not want you to know until you got here. She wanted to surprise you."
"If I would have known I would have been here over two weeks ago and we would have been home by now, where we both belong."
"By that I believe that you mean to drag her off to your home right away Thorn?” Vernon teased.
Thorn smiled back and returned the gesture. "As tempting as the idea is, I think perhaps I will spend a little time here, if nothing other than for the night. I trust you do not mind us taking possession of your field again."
Vernon did not smile this time as he snapped. "The field is no place for the Lady Aura. You can stay with her in her room."
Thorn chuckled again and replied. "I intended to, the field was for my men. In the meantime, what does a man have to do to get a meal around here Vernon? You used to be much more hospitable as I remember."
"I would have thought you would have wanted to be alone with your wife for a while." Vernon teased.
Thorn looked down at Aura, who still stood with her cheek against his chest and her arms wrapped about him. He smiled with the pride and sureness of possession as he answered.
"There is no hurry. We have the rest of our lives together. I want to meet Sillgrim and get to know him, especially if he is to be Signi's husband. I would have thought it would have taken her longer to submit to another man's charms."
"I think Thorn that if you were to look into the situation, you might find your wife had a little to do with their matching. Their marriage, with your permission and approval, has been arranged for tomorrow. I trust you will stay at least long enough to attend?"
"We will then as they travel to the same area as we do, we will travel together. I shall speak to Sillgrim on the matter."
Thorn made his way over to the place assigned to them, with his arms placed firm about Aura's shoulders and they joined the festivities.
Sillgrim rose to meet Thorn, Signi introduced her brother to her betrothed. "Sillgrim, this is my brother, the Lord Thorn. I seek your approval and would appreciate your blessings of our union Thorn."
"If Sillgrim promises to treat you well and is as faithful to his pledge of allegiance as he is cunning in battle, I will be more than pleased with granting you this, Signi."
"And if you should find me wanting?" Sillgrim asked.
"Then you will deal with me." Thorn answered sternly.
"Good," Sillgrim shot back. "That means we will be seeing each other often so you may assure yourself of my compliance."
Thorn laughed as he gave Sillgrim's shoulder a resounding slap. Sillgrim gave a small groan of pain. Aura was immediately concerned, but everything seemed all right, so she said nothing. The men could play their games in relative safety she decided. They all settled into their places, and the men began to talk again. She was surprised that their coming together had been accomplished so easily. They had been enemies mere months ago, now they were about to become neighbors. She figured it had to be a sign of the times.
"Vernon has given you some prime land Sillgrim, however, it is wild and will need much work." Thorn informed Sillgrim.
"I have many men who follow me. They are not afraid of work, but they need homes, places to raise a family and live in peace if possible. Of course they will defend their land and loved ones if they must."
"I hope their prayers of peace are answered, as for settling to raise a family I plan on doing that very thing myself. Doing so in peace would be a bonus. I have grown tired of the continuous fighting." Thorn admitted.
"Vernon is a wise man, but he is no ruler. You could rule Thorn. I have heard of you, and now that I have met you, I know that Vernon holds power only through your good will." Sillgrim wanted Thorn to know his thoughts about their Duke.
"A good leader uses strong men to keep and hold his land. No man is capable of being all things to all men. It is important though that he rules fair, nothing else matters as much." Thorn wanted to make sure Sillgrim understood where he stood on that matter.
"I will follow you Thorn. If you continue to follow Vernon then so will I. Tell me though, now that we sit together in peace, how did you know not to attack my halved forces?"
"It did not feel right Sillgrim and I had knowledge of that through one of your own men. It was not a piece of information gotten easily either."
Sillgrim nodded. Thorn spoke of the instinct of any natural born hunter. It bespoke the basis of a great warrior. They ate their meal in silence, each holding to their own thoughts, until Thorn asked.
"So what time is this wedding to take place tomorrow?"
"In the early afternoon, or late morning." Sillgrim answered.
"We plan to leave for our home tomorrow. Should you wish to join us we will wait until after the ceremony. That way we can travel in harmony, unhindered by bandits."
"Somehow I have trouble picturing you with that particular problem even on your own." Sillgrim commented.
"You are right. Most men tend to leave me and my forces alone."
"We will travel with you, and we will be happy to do so."
"Prepare to ride long and hard then. I will let Signi know. Aura already knows how I like to travel, she will be prepared." Thorn replied.
"You make no allowances for the ladies?" Sillgrim asked in surprise, thinking a woman not up to such punishment.
Thorn smiled and answered. "You will find they are tougher than they look and they are more than happy to get the trip over with as well. Remember Sillgrim. I have traveled with both Signi and Aura. I know what to expect. I have the advantage over you in judging what to do."
Sillgrim nodded in agreement and the two men looked about them. The meal had ended and they sat alone. Signi and Aura had moved off to talk with others. They got up and joined them.
Aura gave Thorn a soft loving smile, as he approached from behind to wind his arms about her waist. He looked down at her and leaned over to kiss her on the side of the temple. "I can hardly believe you are really here." He whispered in her ear as he held her.
"I am here Thorn and unless you no longer want me, I will never leave you." Aura replied in a voice meant for his ears only.
"Where were you?" He asked. "I looked, we all looked."
Aura closed her eyes as if it hurt to speak, and answered. "I am not sure telling you would be such a good thing. I am not from your world Thorn and I guess before I could come back to stay I had to make a clean break of my old life. I pray to God I have done the right thing."
Thorn sighed softly and answered: "If you are with me it is the right thing. Never forget or doubt that."
CHAPTER XXXI
For the first time since Aura had made herself known to Thorn they were alone, and he was unsure of what he should say or do. He wanted desperately to pull her into his arms, and crush her to himself. He wanted to feel her lips under his, to devour them. He wanted to possess her, to feel himself surging deep inside of her, but some inner sense told him that the time was not right. He would, he promised, try to find out what had happened, though he was unsure how to broach the subject. To cover his indecision and feelings of awkwardness, he said nothing, hoping that things would fall into place on their own.
In his usual style Thorn undressed, tossing his clothes as he shed them on the floor. B
y the time he reached the bed he was naked and he slid in between the covers. He squirmed about trying to make himself comfortable then noticed that he was not the only one who did not know what to expect.
Aura had entered the room just before Thorn and she was still standing by the doorway, with a deep crimson blush spread across her face. She had forgotten that he slept naked and only now remembered that she had usually been asleep by the time he had joined her. She had never watched him disrobe to retire and she felt very awkward about the idea of him watching her undress, which she knew he would do. It was just something that went without saying that he would enjoy. If for no other reason than it would make her blush.
Thorn smiled in amusement at the look of embarrassment on Aura's face. He then sat up, letting the covers drop down to his waist as he spoke.
"You cannot be embarrassed by the sight of a man's body when you have healed so many?"
Aura said nothing as she walked to a corner of the room and took Sid out of the bag. She decided, as the snake was always left to roam through the night, that she should let Thorn know of its existence. It also gave her time to deal with her uneasiness.
"I want you to meet Sid, Thorn. He hunts for mice and rats during the night. I will be glad to see him home and safe."
"Your replacement for Roger I presume?" Thorn asked with distaste. He did not share Aura's fondness for snakes.
"I bought him with my own money and he is mine. He will take care of the rats and other rodents in our home until he dies and this time he had better die of natural causes. I brought him because I cannot live in a house infested with vermin. I especially despise rats." She defended her reasoning and need for having Sid about.
"I understand Aura and it is all right. I dare say I will get used to him in time."
Aura looked at Thorn for a few moments then sighed, she had forgotten so much about the man. She was certain that she could not remember feeling so breathless in his company. She certainly didn’t remember him watching her with the intensity he was showing at the moment. She then acknowledged that they had not really spent much of their waking moments together. They had both spent their time working on their own projects, to the point of exhaustion. She found that the way his eyes lingered on her made her skin tingle and flush. She didn’t really mind the feeling, whereas she thought she might have before.
Thorn’s gaze caused Aura to feel a sudden engulfing heat and felt it burn from deep within. She wanted him. It would have been much easier if he would have just picked her up at the door and carried her to the bed. Within moments they would have been lost in the depths of their needs. What made it so difficult now was that as much as she craved his touch, his kisses and his possession, she wanted to let him know that she had returned for more than mere sex. She sighed in her disappointment and dropped her eyes from the picture he presented before her.
Thorn smiled, wondering what was going through her mind and teased. "Are you coming to bed, or have you changed your mind? Do you plan to sit on the floor and play with that snake all night?"
Aura rose, as she was at the point of doing anyway and picked up a clean nightgown. Thorn laughed as she looked for a place to change and asked. "Do you think you need to crawl off into a corner to change? Do you think I do not remember every curve and plane of your body? Do you think I do not remember the feel of your skin and the taste of your lips?" He then grew pensive as he continued. "Every night I used to imagine you in my bed. I would remember the feel of your body next to mine, the sound of your breathing in the night, the feel and taste of your lips on mine. Why did you leave me Aura? Why?"
Silent tears ran down her face as she raised her eyes to look at him, meeting his gaze with her own. "I did not leave, not of my own free will and certainly not in my heart." She sat by his side, on the edge of the bed and continued. "I never realized I loved you until I was gone, until you were no longer there. When we were apart I could feel every time you were sick or injured, almost as if a part of us were joined. I could feel your arms about me at night, though you were not there and I could not return. I did not know how to, though I wanted to with all my heart."
"I prayed, I never lost faith, not even once." Thorn felt that if he told her how he had not lost faith it might help her believe, for he had a feeling that she was beginning to give his theory her support.
"I know, but you must try to understand Thorn." She pleaded for him to recognize her problem. "I do not have the kind of faith that you have. The type of faith, that would help me believe, I have never experienced. I had to seek help to find the kind of strength you take for granted. I needed to find a way to understand what happened. I don’t think I ever will, but I am willing to accept it for what it is."
Thorn thought to take her into his arms at this, but Aura held him off with her hands. He gave her a look of inquiry, but backed off, in respect for her feelings. She spent some time getting herself together then began anew.
"I was told to believe, to hold fast to he who believes, to take all that bound me to where I was. I did all this and I am prepared to continue to do so, but I will need your help, your strength."
"What would you have me do?" Thorn asked. He would do anything.
"Hold me Thorn? Please do not punish me, I cannot take much more of this. It has been too painful, too difficult."
Thorn took his tear-drenched wife into his arms and attempted to comfort her. She was special to him, he had dedicated many prayers for her return and she was right. He should not be making this hard for her. It was obvious that she had come very far and things were difficult enough without him making them even more so. He looked down at her and smiled. It figured. She was fast asleep and probably because, as usual, she had worked herself into a state of exhaustion, both physically and mentally.
Well, he thought, one good turn deserved another. He lifted her onto the bed and disrobed her, remembering the zipper in her last gown. He smiled down at her as his eyes caressed her in her sleep, and he memorized every inch of her all over again. He reached out with a shaky hand to bring a stray lock of hair to his lips and moaned as the scent held within wafted over him. Lord he had missed her. He curled up beside her and covered the both of them with her blankets to ward off the chill of the night. He then drew her close and kissed her on the temple as he gave a light sigh. He buried his face into her neck and inhaled even more of the fragrances he had missed so much. He vowed with all of his body and soul, that he would bind her to him, no matter how. She moved closer to him in her sleep, winding an arm about his shoulder and sighed softly. She had been very tired, he understood. He was just as tired in his own way. Within moments he also fell asleep and for once, he found peace in his dreams.
Aura woke first in the morning and although she felt a bit surprised to feel Thorn's skin next to hers, she decided she liked it. She raised a hand to touch his strong chiseled profile and gave a tender, secretive smile. She had made the right choice, she was sure of it. He had become everything that she had ever wanted.
Feeling a pressing need to rise and relieve her bladder she became aware of how tight Thorn was holding her and she wondered how it was possible for him to maintain his grip while he still slept. He had, as she recalled, held her like this all night, in varying degrees of possessiveness. He moved now, releasing her enough for her to squirm out of his arms and she rose to dress and see to her needs. She finished as Thorn woke and gave him a wide loving smile as his gaze rested on her. He looked for a moment as if he doubted she was real then rose onto an elbow to watch her closer.
"You always were good at getting out of bed without rousing me." He remarked with a pleased grin. It did not matter to him if she had not woken him as long as she was still with him.
"You sleep too sound." Aura defended herself then taunted. "I am surprised you have made it this long without one of your enemies slitting your throat in the night. I bet if your foes knew what I know they would choose to attack in the middle of the night. That way when you woke in the
morning, you would be left to wonder what had happened."
"Granted, I sleep well when I need not be wary." Thorn admitted.
"Likely story, you always sleep like someone struck you over the head." Aura teased, in obvious high spirits.
Thorn watched with approval as her smile flashed and her eyes appeared lit from within. He had never seen her so lighthearted. She danced about as she teased keeping herself out of the range of his grasp and he laughed in glee as she forgot herself and stepped a little too close. She had swung about and he had managed to catch a handful of hair as it had fanned about her.
"Not fair," Aura accused and she laughed as he captured the rest of her. His lips covered her and the laughter stopped as she moaned and wound her arms about his neck.
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