Aura

by Abraham, M. A.

  There was no passion in this kiss, only a burning need to touch and be touched. When it might have changed to something more demanding he pulled away, unwrapping her arms from about himself and with a voice, thick with need, explained.

  "No. When I next make you mine it will be in our home and in our own bed. This time we will do things right."

  Aura agreed, so she said nothing. She understood, or thought she did. He did not want a repeat of their life before. He wanted something better; he wanted a life where they were one in all things. She gave a lithe stretch and tossed him a Cheshire smile.

  "I almost feel as if I could go back to sleep. Does that sound lazy of me?"

  Thorn grinned back and answered. "I would not worry about it, for I know of few women less apt to be lazy than you, although you do tend to drift off too easily. I have never met anyone who can go from wide awake into total sleep as you do."

  "Really?" She replied, continuing her light teasing banter. "They do say a clear conscience makes for a quick and easy sleep."

  Thorn chuckled as he rose and dressed. Aura rolled over onto the other side of the bed, where she sat facing the other direction so she would not have to watch him. He taunted her from behind.

  "You really have not changed that much have you? You used to avoid looking at me before. I could never understand it. Why does the sight of my body embarrass you when others do not?"

  Thorn sat close beside her and she turned to view his fully clad body and replied. "The other men are patients who need to be cared for so they may live and heal. I see no further than that with them. But you Thorn," Aura stopped to run her tongue over her dry lips in a nervous gesture, before relaying the rest of her thoughts. "I am affected by the mere sight of you Thorn. I can feel something deep inside of me. I sense when you walk into a room, even when I do not see you. I am not used to these things and I am not so sure I can handle it. I will need some time to get used to the feeling. Can you give me this?" She ended on a breathless note and looked down at her hand, which she had earlier folded on her lap.

  He understood, she did not need to say anymore. Thorn decided he liked this and with a light touch, he cupped her chin in his fingers and raised it until she was looking into his eyes, instead of at her hands.

  "I am a patient man Aura, I will give you all the time you need. All things come to pass when the time is right."

  Thorn bent and gave her a long sweet kiss that lasted until they were interrupted by a knock on the door. He looked long and deep into her eyes for a moment, followed with another quick kiss then rose to answer the door. Aura moved to begin the packing of the few things she had.

  Signi was at the door, dressed in pale pink and gold, and she teased as she breezed into the room. "Up and dressed so early? I would have thought you abed until noon, I would have been." She paused then as she saw the empty sack and looked about in uncertainty as she asked. "Sid still free?"

  Aura smiled her amusement and went to a corner, where Sid had coiled himself up to sleep. She put him back into his sack and closed it.

  "Feel better Signi?"

  Signi could sense Aura’s amusement, and in some ways she could see her point of view. It did seem silly, but she couldn’t shake the way she felt about the snake. "I have come to talk to you before the wedding. I need some answers.”

  Thorn laughed at that then left, saying he had to prepare his men for their trip home and needed to let Edwin know what had happened. Edwin had elected to stay with the men instead of accompanying his brother to the banquet.

  "Men can be so irritating at times." Signi declared as she watched her brother leave then changed the subject as she confided. "Sillgrim came to my room last night for the first time. He said he could not sleep because he could not get me out of his mind."

  "You welcomed him?" Aura asked, making sure that what had happened was of Signi's free will.

  "It is proper, we are due to be wed today. Aura, I never thought it could be anything like that between a man and a woman. He made me feel so complete. It hurt a little at first, but it was worth it in the end. I feel as if I could walk on air."

  Aura smiled, content with what she heard. "I am happy you are pleased Signi. A part of me feared you might be discontented with Sillgrim, after all, he was not your first choice."

  "I never knew Sillgrim when I made my first choice. I daresay things have probably turned out for the best. Thorn and he have become fast friends. If Thorn approves of Sillgrim, Edwin will. I am truly happy. But are you? You do not seem that overjoyed to be back with my brother."

  "It is not so simple for us Signi, we have been parted a long time. Thorn is trying to be very understanding without knowing any of the facts. There are barriers and I believe we both expected this."

  "You mean to say he did not take you into his arms last night and make love to you?" Signi sounded astonished. It would have been the first thing she would have thought Thorn would have done.

  "Not as Sillgrim did with you.” Aura admitted. “Somehow I do not think it would have been right if he would have. Signi, we love each other and I think we are content to let the moment come. And Signi? It will come."

  "You are sure of this?" Signi worried aloud.

  "Thorn was very tired from his long forced ride last night. I was not any better, although in my case it was basically nerves. We slept, nothing more."

  Signi felt disappointed, but she shrugged it off as she turned around to show Aura her dress, which one of the reasons she had come in the first place.

  "What do you think of it Aura? It is my wedding gown."

  "It is beautiful Signi. It is just too bad that you will not be wearing it for long. You do know Thorn and Sillgrim have decided to travel as soon as the ceremony is over?" Aura was half afraid the men might not have mentioned this to Signi.

  "Sillgrim and I spoke of it last night. We have a lot of work to do before winter sets in and Sillgrim wants to get started. I understand the reasons, I grew up in that part of the world. His people will be mine. We both want the best for them. Thorn has offered to help in anyway he can."

  "Very neighborly of him, don’t you think?" Aura asked.

  "Yes, considering he is not quite finished with his own home." Signi informed her.

  This was news to Aura, who, while she knew that he had planned to begin building, had no idea he had even begun the actual work.

  "I see I am in for a few changes when I get home." Aura commented with a smile. "Well I have a few surprises for him also, so I guess that will make us even."

  "I am so happy that we are going to be living close to each other Aura. We can see each other often."

  Aura nodded then opened one of her boxes to bring out a jeweler’s box. "Signi I would be honored if you would wear these for your wedding. They were a gift from my stepfather. They would finish off your outfit so nicely."

  Signi took the flat velvet case, embossed with an exclusive jeweler’s stamp on the top and opened it to reveal a diamond necklace and earring set. She gasped at the exquisite beauty of the jewels and asked. "I thought you were the unwanted daughter."

  "Yes, well, I was away for over three years. By the time I got back they were feeling very guilty over the way they had treated me. Jewelry was one of the main ways that they used to try to bridge the gap. Please say that you will wear them? They will go together so well with the dress."

  Signi nodded her head, her eyes sparkling with enthusiastic excitement. The jewels were gorgeous. Aura had her turn around to put the necklace around her neck. Signi turned to her after the jewels were secured, and fingered the gems as she sought Aura’s opinion.

  "How do I look?"

  "Like a Princess." Aura assured her. "You are so beautiful Signi. Sillgrim is very lucky. When is the ceremony?"

  "As soon as I go down to join the rest the ceremony will start. "

  "Then perhaps we should get it over with. I will go ahead to tell them you are on your way. Give me about ten minutes then follow. Anyone w
ho looks like you do right now has the right to make a grand entrance, especially on their wedding day."

  "Ten minutes?" Signi had no idea what Aura was talking about, though she did know that she spoke of a period of time. "How long is ten minutes?"

  Aura sighed, more in irritation with herself than anything else. She should have realized there were still some gaps to fill.

  "Just give me time to let them know before starting down. You should have some idea how long that should take. Edwin and Thorn should have finished what they set out to do earlier and should be waiting for us below. Oh and Signi, good luck." Aura hugged her sister in law then hurried away.

  The ceremony was dispensed with almost faster than Aura remembered her own wedding taking and that, as memory served her well, had not been long. Thorn stood on one side of her, holding her hand tight in his and Edwin stood on the other, watching the groom with a wariness Aura decided the man had earned. It had not been that long since they had ridden into battle against each other.

  As the ceremony was taking place Signi and Aura's possessions were carried out of the building and packed into a cart for the journey. All except for the bag that moved when anyone tried to lift it. That was left for Aura to transport herself.

  Thorn told both of the girls, as soon as the ceremony was over, that they had best change before the trip. There was no time left, after that, for congratulations, or formalities. It was time to ride.

  CHAPTER XXXII

  The trip was very much as Aura remembered. They rode until she was ready to almost fall off the saddle then Thorn lifted her from her horse to hold her in front of himself, until they were ready to make camp. When they stopped she moved about the camp, stretching her muscles while Edwin and Sillgrim approached Thorn about the pace they were traveling at.

  "Who do you want to kill first Thorn, the horses, the men who follow us on foot, or your wife?" Edwin growled. He was exhausted. Thorn had never driven their troops like this before and while the men who followed them were not theirs they still deserved a degree of consideration.

  "If you are not happy with the pace I set, go off on your own." Thorn snarled back in undisguised ill humor. He was also tired and sore, but he wanted to get home and the quicker the better. He badly needed to see Aura in his home. None of what happened would feel real until he could see her in the house he had built for them to share.

  "Thorn, look at Aura. She can barely stand. Signi fares little better, although she does not try to hide it as your wife does. You keep on at this rate and you might as well just start digging her grave now."

  "Drop it Edwin. Aura is my wife she travels as I say we do. Just like everyone else."

  Sillgrim broke into the argument, growling as he did. "Had I known this was how you actually felt about Aura, Thorn, I would have asked Vernon to disallow your vows and I would have offered for her myself. Aura would have made an excellent peace settlement."

  Thorn's frustration fed rage snapped and he lunged at Sillgrim. He had noticed how the man watched Aura and he had been looking for an excuse to take him to task over it.

  "Aura is mine, do you hear me? MINE."

  Sillgrim sidestepped as Thorn rushed him, which caused Thorn to overbalance and land face down in the mud. Sillgrim considered it a good indication of how out of control Thorn was, for he knew that there was no way Thorn would have made such a move if he would have been thinking straight. He placed his foot on Thorn’s back to hold him down as he snarled.

  "I am quite aware of the fact that Aura is yours, just as Signi is mine. Signi is also your sister and you owe them both more consideration than you have given them. I have no intention of allowing you to treat my wife like this. As for Aura, hurt her and you will pay. She saved my life and I owe her a debt. I offer, in return, the consideration and protection a sister, like Signi, would expect to get from a brother, like you. She has no one else to depend upon for her protection. I want you to remember this Thorn, like you, I am also a great warlord. I have no reason to fear you. Even if you have beaten me in the past."

  "What do you mean?" Thorn asked as Sillgrim eased the pressure on his back and he rolled over to face him.

  "It was through injuries suffered at the end of your sword that I laid in that field. I recognized you the moment I saw you at the banquet. I doubt if you even noticed who you fought, for the fury burned deep within you at the time."

  "I felt fury only once, at the trampling of Aura's wolf. He was a part of her, the only part of her I thought I had left."

  "It was my horse that trampled the wolf. I did not know whom he belonged to, nor would it have mattered. He was a danger. He had just ripped out the throat of one of my finest warriors. He fought, as we did, against an enemy, and like any other he took the chance at losing. He died an honorable death, now he sits at the right foot of Odin in the halls of Valhalla."

  Aura heard her name being brandied about in anger, as well as the news about Wolf. Thorn had not told her wolf was dead. In her overtaxed state, she thought they argued over her. That was not why she had come back. Tired, and with nerves stretched to the limit, she backed off from the men, turned and ran, while they continued to argue. Signi noticed her distressed form of departure and rushed to her bother’s side.

  "What do you think you are doing? I just saw Aura run from here, looking as if someone had just struck her."

  "Aura!" Thorn yelled, as he scrambled to his feet. "Where did she go Signi?" He grabbed her by the shoulders as he blurted his question, with an emotion filled voice.

  Signi pointed the way then stumbled against Sillgrim as Thorn shoved her out of the way.

  Thorn chased after his wife, although he had no idea where she might have gone. As luck would have it, she had not traveled far. She crouched at the bottom of a tree and cried. It was there that he found her.

  Aura turned on him, even as he knelt beside her and took her in his arms. "You did not tell me. How could you have kept something like that from me if you really loved me?"

  Thorn shook visibly as Aura spoke and as she finished he held her even closer as he rasped out his reply. "I could not. I did not want to hurt you. We have just gotten back together I thought to give you more time. He died protecting me, although I think he knew you had returned. He tried to tell me, the night before, but I refused to listen. You did return the evening of the battle, am I right?"

  "Yes."

  "And now you want to leave again. Please, Aura don’t go, I could never stand it if you left me again."

  Thorn’s mouth closed over Aura’s in desperation. She understood, she was needed, he did love her after all and wolf had died trying to keep her love safe for her. He had died a valiant death. The kiss began to change in its intensity, becoming more demanding and Aura felt herself spinning out of control as she clung to him. A moment later she fought to retake possession of her feelings, despite a burning desire to go along with what she was feeling. She could not let their need for each other to get out of hand, not now, not like this. Thorn held her, hugging her close and she relaxed against him, shortly after she fell asleep.

  Thorn felt her go limp as he held her, still pressed against his chest. He rubbed his cheek against hers, feeling the velvety smoothness of her skin, and he kissed her tenderly. He did not want to wake her. She was so tired. He held her until he quit shaking then with a tired sigh he rose to carry her back to the camp.

  Perhaps Sillgrim and Edwin had been right. Perhaps he was pushing them all too hard, but wanted, and needed to get her home. He needed to be sure she was not a product of his imagination.

  Edwin, Sillgrim and Signi met him by the edge of the encampment and before they could ask any questions, he spoke.

  "You were right. I have been pushing too hard. Tomorrow we will travel at a more relaxed pace." Thorn then took Aura to his tent and put her to bed in his own blankets, before crawling in beside her so he could hold her close.

  Signi would have followed her brother to check on her friend, but Sillgrim
put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Signi, Thorn will let no harm come to her. He would rather die than to see her sad, never mind hurt. Things will work out if we leave them alone."

  Signi nodded and they left to retire to their own bed. Signi and Sillgrim, however, were not content to sleep. They found that despite their fatigue they could not rest until they had exhausted the passion that had grown between them. When they settled within each other’s arms, their desires fulfilled, she found that she had a few questions for her husband.

  "How is it that Thorn can lay with Aura as he does, feeling what he does for her and not want to do what we do? Are not all men naturally lusty?"

  "I would say no more than most women, not all men are the same. Thorn and Aura have just found each other again after being apart for a long time. They will work it out between them."

  Signi snuggled closer to her husband and murmured, as she hugged him to herself. "I am glad that you are mine and I need not worry about being mistreated."