“All of what you have seen is what my God can do. What of yours? What can they do? Are they anything at all in glory and might as my God is?”
No one answered.
“The truth is before you. Repent from your wickedness or in the end your fate will be as these creatures were which you will share for all eternity.”
I turned from them and picked up a shard of the sword I had broken earlier and walked towards Zarsha. I cut her free from the pole and held her tenderly in my arms and cried like I never had before in my life.
A little hand touched my face, “Why are you crying?”
I opened my eyes startled. Zarsha smiled up at me and brushed the hair back from my forehead. “You were dead!” I exclaimed.
“No I wasn’t. I was sleeping. I had this wonderful dream that a man held my hand and talked to me. His words were warm and He was nice like you are. I wanted to know everything about Him, but He simply smiled and said that you would teach me about Him and that it was time to wake up.”
“That’s all you remember?”
“Yes, is there something more I should know?”
“No! Praise God no! Here let’s get out of here and I promise I’ll tell you everything I know and we’ll learn the rest together. How does that sound?”
I got to my feet cradling the living miracle in my arms, reflecting as I did so, that I could now appreciate fully how wonderful and consuming a father’s love could be both personally and outwardly.
The arena doors swung open ahead of me and I marveled again at the Creator’s constant provision. Krista was pushing past the doors with two horses in tow behind her. One of them was Flin.
My steps quickened as I headed for Krista and the horses. I saw Rugar off to the side holding open one of the doors. The bodies of several guards littered about his feet. As I got closer to Krista the crowd started to break out of the trance they had been locked in.
One of the high officials of the city stood up and gestured madly at us, “Stop them! Stop them! They cannot be allowed to escape!” He screamed as he jumped up and down excitedly.
Dazed looking guards, who had been posted all around the sides of the arena rushed in towards us. They only managed to take several strides towards us when they stopped in horrified wonder and then screamed out of abject fear, as they watched and felt their bodies turn into sand, which fell trickling to the arena floor as they melted into indistinguishable piles of sand. Their clothing, weapons and armor disappeared into the sand, as if it was a quick sand mire.
The crowd erupted into shrieks of terror at the site of the disappearing men. Some of them even fainted so great was their horror at what they had just seen. Their terror knew new heights when slowly the entire arena began to crack and grumble as it started to slide down into the sand.
The people broke and fled for their lives. Unhinged by the day’s recent events they trampled over each other in their eagerness to flee from the hungry sands of the arena.
I met Krista and the horses still carrying Zarsha in my arms. Krista was as white as a sheet, and she held onto the horse’s reins with a death grip. I reached Flin and I placed Zarsha on him and then I turned back to Krista.
She was staring at me as if I wasn’t quite human and looked more eager than even me to be free of the sinking arena. I reached out a hand towards her and she jumped away reflexively.
“It’s okay Krista. I know you’re scared, but it is really me I promise.”
“What’s happening? What happened? Is your God going to kill me too? Why aren’t we sinking? You were both dead I saw you! And now you’re alive! How is that possible?”
“I will answer all of your questions later in the meantime let’s get out of here before we do sink into the sand.”
I reached out and she let me pull her towards her horse without further resistance. I helped her up onto her horse relishing the feel of touching her and having her close to me again. I settled into my saddle and Zarsha’s arms closed around me like a vise. I directed Flin towards the still open and unsunken doorway of the arena and passed through it. As Krista passed through she looked down at Rugar still standing there holding the door open as the rest of the arena was now disappearing rapidly into the sand.
“Come with us Rugar.” She said.
“No, I must see what has happened to my master just as you must be faithful to your new master. Go and may the Creator continue to smile down upon you and give you favor little flower!”
I thought I saw a tear in her eye as she turned her mount away from Rugar, who had let the door go and was now striding quickly towards the city.
I let Flin into a full gallop as we exited the suburbs and the cultivated fields of the city. The city was in an uproar over what had happened and we weren’t noticed. We rode into the dense growth of the forest until it got to dark to make our way.
We made camp without any fire that night. We barely had a makeshift camp put together the next night when the heavens opened up and poured rain down upon us. It was a miserable night and none of us got any rest. When the rain was over in the early hours of the morning we had a hasty cold meal and then we were back in the saddle riding. I was pushing the endurance of both Zarsha and Krista more than I should be, but it was vital that we get to the seacoast and the boat waiting there for us.
Seven long weary days later found us near enough to the sea that we could smell the salt in the air and even hear the crashing of the waves against the rocks of the beach. I got down from Flin stiffly. It was well after nightfall. Zarsha was asleep and I lifted her down careful not to wake her. I pulled the blanket role off of Flin and spread it on the ground near where I was going to make a fire. I laid Zarsha down onto the blanket and covered her up with it. I looked at her for a long moment as she slept peacefully. I was so grateful to have her in my life.
“Why did you take on the responsibility of that little girl?”
I turned towards Krista who still stood by her horse. “I don’t know. I just did and I don’t regret it for even a moment. She’s added so much to my life already that it’s hard to remember what it was like without her just a few weeks ago. ”
Krista was silent for a moment. “You’re a rare man Roric. You don’t mind me calling you that do you? You don’t think it’s forward of me being your slave to address you by your given name?”
I hated that she had to ask such a question. I got to my feet and walked over towards her. I watched the apprehension rise in her face as I approached, but she remained where she was. I reached my right hand out and cupped the bottom left half of her face with it.
“No Krista I don’t mind.”
My hand lying easy on her face I leaned down towards her watching her eyes as I did so. Her eyes showed apprehension at what was coming, but not fear. My lips found hers gently. I held her in no other way except for the gentle pressure of my hand on her face. Her eyes closed and she leaned into me whether knowingly or not.
I let my left hand close around her and rest gently on the small of her back. I felt her hands rise up between us, until they rested against my chest and I expected her to push away from me, but she didn’t. Her eyes were still closed, which I took as an open invitation and I deepened the kiss.
Her hands slid up around my neck and tightened as she started kissing me back. Wow! This was amazing! The woman of my dreams in my arms, fully mine and she was kissing me back with a passion that matched my own. I leaned into her more, relishing our shared passion for each other.
Slap!
I reeled backward from her. My movement away wasn’t because of the force of the blow, but rather the complete startlement of its occurrence. She was standing faced away from me breathing hard holding herself tightly with her arms. Why had she done that?
I was about to grab her and turn her around and demand why, but I stopped myself. I stormed away and started making a fire. The fire made, I sat down staring into its flames. The voracious flames were a match f
or the turbulent emotions swirling around in me. Why did I hold myself back from what I wanted? She was mine to do with as I pleased. I deserved to have something amazing like her happen after the rough life I’d had, but then hadn’t she had pretty much the same rough life I’d had? Wasn’t she even now still living it?
A life of serfdom that I could at least say that I was free of for the time being at least. My anger dissipated slowly, as I admitted to myself the real reason for my aggravation. Not only did I hunger to hold her in my arms and make her mine in the most elemental of ways, but I hungered almost as much too simply see her smile at me.
I wanted to see her laugh and have her tell me her fears and dreams. I wanted her to like me and want to spend time with me. I wanted her to be in love with me. I stared at the flames morosely; wondering if that could ever be possible.
I wasn’t sure yet….oh heck, who was I fooling. I loved her. So what did I do now? What was important was to treat her with gentleness and respect and deny the passion I felt for her at least a little while longer, as I gave her the time she needed to get to know me.
Krista stared out into the darkness of the night. Her breathing was back to normal, but her heart was still doing somersaults within her chest. What had she been thinking? Why had she kissed him back like that?
She didn’t look far inside herself for the answer, afraid of what it might be. It was entirely his fault anyway! If he hadn’t been so gentle and undemanding with his kiss she wouldn’t have responded liked she had.
So what if she was attracted to him, after all that was only natural. He was, she had to admit, one of the most captivating men she had ever met. She had seen many men who may have been more handsome by societal standards, but Roric was all man with nothing left to question, which she found to be more attractive than just another pretty face with a buff body.
Her face flushed again at the admonition of her attraction to him. Not only was he a strong force of nature, but he could be gentle and kind too. He was unlike any man she had ever known before, except for Sebastian. Any other man after the invitation she had given, followed by being slapped by a slave, would have beaten her and likely raped her on the spot. But he hadn’t.
It wasn’t the first time he had stopped himself from accomplishing his desires either. What was maybe the most alarming thing about him was how he treated her, as if she was something of great value. He acted like he cared for more than just what her body had to offer him. He wanted something more from her. He wanted her heart too.
She shivered reflexively at the truth that she had just stumbled upon. If she let him have her heart any chance she had at freedom would be gone for good. She would be a slave for forever. She stared bitterly out into the night sky. Why did everything have to be so complex? Was this the safe future Sansa had promised her?
She would no doubt be the safest she had ever been in her life, when she lay within his arms. She remembered the fight in the arena and what had happened afterward and shivered. Never had she seen such skilled fighting and raw ability as Roric had exhibited. He perhaps was the greatest warrior in the whole world, but as strong as he was she had to admit his greatest strength was his humbleness and belief in his Creator. His faith was his real strength, just as it had been for Sebastian and Sansa.
She no longer doubted if there was a God or not and she especially did not doubt on whether or not He cared about people. The Creator loved Roric that she was sure of. But did the Creator love her? If He did then why was she still a slave?
The chill of the night closed in on her. Was this the future Sansa had spoken of? Was she supposed to surrender her heart and dreams to the big scarred warrior, who inflamed her with passion? Was that what the Creator wanted from her before He would do anything to help her? She looked back at Roric, who was staring into the flames of the fire and thought of the security and yes even happiness that his arms could offer her.
Should she continue to hold out for the freedom she had craved ever since she had learned what it meant to be a slave? To be able to do as she pleased, to go where she wanted, when she wanted to and be whatever she wanted to be without anyone saying otherwise. Pick her own mate and have children that would be as free as she wanted to be.
That’s exactly what she wanted and that realization made up her mind as to what she would do, but it wasn’t as easy a decision as she would have thought it would have been.
“Krista.”
She turned towards the fire and the man beside it.
“You need to come get warm and get some sleep.”
She came back to the fire wondering what he would do next. He rose and came over to cover her shoulders with a blanket.
“Get some rest while I keep watch. In a couple of hours I’ll wake you and you can stand watch the rest of the night while I get some rest. That sound okay to you?”
Krista nodded. She lay down next to the fire and starred at it for a while.
Roric.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry I slapped you that wasn’t right of me.”
“I forgive you.”
The sounds of a song bird twilling out its morning lullaby protruded its lovely notes into my consciousness. I became aware of the warmth of the sun on my face.
The sun!!!
I bolted upright throwing the blanket covering me half across the camp. The fire was long dead and even though it wasn’t late morning yet it was far later than I had wanted to remain in camp.
Why hadn’t Krista wakened me when I had told her too? Where was Krista and for that matter where was the other horse?
Flin was cropping off grass by himself in the area I had picketed both horses on last night. I leaped to my feet my hand going for my sword. I looked around for any hidden danger but found none. Zarsha sat up sleepily from her bed of blankets having been awakened by my commotion.
“Where’s Krista?” I asked.
From her blank expression I could tell she knew nothing. I walked over to where Krista had slept hoping to find some trace of her disappearance. Her blankets were gone too, but there was a piece of white paper weighted under a rock lying on the ground where she had lain.
I sheathed my sword and with a sinking feeling I reached down and picked the paper up and read it. “Dear Roric, I hope you understand why I have left. You of all people must know what the desire for freedom is like. And as you fought to claim yours so must I. I want you to know that I harbor no ill will against you. I know as a slave I could have wished for no better a master than you. Sebastian was wise to give me to you and I know I have disappointed both of you by my actions, but I must pursue my dream of being free whatever the risk may be. I feel that I will die inside if I give up on my dream now. I wish to thank you, Sebastian and the dear woman, who raised me for several years, for showing me that there is a God in heaven. As I seek my freedom so will I seek a greater understanding of the Creator in my life. I promise you this. Please don’t worry about me. I know how to handle myself in a fight and I took one of your daggers and I have money that Sebastian gave me. I hope you will remain the good man that you are and care well for the dear little girl you protect. I wish you well as I would hope that you would wish the same for me. Goodbye and may the Creator go with you and be with me too. Krista.”
As I finished the letter my hands crumbled the paper into a ball in my fist. I was so mad I could hardly see straight. How could she just leave like that? She was mine!
How did she hope to protect herself from all the dangers of being an escaped slave and a beautiful one at that, all by herself? I threw my saddle onto Flin and within minutes we were riding out of the camp in hot pursuit of the tracks of Krista’s horse leading away from the sea.
I reached the top of a knoll and stopped Flin abruptly. I thought we had lost all possibility of any pursuers on our trail, but I had been wrong. Less than half a mile away a party of forty or more Zoarinian cavalry men were steadily moving in our direction. I knew the bit
terness of defeat in that moment like I had never known it before.
The girl of my dreams had just been here with me and now she was gone probably for forever. I had to get the information Sebastian had acquired to where it would do the most good and there was Zarsha’s welfare to consider as well. I vented my anger at the cruel turn of my life in an angered roar of frustrated fury at my helplessness to get what I had wanted so deeply.
The enemy cavalry had spotted us and were charging across the sand dunes toward us. I turned Flin towards the sea and let him run all out. As we neared the beach I could see a sail out in the small enclosure of the natural harbor that formed along this stretch of the sea coast.
There was no time to wait for a boat to come pick us up. I ran Flin through the pounding surf into the deeper waters of the breakers. It was a new experience for both me and Flin. He took to it gamely enough and I had no choice but to. As he started to swim powerfully against the onrushing current of the waves I slipped from the saddle to lighten the load on him, but it was unnerving to know the vast depths of water that were opening up beneath us.
Swimming was something I had never mastered and I had never regretted that more than right now. Zarsha clung to the saddle horn in sheer terror as the sea water lapped against her legs and splashed her in the face. I tried to not let her terror consume me too. Drowning was a horrible fate to consider and it seemed altogether a real possibility at the moment.
It seemed like we had been struggling against the current of the sea for forever when abruptly our rate of progress dramatically increased. After a while I managed to look up from the churned up water around us and saw that the small masted boat was practically on top of us. Men were moving quickly all along its decks and in the rigging overhead.
A rope splashed down near me in the water and I grabbed onto it desperately and held on as our forward progress was directed toward the sailing vessel. Netting had been thrown over the side and sailors eagerly lifted us out of the heavy water that dragged at our clothing.
A Warrior's Redemption (The Warrior Kind) Page 26
