Warriors in Winter

by Michelle Willingham

  The music ceased after a time, and several couples had left the Great Chamber. From the over-bright faces of the men and women, many had enjoyed the wine he’d sent. The king moved to the centre of the dais and lifted his hand. Several men raised a knee as a gesture of respect, and the crowd drew back, forming a small space in the front of the Chamber.

  ‘It is time for the competitions,’ Patrick declared. ‘All men wishing to join in, should come forward.’

  Arturo sent Brianna a questioning look, and she nodded in encouragement. While he wasn’t certain whether the competitions involved fighting, he felt confident in his abilities. The other MacEgan men joined him, as well as Liam. Turning to the man beside him, he asked, ‘What must we do?’

  ‘You’ll see,’ Ewan replied.

  One by one, the women approached. He saw Brianna and Adriana, as well as Honora and the other wives. Several women began adjusting their skirts, using ribbons to tie them to their ankles. It wasn’t until the first contest began that he realised what was happening. The women were competing for the right to choose a man.

  ‘What happens if the wrong woman chooses you?’ he asked Ewan, who stood beside him.

  ‘My wife is the strongest fighter among them,’ Ewan countered. ‘She’d bring down any woman who dared to ask for me.’ Sending him a teasing look, he added, ‘And would you really complain if a beautiful woman asked you to be hers for the night?’

  Arturo shrugged in answer, but he wasn’t so certain. Brianna wasn’t nearly as strong as her opponents, and he didn’t know if she was willing to fight for him. Though the MacEgan wives chose their husbands, he saw several unmarried women eyeing him. One winked as she faced off against Adriana. His sister struggled against the woman, trying to fight in a more womanly manner. But when the maiden rolled Adriana to the ground and sat upon her, his sister grasped the woman’s hair and yanked hard, jerking her away. A smile crossed Liam’s face as his bride began fighting with more aggression, until she held the woman pinned to the dirt.

  After the fight ended, Adriana moved to Liam, who claimed her in a fierce kiss. The cheers resounding in the Hall showed their approval of his choice of a bride.

  Arturo paid little heed to the next fight, for he didn’t know either of the women. But to his startled surprise, the winner of the match came forward and took his hand. A roar of laughter resounded from the men.

  The woman was quite young, possibly seventeen, with braided red hair. If she knew that his choice was Brianna, she didn’t seem to care. With mischief in her eyes, she started to lead him away.

  ‘Choose another man, cariño,’ he told her.

  ‘You don’t have a choice.’ She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, ‘I claim a kiss as my reward.’

  Baffled, Arturo looked back at the other men. They were laughing at him, offering no help at all. Brianna had disappeared from the crowd, and he didn’t know where she’d gone.

  The others were waiting for him, and the maiden had her lips puckered, waiting for the kiss. Arturo cupped her face, lifting it up. All were watching him, and when he pressed a kiss upon the maiden’s forehead, she challenged, ‘Is that how the men kiss in your country?’

  ‘You didn’t say where the kiss was supposed to be,’ he pointed out, and she sent him a furious glare. He hadn’t really intended to embarrass her, but she’d taken away Brianna’s opportunity.

  A young girl cleared her throat, interrupting them. ‘My sister Brianna went home,’ the girl informed him, ‘but do not fear. I put a charm in her wreath that will make her love you.’

  There was seriousness in her face, and Arturo bent down. ‘I thank you for your assistance.’ At the girl’s warm smile, he found himself amused by her belief in magic.

  ‘You are the one for her,’ the girl promised. ‘I know it, for it was in the bones I cast.’

  In answer, Arturo lifted her hand to kiss it. ‘Then I should go after her, shouldn’t I?’

  The young girl’s eyes widened, and she hurried back to her parents. Arturo moved through the crowd and after searching the inner bailey and the castle grounds, he found her walking amid the snow.

  ‘Brianna,’ he called out.

  She stopped, but didn’t turn around. Gripping the long sleeves of her gown against the cold, she stood in place until he reached her side.

  ‘Why did you leave?’

  She didn’t answer at first, and when he saw her shudder from the cold, he drew his arm around her. It encouraged him that she didn’t pull away. ‘Not out of jealousy,’ she said. ‘You’ve the right to choose any woman you please.’

  ‘And if I’ve already chosen?’ He slid his arm around her waist.

  The words hung between them, and she gave no answer for a long time. ‘If it’s a new wife you’re wanting, you should choose one of them. Someone who will add joy to your life.’ She stepped away from his arms, walking slowly toward one of the other homes.

  He didn’t like the direction of this conversation. It sounded as if she’d already given up. ‘And you felt nothing at all when you kissed me yesterday?’

  She let out a heavy breath. With a hand, she tucked a strand of hair behind one ear, beneath the wreath of greenery. ‘I did. And that’s what bothers me.’

  He wanted to go to her, but she had to make this decision on her own. Instead, he held back, watching over her. Amid the drifting snowflakes, there came the cry of an infant. Nothing at all unusual, but the sound stilled him. He heard the sounds of a mother soothing the child, and regret tightened within him.

  Had Cristina lived, he might have held a son or daughter of his own. He might have taken the child upon his shoulders, soothing its cries.

  Brianna turned and seemed to read his thoughts. The infant continued to fuss, and she glanced toward the sound. ‘Are you all right?’

  His expression tightened, but he nodded. From a fold of his cloak, he held out the orange to her. ‘Take it, and go home, Brianna.’

  But she made no move toward the fruit. She drew closer, studying him. ‘You said your wife died in childbirth.’

  The edge of grief closed upon him, the cries of the infant grinding against his memories. ‘She did.’

  ‘Was it a son or a daughter?’ She moved closer, and if she knew what her questions were doing to him, she made no effort to stop.

  ‘I never knew.’ He shook his head, for the babe had died inside her. Often he wondered if he’d made the right decision not to let the healer cut into Cristina. They’d known that the babe was already dead, and he’d not wanted to desecrate his wife’s body.

  Brianna caught his wrist and held it. Whether she was offering her sympathy or something more, he couldn’t tell. ‘Why do you ask me these questions, Brianna?’

  She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. ‘I’m trying to understand you.’

  He took her face between his hands. ‘I grieved for them until it nearly destroyed me.’

  The sorrow in her eyes mirrored what he’d felt over the past few years. Even so, her hands came to rest upon his chest in silent understanding.

  ‘I know what you have suffered,’ he continued. ‘And if you wish it, I would try to ease your pain. For however long I remain in Ireland.’

  She stared at him, the indecision etched upon her face. ‘I know what you want from me, Arturo. But I can’t change what I feel inside.’

  His hands came to rest upon hers. ‘Do you want me to stay?’

  For a time, she didn’t answer. The intensity in his eyes allured her, making her want to set aside the past and begin anew. Already she knew the taste of his kiss and the soft swirl of desire that reached into her heart, offering a night to forget.

  Even so, her courage faltered.

  ‘If you stay, I would be using you to forget my grief,’ she confessed. ‘You don’t deserve that. You should be with a woman who can give you the love I can’t. There’s nothing left within me.’

  ‘Belleza, are you afraid of me touching you?’

  ‘I’m afra
id of the way I feel in your arms.’ She sensed that he would take her to a place where her mind would have no voice, where she would forget everything except the devastating pleasures of her body.

  He lifted her hands to his mouth, and she felt the warmth of his breath upon her fingertips. ‘Then I’ll take you home.’

  A wisp of regret slipped beneath her defences. This man confused her, offering her glimpses of a life she wanted. But she didn’t know if she had the courage to reach for it.

  With their hands joined, he led her back to her hut while snowflakes spun upon the wind, coating her lashes and hair. In the darkness, they walked in silence until they reached her home. Arturo raised her hand to his mouth in farewell and turned to go.

  ‘Wait.’ Her voice came out in the smallest whisper. She reached out and touched his shoulder, so very frightened of what she was about to do. ‘The orange,’ she reminded him.

  In answer, he held out the fruit to her, his expression shielded. She fully understood the consequences of her actions. But if he walked away, her regret would be greater.

  ‘Will you come inside...and share it with me?’ She accepted the fruit, waiting for his answer.

  ‘Belleza, you know what will happen if I do.’ In his eyes, she saw the shielded desire, of a man who wanted her.

  She did. But within her home was nothing but emptiness and shadows. Tonight, she’d wanted to be like the other women. She’d taken care with her appearance, trying so hard to enjoy the solstice.

  Last year, she’d huddled within this bed, crying as if her heart would break. Tonight, she wanted to leave that broken woman behind. And though it terrified her, the way Arturo made her feel, he understood her in a way no one else ever could.

  She opened the door, raising her eyes to his. ‘Please.’

  * * *

  Arturo built a fire, filling the interior of the cold hut with heat. When he stood, he touched the evergreen boughs she’d bundled and laid upon the mantel.

  ‘They make it smell like Christmas,’ she admitted. ‘I’ve always loved pine in winter.’ The genuine smile upon her face put him more at ease, and he crossed the room to sit across from her. In her hands, she held the orange.

  Arturo took it from her and withdrew his knife, cutting a small segment. Holding it to her, he said, ‘Taste it, mi amada.’

  She took the orange and bit into the flesh. Her face showed surprise, and she said, ‘It’s sweeter than I thought it would be.’ A drop of juice slid from her lips and he touched it with a fingertip, tasting it.

  Colour rose to her cheeks, but she brought a second piece to his mouth, offering it. He captured her hand and tasted the fruit. The taste of orange was delicious, but there was another taste he wanted.

  Reaching out, he plucked the white mistletoe berries from the wreath she wore and held them above her head. Leaning in, he watched closely to see if Brianna would change her mind. He touched a new segment of fruit to her mouth and then bent to lick the juice from her lips. A dark sigh escaped her, and she kissed him back, offering a seductive call he couldn’t resist.

  ‘I’ll stop at any moment you ask,’ he swore, letting the mistletoe fall to the ground. It had been a long time since he’d wanted a woman this badly, but there was more to this moment than physical pleasure. He wanted to reawaken her, to show her that there could be glimpses of happiness amid the shadows.

  ‘I don’t want to stop,’ she murmured. ‘Make me forget.’

  He understood that she wanted the escape of lovemaking, to be taken by him, surrendering to his touch.

  ‘Look at me.’ He drew her hands to his tunic. ‘I won’t deny that I want you, Brianna. But you’re not going to use me as a substitute for him.’

  She held his gaze, nodding her assent. ‘I won’t.’ Her hands moved over his chest in a caress that flooded him with heat. ‘But it’s been a long time for me. I may not...please you.’

  Her anxiety only strengthened his resolve to show her how much he desired her. He removed his tunic, moving her hands over his bare skin. Drawing her fingertips to his pulse point, he said, ‘Do you see how you please me already, mi cielo?’

  Her hands moved over his skin, exploring the texture. There was interest in her eyes, and when his hands moved to loosen her overdress, she reached back to help him. Arturo helped her lift it away, followed by the léine, until she stood in a thin shift. Her breasts tightened against the linen, firm buds that intensified his hunger for her.

  She placed her hands upon his face, standing upon tiptoe. With her mouth close to his, she admitted, ‘I’ve been so lonely, Arturo.’

  He took her mouth, kissing her and releasing his own years of solitude. She was different from Cristina, more tentative in her touches. But as he entered her mouth, sliding his tongue against hers, he coaxed a stronger response. Her bare arms came around his neck, holding him tightly as she kissed him back. He felt the nudge of her hips against his rigid arousal, and she surprised him when she pulled his hips to hers.

  Nestled against her, his hands dug into her waist when she rubbed against him. ‘Is it wrong, for me to have missed this?’

  ‘No.’ His hands moved up her waist and over her ribs. He filled his palms with her full breasts, watching her face soften with the flush of desire when he stroked her nipples. She trembled against him, her head arching back as he stimulated her. The shift slid from one shoulder, and he lowered it to her waist, revealing her pale breasts.

  ‘Will you kiss me—?’ Her plea was cut off when he bent his mouth to the taut nipple. With his tongue, he slid over her flesh, suckling her.

  She nearly drove him past the edge when her hand cupped his erection without warning. He stilled as she loosened his trews, moving her fingers down to his shaft.

  Arturo discarded the rest of his clothing and stood motionless while she touched him. She explored the length of him, squeezing him in her palm. Though he didn’t want her comparing him to her husband, neither could he grasp his thoughts as she began to caress him, gently stroking him until he fought to regain his control.

  In answer to her torment, he drew his hands between her thighs, toward her centre. She gave a cry when his fingers found her damp opening, sliding deep inside.

  ‘Is this where you want me?’ he murmured, stretching her with a slight penetration.

  Brianna could hardly breathe as his hands found a rhythm, causing her body to bloom with needs she’d forgotten. ‘Yes,’ she breathed, leading him back to her bed.

  His eyes were hungry as he continued to fondle her, capturing her mouth in a ruthless kiss. She grew pliant against him, meeting his tongue with her own. He stripped away the last barriers between them, and the touch of his hardened chest against her breasts felt so good, it started to conjure up the guilt once more.

  She’d enjoyed sharing her bed with Murtagh, but it had not been like this. Second thoughts were clouding her mind, and she pleaded, ‘Come inside of me now.’

  ‘Not yet, belleza.’ He returned to pick up the forgotten orange and cut another segment from it, bringing it close. Brianna wondered what his intentions were, but a moment later, he drew the cool fruit down her neck. He replaced the wetness with his mouth, drinking from her skin and sucking the droplets away.

  ‘You’re not ready for me yet,’ he murmured against her skin.

  ‘I am,’ she protested, guiding one of his hands to the wetness between her legs. She was aching for him, wanting so badly to silence the guilt rising within her.

  ‘Not until I’ve watched you come apart,’ he answered. With the orange, he slid the cool wetness over her nipple, tantalising her with the sensation. The duelling sensations of hot and cold made her body quicken to his touch. He reversed them, drinking and suckling the juice from her other breast, while his hands drew the fruit over the opposite swollen nipple.

  Arturo took his time, savouring every inch of her body, while the sensations of arousal intensified. Tearing the orange away from its peel, he placed it in his mouth and fed her the
other half. She was lost in a frenzy as his hands stroked and caressed her skin, moving over her stomach until he cupped her damp heat.

  Once again, she reached for him, trying to guide him inside her. But he would not allow it. He pulled her to the edge of the bed and knelt before her. Spreading her legs wide, he placed his mouth between her legs.

  Her body jolted when she felt the first touch of his tongue against her. ‘I can’t bear it,’ she moaned.

  With both hands, he stroked her breasts, while his tongue swirled over the hooded slit above her entrance. ‘Do you want me to stop?’

  ‘No. I—I need—’ Her words broke away when he found the spot he’d been searching for. In answer, she arched against him, holding his head to her body. Her breathing quickened, and a sob escaped her as he suckled against her mound, the pressure intensifying. Her body was straining while he tasted her, his tongue drawing a response that went deeper than anything she’d ever known. Her release was there, so close, her hands dug into his shoulders in a wordless plea.

  It came in a rush, her body convulsing against him as she rode out the intense crest of pleasure. Her cheeks were wet with tears, and he drew his shaft between her legs, gently lifting her hips.

  ‘Now, mi cielo,’ he promised. The heated ridge of his erection slid over her and she guided him to the place where she needed him.

  ‘Inside me,’ she commanded.

  The expression on his face revealed a man who was fighting to maintain control. He fitted himself to her, slowly sliding within her tight entrance. The heady sensation of their joining made her press against him, until he was fully sheathed within her. He drew back, touching her while he entered again.

  She was slick with need, on the brink of another release. With his hand, Arturo coaxed her further, angling himself until she could feel the edge of pleasure once again.

  The pressure of his hand and the counterpoint of him filling her, was all it took. Her breath shattered, her body bucking against him as another blast of relief claimed her. She was wet and hot, clenching him as he penetrated her in swift strokes.