by Marie Hall
Io started for the house, the lady Sabrina falling in step beside her. "You did not say what plans you have for fine weather."
Io thought a moment about what she should say. She didn't trust this woman, but she had no reason to distrust her. "I am going to explore a little more of the lands. There are some I was told were until now still covered in the snows."
There that was the whole of the what, just not the whole of who, where and to which. She could take what she wanted from the words.
"Should be enjoyable. One should be familiar with the lands for which they are responsible." They stopped together at the bottom of the steps.
"One should be familiar with all things they are responsible for I would think," Io stated flatly. She sensed this woman saw only the results of Xavier's vast holding. She looked only at the wealth and comforts, the pewter cups and thick furs. She said nothing more simply inclined her and left her standing there. Io went straight to her chambers where Sarah already waited.
"Shall we have you packed? You will not need much," Sarah said with a wink and a smile.
Io laughter filled the room. "Sarah what thinks you I will be doing out there in the trees and bushes that I should not need to pack much."
"Ha," Sarah gasped out. "Well unless you have broken something on that man the last four nights I know what you will be about."
"Well I do not think I have broken anything."
"Not for lack of trying."
There was a long silence before Io responded. "No not for lack of trying."
Both women laughed. They spent a while selecting which items Io would take not completely certain what the environment would be. Xavier said they'd set up a tent. But they used tents while they traveled here. Xavier's tent was no less comfortable than these very rooms right down to the big bed. Io assumed this wouldn't be the case but she didn't mind for Xavier ensured her comfort almost always. Only when she displeased him did he not consider her tenderly. Io wondered at Xavier's response to what she'd done today.
Sarah left to bring Io some heated water so she might wash before she found her bed. That left Io alone for the time and she made her way through the apartments to the small room that was hers alone. She undressed and pulled on a robe. She was working her hair free of the braid when she heard the chamber door open and close. She didn't think it was Sarah back already but perhaps it was Xavier.
She didn't bother to pull her robe shut, simply went on setting her long hair free. "Xavier, is that you? I will be out in a moment. Sarah is bringing water." She opened the door wide but stayed in the small room. "I was going to wash. I did not think you would be back." She listened but when then was no reply she stepped into the threshold. "Xavier?"
She was about to take a step out of the room when Lady Charlotte appeared in the doorway across from Io. Io instinctively took a step back, belatedly pulling her robe shut.
"How typical of a woman of your quality," Lady Charlotte said crossing the room leisurely. "Leaving your body on display like a sheep at auction."
Io took another step back into her room and clutched her robe at the neck.
"I can of course see what my son sees when he looks at you." She waved her hand to indicate Io's body. "Simple mind, no morals. Allowing any man to use your body."
"I do not let any man use my body. Not even my husband uses my body." Io dropped her hands away. She wasn't going to be shamed by this woman for what she shared with Xavier. Not when they both so enjoyed what was shared. Xavier told her from the start he wanted her to enjoy what they did in the bed they shared.
"You stupid girl." Charlotte stepped closer. "If you knew anything, you would know a woman like you only has a body to use. You are not even gaining anything for the liberties you allow. Why when you are gone from here you will have to start all over again with nothing. Women like you are so easily replaced by another."
"I am not going anywhere. This is my house." Io said but she heard the lack of confidence.
"This house is as much mine as it was before he even knew your name." She stepped past the door into Io's private space. "When I am done, you will be gone, he will have a proper wife and I will still have this house."
The cold creeping in wasn't due to her bare feet on the stone floors. Io couldn't deny, in the struggle to hold on to her place in the house, she did seem to be losing ground. How was she supposed to continue holding back, not defending herself? How was she supposed to go on feeling like everything was being stripped from her and not let it show?
The woman took another step into the room where even Xavier didn't come without direct invite. Io went from feeling too open and vulnerable to feeling trapped. There was only the one door and no windows in this room. Lady Charlotte blocked Io's only way out.
"Soon even a cold, little room like this will be a luxury you seldom have. Xavier already finds reasons to stay from you. He prefers the company of those who are his equal. Soon very soon, he will not want to bed you. He will turn from you and you will go from here and be forgotten."
Io listened. She couldn't find the strength to ignore Lady Charlotte's words. They sounded as much like a prediction of Io's future as an accounting of her past. But she was here now and she wasn't leaving. She wasn't leaving but Lady Charlotte was leaving. Maybe not the house but she'd leave Io's private room.
"Please leave," Io said even as the woman stepped through the portal. "You are not welcome in this room, please leave."
"I am not welcome am I?" the woman said coldly stopping her advance.
"Not in this room. This room is mine alone. Not even Xavier enters. So I say again, please leave." Io took a step forward relieved to see the woman step back. Io could defend her place if she set her mind to it.
"Why you little upstart, what do you hide in here that you think to keep me out." Lady Charlotte tried to step around, Io moved quick enough to block her.
"What I hide is for me to know. You will leave now. You will leave and you will not come back." Io wondered once the words were out if she was speaking of more than this room. She knew too, by the look on her face, so did Lady Charlotte.
"You will not think to order me about, you insolent whore."
"You do not respond to please," Io stated with more confidence. "So perhaps you might understand a simple order. Get out." Io stepped forward and then took one more step bringing her toe to toe with the woman. She refused to look away. She refused to consider that Xavier might find this rude and disrespectful. She wasn't going to give up any more than she already had.
The two women stared at each for some time but Lady Charlotte gave in first. She turned around sharply and stalked out of the room. She continued stomping away until she was around the corner out of sight.
"My son will hear of this," she said and Io heard the door to the apartments open.
"And my husband will tell you the same. Stay out of my room," Io said. Glad when she heard an outraged 'oh' followed by a slamming door. She'd no illusion. Xavier would hear an accounting. But if he listened, and she'd make sure he did, he could be made to understand.
Chapter Thirteen
Xavier pulled the door to his mother's chambers firmly closed. He stepped back, scrubbing his hands over his face. He hadn't thought this day could get worse. With the raiders on his lands and the threat they posed, he'd have to postpone spending time with Io. Now hearing his mother raging over how Io was belligerent and crude, he wondered if there'd ever be peace again in his home.
With a sigh, he turned and headed towards the rooms he shared with Io. "Listen to her side," he said it out loud because he needed to hear it. He allowed his refusal to listen to Io ruin some of what they had together. Her trust was eroding. She was suspicious of his every act. Taking a deep breath, he pushed through the chamber doors.
Most of the torches were out and a few candles burned in the main chambers. He could tell by the flickering under the door in the bed chambers the fireplace was the only source of light. He turned from that door and w
ent through to his dressing rooms. He sat down with a sigh and pulled off his boots.
"Xavier," Io called softly from her little room. "Is that you?"
"Yes, Io, would you come here that I might speak to you?" He pulled his tunic over his head and tossed it to the floor leaning back and closing his eyes.
"Is this about your mother?" She sounded nervous and he wondered if she was going over his knee after all.
"Yes, please come here." He wasn't going to jump to conclusions.
"I would speak to you from here." She appeared in the doorway but she came no closer.
Xavier smiled shaking his head. "I suppose I deserve your distrust. I will hear you out, Io, I swear."
"What did she say about me?" Io leaned against the door jamb and picked at her nails.
"Tell me what happened and I will tell you what she said," Xavier prompted.
Io shrugged her shoulders. "She came in here while I was readying to bathe. She said I was stupid and other things." She shrugged again. "I asked her to leave my room. I said please at least three times and she keep coming in so I… I said 'get out'." She looked at him uncertainty on her lovely face. "I did say please three times."
"You asked her to leave these rooms?" Xavier waved his hand around to indicate their chambers. His mother left out that Io told her to get out of their private rooms.
"No." Io pushed off the jam and stepped out. "I asked her to leave this room." She pointed inside her own private space.
Xavier sat forward. "She was in there?" Io nodded. "And you did not by chance invite her?" Io shook her head. Of course she didn't; he was rarely invited in that little space, even Sarah wasn't often allowed in. It was Io's little place. There was nothing much in the room. A small table and a comfortable seat, some books, but it was Io's and she protected it.
"I was polite at first but she wouldn't go. This is my room. You said I did not have to allow anyone in if…"
Xavier held up his hand. "Io, if she came in without invite and you asked her to leave then you are not at fault." She still looked uncertain. "I would not fault you if you ordered her out of any of these rooms. These are ours and no one is supposed to come in without invite or because it is their duty to be here."
Io took a step towards him then stopped and went back to picking at her nails. "I do not want her in my room, Xavier."
Xavier crooked his finger at her, when she hesitated he used his entire hand beckoning her closer with an easy motion and a non threatening posture. She took a few steps then stopped. Xavier studied her. Had he done that? Had he made her so unsure of him that even when he confirmed she was in the right she didn't trust him?
"Io, come here." He left his hand out, that she might step forward and take it.
"What did she tell you?" She didn't take his hand so Xavier dropped it.
"She said you ordered her out but she implied that you were saying get out of the house."
Io took her bottom lip between her teeth, held it for a moment then let go. "I told her to get out of my room, Xavier. But I cannot say I did not wish she would leave this house." She took another step closer to him.
Xavier considered her words. That she admitted such told him what he needed to know. His mother not only exaggerated the encounter, she'd done it to manipulate Xavier. "Io." Again he held his hand out to her and smiled when she took it. "She will leave eventually." He pulled her closer until she stood between his legs. "If she comes back in these rooms, you may order her out. I will tell her she is not to come in these rooms. Especially she is not to go in yours."
She said nothing, but she allowed him to take her other hand so he held both and she couldn't back away. Settling the matter was easy enough when he remembered to hear both sides. He could only hope he could settle the next matter so simply.
"Io, I want you to know I am content with how you handled the matter." He could see Io preparing for him to say something she wouldn't like. He needed to get to it so he could get to the part where he kept her trust intact. "What I am going to say I would have had to say even if Mother was not in the house." He pulled on her hands and toppled her into his lap.
She struggled, giving up as he set her firmly on her seat on his left thigh, pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed like she was the most put upon woman in the world but she stilled and then leaned against him.
"What terrible thing are you about to tell me." Her disappointed tone broke his heart.
"I do not want to say this." He hugged her. "The reason I was away today was because there have been raiders along our east most border. I have to hunt them down. They have to be stopped before—"
Io sat up and looked him in the eye. "They have not hurt anyone have they?"
"No not yet." Leave it to his wife to worry about their people. She amazed him. "No one has been hurt. But I need to stop them before they do hurt someone. Before they turn their criminal activities on the shires."
She sighed. "As long as no one has been hurt and you will stop them."
He hoped that was her expressing confidence in his ability but he couldn't say. "Io, this is what I did not want to say." He tightened his hold. "Until I end them, we will have to delay our…" What was this thing they were going to do? It wasn't quite a trip they'd only be a few miles from the house. They weren't really going to do anything more special then spend time alone with each other, although he couldn't at the moment think of anything more special to him.
"Ah, we cannot run away?" Io grumbled.
Xavier chuckled. Yes, that was what they'd be doing, running away. "We will run away, Io. I want nothing more believe me. I will rid our lands of these upstarts and then you and I shall run away together."
"Well yes." She fingered his shirt twisting the ties around her finger then untwisting them. "I understand you must first deal with the outlaws; it is the priority." She stopped playing with the tie and lifted her hand to his face. "You though." She met his eyes. "Will have to understand if I am not pleasant and must pout and sulk."
Xavier tossed his head back and laughed. He wasn't sure why he worried. Io wasn't unreasonable. What response to give her now? He stopped laughing long enough to give her a hard look, not as hard as it might have been, but he tried.
"Io, I will not have you behaving like a child over this," he told her laughing more when she scowled at him and crossed her arms over her breast.
"I am going to have a fit, I promise you," Io told him, wiggling in his lap like she might want to get away, only she didn't actually try.
"Io." He took her at the waist and set her hard on his thigh. "I am not going to have such nonsense," he said the word sternly but without the edge he normally used when he was issuing a warning and the entire time his fingers were working their way under her robe.
"I am going to have an awful fit. I am going to stomp about so you know I do not approve of being treated this way," Io said, sticking her bottom lip out.
Xavier took a moment to consider what he might do with this. It was all in play he knew but he did wonder if he might turn it without ruining it. There was only one way to find out.
"Io," he said sternly. With a natural ease, he grabbed Io and flipped her face down over his lap. He had her robe pushed aside before she even realized what he'd done.
"Wait no, Xavier, wait I…" Her hands snapped back to protect her arse. "I jest, Xavier. I will not have a fit."
"Io, I will not have a wife who behaves as a child," Xavier told her. He had to move this along quick before he lost Io. But he wanted to add the tension to the game he played.
"Xavier, I did not mean…" She looked back at him over her shoulder.
"Move your hands, Io," he ordered. When she didn't immediately comply he gave her another stern look.
"Xavier," she whined then let her hands slide away.
He set his right hand on the swell of the left cheek and began to rub gentle circles. He then moved to rub the right side. He heard Io hum in a worried, fretful manner as she
anticipated what he was about to do.
"Childish behavior, Io, will be dealt with in childish fashion." He lifted his hand and brought it down on her arse. The sound of the smack was especially loud because he cupped his palm but the force he but behind it was minimal. He followed up the smack on the left with a second on the right.
"Oh, Xavier," Io complained and brought her hands back to protect her seat.
"Move your hands, Io. We are not done here," Xavier said.
"Xavier, please," she begged and even tried to wiggle off his lap. "Please."
"Io, move your hands," he warned. He waited but she didn't comply so he moved them for her. Pulling them together at the wrist and pinning them lightly at her back.
Again he set his hand on her rump and started rubbing and again Io made some noises which told him she was sufficiently unnerved. He rubbed a little more then lifted his hand and brought it down. He added a little bite and Io jerked and yelped. He gave her another on the other side.
"Ow, please." She squirmed and tried to pull her hands free.
Xavier held her in place and gave her two more slaps of about the same force. Io squealed and gasped. Xavier returned to rubbing the soft flesh his hand dipping a little lower before coming back to the center. When he lifted his hand Io kicked up her feet so that they were in the way.
"Feet down, Io," he told her.
"Xavier, please, I won't have a fit," she promised.
"Feet down, Io." He didn't wait; he forced them down then apart. Tossing his right leg over her left forced her right knee to dip towards the floor. "I believe you will indeed be having a fit. I know for a fact it will happen," he told her then landed a rather sharp blow. Io bowed back and howled a bit. This time when Xavier returned to rubbing he purposely brushed over her sex.
In her surprise, Io seemed to panic. She tried so hard to be off his lap Xavier had to reestablish his hold before he could go back to stroking her.
