by Fiona Faris
“Oh, nay… tell me he didnae,” Lilia said. Flora sighed, placing her fingers on her forehead in distress.
“I wish I could say so. He didnae even tell me. I received a letter from the man two days ago, and I had nay idea whatsoever what he was talkin’ about. It was then that Osgar mentioned that he may or may nae have promised the man that he would talk me into a courtship with him,” she said. “I felt like I could have strangled the dobber at the moment. That is how annoyin’ me brother is, the most manipulative, literal scum of the earth!”
Lilia wasn’t sure if it would be alright to laugh. Flora always complained about her brother and Uielam alike, but even while she was angry, her fondness was evident. She cared for both men despite knowing both of their worst sides. Lilia had never heard her saying good things about her brother or Uielam, but she was sure that if she was asked seriously, she would have a lot to say.
It was because she knew Flora was the one that knew them best that she worried when her friend warned her about Uielam. She wanted to believe that she had reached him somewhat.
“Uielam slept on the floor though,” she said quietly, almost wishfully as she hoped that would have some effect on what Flora thought. Her friend raised both her brows in obvious surprise.
“He did? I thought ye said that he took yer bed…?” Flora asked.
“Aye, but yesterday I snapped at him and told him how spoiled he was and after he apologized and promised to make dinner, he took his things from me room and went to sleep on the floor by the fire pit where I usually lay,” she explained. Flora popped a grape in her mouth thoughtfully.
“Now that is surprising indeed. If ye put it that way, then just maybe ye have reached him some,” Flora finally conceded.
It was with those words that Lilia returned home in time for dinner, hopeful that she would not be disappointed. She opened the door, finding the fireplace lit and candles on her table. Uielam had two of her wooden bowls out with shockingly great looking pottage.
She felt her jaw drop as appreciation filled her. He stepped out of the kitchen with the spoons in his hands and grinned at her.
“Welcome home Lilia, I hope ye like the meal,” he said, putting the spoons on each plate.
“This… I must admit this is more than I expected, how did ye dae this?” she asked as she moved in closer, standing beside the table and looking over the food in surprise. “How did ye get the beans and vegetables?”
“Well, with a bit of help from Osgar and me good memory of what ye did while we cooked, it was nae impossible,” he preened.
She laughed happily, sitting down and allowing him to pour her a cup of mead. She was overwhelmed with happiness. If he had truly gone to the trouble of making dinner, then it meant that she had reached him, and if so, it was possible to change him. Then maybe her far-fetched dreams of romance could be possible.
“It actually tastes delicious,” she complimented after taking the first spoon. Uielam only smiled and began to eat as well.
“I didnae expect that ye would dae this. I had prepared meself to kick ye out because I thought that ye wouldnae fulfill yer promise,” she admitted as she ate.
Uielam paused, his expression slightly worried.
“I am truly sorry for me behavior. Listenin’ to ye yesterday, I realized that there were some things I needed to change about meself. It is true that me faither gave me everything, so I cannae help but admit that ye were right. I am spoiled, it is a hard truth and is what I was so angry about when I heard the soldiers talkin’ about how I only won due to me position. It hurts to admit that it is true, but I want to change.”
Lilia gave him an encouraging smile. “Well, it is good as long as ye mean to change, but one thing is for sure, those soldiers had nay idea what they were talkin’ about. Ye might be spoiled, but ye can certainly joust.”
Uielam laughed, “Thank ye, it means a lot that ye believe in me. Did ye attend the tournament?” he asked.
She shook her head. Of course, she had not gone, although she had told Flora that she would go with her the day before, she had been too annoyed to go. When Flora had come to pick her up, she had instead told Flora what Uielam had done. They then spent the day drinking mead and judging Uielam while eating the roasted duck Uielam did not eat. It was after Flora had left that she decided to take a dip in the river. She did not explain all of this to Uielam, but he seemed to understand enough from the nod she had given him.
“How did it go? Were the matches difficult?” she asked, taking another spoon and chewing while waiting for his response. Uielam shrugged, swallowing the food in his mouth before he spoke.
“Nay, it was just the preliminaries, so the matches were just to weed out those who are nae that good at the game. All of me match-ups were so-so at best,” he said. “Things will begin to get more serious tomorrow; however, I’ll go up against the opponents who made it through this hazin’ period. I am sure they will be more of a challenge.”
They continued to talk as they ate, discussing the tournament. She realized that the time he spent with Osgar was not just spent practicing but also on studying every jouster that had signed up for the tournament and gauging how much of a challenge each one would be to beat. She also learned how popular the tournament was, and how Uielam was jealous of the farmer they’d hired who was enjoying the applause and cheers from the audience.
Before she knew it, they had finished eating. Time seemed to fly by as they talked. She was glad to find that they could just continue to talk about everything and nothing without running out of things to say.
“Ah, that was a wonderful meal. Thank ye again,” she said, getting to her feet and taking the plates. “I will just take these to the kitchen.”
He nodded with a smile continuing to sip his mead while she cleared the table. She had just dropped the plates and was about to turn around to leave when she noticed a basket in the corner that had not been there when she left. It was not the basket itself, but what was sticking out that caught her attention.
She stepped closer as a feeling of dread rose up within her. She had a strong suspicion that what was in the basket were plates from the castle, but when she raised it to her face, she was sure.
Well, with a bit of help from Osgar and me good memory of what ye did while we cooked, it was nae impossible
She did not know if she was sad or angry, but she knew it was not a good feeling. He’d gotten food from the castle and lied to her that he’d cooked. With the anger brewing alongside frustration and disappointment, she went back to the table.
"Uielam…" Lilia began, holding the basket in her hand as she stood in the doorway. "Just how much help did ye get from Osgar exactly?"
She saw his expression crumble as the realization that he had been caught dawned on him. He got to his feet slowly as tears pooled in her eyes from frustration. She had been so stupid, getting her hopes up. Just why did she not listen to Flora? She had been warned, yet she still fell for his deception.
"I… I did ask Osgar for help with the cookin',” he stammered, trying to find an excuse. Livid, she walked back to the table, dumping the basket of plates on it.
"Ye asked for help? Or ye just asked him to bring two plates of pottage from the castle? I have worked in that castle long enough to recognize these plates even in me sleep! So ye had the food sent here and chose to play me for a fool! Did ye even dae any cookin', or was the meat ye were cuttin' this mornin' just for show?" she thundered.
"Nay, I did use the meat. I just realized that Icouldnae dae it properly, so when I met with Osgar, I took the meat that I had cut to him, and the cook used it to make the pottage, so I did dae somethin',” he said, trying to defend himself.
Lilia looked at him incredulously. "Ye did dae somethin'? The point was for ye to dae everythin'! Here I was thinkin' that ye had learned somethin' meanwhile ye were takin' me for a fool. What I daenae understand is why? If ye ken that ye were nae going to dae it, why did ye feel the need to lie to me?! Why go to all t
he trouble just to deceive me?!" She yelled.
"It was because I care about ye!" Uielam suddenly shouted back, surprising her into silence as she looked at him in shock.
"What nonsense are ye spoutin' now?" she asked.
"It is nae nonsense,” he said. "I daenae ken when it started, but I care about what ye think, and I care about ye. I wanted ye to think that I had done a good job, I didnae want ye to be disappointed when I failed, or to be bad at somethin' in yer presence. I care about how ye see me, probably even more than I care about anybody else."
Lilia blinked, not sure what to do with his admission.
"If ye truly care about someone Uielam, ye stop carin' about how they see ye. Ye are nae afraid to fail in their presence because ye ken that yer failures are a part of ye and ye are nae afraid to show them all of ye,” she said, teaching him and scolding him at the same time.
"I daenae fail at a lot of things… I daenae like to fail,” he admitted.
"Well, ye should nae hold yerself to such high standards, Uielam,” she said.
He looked away guiltily, staring at the basket, the object of his guilt.
"I am sorry that I deceived ye. I didnae mean to play ye for a fool, I just wanted to impress ye. I suppose I ended up failin' anyway,” he added apologizing.
Sighing, Lilia stepped forwards and pulled him into a hug. He looked so dejected that she found herself comforting him despite how angry she had been just moments ago. He seemed surprised at first, but then he warmed up to her embrace, his hands holding her upper arms tentatively.
"Ye did fail, but only because ye tried to be impressive using deceit. If he had tried cookin' by yerself, ye wouldnae have failed. Regardless of whether or nae the food turned out well,” she said.
"I understand." He mumbled, "I am sorry. I promise that I did learn. I am tryin' to change me ways. It just might take a while."
Lilia smiled, she knew that it would take a while, people did not change overnight. All that mattered was that he was taking steps to change, and she ruffled his hair in a very familiar manner.
"It is alright if it takes ye some time, as long as ye are aware of yer wrongs and are takin' the steps to change it, nae just with me but with everyone else,” she said.
She had just finished talking when she realized what she was doing. Her hand was running through his blond locks as she stood with her body pressed to his.
She froze in place, her eyes wide as her hand stilled on his scalp, her heart beginning to pound loudly. Without thinking, she had started to do what her mother used to do when admonishing her kindly or giving her advice after she made a mistake, running her hand through his hair in a comforting manner.
His eyes darkened as he looked at her with an intensity she’d never seen before. Was he annoyed with her? She had been treating him like a child, after all, getting so familiar. He was still The Younger, despite everything.
"Uielam Younger… I am so sorry, I didnae mean to dae that, me hand just moved on its own…" She stammered, making to withdraw, but his hands on her forearms tightened slightly, keeping her in place, and he lowered his head suddenly, pressing his lips to hers and catching her off guard.
"Daenae call me by me title,” he said, breathing heavily as her heart began to race. "I daenae want ye to dae that anymore."
With that, he pressed his lips to hers again, this time parting her lips with his tongue and deepening the kiss. Her eyes rolled shut, and she clutched the front of his shirt to keep herself standing.
What was happening? She was kissing Uielam. Or rather, Uielam had kissed her, and now she was kissing him back. She was really kissing him too, tangling her tongue with his desperately as though she were starving. He kissed her with just as much fervor, his hands leaving her arms and reaching her waist, pressing their bodies even closer together.
Their fervor increased, and her hands snaked around his neck while he encircled her with one arm, burying his free hand in her hair and angling her head to one side. She let out a loud moan of pleasure as his lips left hers, and he nibbled his way down her neck.
The sound seemed to startle them both as Uielam froze in his ministrations, and her eyes snapped open. Reality came crashing down on them immediately, and they jumped away from each other at the same time.
Uielam scratched his head, and she smoothed down her skirt while they both stammered incomprehensible words, still breathing heavily in the aftermath of their lustful kiss.
What dae ye think ye were doing Lilia?!
She chided herself in her mind. Her lips felt bruised as did the spot on her neck that he had been nibbling on. Her fingers moved to her neck instinctively, and Uielam's eyes darkened as they found what was no doubt a bruise on her skin.
"I ah, I should go change out of this dress and head to bed, it has been quite a long day, and I am exhausted," she said, feigning a yawn.
Uielam cleared his throat as well, scratching his head again.
"Ah, aye ye are correct, it is quite late, I should be going to bed as well I mean, me gods I have matches tomorrow. I will be going to bed now, good night, Lilia," he said stiffly, moving to blow out the candles on the table.
"Aye goodnight, Uielam,” she responded just as stiffly before running to her room with her heart pounding in her chest.
Chapter Thirteen
Uielam was even more vicious in the tournament that day than he had been on his first day. He was performing with laser focus, using the matches as an outlet for all his pent up emotions once again, but this time his emotions were a lot more riotous. As such, he had a lot less patience for his opponents, not even allowing them to move before he struck.
He knew that he was using too much skill for the level of his current opponents, giving his all when he should have left it for the last match. However, he was too worked up to pace himself. He finished his match victorious and returned to his tent, where Osgar was waiting with a worried expression.
“Are ye alright, Uielam? Ye’re ridin’ like a mad man out there. Ye have quite a reputation now from the last few matches. Ye’ve demolished the past few opponents without even giving them a chance to show their skills. Ye only dae this when there is something botherin’ ye,” Osgar said.
Was he bothered? Of course, he was bothered. He’d been unable to sleep properly as his senses were still awash with everything Lilia. Her scent, the feel of her skin, the softness of her lips. He still couldn’t believe that he’d actually kissed Lilia. He’d flirted with her for years, but somehow, had never come close enough to even consider kissing her.
He still remembered every detail of the kiss, she had hugged him, and it was warm and soft, he had wanted to stay in her arms forever. She had then threaded her fingers into his hair. It was the most comforting thing he had ever experienced, and she had looked more beautiful than anything and anyone he had ever seen in his life.
Her eyes had been warm and smiling softly. In their depths, he was sure that he saw love or what it was supposed to be. Then just as quickly as it had shown up, it disappeared once she realized what she was doing. All he knew was that he wanted that warmth back. Somehow that had translated into a kiss, and once he started, he could not stop, and he simply wanted more.
Having Lilia in his arms just felt right, to the point that letting go was what felt wrong. He remembered her moan and clenched his jaw. While it was the sound that stopped them from no doubt going farther than they were prepared for, it had also woken something primal within him. He had let her go immediately, mostly for fear of what he would do if he did not.
She had looked just as surprised as he was, holding her hand to the little bruise that his kisses had left on her neck. Seeing the mark he had put on her pale skin only served to make him even more aroused. They had gone to bed awkwardly and with very good reason. He had forced himself to go to bed only to be met with dreams of Lilia, her lips, and her breasts in the river. It was no surprise that he woke up on the floor, sporting a prominent tent.
He had
left earlier than usual, having woken up before Lilia for the first time. He had not wanted to run into her at all, so he left the cottage earlier, giving his body time to calm down by walking before he went to meet up with Osgar. He had managed to calm his body, but his heart was still rioting.
Osgar was looking at him with a slightly concerned expression, but he could not tell him what had happened, not with the farmer sitting right there doing his best to act like he was not listening. Uielam sighed, handing his helmet to Osgar and beginning to take off his armor.
“I am alright. I am done for today, am I nae?” he asked. Osgar nodded, absently handing the farmer the helmet and waving him out to receive the applause for winning all his matches and advancing in the tournament.
“Are ye sure that ye are alright?” Osgar asked again now that they were alone as he helped Uielam remove the armor and handed him his black cloak.
“Nay, nae exactly… I daenae understand what it is that I am feelin’. I will tell ye when I understand,” he said.
