Page 38 of Knight of Darkness
He could not bring himself to argue any further. His lady’s wish was his command. Taking her legs, he wrapped them around his hips and placed his manhood at the very heat of her. Bending forward, he placed his manhood at her core until he found the barrier he knew he would find. Aye, she was a maiden but after this eve she would be his forevermore.
“I am sorry this will hurt you, my love,” he whispered before kissing her lips and plunging further inside to completely fill her womanhood.
Her cry was muffled with his kiss and he resolved himself to remain still whilst she grew accustomed to his size and the fullness of him inside her where nothing had ever been before. When he felt her move, he began also. Slowly at first until their rhythm fell into one that was as old as time itself. He ravished her lips for they were now as one, never to be the same ever again.
As he at last neared his own release, Wymar knew Ceridwen was almost there as well. He whispered in her ear. “Come with me, my sweet, and we shall see the heavens’ stars together this time.”
He drove into her faster and faster until her hips rose and she cried out. ’Twas still the sweetest of sounds and Wymar drove himself one last time into her heat and flooded her with his seed. Time stood still. Their breathing slowed as they stared into each other eyes and returned to earth together.
Wymar rolled over but continued to face his lady-love. Aye, love her he did, if the passion that filled his heart was any indication what the emotion was truly about. He caressed her hair before placing another kiss upon her rosy red lips.
“You are now mine, Lady Ceridwen Ward. Until the end of time itself, we will now only belong to one another.” He sealed his vow with another kiss before bringing her close into his embrace. He reached for a nearby blanket and pulled it over them. “Sleep well, my lady.”
“And you, Wymar.”
He closed his eyes and finally slept and when he dreamed, he dreamed of a woman with aquamarine eyes who forever and always would hold his heart in her hands.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ceridwen’s eyes beganto flutter open. She squinted before raising her hand to cover them when rays of sunshine flashed into her face. The smell of smoke in the distance was not as strong as the day before but was still a grim reminder of a home that was no longer belonging to her family. Pulling the blanket up to her chin, a slight smile broke across her face as she remembered the eve before. She rolled onto her back and reached for Wymar only to realize he was no longer sleeping by her side.
She panicked for an instant before she heard the camp coming to life in the distance. Reaching for her garments, she quickly dressed and tried not to think about no longer being a maiden. ’Twas not as though Wymar had not given her every opportunity to halt their lovemaking before they had reached the point of no return. But she had had no wish to turn back. She’d wanted him, pure and simple. Shestillwanted him, and she knew she always would. She would no longer deny what she felt in her heart for this man, even if in the end she could hold no claim to him as her own. She gave a heavy sigh of what her future might hold without Wymar in her life.
As she continued dressing, she remembered when she had woken up from the nightmare her life had become. All she could sense was Wymar holding her safely in his arms and fighting off the demons tormenting her mind. With her father now gone, Wymar unknowingly offered her the sense of stability she was craving. Arms of steel keeping her safe, along with loving words calming her worst fears. She felt protected with him. At the time it only seemed natural when she had asked for his kiss. She chuckled. Obviously, he had been lost in his own thoughts, for what man would not react to such a heartfelt plea as the one she had given three times?
Her hands ran down her gown to smooth out the wrinkles but lingered on her stomach. What if there was a babe after their coupling? She shook her head refusing to think on that now. She would deal with such an outcome if the situation came to fruition. She would only remember the joy of how wonderful their time together had been.So, this was what all the bards talked about when they came to entertain us in our halls, she thought. If this was love, then she would cherish their time together for as long as it would last.
And if he left come the morrow, then so be it. She would always have yester eve… a perfect memory of one night together when duty and responsibility were not at the forefront of their minds. She would not hold him back from continuing on with his duty to his land and people just as she must needs find a way to wrestle her land back from the enemies who killed her father.
She finished putting on her boots and stood tall with a new determination to reclaim her land. Picking up their discarded blankets, she began heading toward the men. Her eyes searched for Wymar but there was no sign of him. His squire, Turbert, was nearby shuffling his feet in the dirt as was his man Richard.
Some of the men stared at her with frowns marring their visages. Wondering what could be wrong, she turned to find Arthur glaring at her as though he knew what had occurred between her and Wymar the night before.
“Where is he?” she began before continuing on as she pulled Arthur to the side to afford some bit of privacy, “and why are his men looking upon me as if they want to place a dagger in my back?”
“You have missed much this morn whilst you continued your slumber,” Arthur said not gazing upon her. “Several of Wymar’s men are at odds having to remain behind when—”
“He is gone?” she asked. She began to panic at the thought that Wymar had left her without even saying farewell. “He has departed for his own home before I have even reclaimed mine?”
“Nay, I never said he left for his lands, my lady.”
“Then where the bloody hell has Norwood gone so early in the morn?” she demanded.
Arthur nodded in the direction of Norwich. “He went to scout out the area near the castle in the hope that he could possibly negotiate the return of your estate.”
“Negotiate? With the mindless cur that laid siege to my home and murdered its people? He should know you do not negotiate with men of their ilk.”
“Aye, he should but he would not listen to our advice. Norwood hoped to find a way to have Norwich returned to you without any more bloodshed,” Arthur answered whilst raking his hand through his hair. “You will not like who that murderous mongrel is that laid siege to Norwich.”
Ceridwen’s eyes narrowed, but she couldn’t deny that she was already certain of the truth. There was only one man who could have committed that terrible deed. “It was Ratcliff, was it not?”
“Aye, my lady. It was.”
“The bastard!” she snapped pacing across the forest floor. “Why did Norwood not wait for me or take reinforcements? Most of our men are sitting here waiting for instructions, or so it seems.”
“Norwood had no intention of allowing you to step anywhere near the gates of Norwich once he learned who had taken the castle.”
“He had no right to make such a decision for me.”
