Keeper of the Stone (7 page)

She shivered involuntarily, uncertain if her tremors were caused by the cold or her anxiety about the fate awaiting her later this evening, much less the course of her entire future after tonight. 

“Are you cold?” Nathan asked, surprised by the slight tremor beneath his hand.  The night air seemed unseasonably mild to him. 

Rhiann’s voice deserted her when she lifted her glance to meet her new husband’s intent one and she could only nod in response.  Nathan immediately removed his cloak and wrapped it around her.  The garment hung around her much smaller form like a heavy quilt. She hurried to lift the lower half to keep it from dragging along the ground behind her.  His masculine scent lingered on the fine cloth and Rhiann found her senses filled with the evidence of him.  His heat clung to the garment and she welcomed its warmth.  “Thank you,” she whispered, shyly meeting his glance.

Nathan smiled at his wife’s evident timidity.  He found it amusing the way she kept trying to put some distance between them, how she attempted to pull her hand free from his grasp, and even now how she was unable to bring herself to hold his glance for long.  He couldn’t resist the urge to push a stray strand of her long hair, now blowing gently in the breeze, away from her lovely face.  The golden curls felt like silk in his hand and he let his knuckles linger on her soft skin.  His body was already reacting insistently to her nearness and the thought of the banquet he would feast upon later this night. Her eyes were huge in her pale face but she didn’t recoil from his touch.  He smiled tenderly at her wary expression.  “You’re welcome.”

He heard her sigh audibly at the same time she dropped her glance beneath his.  The smile playing around his lips turned into a grin. 

His bride was so honest in her reactions, so openly genuine.  He reached out and lifted her chin so she would be forced to meet his gaze. It was hardly a revelation to discover he liked touching her.  He especially enjoyed the way she pressed herself up against his side at the church when his men offered their pledges of loyalty.  He easily captured her startled gaze as she raised her eyes to his. She was as skittish as a young colt, with the same wary fear in her vivid green eyes at his touch.  His hand slid along her jaw, underneath her silken tresses and cupped the back of her neck. 

Her eyes widened at his boldness and she drew a quick panicked breath but though he could read the temptation in her eyes, she restrained from drawing away from his hand. He suspected she knew he would not allow her to retreat from his touch and no doubt his young bride had learned the painful lesson over the course of the past few weeks and months that some battles were not worth the price one paid to wage them. 

“You belong to me now. It is my right to touch you.” His voice was harsher than he intended.  The softness of her skin, the sight of her gold curls blowing gently in the breeze, the wide-eyed innocence of her gaze all combined to tantalize his masculine passions in a way he had not allowed himself to indulge in since he was a young man. 

He was an innocent once.  As innocent as the maid he somehow managed to capture for his own.  He paid a high price for surrendering to his naive lust for a woman he thought was as pure as he once was.  He acknowledged now how foolish his younger self was then.  There was no mistaking the purity of Rhiann’s eyes. The way she flinched beneath his every caress was evidence of her unfamiliarity with a man’s touch.

“I know.” She whispered in response to his claim it was his right to touch her.  Tears filled her eyes at his fierce reminder.

“I’ll never hurt you.” His thumb was gentle as he brushed away the tears that spilled over her lower lids.

“Truly?” Rhiann wanted to believe him.  She wanted to trust him, because if she was unable to rely on his word her future was too terrifying to contemplate.

“Truly.” His assurance was whispered against her lips as he brushed his own against hers.  Rhiann fought conflicting emotions at his gentle touch.  One to draw away from this new intimacy, the other to restrain the urge to lean into his arms and let herself be swallowed up in his strength. 

“I don’t wish to hate you.”  She whispered.  Their lips were still just a breath away as he lifted his face away from hers.

“Then don’t.”  Nathan recognized he was asking a lot of her considering the events leading up to their marriage.

“I will try to love you.”

He smiled in surprise at her hesitant declaration.  Her adjustment would be much easier if she could eventually grow to have some affection for him, but he would not demand her love.  She could save her tender feelings for his sons, but if she needed to love him, neither would he crush her gentle regard.  “I will do my best to be worthy of your love.” At her hesitant smile he wrapped one arm around her slender waist and steered her towards the king’s home and the celebration awaiting them.

A large cheer erupted at their entrance and Nathan grinned when Rhiann immediately edged closer to his side.  The king beckoned them forward and Nathan knelt before his liege lord.  Rhiann did not need his gentle urging to kneel by his side. He nodded approvingly at her graceful action and squeezed the small hand he held in his.

The king gave them his blessing and bid them rise.  He signaled for silence from his guests. “I am well pleased with this match.  I bid you all to welcome Lady Rhiann and join me in offering your best wishes for a happy future.”  A loud cheer erupted at his words, and after a few moments the king once more held up his hands for silence.  “Tis my privilege to provide a generous dowry fitting for such a worthy bride, though as I have already informed my vassal, even the most generous dowry must take a distant second to the woman it accompanies.”

A hushed silence fell over the crowd.  All knew who Rhiann’s father was and the rich estates he left behind.  They waited anxiously to learn if one of the richest estates acquired in the invasion of Saxony would be awarded to the duke’s daughter’s new husband.  “My loyal vassal and good friend, Nathan, has proven his value and loyalty again and again in his years in my service.  As you all know I reward service in the measure it is given to me.  For this reason I award the lady’s father’s estates to Baron Nathan, the new lord of Heaven’s Crest.”

Thunderous applause erupted at the king’s announcement.  If there were noblemen who were dissatisfied or disgruntled over the king’s proclamation, their disappointment was drowned out by those who were genuinely happy for Nathan.  His own men, many of them younger sons with no hope of inheriting lands of their own, saw his huge step up in status as a reflection of their own possibilities.

Rhiann lifted her glance toward her husband’s face and for a brief moment saw the flare of triumphant satisfaction in his eyes.  She knew nothing of his family background but she guessed this moment meant a great deal to him, more than she could possibly understand.  He looked down to find her watching him and bent towards her and whispered in her ear.  “I will take good care of your father’s lands and his daughter.  You need have no fear entrusting either to my care.”  He turned to his king and repeated his pledge to guard his lands, his wife, and the king’s interests with his sword, his will and his life’s blood.  Even more thunderous applause erupted at the conclusion of Nathan’s fierce vow.

Large mugs of fresh ale were passed around by harried servants and Rhiann recognized her husband’s commander when he stepped up on the platform and raised his glass.  “Hail Baron Nathan and Lady Rhiann!  May they know long life.  May their lands prosper.  May their sons be blessed with their father’s strength and honor, and may their daughters be blessed with their mother’s beauty.”

“Here! Here!”  Loud shouts of agreement echoed around the festive hall, filled to capacity, as mugs were lifted and drained.  Rhiann raised her own mug and took a tiny sip of the ale.  She never cared for the bitter taste.  She noticed Nathan downed his full mug in a single swallow much to the delight of the approving crowd, and then took her still full mug from her hand and downed hers as well.  A loud clatter arose as mugs were banged against each other. 

Nathan could see by the confused look on her face his young wife failed to understand what the crowd demanded.  Rather than explain matters to her he decided to show her.  He turned her into his embrace and covered her mouth with his in a kiss far different than the ones they exchanged to date. His mouth moved warmly over hers, coaxing her response as loud cheers of appreciation from the crowd watching them faded into the background.  When her lips trembled beneath his and her hands gripped his shirt, he groaned his approval in the back of his throat.  Uncaring of their audience, he wrapped his arms around his bride’s slender form and drew her up against his hard chest.  The crowd cheered all the louder.  When she began shaking in his arms, Nathan reluctantly allowed their surroundings to intrude and he raised his head.  At the glazed confusion in his bride’s eyes he was forced to restrain the urge to sweep her into his arms and carry her up to his rooms and answer the questions he could read in her glance.

The king clapped him heartily on the back and Nathan turned to accept his outstretched hand.  Well-wishers rushed forward.  Rhiann shyly accepted their congratulations and Nathan turned her in his arms so she stood between his legs and her head rested against him just below his chin.  The signal for the evening meal came and the crowd made their way to the full tables set up around the hall.  Rhiann was too nervous to do more than taste any of the offerings artfully arranged on the full plate placed in front of her.  Rather than risk offending the king she pushed the food around on her plate while the other guests ate.  She noticed enviously her husband appeared to have little trouble finishing the food placed in front of him and downing several mugs of the seemingly endless supply of fresh ale.

After the meal, the queen led her upstairs to new quarters she suspected belonged to her husband.  A steaming wooden tub was placed before the hearth.  The queen herself assisted her with her gown and wrapped her in a warm cloth before helping her into a sleeping gown in a material so fine she could see through it.  Rhiann tried not to panic at the thought of the night ahead.  As if sensing her rising anxiety, the queen squeezed her hands reassuringly, and then helped her into a robe made from the same material as the sleeping gown.  “All will be well, my dear.  You need only trust your husband.  He is a good man and worthy of your love.”

Rhiann bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out.  Tears glittered in her eyes as she tried to smile bravely at the queen, well aware of the great honor she was shown when the monarch helped her to prepare for her wedding night.  “I’ll leave you alone for a time.  Though I doubt you will have long to wait before your husband joins you.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

The queen’s prediction proved accurate.  The heavy door barely closed behind Matilda when Rhiann heard it creak open again.  She stood in front of the hearth trying to draw ragged breaths into her suddenly tight throat.  She refused to turn around; hoping a few more moments would help her gather her courage to face the terror of the night ahead.

Nathan stepped through the thick wooden door barring the entrance to his quarters and closed the door behind him, sliding the latch into place to bar any interruptions.  His eyes immediately sought out his new bride where she stood in front of the stone hearth.  Her back was to him but he noticed how she stiffened at his entrance, her fear evident in the way her shoulders trembled and the way her hands were clenched together in front of her.  Though he couldn’t see them from where he stood by the door he suspected her small hands shook so forcibly they were causing the trembling evident in her entire slender body. He drew in a deep, cleansing breath hoping to calm his raging needs.  His bride’s slight, womanly form was outlined by the light from the fire.  The see-through gown did little to hide her naked body from his avid gaze.  Nathan knew he needed to gather his discipline before his bride turned to face him, lest he terrify her with his lustful intent. He willed his thudding heart to slow down, not surprised when it completely ignored his mind’s order. His normally iron will and self-control was already losing this battle against his manly passions.  Normally he would be irritated with himself at the evidence of his loss of control, but tonight was different.  Tonight was the one night of his life it was acceptable to surrender to the urgency coursing through him, to give life to his desires and take the bountiful treasure before him.  The maid was his for the taking.  A gift of his king for Nathan’s long years of faithful service to accompany the lands he was awarded by his marriage to her.

Though she belonged to him, was his property by virtue of the laws of both men and God, he would not have her cowering before him in terror when he consummated their wedding vows.  He needed to regain control over the lust riding him so hard now he could barely put two thoughts together in an orderly fashion. He recognized he was never going to be able to summon the patience he was certain would be needed to gain his bride’s trust if he couldn’t clear his head and slow his body’s incessant urging to take the maid and have done with it. 

“Rhiann.” Nathan cringed at the harshness of his tone as his bride’s name echoed in the hushed silence of the room. 

Reluctantly Rhiann turned to face the man who was now her husband. She unclenched her trembling hands and wrapped her arms around her stomach in a protective gesture, and in what she knew was a foolish attempt to cover herself as much as possible.  Even in her innocence she recognized her husband’s lustful intent in the way Nathan’s glance raked over her and knew she would be defenseless against his greater strength.  Just as she was unable to prevent the Norman siege on Heaven’s Crest, she would be unable to defend herself against her husband’s assault on her virgin’s body. Involuntary shivers passed through her at the thought of what was to come.

Not wanting to give the terror his bride was unable to hide from him a chance to take hold, Nathan captured her frightened glance and demanded, “Come to me, wife.”  He winced at the sound of his stark command in the silence of the room.  He was already struggling to contain his raging desire.  He suspected his self-control would be tested tonight in a way he was never tested before. When his innocent bride took an instinctive step back towards the heat of the fire he could almost believe from the blind panic he read in her eyes she found going up in flames a more preferable option to a night spent in his bed.  Hoping not to push her any further, he added softly, “Do you remember your vows to the priest?”