Queen Of My Heart (8 page)

I squeezed her gently and kissed her temple knowing full well it would throw her off which it did. She stiffened even farther before relaxing back against me; up until now I'd saved my special touches for when we were making love, before when she was in our home, before I'd cast her out, we'd shared a few tender kisses, now I was thinking it might be good to keep her off guard by taking a few liberties here and there since it appeared she couldn't resist my touch. I tested my theory by letting the tip of my thumb brush against the bottom of her full breast back and forth. Her body literally melted back against mine, giving me a splendid idea.

Thank heaven she was too young and inexperienced to hide such a reaction from me, or worse yet use it against me. I doubt she understood how much she gave away with her body’s natural reaction to my touch and nearness. I cupped her ripe flesh under cover of her cloak and squeezed drawing forth the sweetest sound from her lips. I stole a quick nip of the flesh of her neck, as she seemed to have lost the ability to hold her head up straight but instead rested it back against my chest.

"When we're home again, one day I shall take you up on my horse and fuck you as we race across the east meadow." I made sure to let my lips brush her ear as I whispered the vulgarity in her ear. Her small frame shook and she made that sweet sound again as I pulled her back onto my hardening cock. “Do you feel that wife? Did you like having all that hardness buried inside you these last few nights, hmm? Do you have any idea how wild and abandoned you look while I fuck you, or what that does to me?” Her body shook and her nails dug into the flesh of my arm as she came, grinding her plump arse flesh back into my now fully hard cock. Sweet mercy, if mere words could do this, what more when I put action to those words?

 In my need to be alone with her to carry on with my newfound pleasure, I had pulled slightly ahead of my men and her personal guard. I did not want prying eyes and ears overhearing or seeing the things I did to her body as I kept up a constant assault on her senses. I between soft nibbles of her flesh I kept up a barrage of whispered words meant to inflame her senses. She could not hide from me what her body revealed, neither the pebbling of her nipple beneath my palm, or the slight trembling of her limbs.

It was as I lifted my head for some much-needed respite from her heady scent that I first saw the flash of light up ahead. At first it appeared to be nothing more than a play of light against the trees, but for a trained soldier it told a different story. Being careful not to alarm her, I withdrew my hand from her body more abruptly than I would have liked and turned back to my men. My blood ran cold at the thought of what might have happened had I not lifted my head in time.

I rode through the ranks until I came to her brother and deposited her on his horse behind him. “Protect your sister.” Turning to my men who had stopped at my approach and were no doubt wondering at my strange behavior I told them what I suspected. “I saw a flash of armor up ahead in the denser part of the forest bed. They are well hidden but I do not know as yet how many and if it’s just the one group or if they’ve broken off in two, one in front and one behind. We will carry on as if we know nothing. Some of you will go around and behind but you must be as quiet as possible. We now have the upper hand as they’ve lost the element of surprise. We will stop here long enough to give you time to get in place behind them on the pretense that my horse has lost a shoe.”

The men murmured among themselves as we chose who was to go. There was an air of excitement as it had been sometime since we’d enjoyed a good battle. I too would’ve felt that heat for battle had my wife not been caught in the middle. “Jonas, Tam, Sheldon and Dane. You will stay with my queen and see that no harm comes to her. As soon as the others give their signal we will send the horsed ahead at speed while we move in on foot. This way they will show themselves and be out in the open for our attack.”

Chapter 11

Four of my best scouting men slid into the woods on foot as I set about doing as I’d said. “Do not worry Rhiannon, I will let nothing happen to you.” She seemed scared but was holding onto her composure nonetheless. With no care for our audience I pulled her to me and kissed her before going to tend my horse. If the men up ahead had us in their sights it would appear that we had stopped to tend him. I was sure that they would not give up their position by showing themselves so there was no fear of attack. By the time they realized it was a ruse it would be too late, as my men in the woods would’ve out flanked them. I would study the question of who and how later. Could be they were just a band of brigands and highwaymen, but if they were not and were my enemies instead then I would know that I had a traitor in the midst.

As soon as we received the signal from my men a few minutes later, my remaining men and I sprang into action leaving the queen and her brother behind with their guard. Soon the air was rife with the sounds of battle as my men in the woods unleashed their bows in the enemy from behind. Since we had taken the element of surprise away from them and were at the ready as we rode towards them they were the ones who now found themselves caught in the middle.

I recognized the colors immediately and swallowed the bitter taste of disappointment for now as I swung my sword from atop my steed. While half of my men dealt with the lesser men and the other half protected my back I made my way down the middle to the leader who was also well protected by his men. It was an act that left many stymied but one I found to be most affective. No king in battle went after the enemy without his men at his side, instead choosing to remain surrounded by his men.

I knew that if I took out their leader the rest would scatter, it was a time-honored truth that had never failed me. With my attention focused solely on the head of the Torcs, I trusted my men to cover me as I cut my way through the melee. Clasping my horse with my thighs I drew my bow and sent two arrows flying in quick succession. One went through the neck and the other pierced his armor. As was to be expected at the fall of their leader the others started to flee but I had other ideas. I only needed one of them alive though so I gave my men orders to pursue and cut them down saving one alive.

We rode a ways away from the battle site before I called a halt. “We will stay here I must see to the injured. Tie the prisoner and leave him I’ll deal with him later.” The men went about setting up camp as I went to see about the few who had been injured. Rhiannon surprised me when she brushed by me with a sack on her shoulder shouting orders to her ladies to make the men comfortable. “My lady we have someone here to tend to the wounded.”

“I can be of help, let your man see to the more serious injuries and we will do what we can.” She seemed to know what she was about as she called for cloths and water. The men were set up on pallets in the open, as there had been no time to set up their tents as yet. I made the rounds checking our number to be sure that we had lost none in the little skirmish. Jason was at my heel asking me a thousand questions about the fighting, he seemed more excited than alarmed by the day’s happenings and it led me to contemplate something I’d barely given any thought to.

I hadn’t quite decided what was to be done with the young man on arriving at my kingdom, but his new excitement gave me an idea. “You fancy being a soldier young Jason?”

“Oh yes brother more than anything, but…” he looked down at the leg that was bent at an awkward angle and was the source of the limp that impaired his movement.

“I’ve seen you fight Jason. I think with the right training we may make a fine soldier of you yet.”

“Do you mean it your majesty?” His eyes were bright with excitement and I was reminded once again of his youth. I ruffled his hair and sent him back to Jonas while I went to question the prisoner.

He had been bound and tied to a tree with two of my men keeping watch over him. I relieved them and studied the young man who stood before me. The leader had been a nobleman from the days of my grandfather’s reign, one of the last of a few rebels who had refused to accept my lead. He wasn’t the first I’d had to put down but hopefully he was the last. Most preferred and alliance as opposed to war as my reputation preceded me. I was known to show no quarter to my enemies neither did I take prisoners. Why should I feed and shelter those who sought my demise?

“How did you know I would be passing by this way?” He glared at me with contempt as I drew closer to his side. He wasn’t one of my former subjects at least not one that I’d lain eyes on before and I had made a point of meeting all the men of fighting age when I was crowned as king years ago. Still he could’ve slipped my notice, it was possible.

“I asked you a question, if you want to live to see the dawn I suggest you answer. From where did you learn of my whereabouts?” Only a handful of people knew where I’d gone to and I’m quite certain my mother and father hadn’t let slip to anyone what I was about. He grinned facetiously when I raised my fist. “You’re going to kill me anyway so I might as well stay still. That way the next one to attempt your death will have success.”

“So there’re more of you are there? Very well I’ll just have to dispatch the scum the same way I did your leader today.” I drew my sword to take his head and be done with it. I have no stomach for torture and I deplored the practice of slavery so there was only one recourse left.

When I was through, I went to the tent before heading back to where I’d left my wife tending my men. She wad still at it, sewing up the arm of one of my soldiers who’d taken a broad axe to the arm. She was fair to drooping as she knelt next to him on the grass in the waning sunlight. When she was through binding his arm I picked her up my intent to head to the nearby stream to wash away the day’s grime. “Put me down you big ox.” She started pounding my shoulder and I almost dropped her in my surprise.

“Rhiannon, what mean you by this? What has gotten into you?” There were tears in her eyes and I realized I hadn’t stopped to think of the fear she must’ve felt. “Forgive me my love I didn’t think…”

“No you didn’t, what mean you going into the thick of it as you did? You could’ve lost your fool head, not that I care one wit.” She broke into tears and it took me a while to realize that it fear for me that had upset her. I snatched her back up in my arms and twirled her around to the enjoyment of my men.

“Put me down you lout or I swear I shall, I shall bash your thick skull in whilst you sleep.” I grinned up at her before stealing a kiss. “Never, I’m never putting you down again.” I held her close to my heart as I made my way to the water. My men knew not to come near while we were there together so I had no fear of undressing her there beneath the moonlight. She was so busy railing at me for putting myself at risk during the battle that she didn’t try to stop me.

When we were both naked, I lifted her and into my arms and walked into the water. Her screech of outrage awakened the birds that were bedding down for the night in the trees above us. I dunked her head beneath the water before she could flay me with her tongue farther and started washing her while she was busy trying to get her hair from her eyes. I passed her the soap, which I now saw was rose scented; too late, she was already running it over my chest and arms. Again so caught up was she in her chastisement of me that she scarcely seemed to be aware of her actions.

“Whoever taught you to fight was very lacking in their skills. A king never leaves his guard and forge into the thick of battle whatever were you thinking?” She fussed and prodded and poked at me, running her hands over my body until I understood that she was searching for injuries. “I suffered no harm love quit your fretting.” I pushed her wet hair back lifting her face to me. She had stopped her crying but there was still evidence of tears in her eyes. Did she realize what she had given away just then? Dare I hope that this meant we were finally past our impasse? Or will her mercurial mood raise its ugly head again?

Bending to her, I took her lips softly as I wrapped her in my arms. “Your men…” her soft sigh reached my ears as I released her lips to nibble my way down her neck. “No one would dare interrupt us here.” I continued my foray with teeth and tongue until I bent her back over my arm and sucked the succulent morsel of her tit flesh into my mouth. I felt the swelling of my cock beneath the cool water as it bobbed between our heated bodies. Lifting her legs around my waist I guided my stiffness into her, seating her with one thrust.

With one arm under her holding her impaled on my length, I wrapped the other tightly in her hair so I could ravish her mouth in a kiss so hot it threatened to consume us both. A combination of the battle and her show of wifely concern worked on my senses and made me hungrier for her than I’ve ever been. There were no more words spoken as we danced the dance of love standing knee deep in the water. I didn’t want her body hidden from me. I wanted to bask in her glow in the moonlight.

Lifting my lips from hers, I gazed upon the wonder on her face as she rode my cock with abandon. Her eyes were clouded with passion as she bit her lip in concentration, taking full advantage of the hardness buried inside her. My soft teasing thrust only seemed to inflame her even more as she bit into my chest and clenched around me. “Cum for me love, I need to feel you.” I tried to help her by placing my hand between our bodies and teasing her love button until I felt the answering pull deep inside her.

I swallowed her scream of completion even as I emptied my seed deep inside her. Each time I took her was better than the last; it was one step closer to forming that bond that will never again be broken. When her little body stopped shaking from her climax I lifted her off of my still semi-hard member and washed her anew. Being gentle as I took care of her womanly folds. She had shown concern for my well being, that must mean that she was coming to feel something for me didn’t it?