The Temporal Knights (27 page)

The man on the ground continued to scream as he clutched his leg, but the two brothers ignored him.

“Ubba?”

Ivarr shook his head. “Na, Ubba lost the Hill, he should stay among the Anglish. Alfred will ransom him for sure…try and talk us back to Anglia.”

Halfdan grunted, figuring his brother was right. He usually was where the Anglish were concerned. Strange people, strange ways. Finally, Halfdan glanced down at the howling man and held up his sword.

Ivarr frowned. “Leave him. His cries will help me digest my meal,” he said and with one quick gesture the courtyard quickly emptied leaving the wounded man alone. It was hard to say if the man was aware of being abandoned, he continued to scream for several more minutes before falling silent, but it took nearly five for him to bleed all the way out.

§

It was still very dark when Matt finally rose, having slept little. He dressed quickly and went out into the still morning air. He waved to the guards on duty, but said nothing as to his destination. The stars were still bright in the sky, though a hint of the new day was appearing in the east. The ground was wet with dew as he made his way carefully around to the western side of the town. He moved carefully in the semi-darkness, not wanting to rouse suspicions by wearing his combat helmet. He moved quietly but to him his steps were loud and clumsy in the quiet of the morning. The old horse barn was a few hundred yards from the rear gates, which were still closed at this hour. The dilapidated structure was set only about thirty feet from the bank of the river Exe.

The barn was very small by modern standards, but it was two stories tall. Most of the roof had long since collapsed in upon itself and the walls were missing planks here and there as the good ones were robbed to be used on newer structures.

Matt circled the dilapidated building and in the darkness somehow found a rocky ledge that hung out over the river. He fidgeted a moment then nervously sat down on the very edge, letting his feet dangle in space. He listened to the gentle flow of the river beneath him, and to the occasional splash of a fish jumping for an early meal. Very slowly the morning became brighter and his surroundings became more distinct. He spotted the stones used to cross the river and smiled nervously. He half expected the Lady Ellyn not to show, and was almost convinced that it would be better if she didn’t. He felt young, excited, like a school boy before his first real date, though he was far past the age for such nonsense, or so he told himself. He also felt guilt, along with anticipation, which he found curious, but still it gnawed at his consciousness. He wanted Ellyn to show up badly, and he was finding it increasingly hard to sit still, his muscles began to twitch beneath him to such an extent that he was nearly to the point of leaving.

‘She’s too young,’
he thought and finally realized that he could not go through with this. He started to stand up but froze at the sound of approaching footsteps. He remained motionless for a long moment, his heart pounding loudly in his chest and then slowly, helplessly he sank back down. He was dimly aware of his blood thumping in his ears, but most of his attention was on the corner of the barn. Strange, he thought, that the approach of a girl could cause the same reaction as the approach of a Skawp bent on killing. He tried once more to stand, but again failed as Ellyn rounded the corner of the barn. The eastern sky was going from purple to blue behind her as she met his eyes. She smiled slightly. She was wrapped in a thick burgundy cape, but let it drop behind her. Beneath, she was wearing only a flimsy nightgown, her body highlighted perfectly from behind. Matt swallowed hard and forced himself up to his knees. She said nothing, just took two small steps forward and then slowly, with unbelievable grace, slipped out of her clothes and stood nude before him. He stared at her, unable to breathe, as he took in the sight of her. She smiled again…shyly and did a slow turn, letting him see all of her, and then she faced him again. Matt tried to resist, tried to speak but found he was not able, and then she rushed to him, fell to her knees and they embraced fiercely.

He could feel her now, her warmth, her incredible softness, knowing but not thinking about just how very small she was, but then she kissed him, and all of his semi-thoughts fell away in the face of a hunger he had not fully realized was there. They kissed and groped at one another until they dropped as one to the rock ledge. They lay side by side, mouths touching hungrily, his hands searching her body, until almost by luck, they found her small breasts. He felt her stiffen for the briefest moment and take a deep breath, but then she relaxed once more and pulled him closer, and then he lost himself in her spell. It wasn’t until she placed a bold hand between his legs that he realized that he was naked beside her. The shock and pleasure of her touch seemed to rouse him from the magical spell and he had another moment of hesitation, but her insistent stroking quickly drove away any thoughts of restraint. Instinctively he moved, guided by her warmth, and entered her. She cried out softly, as much in pleasure as in pain, but Matt blinked and gazed down into her face, wanting and needing her, but also ashamed. With great effort he forced himself up and away from her body.

“No...” she whispered, reaching for him. She desperately wanted to reassure him, to take away the look of despair and doubt on his face. But he stood shakily nevertheless, and willed his body, which was still on fire, to turn away from the girl.

“Matthew,” Ellyn whispered as he struggled away from her. He turned at her voice and gazed down at her perfect body. He wavered a moment and then his own desire overwhelmed him and then fell on her once more. It was over for them both very quickly; for her with pain and just a hint of pleasure, but for him it was a release of such intense pressure that it left him weak and shaking. She watched him closely as he came down from the heights. At first his face was serene and he looked at her with such love that she knew this moment was worth anything, but then he face hardened and changed, and a look of disgust and self-loathing swept over it. His entire body stiffened up again, as the image of millions of dead women rushed back to him. The crushing grief and despair of the memory consumed him; hitting him with such force that he scrambled away from Ellyn until his back hit the barn wall.

The girl rose slightly, surprised and dismayed, not fully understanding his pain. All she wanted was to give him happiness and pleasure. She moved toward him, full of sympathy, but stopped suddenly as he started to cry. He wept hard, in great racking sobs. In all her young life she’d never seen anyone; man or woman cry like that, and it moved her greatly. Just then the sun popped over the horizon and caught the barn, the man and his grief, in its golden light, and Ellyn felt her own eye’s tearing up. She moved to her knees wanting desperately to comfort him, but before she could even stand, he leaped to his feet with the speed only the strangers seemed to possess. Once on his feet, the Major cried out like a man possessed, and swung first an elbow, then a fist into the rotting boards of the barn wall. The old building did not stand a chance against his sorrow and fury. He spun and kicked, swinging and hitting the wall with such force that his knuckles began to bleed. The barn groaned under the onslaught.

Frozen in place, Ellyn watched it all with stunned fascination, and then as suddenly as a spring shower, he stopped. He seemed to calm, but then he raised his face to the heavens and screamed at the top of his lungs. Ellyn jumped at the sound as Matt staggered away from the barn and toward the river. He wavered a moment before once more falling to his knees. His breathing was coming in large, deep gasps but he was no longer crying. He just sat resting, breathing heavily from his exertions.

Ellyn stood and ran to him and crushed his head to her bare, flat stomach, before falling down to kneel beside him. They kissed and held each other. After a long minute they pulled apart and gazed deeply at one another. They were still staring, each entranced by the intimacy of the moment, when the sounds of hurried footsteps grew louder, and though they were both naked neither made a move to end the embrace. At least a dozen men, some soldiers and some huscarls that manned the town wall, rounded the corner. They all immediately slid to a halt as they caught sight of the two early morning lovers. Neither Matt nor Ellyn made a move to cover their nakedness; instead they looked calmly back at the men gawking at them. Everyone remained stunned for several long seconds then a loud groan filled the air. Matt frowned as everything went quiet once more, then suddenly the groans returned, louder than ever, and without warning the barn collapsed in a great roar of noise, startlingly loud in the still morning air.

The two lovers looked first at the barn, and then at each other.

“I believe ye may have awakened Aunt Eldreena,” Ellyn said, coughing from the dust. Matt nodded solemnly and then everyone burst out laughing. Ellyn hugged Matt fiercely and kissed his cheeks, his eyes, and his mouth. The men, seeing no danger, left discreetly and shortly thereafter Matt made love to his new woman, but this time he took extra care to satisfy her needs, which he did with much skill. When they finally dressed they both felt wonderfully better, and moved past the ruined barn with high amusement. Ellyn’s Aunt, however, was not nearly so amused.

After they’d split apart, Matt initially went to the ship, which was still an enigma and quickly becoming a lost cause. They could find no reason for the engines to be offline and the growing frustration threatened to become a serious mental block for Matt and the crew. Sergeant Blish was now spending the majority of his time with the Skawp ship and he was unaccustomed to prolonged snags with anything mechanical. He, Turnbull and Wells were making very little progress, and none of them could stand their commander’s happy demeanor and smiling face for long. Matt only worked with them for about an hour before Blish chased him off, but not without a smile and a good deal of envy.

So Matt went to the mess tent where Rice, Osage, and Guon had set up their impromptu school. The student body had now tripled since its inception. In attendance were many peasants, and a few noblemen, if fact three of the new students were older than any of their teachers. Father Gillian and the monk Padstone were also in attendance every day, in fact they never actually left the encampment anymore, and slept on cots in Rice’s tent, following Master Leoforic’s example. The entire group was now thoroughly committed to learning, and sucked up any and all knowledge like a forest fire sucked oxygen. Padstone, since he was much more scholar than monk, was especially feverish and Rice had to be very careful not to let the man’s unrelenting questions steer them off the lesson plan. Not a day passed without the old monk’s entire worldview being either cracked or shattered by some tidbit of knowledge discovered within the classroom. It took a tough, solid mind to take that kind of beating and remain excited, enthusiastic and sane.

But it was only in search of the Lady Ellyn that Matt stepped into the tent. He spotted her immediately, and was surprised to find her Aunt Eldreena sitting next to her dutifully in class. The girl beamed at him from the first, obviously out of her mind with happiness, but her Aunt just shook her head and waved a bony finger at him.

“Sorry for the interruption Doctor,” Matt said, everyone eyeing him closely. “May I watch...perhaps help?”

Word of the morning’s interlude had spread like a cholera epidemic, first through the town and then through the American camp. Gordon was well aware of his friend’s interlude with the Lady Ellyn. By now there were a fair number of soldiers who’d been lucky enough to spend some intimate time with a local girl; Matt however, was the first to be with one of the noblewomen. Rice frowned at the Major, but motioned for him to sit, but before he could Eldreena was up and moving past him.

“I’d speak with ye,” she said like a command, much to the horror of Ellyn, and the amusement of the soldiers present. Matt gulped and followed the old woman out of the tent and a good hundred feet from its canvas walls.

“The Lady Ellyn’s bin walkin’ on air all de
morn long,” Eldreena started scornfully.

“As have I,” Matt replied happily.

“Yah, I’m sure ye have...but wot’s to become of it. Her father’s na gonna be happy ‘bout it, and I’m na sure I be neither.”

Matt shrugged. “I’m not sure what’s to become of it,” he began truthfully. If the ship was suddenly repaired he’d be gone. There was no doubt to that, though in the past week he was beginning to question his will to fly to the stars and avenge mankind.

“Well, ye best be a thinkin’ on it. We be leavin’ soon for our home at Bridgwater. Sir Oldalf’s duty here is done, and he has his own worries and lands to tend,” the old woman scolded.

The news hit Matt like a good punch to the stomach. He was so concerned about his own farewell it never crossed his mind that Ellyn may be the one to leave. His smile dropped from his face, and Eldreena, old though she was, could still tell when a man was in love, and her face softened a bit.

“Ye best be thinkin’,” she added and turned to go.

“What should I do?” He asked abruptly, confused. He knew that it might be for the best if Ellyn were to leave...things were getting very complicated. But he also realized that he had only one real desire in this new world, and that was to be with the young woman from Bridgwater.

“I canna tell ye dat son,” Eldreena replied with a slight smile, feeling the man’s panic. “I kin say dat de Lady be trustin’ ye like no other, an’ she will fall hard if’n ye let her down. Mayhap de Lady Merwinna kin come up with an idea or two...she be a smart Lady...dat she is.”