WORRLGENHALL (23 page)

“
Mind your tongue…” Wurden teased, as his back straightened proudly, “They can all learn from me.”

After the men rode out, early that morning just as Laad said he would do,
he waited before he crossed the river, and as Baric and Ogorec waited by the river with them, Baric looked to Laad.

“
The men you sent out,” Baric said, “Did they give word of when they would come back?”

“
No, my lord,” Laad said, hiding his concern for Wurden, as well as the others, “But I reason it wise to wait. If we do not hear from them as the sun peaks, I would reason they met an ill fate and with wariness we should enter the valley.”

“
Then we will wait,” Baric said, then rode off.

After
the sun finally slowly began to rise, when still no one had returned, Ogorec became impatient. 

“
We have waited long enough,” he said, but as he spoke, someone saw Loth riding hard.

Quickly, Laad, Baric, and Ogorec rode to meet him.

“Speak!” Laad yelled worriedly, jumping off his horse to grab him just before fell to the ground.

“
The valley!” he said, as he panted; his clothes bloody and his face beaten, “They are among them!”

“
How many?” Ogorec asked, as he circled him on his horse

“
I saw only a handful in the valley, but about one hundred rode pass as we hid.”

“
What of Wurden and Glen?” Laad asked, noticing how beaten Loth looked; now fearing the worse.

“
As we spied, some who lingered rode by and saw us. We parted as we fled,” Loth answered, “I fought fiercely to get from their grips and barely escaped with my life.”

Anxiously, Laad looked ahead, but didn
’t let on that his mind raced with thoughts and worry for his friend.

“
One hundred,” he said calmly, “I will wager they plan to spread men from Celgon all the way to the sea.”

“
Now they know we are out scouting,” Ogorec voiced his concern.

“
They knew we would soon enough,” Laad said, as he looked to the valley. His mind readying for vengeance had an ill fate befallen Wurden by their hands. “The time for clashes again may be at hand.”

S
eda sat next to the king at his table in the gathering hall and smiled as she listened to him speak remembering how from the back of the room after she had served everyone at the table, moved by his commanding voice she would go behind a door and gaze at him.

As she ate while he spoke, discreetly she put her hand under the table onto h
is knee, and when he felt her gently squeeze, he put his strong hand under the table too and rested it on top of hers.

Slowly, she turned her hand over so their palms met; then intertwined her fingers with his, and as their fingers coupled tightly, he lean
ed over to her.

“
If not for many around me,” he whispered in her ear, “I would ease my hand under your dress and feel your wet warmth.”

“
Oh my king,” Seda blushed almost sure others had heard him, “Even with my belly as it is, you still long for me.”

“
Never will my want for you fade,” he assured her, “With each breath I take, it burns wildly as my love deepens.”

“
Rone,” Seda whispered, as she ate wild cherries. Her favorite fruit with her other hand, provocatively tugging at the stem with her teeth, “Rush our eating and any matters for this night so we can be alone; being with child stirs me such that I cannot get my fill of you.”

King Rone stood.

“The hour is late,” he said, as he did, “Matters of the court hall will have to hold. The king and queen will turn in for the night.”

Seda smiled; then stood too, but when she did, she doubled over and cried out in pain, as she grabbed her stomach.

“Seda!” he said, as he held her, “What pain overcomes you?”

“
I must have stood to hastily,” Seda said as she tried to straighten herself to walk, but only cried out and doubled over again.

“
Call for Orhan!” King Rone ordered, as he swiftly put her into his arms and carried her.

“
Husband,” Seda said softly. Her arms around his neck, “I did not mean to bring about such a fret over me.”

“
Silence my love,” he hushed her, “You are but a feather in my arms and to bed you will go.”

“
I have teased you with my words of passion,” she whispered, “Forgive me.”

“
Did the king not order silence?” King Rone said lovingly, yet firmly as he cradled her closer to his chest, “Obey.” 

Quickly, all parted in the gathering hall to allow the king to pass, but murmured among themselves curious what was wrong as he rushed away with her.
 

Holding onto him tightly, her heart racing with excitement
from being in his strong arms, Seda snuggled her head on King Rone’s neck as he carried her.

Just as he ordered, she said nothing then, as if he had glided her back to their chamber on an eagles
’ wings, before she knew it, they were there.

“
Undress her,” King Rone ordered her attendants, “And put her to bed.”

Just as he spoke, Orhan walked into the chamber.

“You called for me.”

“
It is the queen,” he said, as now away from her his voice showed his fear, “She bent over in pain and could not walk.”

“
I reason the time is drawing near,” Orhan gathered, “Full is her womb and the moon’s cycle has been near nine.”

“
Yet I feel. “King Rone feared, “When she cried out, it was a not what I have heard before.”

“
Let her rest this night,” Orhan said, “In the morning we will see how she is.”

Now undressed and in her bed gown, Seda lay in bed.

“Husband,” she whispered, as he talked to Orhan who pressed her stomach with his hand.

“
Yes, Seda,” King Rone said, as he looked at Orhan, then at her, then back to Orhan as he pressed.

“
I will be fine.” She tried to ease his rising worry.

“
Rest this night,” Orhan said, as he looked at the king, “In the morning we will see.”

“
So be it,” King Rone said, and gave Orhan leave.

After he watched Orhan close the door and sent the servants away
, King Rone removed his tunic and began to undress himself.

“
It is early,” Seda said, “Do not come to bed just for me. I will be fine.”

“
I am already half undressed,” he said and smiled; then came to bed and pulled her close to him, “Sleep.”    

Late in t
he night, King Rone eyes not once closing, he held Seda close and bore the sounds of her whimpers, as she tried to sleep.

“
Seda,” he finally whispered, as he soothingly rubbed her stomach, “You must sleep.”

“
I cannot,” her reply, “Never have a felt so strange.”

“
Strange or pain?” he questioned. 

“
Both, husband.”

Gently, he kissed her lips, which were soft, but cold, and as he pressed his to hers, he thought of Queen Nohla and how just before she died his kiss to her was the same.

“Rest, my love,” he whispered, as now more fear filled him.

As dawn approached, his eyes still open wide, he leaned over to Seda who had finally gone to sleep, yet as she slept, she still whimpered.

Another gentle kiss upon her soft cool lips, quietly he eased out of bed not to wake her; then went into the outer room of his chamber and called for a servant.

“
Bring Orhan to me at once,” he ordered, “The queen’s state is unchanged.”

**

As everyone went about his or her duties in the meal house, Rena got eggs from the hen house, but as she prepared to leave, she heard male and female voices whispering by the window.

At first giving them no heed, she became curious of what was so dire that brought about such intense whispers, and squatted below the
windowsill to eavesdrop.

“
Did you get rid of them?” a woman asked, “There can be none left.”

“
As he carried her away,” a male answered, “I hurried to the table and took the bowl.”

“
And then what?”

Nothing but silence now heard, she thought they were gone and began to raise her head, unti
l sounds of moaning and heaving breathing filled the air.

“
And then what?” she continued, “Speak.”

“
By the animal pits,” he said, as again heavy breathing started, “I threw them out.”

“
You fool,” she suddenly insulted, “Anyone or anything can come across them and eat them.”

“
Then what would you have me do?”

“
You must get all of them and burn them.”

“
First, give me something for all this toil,” his request. His voice low and deep, as both moved from window and went into the hen house from the other side.  

Quietly, Rena got onto her knees; then crawled to the other side, careful to breathe softly to keep anyone from hearing her, and once their moans became louder, she sneaked around back and hurried way.

Still curious who it was, she looked this way and that way to see if anyone saw her; then hurried behind a tree to wait to see who walked out the hen house.

After a time had passed the first to leave Dan, a food carrier, he walked out adjusting his clothing; then hurried int
o the forest, but as she waited for the woman, someone came up behind her.

“
There you are!” Olea said, “Where are the eggs?”

“
Here,” Rena said, then gave her the basket and again stared at the door.

“
Come along,” Olea said, “You have chores.”

“
Only one moment more,” Rena pleaded, as she looked ahead.

“
You have been gone long enough,” Olea urged, “Or shall I speak words of this to Bethe?”

As Rena slowly moved; then began to walk away, she took one last glance at the door and saw Anla walk from it.

“Dare I believe my eyes,” she mumbled, “But I should have known who would behave in such a way.”

“
What are you babbling?” Olea asked.

“
It is nothing,” Rena answered quickly, and followed her.

Quickly, Dan raced to the animal pits, and once there he looked around, but saw nothing on the ground.

“Curses!” he cried out, but as he kept looking, he heard two men talking while walking in his direction and hurried away.

As the two men walked a shorter path back to the animal pits, an odd sight in front of them made walk faster.
  

On the ground young boars dead, they looked at them and reasoned an animal att
acked them, but when they saw no signs of them gnawed on or tracks reasoned otherwise.

“
Who could have done this?” one man asked the other.

“
Or why?”

At once, both informed Eron who was over the care and keeping of animals, and when he heard what had happ
ened, fearing it could be from a disease, hurried to look.

Curious, he checked around them; then looked at them more closely.

“They all have eaten something,” he said, as he moved from one to the other, “That killed them.”

“
Who would want to do such a thing?”

“
I do not know, but boars lay dead,” Eron said, “Why is unknown. This should be made known to the king.”

**

Inside their chamber, King Rone paced back and forth, as he watched Seda pant and moan deep in her sleep. Every second of her anguish that passed as if time taken from his own life. His agony great to see the one he loved suffering, he would have given all that was within is power to take such a burden from her.

Although greatly in pain, stoically Seda made no complaints, as she rested on her back; then after Orhan again came to the king
’s chamber, both rushed to her side.

Carefully, Orhan felt Seda
’s forehead, which was hot to the touch, then as he felt her stomach, noticed it hardening only seconds apart.

“
The time has come.” Orhan suspected.

After ordering the male servants to leave the room, Orhan examined Seda, and although her pain already starting ear
ly the night before, her womb had not opened at all, nor did any water leak from it.

“
Orhan,” King Rone said, as he watched, “Her pain has been great from some time.”

“
That it has my king,” Orhan agreed, then stood and felt her stomach again, “But her womb will not open to release the child from within.”

King Rone
’s faced turned pale, as Orhan’s words swept through him like a bone chilling wind.

“
What curse is there upon me?” he exclaimed in dismay, “That I must again live to grieve over the loss of one I love deeply in the same way!”

“
King Rone,” Orhan said and turned to face him, “Such words of despair you speak.”

“
I speak them as I live them,” he said anguished; then went to his chamber window, “Once before I have looked upon a face filled with pain as this, and I beg not to relive such an end.”

“
One is not the other,” Orhan assured him.

“
I pray not.”

“
Should the king hold such gloom already,” Orhan said, “Queen Seda is not Queen Nohla.”

King Rone move to sit as he listened to Orhan, but rose with haste
with he heard another deep moan from Seda, and as he looked at her, his mind filled with thoughts of his love for her.

“
She is my queen, as well as the people’s queen,” he murmured humbled, “As I let myself love again, she rules me, as well. I will confess the years have softened me that my love is much deeper with her than with Queen Nohla who was a queen in my youth. I will curse my days until life is no longer within me should she be taken from me.”

As no less than five servants sat around her, wiping he
r brow constantly as sweat formed and fell off it like that of a waterfall, the room filled with an eerie hush, as all watched her worriedly including the king.

As he looked at her face, he remembered the face he saw walk to him when he made her queen. Lov
ely her face was then and still is, as with just a glance or long stare, she could sway him to her will.

He thought of their nights together in the other
’s arms or embrace, and how never had he known such passion even with Queen Nohla, as Seda’s very whisper filled him with a torrent from deep below just as the feel of her body would no matter how slight.