WORRLGENHALL (55 page)

“
It was not me Ogorec,” Ovfren interrupted, trying to ease his mind.

“
I want you from harm,” he said resolved, “I have set my mind that we will leave WorrlgenHall.”

“
Ogorec,” Ovfren said, willing and ready to follow him, “I will follow you into fire. Yet, nothing could stop what befell him if fate is fate, and who could foresee such a fate.”

Beside himself with grief over Bayl, and always worried about Ovfren, Ogorec buried his head in Ovfren
’s shoulder.

“
Come,” Ovfren said, as he began to undress him so he could relax and wash the blood from his hands and arms, “Lay beside me, and as we hold each other and I tenderly kiss you, it will comfort you.”

“
Your kisses are all to me,” he assured him, “Yet they will not comfort me this day.

Urging him to lay down, Ovfren had Ogorec lay on his back; then crawled in bed close to him and put his arm
around him, and just as he said he would, tenderly kissed on him.

“
Is your mind still plagued?” he asked, as he kissed his neck.

“
Yes,” he solemnly answered, “And shall remain so.”

Ovfren slowly moved, then kissed on Ogorec
’s arm and his chest, then looked into his eyes, before his kissed down his chest to his stomach.

“
Is your mind still plagued?” he asked again, as he looked up noticing Ogorec looking down at him, back into those eyes.

“
Hurry your lips to mine,” he said, as he pulled him up to him.

“
Let your mind be filled with passion from me for now,” Ovfren whispered, “And after, as we lay, again we will hold each other and grieve for Lord Bayl.”

From his words, Ogorec pulled Ovfren onto him, and just as Ovfren knew he
could do with Ogorec, took his mind off his sadness; then as they lay in the other’s arms, again they thought of Bayl and mourned him.

L
ord Bayl buried with grand ceremony and entombed, instead of burned on the Mound of Kings beside his mother and ancestors, when the time of mourning had passed, slowly WorrlgenHall began to return to normal.

As late summer fell ov
er the land, men still worried over the lot questioned if King Rone would still have his son, Lord Baric reign to the east or west and divide the men.

“
He is still mourning,” Laad said to Loth, as they discussed the matter, “Dare I bring him such a question now.”

“
The men want to know.”

“
Give him more time,” Laad said concerned, “It is to soon to ask.”

Loth nodded, and moved on to another matter.

“The summer is upon us and this season feels hotter than any in some time.”

“
True,” Laad agreed, “When did the guilds last check the wells? It may be time to dig more.”

Loth chuckled.
“The western wells last when a lizard bit Ovfren.”

Laad shook his head as Loth chuckled.

“Shameful are you to laugh,” he chided him, “Does it come to mind he was held to his bed?”

“
He is well now,” Loth said, “And now I can laugh about it.”

Thinking of it himself, now Laad chuckled.

“I would not believe it,” he added, “If it had not seen him with my own eyes.”

“
If Ogorec would not get so angry from it,” Loth continued, “I would have the guilds find one that looks like the lizard and tease him with it.”

“
No, no,” Laad objected shaking his head, “Dare any rile Ogorec by taunting Ovfren.”

“
Never have I seen such or will,” Loth voiced his slight awe of it, “By any man and woman.”

“
What?”

“
Two bound to the other in such a way,” Loth answered, “They seem as one.”

“
If it is as what I feel for Nona,” he said, as he thought of her, “It is strong and great.”

“
As what I feel for mine,” Loth added, “And what our children will feel for the other.”

“
Mmhmm,” Laad said, as he looked at Loth, “Elaad wedding your daughter Gisla. Her bounty to him must be great, Elaad has a strong father.”

“
Strong indeed,” Loth said; then looked around to make sure no one was near them, as they began to walk down the stairs, “And one who is fit to be a king.”

Laad as always gave him his warning glance, but didn
’t speak.

“
King Ronegavlaad,” Loth continued wanting to hear how it rolled off his tongue, “Lord Helm Ronegavlaad. The first rolls with ease off the tongue,” he added.

“
Enough,” Laad finally spoke.

“
I speak only to you,” he assured him, “And am true to my oath to you.”

Laad gave him a nod that only true friends could do expressing what no words could.

“Silly you are to always tease me of names.”

“
I have such a right,” Loth’s playfully response, “To tease one so close to me who I see as no less than my brother.”

“
You are a brother to me as well,” Laad replied, “Come, let us get our families and ride to the river to spend the day there, a long while has it been for such.”

“
True,” Loth eagerly agreed, “We shall all meet by the waterfall,” and both parted.

**

After Bayl’s death, Belon kept to himself within his chamber, and when Ogorec noticed he wasn’t around, decided to go talk to him to see how he was doing.

“
What will be your day?” Ovfren asked, as they both got ready to ride back into WorrlgenHall.

Leaning over to Ovfren from his horse to kiss him goodbye, Ogorec answered him.

“Such is the heat; there is strife with villagers over a well. We are riding to them, instead of them riding to court over the matter. Lord Baric is on the throne for a time in place of King Rone, so I will be with him.”

“
I will wait for you later in the day by the courtyard,” Ovfren said, “We have to ride the roads this day to make sure the king’s road boundaries are still marked well.”  

Knowing he
’d be away all day, Ogorec almost didn’t tell him of his other plan, but didn’t want to deceive him.

“
And,” he casually slid into the conversation, “It has been sometime that any have seen Belon. I reasoned, I would go by his chamber and ask how he is doing.”

Ovfren gave him a dubious look.
“…in his chamber?

“
He has not come out of it,” Ogorec gave his reason for going.

“
If you must,” Ovfren abruptly blurted.

“
If it troubles you.” Ogorec knew by his tone he wasn’t in agreement with it, “I will not go.”

Ovfren inhaled in thought.

“How can I be so selfish?” he then chided himself, “I trust you and will not let jealousy of what is no more plague me - go.”

Lean
ing over to him to get another kiss, Ogorec gave it.

“
Be watchful,” he cautioned, “Of things small and large.”

“
I shall,” Ovfren assured him, “Should I still wait for you by the courtyard?”

“
I could be very late,” he warned.

“
Then I will be here.” Ovfren smiled, “Waiting for you within.”

**

After he left Ogorec, Ovfren met up with the guilds to ride to out to check the boundaries, and six in all decided to ride in twos to them.

“
I will ride with Ovfren,” Augerd volunteered before any decided who would ride with whom.

Quickly, all rode out, then once on the road, broke from each other to check the boundaries.

While Ovfren and Augerd rode; Augerd said nothing to Ovfren, but once they reached the first boundary, became chatty.

“
This one is broken down.” Augerd noticed and jumped down, then got pitch from a bucket and began to restack it.

Getting off his horse to help, as Ovfren handed him some fallen stones, he looked at him and smiled.

“Never have we had words,” he said, “But I have wanted to speak to you, but you are never in the men’s hall for long.”

“
When I am free,” Ovfren offered, “I am within my cottage.”

Augerd took a rock from Ovfren
’s hand.

“
Still I am glad for this,” he said, as he did.

A long space between their words, Augerd repaired the marker glancing at Ovfren when he turned his head every chance he could, then when they began to ride to the next one on a different road, again he starting talking as they rode.

“Dare I offend,” Augerd said, as they road, but looked straight ahead, “You are a good rider.”

“
I am not offended.”

“
And look handsome on your horse as you ride,” he added.

His last comment made Ovfren suddenly stop, as Augerd kept riding.

“What were you words?” he asked, as he looked at him and frowned, certain he wouldn’t repeat it.

“
My words were you look handsome Ovfren,” Augerd stopped and willingly repeated, “And if such words offend then forgive me. I had hoped for a smile, instead of a frown.”

Ovfren gave Augerd a distr
ustful look unsure how to take his comment. He was about the same age as he or just a few years older, with deep brown hair, and from what Ovfren could see from where he was on his horse, eyes that looked the color of a clear lake, and if he had not been deeply in love, probably would have thought he was handsome.

“
There is only one that pleases my eyes,” Ovfren made certain to make clear to him, and avidly, “And well above all.”

“
Ah,” Augerd commented, as his chin lifted, “And it is Ogorec.”

“
Then you know?”

“
As do well all, yet you are still flesh and blood and my words as before, handsome.”

“
If it is known, then why would you speak to me in such a way?” Ovfren curiously asked.

“
I will gather,” he answered. “Ogorec did not know he was handsome in your eyes, until you made it known to him.”

Ovfren thought about his comment, and agreed with its logic.

“Such is true,” he said, and began to ride again.

“
Dare my boldness be more,” Augerd added, as they casually rode, “The sight of you stirs me and has me rigid, and if such is the same for you, we are alone – shall we enjoy the other and speak it to no one?”

Again, Ovfren stopped, but this time looked at him hatefully.

“That is bold,” he said, now offended.

“
We are scaled in age more,” he quickly added, “Ogorec is well older than you are – have you not wanted to know the feel of someone your own age?”

Upset to almost seething, he fought to control his words, as he griped his horse
’s reins tightly.

“
You have offended me. Willingly I love only him and am faithful as is my fate for as long as I breathe, and such is your fate to fall by his sword when I reveal your words to him.”

Alarmed, Augerd eyes went to Ovfren filled with fear.

“Why bring about such a fate to me?” he asked, at once, “I only spoke what I reasoned you would enjoy as well.”

Ovfren frowned even more.

“I would not, so keep your tongue from speaking to me in that way,” he said adamantly

“
I hope to keep my head upon my shoulders as well.” Augerd’s fear, as he thought of Vron.

“
Just as I have spoken, let no more words such as that fall off your tongue to me,” Ovfren made perfectly clear, “And no words will fall off mine to him of this.”

Augerd
’s head eagerly nodded letting Ovfren know he understood him fully, then when both finished repairing the stone markers, met up with the others, and returned WorrlgenHall.

**

Ogorec rode with Baric to the villages, and just as both knew would happen, Baric listened to them bicker over the well most of the day, then plead their sides until finally, Baric had heard enough and decided the villagers would switch days on its use, instead of all gathering together, and all agreed.

Once back at WorrlgenHall, he went to see Belon as planned, and after he quietly knocked and waited for him to as
k him in, when he said nothing, walked inside anyway, and saw Belon lying awake in bed.

“
Did you hear the knock?” he asked, as he came farther inside.

“
Yes,” Belon answered, his eyes looking at the ceiling.

Knowing he was troubled, Ogorec walked to the tab
le, then got a chair and carried it close to the bed to sit down.

“
I know your sadness,” he said, “But you cannot stay hidden.”

“
Why can I not?” he questioned, “Lord Bayl is dead and needs no guard, and who I loved now loves another.”

“
Belon,” Ogorec said, “We will not speak of the last, but you are still first in command…you are needed.”

“
Needed by you as well?” he questioned hopeful.

Ogorec took a calming breath through his nostrils trying not to become agitated with his now tiresome suggestive hints of
hope.    

“
You knew the answer,” he said, “Before you asked the question.”

Again rejected, Belon turned on his side away from Ogorec. “
Leave me.”

Supportively, Ogorec stood and put his hand on Belon
’s shoulder, and when he did, Belon quickly reached out and squeezed it tightly, before he lay flat on his back again.

“
I have no one,” he sighed, as he looked up to him, “And from it there are times I fear that I will die alone just as I live, with no one to love or mourn for me should something befall me.”

“
You have many willing to be with you,” Ogorec knew well, “And often.”

“
And yet still I have no one to only love me from deep within them, and I be all to them.”

Unsure what else he could say or do for him, Ogorec sighed.

“Belon,” he said curiously, “What do you want from me?”

“
Dare I make you end you life to ask,” he said sarcastically, remembering his words to him as they rode not long ago, “But would lying beside me bring about such a fate?”

The expression on Ogorec
’s face making it clear that he was about to say no.