Minutes later, her eyesight returned, and she saw her concerned mother and father staring at her. She tried to wave them off, but her control over her arm had not yet returned, and all that she managed was an awkward jerk of her arm. She saw a flash of pity in her mother's eye, and wished that she could make that disappear.
"Odelia, my sweet. There is something I must tell you, and it will not be easy to hear. The King has demanded that our clans unite with the neighboring kingdom of Edesa. The eldest son has been sentenced to be married, and you, my child, are to be his bride." Edmond waited for his news to sink in, but only saw the blank look in his child's eyes. He tried again, speaking slower.
Odelia focused on his lips, trying to keep up with the quick speech. When he slowed down, she caught bits and pieces and knew that she was leaving her home to be married. She saw "Edesa" form on his lips and could not stop shaking. This was a kingdom that had come several years ago and attempted a takeover. The heir to that throne had visited her several times before, twice as a guest and once as her "master" during the coup. The takeover had failed, but she would never be the same. Tiernan, she remembered his name, and his face, although the sound of his voice escaped her memory. He was beautiful, dark, and dangerous. He had a perfect face, chiseled and tan from his days out in battle. His cold eyes seemed to pierce hers, back when she had thought him honorable. The ice blue had seemed mysterious and given her shivers, but now those shivers were of disgust, hatred, and fear.
The first time he had cornered her, it had been in the keep while she was humming to herself. She had felt his hands on her shoulders, and had not felt fear. She turned to him, smiling, thinking he was going to lead her into a dance, and then saw his face. There had not been humor, or reverence...just blazing lust. He forced her roughly against the wood top. She could still feel the paint radiate against her lower back, and he pressed her against it. His lips had come down onto hers harshly, and she had swallowed back bile at being treated so. She had pushed against his arms, futilely it seemed, for he just laughed and moved his hands to her waist. She tried to scream, and he thrust his tongue into her mouth. She felt his hands move up to her ribcage, and then felt cold air on her breasts. She took a breath to scream, and felt him twist her nipple so hard she lost her air. She grappled along the top to find a weapon, anything, and felt the cold steel of a knife. She maneuvered it over to her palm, and thrust it hard into his side. He let go of her, swearing. He had looked at her like she was a bug to be crushed, and staggered out, threatening to kill her if she told anyone.
She had been careful during that trip to stay away from him, and to always have someone near her. When she heard of his return the second time, she had convinced herself that he had been drunk, or something had been temporarily wrong with him. When he met her for introductions, he had smiled at her warmly and bowed to her. He had murmured of her beauty, and he and her father had laughed about some story about a battle not so long ago. That night she had been brushing her hair, when she heard her door open. She turned, assuming it was her mother or night maid, but instead was blinded by a hood thrown over her face. She could feel herself being carried, and then felt her soft bed at her back. She struggled, and was rewarded with a hard punch to her belly. Her eyes teared up, and she whimpered. She heard a laugh, and tensed, recognizing it as Tiernan.
"Please..." She heard herself plead, hating herself for being so weak. She heard him laugh again, and felt his hand capture both of hers and hold them above her head. She felt his other hand raising her skirts, and bucked against them. He swore and tightened his grip on her hands. She felt his hard length press against her most sensitive spot and let out a scream that he couldn't muffle in time. She and he both heard footsteps, and all of a sudden she felt his weight lifted off of her, and heard the squeak of the window opening and closing. Seconds later, her night maid burst in. Her father had not believed it could be Tiernan, but had asked them to leave, assuming it was one of his party.
The third time she had met him had been out in the stables. She was brushing her mare Ebony's long mane, and murmuring to her in soothing non-words. She had thought herself alone, as the manor had no guests at the time. She heard a stick break behind her, turned quickly. She saw one glimpse of Tiernan's face before she was roughly turned and pressed against the stable door. She tried to fight, and he slammed her harder into the aged wood. She heard a crack, and her mare whinnied and pranced in her stall. She felt his hand follow the length of her dress to the crevice between her legs and sobbed quietly. She knew this time there was nothing she could do. No weapons, no one would come to help her...it was too far from the house.
She felt his mouth on the back of her neck, biting and licking, and he began to rock against her, grinding his aroused member against her backside. She felt air on the back of her calves and tried to headbutt him. He slammed her once more into the barn door, and the door gave way. They both fell into the stall, and she rolled quickly away. Ebony pranced around her, and she grabbed ahold of her mane and swung herself up. Shaking, she urged Ebony to run, fast, faster. She heard hoofbeats behind her, and, turning, saw that Tiernan had grabbed a steed from the stables as well. She encouraged Ebony faster, until her hair was flying behind them, and the trees were a blur.
She didn't see the cliff until it was too late, and reined Ebony backed. She spooked, and Odelia was thrown. She felt her head hit something hard, and then...nothing.
It took her almost a year to recover from most of her injuries. The bones were set, the stitches sewn, and the damage was done. The fall had cracked her skull, and the doctor said it had caused massive brain injury. She could no longer speak. The doctor said her brain was missing connections, it didn't register sometimes. What the doctors, and no one, knew is that sometimes she felt perfectly normal. Then she would have an "episode", where she lost sight and hearing and control of her muscles. She could never tell what brought these on, and how long they would last, but they left her feeling weak and unstable. During one of these, she lost complete control of her body and was totally vulnerable. Sometime just for a few seconds, and sometimes for an hour or longer.
She had heard tell from her mother that Tiernan had come to visit while she was recovering. This was one of her spells where she couldn't move her limbs. Supposedly, he had walked into her room and seen the nurses feeding her, because she couldn't lift her arms. He had proclaimed that she was "as functioning as a rock", and would not be back to visit her again.
She could finally breathe without fear that he would come back to finish the job, and was glad that he was now so uninterested. At least she was safe. It was then that she realized if she were to tell her family, or her people, that it came and went...Tiernan might return and try to claim her once more. No, she was finally safe and she would take that sacrifice if it meant she could be her own person and not a slave to him every time he visited.
Now all of that was at an end. Maybe he had found out, or maybe he was desperate, but either way, he was trying to marry her. No, he
would
marry her, according to the king. She had to keep up her charade, and maybe he would plead with the king to change his mind. That was her only hope.
*****
Tiernan approached the castle, drew up his horse, and stopped. He admired the grounds and the buildings, and knew that there was no hardship here. That was the only good thing apparently.
He recalled his memory of the lady that lay waiting. She had been very beautiful once. She was probably still so. He remembered her fleeting smile and blush on the first time they had been introduced, and then on her cold stare the second. That was the last time he had seen her, and what had happened was still a mystery. He told himself she had probably just aged, and that what had been a teenage curiosity and interested has dissipated in the years between visits. He knew he should have visited while she was ill, but couldn't pull himself to view this lively spirit in the shell of her body that once was before the accident.
They rode down to the gates, and greeted the master of the house. He called to Odelia, and Tiernan braced himself for what she might be now. Upon site of her, he felt an inward punch to the gut and was at a loss of air.
What had been a quiet, shy beauty, had grown into a gorgeous, curvy woman in the prime of her life. Her golden curls were pinned high, with ivory skin that was without blemish. There was color to her cheeks, which only made her more becoming. Her eyes were beautiful and intoxicating, a blue-green that rivaled the sea. She had heavy dark lashes that framed those stunning eyes. Her mouth was full and inviting. He knew it would taste sweet. Slender of neck, he trailed his gaze down to her plentiful bosom. While she was slim everywhere else, she was bountiful and curvaceous, and he knew there would be no question of interest on his side.
He dismounted, and walked up to her. When he reached out, she shrank back and looked to her father, questioning. Tiernan cursed himself for scaring her, knowing with his size and shape, anyone would be scared. Although the years had not been kind to him with his scars and battle wounds, they had filled out his shape. He stood at least one head above most men, and his shoulders were wider than any he had seen. He knew most women liked his imposing figure, but Odelia, it seemed, was not most women.
*****
