Chapter 4
"A word with you," Novak glowered and Gareth nodded.
Novak marched off to his horse, grabbing the reigns, and led off into the forest.
Talyis turned to Gareth and reached up on her tippy toes to whisper into his ear, "Please don't tell him what I said. Please don't tell him about anything we've talked about."
Gareth didn't acknowledge his eyes diverted to the forest, taking a torch and lighting it to follow Novak's path. They walked silently in the dark towards the meadow he had shared with Talyis. Novak pat his horse's brown face smoothing the white stripe down its nose.
"Before you speak, I only meant to put the girl at ease, Novak," Gareth defended.
"She's the enemy," Novak quickly spat.
"Whose enemy Novak?"
"You've heard what she said! How she disrespected our people!"
"Don't lie to me, friend. We both know this is more than that."
Novak sat down on the log in the same spot Talyis had occupied earlier. Gareth perched his boot on the log next to Novak leaning over his leg.
"What do hope to accomplish," Gareth challenged, Novak didn't answer, "once you've broken her, marked her, marred her and marred her heart."
"Don't lecture me like an insolent boy, Gareth,"
"What are your plans to find a queen when you get back?"
"Gareth,"
"No, Novak. You plan to make this girl your servant, your bedfellow, the picture of a lover. Do you plan to hide behind you're acerbic heart because you had a painful boyhood. Move on and be the king your people deserve and find a rightful queen!"
"What do you care about the girl? What about your Delia or has virginal blood turned your taste buds turgid?"
"Delia has nothing to do with this."
"Stop pestering me about that damn girl, about a damn queen. I'll find a queen so you can have your whore!"
Gareth's temper flared red, he grit his teeth and raised his fist to punch his friend, his lord. His chest heaved as he took deep breaths realizing his place and let his grip loosen. Novak laughed mockingly at his only confidant. He strode over to his horse gracefully mounting the thoroughbred with one jump and looked down on his subservient knave.
"She is not your stallion that you can break in. She will never learn to love you like your precious horse has. In the end, you will always be thrown off," Gareth warned and slunk back towards the camp.
Novak scoffed at his friend and looked out into the meadow. The moon was large in the sky lighting the entire field of wild flowers and tall grass. A pond just before the rolling hills glimmered. His lips curled with anger mixed with sorrow, he thought of Taylis. The idea of always having her close to him to do whatever he wanted but never having her love back pricked annoyingly at him.
Damn Gareth,
he thought.
He kicked his horse to a gallop and raced around the meadow. The wild flowers flew in the air as he worked his horse hard, circling. His mind circled and dust rose in their wake. He saw her eyes, twinkling brown seductive almonds: beckoning him, welcoming him. His horse panted and snorted, he pushed it harder. He saw her standing tall and confident, at ease. She was standing behind Gareth. Novak roared, awaking the birds that fluttered out of the trees. Talyis found comfort near his one true friend, the one who rescued him, who gave his identity back to him. His stallion kicked mounting the clear sky and ran harder than Novak had ever seen it run before. It snorted and screamed a battle roar its mane flew as he dashed to and fro. Novak felt free, felt like he was flying as his horse galloped wild. It bucked suddenly; he flew to the ground hard, knocking the air from his lungs. He composed himself and sat amazed as his wild stallion circled him, neighing victory loudly.
***
Gareth had stormed right past her, not even looking her way. She wondered if her secret was safe. She couldn't read his face which perplexed her. She watched him take his supper at the farthest end of the camp and eat by himself. It annoyed her that Novak looked jealous when he came back from the meadow. Why did he care so much if Gareth wasn't eager to beat her as he was?
She huddled near Novak's tent trying to be as inconspicuous as possible to the rest of the band. Her eyes tighten with dread; she could no longer understand their language. They were scheming about her in their secret ancient tongue. She noticed the change as soon as she'd returned to the camp and was left behind by the band's leaders. Their eyes translated as they inspected her from afar, making her body freeze, especially in the area Gareth had told her, 'They will take you here.' She clenched her legs tightly and tried to think of something else, but the feeling of Gareth's finger inside her secret place was a fathom coaxing wetness.
She shook her head violently in frustration. Her hair flooded around her in a chaotic halo. She hugged closer to the tent to avoid thinking of this place. Instead, she conjured her gardens where she would chase the green-eyed boy about the maze of hedges and rose bushes. Only to get through this night; she was determined to survive, to be strong.
She pretended the green-eyed boy was standing right in front of her, smiling in his cunning way. He wasn't a boy any longer but a man as she was a woman. He grew taller, the awkwardness she once teased now strong. She invited him into the castle. She entered the tent and he put his hands around her waist following her in. His large comforting hands on her waist felt so at home, she wanted to rock back towards him to connect. She smiled and turned to her imaginary man. She was at home and her heart was tranquil. She loved her green-eyed man and wanted to give everything he deserved. Again the feelings from the meadows came back to her, but they were rushing on her like a torrent. Muscles clenched where they had never clenched before, she spread her legs to let loose the wetness that continue to leak, she felt her labia itch for a touch. A touch she had never given herself. She wanted to throw herself on the cot and let the green-eyed man to do everything that a lover would do: teasing, coaxing, breathing heat into her cunny making her wet and leaking for him on display.
She giggle awkwardly, she was moving too fast. She reached up to put her hands around his neck and played with his scuffs between her fingers. She looked at the most giving reflection in his eyes. She wanted to kiss him, her first kiss.
"Out!" Novak yelled, breaking the spell. She stood in the middle of the large tent startled and embarrassed by her play. Her eyes took awhile to refocus on the man standing before her. Her lover was gone and this green-eyed monster stood instead. "I said out, Vile!"
'What was she doing, imagining Gareth? Kissing and dancing with Gareth?
he fumed to himself and watched her shudder.
He softened a bit to notice something wild was in her eyes. Concern furrowed on his brow, she stood staring at him as if she recalled something. She smelt delectable; he could smell her in the air of the tent. He remembered all of his daydreams of having Talyis, making love to her, having her writhe and glue her hips to his. Her eyes smiling up at him as her walls milked his cock. The look of vehemence returned to her face and his illusions disintegrated.
He jeered bitterly to himself,
Princess, you already losing your mind? Just wait.
The time had come, she fearfully and anxiously walked out of the tent. The band had moved the wagon near the fire. She closed her eyes as she took hesitant steps forward. It was as if she was walking to the chopping block in the square for execution. She was not going to fear, she was going to be strong, if she couldn't muster enough courage for herself at least enough for her people.
The men heckled her, slithery faces glowing in the firelight. She looked for Gareth, but could not find him. She gulped and steadied her chest's rise and fall to elevate the feeling a stabbing pain between her breasts.
Novak came out of the tent with purposeful, strong steps. He seemed to have grown taller, stronger compared to her failed attempts to be anything but a meek woman. His boots made the ground vibrate around her as she slinked back when he walked towards her. The roots of her hair burned in anticipation of him grabbing the tresses roughly, but instead he pulled her to the ground before him, making her kneel at his boots. The men cheered.
"Onor Vile, Aricin rule you," he sneered with a delighted smile in his ancient language. He was finally victor over her. She was groveling at his feet. "Say it." he commanded in his ancient language and the men jeered. He leaned over and spoke into her ear, his voice liquid with lust. "You don't understand, do you princess," he spoke in her language. "I will help you." He stood again proud and the men enclosed around her already beginning to take their cocks out, stroking them in fever. "I am an Onor wench. The Aricin rule over me," Novak dictated, his voice was so sensual it confused Talyis that such despicable words could be said by this voice. "Say it," he continued in her own language.
