The Talons of a Dar Heart

Chapter 6

Delia pulled at Gareth's arms to drag him further into the pub, but Gareth cleared his throat, giving a warning look, his eyebrow arched. He smiled and shook his head, amused.

"Oh," she hopped turning to Novak and bowed with half-hearted gracefulness, "Welcome back mi lord, hope yer travels were wit you." She then giggled and pulled Gareth's arm bringing him into the swell of happy Aricin.

Novak seized Talyis's waist, "Keep near to me at all times," he warned, the acid had returned to his voice. Talyis sighed and followed Novak.

"Ae! Ae! Move out and mike way for yer prince," Delia shooed patrons from a table in the corner of the pub. She used her skirts to clean the tabletop and plopped down patting on the bench for Gareth to sit next to her.

As soon as the three sat down, Delia tackled Gareth's face with kisses and swung her legs unto his lap giggling as she twirled her cute pudgy fingers through his blond hair.

"Oh, I be missing me manners," Delia stood up abruptly and whistled so loudly it cut through the room, "Ae! Two drinks here for yer prince." She sat down and replaced her legs in Gareth's lap purring while he massaged her calves.

Two frothy mugs were brought over and slammed onto the table by a barkeep. The men took their drinks never really looking at each other but out of respect for their successful journey clinked glasses. Delia smiled as she wiped the froth from Gareth's lips with her thumbs and then grabbed his mug to take a large gulp.

"Don't take me Gareth from me again, Novak. I want him home now for at least a season," Delia sparked, her voice always booming as bright as her fire red hair.

"Delia, I don't mean to take him from you," Novak replied.

"I mean it. I might be wanting babies soon and don't want him off playing raiders of dragons with you forever. Plus, you miss all the action round here."

"Delia," Gareth warned.

"What?" Delia turned to Gareth, "I aint get any younger, Gareth. And how long I gonna wait? Novak, I want babies, when are you going to let Gareth-"

"Please Darling."

"Well if you cant mix the batter, then maybe me and Novak will mix it and then I can have me darlings and he can have it queen too," her belly jumped happily in a hearty laugh.

Novak choked on his sip, his face turning red trying to regain himself. "Delia, I think you wont have to wait that much longer."

"What?! You intent on no longer shirking your duties as leader of our people and find a queen. Well it's about time! I all by meself without a chit to chat. Find your queen so we both can raise our babies together," she squealed giddily.

"Delia, please sweetheart, let's not talk about this tonight, we've had a long journey," Gareth tiredly tried to silence her.

"Well, I some juicy news that you haven't heard yet, your majesties," she grinned and jiggled her shoulders, her breasts chuckled teasingly. "Since you intent on leaving, poor Delia behind to fend for herself, in this rudey pub-"

"What is the news Delia," Novak interrupted, stopping the melodramatics.

Delia swung her legs off Gareth's lap and leaned in close with big grin from ear to ear, looking at the men to see if they were on edge. They were. So she chuckled and took a big swig of Gareth beer and slammed the mug down, "Well! There was a general poking round here near days ago. I know he was something more than the weary traveler he pretensed. The owner thinks he's Navapa. I said to him, 'Navapa? I never heard of Navapa- '"

Novak snapped, "Switch to your ancient tongue." He glanced at Talyis sitting next to him pretending not to listen and content with staying out of the way.

Delia burst loudly in laughter, her face was red with joy, "I know me back of me head better than I know me ancient tongue."

Novak looked at Gareth annoyed with his choice of a mate. Novak dearly loved Delia but at times she was a touch too uncouth. He snapped his fingers at Talyis and pointed at the corner behind their table. Talyis surveyed the table, Delia was still in the throws of laughter and Gareth seemed to agree with Novak. She shuddered, realizing how strong Gareth's alliance with her "new" owner was and shuffled to the corner like a reprimanded disobedient child.

Novak hissed, "Keep your voice low and tell me what you saw."

Delia smiled and leaned closer to Novak, playing the part of secret spy happily, "He was sniffing round." She winked and wagged her blonde eyebrow playfully at Novak. "He inquired to me bartender about our boundaries and fortresses. He didn't know that I was listening in." She sat up straight and wrapped her arms around Gareth and kissed his cheeks, "See aren't I grand!"

Novak was satisfied with her report and keeping it quiet within their ears' hears length, "Yes she is." Novak praised and glanced at Talyis. She had a fluster look on her face, as she couldn't hear the conversation which made him more than pleased. "Another round!"

"So pigeon, who are ya?" Delia finally turned to Talyis startling her.

"I...I...I am just a tavern wench. I..." Talyis flustered, her eyes dropped to the ground. then strengthened again, "I pledged myself to your lord, to get away from a harsh life."

Delia's eyebrows rose to top of her hair line and she shifted her eyes to the men and smiled knowing better. The drinks came and Delia gladly twittered on with the men about what they had missed in the pub and village while they were gone.

When their moods were supple and sated with drink, Novak instructed Talyis to get his horse ready. She yawned and shuffled quietly out of the pub. Delia kissed Novak goodnight and gave Gareth a wink that she'd see him later before she skipped up the stairs to her room above the tavern. Novak and Gareth followed Talyis out and stood aside while she worked. The cold misty dew played prelude to the blue sky of dawn. Novak's mind was distracted watching Talyis struggle to lift the heave saddle unto his horse. Their coupling in the meadow played over and over in his head and he regretted letting his guard down. The meadow was a mockery to him of what he desired her to be but now could never be.

"Prince, I wish to remove myself from the line of power," Gareth spoke plainly.

"I see," Novak answered without turning to his friend. "Does this have to do with the slave I have chosen?"

Gareth swallowed hard, "My opinions have always been laid plain to you, friend."

"Friend!" Novak snarled softly, "A friend would stand with me in the face of the enemy, you have befriended-"

"Novak, I am your friend. I found you when you were a starving child. My family took you in. We reminded you who you were, when you thought you were just a servant boy to the whims of a stupid princess. We taught you to fight, to be a great victor for our people. You have everything to become our great leader." Gareth sermonized. "You are a great leader Novak, but when we took the princess, I saw something else; something in you that could mean the destruction of not only of our royal line but our people. Your heart changed, it changed because of her and that is your greatest asset to your leadership. We should have left or destroyed her. Your mind is bent on that girl, Novak. And that my friend, is not a risk worth taking; not when so many lives have been lost."

Novak sucked his teeth and then turned to his once-friend, comrade, "You betray me. I grant your wish." He turned in his boots and barked at the girl, "Come girl, you will walk." Novak climbed onto his horse and had Talyis lead with the reigns to the castle.

***

Gareth despondently opened the door to Delia's room. She was sitting on the bed waiting for him, applying oils to her thick legs. His mood warmed just seeing her red hair always floating about her in a whimsical mess.

"So, where did you get the girl?" Delia mocked when Gareth sat dipping the bed.

"A tavern between Navapa and..." Gareth sighed taking his boots off. His body jolted when Delia pounced against his back, making the bed bounce happily.

She nibbled at his ears, "Don't lie to me Gareth. I know well enough that girl is not a tavern wench. I am a tavern wench, she's.... That girl is something else." Gareth shrugged his shoulders and turned around on the squeaky sagging bed to kiss Delia quiet. She happily complied laying back and ushering Gareth on top of her as he continued to kiss her rosy cheeks, clavicle and more than generous cleavage.

***

Talyis was very exhausted and her body was weak from not eating. She was frustrated with her life. He wanted her to be his slave. He told her that he would not care for her. She pinched her eyes shut every time Novak barked the directions to her. She was more enraged with herself, she allowed him to touch her in the meadow. She shook her head to steady the racing thoughts. She gritted her teeth and flared her nose. She was not going to find this man attractive. He was using her to make her weak. His touch was making her weak. She chastised herself for forgetting her need to escape this hell that she was escorting herself to with the prince on his royal stead. She was a princess and was now being reduced to the likes of a hobbling peasant that would beg to be whipped in order to please the royal's whims.

Embarrassment rolled over her shoulders as she walked past the castle guards. Novak jumped off of his horse and an attendant welcomed him home before taking his horse towards the stables. He grabbed her arm, his fingers squeezing into her skin while he escorted her into the castle. She was amazed by the immaculate entrance of fine gold, red, and blue tapestries and artifacts. The arch way looked like black icicles melting from the grey stone that twisted and turned into flowery designs.

"These were saved by survivors of your father's attempted genocide," Novak explained, noticing her surveying his home. "We were a great, peaceful people, great artists," he pointed to the iron work of twisting black icicles. "You think we are base, un-educated and violent, but we are not."

"You are not violent?!" Talyis snapped her eyes on fire, "You lasciviously raped me and had your men take me."

"I marked you. It's part of making a slave in my land. My men taking you was my decision as your owner. You will learn to please me."

"I don't care about your pleasure!"

"Then your life here will not be easy," he remarked simply. They glared at each other fierce eyes to fierce eyes. Novak turned her body around to shove her towards the stairs. She stumbled almost falling but hopped to keep her step and started to climb the stairs. The stairs twisted and turned in the dark until they reached a door. He leaned around her and opened the door. "These are my chambers."

His chambers were elegant with beautiful gold and red tapestries hanging from the grey stone walls. A large 4 poster bed sat in the middle of the room, almost a mocking horror of where she would undoubtedly sleep. Pedestals held up ornate vases with unique flowers, that she had never seen before, circled the bed in unison with tall candelabra stands melting heaps of wax onto the stone floor. Novak was glad to be home, he sat on a settee and removed his boots. He lit the fireplace and sat relaxed at ease. Talyis's eyes shifted from the bed to Novak, heat burning her brow with contempt.

"There is a reason why you cant find a queen-" she mocked with forced laughter.

"You little insolent girl, you have caused enough trouble for one day. I advise you to be quiet," Novak voice rumbled like a prelude to an erupting volcano. He was just trying to relax, keep his mind off of losing his comrade but she was at it again. He had thought that the meadow would have taught her something about who was in control.

"I will curse the day you were born, everyday," she blasted.

Novak sat unmoved, "Then you will have a hard time."

"I will survive," she snuffed and crossed her arms in haughty protest.

"That you will."

He so enraged her, his smugness as if she was won. She cursed herself for dropping her guard in the meadow that afternoon. She glared at him and then turned to the bed and ripped all the bedding, flinging it onto the floor. Her feet stomped around, childishly, as she pulled the blue and white dress from her body leaving only her new shift. She jumped onto the bed and laid in the middle, outstretched by all limps.

"I suppose you want to take me," she hissed. He didn't respond, just sat relaxing by the fire. She wanted to throw one of priceless vases at him for ignoring her. She leaned on her elbows watching him preoccupy his thoughts with a stupid flame. A smug thought creased her lips into a smirk. "Not that you know how to please a woman."

Novak snickered to himself, ignoring her histrionics, and continued to let the warm fire cool his temper, "This coming from a woman who could not even look at herself to heal herself." He snickered again and then turned to Talyis looking at him from his bed. Her body outstretched mocked submission; and the adorable scorn across her face made her look more pouty than serious.

He stretched and rubbed his face. He shook his head too amused by her display that made her look ridiculous. She just watched him like a tigress. He found her constant battle with him increasingly charming. Forgetting that as a boy it caused him such insecurity. He removed his clothes, dropping them in the middle of the floor, and sauntered towards the bed giving her a shadowed reminder of his strength. She forced herself to stay calm and expressionless with deep measured breaths. He crawled up the bed from the bottom over her, forcing her to lay her head into the padding.

Their eyes transfixed on each other. A flurry of ingratitude, disdain and craze connected them. Their tense breaths matched in unison, Novak so close to Talyis, her body so available to his.

"You didn't know what pleasure was until today," he arched an eyebrow and a Cheshire a smile broke his heated glare. "In the meadow, you moaned and rocked your hips for me like a wanton street wench."

Talyis growled and slapped him hard across the face. Everything moved so quickly, a surge overtook the bed. Novak ripped the shift from her body and pinned her arms above her head, the tattered shreds of her shift lay open like wings. He rocked his hips into hers, fighting with her legs to keep her open to him. She screamed and thrashed her pride in opposition, but her very being screaming yes.

Novak held her still with his body heavy onto of hers, until she was weaken by her own fighting against his grip. He kissed her lips hard but fast and snaked his free hand down her belly to her apex, careful not to disturb his healing mark. Staggered breaths escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, trying to fight against her body's remembrance of Novak's wonderful touch. He splayed her labia and began to rub circles around her lips and buttoned clit. He could feel her stomach tense under him as everything was coming vividly unnerving to her. He smirked and continued his attack trying to make her move to his hand.

"Never," she muttered.

He smiled and groaned when he let his finger slip into her. She was hot and her pussy walls clenched his single digit silky and wet. He applied his thumb to her clit and massaged her. She caught her breath sharply when he lazily licked her nipple. He was hers and her body commanded him for more while squirming, moving in an ancient dance.

"I gave you pleasure," he whispered in between little gentle nips around her areola. "And you can have more pleasure," she sighed softly. He quickly allowed his patience cock its reward and entered her swiftly. Her entire body was like fire as he gave quick forceful thrusts. Her body began to mirror his dance, she was so close. A loud groan emanated from him as pulled out and came on her belly, he leaned close to her, "and if you are good, I will allow you to have that pleasure." She sucked her breath in shock and whimpered for more. He kissed her cheek and rolled off of her. He picked up a duvet and pillows that lay scattered on the floor, from the result of her tantrum and lay down next to her. Talyis was still sweating and panting, still in need.

***

Stone stairs towered above twisting and turning leading to corridors and royal chambers in the damp musty castle. Hesitant and reluctant feet moved her unwillingly upwards. The father despised his daughter though she loved him all the more. It was extremely hard for the king to realize his wife had died only leaving him with a daughter. She mocked him thoroughly each day resembling his lost wife and reminded him of his failure to save her. But the young girl was nothing like his lost heart, she was prideful, spoiled and extremely intelligent. So each night she stiffened her back, learned to bite back the tears and endurd the cool climb back to her chambers.

Life had changed so drastically within the course of a week. Her thirteen year-old playmate ran away, leaving during the middle of surveillance of a vagrant nomadic tribe camping on the outskirts of the village. By the end of the week, the nomadic tribe caught the Queen off guard on her visit to the village and killed her. The daughter was ten years old when she lost her mother. That was the day King Anorich stopped talking to his daughter.

King Anorich become reclusive and ruled the inside of the castle like a tyrant. The castle became cold and unwelcoming. The rich tapestries the Queen had woven were removed, leaving the castle dank and dark. It was a great struggle to shelter the villagers from the turmoil within their royal house. Talyis learned to take up her mother's mantel to care for her kinfolk and welcomed the chance to escape the bitterness of the castle by attending to their needs. Talyis grew up from the carefree girl floating about the royal gardens and learnt how to be a kind, resourceful leader.

King Anorich's plans of having a male heir to the throne where dashed with the death of his wife. It infuriated him when Talyis come of age, she refused to find a mate and birth a son to take the throne when he would depart from the world. He accused her of being selfish, a traitor to her people despite the fact she had greatly grown far from those youthful behaviors since her mother's passing. The father whom she loved turned silent again only to spark communion through arguments.

She lay in bed listening to the whistle of a draft enter through the stones of her bedchamber. Her sore heart welcomed the damp air to tickle the scorched heartbeats to a soothing nerveless tingle. Her arms tucked under her chin, she gazed out her window at the full moon. It was an orange hunter's moon, allowing what she held of her child-like innocence take her to strange lands where a hero was always kind and the gently ruled.

Her reverie was shallow when her door came crashing in and her bed was surrounded by angry voices. Every sense was heightened, the burn of her tresses being pulled, her ankles being shackled by calloused hands. Her eyes frantically searched in the dark to identify the faces of her assailants. She screamed for her guards but instead of words, her undecipherable high-pitched screams angered the shadows and her head was stoned against her headboard.

Talyis jumped up shaking, her lungs in panic. She looked around the room, not her room. She was in Novak's chambers again. She was sweating unto his sheets that she had clung to during the cold night. She had awoken back into her real and present nightmare. She wrapped the sheet around her body to investigate her new prison in daylight. Novak's rooms where more elegant daylight. Aricin artwork and craftsmanship was peculiar and hard to draw her eyes away from. She looked out one of the windows that overlooked a large lush green forest; another window looked out onto the castle sculpture gardens. The gardens were neglected and festooned of weeds hiding the elegance of a simpler time. She sighed with deep sadness looking through the last of the windows that pictured the small village below. Other than their unique style of roof work, it looked like her own village of complacent kinfolk going about their lives: trading, teaching, falling in love, loving. Regret brought tears to her eyes, maybe her father was right, if she would have married, she wouldn't be in this predicament. Her stubbornness to wait for love had cause fate to give her this mighty blow of punishment. She backed away from the window and sat on the settee.