The Changeling

by Jennifer Lyndon

  “Ride for Saranedam Palace,” I said, turning back to my grinning guards. “We won’t break until dark.”

  -CH 24-

  I arrived at Saranedam late in the afternoon two days later. As we were unannounced, only a couple of grooms and few of the house staff assembled on the steps to attend my party. I wondered where Shiroane was. I hurried up the steps two at a time, and raced through the hallway, nearly knocking one of my housekeepers down on the stairs. I stopped long enough to right the woman and apologize, before I ran on. When I tried to open the hearth room door, it was clearly barricaded. I knocked, and waited, holding my breath.

  “Yes,” Shiroane called from the other side of the door.

  “Shiroane it’s me. Open the door,” I called impatiently.

  A loud, slow, scraping sound followed as something quite heavy was moved away from the door. The door opened unhurriedly, and I found Shiroane with a bruised and swollen nose, a split lip, and a black eye.

  “What happened to you?” I asked, as I glanced behind her, scanning the sitting room for M’Tek.

  “Keeping the Queen here has not been easy,” Shiroane replied with a grimace. “The first time she was conscious she asked for you. When I said you were at Lareem Palace, she wanted to leave immediately. Luckily, she got sick and I was able to stop her,” Shiroane said.

  “Is she all right?” I asked, alarmed.

  “She’s certainly angry,” Shiroane observed. “I had to bind her, once she passed out, while trying to fight her way through me. She might have killed me if not for the sickness that slowed her. I begin to understand the Vilkerlings’ great fear of her.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said, reaching my hand up to touch my friend’s bruised cheek.

  “Maybe you should have put her in that cell,” Shiroane replied. “If you free her now, I won’t be safe,” Shiroane added.

  “M’Tek is not herself,” I said trying to reassure Shiroane.

  “I realize that,” Shiroane said calmly. “But enough of my ordeal. What of the witch?” Shiroane asked. “Have you taken your vengeance?”

  “The witch is dead,” I said, smiling. “Thank you again, Shiroane. Ballick is unharmed and in his stall,” I added. Though she’d not asked about her horse, I wanted to set her mind at ease. I walked past her and through to my bedchamber and opened the door.

  “Please, try to make her understand. I was only following your command,” Shiroane said.

  “Everything will be fine, my friend. I’ll handle it,” I promised, turning back to reassure her.

  When I entered I found M’Tek lying on her side, the sheets twisted around her from struggling. I found my knife in my boot, quickly cut the ropes binding her, and tossed them into the corner of the room. There was blood staining the sheets, as well as around her wrists and ankles, from where she’d been fighting to free herself. I noted that the wounds had already healed, but left pale marks on her smooth skin. While I watched her sleep, I stripped away my dusty travel clothes.

  As I lay beside her, she shifted slightly to accommodate my weight against her, but remained sleeping. I draped an arm across her shoulders and pressed close to her. The sound of M’Tek’s somnolent breathing soothed me into the deepest sleep I’d had in four years.

  When I awoke I found M’Tek reclining on our bed beside me. She was reading a book on berrywines of southern Nogeland. As I shifted over onto my back, she reached over to place the book down on the table beside our bed, before turning on her side to face me.

  “Where are you keeping our daughters?” she asked as soon as I met her gaze.

  “Don’t worry. The girls are safe. Pet has charge of them at Lareem Palace,” I said through a yawn, covering my mouth with the back of my hand.

  “All right, then. What the Deus is going on? Why are you holding me here against my will?” she asked. I smiled, and scooted close to her, desperate to finally kiss her. “That’s close enough, my love,” she said gently, placing a hand on my chest to hold me back. “While you’re quite the erotic fantasy, stinking of sweat and horses, and covered in blood from your latest battle, unfortunately, I’m in no mood to service my jailer,” she observed in a dry tone. I scooted back and sat up, laughing at the bizarre conclusions she’d reached in my absence. “Tell me. How did you turn Shiroane against me? And what of the rest of my people? Does Pet stand with you?”

  “I haven’t turned anyone against you, M’Tek,” I said gently, struggling not to laugh at the absurdity of her questions. “And Shiroane’s the most loyal friend you could have. We held you here for both your protection, and mine,” I explained. “But Deus, I’ve missed you. I can’t believe I’m actually talking to you again,” I added, grinning at her serious expression.

  I leaned in, again trying to kiss her, and she pulled back, crinkling her nose, but finally smiling at me. Apparently, I smelled pretty bad. “Stay here. I’ll have a bath drawn for you,” she said, scooting away from me.

  “Thank you,” I called after her.

  When she went into the outer room I heard her talking to Shiroane in a civil tone. The door opened and someone went out, and then it occurred to me, everyone believed M’Tek was dead. I hurried from bed to stop her, only to find M’Tek sitting on the sofa, and Shiroane gone.

  “Where’s Shiroane?” I asked.

  “I sent your collaborator to see to your bath,” she said calmly, her gaze shifting over my naked form. “Apparently she believes you can handle me on your own, even unarmed and naked,” M’Tek added, smiling her tightest smile. “So why are you holding me prisoner, my love? You must know, you only need to ask and I’ll do anything you want. There’s no need to poison and coerce me.”

  “I’m sorry, M’Tek. It must have been awful, not knowing what was happening,” I said. “Let me find some clothes and I’ll explain,” I promised before stepping back into our bedchamber. I took the first thing my hand fell on, an old tunic, and then I slipped on some breeches before returning to the sitting room.

  “Please, explain yourself,” she commanded when I sat beside her on the sofa. “The last thing I remember was being attacked by Sim’Nu in the stable at Vilkerdam Palace,” she offered. “But I awoke here, and alone. I was certain you had just been with me, I could even smell you on my skin. When I went to find you, Shiroane wouldn’t answer my questions, and she refused to let me go in search of you, or even leave these rooms.”

  “I’m not certain I would have survived all of this without Shiroane,” I observed. “We need to offer her a higher rank. Do you think she’d like to be a countess?” I asked. “I could offer her an estate appropriate to such a title, in the north western range of Nogeland. Does she like jewelry?”

  “Shiroane’s a warrior. She appreciates beautiful weaponry, not jewelry,” M’Tek observed coldly. “But Deus! I don’t care what she likes. She held me captive, Lore, me, her Queen. She must have poisoned me as well, because I fell asleep while I was fighting to escape. When I woke, I was tied with curtain rope, and lying on my side in our bed. It was horribly demeaning.”

  “Shiroane never poisoned you,” I offered quietly. “That was Sim’Nu.” Shiroane knocked on the exterior door before coming back into the room. “Come in, Shiroane,” I called out to let her know she was safe.

  “Your bath is being prepared, Lore,” Shiroane said, eyeing M’Tek nervously.

  “Sim’Nu poisoned me?” M’Tek asked without acknowledging Shiroane’s entrance.

  “You were dead. The witch preserved your body, in a strange metal coffin, with a window on it, for almost four years,” Shiroane volunteered, as if M’Tek had asked her and not me. M’Tek’s gaze shifted from me to the guard, her expression still hostile. Shiroane took a step back as if fearing attack. “Lore kissed you, returning life to your frozen corpse, my Queen. I had no idea she possessed such power. I hate to admit it, but I thought she had gone mad once or twice over losing you,” Shiroane offered, keeping a safe distance from M’Tek. “I would have explained before, but I was commande
d not to confuse you.”

  “I was already confused,” M’Tek snapped, glaring at Shiroane. “One of my most trusted friends was holding me captive. It was impossible to make sense of that. Still, I’m sorry about your face,” she added, diverting her gaze as she realized she’d caused her friend injury. “I can put something on it to make it heal faster if you like,” she offered.

  “No. Thank you,” Shiroane replied, taking another step back. “I’ve found Lore is also a gifted healer, and less inclined to break bones. I’ll ask her to see to my wounds if she’s willing,” Shiroane added, keeping her eyes trained on M’Tek.

  “Of course, Shiroane,” I said, grinning.

  “Deus! I told you I was sorry,” M’Tek snapped, looking slightly sheepish despite her bravado.

  “I accept your apology, but my nose still hurts,” Shiroane replied flatly. “And my lip probably needs stitches. What do you think, Lore? Will it heal cleanly?”

  “Let me have a look,” I said, getting up from the sofa and going to Shiroane.

  I led Shiroane into the adjoining bedroom. I didn’t have a knife on me, so I went over to Shiroane’s clothes to find one. I came back, and as she watched I cut my hand using her knife. I placed my bleeding palm against the bridge of her nose, and then drew a line of blood around her eye. She shrank from me, clearly appalled that I’d smeared my blood on her face. I went to find a cloth and returned to her. “Go wipe your face and look in the mirror,” I said gently, handing her the cloth.

  She did as I asked, staring mesmerized, watching as her wounds healed. I cut my hand again and bled on the cloth, then dabbed at her lower lip. The split started closing as she watched.

  “The priests were right. You are the living incarnation of Deus,” Shiroane said, sounding slightly apprehensive.

  “I honestly don’t know what I am,” I said calmly. “What I do know, is there’s no title high enough, and no estate rich enough, to reward you for what you have done for me, and for M’Tek. You are one of my dearest friends. I don’t want to lose you, Shiroane, ever,” I added. “I want you to be able to heal this easily. I want you to remain young and healthy. I believe I can give you the power I have in my blood,” I said. “Think about it and let me know if you want it.”

  Shiroane looked stunned, and possibly frightened. I turned away from her and went back to find M’Tek still sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed, glowering at the door I’d disappeared through, and waiting for my return, as if worried. I sat down beside her.

  “Four years is a long time,” M’Tek said.

  “I believe it was a great deal longer for me than you,” I pointed out with a quiet chuckle. “My bath should be ready. Would you like to join me?”

  “You’re not leaving my sight again,” M’Tek replied, getting up to follow me back through our bedchamber and into our bath chamber.

  I scrambled out of my dirty clothes quickly, and slipped into the warm water as she watched. After a moment, she opened her own dressing gown. My eyes followed her hands as she slowly revealed herself.

  “I’d almost forgotten how beautiful you are,” I whispered as she sank into the tub facing me.

  “You and Shiroane are close,” she observed, before I dunked under the water. When I came up she was waiting for a response, her expression faintly dangerous.

  “You still believe I’ve betrayed you in some way, but I haven’t,” I observed. M’Tek’s gaze became almost fierce. “I thought you weren’t going to doubt me again,” I said, finding the soap, and lathering it. “Will you wash my back if I turn around?” I asked, handing her the soap. She lathered my back and scrubbed it, and then reached to hand the bar to me.

  “Four years is a long time,” she said again.

  I continued to scrub the dirt and blood from my skin as she waited for reassurance that I’d been faithful to her. “Will you wash my hair for me?” I requested, turning my back to her again.

  I waited as she slowly worked the soap through my hair, massaging my head as I closed my eyes and sighed. Her lips came down on my shoulder, and then traveled slowly along my neck. I leaned against her, feeling her nipples tighten against my back as her arms came around my waist below the water.

  “I love you, Lore,” she whispered. “It doesn’t matter what happened while I was gone. I’ll forgive you anything. But please, just tell me, my love, so I hear it from you and not someone else.”

  “If I were lost to you for four years, would you betray me?” I asked.

  “I wouldn’t survive four years without you,” she whispered. “The sorrow would kill me.”

  “You’ve no reason to distrust me,” I said gently. “I won’t claim no one tried to distract me from my grief, but I assure you, no one succeeded.”

  “Who tried?” she asked, her voice lowering dangerously. “Did Shiroane?”

  “M’Tek, I’ve missed you more than you can imagine,” I said, grinning as I turned around to kiss her. “You’ve no reason to be jealous, of anyone, and you do Shiroane an injustice by doubting her loyalty to you.”

  I dunked under the water to get the soap out of my hair, and came up to watch M’Tek as she washed her dark tresses. Afterward, she stood from the bathtub and held a bath sheet out to me. I let her wrap me tightly before she concealed herself.

  When we crossed the threshold back into our bedchamber, I turned to her and dropped the bath sheet. M’Tek’s gaze travelled over my body, pausing at every new scar marking my skin, halting at my most recent wound, which was still red. She knelt in front of me, pressing her lips to the five-inch wide scar in my abdomen. From there her lips moved down my hip and over to my inner thigh. I reached down, lifting her chin, guiding her back to her feet.

  “After four years without sex, I want you in our bed, not on the floor,” I said.

  M’Tek laughed at me, dropping her bath sheet as she followed me. I threw the covers back, and guided her down on the bed, covering her with my own, still damp, body. Her skin was smooth and firm, and just barely sticky from our bath. I took her mouth slowly, biting her lower lip gently as I felt her press herself against my thigh. She moaned softly against my mouth as I guided her hands to my breasts. She teased my nipples as my lips trailed across her forehead, and her cheekbones, and then down along her jaw, only to take her mouth again.

  “I don’t know how I’ve lasted without this,” I said against her skin before inhaling the spicy citrus smell of her.

  I allowed my lips to lead me down to her breasts, nibbling the tightened peaks of her nipples gently, as her hands eased around my back, and her thighs tightened around my leg. One of her hands returned to take mine and press it between her legs.

  “Please, Lore,” she whispered. “My mind thinks it’s been only a few days, but my body is screaming for you. I need you inside of me.”

  My fingertips moved over the nub of nerves between her nether lips, and her back arched. Her wetness coated my fingers, and I pressed inside of her. Her body rocked with the movement as she cried out far too quickly. I took my fingers away, easing down her body to bury my tongue inside of her. Again her orgasm came quickly, frustrating me. I wanted to draw it from her slowly, to feel her building and surging under me.

  I pressed my tongue to her again. This time she waited, as I urged her forward, responding to her body, to the hunger I could feel growing inside of her. I coaxed her gently over the edge and her orgasm crashed through her. She was gasping as I kissed her inner thigh, and raised my head to seek her gaze. Her head was down on the bed, her chest rising and falling quickly. I moved up to her, taking her mouth hungrily.

  I kissed her gently, waiting as her breathing returned to normal, but then she was turning me onto my back. She caught my hands and held them down on the bed beside me as her mouth took my breasts greedily. She came back to my lips for only a moment before whispering, “I need to taste you. Now.”

  She grazed her teeth along my stomach, and then pressed her tongue against me. One of her fingers pressed inside of m
e, as her mouth coaxed the pent up tension from my body. The deprivation of four years came through me in thunderous orgasm as she held my hips, moving with my urgent rhythm. I gripped her dark hair between my fingers as my insides erupted in bright fire focused at the very center of me. My heart pounded against my ribs as my body tightened, my neck arching as my head pressed back into the bed. When I cried out, M’Tek released my hips, moving up my body as orgasm continued to course through me. She covered my body with hers as her lips found mine. Gently she opened her mouth to mine, taking my tongue inside her mouth. She kissed me softly, drawing back to allow her lips to move over my face, finally pressing a kiss to my forehead as my arms came around her, holding her to me.

  “I love you,” I said as tears seeped from the corners of my eyes. “I’ve lived too long without the scent of citrus around me.”

  “My love, I’ve made you cry,” she replied, quickly kissing the salty trails from beside my eyes.

  “I’m not crying,” I replied. “I promise. It’s just been a long time since I felt this way.”

  “What way do you feel?” she asked, pressing her body against mine suggestively.

  “Don’t tease me, M’Tek,” I said, suddenly shy with her. “You can’t imagine how it’s been, the depth of my fear and unbearable loneliness. Now that I have you in my arms again, it’s almost unreal to me.”

  “I’ll make you forget all of that,” she said in that low enticing voice. “But I’ll let you catch your breath first.”

  ****

  M’Tek and I were in bed for the remainder of the day. By evening, she was going stir crazy from being locked in our rooms too long. I was worried about how the staff would respond to her sudden rise from the dead, but I needn’t have been. Shiroane was out spreading the word about my miraculous resurrection of the Fae Queen, much as Pet would have, but with less subtly, and more embellishment.