by Mia Pride
Chapter 10
Gwynneth gasped and put her hands over her mouth. “Liam?” Looking over his body, she saw a bandage of thin linen wrapped tightly around his black and purple ribs. A gray wool blanket was loosely draped across a small section of his lower abdomen, exposing him from upper thigh to feet. She could not see any other injuries to his body, which was reassuring. But, looking at his face, her heart plummeted and a stifled cry escaped from her constricting throat.
He had another linen bandage wrapped around his head, a few spiky chestnut hairs protruding through the bindings. His left eye was swollen shut with purple puffy skin surrounding it. A tear trickled down her face at the sight of him.
“Gwynneth…is that really you? I thought I heard your voice earlier, but I could have sworn it was but a dream. What are you doing here? I thought Duncan was taking you back to Iverni?” His voice was ragged and harsh, filled with the mixed emotions of relief and worry at finding Gwynneth by his side.
Gwynn brought her hand up to his left arm and very gently caressed her fingers up and down his skin with tenderness as tears started to flow continuously out of her eyes, blurring her vision. “What happened to you, Liam?” Her voice was a mere whisper as the anger she had openly carried for him was temporarily superseded by extreme concern.
“One guess,” he said dryly. “Baine had a few of his repulsive companions and his loathsome brother hiding in the woods surrounding the home we stayed in. They were just behind him when you ran off. Duncan chased after you and as soon as I started to decide what to do with Baine, I was overcome by four more men.” He moved his arm outward to try and grasp her hand in reassurance, but he winced at the pain as his damaged ribs shifted with his movement.
“After a brawl, they cowardly knocked me over the head with a large branch. Losing my balance, I rolled into a ravine. I suppose they felt that climbing down to check on me wasn’t worth the trouble, hoping the job was done as they saw blood seeping out of my head. They took off…nay doubt back to Iverni to tell everyone that I am dead.”
An image of Liam lying dead in a ravine crossed unbidden into her mind and a shudder of revulsion ran through her. The father of her child was a monster, she realized more than ever. She could not go near him ever again, for the child’s sake. Looking down at Liam’s pained face, she wiped her tears away with the tattered sleeves of her now destroyed dress, and leaned in to place a very gentle kiss on his cheek.
She saw a smile flash across his face and, again, he made an effort to grab for her hands and winced at the pain. She brought her hand to his and gave it a squeeze. “Your kiss is more healing than all the herbs, bandages, and stew in Ériu.” He smiled affectionately at her. “Gwynneth, I can’t pretend that I am not happy to see you. But I am confused as to why you arrived at Coraindt when I specifically instructed Duncan to see you safely to Iverni.” He looked up at her beautiful green eyes with long dark lashes soaked from her tears, and he brought her hand up to his lips.
“Oh Liam! This is all my fault! If I hadn’t run off and left you alone, this would never have happened to you!” she broke down into a new round of tears as he continued to stroke her hands with his thumb.
“Gwynneth, this was going to happen, one way or another. If you hadn’t run, they would have taken you, and the babe. Nay, I’m so thankful that you and Duncan got away. I’m alright and you are with me again. This is what was meant to be. This is our fate.” He smiled weakly at her and then a look of dread flashed across his face. “Where’s Duncan? Is he alright?”
“Aye, Duncan is at the king’s home feasting and, nay doubt regaling his tales to the king and his mates with great esteem and lots of ale.” Feeling a little bit lighter in her mood knowing that they were all safe and together again, she started to tell Liam all about being lost in the woods for an extra day, not knowing which way the closest hillfort was.
Giving Duncan credit for all of their meals and the plan to seek help from Coraindt, she decided to omit the story about the stream that seemed to appear out of nowhere. She had not given it much thought at the time, but now, as she remembered how it disappeared and reappeared at the exact moment of need, she felt a slight unease and wished to forget it again.
“Och, that explains why you are only just now arriving.” Liam nodded as he started to put the pieces together. “I arrived here yesterday. A man travelling to Coraindt found me in the ravine and started to walk away, assuming I was dead. I was able to muster up enough energy to call up to him. He is a druid who was travelling here for the Samhain festival that is to take place in two days’ time.”
Gwynneth had not realized that Samhain, the annual festival celebrating the end of the fall harvest, was only two nights away. The entire tuath would be out drinking ale or mead, sharing food and telling stories around the fire while others danced the night away. She wondered if she would still be in Coraindt in two nights’ time, or back in Iverni.
Would it even matter? She had no family to celebrate with. The only people in Gwynneth’s life were all here in Coraindt and she suddenly hoped fervently to stay and have some small semblance of joy in her life, even if for just one night. The way her life had been going, any number of disasters could befall her in the next two days.
It was believed that the souls of the lost could slip through the veil of their afterlife, and into the world of the living on Samhain. A chill ran up Gwynneth’s spine. Mayhap it was best for them to wait here, let Liam heal and delay their journey. Traveling with the spirits and fairies roaming about could be unwise.
“I’m very glad you’re safe, Gwynn. You and I must never be separated again. Never,” Liam said in a low, possessive voice, making his intention to keep her forever, quite clear. “I will send for Duncan on the morrow. After Samhain, he can travel back to Iverni with a safe group of sentry to relay the message to our tuath that we are alive and will return as soon as we can. Until then, you stay with me. I cannot stand to let you go again.”
A spark of indignation threatened to ignite her ire. He had not yet apologized for his deceit and he was already trying to claim her back? Did her marriage mean nothing to him? The child in her womb, who belonged to another man? Was he so able to look past reality and expect her to do the same? Just as she was about to let some choice words attack his arrogance, she resisted. He was injured…because he had tried to protect her. And in truth, though she could not remember a single moment of her marriage to Baine, she knew enough to know that she would never go home to him again. She was not ready to agree to a future with Liam, but for now, she would agree to stay by his side until he was healed. Hesitating, she looked up into Liam’s determined gaze and sighed, “Alright, Liam, I will stay with you, for now. But I--”
“But you what, Gwynn? You don’t want to stay because you are not my wife? Because I lied to you? I am sorry, mo chroí, but I didn’t know how to handle the situation. Mayhap I was selfish. It was all for love of you. I just wanted you to finally be happy.” He squeezed her hand hard in his, almost painfully, willing her to understand.
Gwynneth winced and pulled back slightly from the pain. “I know, Liam. I’m still not happy with how it all happened, and it does still hurt to learn that everything was a lie. But I understand why you did it.” She gave him a shy smile and sighed. “After a few days of nothing but time to think, I have realized that my broken heart isn’t because of your lies. Tis because I wanted them to be true, so very badly.” Hearing her own admission startled her. She had not realized how much she did want to belong to Liam until that moment.
His face lit up and he wrapped his hand tightly around her arm, pulling her down to him so that they were face to face. With their noses touching and their breath mingling, Liam whispered softly, “It can be true, Gwynneth, just say the word.”
The roughness of his beard scratched against her chin as his calloused palms skimmed up and down her arm. How could such course sensations feel so soothing? Feeling weakened by his touch, and enticed by the warmth of his
nearness, Gwynn knew deep down that this was where she belonged. She closed her eyes and felt all of her pent up anger melt away with every warm breath he released upon her cheek. “Aye. I do want it to be true, more than anything,” she breathed, feeling her lips graze his as she spoke. With her heart pounding in her chest, she slowly closed the slight distance between them and grazed her lips softly against his.
Liam’s grip on Gwynneth’s arm tightened as he pulled her in and crushed his lips against hers. It had been five long years since he lost her…nay, since she was taken from him. She belonged with him. He clung to her, as if she were a mere wisp of smoke threatening to drift away. He would never let that happen again. With a groan that betrayed his loss of control, he slipped his tongue in between her lips, consuming her mouth greedily.
Gwynn could feel Liam’s urgency. Her body tingled all over, melting from the inside out as her tongue danced with his, mimicking the passion their bodies wished to fulfill. She wanted to grab on to his head and run her fingers through his hair, but it was wrapped in the bandage, as was his chest. Having no safe place to rest her hands snapped her out of the moment. He was hurt. And she was still married to another man. Liam’s battered body trembled with need as his grip tightened, but she pulled back and heaved breathlessly, acutely feeling the loss of his warmth. “Liam, you are injured. And I am still married. We can’t do this.”
Liam’s nostrils flared and anger flashed through his eyes. She could see his jaw muscle flexing as he ground his teeth. Wrapping his fingers tightly around her slim upper arm, he gave her a small shake. “Cernunnos’s horns! Och, Gwynn! I don’t give a shite about your worthless husband or your ruined vows! How many times do I have to suffer your loss, because of your undying loyalty to a man who neglected you for years? You only stayed with him because your father thought he would be king! Well, Gwynneth, HE is not the new king! Your life has been wasted on him!”
The anger was building deep inside of Liam’s body as years of pent up rage released all at once. He could feel his body begin to shake as hate pumped into his veins. But, seeing the tears streaming down Gwynneth’s face, his anger rapidly left his body, replaced by defeat. “Alright, Gwynneth, have it your way,” he breathed deeply, controlling his frustration. “None of this is your fault. You’ve only ever done what people wanted you to do. Tis your turn now to choose your own life. I won’t stand in your way. If you want me, I am yours. I will not touch you again until you are ready. But, I won’t wait forever, Gwynn, I just can’t. I’ve waited long enough and my heart can’t keep beating for a woman that will not claim it.” It was gutting him to prepare to lose her again, but he made a vow to himself that this was it. If she denied him again, he must close himself off from the pain and move forward.
“Liam, I don’t know what you want me to say. My only memories are of those living as your wife. And that’s how I want it to stay. Please give me time to make this right. Duncan and I are trying to get back to Iverni to speak to the new king about obtaining a dissolution of my marriage. Please, if I’ve suffered for five years because of my ‘undying loyalty’, as you say, then give me this chance to see through with this properly. Then we can well and truly be together.”
“Duncan has not told you who the new king is?” His eyebrows rose up high as he said it, wondering how they could have spent full days together without Duncan mentioning this important detail.
“Nay…I cannot remember anyone from the tuath anyway, so would it matter? He said it was a friend of his who he grew up with. I suppose that means you know him, as well?”
Liam smiled at her indifference and nodded, “Aye, I do know him well.” Liam’s heart was quietly drumming away inside his chest. He could remedy this right now. The separation of husband and wife in their society was quite common and was also generally easy to obtain. A king listened to the complaints of either spouse and decided how to separate their land and possessions, depending on who was mostly at fault. In the case of neglect and attempted murder, Liam could easily dissolve their union in front of a witness, without Baine even being present.
The temptation to tell her of his plan was strong. His palm was itching to use the first bit of his power as king to help Gwynneth separate from Baine, and to help him achieve his lifelong goal of making her his wife. But nay, the time was not right. She had been through enough for one night and he had just promised to give her time to sort everything out. Perhaps after a night of rest and time to think with clearer minds, he could carefully explain his new position as king…and his ability to dissolve her marriage. They could be married by Samhain in just two days if she wished.
Sighing outwardly in frustration, he relaxed his muscles and looked over at Gwynn, who was staring at him strangely. Apparently, he had been deep in thought for the past few minutes and she knew his thoughts were of her. With his new scheme in mind, Liam’s mood lightened dramatically and his eyes lit up with a mischievous twinkle. Seeing Gwynn’s puzzled face at the sudden change in his demeanor, he shrugged and smiled to himself. “You should get some sleep, Gwynneth. You’ve had a very long few days. We will talk more in the morning.”
“I suppose I should go lay down. I just…I don’t want to leave you, now that I have found you.” She looked at him with a longing in her eyes and his heart softened even more. He had to remind himself that Gwynn was innocent in this entire mess. She had been just as devastated to lose him as he had been to lose her. Only, she could not remember that pain and, for the first time since her accident, he began to feel a slight envy at her loss of those memories. What he wouldn’t give to escape the years of heartache and suffering. She was a good woman, aye, one who had a heart so big, she somehow found the ability to remain loyal to a husband she could not remember. A husband who frightened her in nightmares and terrified her still by day. If she could be so strong, he would be strong with her…for her.
He reached out a hand to her in reassurance and gave it a squeeze. “Can I sleep here, near you?” She looked over at the empty bed only an arm’s reach away from his own. “If I keep your curtain open, and mine, we can see each other…” her sweet, timid voice melted him from within. But he knew that if he lay even within an arm’s length of Gwynn, he would be hard pressed to keep his promise.
He grunted and ran a hand down his face in vexation. “That is not a good idea at all, if you want me to keep my hands off you. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere Gwynn…look at me,” he chuckled wryly as he pointed to his bandages. “I know you’ve had a dangerous time, but you’re safe here.” Liam’s smile increased and he let go of her hand.
Her features were tinged with sadness at his refusal, but she had asked for time, and he was simply standing by his promise. Understanding his decision, she gave him a forced smile as she bent down to lightly kiss his cheek. “Goodnight, Liam. And,” she stopped and looked him straight in the eyes, “please know that I do love you, very much.” She took one more moment to look him up and down, admiring the rippling lower muscles of his abdomen. The wool blanket was pulled very low over his body. His groin was almost completely exposed and a thin line of dark hair trailed down to the secret area of Liam that Gwynn had yet to discover. The hearth light glinted off the muscle, defining every hardened detail. She could feel her pent up needs thrumming in her core but, with a deep breath and a hard swallow, she suppressed her desire and turned on her heels.
Gwynneth did a poor job hiding her emotions. Liam wanted to laugh and pull her to him. But the lady had her pride and he would not bruise it for his own purposes. “I love you too, Gwynn,” he smiled, trying to hide his amusement. As he watched her walk toward a bed against the far wall, his eyes settled on the natural sway of her hips. Not even the tattered remains of her blue dress could hide the well-bred, noble blood that controlled her every graceful move. Aye, he would not touch her until she was ready, for he was a man of honor and upheld his oaths, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to wait much longer. Being so close to Gwynneth and not being able to have her paine
d him more than the large knot wrapped beneath the linen on his aching skull.
Chapter 11
“I’m sorry Gwynneth, but I cannot allow it.” Her father’s voice was angry and booming in her ears. “I know you believe that you love Liam. I like the lad myself. He is very dear to me as well, but you must not be allowed to marry him. I have nay choice, since he has made it clear he does not want to be king.” King Doran was looking down into his daughters watering eyes, tears threatening to overflow. His heart softened to her, but he could not show weakness, and he turned his back on her.
King Doran was a large man. But, in the eyes of his young daughter, he was a giant of a man, obviously built for his role as king. He was wearing dark brown leather trousers and a bright red, clean linen tunic. The animal pelts draping his shoulders added extra bulk to his already intimidating shoulder width. His hair was short and jet black, peppered with white streaks throughout. He wore a simple gold crown around his head, bold enough to show his authority as king, but containing no design, reflecting his modesty and aversion to obvious displays of wealth.
“Why not papa?! I can choose to marry anybody I want, just like any other lass in the village! You can’t make me marry Baine! I don’t love him!” Her voice was increasing in volume with every new word and she was stomping her foot and clenching her teeth. “Why does it matter if Liam wants to be king or not? You don’t get to pick the king. The tribal assembly does! So how do you know that Baine will be king someday?” Her face was red and her body was quaking with the emotions running through her veins.
“Nay, Mo Leanbh, I cannot choose. But I’ve explained this to you before. My successor has to meet certain qualifications. He needs to be of extended family to me, hard-working, honorable, a strong man who can protect the village in times of war, and he has to be well liked by the people. Only four men in my extended family are of an age to be considered. Sean MacLeod is far too small and weak to ever be a leader in war, and Baine’s brother, Aiden, is openly hated by the entire tuath after he forced himself upon the daughter of the ironsmith in a drunken fit of rage! That only leaves two men. One of which has declared himself uninterested in the prospect of being king! That leaves only one man, Gwynneth! Baine O’Cailein. If Liam hadn’t said what he had--”