The Lone Apprentice

by I K Spencer

  "Go away boy!" the man growled without turning to face him. "You must be a stranger if you dare to challenge me." He squeezed Urvena's chin and the man holding her wrists nodded vigorously and laughed.

  "Well then," Anthen continued in a soft, menacing tone that left no room for misunderstanding. "If you let the lady be you might live long enough to introduce yourself."

  The man released Urvena's chin and whirled around, pulling a dagger from his belt as he did so. The move was surprisingly smooth considering the man's condition but Anthen's appraisal of the man's fighting skills did not change. He did not move, waiting for the man's partner to join the fray. As if on cue, the second man pushed Urvena out of the way and drew a short, battered sword. The sword bearer came toward the guardsman while the other tried to circle behind. The swordsman lunged and Anthen easily dodged the awkward thrust. He wrenched the weapon from the man's grip and sent him crashing headfirst into the sturdy bar. He felt the other man closing from his rear and he sidestepped, tripped the drunkard, and clubbed him unconscious with the butt of the plundered sword, breaking the inferior weapon in the process. Remembering his initial lesson from Cidrl, the young guardsman nimbly kicked the dazed swordsman senseless as he attempted to regain his feet.

  Satisfied that both assailants posed no further threat, he turned his attention to Urvena. She immediately rushed into his arms and clung to him, murmuring between sobs that she wanted to leave. The guardsman gently guided the maiden back to their table, where he gathered up their belongings. As soon as they were in the coach she buried her face against his shoulder and the tears resumed.

  "Do not cry Urvena," he whispered while trying to think of comforting words. "They were but common drunkards and no real threat to your safety."

  "Anthen I was so afraid," she sobbed.

  "I know," he murmured, "It is not fair. Idiots such as those two should not be given drink. We certainly have a flair for excitement," the guardsman added, trying to lighten the mood. "Perhaps we should find a new habit however."

  He chuckled softly and to his relief Urvena raised her head and offered him a small smile. He noted that even with puffy, red eyes, the maiden's beauty was undiminished.

  "Thank you for protecting me yet again," she said with a smile and gave him a hug, stiffening a moment later. "Anthen what is on your—. Anthen you are wounded!"

  Urvena held her hand up near the dim coach lamp for him to see, her finger tips bright red. Anthen reached behind and felt the wet spot before finding a slit in his coat, a couple inches in length. He worked a finger through the hole and found a matching one in the tunic beneath.

  "Oh. The one with the dagger must have nicked me in the scuffle," he said as he probed the slash to determine the severity. "It is but a scratch, nothing to worry about."

  Urvena did not look convinced and as soon as the coach pulled up to her bungalow, she hurried him inside and told him to take off his jacket and shirt so she could see to it immediately. Urvena called for her maid and sent the alarmed woman scurrying off for hot water and bandages. She had him sit on one end of the parlor couch with his back to her. He felt awkward about having is upper body exposed to her but soon forgot all that as he felt her touch. The wound was a clean, horizontal slash on his upper back, almost under the right arm.

  "Oh you are still bleeding," she said softly, then added in a louder voice, "Hurry with those bandages!"

  Without his shirt on there was nothing to soak the flow of blood and he felt it start to run down his back. Urvena placed her hand beneath the wound to keep the blood from running down to stain his breeches. The plump maid, flushed with excitement, hurried back into the room with the requested items and was sent immediately off again to fetch refreshments.

  "This may sting a bit," she warned.

  "Not with your soothing hands," he replied as he felt a damp cloth pressed firmly against the wound. "Actually the worst part is that this is my best suit of clothes."

  "Maybe it can be cleaned and mended. I'll have Ginny take care of it when she returns with some refreshment."

  "Urvena that is not necessary. It is late."

  "I insist," she said sternly. "You received this wound protecting me ... There, I think it has stopped."

  She pulled the cloth away and watched the wound to see if the bleeding had stopped. Satisfied, she rinsed the cloth in the basin and delicately washed the blood from around the cut. Anthen had to stifle the contented sigh that started to escape from his lips at the feel of her hands on his back.

  "Don't move," she said as she finished washing the areas around the wound. "I will be right back."

  She scooped up his coat and tunic and hurried out of the room. Anthen heard the women's voices as they talked but could not make out their words. He assumed they were discussing tactics for dealing with his clothing. He looked up to see Urvena come back into the room with a tray in her hands. She handed him a glass of wine and returned to her position behind him.

  "I am going to thoroughly clean the wound now so this probably will hurt a bit."

  The guardsman sipped the wine, thoroughly enjoying himself, as she delicately cleaned the cut. He could smell her perfume and the soft touch of her hand on his shoulder felt wonderful. He thought he was in heaven when she reached around to his chest to pass a roll of cloth under his arms to hold the bandage in place. He sighed contentedly as she passed the roll in front, feeling her breasts against his back.

  Anthen observed that he felt light-headed, which he thought curious for such a minor wound. His curiosity was soon forgotten, however, as the beautiful maiden moved around in front of him and leaned close to reach behind and pull the ends of the wrap around to his chest. Her nearness seemed to make him dizzier still. As she tied the two ends of the cloth strip, he could not stop from caressing her arms.

  "Thank you," he whispered hoarsely when she finished with the knot. On impulse, he tilted her chin up and they kissed, tentatively at first, then with more passion.

  Things grew a bit fuzzy for Anthen from there, as though part of a dream. He seemed to lapse in and out of consciousness. He did not remember doing so but soon Urvena's dress was down around her waist and he felt the delicious warmth of her body against his as they kissed fervently.

  Later—somehow they had moved to her bed, though the woozy guardsman could not recall when—he pulled the rest of her clothes away and gazed at her in awe. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Before he knew what was happening, they were locked together, writhing in ecstasy. His need was overpowering and undeniable but once the act was culminated, an even stronger weariness befell him and he could not stay awake, though he tried with all his will.

  ********

  Anthen awoke with a throbbing headache, confused as to his whereabouts. He surveyed the dim room in alarm, ignoring the shooting pains caused by opening his eyes. All too soon he recognized his surroundings and the images from the previous evening came rushing back to him.

  He was alone in the bed but when his eyesight adjusted to the dim light, he saw Urvena sitting at a dressing table on the other side of the bedchamber. Her eyes dropped when his gaze came to rest on her. It took a moment for him to focus, then he noticed that she had been crying.

  "Urvena? What is it?"

  "Oh Anthen," she said and began to sob. "What have we done? I am so sorry! I should have tried harder to stop you! Now you probably no longer care for me." She buried her face in her hands as she cried.

  "No. Urvena no!" he replied in alarm. "Any blame belongs to me and I care for you more than ever!"

  Anthen rose to go comfort her, noting that all his muscles seemed stiff and sore. Fresh stabs of pain caused him to close his eyes for a moment as he stood wavering beside the bed. What was the matter with him? Had he forced himself upon her? He didn't remember doing so but his memory was not clear. Remembering his nakedness, the guardsman covered himself with a blanket and staggered over to her.

  "It is I that am sorry," he whispered guilti
ly, "You are innocent."

  He patted her back, which he could see clearly beneath the sheer robe she wore.

  "Oh no," his voice choked as he saw bruises on her back. He felt sick to his stomach and nearly fell to his knees. "No my precious Urvena. It is I ... I am so sorry! I don't know what came over me."

  A fresh blow hit him when he looked on the table and saw the garments she wore the night before. Both the dress and her undergarments displayed rips and tears.

  "You do not hate me?" she asked between sobs.

  "Never! But how can you not hate me?" he asked, on the verge of crying himself.

  She looked up, her dark eyes searching his. Her unbound shimmering hair cascaded around her tear-streaked face and she never looked more beautiful to him.

  "Dear Anthen, it is man's nature to t-take women. You were just following that nature."

  "No! Men forcing women is not right!" he answered immediately, furious with himself. "Urvena I pledge on my soul that I will never force myself on you again!"

  But even as he said the words, which he firmly believed, Anthen wondered if he could live up to that pledge, for his confidence was badly shaken. How could such a thing have happened and if it happened once, what guarantee did he have that it could not occur again?

  "Anthen do not be so hard on yourself," Urvena said tenderly. The maiden's beautiful face softened and she granted him a small smile. "It was not all that terrible you know. I was terrified at first but then ... it was... wonderful."

  She touched his cheek, then kissed him softly. He touched her hand and returned the kiss as gently as he could. When Urvena pulled back, she seemed completely happy again.

  "Now you must go before my maid returns. I have a busy day."

  She bustled about the room and chatted amiably as she prepared for the day, as though the shocking events of the night before were already forgotten. She moved to the adjoining dressing room but kept up the light dialog as she dressed for the day. He dressed quickly, conversing as best he could while his mind continued to search for an answer. They made arrangements to meet again in a few days and before he knew it, he was ushered through the door. She kissed him goodbye and smiled brightly, seemingly cheerful again.

  As soon as the door closed, however, Anthen's smile dissolved into a deep frown. Urvena may have come to terms with what happened but the young guardsman was badly shaken, deeply disturbed by his shocking behavior and loss of control.

  Chapter 18

  Anthen returned to his room for exercises, to be followed by strong, bitter coffee to help eliminate his grogginess. As he pushed his body, his mind worked to uncover more details from the night before. He tried and tried to fill in the dark spots between the familiar images but nothing more came back to him. Finally, he gave up and concentrated on getting the most out of the exercises, punishing his body for failing him the night before. By the time he finished, his body was drenched with sweat, his muscles taut and burning from the effort. At least the intense physical training session took care of the throbbing headache that had plagued him from the moment he awoke in Urvena's bed. His racing heart relaxed as he sipped the scalding coffee and started to bathe.

  Less than an hour later, he was riding through the ever-present spring rains, heading back to Cidrl's estate. The trail was a sea of mud but the endless grass beyond seemed a brighter shade of green with each rainy day. The troubled guardsman, however, noticed neither the wet weather nor its affect on the border plains.

  Upon arrival, Anthen stabled his mount and changed into dry clothing after charming Mazy into brewing a second pot of coffee. With a fresh cup in-hand he reported to Cidrl, seated behind his desk in the study. The incident with Urvena at the tavern the night before piqued Cidrl’s interest and after several questions, the older guardsman concurred with Anthen that the pair were nothing more than common thugs with too much ale in their bellies. Of course, Anthen made no mention of what transpired after his return to Urvena's bungalow but Cidrl must have noticed something amiss because he queried if some other matter troubled the apprentice.

  Anthen spent the next couple of days at the compound, searching for an answer to his abhorrent behavior when not otherwise occupied. He spent hours practicing and meeting with Cidrl and the rest of the time training alone or chatting with the two friendly house women. It continued to be more and more difficult for the young guardsman to be on his guard around Cidrl. Certainly, thoughts of Urvena were a distraction, but the charismatic man simply did absolutely nothing to arouse Anthen's suspicions. On the contrary, Cidrl was helpful on all levels. In addition to finding no reason for concern, Anthen knew he was benefiting from Cidrl's instruction and the man offered nothing but nonintrusive support regarding Urvena.

  After two nights at the estate, he journeyed back into Gates following his morning training session with Cidrl. The day started out rainy but as he rode it seemed to brighten and he wondered whether the end of the spring rains had finally arrived. He had come to no easy answers to explain the bizarre incident with the maiden but it troubled him less with the passage of time. He began to latch onto the idea that it was an aberration, caused by the wine and his weakened state after the knife wound. The explanation, however, did not satisfy the disciplined soldier completely.

  After stabling Rorc, the young guardsman's special proximity sense signaled an alarm as he neared the door of his room; certain that someone awaited inside. Suspecting an ambush, he drew his blade and approached the door without a sound. He pressed his ear to the door and listened for a few moments. He could hear nothing besides the muffled sounds from the street below.

  Moving so slowly that his movements were barely perceptible, he inserted his key into the door lock. He slowly turned the key and uttered a silent oath as the rusty tumblers groaned. Once the door was unlocked he waited a full minute, listening for sounds of someone stirring beyond. Hearing nothing, he gradually pushed the heavy door open, inch by inch, his sword held at the ready in front of him. When the door was open enough for him to see his bed, his eyes caught sight of an image that caused his heart to pound with fear. Upon his pillow he spied an unmistakable head crowned with shimmering, golden tresses.

  Forgetting his training, the young man rushed into the room and lunged behind the door, expecting an attack from that direction. Seeing none, he quickly searched and found the room empty save the maiden. Fearing the worst, he rushed over to Urvena. She lay on her side facing the wall. He relaxed somewhat, noting she was fully clothed and with his extra blanket pulled over her prone form. He was about to call out to her and shake her when he heard a soft snore. Looking more closely, he smiled as he realized she merely slept, a serene expression on her angelic face.

  On the floor beside the bed he noticed a basket containing wine and some food. She must have come early to surprise him and fell asleep while waiting. He just stood there gazing at her beautiful face for the next few minutes. Then, fearing he might startle her, he went back over and stood by the open door. He knocked quietly and softly called her name until she stirred.

  "Oh!" she exclaimed in a startled voice then, evidently remembering her surroundings, her lips curved into a warm, sleepy smile.

  "Good morning Urvena," he said awkwardly, averting his gaze. "Shall I wait outside while you ... to give you a chance to ... to wake up?"

  "No, no Dear Anthen. Come in." Her smile turned into a frown as she looked at the lone window; it was still not sunny but far brighter than usual since the eternal rains had commenced. "What hour of the day is it?"

  "Late morning."

  "Oh my, 'Tis late!" she exclaimed and then laughed, a sound the young guardsman adored. "It appears I have overslept."

  "Overslept?" he queried.

  "Poor Anthen," she said and laughed again. "Comes home to find a strange woman sleeping in his bed. I came to surprise you with a cold supper last night. I had an intuition you might return. Your landlord was nice enough to let me in once I explained. It grew late and I became fearful to j
ourney home unescorted so I decided to sleep here and then be off at dawn. I guess I slept better than expected."

  Anthen didn't know what to do or say so he just stared at her while his mind raced.

  She felt his stare and reached a hand up to check her hair. "Do I look a fright?"

  She certainly did not look a fright. Her golden hair was down, cascading over her shoulders as she sat up in his bed. She wore a low-cut velvet gown, burgundy in color, and she had loosened the top few buttons to be more comfortable.

  "No. No. Of course not," he stammered. "Would you like to step across the street to the tavern for a late breakfast?"

  "Anthen my dear. Most suitors spend many of their waking hours trying to get the object of their affection to their bed. Do you really want me to leave yours?" Her large brown eyes flashed, beckoning him to her.

  The startled guardsman removed his cloak and sword and went to her. She pulled him down beside her on the small bed and they embraced.

  "Oh Anthen I missed you so," she murmured in his ear, then their mouths melted together in a long kiss.

  Anthen, mindful of their last encounter, remained passive aside from returning her kisses fervently. After a while, she pulled his hand to her soft breast inside her gown. She seemed to sense that he was afraid of being too rough and took the initiative, rising up to pull her gown over her head, then guiding their bodies together when the time was right.

  He was overwhelmed by her beautiful body and her loving touch. Other than their hazy first encounter, his only experiences were hurried couplings with whores, where the only object was to finish the business as soon as possible. He had never really had the opportunity to examine a woman's body before and he nervously touched her in wonder. They made love slowly and gently; only in the end did their movements become urgent and still he waited for her signal to do so.

  Subsequently, they rested in each other's arms while their breathing and beating hearts returned to normal. After a time, she leaned across him and pulled the basket up between them. She sat up, letting the bedclothes fall to her waist. Anthen watched the beautiful young woman as she searched through the basket.