Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

Liana felt like exultante, these Peregrinate had his own norms of conduct, but it began to enten­der them and, which was better, Rogan in effect had defen­dido it. Not of the phrases odiosas, but if when the brother had been able to physically damage it.

  Smiling, not only visibly but also in deepest from its being, Liana returned to seat to the table.

  -- More peas, Zared? -- it asked.

  -- clean Peas? -- Zared asked with pretended te­mor --. As to me I like the peas? Cleanings, as they please to me my clothes and the my room and farmers and the men and my brother?

  Liana laughed and watched its husband, and this magnificent man yawed an eye to him.

  That night, later, Rogan embraced it and it kissed it and tenderly it did the love to him. Apparently, which was been bothering it it had been solved.

  Later, it did not separate, tightened it against its chest. Liana heard its smooth and slow breathing while it fell asleep.

  -- Iolanthe is not the Lady -- Liana said with sleepy voice.

  -- What lady? -- Rogan murmured.

  -- the Lady who lives on the lot, that she spoke to me of Jeanne Howard. It is not Iolanthe. Therefore, who is?

  -- Nobody lives on the lot... by except anybody it lived, until you arrived.

  -- But... -- Liana said.

  -- Basta to speak and duérmete, or I leave you to the care of Severn.

  -- Yes? -- it talked back pretending whom propose she interested to him --. He is terribly good looking. Perhaps...

  -- Informare' to Iolanthe on which you finish confessing to me.

  -- Already I am slept -- one hurried to say Liana. It would prefer to confront to Severn before to the terrible Iolanthe.

  While one sank again in the dream it was asked who was the Lady.

  14

  At the following morning they arrived at Gaby castle and its children, and finally were somebody with that Liana could speak. And what was better, Gaby explained the discord to him of Ro­gan and Severn about Baudoin.

  -- But, my husband defended to me? -- Liana asked.

  -- Oh, yes, my lady. It said to lord Severn that it closed the mouth. This it did all the possible one to obtain that my Baudoin it retired, returning to the village, but my Baudoin never will leave.

  -- Not -- Liana with expression said resigned -- Parece that Peregrine never leaves or backs down, nor siquie­ra they smooth its attitude.

  -- it is not thus, my lady -- it responded to him Gaby -- Lord Rogan changed since vos you arrived. Yesterday, while you crossed bridge, lord Rogan stopped in its shouts to one of the horsemen and it observed to you.

  -- Yes? -- Those words sounded very candies in the ears of Liana.-- and in effect in front of defends its brother?

  -- Oh, yes, my lady.

  It seemed that Liana did not get tired of to listen Gaby. Sometimes it was persuaded that it did not exert minimum it influences on Rogan, that he still did not hit upon to remember how he was called, but now yes; that same morning embraced it and kissed, murmuring its name to the ear.

  Three weeks after the arrival of Baudoin and Gaby, Rogan and Severn continued distanced so that as soon as they spoke. Liana tried that Rogan explained the cause to him of its irritation, but it did not yield. However, in the bed it embraced it with force. It felt necessity of Rogan that Liana lavished all the dulzura to him that it needed during its childhood.

  For the nights, after the supper, a times it arrived at the lot with Liana, settled in an upholstered armchair stops to listen one of the ladies whom laúd touched and sang. Liana had begun to teach to him to play chess, and cuan­do it understood that it was a strategy game, enough similarity to the war, soon became a player efi­caz. Zared one met with them and Liana felt pleased to see the young person seated in floor, with the crossed legs, maintaining to a hank of thread that one of women turned ball of yarn. One Rogan night was seated jun­to to the window with Zared closely together, in the floor; Liana pu­do to see how his husband extended hand and caressed the ca­beza of its brother. The boy smiled to him with one expression that demonstrated as much love, confidence and adora­ción that Liana felt that the knees bent to him.

  As they spent the days, she it noticed that the love by its husband was deeper and more intense. From principle knew that in him it had more what showed the people, who existed a sweet facet in its character.

  It was not that that tender aspect was easily visi­ble, they had maintained some really escan­dalosas discussions. Rogan refused to think that Liana was used for another thing that stops the pleasure of the bed and to provide co­mida and drink to him. And it did not concern whichever times she him de­mostró the opposite, he did not remember and re­conocía much less something of that Liana had done.

  Although it had passed the test and Rogan even bro­meaba on the matter with her, really had to dispute with him in order to obtain that it allowed to help him in the juzga­miento of the complaints the premises, remembering to him the episode of the thieves of ewes; but that no it changed the things. Ro­gan had decided that it could not take part in judgments and no matter how much she used logical reasons or arguments, did not obtain to dissuade it.

  Finally, Liana lay down to cry. Rogan was not man who was affected too much by the tears of a woman, but it detested that Liana did not smile. It seemed to think that it was obligation of his wife to be always fe­liz and spirited. After a day and means contemplating its compungido face, Rogan yielded and it said to him that it could acom­pañar during the sessions of the court.

  It threw the arms to him to the neck, she kissed... and later, it tweaked the ribs to him.

  Severn, when entering the great hall, saw rolling to both on the floor, the hairdo of generous Liana and the ca­bellos falling to him on the back, while it tickled to the older brother, than desternillaba of laughter. The rage of Severn immediately calmed them.

  Liana, thought Severn. Still it astonished it that his brother-in-law could cause as much infelicidad to him. After its arrival, during the first times, it seemed that he esta­ba of its side, but to to change Rogan, also made Se­vern. Now it was almost as if it hated it and it made all the posi­ble to never return to Rogan against its woman and this one him it mentioned what it was happening. All the information came from Gaby. In field of Severn training offended its brother and it ridiculed it because it let ma­nejar by a woman.

  At the most Liana knew which was making Severn, more comforts tried to offer to Rogan. By the nights, a times, it perceived that he was exhausted, as yes in its intimate law got rid it fights to determine if it had to be given to the pleasures of the lot where she it reigned or to remain single in its camera of meditation.

  This camera caused the second fight important: after it spent two nights single in that quarter, Liana entered. No it called to the door nor it requested permission to do it, was limited to enter, heart barking to him with force. It shouted to him, it apostatized and it protested, but in its eyes there was something said to Liana that in fact did not concern that interference to him.

  -- What is that? -- she asked, indicating the battery of papers on the table.

  It apostatized a little more, but finally it showed its sketches to him. She did not know of machines military much, only knew a little the devices of working of the fields, but that was not very different. It formulated some suggestions, that were effective.

  It had been a beautiful evening, both together in that enclosure, inclined on the papers. Several Rogan times him it asked: Thus? or This is better? o Yes, I believe that thus it could work.

  As it happened frequently, Severn it ruined the evening. It pushed the half-opened door and it remained watching them.

  -- Oi' to say that it was here -- it declared in low voice --, but I did not want to believe it. This room was sagrada stops our Rowland brother and for our father. But aho­ra you allow that between a woman. And why? -- Hizo a gesture in the direction of the deposited sketches on me­sa.-- For explicarte the way to construct machines military? In you they are n
ot left nor rest of man?

  Liana, pleased, saw that when Severn an arm left rascaba furiously, knew that to the pio­jos him again they infested the clothes and hoped that they ate vi­vo. One became towards his husband.

  -- Rogan... -- it began to say.

  But it already had put itself of foot. she left single in the room and reason why she knew later, did not return a to visit the place.

  It evoked the figure of Rogan, torn by that intimate fight. Something in its personality wished the dulzura and ternu­ra that it offered to him, but on the other hand she wanted to please his colérico brother. it trained and it worked many daily hours, trying to be the leader of Peregrinate, to demonstrate to its men and to their brother mainly who still was worthy of the position that occupied to the front of to­dos. And at night never it relaxed absolutely to enjoy the pleasures that Liana offered to him.

  But the third fight overturned the board and it determined that Rogan was united to Severn against her. Liana boiled of fury while the stairs descended quickly to go to the hall. Both brothers they were seated in front of the table, having breakfast calmly, but without to be spoken.

  Liana so was irritated that hardly it could speak.

  -- Your... your brother was laid down with three women this morning -- escupió to Rogan.

  This it watched Severn, astonished.

  -- Three? I never happened of four and to tomorrow si­guiente he was exhausted.

  -- When he was that? -- Severn asked, as if Liana was not there.

  -- Hace a year, in the match of..

  — ¡I do not talk about him! -- Liana shouted --. I speak of Zared! Your hermanito, that boy, spent the night with three women.

  Both they were limited to watch it stupidly. Liana doubted that they had the minimum idea of than she had something bad in which Zared lay down with three women.

  -- I will not tolerate it -- it said --. Rogan, you have that to prevent es­to.

  As yes it wished to accentuate the fury of Liana, the eyes of Rogan began to yaw.

  -- Yes, I will have to do something.

  -- you do not adopt with me that protective air, that mucha­cho admires to you, idolizes to you. Think that you are the sun and the moon and es­toy safe that it does not make another thing that imitarte.

  Severn smiled and slapped the back of Rogan.

  -- Yes, it is sure it imitates its older brother -- it said laughing.

  Liana became towards Severn and its anger with him now it was evident.

  -- At least, Rogan delivers an attack. But vos! Vos, with one blankets married living under the same ceiling that this innocent boy.

  Severn was put of foot and it watched it with hatred.

  -- My life is not subject that concerns to you -- it shouted to him --. and Zared is...

  Rogan was put of foot and interrupted to his brother.

  -- we will take care of Zared.

  -- As you take care of all the rest, even your mu­jer... ? -- Severn made fun of, and left furious the room.

  Rogan saw move away to its brother and it collapsed pesa­damente in his chair. The words of Severn had con­movido it.

  -- That man needs a wife -- he said Liana.

  -- One handcuffs? -- Rogan asked --. Iolanthe arran­caría the eyes of the rival.

  It seemed gotten depressed, seated so there, that Liana sin­tió desires to say something that distracted it.

  -- Tendremos to find a woman so hard that pue­da to handle to Severn and to Iolanthe.

  -- a woman does not exist thus.

  Liana caressed the forehead to him.

  -- No? I have obtained dominarte and you are more fort than twenty Severn and Iolanthe.

  It had said this playfully, but Rogan no it seemed to interpret it thus and it watched it, the eyes shining of rage.

  -- No lady controls to me -- she said by the low thing.

  -- I did not want to suggest... -- it began to say Liana, but it put itself of foot, his expression still irritated.

  -- No woman controls to me or she prevails to my fami­lia. Woman, returns to your seam, where you would have to be.

  It left in the hall all the day single, late and no­che. It was crushed by the restlessness, because she had certainty that it was with another woman.

  -- I will kill to Him so slowly that she it will request that him lle­gue the death -- Murmuraba Liana, while one took a walk by his dormitory.

  To midnight it went to see Gaby, it started of the bra­zos of Baudoin and obtained that it discovered where it was Rogan. She did not need long time to return and to in­formar to him that Rogan she was in the great hall embo­rrachando itself with average dozen his men.

  In fact, the news obtained that Liana one felt well. His husband so was upset as she by the discussion that they had maintained. No longer it ignored it, nor it let identify it between group of women. When finally it went to lie down, if it did not sleep profun­damente, at least it could conciliate the dream. It woke up before the dawn when listening incon­fundible sound of the steel against the steel.

  -- Rogan -- it said, the heart pressed by the fear. A dressing gown was put and threw to run.

  To the dawn the Howard had dealed with to introduce itself in the castle of Peregrine. They threw great gan­chos on the parapets and began to climb up the cords.

  They spent many months from the last one attack of the Howard and Peregrine was so it jeopardize in their own ones internal disputes that finished feeling segu­ros. The monitoring was had attenuated and they did not maintain the sen­tidos ones so alert.

  Twelve of the twenty attackers climbed the wall before the sleepy guards who watched the parapets they obtained oírlos. Two horsemen Peregrinate perished at least without having waked up.

  Rogan, that lay in the great sunk hall in an alcoholic sopor, it woke up difficultly and Severn arrived there before that Rogan became aware exact of which es­taba happening.

  -- you inspire disgust to Me -- Severn said, threw a sword to its brother and left running the hall.

  Rogan compensated the lost time, if his head was not clarified instantaneously, its body remembered prolonga­do training. To puntapiés it later woke up to its men and few seconds it was in the patio fighting next to Severn and Baudoin.

  Long time was not needed stops to eliminate to the attackers and when Severn was arranged to kill the last one, Ro­gan was prevented it.

  -- Why? -- it asked this invader -- What wants Oliver Howard?

  -- To the woman -- Teni'amos responded -- to catch it and to take it. -- the man knew that he would die shortly after and diri­gió a Rogan an insolent glance -- Dijo that his smaller brother needs wife and women Peregrinate are excelen­tes for the Howard.

  Rogan killed it: it sank a knife in his heart, revolvió and continued revolviendo it until Severn separated it from push.

  -- He is dead -- Severn said --. They are all deads. And also four of our men.

  The fear began to insinuate itself in body of Ro­gan. If Severn did not have there been.. if it had em­borrachado itself a little more... yes their men had not heard... Perhaps now they would have a Liana in its power.

  -- Quiero that they review this place -- it said -- That they control all the barns, the toilets, the coffers. I want to have security of which there are men of the no Howard here. ¡In march! -- it shouted to subordinates who were close.

  -- to At least you trouble you by Howard.-- Se­vern said --. But only by her. You have put in danger the life of all... mine, the one of Zared, even yours. You risk by her the little one property that we have left, does not matter to you that tonight four of your men have died and a do­cena is wound, because you fell asleep drunkard. And by what? Because of a fight with that woman? You killed to two brothers by a wife. You will need that the rest of Peregrine for sentirte dies satisfied?

  Then Liana descended flying the stairs, the long blond hair floating. The dressing gown entrea­briendo itself and showing to the naked legs esbeltas and. It was thrown on Rogan, and
it surrounded to him neck with the bra­zos.

  -- You are out of danger -- it exclaimed and its tears they dampened the shoulder of Rogan -- it was terrified by you.

  During a little while Rogan it forgot to covered with blood men who were around, as well as to his irritated brother and he embraced to the trembly Liana. Single thanks to the luck it still was there and she had not been catched by the men of Howard. It caressed the hair to him and it calmed.

  -- I am unharmed -- it murmured.

  It raised the eyes and it saw the expression of one of its men, a soldier of its father, a man who had se­guido a Rowland to the battle, and saw repulsion in the soldier. Displeased because Peregrinate was there, to the light of the dawn, with two men died on its feet, making a woman arrumacos.

  The last weeks it perceived that his men as opposed to supported it Severn, because he had never avoided training; they did not see it seated in the lot with its es­posa, seated by night, listening the song of mu­jeres. They did not see it either allowing that her wife helped him to design machines military.

  But now, by the expressions of Ro­gan soldiers understood that their feelings of loyalty finished of to modify itself. How to follow a man whom, because of a dispute with his wife, was too drunk to listen to the movements of attackers? How could he control them? In the represented theater piece in village the farmers had shown it like "a domesti­cado" individual whose wife put a necklace to him and trabilla held it with one. At that moment the idea had seemed to him to too absurd him, but now Rogan included/understood that pie­za really contained certain element.

  It had to affirm its control on men or per­dería definitively its respect. It separated to Liana abruptly and it pushed.

  -- Vuelve to the house, woman, where you would have to be.

  Liana, that had certain idea of shame of Ro­gan, cuadró the shoulders.

  -- I will help. How many hurt it has?

  One became towards the man who watched a Rogan with little respect.

  -- Lleva these men to the kitchen, there they will be more protecting and brings...

  Rogan had to stop it.

  — ¡Obedéceme! -- rugió.