by Sherry Ewing
After several moments, she felt herself sliding down the length of his body until she stood on solid ground but inches from him. Solid being a relative word, seeing as her legs felt as though they were made of melted butter. He tore his gloves off, and she felt the warmth of his hands cup her face. His thumbs began to caress her cheeks in a slow, soothing motion. But oh those eyes! Even in the darkness, their blueness left her speechless as she stared at him. For one brief instant he began to lean down, and she thought he would kiss her. She watched him carefully, in anticipation of their lips touching, until his eyes widened, as if he realized what he was about to do. He suddenly pulled back, as he came to his senses, and straightened himself to his full height. Damn! That special moment had been so close, and yet so far away!
He turned her head and scowled when he saw the mark on her neck. “You are for the most part unharmed?”
“Yes, other than a few scratches.”
The look he gave her told her to explain herself, so she showed him her damaged hands and the scrapes caused by her decent from the tree. It also appeared as if her already injured fingers were in need of some attention. His scowl proved he was not happy.
“I’ll be okay…umm…fine. I have some ointment in my purse to help heal these,” Katherine stated.
“I will aid you if you would allow it.”
She smiled with a sudden feeling of being overly embarrassed. “If you insist.”
“I do,” Riorden exclaimed, and he followed her to where she had left her gear by the fire.
They sat down next to each other. Katherine picked up her purse and pondered its contents, not exactly certain of how she was going to explain the futuristic gadgets her leather bag held. Plastic containers, her spiral notebook and pens, her cell phone, for God sake, the first aid kit, and makeup, a travel size Kleenex packet, and if she dug down deep enough into this oversized bag she schlepped around, she was sure to find some chocolate and a granola bar or two. She could never remember what was to be found at the bottom of her purse, only that its weight told her she tended to carry too much.
She bit her bottom lip with indecision and peeked at him through lowered lashes. He waited patiently for her to come to some sort of conclusion, although it was clear he wanted to address her injuries quickly.
“I have to tell you that what I have inside this bag could be construed as witchlike in your time. I’d hate to be caught and burned at the stake,” she whispered softly, knowing the truth of her words.
“I will protect you, Katherine, and no further harm shall befall you,” Riorden vowed.
She could not be suspicious of the sincerity of his words as he once again reached up and caressed her cheek. “I thank you for your protection, but what I’ll show you will no doubt leave you a little dazed, wondering at what marvels the future holds.”
“Then perhaps we should proceed slowly and address the immediate needs of your care. The rest can wait ’til perhaps we are alone to discuss such wonders,” he offered.
“Very well,” she said and reached inside for the small travel first aid kit Jewels insisted she carry. The simple sound of the zipper caused Riorden to flinch, and actually stopped the conversation of the men gathered around the fire. “Sorry...We’ll explain later.”
Next, she took off the makeshift bandages and saw that her cuts weren’t as bad as she had thought. They just needed a little cleaning and a new dressing. Opening up a disinfectant packet, she held it out to him. “It will burn, but just wipe the pad across the scratches and cuts.”
His hands actually shook as he held something from the future. He continued to stare at it for several minutes.
“Riorden, you need to hurry or it’ll dry up, and I don’t have a lot of those in my kit.”
He hesitated no longer but cursed when Katherine indeed flinched as he ran the soft cloth across her injuries. Next she held out a small tube of ointment and uncapped it. He held a look of such disbelief, peering at the plastic tube, that she was uncertain if he would be able to continue helping her.
“Riorden, it’s okay. Just hold out your finger, and I’ll squeeze some of this out. You can then smooth it over my hand, and we’ll bandage everything up again,” Katherine said confidently.
He looked at the ointment in wonder and began to do as she had instructed him. After several minutes, he began to bandage her hands with some gauze, another wonder from the future she was sure she would answer for at some point in their journey together. He finished quickly and gently took her hands in his own.
Clearing his throat, he once more gained his composure and gave her a mischievous grin. She could have sworn his eyes were sparkling from merriment at what he had accomplished.
“What about you? Where are you hurt?” she questioned softly.
“’Tis of no consequence, I assure you.”
“Ha! I’ve heard that before. Really Riorden, I should see that your injuries are taken care of, as well.”
“Nay, not this night, Katherine. Mayhap on the morrow you can see to it, when we are well rid of this place and closer to the village. I know of a warm spring that feeds itself into a small pond ideal for swimming if you are so inclined. ’Tis but a half days ride from here, if we do not stop often. It can be most refreshing after a long ride,” he said firmly.
“I’m not much of a swimmer, even though I can hold my own…or a rider for that matter,” she confided quietly.
“Then I will teach you. You must needs learn to ride, my lady.”
“Easy for you to say. You’ve probably lived most of your life atop a horse,” she replied and gave a very, unladylike yawn. “Sorry.”
“There is not much left to the night, Katherine. You should rest, for we have a long ride ahead of us, come sun up,” Riorden said light heartedly.
“But I’m not sleepy,” Katherine exclaimed as she stifled another yawn. She looked at him, and he merely gave her an I-told-you-so look. “Well, maybe I am, just a little.”
“Aiden will be standing guard. If you have no objections, I offer my shoulder as your pillow this night. I cannot vouch for the comfort of the mail beneath my tabard, however,” Riorden stated as he opened his arm and clasped Katherine to his side. He began tucking his cloak around her as a blanket.
“You are a most chivalrous knight,” she said in a hushed tone and heard him grunt some off handed reply. She reached up a hand and took hold of a length of his hair. She sighed contently and began to twirl it in her fingers.
“Be at ease, Katherine,” he said quietly, and placed a chaste kiss on top of her head.
Katherine couldn’t believe her good fortune that fate had led Riorden to find her. She began shifting around until she found the perfect place to rest her head as she snuggled into her knight. She would have been horrified and appalled to know that a short time later, a soft snore passed from her lips, causing Riorden to give a merry chuckle, while she continued, naively, to peacefully slumber the remainder of the night.
Chapter 19
Katherine stamped her foot, trying to make her point, and placed her hands on her hips, as if that would change his mind.
“Absolutely not!” she cried out.
“Kat…listen to reason,” Riorden urged gently. He had a look set on his face as though he was trying to find patience with her, but she was so frustrated.
“No way!” she huffed pitifully, knowing he was right. She covered her smile, hearing the nickname that, apparently, caused him some amusement from her flight up the tree the night before.
“You shall be perfectly safe.”
“Right! Not on that monster I won’t,” she declared, crossing her arms in front of her. He broke into one of those grins that was a half knowing smirk and half roguishly handsome devil. It about drove her crazy, and she felt her resolve weakening.
Riorden gave his horse an affectionate pat. “Do not insult my horse. He is most timid.”
“He’s huge, Riorden. I’m sure I’ll meet my death when I fall off, which most as
suredly will happen, knowing my luck,” Katherine insisted awkwardly, trying to think of some other alternative than mounting that monstrosity of an animal. “I believe I’ve made it perfectly clear that I don’t like heights.”
“I will keep you safe, Katherine. Come, take my hand, and I shall hoist you up. You shall sit in front of me, just like my brother holds Lady Brianna.”
She frowned in indecision. “You make me sound like a boat anchor,” she mumbled half to herself. His laughter rang out, making light of the situation. She glanced backwards. Brie was indeed comfortably sitting on Gavin’s lap, with his arms securely wrapped around her waist and his gloved hands holding the reins of his horse. Brie waved at her, wearing a smile that lit her serene countenance clear up to her eyes. Apparently, Katherine wasn’t the only one who was finding love in the past. She couldn’t be happier for her friend.
She looked up at Riorden and the hand he offered her. “You won’t let me fall off this beast?” she asked, still uncertain of her fate with the animal.
“Nay, I will not. Now, come, the morn awaits us.”
Katherine took his hand and before she could change her mind, she found herself deposited, much like a sack of grain, across his lap. She squirmed to right herself, cursing all humanity in her embarrassment. She was positive this wasn’t the most ladylike way to get a man’s attention. As she settled herself, he paid no mind to her reservations of sitting atop the horse. Instead, Riorden adjusted a small blanket on her lap to keep the chill from her legs. The morning was still nippy, and she could see her breath in the air.
“By the by…how did you know?” Riorden asked as he put on his gloves and took up the reins.
She felt the monster below her move. A fear of falling caused a startled gasp to escape her, and she made a quick grab for Riorden’s waist. With a deathlike grip on the fabric of his tabard, she squeezed her eyes shut. Uncomfortable with the distance to the ground, she began to shake with the fear of falling beneath the massive hooves of the animal on top of which she was now precariously perched.
“Kat?”
She opened her eyes and looked up into his face, realizing she hadn’t heard a single word he’d been saying. “What?”
He chuckled. “I asked, my lady, how did you know my horse’s name?”
Her brows drew together in a frown of bewilderment. “I don’t…do I?”
“His name, my dear, is Beast,” he said, waiting for her reaction with a twinkle in his eye.
She rolled her eyes as she offered a silent prayer to the heavens to save her. “Wonderful!” she said under her breath, causing him to laugh heartily.
“’Tis all right, Katherine. Relax,” he declared, and turned the animal to await the others.
Katherine observed the group in front of her and wondered if anyone else was panicking like she was, sitting on something that wasn’t gasoline powered. But everyone appeared normal, or so she thought. Patrick was in the process of putting out the rest of their fire by scraping dirt into the pit with his boots. Brianna was chattering away with Gavin, who was laughing at her jokes. Juliana and Emily did seem slightly ill at ease, for obvious reasons. At least their feet were still on solid ground.
She drew her attention to the youngest of their group and watched intently as Brianna looked back and forth between two of the knights, as though she was assessing Gavin’s features and those of his brother. Katherine could admit there was a slight resemblance, even though the shade of their hair coloring was different. She had the impression Gavin’s brown hair would turn to lighter shades as the summer sun continued to grace its length. As if her friend couldn’t help herself, and who could blame her, Brie hesitated only a moment before reaching out and touching a lock of his hair. Katherine saw Gavin smile at her friend, and she knew Brianna was completely lost.
“You don’t look much like your brother,” Brianna stated matter-of-factly. His expression changed slightly. “Did I say something wrong?”
“Nay,” Gavin replied, somewhat solemnly. “I take after my mother.”
“She must indeed be lovely, if you look like her,” Brianna replied softly, and then blushed to the roots of her hair. Katherine held back her laughter, knowing Brie had, more or less, just called him beautiful.
“My thanks for the compliment, my lady,” he said with a slight bow of his head. “I am afraid she has passed on, though.”
“I’m so sorry, Gavin,” she said, placing her hand on his arm. Then she reached out and tentatively touched the bandage on this chin. “Does it still hurt?”
Katherine could hear his chuckle from where she sat. “I would never admit it, even if it did, Lady Brianna. Besides,” he said as his smile broadened whilst he gazed upon Brie, “’twas worth it.”
Katherine hid her smile in her hand and turned her attention toward her other friends, who were still not on horses. Emily did not look happy with whom she would ride, and Juliana looked uncertain, as well.
She supposed if she were in Emily’s shoes, she would be beside herself, gazing on such a handsome man. Katherine knew it would be Aiden’s red hair that would have Emily flabbergasted. It had always been her downfall. Or maybe it would be his eyes, the color of violets. Really? Violets? Who has eyes that color, anyway? Just look at him standing there with all the confidence of getting his way, surrounding his whole being. He was tall, muscular, and in the prime of his life, although Katherine guessed he wasn’t much older than Emily herself.
“You will ride with me,” Aiden ordered Emily, who stood holding the fire poking stick as if it was, in truth, a blade made of the heaviest steel.
“And you’ll keep your hands to yourself, or you’ll draw back a nub! You got that buster?” Emily replied in kind.
“Why do you keep calling me buster or mister? You truly are the strangest lass I ever met.”
“Yesterday, I was a wench, and now I’m strange?” Emily fumed, obviously insulted by his words. “Didn’t you’re mother ever teach you manners and how to treat a lady?”
Aiden marched to stand smack dab in front of her, almost eye to eye. His grin was one of pure cockiness, if Katherine ever saw one. “Start acting like a lady, and I shall treat you as such,” he said quietly, through clenched teeth.
“Well…I never!”
“Mayhap, that is your problem,” Aiden said, turning away. He placed his foot in the stirrup and swung his leg up over his horse. Emily stood there sputtering, trying to find words to say as a snide retort. He held out his hand for her to take. “Well? Will you stand there all day, or are you coming?”
“Only because I must.” Emily conceded defeat finally, her words delivered sharply. Taking his hand, she allowed Aiden to assist her ascent. Katherine observed Aiden take special care to ensure Emily was safely established in his lap. His one last act was to wrench the stick from her hands and watch it sail off into the woods. With a satisfied smirk, he too waited for the last of their party to mount up.
Katherine could only imagine what was going on inside Juliana’s head. From the amount of uncontrollable laughter that randomly escaped her friend’s lips, she had the notion that Jewels probably felt Danior was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. Juliana peeked at him through lowered lashes as she patted the neck of his horse to distract her. What amused Katherine was Danior appeared about as flustered as her friend. His mouth moved several times, as if to form some semblance of words he might say to Juliana, but only awkward silence remained between them.
Katherine saw how his sandy-brown hair blew in the breeze, causing it to become ruffled. He drew his hand through it, trying to make it behave, but it was a lost cause. Juliana must have been thinking the same thing, since a laugh escaped her. Danior scowled in return, showing off an old scar on his forehead. It was a striking combination along with his deep blue eyes. It gave him the dangerous appeal of that bad boy every woman just loves.
Danior finally found his voice although it croaked when he at last spoke. “Shall we?”
“Yes, of course,” Juliana managed to squeak out.
He leapt into the saddle with ease, as if he had lived his life on a horse, which was most certainly the case. In no time at all, Juliana also found herself atop a horse with a manly arm wrapped around her waist. As he drew the hood of her cloak up over her head to protect her from the cold, Juliana blushed while gazing up at him. Danior, in turn, looked at her most intently.
“I have never seen that shade of green in someone’s eyes,” he said gently. “They are most lovely…as are you, Lady Juliana.”
She sat nestled in his lap, with her mouth opened wide in surprise. Juliana wasn’t used to compliments, so when she received one, she sometimes forgot how to react. A nervous, uncontrollable giggle burst from her lips. “Um…thank you.” She whispered, so softly, Katherine barely heard her response.
Juliana must have been completely embarrassed as she all but hid herself beneath the hood of her cloak. But apparently, Danior had other ideas in mind, and Katherine was amused when he took her friend’s chin and gently lifted her head so she gazed once more into his eyes. He smiled at her, and if Katherine knew her at all, Jewels just lost her breath.
“You are most welcome, my lady,” Danior grinned sheepishly. He cleared his throat and looked at the others who were staring at him oddly. “What?” He huffed.
“Nothing. Nothing at all,” Riorden replied, assuring him that everything was in order. Riorden chuckled and turned to gaze at Katherine where she resided comfortably in his lap. Then, to the men, he ordered, “Remember, we must now keep an eye out for the other who has slipped through our grasp.”