Phantom of the Heart

by Stein Willard

  Cybralle's eyes suddenly took on a predatory gleam and she was not surprised when her need was reflected in the bright-green eyes looking into hers.

  "Should we not be celebrating with the rest of the kingdom?"

  Mesmeria held out her hand and Cybralle took it eagerly.

  Chapter 9

  Sterling slowly flitted to wakefulness and was almost immediately assaulted by the heady scent of sex. Her eyes snapped open and she gasped when she looked straight into shimmering, pale-blue orbs.

  "Orla," she murmured softly. Her eyes shot full of tears as she reached out and pulled the larger body over hers. She felt the tears running down her cheeks, as strong arms gently lifted her and held her tight. This was the first time in her adult life that she had awakened with such a feeling of intense happiness. And it had all to do with the dark woman cradling her so tenderly against her chest.

  She was not surprised to feel wetness seeping into her neck, knowing that Orla too was overwhelmed by the moment. They lay like that, holding each other, as silent tears coursed down their cheeks. It was a long while later that Sterling pushed out of Orla's embrace and looked up into her eyes again.

  "I cannot believe that we are finally together; that you are mine."

  Orla gently brushed the tears from her cheeks and placed a soft kiss on each of her cheeks. "It will take us a while to get used to it, but we have an eternity together to wake up in each other's arms. I love you."

  Sterling pulled the dark head down and caught her wife's lips in an intense kiss. "Please show me again."

  The sun was hanging high in the sky when they woke for the second time that day. This time, Sterling was the first to wake and she lay there looking at her sleeping mate. Her wife. With an impish smile, she pushed her hand under the covers and pinched herself. She grinned when she felt the pinch. Her eyes grew wide when she encountered pale blues watching her. And then she melted.

  "Did I wake you?" she whispered. Not waiting for an answer, she threw herself at Orla. A deep purr escaped her lips as she felt Orla's large hand gently stroking her back.

  "What do you want to do today?"

  Sterling snuggled deeper into Orla's arms. "I want to stay like this." She lifted her head to see Orla's reaction and smiled when a calloused hand gently brushed red locks out of her face. "What do you want to do?"

  Orla smiled. "I want to be wherever you are and that means staying in bed with you for the whole day."

  Sterling sighed and placed a small kiss on Orla's lips. "That means I have to feed you first." She slowly got out of bed and walked over to the table bearing the drinks and food. She selected a few cakes, cold-meat cuts, fresh figs, and a carafe of wine and placed them all on a serving platter. Turning to the bed, she almost dropped her bounty. Orla was standing next to the bed, stretching her large body as she tried to work out all the kinks. Swallowing a few times, Sterling cleared her throat softly, as she walked over to her wife on shaky legs. The dark head turned and looked at her, sky-blue eyes carefully studying her.

  "Will it be fine with you if we sit by the fire for a while?"

  Sterling nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. Orla smiled and walked over to the fireplace where she began to stoke the fire, giving Sterling a wonderful view of her toned buttocks. Looking at the anatomy in question, Sterling felt her body begin to smolder as heated flashes of the previous night and the morning poured into her mind. She was trembling slightly as she placed the tray on the table and began to stalk her unsuspecting wife. She was just about to reach out and touch Orla's shoulder when a knock sounded. She closed her eyes briefly, cursing whoever was at the door for spoiling this moment for her.

  "Yes," she snapped, not even trying to keep the displeasure out of her voice.

  "Sterling."

  Sterling groaned when she heard her mother's voice carry through the thick door. She saw Orla shoot to her feet, her eyes wide, as she looked at the door and then back at her.

  "No need to panic, my love. We are married after all. Maybe we should just put on some clothes for my mother's sake." She stood on tiptoes to give Orla a quick kiss before she walked over to the bed. "Just a moment, Mother," she called out, as she shrugged into a rumpled dressing robe. She waited until Orla was decent before walking over to the door to let her mother in. She stiffened at the sight of panic on her mother's face. "Umah?"

  Mesmeria shook her head. "She is fine." She slowly stepped into the room and looked around until she found Orla who was standing nervously next to the bed. "Greetings, daughter."

  Orla visibly relaxed. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

  Both Sterling and her mother frowned at Orla's formality, but they both seemed to shrug it off quickly. "We were just about to have lunch. Do you care to join us?" Sterling watched as her mother pondered the invitation, her eyes on Orla. "You can talk to me while we dine."

  "Fine, but I have to warn you that you might not like what I have to tell you, my child."

  A cold chill ran down Sterling's spine, but she gently escorted her mother to the small dining table before the fireplace. Once her mother was seated, she turned to Orla and found her wife, standing next to a chair waiting for her to be seated. She smiled at her and gently brushed her back before taking the offered chair.

  "What do you need to discuss with me, Mother?" she asked, as she reached for a fig.

  "Commander Farah was killed in an attack two weeks past. The messenger arrived a few minutes ago with the news."

  Sterling had expected anything…anything but this. The fig dropped out of nerveless fingers, as she turned to look at her mother. Mesmeria's face held an intense look of regret. This was not what she wanted. Not now. Not when she had finally met her mate and was planning on appointing a successor. She turned to look at Orla and found her looking at her with raw fear and pain.

  "I am sorry for bringing such news, but I thought you needed to know."

  Sterling closed her eyes. Her heart was breaking in the silence which now enfolded the room. If Farah was killed two weeks ago, it meant that Hurians were crossing over their border as they spoke. She slowly came to her feet. She needed to heed the call of duty. She knew what was expected of her when she was growing up, and she knew what would be expected of her when she was appointed Commander of the Royal Army. But her heart was bleeding, filling her chest cavity with thick streams of pain and regret. She was nowhere close to acceptance about leaving Orla. She would never be ready to leave her wife behind. She schooled her face into an expressionless mask when she looked at her mother.

  "I will be ready to leave in the morning. Could you please inform my men?"

  Mesmeria nodded as she came to her feet, her shoulders drooping as she walked to the door. With one final look at them, she quietly slipped out. As soon as the door closed behind her, both Sterling and Orla rushed toward each other.

  ***

  For once, Orla was not scared that her immense strength might hurt Sterling as she cradled her wife to her chest. Her arms tightened even more, as she thought of the possibility that she might never see Sterling again after today. She swung Sterling in her arms, carried her to their bed, and gently deposited her wife on the soft mattress. Sterling’s eyes were drenched in tears and Orla knew at that moment that no words would be able to soften the impact of the blow they had just been dealt. She tried to come upright after having placed Sterling on the bed, but two strong arms pulled her closer.

  “Please do not leave me here alone,” came the teary request. and Orla nodded as she wrenched her dressing robe off her body.

  "I will never leave you. Never."

  Their lovemaking was wild and uninhibited as they made each other scream in ecstasy over and over again. It was dark outside when Orla rolled off Sterling, her body trembling with exhaustion. Sterling snuggled into her arms and momentarily fell into a deep sleep. But even as exhausted as she was, Orla knew that it would be a while before she could follow Sterling into a sleep. There was soft knock on the door. Orla lo
oked down into Sterling's face to make sure she was fast asleep before she carefully got out of bed and put on her dressing robe. She stumbled slightly when she tried to take the first step and held onto the bedpost, flexing her thigh muscles until she felt assured that she would not crash to the floor. She made her way over to the door and pulled it open, not really surprised to find Cybralle standing there.

  "Is she sleeping already?" Cybralle asked after a curt greeting.

  "Yes, milady."

  Cybralle sighed. "It is Cybralle to you, daughter."

  Orla blushed. "I will not forget."

  "Good." Cybralle's eye traveled down Orla's body, making the younger woman want to squirm under the close scrutiny. "I am sorry I interrupted your sleep, but how is she?"

  Orla stepped aside. "You can see for yourself."

  Cybralle's eyes lit up at the prospect of seeing her daughter and she eagerly took the invitation. She gave Orla a look of gratitude as she stepped into the room, her eyes immediately seeking out the form of her daughter. She threw a quick glance over her shoulder at Orla.

  "Please go ahead," Orla urged gently. "She only just fell asleep."

  Orla watched as Cybralle knelt beside the bed. With infinite tenderness, Cybralle brushed over Sterling’s hair, tucking an errant strand behind her ear. The scene was so intimate that Orla felt as if she was invading their privacy. She reached for a cloak on the nearby coat hanger and quietly made her way out of the room. Walking briskly through the hallways, she found herself before her workshop. Entering, sighed at the familiar smell of stale wood smoke and burnished iron. Shrugging out of her cloak, she reached for her apron and fastened it around her neck and waist. She then made her way over to the locked cabinet and reaching under an overhanging piece of chain, she retrieved the key to unlock the cabinet. She drew out the breastplate she had been working on. Her fingers gently caressed the shiny surface and finally the heart-shaped emblem she had painstakingly designed to serve as reinforcement over her beloved's heart. But looking at it now, she suddenly doubted the durability of the breastplate. Maybe there was more she could do to reinforce it. But then she ran the risk of making it too heavy for Sterling, thus hampering her mobility. That could be more dangerous in the end and could cost Sterling…NO! She was not going to think about that. She placed the piece of armor on her worktable and, with practiced ease, began to light her oven. There must be something she could do to make sure that Sterling came back to her.

  It was many candle marks later when she dunked her latest creation in the water barrel. She waited patiently for the hissing to cease. She inspected it critically before reaching for the piece of cloth in the front pocket of her apron. She tenderly wiped away the water and took the armor over to the work table to begin the slow, tedious process of engraving. She was not really educated, having learned only the basics from her mother. The rest came from her work. Not many would realize how much writing a blacksmith was expected to do at times. Many people, especially the nobles, loved to have engravings done on their metal pieces. She carefully formed the words. She sat back after a long while and smiled as she read the inscription. Revendi at Me. She sat, reading the words over and over, before she got to her feet. She still had so much more to do before joining Sterling in bed again.

  ***

  Sterling stirred and her eyes fluttered open. She quickly sat up when she stared straight into her mother’s eyes.

  “Umah? What happened?”

  “Nothing, daughter. I just wanted to be close to you tonight.”

  Sterling turned her head and looked at the bed next to her. “Orla?”

  “She let me in and then she left. She is probably working in her shed.”

  Sterling lowered her head. “I am scared of leaving her, Umah. I am scared that I might not come back this time.”

  Cybralle reached out for her and Sterling allowed her mother to wrap her in her strong arms.

  “That will not happen, my love. You will come back and the two of you will have lots of babies, making your mother and me very happy.”

  Sterling snorted softly. “Lots of babies? How do you know that?”

  Sterling felt Cybralle's massive chest shake as she chuckled. “Orla looks like she could help you conceive a small army.” Cybralle pulled back and angled her head so that she could look into Sterling's eyes. “Or are looks deceiving?”

  Sterling blushed and quickly averted her eyes. Her mother was right. Orla would indeed help her conceive strong, healthy babies.

  “I think you are right.”

  “Good. Now stop fretting. Get dressed and go look for your wife. You have to spend as much time together as you can.”

  Sterling waited until her mother was out of the bedchamber before she got dressed and left to find her wife. The arrival of the messenger had caused quite a stir it seemed, because the castle was teeming with activity. Loads of foodstuff had to be prepared and wagons packed for the departure of the army and the servants were rushing to get it all finished.

  The stables were even more hectic, but Sterling ignored the activities as she made her way toward the blacksmith's shed. It was unusually quiet inside as she ducked into the heated interior of her wife's domain. As soon as her eyes got used to the subdued lighting, they searched for Orla. When she could not see her immediately, she considered checking the stables. Just as she was about to turn and leave, she saw a faint movement in the darkest corner of the shed.

  “My love?” Sterling stepped closer and sighed softly at what she saw. Orla sat on floor, head bowed, cradling a sword in her arms. “Beloved, I need to be close to you,” Sterling said.

  A tear-streaked face lifted to meet her eyes and a sob escaped Sterling's lips. Her own pain and fear were reflected in Orla’s eyes. Orla quickly put the sword aside and held out her arms. Stumbling forward, Sterling fell on her knees next to Orla, her eyes riveted on her wife's face.

  “I know it is selfish of me to ask, but please be strong for me…for the both of us. I cannot do this unless I know you have faith for both of us.”

  Orla reached out and effortlessly hoisted her into her lap. Sterling's heart ached when Orla pressed a wet face into her neck and began to sob softly. There were no words to comfort her wife and thus she just held on tightly. They sat like that for a long while, before Orla lifted her head and searched Sterling's eyes.

  “I promise to be strong for the both of us, if you promise to be careful on the battlefield. There is a reason why we had to meet and fall in love.”

  Sterling gently combed her fingers through Orla's sweaty, dark locks. “I believe that too, my love.”

  “Good.” The blue eyes blazed with determination. “Then we both need to have faith.”

  Sterling nodded. “I promise to try my utmost to return to you.” She leaned forward and captured Orla's lips in a searing kiss. When she pulled away, she found Orla's blue eyes shining with an eerie white light. But then it was gone and she wondered if she had imagined it.

  “Let us return to our chamber. We still have a few hours together.”

  ***

  Orla felt different. Strange.

  Something had happened in the shed, but she did not know what. Holding Sterling's hand as they slowly walked down the hallway to their room, she could feel her body heating up internally, scorching her insides. It was as if an army of fire ants were feeding on her intestines. She must have made a sound, because Sterling quickly looked up at her.

  “What is the matter, Orla?”

  Seeing the confusion and concern on her wife's face, she looked away. “I…I am scared.”

  Sterling pushed into her body. “We promised to have faith. No need for you to be scared. Be strong for me.”

  Orla nodded. Faith. I need to have faith. Nothing was going to happen as long as they had faith. She embraced Sterling fiercely. “Let us go finish our wedding night.”

  Sterling smiled up at her, the silver eyes warm with love. “That is a splendid idea.”

  An urgency
to have this woman again, overtook Orla. She swung Sterling into her arms and made for their bedchamber.

  Chapter 10

  Sterling stiffened, but did not make a sound as the arrow was yanked out. She fell back onto the bed, her mouth open in a silent scream. A warm, sticky wetness seeped behind her back, soaking the sheets she lay on.

  “There is a lot of blood, Your Highness. I need to stop the bleeding. Would you like something for the pain?”

  Sterling licked suddenly dry lips as she shook her head. “No…no medicines. Just stop the bleeding and bandage it well. I have to go back.”

  “Go back? But…but…”

  Sterling's silver eyes skewered the woman who stood over her bed. Miriam was a great healer and a good friend. But, like all healers, she lacked the knowledge of warfare. How could Sterling make this woman with the gentle hands understand that she needed to go out there again and fight? That the arrow just pulled from her side was a Hurian arrow? Not only had her men seen her fall to an enemy arrow, but the enemy had seen as well. The Hurians may be barbarians, but they were the most cunning foes she had ever encountered. Since her return to the front line, she had fought the most brutal battles of her life as a soldier. Her men were well-trained and excellent soldiers, but the Hurians were masters at brutality and mental warfare.

  As expected, the death of Commander Farah and the resulting power vacuum had allowed a battalion of Hurians to cross the border, pushing the Royal Army farther back into Karasi territory. Some of the smaller villages close to the front line were the first to feel the brutal presence of the barbarians who pillaged, raped, and killed their way through in their quest for control. Captives, mostly women and children, were slaughtered like cattle and bled dry as part of the Hurians war ritual meant to break their enemies. Rattled by such ruthlessness, many of her younger soldiers lost their nerve, making fatal mistakes on the battlefield and paying with their lives.