His jaw hung open as she caught his eyes, the basket in her hands dropped and he now realized she saw him too. He dashed to her feet throwing everything that fell back into her basket before she could even kneel to retrieve the goods. “I beg your pardon, ma’am that was all my fault, will you forgive me?” His words were short but his eyes said so much more.
A few people had stopped to stare at what was happening and her own jaw hung open for a moment before she realized what he was trying to do, “Yes,” She swallowed hard, “Yes you, you should be more careful.” Her eyes started to water and her breathing changed pace as she stood. “Please, go and do not let it happen again.” She gave him one last look of sorrow before her face washed completely into anger and sadness as she took her basket and stormed off.
He stood watching helplessly as she walked away, knowing full well that any move he made would draw danger and pain to both of them. He wanted so badly to run after her and pull her into his arms. He wanted to follow her and see where she went, he wanted to steal her in the night and take her back to King William’s village and devote himself to her for the rest of his life. Instead, he stood and watched her walk away…watched helplessly as she disappeared into a crowd of beasts and from his life again. He tucked the thread into his coat and walked back to Beatrice’s feeling like his heart had been ripped from his chest.
Mâvis had stepped into a doorway unnoticed as Ben crossed Lúta in the street. He stood quietly watching their encounter. He shook his head as the two of them parted unable to even hold eye contact without drawing attention. He sliced an apple in two and tossed the first half into his mouth chewing it slowly as Lúta walked right past him noticing nothing. As soon as Ben was out of sight, he stepped out of the doorway and made his way towards the direction she went. His long legs made for a quick pace across the village and he found himself passing her alley in time to see her make it into her door.
Mâvis stopped on his heal looking down the street in the direction Ben had gone. He popped the other half of the apple in his mouth and went back to Bea’s for the night.
Beatrice served the men a magnificent lamb stew. Ben ate quickly and quietly. He washed most of her dishes, climbed up the ladder with a mug of ale, and settled in. He downed the last of the contents in a couple swigs and covered his face to sleep.
As the evening went on, he found it hard to sleep. Hours passed after the beasts went to bed and Ben scurried out of the loft quietly making his way out the door. He bundled up tightly and headed up the street he had run into Lúta on stopping near an alley that had a very large dwelling on it. “Of course, a general would live well on this island. There you are.”
He pulled his hood tight and ducked into the shadows to wait. A few hours later morning approached and a very well dressed guard left the building and made his way to the palace. A couple more hours passed and Lúta left the same building with her long golden locks tied tightly into a bun on the back of her head. A few curls hung down softening her features and giving her face the protective shade she hid behind.
Shortly after she passed he made his way back to Bea’s. Fearing that the house would be awake and getting ready for their day he slipped out back and started working on the wood stacks. Cutting them into a better size and stacking them to season properly.
When the sun finally made its appearance Mâvis found his way outside with Jocelyn in tow, “I see you are earning your keep and mine. I do find this interesting, human, but I have to ask how long you think you can play me for a fool?”
Ben paused after dropping the wood axe and picked up the two pieces he had just split offering a quick glance before returning to his work, “I have no ill intent towards you, sir. I’m out here stacking wood because I can’t sleep. You wanted a servant...I am serving.”
“Well, now you can serve inside and keep my daughter busy.” Mâvis stood with his hands on his hips waiting for Ben to pass before following him back in. Ben wiped the sweat from his brow and threw on his shirt out of respect for the woman in the other room. He poured himself a tea and sat to take a sip off it. Mâvis causally walked over and hauled Ben back up to his feet. Getting fiercely close to his face and looking directly into his eyes, “I do not like secrets, human.” Mâvis huffed and walked off with a sideways glance.
The next morning Ben let the warriors leave the house before coming out of the loft. He worked quickly through the morning chores and fed Jocelyn after giving her a quick bath.
Beatrice came in the door with a basket of goods from the merchants and set it on the table. She looked around at how clean the place was for a moment before rolling her eyes at Ben, “You are doing too much around here, it will make me look bad when you are gone.” Her comment was meant to lighten the mood but it simply drew and apology from him.
Beatrice sat and started unpacking the basket and sorting her goods, “He likes you.”
The comment tore Ben completely out of thought, “I beg your pardon, but are you referring to Mâvis?”
She chuckled, “He admires your bravery and determination. Joutone warriors value these traits as well as loyalty. It is something that is lost on other humans, even those who have lived here for years. You will have the best friend and ally you could possibly wish for in this world if you can trust him.”
Ben scoffed, “Well in there is where all hope is lost. Mistrust is the foundation of our relationship. As a matter of fact the only thing you can trust between us is that neither of us trusts each other.”
“Yet here you are feeding his daughter.” She held a warm smile as she waited for his reaction to her observation.
“Am I not his slave? I’m doing what is expected of me.” He reached for his tea.
“Mâvis is fiercely protective of his family, Ben. I promise you would not be here if he thought for a moment you were not worthy of his trust. He may not always be forward about his intentions but believe me he has intentions in bringing you here.”
Ben laughed, “Oh I believe you, I just think you may be mistaken on the nature of those intentions.” He finished his tea and picked up Jocelyn’s plate to wash it.
A couple of hours later, both the warriors were back looking for lunch. The tension in the room between Mâvis and Ben was so thick it was suffocating. Beatrice watched intently for a few minutes as the two men sat quietly across from one another. She cleared her throat and put her hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Remember what I told you earlier?”
Ben let out a frustrated sigh and dropped his head into his hands pushing back his hair. Mâvis’s burning stare turned into a curious glare as he cocked a brow, “Something you want to discuss, human?”
Ben toyed with his food for a moment thinking on his words, “I saw Lúta. I’ve seen her twice. The first time she saw me as well, the second time she didn’t even know I was there.”
Mâvis leaned back in his chair, “That is good, now you just have to find her husband and you are all set for your challenge.” By the time he got to his last word he was ear to ear smiling, knowing Ben wouldn’t have a chance even fighting a Joutone woman, never mind a trained warrior.
“I’ve seen him already, he’s a general. I can’t challenge him.”
Both of the warriors burst into laughter as Avarr stood and slapped Ben on the back, “If she is married to Diek you will not have to worry about challenging him…he is definitely going to challenge you though.”
Avarr threw on his armor and left as Mâvis finished his food. He turned his attention back to Ben after a few bites, “You must have a plan? Especially if you would sit silent on this information for this long.”
Ben shook his head and pressed his lips, “No plan, he’s huge I don’t stand a chance and I don’t know what would come of Lúta if I make waves. I don’t even know enough about him to think about what to do.”
Mâvis replied, “I am huge, that did not stop you from our little rumble on the beach.” He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the bench waiting for an answer wh
ile picking his teeth with his knife.
“You forced me, didn’t you? And with all due respect, the only threat you pose is to me. I’m ready for death. Heck if it would finally rid me of you I would welcome it. I’m just not ready for hers.” Ben swallowed hard and averted his angry eyes to something else in the room. “I have no way of knowing if he will punish her for my presence.”
The comment drew another huge grin from Mâvis, “You will never be rid of me, human.” Mâvis took a large swig off his ale and let the mug slam down on the table as he stood to put on his armor. “Tell you what. If you challenge him tonight I will make sure your wife is protected. She will never fear harm, so long as I live.” With that, he grabbed his axe and left.
Evening fell and Ben found himself anxious with doubt. What if something happened to Mâvis after he died? What if Lúta was happy with her new husband? He sat for a few moments dwelling on all the ‘what if’s’. Then he tucked Jocelyn into her makeshift bed by the lounge and thanked Beatrice for watching her before he left and made his way to Lúta’s house.
Diek answered the door, scowling at first. Not quite sure who this was, his voice boomed as he spoke, “You must be lost, human, you have come to the wrong place. If you want to live I suggest you take leave.” The beast shoved Ben off the stoop and Ben struggled to steady himself. As the beast turned to go back inside it occurred to him who this might be and he spun on his heels, “Oh, either you are incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.”
Ben leaned on a fence post and took a heavy gulp of his flask, “Could be a bit drunk as well, which in my experience enables one to be both brave and stupid at once.” His words were a bit slurred. He wasn’t drunk but he did have a bit of a plan, not even sure if it would work.
Lúta was now at the door throwing on her shawl, “Oh dear, Ben are you crazed? Go!” She stormed out of the house throwing herself between Diek and Ben, “Diek he is not a threat, let him go!”
Seeing his wife rush to Ben’s defense threw the warrior into a rage and the beast closed the distance between them belting Lúta in the face with his arm. She landed on the ground and Ben straightened right up and shoved Diek.
He threw Ben to the ground and turned to stomp the human to death only to find himself blindsided by Mâvis’s axe. The warrior had come out of the shadows between the buildings. The first swing took the beast by surprise but the second swing he was ready for ducking backwards to avoid the blade. “This is not your fight, Mâvis! What are you even doing here?”
Mâvis didn’t answer as he stepped over Ben and readied his axe for a drawn out battle. He focused all his attention on the well-trained guard, like a tiger after a meal, every move Diek made registered in Mâvis’s senses. It was not often he met a warrior with enough skills to match his own. It would take everything he had to defeat him.
Diek steadied his own gaze now realizing it did not matter whose fight this was it was Mâvis he would be facing. He stood ready to defend himself as Mâvis circled him looking carefully for any mistakes and an easy blow.
He twirled his axe to loosen his joints and it came quickly back to its upright position as Diek took the opportunity to charge. Mâvis stepped back to avoid the warrior and spun around taking Diek to the ground from behind. Diek rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself off the ground as fast as he landed trying desperately to keep Mâvis in his sight. But by the time the beast made it to a full crouch Mâvis bowled through him with another blow.
Diek stumbled out of desperation as Mâvis swung the axe back around belting Diek in the face rendering the creature delirious. Instinctively he tried to make it to his knees as blood poured down his face. Mâvis walked alongside him watching intently as the he tried to scramble to his feet. Diek reached for a fence post and hoisted himself half way up it as Mâvis dealt him a final blow.
Diek flew backwards landing with his arm stretched out, his eyes looking up at Ben as his mouth tried to form words. Mâvis stormed over and dragged Ben back to the beast’s body shoving his axe into Ben’s hand, “Finish him!” Ben paused for a second stunned by what just happened. Mâvis’s face now took on rage as Ben clearly took too long to react, “He struck your WIFE!”
Feeling a hand on his leg as the warrior appeared to be begging for mercy. Ben looked down at the creature knowing that if he didn’t take this blow it would be his own death. But that was not what fueled him into heaving the heavy axe up to his shoulder. What fueled him was the glance he took at Lúta as she stood in the doorway watching, knowing full well this is what was expected of him to be with her. He was in a primitive world and a primitive society.
There were no police, there were no courts. There was no church to answer to. You kill or you die. He closed his eyes and heaved the axe with everything he had down into Diek’s skull. It landed so hard it stood there at the nearly upright angle it landed.
Mâvis yanked his axe from Diek’s lifeless body. “Well done, human. Perhaps you earn some respect tonight.” Mâvis shoved him towards Lúta, “Go inside with your wife, I will handle the guards.”
That last phrase stopped Ben for a second, “The guards?”
Lúta was now dragging him in, “Yes, Ben, the guards, you just killed the king’s most valuable warrior. Challenge or not they are going to want answers.” She closed the door behind them and stood looking at him. “You are a fool coming here with him. You could have died.” She crossed her arms and looked away too angry to face him. Her lips trembled in pain over what was running through her head, over what they would do to him when he couldn’t prove he fought Diek. They would torture him for the fun of it.
He moved towards her to offer a hug and she stepped back holding up one claw warning him not to come an inch closer. Her eyes now locked on his. He paused for a moment and flipped his palms forward to show surrender, “It would’ve been worth it. I’ve been to hell and back for you and if I had to do it again I would, just to see you. Just to see you are alive and okay.”
Lúta turned to look out the window at the mob of guards walking up her street, “There, Ben, that is was you get for challenging Diek. They are here to kill you!” Ben peered out the window fearing for Mâvis who stood casually by the fence with his axe slung over his shoulder.
Avarr was the first to approach him whispering into his ear for a second, Mâvis shook his head drawing a scowl from the guard. Another guard approached as Avarr stormed into the house and grabbed Ben dragging him back out into the street and shoving him to the ground, “Tell me human, did you kill this warrior?”
Ben flipped onto his back and propped himself off the ground staring back up at Avarr, “I did.”
“Why?” Avarr growled.
“Lúta is my wife.” Ben replied.
Another of the palace guard stepped forward and pointed to Diek’s body, “You honestly expect me to believe you challenged our best warrior on your own? It is far more likely Mâvis challenged him for position!” His eyes now locked on Mâvis’s knowing he was truly the fighter that brought down this warrior.
Ben stood up as he watched Mâvis ready himself for another fight. Ben answered quickly, seeing where this was going, “Yes, I challenged him I and I killed him.” Ben backed up carefully, his hands shaking just a tad as he now had the guard’s full attention.
“That is quite impressive, human, but since I know you are lying we shall see you repeat your little challenge with me.”
“Very well.” He held up one hand as if to ask for a second to gather his thoughts then pulled out his flask to take a swig. The other guards chuckled and Ben looked as if he meant to put the flask back in his jacket. Instead, he peeled the top off and threw it at the guard. The container dropped to the ground and the entire crowd including the guard he had just assaulted erupted into laughter as Mâvis stood eyeing Ben and wondering what he was up to.
The guard stopped laughing suddenly and Ben darted off to the porch across the alley hiding behind a post and ducking a couple blows from the warrior. Then he grabbed th
e lantern from the porch and hurled it at the guards face. The alcohol burst into flames as the creature scrambled to grab his face screaming in pain. He took a few steps and the air fed the flames, engulfing the beast. He collapsed to the ground and succumbed quickly.
Ben stood over the flames staring down at the second dead guard praying this was over when a third guard moved forward to seize him. Mâvis and Avarr both pulled their axes now, ready for a battle. Mâvis growled, “There you have it! The human can handle his own challenge! The FIGHT WAS FAIR! The cottage and the woman are his!” Both warriors scanned the crowd for any retribution but it was clear the questions were satisfied and they disbanded. The remaining guards collected the bodies of the two dead warriors.
Mâvis shoved Ben in the door and nodded to Avarr before closing it. He stood watch at the window as Avarr left. Then he looked down at Ben, laughing, “That was good, human! That was very good.” He grabbed Ben by the shoulder shaking him firmly.
Mâvis turned to stroll through the house and see what the property held for rooms and goods. Ben stood silently watching Lúta, her eyes were watering and she tried to look away. He crossed the room and drew her face back pausing only to make sure he could savor this kiss slowly.
Her hand came up to his face to return his caress and she gave in just as hungry for his touch as he was for hers. Their eyes locked with neither of them willing to give up proximity for the other. “I love you, Lúta. I swear on every fiber of my being you are my soul mate and so long as I breathe I will never stop loving you.” She gave in closing her eyes to kiss him again.
A few minutes passed and a knock came at the door and Lúta covered Ben’s mouth with her finger as she looked out the window. Avarr had returned with Beatrice and Jocelyn as well as a basket of goods. Avarr kissed Lúta on the cheek as he came in and gave Jocelyn to her so he could join his brother upstairs, snooping around. They came down with a couple of fine weapons and Avarr donning some quality armor. “You did good, human, both of us can stand straight as we like up there.”
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