The Warrior

by RT Lucas

  Slapping his hand on the rump of the horse with the bags, he held the reins tightly as he mounted the horse, sitting with Teodora in front of him, one arm wrapped around her waist holding her snug to him, the other keeping the reins. “Ye’ll enjoy this lass,” he whispered into her ear. “Kick yer heels intae the sides hard an gie these a good tug.” He knew all too well he was being suggestive, but as he inhaled her sweet scent, he could think of nothing else than being at his Teodora’s mercy once more.

  As Teodora tapped her heels off the sides of the horse, and pulled on the reins the horse stood stationary, and she turned her head to look apologetically at Shuggie. “Oh gosh, the animal does not like me, yes?”

  “Any animal would be honoured tae huv ye ride it lassie,” and with that, Shuggie slammed his heels into the sides of the horse and yanked the reins, the horse taking off at speed through the forest. Teodora’s screams and laughter were making Shuggie hard as he held her tightly against him, the motion of the horse doing nothing to help the situation.

  As they rode through the forest, Shuggie felt Teodora’s confidence grow, and he put her hands onto the reigns, leaning his chin on her shoulder as he guided her actions. He was reminded of how she cracked a riding whip with expertise, and thought he might borrow the saddle from the horse later – a ‘homecoming’ present for them of sorts. The horse’s hooves thundered and dirt was torn up behind them as they weaved through the myriad of trees and undergrowth. Shuggie pushed Teodora’s head down suddenly, and leaned his body far left as a low thick branch almost made contact with them. Righting himself and Teodora, he laughed as she looked up at him quickly. “Oh gosh Warrior, that was close – yes?”

  “Aye lass, too close fur comfort.”

  Finally, they were approaching the start of the forest, and Shuggie’s castle was just coming into view. There was a gigantic well-manicured lawn, and a huge drive of small pebbles. The castle itself though was formidable. Standing proud on the precipice of a cliff top overlooking the ocean, it was made from black granite that gave the impression of being highly polished like ebony. Four turrets spiralled on the corners of the building, each inlaid with gold and had intricate Celtic designs carved into them. The windows were huge but instead of glass, they were inlaid with highly polished smoky quartz. The main door to the castle was circular and had Shuggie’s personal Coat of Arms crest engraved into the middle. The gold-leaf emblem was bold against the darkness of the stone and showcased the artwork beautifully. Shuggie’s Coat of Arms was a Celtic zoomorphic design with a stag’s head prominent in the middle, two wrens and two crows adorned the stag’s horns, and the weave of Celtic bands creating an inverted triangular effect. The stag itself was a symbol of Shuggie’s Scottish heritage – the male protector of nature and prosperity, the wrens were for determination, agility and quick-wittedness. The large crows with their beaks raised upwards signified battle – all very fitting for a Warrior. He was proud of his Coat of Arms and it adorned all his swords, blades as well as his castle and grounds.

  “Shuggah...” As he brought the horse to a halt, and dismounted. He held his hand out to her.

  “Shuggah – it’s simply wonderful!”

  He was full of pride as she took his hand and swung her leg over the horse, allowing him to lift her down. “Hame’ll dae us, lassie” Shuggie clasped his hands around Teodora and pulled her in for a long, slow embrace.

  As he pulled away, Shuggie grinned down at Teodora. “Best get ye inside lass, the night’s fair drawing in.” The horse with the suitcases had been unloaded and taken to the stables already, and he had sent word a few days ago that they would be arriving, so that the house could be prepared in advance.

  An elderly man and woman stood at the top of the steps in front of the door. Shuggie stood for a moment, looking at them – his eyes misted behind his contact lenses as he recognised them. “Teodora, I want you to meet McKenzie the family Butler, and Mrs Wilson our Housekeeper.”

  Teodora left Shuggie’s side to greet the two elderly members of staff shaking their hands enthusiastically. “It’s so good to meet you, McKenzie, Mrs Wilson. I am Teodora, Hugh’s fiancée. Please call me Teo.” As the three exchanged pleasantries, Shuggie held back. His eyes were fixed on the Butler and Housekeeper, and he remembered watching them as children, running around the lawns as their parents tended to their duties. So many decades had passed, and soon they would be handing their charges to the next generation to keep his grounds and property thriving. For centuries both families had served him well, and their loyalty was well rewarded. Still, it hammered home to him once more the fragility of human life and the shortness of their mortality compared to his.

  As McKenzie approached him, Shuggie held his hand out and gave him a warm smile.

  “Ye look so like yer faither, Laird MacAndrew,” he said with pride.

  “Only a bit mare rugged an charmin,” Shuggie laughed as he walked with McKenzie into the main reception hall of his castle. He could never tell his staff the secret of his true identity, and so with each generation he had to play the part of his own ‘son’ to keep the myth that the MacAndrew clan thrived overseas. He was well adept at keeping up the facade that no one ever questioned him.

  Returning to Teodora’s side, Shuggie slipped his hand over hers. “Dae ye want tae rest afore I gie ye the guided tour?”

  “No, Hugh – Mrs Wilson has kindly prepared us a small meal…” Then whispering to him, “It would be rude to refuse, yes?”

  Shuggie nodded, and he allowed Mrs Wilson to show them through to one of the smaller dining rooms in the castle. The fact that he knew each brick of this place like the back of his hand had to be included in his pretence, as the staff – including McKenzie and Mrs Wilson – thought this was their recently deceased Lairds’ son coming to visit for the first time.

  After eating, Shuggie thanked Mrs Wilson and gave her and the rest of the staff the night off. He wanted Teodora to himself. He had been waiting all day just for it to be the two of them alone.

  “We should unpack and freshen up, Shuggah.” Teodora looked relaxed and at home as she got up from her seat and walked over to sit in his lap, laying her head against his chest.

  Shuggie shook his head. “Nae lass – the staff will huv already unpacked fur us.”

  “You mean, they would have touched my undergarments and …” Teodora was aghast as she realised all the intimate items of clothing and ‘peripheries’ she had put into her cases.

  Shuggie realised what had Teodora was looking so concerned about, and as she blushed from head to foot, he threw his head back laughing. “Ach oor secrets wull be safe wi’ them, dinnae worry lass.”

  Teodora slapped Shuggie’s arm. “This is not funny, Warrior!” But she dissolved into a fit of giggles and covered her mouth with her long slender hand. “Perhaps we could say they are surgical supplies, yes?”

  “And git them all wonderin’ wit kinda doc ye are?!” Shuggie roared with laughter which in turn made Teodora’s giggles increase until she had tears streaming down her face.

  Once the hilarity had finally subsided, Shuggie had taken Teodora around the castle, and grounds, giving her a potted history of artwork and furniture which she soaked up like a sponge.

  Stopping in the music room, Teodora let her fingers run over the piano as she was distracted by her own thoughts “Shuggah... You speak of this castle as though it were a museum.” Her words were not a question, but she looked at him expecting an answer.

  “Ah didnae think o’ it like that lass, but ah suppose ah dae,” he agreed, but their conversation was turning – he could tell – from frivolous to serious.

  “Hmm.”

  Shuggie knew that when she answered him without a word, it was ‘woman code’ for him to keep talking. “Ah huvnae lived here fur many centuries, Teodora – it disnae feel like a hame tae me, or it didnae until now.”

  Teodora smiled sadly at his words “It is so beautiful though, yes? I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t live here�
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  “Tis only beautiful if ye huv someone tae share it wi’ lass – tis nowt but bricks an mortar otherwise. In the past it’s been mare like ah tomb than a hame.”

  His stark honesty hit Teodora in her heart. Her Warrior had been so alone even though he was surrounded with people every day. She hadn’t realised up until this moment. “Then you will never be alone here or anywhere else again, Warrior – yes?” Teodora walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. Her tongue darted out to open his lips for her as she teased and toyed with him.

  Shuggie growled under his breath as he deepened their kiss, his hand sliding up her back. As he bended his knee he lowered Teodora down, arching her back over his thigh. His hand smoothed down her body as he held her in place, their tongues duelling as their lips moved in perfect sync. The moon was high in the clear sky outside and had streamed in through the window, creating a perfect silhouette of them on the wall. As Shuggie’s hand was firmly on her thigh and starting to creep upwards, Teodora put her hand over his. “If we continue like this, we will not finish our tour, Warrior” her voice was hoarse, and her eyelids were heavy as she opened them to look at him.

  “Aye, bit ah kin think o’ a guided tour that would show ye the best sights tae see here, lass.” Shuggie grinned as he helped Teodora to stand, putting her hand over his hardened bulge. “Ye’ve heard o’ the Highland Games?”

  Teodora’s eyes widened when she how thick and hard Shuggie was for her already. “I have, Warrior.”

  “Then ye’ll know all aboot ‘Tossing the Caber’.” He gave her a wicked grin before removing her hand from him and offering her his arm. “Bit yer right. An ah am a man o’my word. Ah did promise tae take ye oot, so let’s go lassie.”

  Teodora bit her bottom lip and nodded. She did want to see Shuggie’s lands and the surrounding scenery, but she hoped they wouldn’t be too long – she was already forming plans for their night ahead when they returned.

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  It was as though he hadn’t ‘died’ or been out of commission for so long, Xavier thought to himself as he cracked his neck, then knuckles. He was back at work, and back in charge. Things had slipped under Shuggie’s temporary command, and he made sure that all his Unit knew that he was back for good. The filing system was harder to get under control however – computer files, paper reports etc. were like spaghetti junction. After seven hours of administrative hell, and with his Lieutenant otherwise busy with the Doc, he made a call to Hawkeye to report to his office. As the door was knocked, Xavier didn’t have to look up to know he had arrived.

  “Sit your ass down, Hawkeye.”

  Gathering a bundle of paper in front of him, he placed it in front of Hawkeye and jerked his head up. “Talk me through this shit – why the fuck did we need to buy new uniforms for all the foot soldiers?”

  Sergeant Ciaran ‘Hawkeye’ Paterson sat as instructed by his Commander and without batting an eyelid answered almost robotically. “No idea what you’re talking about Commander.”

  “Oh? Well that’s fine – on your way, Hawkeye.” Xavier’s tone was drenched in sarcasm. Hawkeye, however, nodded and got up as though he was about to leave. “Sit the fuck back down soldier” Xavier barked and Hawkeye nearly jumped out his skin. Hurriedly sitting back down.

  Xavier pointed to the bottom of one of the pieces of paper. “Your signature, yeah?”

  “Didn’t know what I was signing for Boss.”

  “Boss? Fucking Boss? It’s Commander Xavier Fucking Raige, Soldier”

  “I only answer to the General.”

  By now, the vein in Xavier’s forehead was visible and throbbing. “General? And who the actual fuck is this General that you now report to, soldier?”

  Hawkeye rolled his eyes. “Duh, General Carberletti.”

  “Gen...Gener…General Carberfuckingletti?” Xavier took a deep breath, well several in fact as little blinking lights were flashing across his eyes as his blood pressure sky rocketed. “General Carberletti, yeah? And when did this go down?”

  “GC put me in charge, I only answer to her and without her permission I cannot confirm nor deny any of your questions.”

  Doing a quick countdown Mission Control style from ten to zero, Xavier rubbed his hand down his face. He had told Alicia that Hawkeye was her stand-by bodyguard, but in true Sweetcheeks style she had interpreted that her own goddamn way and had somehow usurped his authority and had reassigned his Sergeant to report to her! “Tell you how this is going to go, Hawkeye – and listen real close yeah” he leaned nearer Hawkeye as he gained his attention. “If you don’t start talking, you see my boots?” Xavier kicked his foot up onto the desk, pointing at his size 15’s. “I will shove these so far up your ass that you will be able to tie the laces with your tonsils – do I make myself fucking clear, soldier?”

  “Threats of violence do not intimate me, it’s Sergeant Hawkeye to you, and I will be respected and addressed in an appropriate manner.”

  And…That was the precise moment when Xavier Raige lost it. Leaping over his desk he had grabbed Hawkeye by the neck and held him off the ground, his back slamming into the wall as powdered plaster starburst around him. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood piss-stain, because otherwise you’d be picking up your teeth with broken fingers, understand?” Xavier glared into Hawkeye’s eyes…and noticed something wasn’t quite right.

  “Chillax dude! No need to be so aggressive.” Hawkeye stared back into Xavier’s eyes as his body moulded into the plaster behind him.

  That confirmed Xavier’s suspicions. The only other person to use the ‘chillax’ word around him was Sweetcheeks. She had fucking mesmerised his own soldier against him! Punching Hawkeye in the face, his orbital bone crunched on impact, and snapped Hawkeye out of his transfixed state.

  “Fucking hell Commander…what the fuck was that for?” Hawkeye covered his eye as searing pain shot through his head and eye.

  Satisfied that his plan worked, Xavier dropped Hawkeye to the ground and walked casually back to his seat behind the desk. “Stop crying like a bitch and sit the fuck back down.”

  “Permission to see the Doctor, Sir?” Hawkeye sat down in the chair opposite Xavier, his eye and head were throbbing, he was confused as to what the hell had just went down but then you didn’t question the Commander...ever.

  “Do you want her to kiss it better and put a band aid on your boo-boo, yeah?” Xavier snorted. “Man the fuck up asswipe. The Doc has got more important things to do than pander to wipe your ass cos you shit yourself.” Leaning back in his chair he regarded Hawkeye. “Besides, I think the pirate look will suit you, yeah,” he said, laughing at his own joke.

  Hawkeye saluted Xavier. “Yes Sir, understood loud and clear, Sir.”

  What Xavier wanted to say to Hawkeye was, “Your orders are to keep the fuck away from Alicia until further notice. If she is within fifty meters of you, you make yourself scarce, you understand?” However, he knew that he needed Hawkeye to be on call if he wasn’t there. So, instead he decided to go to the source of the fucking problem. Nodding in the direction of the door, he barked the order at Hawkeye. “Dismissed.”

  “Sir!” Hawkeye gave a final salute as he rose to his feet heading for the door the where he bumped into the jamb of the door – his peripheral vision compromised due to the broken eye socket. “What the fucking hell was going on?” he thought internally as he stumbled to the Medical bay.

  Picking up the phone, Xavier dialled Alicia’s cell, stifling his laugh at the Mr. Magoo routine by Hawkeye ‘pinball-wizarding’ out of his office.

  Lifting her head to check who dared to interrupt her sunbathing, Alicia’s eyes squinted to see the display screen. “Hey up butter bowl, what can I do for you?”

  “Buttercup. You can come down to my office, I’ve got a surprise for you yeah?”

  “It better be worth it Xav!” Alicia ended the call and sat up, she was on the roof of the compound soaking up the midday sun. Pu
shing her sunglasses back onto her face she flashed herself to Xavier office, landing on his desk. “You wanted me Darlink?”

  Grinning, Xavier held his hands out for her to sit on his lap. “Missed your company, yeah?”

  Grinning like a love struck teenager Alicia bypassed Xavier’s hand and leapt into his lap. “You are so fucking romantic you know that?”

  “Oomph,” Xavier groaned as she landed right on his groin. “Know what’s really romantic? Playing a game of ‘guess what’. Want me to start Sweetcheeks?” he asked as he shifted her slightly to ease his discomfort.

  “Awesome sauce.” Alicia pushed her shades up to perch on top her head

  “Guess what I’ve been doing all day?”

  “Missing me?”

  “Good, you score a point. Guess what I found out today?”

  “How epic I am?”

  “You could fucking say that. Guess how I discovered just how epic you are?”

  “You spied on me sunbathing and just knew?”

  “Wrong answer, points deducted. Want me to tell you, Sweetcheeks?” his smile and amiable tone were lulling her into a false sense of security.

  “You’re killing me here, tell me tell me!” Alicia squirmed on Xavier’s lap impatiently.

  Xavier’s tone changed. “Cos I found out that you had mesmerised my soldiers that’s fucking how – now, I had given you the benefit of the doubt with the foot soldiers, but to do it to Hawkeye?” His eyes narrowed as he trapped her between him and the desk.

  Alicia gritted her teeth as she spoke. “Thing is Commander Prick yeah…I thought you were gone for eternity, didn’t think I was going to see you again so I just acquired the foot soldiers – and you told me that Hawkeye was mine, so get fucking over it.”

  Xavier stared for the longest time. She had just used his own words back to him when he had been describing his sexploits in Heaven. Seems she hadn’t taken it quite as well as he had first thought. Shit. “Not gonna talk your way out of it, Sweetcheeks – they’re my soldiers, not your fucking toys. What the hell did you think you were playing at?”