A Witch's Tale (18 page)

**** 
 

 Mad
looked exhausted by the time he returned late that day. She finished all the
tasks Rohan assigned her. She was just pouring grain into the horses feed
bucket

“Good,
you’re still here,” Rohan said as he entered the stable, his black eyes filled
with amusement. “You’ve done a good job, Mad.”

“I’ll
just be goin’ now, Sir Rohan,” Mad said, head down, intending to pass the
knight. He blocked her way, throwing the bar in the door. He smiled as he
reached out and yanked the cap from her head, watching the mass of dark red
hair fall about her waist with a raised eyebrow.

“Come
now, Mad. Don’t leave while the game just gets interesting,” Rohan said silkily
as he stalked her, cutting off her way out the barn door. “Why are you
pretending to be my groom? Who are you?”

“I’ve
done nothing wrong, Sir Rohan!” she cried in alarm and backed away. “I merely
came to watch the practice rounds; that is all.”

“Disguised
as a groom?” he asked in obvious disbelief. “The place to be is in the stands
if that is true. Who sent you? Was it Lord Strathmore?”

“No,
I came on my own. You must listen to me. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“You
couldn’t know what I’m thinking,” Rohan said with a wolfish grin.

She
looked glorious with her long red hair falling about her waist, making Rohan’s
heartbeat quicken. He saw the hay pile in the stall behind her and grinned.
Before the girl could get over her shock, he lunged at her. Grabbing her about
the waist, he sent them both tumbling into the hay behind her. He kicked the
stall door shut with his boot, holding her wriggling body still beneath his,
enflamed by his lovely groom.

“Sir
Rohan, please stop!” she cried and pushed against his wide shoulders, her blue
eyes wide with fear. “Let me go!”

“Sweet
Mad, we haven’t even begun. I can’t let you go, my fiery one,” Rohan replied
thickly, his black eyes enflamed and filled with lust. “Let us see what else
you hide from me.”

Rohan
smiled as he smoothed back her glorious hair, his body tightening alarmingly as
her smaller one continued to wiggle under him. He couldn’t help the impulse to
kiss her at that moment. His lips swooped down and found hers, cutting off her
outraged cries.

Rohan
covered those full delectable lips hungrily, losing himself in the feel of her under
him. His tongue stroked and engaged hers, intoxicated by the taste and smell of
her. She was pushing at his shoulders, trying to get free. He used her
movements to ease up her tunic. His large hands covered and stroked her full
breasts. He massaged the tightening nipples there with slow, maddening
pressure.

Rohan
held her thrashing body still and yanked up her tunic to her neck. His eyes
took in her lush ivory charms there with a soft groan. His blistering mouth
lowered to pull and suckle hungrily at the hardened cherry peaks. He nibbled
and played at her nipples, felt her trembling under him.

“Sweet
Jesus, you are lovely, Mad,” he whispered before his mouth retook hers in a
hungry, searching kiss. His lips parted hers feverishly, his tongue engaging hers
wildly. She kissed him back now, tentatively at first, and then with growing
ardor.

Rohan
fumbled with his own breeches and the ties of hers. He yanked them down her
slim hips to her ankles. His large hand splayed over the quivering
copper-colored mound of curls between her thighs. He parted the moist folds and
delved within. He found her with slow pleasurable strokes, heard her gasps in
denial.

“You
must stop, Sir Rohan,” she whispered, even as she arched her mound into his
hand.

“You
don’t want me to stop, Mad,” he muttered thickly as his finger stroked her
faster, feeling her wetness with a satisfied growl. “Lie still and let me love
you, Mad. I burn for you, sweetheart.” His black eyes were filled with desire
as she moved into his hand. He saw those blue eyes widen and fill with passion,
stroking her there with slow, deliberate pressure. The heated caresses of his
finger made her tense and twist under him.

She
cried out as his finger thrust within her. She was distracted by his caresses,
eyes closed and lips parted. His insistent rubbing finger made her writhe and
moan under him. He eased his throbbing sex free, sliding over her quickly and
fitting himself between her slender thighs.

“No,
we cannot do this,” she said in alarm as he pressed her into the hay. “You must
stop!”

Rohan
stared down at her with passion-fused eyes. “Your lips say no, but already your
body moves to receive mine, sweet liar,” he said and gasped as the tip of his sex
poised against her, easing within her slightly. “Tell me to stop now if you
can.”

She
moaned softly, her knees coming up to clutch his hips, her arms sliding around
his neck. Rohan raised his head to stare into her deep blue gaze. He heard her
say a jumble of strange words and knew no more.

****

Madeline
eased away from the inert blond knight, hands shaking as she covered herself.
She bit her bruised trembling lips, sorrow and dismay filling her gaze. She got
up quickly and pulled up her breeches, closing her eyes in disgust to feel the
delicious stirrings from Rohan’s lustful advances.

She
closed the stall door, hiding Sir Rohan as he lay sprawled face down in the hay
with his breeches around his knees. The sight of those taut muscled buttocks
made her look away in mortification. She knew him to be merely sleeping, knew
the spell would keep him thus for the remainder of the day.

Madeline
refused to give into the tears that were forming. She snatched up the cap and
put it back on her head, her lips still tingling from the man’s passionate
kisses. She was shocked to have enjoyed the encounter. Tears filled her gaze to
know this would have hardly been rape had she allowed it to continue. It was
all she could do to stop.

Madeline
was ashamed to have allowed it to go on so long. Contempt for herself made her
forego the practice field after that. She left the barn on shaking legs, too
disturbed by the feel of another man’s hands and lips on hers to recall the
errand that brought her there for another. She returned to the tent and refused
to dwell upon the shocking incident in the barn.

When
Sir Rohan awoke he would be angry, looking for her no doubt. The tiltyard was
the last place she needed to be. She must make herself scarce. She had three
days until the fortnight was at an end. She would see the man she loved regain
all he lost, and hide from his black-eyed opponent who saw through her clever
disguise.

There
was the matter of the baron and his son to consider now. She was nowhere close
to finding the spell to reverse what she’d done. She had more than enough to
do. She pushed all thoughts of the handsome blond knight aside, disgusted to
have lingered on the man at all. Knowing she nearly succumbed to him gnawed at
her. She waxed tearful and angry all evening. Thoughts of how she betrayed
Gavin in those moments haunted her. Rohan’s hands and lips undermined her
feelings for another quickly. She was angriest to have been caught before she
could learn more of value.

****

Gavin
snuck up behind Madeline with a small bouquet of flowers behind his back. The
impulse to buy them came upon him suddenly. He saw she was distracted, reading
from the large leather bound book. She didn’t hear him approach.

He
lowered his head and kissed her neck where her hair fell away from her
shoulder, causing her to jump guiltily and flush as she turned and saw him.

“You
startled me, Gavin,” she said and smiled as he presented her with the flowers,
her lips curving in delight. “They’re lovely.”

“Not
half as lovely as you,” he remarked as he reached for the clasp of his chain
mail. “I fear I’ve neglected you much of late, my sweet.”

“You
are back earlier?”

Gavin
frowned as he removed his armor. “It appears Sir Rohan took ill yesterday. The
day was a wash, I’m afraid.”

Madeline
said nothing as she put the flowers in water and set them on top of her work
table. “Nothing too serious, I hope?”

Gavin
grinned as he tugged off his tunic. “They couldn’t wake the man up. They found him
sleeping in the barn yester eve. Alastair and I practiced for a time and then I
thought you and I might enjoy the day.”

She
looked away then. His eyes traced her lovely features with a naughty look
suddenly. His desire for his flame haired enchantress always surprised him. She
looked lovely in the lavender gown he’d bought her. Thoughts of what lie
underneath made him eager to take off his gear.

She
helped him remove his chest plates and arm coverings. He tossed all to the
floor of their tent, his green eyes filled with desire He held out his hand to
her.

“I’ve
missed you, sweet witch,” he whispered, voice thick with passion. “Come let us
not waste this day. I would make up to you the last two I fell asleep at your
side.”  

She
came into his arms eagerly, her lips meeting his with hunger. He swung her up
in his arms and carried her to their bed, pulling at her gowns fastenings and
removing the rest of his own clothing.

Gavin
worshiped every inch of ivory flesh, his lips scoring her tender breasts until
she cried out. When he joined their bodies, she wept into his neck, holding him
tightly. He took her fiercely, holding her until the thunder in his chest eased
and their ardor cooled.

Madeline
sighed with contentment against his chest, her small hand stroking the mat of
hair there. Her blue eyes were dazed and sated as they met his.

“You
have made up for lost time, Sir Knight,” she said softly. “What would you do
for the rest of the day?”

“Why
don’t we go into the city and see the sights?” he suggested. “The men are
chomping at the bit to get away from here as well.”

Madeline
smiled at mention of his men. “They would follow you anywhere, wouldn’t they?”

“I
know for certain they would. Most have the scars to show for it now.”

Gavin
grinned as he thought of his foster brothers. He was saddened to lose Miles at
the end of the tournament, but happy one out of the five found their father and
it turned out well. The others were inclined to not look back, all but
Alastair, satisfied with what they found here.

Alastair
refused to approach Monteith with his claim. Gavin saw the duke sat with the
king everyday during the last days before the tournament began. From what he
observed and learned, Monteith was an honorable man. Beset with five daughters
and no sons; he knew the man would embrace Alastair. His friend refused,
preferring to keep the matter to himself.

Gavin
didn’t want to think of how Vivienne would react. His sister had their father’s
foul temper. She would not take it well when they returned to Scotland after
the tournament. She would be angry Alastair refused to try and better himself.

He
could hear them bickering already and wished he’d relent. He knew his friend.
His pride over his humble beginnings hit him harder than the others. Knowing
his mother very deliberately abandoned him made his actions here more than
predictable. He would lose Vivienne before he would endure Monteith’s
rejection.

“What
troubles you, Gavin?” she asked as she lay against his chest comfortably.

He
stroked her back, holding her closer, bent and kissed her lips softly. “What
troubles me is thinking of what troubles me in bed with a beautiful woman. Now,
where were we?”

****

Madeline
just returned from buying supplies from the merchants and paused outside the
tent, hearing Gavin and Alastair arguing within. She hesitated as she listened.

“The
fortnight is near its end and you still have no idea what you will do with her,
my lord,” Alastair said angrily. “Would it not be better to take her with us to
Rivenhahl?”

“Better
for whom?” Gavin asked harshly. “You realize I will have a wife should we go
there? No, I have changed my mind. She will be compensated and sent on her way.
It is more than fair to her.”

She
heard a snort of derision from Alastair. Her heart clenched to know the spell
wore off in the time she was away. Her heart ached to hear Gavin’s callous
decision to leave her here when he won. Her heart bled to hear it, but what had
she expected? She tricked him daily with spells to feel better about going to
his bed; to fool herself it was more than it was.

“So
much for you offering her all you have in your heart,” Alastair said
contemptuously. “What was all that about?”

“The
throes of lust and no more, my friend,” Gavin said mockingly. “I have no plan
to take her with me.”

“I
thought you began to care for her,” Alastair said in frustration.

Gavin
laughed and the sound tore at her heart. “Aye, I care for her every night in my
bed, my friend. She pleased me well, but not enough to give all up.”

“You
make no sense! One day you act like you adore the woman, the next you act as if
she means nothing to you.”