WORRLGENHALL (35 page)

“
Does he know?”

“
Yes,” she answered, as she thought of that tearful morning, “I wanted him to know all of his loved ones would be awaiting his return including the one in my womb.”

Seda smiled.
“Knowing that would give him pride and power within.”

“
Such was my wish,” Nona said, while thinking wistfully of her husband as she rubbed her stomach.

“
I dare confess Nona,” Seda said, as she watched, “Such a size is your stomach. The child will come before the full moon.”

“
I feel it is true.”

Both laughed, then sat and as if no time had
passed, began freely talking and sewing in the queen’s leisure chamber, and as the king passed when he heard his queen’s laughter such was his joy, at once, he set his mind to have a feast in her honor.

As he listened to her laugh, he walked into her chamber, and at once Nona stood, and then bowed her head when the king approached Seda.

Such as pleasant sound rejoices my heart,” he said, as he kissed Seda tenderly.

King Rone nodded to Nona, who again sat down.

“In three days all in the land will rejoice as my heart does,” he revealed what he decided when he heard her laughter, “I decree it.”

**

Anxiously awaiting Baric’s return, once he received word of it from a messenger, King Rone waited on the top of the wall and looked out every day, then when he finally saw him appear just over the ridge to WorrlgenHall, he had the musicians play loudly welcoming him home.

As all rejoiced, as they r
ode through the gate; once Baric was in front of his father; he proudly held up his son.

“
Father,” he said, as he handed him his son, “Words not brought by the messenger at my command.”

At a loss for words, King Rone picked up the boy and looked at him int
ently before he looked at the women beside Baric.

“
Stand before me!” he spoke firmly to her.

At once, Ecia hurried in front of him and bowed.

“You saved my son’s life,” he said, as he touched the top of her head, “You will forever have the favor of the king.”

When Ecia turned and walked back to Baric, King Rone smiled.

“More days of rejoicing for all!” he then shouted, and threw up his hands; “Such grand findings can be done in no other way!”

Just a
s anxious to see one missed dearly, Belon waited by the huge front door into WorrlgenHall for Ogorec, then after waiting patiently while many passed, when he didn’t see him among them, became worried.

“
Ogorec,” Belon said to one of the guilds, “Why is he not among those who rode through the gate.”

The guild looked to Belon; then looked in the direction of the stables.

“He followed the carts,” he said, and rode on.

Making his way there, Belon stopped just as he reached the huge doors when he saw Ogorec stand
ing next to a cart. At first in good spirits, his mood changed when he saw how he looked at Ovfren when he groaned as he got down off his horse.

When he saw it, as jealously and anger boiled inside him, he spurred his horse away hard out of the gate and t
owards the glens with his mind set to leave WorrlgenHall, but as he rode, when he looked back, again his mood changed.

He had never loved another so deeply and could not just without words from Ogorec
’s mouth that what was once so passionate between them was now at an end.

He and Ogorec
’s secret known by Irek, he knew although, maybe not right away, soon enough Irek would speak of it to Ogorec.

“
I shall deal with this,” Belon said, as he turned his horse to ride back to WorrlgenHall, “In due time.”

After O
vfren took the blankets off his horse, he gave them to the stable hand and waited as Ogorec gave his blankets to another one, then after looking this way and that while they walked, he began a casual conversation.

“
When the time is fitting,” he quietly said, “We will begin to embrace again.”

“
Will it be this night?” Ovfren questioned hopeful, “We have done nothing since I was stuck with that arrow, but kiss.”

“
We cannot,” Ogorec said, regretfully, “But soon.”

“
Ogorec,” Ovfren said, suddenly stopping. The disappointment showing on his face, “So long it has been.”

“
When we are close,” Ogorec warned, “We must always be wary of judging eyes. We are back at WorrlgenHall, and not in open lands away from others.”

Just as he was about to speak again, an inner guard
came down the hallway.

“
Ogorec come and give words of this journey,” he said eagerly, “In the men’s hall.”

“
Aahhh, the ritual,” Ogorec answered; then looked at Ovfren, “Join us.”

“
No,” Ovfren said wounded, “I may be to close,” and walked angrily away.

Kno
wing he couldn’t follow, Ogorec inwardly sighed anguished; then followed the inner guard to the men’s hall.

There he sat, as many gathered around him drinking while he spoke of the Valley of Tul and their journey, yet he was careful to leave out the nights
with Ovfren, although, those memories are what flooded through his head every second he spoke.

While he spoke, quietly Belon walked inside and stood by the door, but said nothing, and Belon
’s stare to Ogorec intense, it took all his will not to look back at him, before he suddenly vanished.

Again Ogorec sighed, as he thought of what to tell Belon, and began to drink more, and now tormented, decided to drink himself to sleep.
 

The grain of the wooden table indented into the side of his head when raised it,
all had gone when he woke, and as groggily stood and made his way to his chamber, he used the wall to brace himself.

His steps slow, he longed to turn down the hallway that led to Ovfren
’s chamber, and stopping only for a brief moment, he pondered the risk; but knew Ovfren shared his chamber with other guilds so he kept walking.

“
Your reason for such a state,” Belon’s voice came out of the shadows.

Ogorec said nothing, and kept walking, but as he walked the sound of footsteps echoed close and kept to his p
ace, until he reached his chamber door, then suddenly, he felt a strong grip on his shoulder that turned and pushed him to the wall.

“
Speak it!”

“
I have no words,” Ogorec’s reply, “My tongue has forsaken me.”

His body close, Belon stood in front of him,
yet Ogorec could not look at him.

“
All the days and nights you have been gone from me,” he said. His breath warm upon Ogorec’s face, “My heart has been anguished. Harsh words came from our mouths before you left WorrlgenHall.”

“
That is true,” Ogorec agreed.

“…
from anger.” Belon offered forgiveness. “I will forgive you for punishing me with him.”

“
It was not my will to punish you,” Ogorec confessed, “Yet I... I”

Fearing what his words would be; Belon felt himself becoming sickened. “
Do not speak of it and release him.”

“
Belon,” Ogorec pleaded, and finally looked at his face, “Do not force my hand or make me speak the words. You know what they will be.”

Belon took two steps forward and looked at Ogorec. His words truly wounding him, he fought to keep a straight face free of signs on emotion, as he leaned pass him and opened his chamber door for him.

After he did, quietly Belon stepped aside and as he did, slowly Ogorec stepped forward and stood just inside his doorway longing to say words to explain, but could find none readily on his tongue.

“
Release him -”

His back to Belon, Ogorec stayed silent not turning around when just a reach behind him was the wounded man, but instead of reaching for him, he slowly used that reach to close his door in Belon
’s face, and standing in place, he exhaled hard when he heard his heavy footsteps slowly fade down the long dimly lit hallway.

**

Already aware Laad would not be among the men returning, Nona still waited at the gate and watched all ride pass it, as deep within she longed for her husband to among them.

As she lis
tened to the clang of heavy steel gate closing, she sighed deeply and though she promised she would not, burst into tears.

Her heart aching from missing him, she hurried down the stoned stairwell.

“I must be stronger,” her words, as she cried and wiped the tears from her eyes, “I must.”

As she walked, she thought of Laad
’s words to her, preparing her for his journeys away and within she knew well of what was required of the man she chose to love only, but still she could always hope.

“
Such is my place,” his words to her, “I must be away from you my love, yet never will you be away from my head or heart. Always know that.”

As she walked more, she turned and looked out at the vast greenery, hills, and mountains knowing he was out there somewhere.

“Never will you be from mine,” Nona whispered to herself, and prayed for his safe return.

**

That morning as was the common practice at WorrlgenHall, Irek had the guilds, gruels, and footman march and line in the fiel
d outside WorrlgenHall to train with the inner guards.

Most of the men back other than those who rode with Laad; he wanted to also hone the men skills and divided gruels and footmen into rows to pair off and train and had the inner guards divide and train
with the guilds.

Sleeping in from his long night of drinking, when Ogorec noticed most men away when he walked about, he remembered the training practices and rode to the glen to watch, but most of all watch only one.

Although thought of as a guild himself, his service under Baric as first in command excluded him from common training, but often times he and Belon spared with the men to hone their skills.

Belon already there but not sparing, Ogorec stayed on the other side of the men on his horse to avoid h
is gaze, but Belon had already seen him riding up.

Staying out of the way, Ogorec searched for Ovfren and once he found him, locked his eyes on him. The sun beaming off his hair, never had he looked more enticing as he lined with those young and older whil
e training bare chest.

As Ovfren tried to avoid gazing back at Ogorec, he knew he watched him as more than once, he playfully arrogantly displayed his skill, and looked to Ogorec, who smiled amused.

Watching it also, Belon seethe with jealousy, decided to humble him, and rode the line of men until he reached Ovfren. Then saying nothing, he nodded for the men to part, and when they did, jumped from his horse and pulled out his sword.

“
Young pup, show me your skill.”

Ovfren said nothing, as he looked over to Ogorec, who was unable to come to his defense, but Ogorec knew Aron watched and would keep him from
any real harm.

Ovfren hesitant at first, Belon quickly moved against him forcing him to defend himself from strikes high and low before he could decide if he wanted to spare or not, but when Ovfren tried to advance on Belon, he couldn
’t move him.

Each ti
me he raised his sword and came down, Belon moved it to the left or right forcing Ovfren to leave his chest unprotected, and each time he did, he kicked him in the center of his chest sending him flying backwards to the ground.

Finally, angry at Belon
’s intentional humiliation, when he stood, he wildly charged towards him, as now many watched them amused; and again his chest unprotected, when Belon kicked him sending him to the ground, this time he moved over him and put his knee on his chest to keep him down.

“
Pup,” he called him again, and spoke low enough that only he could hear him, “Release him.”

“
Then end me now,” Ovfren groaned. The bone of Belon’s knee digging deep into his sternum and causing excruciating pain, “Death would be less painful.”

“
Then suffer my wrath,” Belon’s warning, as he pulled Ovfren up to him and butted his head into the bridge of his nose.

Saying nothing, Belon angrily stood and got on his horse and rode away, and when Ogorec saw Ovfren with blood streaming heavily from his nose into his mouth, rushed after Belon, then waiting until he was well away from others, caught up to hi
m.

“
Belon hold!” Ogorec yelled, but Belon kept riding.