The Silent Highlander by Donna Fletcher
Chapter 14
The tables in the Great Hall were covered with food aplenty, but the dais sat bare.
Elysia stopped and turned not sure what to do.
“We will sup privately,” Odran said and pointed to the stairs.
It was a chore to climb the stone steps, her legs protesting every step of the way, as they had done that dreadful day she and Annis had walked with Bliss to the keep and their lives had been changed forever. Was that what this moment would do? Change her life once again?
He directed her to a door and she hesitated to push it open, worried that by entering her fate would be sealed, but then her fate had been sealed when she wed him. She jumped when her husband reached around her, his body brushing against hers as his hand reached for the latch and opened the door.
She took quick steps inside, though stopped abruptly when seeing the large tub, at least to her it was large for one her wee size, in front of the hearth.
“Warm yourself in the heat of the water,” he ordered, stepping around her.
Saber never ordered her. He had always spoken kindly to her and softly, but then he had barely been able to speak. She wasn’t surprised his voice had returned full force, since he’d been healing nicely before he had taken his leave.
“I will bathe after you are done, then we will eat and talk,” he said and his hand reached out to brush a stray strand of hair off her face. It was something he’d done often and ached to do again, an intimate gesture he had sorely missed.
Elysia jumped back avoiding his hand and his green eyes glared with annoyance, though for a moment she thought she had seen hurt there.
“Hurry and wash. You need to eat. You have gotten too thin. A good wind would blow you away,” he said, then stepped around her and left the room.
Elysia stood there unable to move. It all was too much for her. She wanted to drop where she was and give into the tears she’d been fighting all day. Saber would have never been so commanding or unkind, but Saber was no more.
The door opened and she hurried to turn, fearful Odran had returned and would remain in the room with her while she bathed. She wasn’t ready for such intimacy with him. She had been comfortable and trustful of Saber and the intimacy they had shared, but Saber hadn’t been as trustful as she once believed.
“I’ve been sent to help you.”
Elysia almost collapsed in Lendra’s arms, relieved to see her.
Lendra’s arm went around her. “You have worked tirelessly and endlessly to help others. It is time for you to let others help you and for you to get some rest and some food into you. You’ve barely had time to eat lately.”
Elysia let Lendra help her, all her strength having faded away. Or maybe it was that she no longer had the will to protest. Besides, Lendra was right about one thing—she needed some rest. Exhaustion had finally taken its toll on her. She was barely able to disrobe and without Lendra’s help she wouldn’t have been able to climb into the tub.
Elysia sighed with pure pleasure when she lowered her body into the heated water, letting herself sink up to her neck. She could fall asleep right there. The thought startled her awake. She didn’t want to be caught in the tub when her husband returned.
“Soak your hair and I’ll wash it for you,” Lendra said.
Elysia submerged her whole head, letting the heated water cover her like a comforting blanket. And while she was capable of washing her own hair, her aching arms were glad to let Lendra do it.
“Saber is a good man which means Odran must be as well. It isn’t his fault he was cursed and with Annis determined to break the curse, you have a chance at a good marriage,” Lendra advised.
“He lied to me. How do I trust him?” Elysia asked, the question haunting her.
“That is a good question to ask him and give him a chance to explain. Saber would want you to do that.”
“Lord Odran is far different from Saber,” Elysia argued.
“Because he has no choice. He is heir to a large clan. He will lead many people, be responsible for many people. That is a heavy burden and it is only made worse by the curse his father suffered on him with his evil deed.”
“You defend him,” Elysia said, surprised since Lendra had worried along with the other women about who would be chosen as brides for the cursed lords.
“He and his warriors saved many in the clan from death today and he appointed Neil chieftain when he could have made a stranger the chieftain. The clan is relieved and pleased that they will have Lord Odran’s protection.”
“Aye, you’re right about that and I am pleased as well for the clan. But I won’t be here to celebrate. I will be forced to leave and make my home elsewhere with a man I’m not sure I know. Annis will have no home to return to and Bliss will not know where I am.”
“I will be here. I will tell Annis where to find you and I am sure you would be allowed to send a message to Bliss,” Lendra said, scooping water up with a small wood bowl to pour over Elysia’s hair and rinse out the soap.
Elysia started washing, the heated water no longer appealing with her worried thoughts centered on her two sisters.
Don’t rush,” Lendra said.
Elysia shook her head. “The water will be cold for Lord Odran.”
“The tub will be emptied and made fresh for him,” Lendra said.
Elysia stopped washing to turn a puzzled look on Lendra. “But everyone is exhausted from the horrific day.”
“None object. They wish to do it for him since he saved so many.” Lendra held a towel up for Elysia when she stood to get out of the wood tub. “There is a warm wool robe for you to wear.”
“I have my shift,” Elysia protested with a yawn.
“It needs washing as does your tunic. I will see it done so you have both for tomorrow.” Lendra hurried to the bed and snatched up the wool robe.”
It was too big for Elysia but it was warm and soft and after slipping it on she snuggled it around her, tying the cloth belt at her waist. Lendra urged her to a chair at a table fit for two and soon servants were bringing food and drink to the table while other servants saw to emptying and refilling the tub with heated water.
Elysia found herself suddenly hungry but she didn’t want to be rude and eat before her husband joined her.
It wasn’t long before Odran entered and she pulled herself up in the chair, her tiredness having had her slouching.
“You can leave us, Lendra, I need no help,” Odran ordered, and she hurried the two other servants out of the room.
Elysia avoided looking his way, not ready to talk and perhaps fearful of what she would learn.
“Eat, Elysia,” he said as he began to shed his garments.
“I will wait—”
“No, you will not. You will do as I say and eat,” he commanded.
Elysia didn’t bother to argue. It gave her a reason for not glancing his way, though she was tempted to, far too tempted to. She had missed Saber terribly. She had especially missed making love with him and while she didn’t know Lord Odran, she did know his body well. That had not changed and her desire for her husband had not changed as well. What had changed was that she didn’t know who she made love with and until she did, she would not let her desire rule.
“Talk to me, Elysia, I have missed the sound of your voice,” he said after stepping into the tub and spreading his arms out along the rim and resting his head back with eyes closed.
She turned. He looked tired, worn out, and her heart hurt for him and her stomach lost its appetite. Instinct to soothe, or perhaps it was love that had her going to him. She took soft, tentative steps to him and scooped up a cloth on the small bench beside the round tub. She dipped the cloth in the bucket of heated water left to be added if desired and rubbed it with the piece of soap. Her hand paused a moment but when she saw the fatigue on his face, she didn’t hesitate—she gently ran the cloth over his face.
His eyes shot open, but he kept his head where it was and said nothing.
Elysia cleaned the sweat and dirt from his face, revealing his handsome features that she loved. “You’re tired,” she whispered.
“Aye, I am,” he said, itching to take her in his arms, kiss her, make love to her, sleep wrapped around her, but he didn’t move.
She had endless questions for him but not now, not when exhaustion plagued them both. When she finished with his face, she added more soap to the cloth and went to work on his neck, shoulders and each arm, scrubbing every inch and thinking how very much she had missed her husband.
Odran saw how tired his wife was and told himself to stop her, let her rest, have her eat, but he didn’t. He wanted her touch, had ached for it, and though he doubted she was ready to be intimate with him—a stranger to her—he would take what he could get until she was ready. He prayed, more swore, that it not be long.
“You were not injured,” she said, realizing she had never asked him, though she saw no wounds on him.
“I suffered no wounds,” he confirmed.
She stepped closer after rinsing the cloth to soap it again and placed it on his chest. Images reminding her of times she had rested her head there after they had made love flashed through her mind and a sudden ache took hold of her. She closed her eyes against it.
“Elysia.”
Saber. That was Saber’s soft whisper, and she murmured, “Saber.”
“Aye, it’s me.” He couldn’t resist, his hand went to the back of her neck and he eased her toward him as he brought his face to hers. His lips touched hers gently, tentatively, not wanting to frighten her away. And when her lips responded willingly, he deepened the kiss.
Elysia was lost in the familiar kiss, a kiss she had missed, had ached to taste again. The tip of her tongue probed his slightly parted lips and they opened like magic and her tongue darted in and his tongue welcomed hers with a gentle urgency. She needed this, needed Saber, wanted him desperately.
“Lord Odran!” came the shout before the pounding on the door. “Important news!”
Elysia jerked away from Odran, her eyes turning wide as if realizing she had been kissing the wrong man.
Odran wanted to kill Finch. A moment just a moment longer and all would have been different with his wife. He would have climbed out of the tub and taken her to the bed and made love to her, reunite with her, make her see he was no different than before—though that wasn’t entirely true. Though, nothing was different when it came to their love for each other.
“Enter!” Odran bellowed and silently cursed himself when he saw his wife wince and rush to curl herself up in the chair at the table.
Finch bobbed his head.
“What is this news that cannot wait?” Odran snapped.
Finch kept his focus on Odran. “Clan MacFarden has surrendered to Clan MacBridan.”
Odran nodded. “That is good news, Finch. We battle no more. Spread the news so all can rejoice.”
“Aye, my lord,” Finch said and hurried out of the room.
Odran finished washing and stepped out of the tub and snatched up a towel to dry himself. His wife avoided looking at him and he wouldn’t mind if she was busy eating, but she had touched not a morsel of food.
“Eat, Elysia,” he said a bit more strongly than intended.
She snatched up a piece of cheese to appease him and nibbled at it.
He didn’t bother to cover himself. She was familiar with his body, had quite enjoyed it as he had her body. And only moments ago he had seen her eyes spark with a familiar passion. Unfortunately, that was now gone, but at least it had been there. At least, she still desired him. He was grateful that hadn’t been lost between them, since if anything his desire for her had spiraled, leaving him constantly aching for her. But never would he force her. He wanted what they had once had—a strong, undeniable, passionate love.
He walked over to the table and she turned her head away, avoiding looking at him. He sat in the chair opposite her. He went to talk with her as he had promised when a knock came again to the door.
“Sorry, my lord, but I must speak with you,” Finch called out.
Odran got up mumbling and once again cursing beneath his breath. He grabbed a fresh plaid left on the bed and wrapped it around his waist before opening the door.
“What now?” he demanded of Finch.
“A bit of a problem,” Finch said, his voice turning low.
Odran looked to his wife. “I’ll be only a moment.”
She nodded, glad for the time alone as her husband stepped outside the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. She didn’t care to hear what the men had to say. She didn’t care what anyone had to say. She was too weary to listen to anyone. She didn’t even want to talk with her husband. She was far too tired to pay attention to his words. She could feel her body draining of all strength, her mind surrendering to her fatigue, and sleep creeping up on her.
The piece of cheese slipped from her hand and her head lolled to the side. She straightened it with a jerk and it lolled to the other said. She looked at the bed, but it was too far away, her body far too tired to walk the distance.
Her head bobbed a few times before it finally lolled to the side and remained still.
Odran returned only a few minutes later, leaving his fury outside the door after hearing that a few prisoners had escaped after learning the news of their clan’s surrender. It made no sense. They would be released on the morrow. Unless they didn’t take kindly to the loss and the loyalty and obedience they would now owe to the Clan MacBridan.
He entered the room, his mind and body weary. He shut the door and turned, wishing talk between him and his wife could wait. He felt a tight squeeze to his heart, seeing her sound asleep in the chair, her head nearly resting on her shoulder.
He went to her. It appeared her body insisted she needed rest over food, though he could argue with that, but he wouldn’t since his body warned him of the same. He yanked his plaid off and tossed it on the chair, then eased his wife up off the chair and into his arms. Her head fell to rest on his chest.
“Saber,” she whispered, her lips brushing against his chest as she snuggled closer to him.
“Aye, wife, tis me,” he said, trying to ignore his loins that tightened far too strongly.
He blew out several candles as he walked to the bed, leaving only the light from the hearth. He placed her in the center of the bed, the robe slipping partially off her, and climbed in beside her pulling the warm blankets up over them. He gently turned her just enough on her side, the robe slipping further off her, leaving her nearly naked just the way he liked her in bed, to plant his large body against her small one and wrapped himself around her until he almost consumed her. He was relieved when she did what she always did—snuggle against him as if she couldn’t get close enough.
Content for the first time in weeks, he closed his eyes and as he drifted off all he could think was that he was finally home and home was Elysia, and he would die before he’d let the curse touch her.
