Aura. Part 11

"No, I just need quiet now. Oh Thorn, it hurts." A tear slid from eyes that burned. This was a pain beyond Aura's experience, though she had heard from others that it was excruciating. She vowed she would never doubt them again.

Thorn sighed as he placed a gentle caring hand on her cheek, and with a thumb, rubbed the tears from her face. "I know." He slid back into the bed and took her into his arms to cradle her against his chest, kissing her on the forehead much as he would have a sick child in need of comfort. Unfortunately his feelings for her did not match his actions and it was making him very uncomfortable.

After a time Aura fell back to sleep and Thorn slipped out of the bed to walk over to the window where he looked out into the early morning sunlight. It was a very new day he decided, much too early for a new bridegroom to be up and about yet. He turned and as his gaze fell on his sleeping wife. With a sigh he decided it was not as early as he had thought. It would have been different if he would have been able to bed her properly, but she was in no condition to welcome his attentions. He dressed and left the room to give his troops their orders to ride. By the time they had broken camp Aura would be awake.

Aura winced in her semi sleep state as she heard Thorn carefully close the door behind him. She sighed as she snuggled deeper under the covers and gave a weak smile of triumph. True, her head was aching, but even foremost in her mind was her desire not to have to live through a repeat of the night before, at least not quite yet. She just was not ready for another of his lessons. She still blushed every time she thought of her behavior that night. It was hard to believe that she had reacted as she had to his touch and, just as hard to accept now, was her craving to feel him next to her. She had to find a way to escape. Perhaps these feelings would go away if he was not around to remind her of what he could make her want.

Soon after Thorn left Aura got up and dressed before he returned and caught her still undressed or in the process of changing. She knew that he was well aware of what her body looked like and how every inch of her felt, but she felt awkward when it came to being naked before him. She sighed as she realized that it was a condition she had better get used to, for Thorn was unlikely to be content to just hold her as he had the last night. It was this that she feared more than anything, her future as his wife and that she might come to like it.

When Thorn did return Aura was sitting on the side of the bed studying the plain gold band on her finger, the one that symbolized her marriage to him. She had been surprised, due to the speed of the ceremony that he had managed to get a ring so quickly, but he had somehow. She wondered if he had gotten it made or whether he had been given it from his mother to give to his future bride. She had noticed that he was quite unlike his brother and sister for looks and had summarized that they could not have shared identical parents. Not with Thorn being as dark as he was when Edwin and Signi were so blond.

Aura was, in fact, so preoccupied with her thoughts that she did not even hear Thorn enter the room, or notice him as he walked up to her side. He watched her for a few moments, feeling his chest swell with the pride of owners.h.i.+p then cupped the back of her head as he sat beside her. She looked at him in confusion, catching the look of tenderness he held within his eyes. He reached out to pull her into his arms to hold her closer as he kissed her.

It was happening to her again! He had no more than to touch her and she could feel the fire burning through her veins. She could not let this happen. She was not going to allow herself to become so ruled by her emotions that she no longer had control over her own body. She pulled away from him and closed her eyes as she shook her head, seeking to clear her mind.

"Please Thorn, no."

He gave a light frown at her dismissal of what was meant to be a tender moment between them and sighed in momentary resignation. They were very newly wed, he thought, perhaps she would understand better what it was that he offered as they became better acquainted. He held his hand out to her as a peace offering as he spoke.

"Come Aura, it is time for us to go home."

"Home?" Aura repeated, sounding bemused then began to move about collecting a few odds and ends as she continued. "I shall need a few moments to gather my belongings."

"Can I help?" Thorn offered, not knowing what else to do.

Aura did not want his help. At the moment she did not want him anywhere near her.

"Shouldn't you be tending to your men? I can come to you as soon as I am ready."

"The men await our arrival and from what I can see, you will not be very long in your packing so they need not wait long before we all leave. I will wait here with you then I will carry your belongings downstairs."

Aura shot him an indignant look and he smiled in response. "Nor do you need to tell me you are capable of doing it yourself. I am quite aware of this. I am also aware of the fact that you are altogether too independent for your own good."

Aura shrugged an indifferent shoulder, finished packing her clothing into her rolled up blanket then, as she looked at him, spoke. "That is everything. Do I have time to speak to Vernon and Chatelaine before we leave? I would like to thank them for their hospitality during my brief stay here."

"Of course, if you feel it is necessary, but it may take a while before you can see them. They are late in rising today. Of course they would also understand if we left without saying anything to them."

"The least I could do is thank them Thorn. They took me into their home and treated me as an equal without even knowing who I am."

He nodded in agreement. "Perhaps you are right, besides, Vernon did bring us together. For that alone he deserves our thanks."

She stopped for a moment, and thought, before responding. "Second thought perhaps we should just leave. After all, there are some things that he has done that I am not at all pleased with. I presume this will also be a long trip."

"Several days." Thorn informed her. Inwardly he smiled. He knew what she was thinking. She was not pleased with Vernon's methods of matchmaking. He couldn't blame her, though he was happy that she was his.

Aura nodded as she picked up the empty packsack and held it to herself as she spoke. "Then we better start so we can get it over with."

She led the way out of the building with quick, almost running, steps stopping only when she reached their horses. She smiled at Thorn's squire as he pa.s.sed her the reigns to her mount and then, turning to her husband, she reached for her roll. Thorn smiled at her display of independence as she rejected his offer to secure her belonging for her, insisting that she do it herself. She also insisted on mounting her horse without aid.

"I am ready." She announced when she had settled.

Thorn nodded, suppressing a smile so she would not think he was laughing at her then mounted his own horse, an animal that she felt almost made hers look half grown. The warhorse stood quietly beneath his master, awaiting the command to move and she acknowledged the breeding and training it must have taken to get him to do the things he did. She had read books on how important a good warhorse was to a warrior. She knew he would have to have been one of the best, for she had a feeling that Thorn would not have settled for less.

Thorn smiled down at Aura, exhibiting a fondness for her that he wished she would acknowledge. He watched as she admired his mount and knew that she recognized the great stallion for what he was. She was, he acknowledged a complicated woman, and there were so many things about her that pleased him. There were so many things that he was going to have to learn about her before he could say that he really knew her.

Signi called out to Aura from the doorway as she ran to her side to pa.s.s a message of farewell on to her.

"I wanted to talk to you before you left, but did not expect you to leave quite this early. Everything will be all right, but only if you let it be. Please Aura, promise me that you will give it a chance?"

Aura thought for a moment as she looked down at her sister in law from her position on the mare then gave a quick jerky nod as she replied. "Only if you promise to visit us at Christmas."

Signi beamed up at her as she promised she would then ran around to her brother, and was lifted onto his horse as he wrapped her in his arms to give her a big bear hug.

"I never get to see enough of you big brother. It seems you no sooner arrive than I am bidding you farewell. Promise that you will think of me from time to time?"

"How could I not? You have given me the greatest gift a sister could give a brother? Be happy Signi, and remember us in your prayers. I will send an escort for you at Yule time." Thorn promised.

Signi gave him one last kiss and hug then leaned over to hug Aura one last time before they parted. In doing so she left her with one last message. "I am going to miss you so much, remember, you are loved dearly by all of us. Take care of Thorn for me." Signi then sat back straight on her brother's horse and he lowered her onto the ground, giving her hand a fond squeeze of farewell, and a smile of grat.i.tude as he did.

Aura held her trembling lip between her teeth and urged her horse forward. It was either that, or she was going to make a complete fool of herself by bursting into tears. She was loved! If only she could believe that. No one had ever, in truth, ever told her that they loved her before. Now she was headed for a life alien to everything she had ever known and as she rode a tear trickled from the side of one of her eyes.

Other than the silent tears, Aura gave no indication of the turmoil going on inside of her mind. She held her chin high and rode, looking as if she was in an equestrian compet.i.tion, her posture rigid beside the more relaxed position of her husband. The men fell in around and behind them. She did not even look back to see her friend waving her last farewell to them as they started their journey. She wondered if she would be capable of handling what life was about to hand her. She then smiled wryly. She did not have much of a choice in the matter, did she?

Thorn set a fast, hard pace, for his men and his wife, deciding to follow her earlier advice to get the trip over with, and despite several rest stops during the day, he noticed Aura visibly droop in her saddle. She had not expected the trip to be so taxing. It had not seemed that way with Vernon, but then he never seemed to spend the time Thorn did in the saddle. He rode up to her side and for the first time since they started he spoke with her.

"You are tired Aura, I will have the troop stop and set up camp."

In a cutting manner Aura responded. "Do not do me any favors Thorn, I will not thank you for them. Nor will your men if you show them you are going soft."

"My men will not think any less of me for my stopping to care for my wife." Thorn snapped back.

"I guess money can buy anything, even in this time and age. Am I right Thorn? Even the respect and loyalty of your men?"

Thorn's lips tightened at the intended slur and he controlled his temper with difficulty as he replied. "Have it your way Aura, we will continue to ride. You will find; my wife, that the loyalty and respect shown to me by my men is earned, not bought. As shall your love."

"I will never love you." Aura hissed stubbornly.

"That is not the way I remember it." Thorn taunted with a smug smile and a heated look. He then watched her face go up in flames with a satisfaction born out of scoring a major point.

"What happened that night had nothing to do with love," Aura snapped back.

Thorn gave a hoot of laughter and replied. "You might know a lot Aura, but you have a lot more to learn, especially when it comes to life and the types of feelings involved in the type of attraction we have for each other."

"I am not attracted to you." Aura denied.

"Really?" Thorn caressed her with another heated look and she squirmed beneath his gaze as he huskily suggested, "perhaps it is time for another lesson."

"Lesson?" Aura shot him a horrified look.

"In just how attracted you really are to me." Thorn reminded her.

It was not a subject she wanted brought up and her face flared an even deeper shade of red. To cover her feelings she urged her horse faster as she snapped in irritation. "School is out as far as this student is concerned."

Thorn chuckled as he watched her ride ahead, her back ramrod straight and her head tilted in a stubborn indignant angle. He did so love a woman with spirit and Aura had more than her share.

A half an hour later he noticed her begin to droop again and rather than approach her in a verbal fas.h.i.+on, he rode up beside her to lift her from her horse. He placed her in front of him on his own horse and continued to ride. This time she didn't make any objections, not even when he covered her with the cape he wore to ward off the chill of the early fall air. He held her with her back against his chest and his cheek pressed against the side of her temple.

Left on her own Thorn knew that Aura would have never admitted to either her fatigue, or her cold, but as the warmth of his cape and body engulfed her she found herself drawing closer to him. Shortly thereafter she fell asleep. When Thorn noticed her nodding as she dozed, he ordered a stop to their travels for the day. He pa.s.sed her down to Edwin, before dismounting to give the reigns of his own horse over to his squire and issued his orders.

"Rub them both down well George then water them and leave them to feed. I would suggest you get some sleep as well, you are about dead on your feet."

Within moments of the Lord Thorn's feet touching the ground his men had set up his tent and as soon as he finished giving his squire his orders he turned to his brother and took his wife back from him, asking as he did.

"Still think she is not the right woman for me Edwin? Or does your opinion from yesterday still stand?"

"I have never said that I did not admire her spirit Thorn, and yes, my belief from yesterday still stands, for it was the day before when I objected."

Thorn walked, as he spoke, making his way over to his tent and put Aura into their blankets on the ground then turned back to his brother, who led the way back outside.

"She has a story to tell Edwin and one day I will hear it, but that is not why I married her. I had met her before and she has haunted my memory since." Thorn spoke as he settled by a private fire. His brother offered him a warm drink, which had just been brought to him by his own squire. He sat and continued his tale. "We met for the first time almost two years ago, she was living with the biggest snake I had ever seen at the time. Along with the wolf now sleeping at our feet."

"You never told me about it, why?" Edwin wanted to know. It was not like Thorn to hold things back from him. Especially not something like this. Or maybe it was because this, specifically, was so special to him. Maybe something inside his brother had told him that it meant too much to share. He wondered if even Thorn understood. Most men would not.

"I never told anyone about it. I think I was hoping that if I tried to forget about her, I would. It did not quite work out that way." Thorn admitted.

"I always wondered what happened that time you came back half healed. Would you tell me now that it seems to have come full circle?" Edwin asked.

"She had moved me from a forest clearing to her cave, which was some miles away. She sewed up my wounds and set my arm. She nursed me through a fever for a period of time and cared for me after I woke. At first I did not know what to think of her. Anyone else might have let me die. Aura chose not to."

"You fell in love with her there?" Edwin asked. He thought that was probably what had happened, but needed to have Thorn's verification to be sure.

Thorn gave a bark of laughter then admitted, "Lord no, more like I fell in l.u.s.t for her there, not that it did me any good. Aura would have nothing to do with me. She fought me, she set her wolf on me to protect herself when I attacked her and tried to force her. Sometimes, with the way that animal looks at me I swear that wolf still remembers her treatment at my hand."

"Did you rape her?" Edwin could have cared less if Thorn had, though it would not have been like his brother to have done so. Thorn did not condone such actions.

"No, however, I could never seem to keep my hands off of her. She called her wolf, and when I cooled off she ordered me to leave, but only after telling me how to remove the st.i.tches from my wound. I vowed I would find her some day and when I did, I would make her mine." Thorn confessed.

"You did not seem overly eager to do so when you first arrived at Vernon's." Edwin noted. He remembered the mood Thorn had returned in from speaking with Vernon the day before the banquet. He had been surly and everyone had avoided him.

"She did come as a bit of a shock. I had never expected to find her under Vernon's protection. I did not know what to think, she could have been anything to him. It had been a long time since I had seen her. I wasn't sure she was even the same person. Not until I spoke with Vernon and he told me her history. I had been a bachelor for a long time. It was not something I was going to give up without a struggle. I needed something to push me over the edge."

"What made you really decide to go through with it?" Edwin wondered. He remembered Thorn deep in prayer searching for the very thing he now thought he had found. He had never expected his brother to fight an attraction he had wanted so badly.

"I think it was a combination of Signi's prodding and an uncomfortable urge to make her mine. Seeing her being offered to Roberts was enough to make any decent man want to do something, anything in fact, to help her." Thorn admitted.

"So what do you think she will say when she sees your home Thorn? It is not exactly what a Lady expects to find waiting for her, although it is without doubt better than a cave and only temporary until your true house is built."

"We shall see little brother, we shall see." Thorn slapped Edwin on the shoulder then pushed him off towards his own tent. "Now go, get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be another tiring day."

"You are being too hard on your new wife Thorn." Edwin warned.

"You hear her complaining?" Thorn asked.

"No," Edwin admitted, before adding: "And I bet you will not either." He then walked off.

Thorn smiled at his brother's retreating form then entered his own tent to make his way to his wife's side. He sighed, feeling the sudden weight of his own fatigue and noticed Aura s.h.i.+vering in her sleep, with the chill of the ground beneath her. He removed his cape, to use as an extra covering for the both of them then laid down beside her to take her into his arms and share his heat with her, as she had done with him when she had cared for him in the cave.

Aura snuggled up to the warmth emitted by her husband's body and gave a light whimper as he put his arms about her. She moved about restlessly, until she held him in return then, using his shoulder as a pillow, she sighed as he pressed a kiss on her temple. She was over tired and over taxed and he knew she would be sore from riding so long. She was not used to long hours in the saddle and he knew from experience how painful that could be.

He closed his eyes, as he held Aura closer and smelled the sweetness that seemed to cling to her like perfume. He brushed his lips over hers in a fleeting fas.h.i.+on then sighed with regret. If he had remained at Vernon's he would have been sampling her favors once more. With this trip it could be almost a full week before she would be in any shape to receive him.

Well, he conceded, it was not that unusual that he traveled and lived without the favors of a woman. It was harder this time though, because he found himself without any great control, especially with this particular woman at hand. As this had never happened with any other woman, it gave him something to wonder about.

He didn't wonder long as sleep overcame him. When he woke in the morning, Aura had already risen, bathed, and had made a fire, where she was sitting as she braided her hair. He could hardly believe that she was able to bounce back so quick. Perhaps he was underestimating his bride. He decided he would be able to tell better when they arrived home.

Thorn had not been the only one surprised by Aura's resiliency as Edwin had watched his new sister in law extract herself with extreme care from his brother's arms then slink from the camp, to be followed by her wolf. As he had been a.s.signed the dawn watch detail he had risen to accompany her, knowing that if anything happened to her during his watch Thorn would never forgive him.

Edwin watched as the wolf took up a guard position to protect his lady and Edwin smiled at the thought of a dog doing the same job that he had done at camp and doing it so well. The wolf was, Edwin thought, almost as good as he was at watching, which he considered just as well, for if he had been equal in task, he would have been discovered. As it was he was not too brave when he stalked them, for he felt that discovery could prove quite painful.

Feeling more than a little proud of himself Edwin smiled at his astuteness. Most men would have missed seeing Aura as she had left the camp. She was good at making herself disappear. He thought of the look that was apt to cross over his brother's face when he woke to find his wife gone without his noticing her defection and he grinned. Thorn had always prided himself on his lightness of sleep.

Edwin followed Aura for almost a mile and a half before he came across her beside a river. He watched as she sat on the ground and let her hair down to comb it out. He froze as he noticed her careful scanning of her surroundings. Then, satisfied that she was alone, she undressed, and slipped naked into the river to swim and clean herself. When she was through with her body she washed her clothing thoroughly and hung them on some bushes to dry.

No wonder his brother l.u.s.ted after his wife and feared losing her. She was glorious. Edwin sighed to himself and frowned as he pushed a hand through his hair, thinking as he did, that he had been away from his own wife too long. For as attractive as he thought Aura might be, she was Thorn's wife and not worth the trouble that the feelings she was unconsciously inciting in him would cause. He decided that she would be safe, guarded by her wolf as she was, and he left, going as silently as he came, to make his way back to his place at camp.

Aura returned to the camp over a half an hour later to make her way over to the center of the campsite, which had been designated at the place for the main fire. Edwin watched as she placed the wood on the still glowing embers of the fire from the night before then watched as she settled down to care for her hair.

Thorn, he noticed, began to stir in his sleep and became aware that he was alone in his bed. He smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt as he watched the look of fear and watchfulness that come over Thorn's face then noted the look of relief as he spotted her, braiding her hair by the fire.

Life was going to be interesting at Thorn's for a while and Edwin wished he lived closer. Elizabeth was going to love her new sister in law. They would have to get together as often as they could.

CHAPTER XIX.

Both brothers watched Aura as she tended to herself then jumped visibly as her wolf howled in the distance. She smiled, and turning, noticed Thorn as he rose to approach her. She flashed him a bigger smile as she invited.

"Do you want to come along, or am I on my own?"

He smiled back as he held out a hand to her to help her up as he asked. "So where are we going?"

"About a half a mile North. Wolf has brought down an animal that he cannot drag on his own. He calls for help." She finished rising then let go of his hand as she raced to her horse, calling back to him as she ran. "Do not dawdle, he is not on his own out there you know."

She jumped onto the horse bareback and raced towards the sound of the wolf's second summons. Thorn followed suit, shouting orders as he started after her.

"A few of you can follow me, the rest can break camp and get ready to ride. When you join us ahead we will eat then start anew for home."

Edwin took over, glancing at Thorn as he galloped off after his wife to answer the call of the wolf. He snapped out a few names and orders then headed for his own horse to follow Thorn's trail. They were not going to leave him behind. He led a small troop of men and he rode to see for himself whether the wolf really killed for his lady or not.

Thorn almost caught up to Aura as she led the field and had to reign in sharp as he watched her hurl herself from the mare to race to Wolf's side. The wolf, it was plain to see, was quite proud of itself, as it had every right to be. It had just brought down an eight point stag, all on its own. It was a feat any man would be proud of, never mind a single wolf.