Eleanor Ch. 14

"Ragnar, we were wondering how long it would take you!" Nikolai jumped from the rocks smiling before shaking Ragnar's hand. Lowering his voice, Nikolai tried to keep his anger and apprehension from showing. "Where is my brother?"

"He is coming soon Nikolai."

"And he brings the female?"

Ragnar glanced quickly at Nikolai, an expression of shock crossing his face before his usual calm returned to him. "What do you know of her?"

"I know that Bruni told me the contract had to be fulfilled." Nikolai felt the anger in him spread, he did not want to be here, he did not want to deal with her, or Bruni, or the infuriating contract. Hell, he wanted to run, and if he had any sense, or if his legs would actually obey his mind at this moment, he would be smart enough to escape while Bruni and the wench were still out of sight.

"Excuse me Nikolai." Ragnar bit out before heading swiftly for the boat.

Nikolai watched as Ragnar practically stalked away from him, the rage coming from him was as perplexing as it was strong.

Why would Ragnar get angry about that? It had nothing to do with him, that he knew of anyway. Nikolai's confusion clawed at him; irritated him.

Until he saw a fair angel curled in the embrace of his little brother.

Hair of sunshine gold fanned around her, framing pale skin, her lithe figure held so close in Bruni's arms, pulled tight against his chest as they broke through the trees and onto the beach. Nikolai's temper flared, her hand was clutching his brother's shirt, his face was leant down near hers, and kissing her swollen lips intermittently, the smiles from one to another reflected some matter of emotion.

She was beautiful.

Realization dawned sharply on Nikolai; Ragnar's anger over Bruni telling him that this woman was part of the contract. Ragnar wanted her to remain Bruni's, wanted the knowledge of the contract to remain a secret. The consequences of the contract being found out, having been betrayed were dire. Bruni was too young to remember the contract being made, too young to know the consequences. Nikolai did not have that excuse. He was there the day the contract was made.

He felt sick. He did not know what to do; he did not know who to tell of what turned his stomach. If anyone else knew she was the one, if the bastard found out; all the peace that had prevailed these past twenty years or so would be lost. This was the reason he had escaped, roamed Europe, Britain, even the hotter climates of the south; he never wanted Finnvid's ploy to come to pass. His Grandfather had wanted this, had made sure they aligned with the Haur's, watching, waiting...for a child from Bjorn. Finnvid wanted a daughter to be born; and as long as it was Bjorn's, it would be a royal.

Nikolai shuddered, sitting down on the cold rocks out of the way of the men loading supplies to the boats, out of the way of Bruni wading through the shallow water, and climbing the ladder before passing Eleanor over the side. Nikolai needed to tell him, needed to stop him from growing too attached, needed to protect them both, he told his body this, told himself to move, but could not, his limbs would no longer listen, they would not obey, at least not in the direction he needed to go. Jumping to his feet, Nikolai headed into the woods, not far, just enough to be alone, alone in his anger, his rage.

Finnvid was an evil man, no matter he was their grandfather; he was evil, crooked and spiteful. Nikolai had been living with him since his mother's death, unable to accept his sorrow, and then unable to accept Astrid as his next mother when his father found love once more. And the twisted man attempted to mould him, convince him to his side...Nikolai could still remember the clause Finnvid added to the parchment...

If the Haur child, borne from Bjorn, prince son of Cristoph Haur, Prince of Anarja of the South; be a male child he shall wed the first unwed female from the great warrior family of Auden, first daughter of Broddi, great son of Finnvid Auden. If the Haur child be borne a female child, she shall be bride to the eldest son of Broddi, great son of Finnvid Auden. So upon the Honor of our families, this contract shall be upheld.

Except Finnvid held a motive behind the contract; a grandchild being molded to his will, a grandson being readied for the possibility of a princess. A male he could control on the long vacated throne.

Nikolai let his rage fly at the oak in front of him, seeing Finnvid's face on every strike, hating him with every punch. He had thought himself finally free, thought that with the tragic death of Bjorn that the contract could be forgotten. His grandfather bound to the peace he had "bargained" for.

But now...now he would be forced to see through with the contract; because only Nikolai knew the truth behind the infighting, the truth of Finnvid's involvement. Only Nikolai knew the truth behind the contract. And he knew he could not let Bruni fall for Eleanor.

She was the price of the contract for peace.

***

Kailara curled her legs beneath her as she found a spot at the bow of Bruni's boat; her arms leant over the side as she peered back at the shoreline. She was finally about to leave these hellish lands, escape from her memories, and reluctantly leave her precious boy. Fingering the leather at her throat she remembered him, her little boy, her Alexander.

All those days they spent traveling across the great expanse of land, talking of all the different animals he saw, talking of the fairies that lived in the different lands. She remembered the day she finished making this for him, similar to the one his father wore, bound and twisted leather, soft and supple with the endless manipulating she had put into it while they traveled, embroidering their sacred words of love and protection, of life into it before placing it around his neck as he slept. Alexander looked just like his father, rosy skin, dusk hair and eyes, and the most peaceful countenance. He was a child of angels. And now he resided with them.

Kailara swallowed her memories, unwilling to free her tears in front of strangers. Pulling the blanket Ragnar had given her closer around her as dusk settled over this evil land, Kailara rested her head against the smooth wood as a man emerged from the woods...the black mood of him radiated outwards, a shield against those who would approach him, making those who would welcome him look upon him with caution as he stalked through the shallow water to the boat, jumping up onto deck with little more than a slight shove against the wood.

Kailara watched from her nook behind a rowing bench as he stormed around the empty deck, his hand forcing its way in frustration through his thick ash blonde hair, his entire frame taut as he cursed violently, the veins on his huge arms and neck standing out so much Kailara wondered whether they would rupture.

She watched in silence as he paced next to the platform, on several occasions walking with forceful purpose towards the small opening to the shallow deck below, one of only two of Bruni's ten ships to be designed thus; designed to hold The Auden themselves. He continued to falter, stepping back from the gap as though reconsidering, before resuming his copious cursing. She listened as the older man sent prayers and curses skyward, setting his head within his hands before sinking to the deck with his back against the rowing bench.

"Good evening." She whispered to the irate man.

Nikolai lifted his head at the melodic tone, the eastern accent; and looked into the darkest eyes he had ever seen.

***

Bruni was practically storming down the middle of the boat, his eyes fixed on the solid door in front and the need to get to it, through it, to the privacy the other side offered him. Eleanor was still tucked up against him, her body relaxed, her hands still holding him to her tightly as she kissed the small area of his collarbone she had exposed. Her tentative touches were driving him wild; his skin was hotter than the old forge, he was rock hard and aching; he almost did not think he could manage to restrain himself enough to go slow with her untried body as her tongue snaked out and licked the skin over his pulse.

Bruni shoved the heavy door back so hard it nearly fell from its moorings before he stepped through, stopped, and cursed.

On the other side of the linen drape, lay a deeply slumbering Kate; Ragnar lay next to her, stoking his sleeping woman. Bruni didn't know whether to cry or shout his infuriation, his erection pressed relentlessly against the laced trousers he wore, straining to be inside the lush woman in his arms. As though realizing his hesitation, Eleanor pulled away from her caresses of his skin seeing Kate and Ragnar, as he sat upon the cot with her still against him.

"Just hold me for now Bruni." She whispered. "For now, please."

Eleanor smiled at the deep grumble that came from his chest, and kissed the spot it came from.

"Eleanor, keep that up and I will be taking you here and now, whether our friends in the room or not." Bruni whispered to her, his voice so much deeper, huskier than he had ever heard it as he chastised her gentle ministrations. If only she knew just what they were doing to him. Leaning back in the cot, Bruni took up the cold wall of the boat, lying on his side as he pulled Eleanor up close to him.

"But I do not wish to take you without privacy between us; I want you all to myself."

Bruni stumbled with his words as he looked down at her lying in his sheets, her long hair tucked beneath her head so as to not lie on it, her rose pink lips still slightly swollen from his kisses. She was all he had ever wanted. And everything he should not have. The Goddess must hate him to have cursed him so; but he could not go further without knowing, he could not let his last piece of guard drop and break his honor to be with her if she did not feel anything like how he felt about her. He had to ask her. Taking a deep breath, he looked into her eyes.

"Do you care for me Eleanor?"

***

Erick shifted on the horse, trying to get comfortable as they rode through the quiet evening. Matilda had long since fallen into well needed slumber leaning back against him, and Erick found himself more often than not gazing over his wife's features than the road. She was a beautiful creature. She had renounced her title, given up her lands; all to be his. He was blessed by Freya herself for such a gift, a beautiful princess as his wife; when he had been nothing more than a boat maker. He was glad when she kept her family name, it kept her safe, made sure she still had respect from townspeople, and other villages; her brother Bjorn had demanded that she not be made outcast for choosing a man she loved. He had respected that man so much.

Erick groaned when she shifted in his arms once more, rubbing against him, he needed to get some distance from her before he tumbled her to the floor and took her like a mad man. She deserved more than that, more than him. Erick was angry with himself; he should never have left her so unprotected, nor his precious Anika.

He would put this right for them all, another three days and they would be within the safety of Astrid's court, within the week they would be home.

And he would see Sibbe hang for her deceit.

Slowing down the mare he had purchased for them, Erick nuzzled at his wife's exposed throat, the heat of the skin there was incredible, her fragrance pulsated under her skin warmed by the heat of her blood and he wanted more, wished they were home in the bed he had made for their wedding night, the bed where they had created their children; where they had made love until the new day had dawned before bathing together in the sea coves. Two years he had been away from her, away from his home, Gods how he had missed her; missed her fragrance, the sound of her laughter, the sound of her pleasure.

Brushing his fingers over her heated skin, Erick moved her long dark hair over her shoulder before returning to kiss the curve of her neck, licking and nipping, anything to have a taste of her once more. When she stirred in his arms, and turned her midnight black eyes to his, Erick was done for. He needed his wife.

"Matilda I...-I..." He stuttered; he felt as though he had no right to ask her, no right to ask for anything.

Matilda could not answer him with words. So she showed him with a kiss. Turning her head so she was arched in his arms, she kissed him, her mouth fierce and strong against his own as she shivered from this contact with him she had missed, and so craved these long two years; kisses she had wished she could wake up to, memories of their love making only barely seeing to her needs and longing for her absent husband, but never sating her. Matilda swung her leg over the tall mare's slender neck, before dropping to the ground as Erick followed her quickly, grabbing the blankets he had purchased for them along with the mare.

"Come to me Erick."

***

Nikolai was stunned; he could not tear his eyes from the small woman on the deck opposite him. Her slight form shivering in the chilly air as the men finally began to move the boats from shore, working in small teams of six in the still waters.

"Good evening." He offered back to her, still stuck in her gaze; held prisoner in eyes that reflected such sorrow, such pain he could not nor never comprehend. "I am Nikolai, Bruni's brother."

"Kailara."

She could not speak. This man was staring so intently at her it was unnerving, especially given his outburst of frustration on the deck while he thought no one was watching, it made her quiver slightly that the male with all that tension was now focused on her. Pulling herself tighter against the wood, Kailara studied Nikolai in return; not overly handsome, he was tall and broad, his blonde hair kept at shoulder length unlike his brother's long trail. He held many scars over his arms, at his throat, and on his face. This was a man not unused to fighting. Although whether they were noble wounds, or from him seeking pleasure in dangerous places, she could not determine without first knowing the man.

"You came aboard with Ragnar."

It seemed more of a statement than a question, yet Kailara felt compelled to answer him.

"I did. I was imprisoned with Eleanor."

Kailara shivered again when she thought she saw the large male's extraordinary blue eyes darken fiercely; his face twist slightly in a grimace before he could catch himself and regain control. She saw him rise and come to her, the shadow he cast upon her with his back to the candles loomed, and she felt like a small child in his presence before he stopped in front of her.

Nikolai removed a blanket from under the rower bench and sank down beside Kailara, pushing her forward slightly to get the rough wool around her back and his own before pulling the rest of it across their fronts. He felt her stiffen as soon as he touched her, her entire stature went rigid as his fingers grazed her shoulder to move her back, and he went stiff with rage when her loose fitting tunic came away from her shoulder, and he saw cane marks and lashes over the bared flesh of a malnourished limb. Pulling her back sharply against him when one of the men came up from the platform, Nikolai protected her from the view of the man before he walked the aisle to take his place with the rowers.

"Did Stephen do this to you?" Nikolai asked quietly, he did not want the men to hear their conversation.

"No. His men did." Kailara turned her head at the barely there growl that she wasn't sure if she had heard him emit. "I really don't want to talk about any of it Nikolai."

"Very well," he agreed, he didn't think he could stomach listening to her tale just yet, from the marks on her body, he could tell it was not something he could listen to without wanting to kill something.

"Its cold out Nikolai, here's some cider." One of the men said quietly, stepping from the platform behind them and leaving the clay bottle and two cups.

"Thank you Eown." He replied, pouring two glasses that steamed slightly in the frigid air. "Here, warm yourself."

Kailara smiled, taking the warm liquid and downing it, asking for another.

"I have been through Denmark, and to Sweden, but never your country." She paused, enjoying the feeling of warmth spreading through her from the bitter sweet drink. "Tell me of Norway Nikolai."

***

Eleanor felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked into eyes that held caution as a barrier between her and his emotion; a stoic expression lay upon his usually relaxed features as he waited for an answer to his whispered question. She could feel his large hands make fists, his knees begin to shake lightly beneath her body as she continued to look at him, her mouth curled into a small and private smile as she moved one hand from around his neck and smoothed her palm over his cheek, enjoying the rough texture of him, his slight beard from the long weeks from his home. Eleanor watched him as he closed his eyes to her touch, his breath expelling on her chilled skin through the ripped tunic when she traced her fingertips over his lips.

"I do not care for you Bruni." Eleanor paused, as his eyes opened to look down at her. "I love you."

***