A Thousand Cranes Ch. 02

Some people emailed me begging to finish this story. In my mind the concept already developed and died with the first entry, and I don't have an urge to complete it. But then I thought about how pissed off I get when I encountered unfinished stories. So I'm writing this last part to help make sense of the first half and provide closure.

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He had only wanted to see her happy eyes look upon him again. Five years had passed since she first appeared on his doorstep wearing the most obscene, yet tantalizing clothes he had ever seen on a woman. Her shoulders were bare, reddening quite quickly to the sun, and her dress wrapped loosely around her body, doing nothing for her curves. And yet she reminded him of a forest nymph, her wild undone hair whipping about, as she gaze upon him with such love and adoration, he thought himself to be a God.

And now, five years later, she appeared at his door step. Her clothes weren't necessarily more conservative. She wore a strange pair of breeches, blue and rough in color, which drew gazes towards her center. The rest of her clothes were equally as undesirable, and William threw his cloak over her shoulders to avoid the judging gazes from other servants.

Since her appearance, the house came alive again. Rumor had it that William had no intention of making her his servant. But she had refused to see anyone, including William, and would not talk to anyone, unless it was to Sarah.

On the first night of her arrival, he could not sleep. The pain in his chest caused him to twist and turn all night at the thought of Lena right there. He knew it was her. He had asked Sarah to make sure that there was a birthmark on Lena's left shoulder blade. It was. She was here but not with him. The look of love in her eyes had completely disappeared, along with the memory of him.

But it was her. He knew without a doubt that the girl who had appeared on his door step was the same woman who had damaged his heart. While she refused to speak to him, he had Sarah coax stories out of her, and each night Sarah reported to him on Lena's progress. Other than her slow acceptance that she was going to stay at the manor, Lena did not seem too keen on the idea of spending time with him.

In fact, whenever he walked into a room, she would excuse herself. When he asked her to dinner, she would politely request to eat in her room. He tried to corner her in the garden, but her violently shaking had him cursing as he fled the scene, not sure what his anger would do to her fragile mind.

What he wouldn't give for the same eager Lena from before. The one that tried to spend every waking moment near him, and looked at him with such emotion he thought she would explode before him. He didn't know how he ever thought her irritating - no, he had never found her like that - he had just been intimated by being loved so much. No one had ever loved him the way she had. Every caress and touch from her was supportive, giving him a peace of mind even during his temper tantrums.

William sank into the bath Lena had prepared for him. After a week of going nowhere, Lena had insisted on becoming a maid. Initially her request revolted him. Never again, he roared, never again was she going to be placed in a subordinate position. It reminded him too much of the cruelty he had subjected her to. But she insisted on earning her keep.

She wanted to owe him nothing.

Didn't she understand? He owed her everything. When he brought up how he had tortured her, how he made her life as his maid absolutely horrible, she only looked back at him with a blank stare. "I've never seen you in my life, my lord," she would whisper, her gaze towards the ground.

It was the way she said those words that convinced him more than ever she was the same Lena. Yes, my lord. No, my lord. As you wish, my lord. A slight hint of sarcasm tinged the beginning and end of her words.

"I'm ready," he murmured as the warm water clouded his lower body from being seen. "Come wash me, Lena."

He heard her footsteps coming from behind him. He had granted her wish to earn her keep. Not a single muscle betrayed her thoughts when he announced her replacing Sarah as his personal slave. For the first few days, Sarah remained by his side to show Lena what to do, but Lena caught on very quickly, once again confirming that she was the same woman he once knew.

"Is the water good, my lord?"

"Yes, it is very good."

He moaned as she worked out the kinks in his shoulder. As she moved down to lather his chest, he reached out and caught her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Lena gasped in shock, jerking it away.

"My lord..."

"It was to tell you how much I like what you're doing."

He knew his rough ways would only scare her. He had seen it from the very first day that she had to be treated as gently as possible. Like magic, over night, he gave up all his bad habits. Most of them had only developed because of her disappearance anyway.

When she had returned, he felt a new sense of life. Then when she displayed no recognition of him, he thought about hitting the bottle once more. He emptied an entire bottle of whiskey, the alcoholic infused brain of his addled his sense as he stormed into her room, cornering her until she cried. When he woke up, he was on the floor and Lena was in the furthest corner of the room.

Making her his personal servant was a terrifyingly difficult ordeal, but it was the only choice he offered her, and he was happy when she consented. Just not as joyful as he could've been had she agreed to live with him as an equal.

Lena continued to wash his body, paying attention to the stiff muscles underneath his skin. William closed his eyes, inhaling her scent.

"Tell me about yourself, Lena."

"There's nothing to talk about."

He opened one eye and caught her face only inches from his. She blushed a scarlet red, and the heat from her cheeks radiated like a flame. "Even the mundane, daily things, Lena. I want to hear them." He paused, and then added, "Your voice soothes me."

"Um... well." He heard her sigh and felt her breath rush over his wet skin. A thick part of him tingled. "I was born... somewhere far from here. My mother and father are di... not together. They spent years fighting over custody of me - "

"Custody?"

"Oh. Like the rights to care for me."

"Like papers?"

"Yeah, something like that."

William frowned. "I don't want to hear a sad story. Tell me a happy one about you."

"My life doesn't contain any happy stories, my lord."

Her hand stilled over his. She breathed in heavily and exhaled just as noisily before slowly massaging his hand. William felt the tension leave as she laced her fingers with his and began shaking his arm.

"That can't be true. You used to tell me happy stories about us," his voice was coy, teasing the memories she didn't have. "Stories that involved you and me like this."

Lena wasn't sure why William insisted that they shared something, or that they had some previous relationship. She had asked Sarah about it once. The poor servant girl nearly cried her eyes out as she explained how much Lord William loved her, how she loved him too and now it was just a sad story that she couldn't remember him.

Their palms bounced back and forth. Then she began to tug at each finger, stretching out tiny muscles he didn't even know he used.

She didn't remember those stories, because they never happened. Lena made the mistake of mentioning that once. The fury in William's eyes had her running out the door, but he caught up with her even before she made it outside. His arms had wrapped around her like steel bands as he muttered in her ear, "You will remember them, Lena. I'll do anything in my power to make you remember."

He was certifiably insane. A certifiably hot, insane manor owner from some old time period. Lena simply nodded and said she'd try her best, and that seemed to placate him enough to let her go.

She gulped as his eyes turned to her, full of expectations. "Wh-why don't you retell the stories to me while I finish your bath?"

That answer seemed to please him.

He launched into a story that played out similar to how she had gotten to this god-forsake time period. Even when his skin pruned and Lena forced him out of the bath, he wouldn't stop the story. And Lena found herself encouraging him as well. Not only were they interesting, featuring her a million times over, but they seemed to be made up of a fantasy only Lena had thought she wanted.

Lena managed to dress William without looking at his privates. Her shyness caused William to laugh, and when she was done fixing his robe, he held her hands in front of him.

"Lena," he said softly. "Lena, look at me."

His breath hitched as her large eyes gazed up at him. All the emotions from the four years came rushing back to him in full force. He wanted to take her. The memory of her tightness grew on him slowly like a deep breath, and he felt the blood rush to his lower region.

"Don't run from me again."

"I-...where would I go? I don't even know where I am."

Half consent, half confusion - Lena gripped the edge of his robe as he pulled her close to him. Her knuckles were white, not knowing if pushing away would only bring her closer.

Gods, she was driving him mad. He wanted her so much, not just physically, but emotionally. The memory of their last night together plagued his mind. He had begged her to belong to him, to promise not to leave him, and in return she left him.

"It took me so long to admit that I loved you. You waited so long for me to love you. So when I finally did, why did you leave? Why did you leave before I could tell you? When I finally wanted you to stay, you left me!"

He tore away from her, his robe fell open as it ripped from her clenched fists. William made no move to cover himself up as he sat on his bed, his head in his hands. He was crying, the pain finally catching up with him now that she stood before him, the feelings he had relied on for so long now completely gone. Obliterated.

Footsteps came gently closer to him and he saw her kneel beside him, compassion filling her eyes. William looked away. He did not want her pity, her help or her compassion. He didn't want anything from her unless she was returning his love, a love he was returning first.

"William."

The sound of his name from her lips had his full attention. She had never said his name before.

"William," she said again, more clearly, until he looked at her. She gasped at the sight of his watery eyes. "I'm very sorry about the love you lost. I don't know who broke your heart, but... I'm not her. I think if you want get over that, if you stop waiting for her, you'll finally heal."

He shook his head. "What? No. You're Lena. The same."

"We might share the same face and name, but I'm not her, William." Her voice was calm and soothing, sounding more like his Lena than ever before. "You said she was twenty-five, right? I'm eighteen. You said she loved you. I barely know you. William, look at me. Look at me carefully. Am I the same woman?"

There was no reason for her ask him. He was already staring at her, wondering how she could be even more beautiful to him now. It wasn't just her youth, it was the innocent look in her eyes, the untainted glaze that was different from the one he saw five years ago. No matter what she had said, he found that he couldn't believe her. She was the same Lena. The only explanation for her change must've been memory loss. That thought comforted him all the more.

Perhaps she had not chosen to leave him. Perhaps she had gone out in the morning to pick berries or mushrooms and accidentally fell over, losing her memory in the process. But that thought tore through him even stronger than the thought of her willingly leaving.

Because he had made her promise not to leave him. He made her promise, and if she had agreed, she would not have suffered. He would've been there for her. His chest threatened to suffocate him right there as he stared back at the woman he loved, the one who no longer recognized her love for him. Slowly, he dragged her up and sat her down on the bed.

Her eyes flickered with fear but she did not move.

"My lord..." she said hesitantly as he caressed her cheek.

He leaned in and paused, waiting to see if she would turn in fear, but instead she closed her eyes. A thrill ran through him before it was replaced with a strange mixture of anger and sadness. "Why aren't you turning away now?"

"You won't hurt me, will you?"

William exhaled as he gathered her into his arms. "Never. I've hurt you so much already. I promised I would never do it again."

Lena nodded into his chest. She pulled back, holding his face in her hands, making sure he looked her straight in the eyes.

"You are one of the most handsome men I've ever seen. I'm... I'm jealous of this other Lena."

Not wanting to hear another word, not wanting to even entertain the thought that he was betraying his only love with a replica, William advanced with the prowl of a panther. He pushed Lena into the bed, attacking her mouth with the long built of passion of four years. He nipped and sucked, taking every bit of her that he could get, and her mewling sounds only encouraged him further.

Rolling to his side, he settled Lena on top of him, controlling the erratic movement of her hips so that she could move against his hardening cock. "Ah yes," he groaned as he felt her undergarments grow damp. "Let me undress you."

His hands went to work until every piece slipped off. With a swipe, he had her clothing dashed to the ground. He growled with satisfaction at the sight of her lithe and toned body. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but compare how much smaller she seemed. Perhaps she had lost weight. But he knew this was his Lena. Every curve of her body and every sound she made was unique to his senses.

When he felt her slickness coat his cock, he wetted his finger in her juices and began massaging her clit, causing her to buck even more wildly. "Lena, slow down," he rasped, "slow down, sweetheart."

"No, please, go faster. Faster, oh my god. Please!"

He felt her squirm and take control, and as she moved, he realized that she was moving to her own rhythm. Her eyes were closed. What was she thinking of? William shot up from lying on his back, bringing them close together, his face right in front of hers as he commanded, "Keep your eyes open."

"No."

He gripped her jaw. "Look. At. Me."

Her eyes fluttered open and his breath left his chest. Her eyes sparkled, as if there were tears wanting to come out. Lena shivered as William froze, his eyes never leaving hers before he swept in to take her mouth, absorbing all of her.

She couldn't admit it out loud, but he had got to her with all his promises that were meant for another woman. A woman who apparently looked like her, sounded like her and had her name. Whoever she was, Lena wanted to wipe her from his memories and replace them all with her. She had never, in all her life, thought a man could love her the way William loved the other Lena.

The way he touched her brought her body on fire. Made her want him inside, outside, all over her, touching her body only to extinguish the burning inside. She had dreamed about a man like this, and fought so hard to keep him at bay. For three weeks, she battled her inner desire to succumb to his loving words. But the thought of the real Lena returning crushed her. To have him one day and not the next... but tonight, the way he looked at her with such love in his eyes. She allowed herself to pretend. When would she ever find someone who could love her like that?

"Ah fuck," she screamed as he slid his finger deep inside her. Her juices led to an easy slip, and she pumped her hips against him.

"Lena."

"Don't stop. Make me cum," she begged. "Make me cum."

His fingers worked fast and hard, bringing tiny jolts of pleasure throughout her entire body. William bent down and bit her shoulder, causing her to cry out and thrust herself against him. And then she felt it, the tight coiling and wetness seeping out as he began to plunge his fingers deeper. "Shit," she cried out as her orgasm riled her from head to toe.

She was on her back before she knew it, and William hovered above her with a dark gleam in his eyes. He lowered his mouth down to kiss her, wracking her body with his love. She heard his whispers and cried each time he said, "I love you, Lena. I love you." But even before she could protest, he thrust into her - once, hard - and she screamed in pain.

"I'm a virgin you bastard!" she thumped her hand against his still chest repeatedly.

Then she noticed. He wasn't moving. His eyes stared at her in awe. Teary eyed and confused, Lena stopped struggling. She felt like she could hear the wheels turning in his head with the way he looked at her.

All of a sudden he smiled and lunged forward, meaning to kiss her on the lips, but his cock speared even deeper into her, causing her to cry out in pain. "I'm sorry, love," he replied, showering her with more kisses. He reached down and began to tease her clit. "It'll feel better now. I promise."

Lena allowed the tears to fall as he kept whispering. Her heart breaking with incomparable pain. The burning sensation in his pussy was nothing. Nothing compared to the tenderness he was showing her, tenderness he was directing towards another. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on the throbbing member inside of her, but William kept whispering.

"I'm so sorry I didn't believe you. Please forgive me, oh god, what have I done. What have I done." She opened her eyes when she felt wet drops on her face. William's eyes were squeezed shut as he came down and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you so much," he mumbled into her, "thank you for coming back to me."

That's it! Lena opened her mouth to shout, not wanting to be replacement anymore, when William started thrusting. The burning sensation had dulled into a pleasant ache, one that his movements were now soothing. The lubrication between them was so slick that he moved with ease, and Lena found her legs opening up to take him deeper.

She felt like he was trying to drive all of him into her. As if this was going to be another last coupling. Lena hushed him as he tried to speak, another rumble of apologies that meant nothing to her. She tried to focus on the fact that she was here. Not the other woman. She was the one William was making love to.

Soon the feelings inside of her bubbled to a point of overflow, and William began to move so fast the bed beneath them shook. He pounded into her, making her come as his cock re-entered her, making her feel full as her pussy tried to keep it inside of her.

"Oh fuck," he cried as he felt himself spill

The warm essence spread throughout her lower body, and the feeling of him like a warm bath surrounding her made come again, milking his cock for all its worth before he softened up and slipped out.

She laid there peacefully as William rested on top of her. He brushed her hair out of her face before rolling to the side and dragged her close to his body. "You are staying with me tonight," he whispered, kissing her fully on the lips, "I won't let you leave... me again."

It should've made her feel wanted. Made her feel desired, but all she could think of was the second place trophy he didn't even know he was offering her. Her inner regions pulsed as she scooted to look at him in the face. He was so handsome... her heart ached as she spoke.

"I know you still don't believe me," she whispered, "that I'm not the same Lena you speak of. But the way you look at me... as if I am her, I can't do this if you keep looking at me like that."