Hawke and his Princess Chapter 12

For the next four hours Hawke showed her how to use her hands and knees to guide her horse without a saddle, he also told her this would be good with a saddle. Horses, just like people, don't like to be kicked in the ribs. With a little nudge and using what hand to use to turn with a pat. One nudge for a walk, two for a trot or a jog, three for a run. By the time they were done, Elayne and her horse where riding at a jog without a saddle.

During dinner Eleanor and Elayne talked, one of the subjects was how Elayne liked working with the animals, milking the cows and feeding. "I find it to be satisfyingly worthwhile, it gives me a new perspective on what farmers and farming is really like."

Hawke paused eating and looked at her, "what you're seeing right now, this is the easy part. The hard part is when crop season comes along. Sleep is a blessing when your out hours at a time tending to the crops. Between preparing the fields, planting and weeding there's not enough time in the day. Not with all this land here," he spread his arms out at the large fields around. "Not only do we plant vegetables and fruits in large quantities, but we also plant hay and wheat for our personal use. You're only seeing and experiencing a small part of what goes on here. And I've got more plans for this farm, like producing our own flour instead of buying it in town."

Elayne was sitting there intrigued, "how do you do all this when it's just you guys?"

"We have people that come in and stay during the season. A lot of them have families that their supporting, some will actually bring their families here, hence why we have extra bunk houses and some you can't see. They get paid better than most farms plus their allowed to grab whatever they need for food for themselves. But we just started expanding. We've actually been very blessed with what we have here, the land is very fertile and the crops thrive. What started out as a couple of small fields and some run down buildings to get us by, has now expanded to what you see here and to what's over that hill over there that you can't see. That's where the wheat and hay are planted. If you'd like, I'll show you what all we have here tomorrow." She nodded her head excitedly, he was pleased to see her show an interest, this was after all her home too.

Elayne sat there listening to Hawke as he talked about his farm. He was proud of what they'd accomplished, and he had a right to be. What they had here was amazing and to think it started out as a rundown farm and to see it turned into what it was today and what he had plans on doing to it in the future. She was impressed and proud of the man that was her husband.

They sat there eating and making small talk until they were done, sitting back full and relaxed. Hawke grabbed up the dishes and when Elayne and Bethany got up to help he told them to sit and relax, he could handle the cleanup by himself. When he was done and had the kitchen organized he walked outside and spotted Elayne sparing with the soldiers. He had learned not to be around her when she was with them, he distracted her, and she ended up more bruised than usual. She was going to have to figure out how to fight around distractions but as she said she had a teacher. He went over to the other women and sat there talking until Elayne was done. Bethany asked to go for a swim when Elayne was done and he agreed and told them to come when they were ready as he walked home.

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For some reason he was feeling restless, not sure why, he thought a walk would do him some good. When he got to his house the feeling was still there, but he couldn't put a finger on what the unease was. He waited for the girls and when he saw them riding Snowball towards them, he grinned.

He walked over to them and helped them down. Elayne talked to her horse, told her to stay there until she got back, and went into his house to grab some clean clothes. She had Bethany come with her because she wanted to show her what Hawke had gotten her. They were in the house a few minutes and when they came out Bethany commented on how beautiful it was and that he actually did have good taste while teasing him for buying something like that.

Elayne and Bethany could see he was distracted when he made no comments, so they let him be and told him they were ready. He nodded and closed his eyes setting the ward. After a while they came back, and they sat for a while talking before going back to the main house.

"Hawke why are you wearing your swords," Elayne asked curiously. When she looked over at Bethany, she shrugged, but Elayne noticed a worried look on her face.

"Maybe it's just my imagination, but something just doesn't feel right," he said absently. "Elayne, pack a bag with some extra clothes, we're staying at the guesthouse tonight."

"Not until you tell me what's," she started to say but he interrupted her.

"Enough," he growled, and she flinched at the tone in his voice. His voice softened when he saw her back up a little, "just do as I ask, please."

His unease was getting stronger, and he thought it was a good idea to keep everyone close together. When they went back to the house he told the girls to go sit with their moms, he'd be back in a bit. This time Elayne kept quiet and did as he asked, hopefully he would let them know what was going on.

He rode over to the guard house and talked to the Captain about keeping an extra eye out and staying vigilant. Unsure of wanting to say too much in case he was wrong, but something didn't feel right. The Captain eyed him questioningly then noticed the swords on his back and nodded. Hawke turned Midnight back to the women watching them. Then took a deep breath, closed his eyes and reached out and touched his surroundings with his mind. He sat there for a while, he didn't sense anything but that didn't mean there wasn't anything there especially with the feeling he was having. He debated going out and doing a perimeter check, but he didn't want to leave the women alone. Whatever it was that he was feeling, it seemed to be getting stronger. He felt Elayne reaching out to him with her mind, he slammed his mind down but not before sending comforting thoughts. This wasn't the time. He needed to be alert.

He got off Midnight but made sure to tell him to stay close, and he went to the women and sat down. "Ladies, please don't ask me what because I don't know, something just feels off tonight, so please be careful. If I tell you to get in the house please do it without arguing with me. Elayne and I will be staying in the guest house for tonight. Promise me please, no matter what, you get in that house and stay there until I tell you its safe, do not come out until then." He waited for them to nod, feeling relieved that they wouldn't be in danger. They sat there for a while talking, not really discussing anything important, they could sense his discomfort.

After a while, with the sun just going down then he felt it, an itch between his shoulders and he did a quick scan of his immediate surroundings. Seven people were coming up the path and at least six others where coming in at both sides of the main house. They were well armed but weren't soldiers or of the Circle. He had no idea of who they were, but he knew his unease was coming from them.

He looked at the women not daring to say a word and gave a slight nod to Bethany and Elayne who took their mothers and headed to the house. Once they were inside he put his hand on the door and put a tight shield around the house. He looked over to the bunk house and saw all the soldiers sitting around looking casual, Hawke went over to the Captain, and explained what was going on and told them to protect the house. Hopefully he was good since Bryce used them for protection for the women.

When the seven men came out of the woods they were acting casual. "Can I help you gentlemen," he asked in a loud voice.

They stopped for a minute looking at him, as if sizing him up, before the leader, Hawke assumed, spoke, "we just wanted a place to stay for the night, that's all. We mean you no harm, we're just passing through."

Hawke didn't buy it. "You expect me to believe you came an hour from the main road just for a place to sleep. There are plenty of places to bed down for the night along the road and Lothering is two hours behind you. Now kindly get off my property, your not welcome."

"Oh come on, we just want a place to rest for the night, were on our way to the Capital. We'll be staying there until the competition. How about it bud."

"How about not! You're not welcome here, get off of my property and take your buddies hiding with you," Hawke said as he spotted the other goons just coming out of hiding, "or I swear not one of you will live to see another day." Hawke gestured to the soldiers behind him and put a hand on his sword and another on his belt knife.

The leader guffawed, "seems the odds are against you, there's seven of us and one of you, your outnumbered boy," his men behind him smirked at Hawke.

"I like those odds," Hawke taunted with a smirk of his own. "Last chance to turn around." The leader just grinned wider at him and Hawke shrugged his shoulders, "so be it," he growled.

It was a short fight.

The men charged him all at once, swords raised, murder in their eyes. Hawke threw his knife at one, incapacitating him while he unsheathed both his swords. He spun and lunged at the nearest opponent, his swords swinging in a deadly arc from either side of him. Two felt the bite of his blades as they slashed their chests. He moved over their bodies, turning as he did to bring the remaining four into his view. Hawke pivoted and cut two through their stomachs as they came at him, with their entrails falling to the ground, he saw one grabbing his stomach to hold everything inside while falling. Then only two remained, the leader and another crony. The leader stood his ground while his companion adjusted his sword grip and ran at Hawke, swinging wildly. He evaded the clumsy attack, then parried the next with his left before he thrust his right blade into the man's belly, twisting it as he pulled it out as a spray of blood spouted out of the wound following behind the blade.

Then there was only one. When the leader thrust his blade at him, Hawke slashed into the leaders sword arm taking it off at the wrist, using both of Hawke's blades removing the leaders head, "you should have never come onto my property," Hawke growled as the body fell at his feet.

He ran back to the soldiers, and saw they were lined up in front of the house where the women were. Two of the goons where already on the ground dead, Hawke came running up on another and shoved his blade in his back, stopping his heart. Four other bandits came around the back of the guest house with arrows pointed at him and the soldiers. They fired and Hawke blocked two with his blades. He cursed himself for not grabbing his knife as he lunged at one of the guys with the bow closest to him and shoved his blade in the guys gut before he got off another shot. He grabbed the bow and took out the other guy closest to him. When he turned around there was two more with bows. He grabbed two arrows from a fallen quiver, took out the last of the archers, when he looked to the soldiers he saw the last of the bandits where down, not moving. He still scanned his surroundings since he had missed the four with bows. He saw and felt nothing.

He stalked over to the one that was still alive and with his knife he put it to the guy's throat. "How many of you guys were there?"

The guy refused to answer, Hawke pushed his blade deeper, "including me there were seventeen of us." Fear in his voice, "please don't kill me, I'm sorry, this wasn't my idea. Our leader thought this place would be easy pickings."

Hawke looked down at the wound in the guys gut, he wouldn't be surviving very long. Hawke helped him make the trip faster, not bothering trying to save him.

He wiped his blades off, shoved them back in their scabbards and his belt sheath and stalked back to the soldiers, making sure no one was hurt, before turning back to the dead men. He counted the bodies. Seventeen deaths tonight and for what? The leader had said something about the competition but was he telling the truth? It seemed a little early for people to start flocking to that. The competition was at least several months from now.

"Captain, can I talk to you for a minute please?"

The Captain came over, looking at Hawke curiously. "Is it normal for men to start showing up early for a competition that isn't for at least another five months?"

He studied Hawke for a minute before answering. "Considering what's at stake, land, a large purse and being in the Kings army, I figure fighters will be showing up early to establish themselves and to watch as their competitors start coming in. Why?"

"Because the leader had said they were on their way to Denerim for the competition. I just found it a little odd, this many people all in a group."

The Captain looked at Hawke, "it's not that odd. This competition is big. A lot is at stake here, but I understand your unease."

'Great!!' Hawke thought angrily, and this farm is right on the road to Denerim. 'How many others will we have to deal with like these idiots?'

"Captain would you mind having your men putting the bodies and the weapons in that cart over there before I let the women out. I'll take care of the disposal myself." He looked over at the bodies shaking his head. "What a waste," Hawke mumbled, his anger rising.

The Captain looked at Hawke curiously, "what's a waste?"

"This," Hawke shouted in anger and disgust, flinging his arm out at the dead bodies, "all these dead men, men who obviously had no conscience of taking another life. They don't value life, all their looking for is an easy mark, maybe rapping, pillaging and murder. Is this the kind of men the King has, ones that will rob and kill in order to satisfy their own lust and greed? Please tell me this isn't what he's looking for. Tell me he would never let scum like this serve as a soldier."

"Hawke, I can't promise that all the men are ones who value life over death, that their all honest. A few bad apples have a way of getting in, but they don't stay in very long. What I can tell you is the King is one who values life. He has the same views as Teryn Cousland, me and my soldiers under me. Let me ask you something son, why does this bother you so much, you kept them from hurting the women, you did your job, their safe."

"Because if they would have just left, got back on the road and left, they would still be alive, they would..." the Captain cut him off.

"They would have gone on to the next victim, and the one after that until someone like you stopped them before they could harm anyone else. Who knows how many lives they may have taken before coming here. But you saved countless others down the road. I know it's hard son, but this is how some people think," he nodded to the bodies being put in the cart. "It's mine and the Teryn's and others like us to protect those that can't protect themselves. You stopped one group of criminals, saved countless other victims from their rampage by taking their lives. Decisions like the one you took tonight are not easy but in the long run that is what's needed to protect others."

"He's right Hawke, I know you hated taking their life but like he said you saved countless others." Elayne came around in front of him. "You can't let the actions of others like these, dictate your life and make you feel guilty. They don't deserve your pity. You did what you had to protect the ones you love." She looked up at him, examining him for injuries. "I love you Hawke, come to the house, your family is worried about you."

"I can't yet, I have to take care of these bodies, but I'll be in as soon as possible." He turned away from them, called Midnight over and hooked the cart to him with all the dead bodies with some rope and walked off over the hill away from anybody possibly seeing. He released Midnight, dug a large hole, pushed the cart into it. He put a shield around the cart and bodies and incinerated it. When he got rid of what the fire could, he covered the hole back up, making it look like nothing had been disturbed. He knew the women needed to know what had happened but he needed to go clean up and change first.

After he made sure he was cleaned, he rode Midnight back, released him, looked around to make sure there was no evidence of the fight before going towards the main house. He looked to the soldiers, they nodded to him, and he walked into the house. All the women came rushing up to him, probing and prodding, making sure he hadn't been hurt. He allowed it, then his mom put a cup of tea in front of him which he pushed to the side, needing a whiskey instead. Running his hand in his hair he contemplated what the Captain had said and Hawke knew he was right, but it didn't make it easier.

He sat back and looked at the women one by one, studying them, watching them. They were all precious to him in their own way. Bethany was his sister, his precious baby sister who used to bully him into reading her stories of knights and princesses, with her cute nose scrunched up and her little pouts. Leandra his mother, who used to take care of him with a damp cloth on his forehead when he was a child and sick and feverish. Eleanor his mother-in-law, Elayne's mother, husband to Bryce Cousland and most importantly, Elayne, his beautiful goddess, his wife, his life, his future, his to protect, all of them were. And he would do everything in the world to protect these women, especially Elayne. She walked by him, and he grabbed her, pulling her into his lap and kissed her, not a peck but a deep emotional kiss. When he finally let her mouth go he put her face in both his hands, "thank you, I love you baby." She laid her head on his shoulder. He looked at the other three, they were watching him, "I'll be ok," he reassured them. They nodded but they still kept glancing towards them.

After a while Elayne looked at him and whispered in by his ear, "you know sitting here dwelling on it is not going to help, but I know what will," she said teasingly with a hint of seduction in her voice. "I'll even put on the gown for you."

He held back a groan, but he realized he had another problem, he was instantly rock hard and in a very uncomfortable position. "Um Elayne, I'm definitely all for that, but the visualization of you being in that just presented a big problem." He tried not to adjust himself, but it was becoming even more uncomfortable.

"Bethany, can you bring me my bag please." After Bethany handed her the bag, Elayne positioned it in between her so when they got up it would block the women's view. "Hawke, don't you think it's time to go, we got a busy morning."

He nodded and sat up trying not to groan. "Ladies, we'll be over at the guest house for tonight. And the soldiers are on patrol. You all are safe, have a good night." He got up and walked quickly out the door with Elayne cradled in his arms, but not before he saw the knowing grins on their mothers faces, then he did groan loudly. But for a different reason.

Elayne turned her head and glanced at him curiously, he shook his head, "that was a little obvious, we didn't fool anyone." She bust out laughing making him almost drop her.

He walked over with her in his arms to the guest house and set her down once they were inside. He looked down at her, one hand up on the wall behind her and his other on her waist. "You know that was a very naughty thing you did and in front of our mothers and my sister. That's twice now, what should I do with you my little wildcat."

She laughed and squirmed away from him, staying out of his reach when he came after her. "Where do you think you're going, sweetheart?" He stalked towards her with a wild hungry look on his face.