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I was patient, and gentle. The comb snagged and pulled, and Payl winced more than once, and elbowed me in the ribs. It took quite some time before I could run the comb through her hair without catching on a tangled knot. But it was surprisingly arousing, for both of us.
Massaging her scalp with my fingers made Payl moan. This time, she was too impatient even to climb out of the pool, and climbed onto me while still in the water.
Afterwards, I asked her to lean over the pool with me. The water was still, the night clear and almost cloudless. It was easy to see our reflections in the water.
I had to catch my breath. She was stunning. Payl, the Shining One, the fearsome warrior, was also a beautiful woman. She herself seemed taken aback by the sight of her own lovely face reflected on the surface of the pool.
She turned to me.
- "What the fuck have you done?" she shouted. Then she whacked me on the back of the head with her fist. My face splashed into the water, dispelling the reflection of her beauty.
"You ass! You idiot!" she shouted, punctuating each insult with a blow to my back. I rolled over, got my head out of the water, and tried to grab her hands. Payl got in several more good punches before I was able to hold onto her wrists.
- "What? What's wrong with you?" I cried.
- "What have you done?" she repeated.
I didn't understand. "Look at me!" she said.
- "I am looking at you."
- "What do you see?" she asked.
- "A beautiful woman." I said. "My Shining One."
- "You idiot!" she hissed. "I'm Payl! Terror of the Uplands! Men run from me in fear. But now ... now they'll just want to ... aargh! They'll think I'm soft!""
I know that I just lay there, with my mouth open. We had never discussed her reputation, or her ... previous experiences. They could not have been all that different from Irija's, or Meeli DeadEyes'.
- "I wasn't ..."
- "What have you done to me?" she repeated, close to tears.
- "Payl. You're still Payl. The Shining One. We can fix your hair. Make it look like it did before." I said. "We can fix this."
We tried. I helped her plaster mud atop her head. All we achieved was to make her look like a beautiful woman with mud on her.
She wouldn't speak to me for three days. Meeli helped her, and with constant applications of mud and lime, her hair began to recover its former ... glory? Irija also contributed, painting designs on Payl's face.
Finally, she mellowed enough to speak to me again.
- "You're still an idiot." she said. "But I can see that you meant well."
- "Payl. Be honest with me. Did you see that woman, reflected on the surface of that pool, by moonlight? Do you remember what you saw?"
She frowned at me. "What about her?"
I looked her in the eye. "Remember her, Payl. Because I will. That woman was the Shining One, just as much as the fearsome, ferocious warrior is. I love them both - both women. But I'm glad to have seen the naked one, with her hair washed, by the side of the pool."
Payl reached out, and stroked my cheek with her fingertips.
- "Yes. I saw myself. And I saw you, Ljudevit. And I wished that we lived in a place far away, with plenty of warm pools. In a different time. But we don't. So you're still an idiot."
And she kissed me.
The very next day, one of the Uplanders remarked on how attractive she was. She rounded on him. Words were exchanged. Emboldened by drink, he grabbed her breast.
Payl nearly killed him.
Borna had to weigh the alternatives. On the one hand, there was some concept of justice where this man had been assaulted.
On the other hand, if Payl left, we would lose ten female fighters.
- "Do you have anything to say, Ljudevit?" Borna asked me.
- "Just one thing: put yourself in her place."
Borna fined Payl two silver coins. One went to the injured man.
*****
- COMMENTS
Comentarista825 days agoIt's kind of sad that Payl--who is really quite the thinker and realist in that one interlude--realizes she has to look "tough" to keep her image, and can't "let her hair down" without losing status.
turtle1969over 1 year agoAh yes the good ol savage brute tsundere, don't you dare kill her off you bastard
Comentarista82almost 4 years agoThe Chronicles of Hvad, ch 9
- "You were right." said Payl. "I wouldn't want to fight in here."
I love how you soften Payl enough, as she’s still a warrior, but she’s learning how to be a woman, too.
Her admission that I had been right was a major concession. And I caught her looking at me, with a little grin on her lips, more than once.
This is so cute that I never saw it coming. What an idea to highlight her while keeping your main story rolling. :)
- "She's the more manly of the two?" asked Payl. That made me laugh. Glad to see Kawehka hug.
Nanaidh had taken over the training, and it was she who had ambushed our enemies - twice.
We haven’t seen anyone get on her bad side--and I’m not suggesting anyone other than their enemies do so.
The Uplanders were shocked to find that our apple brandy was just as potent as theirs - and smoother on the way down.
This alone builds community and commonality. Nice touch.
"They are our allies. I expect all Lowlanders to treat them with respect. Any insult to my friends will be dealt with swiftly - by me!"
This is even bigger on measuring a leader--how he not only treats HIS people, but recognized OUTSIDERS or even enemies.
Borna embraced the Uplander, and gave him an armband of beaten gold. ThreeNipple was stunned, but his followers gave a cheer, and the Lowlanders applauded politely.
Great inclusion, although one minor point: I’m surprised you didn’t have Borna give him the “arm clasp” like in “Scorpion King,” which might have been seemed more “manly” to the Uplanders.
- "Payl?" I asked, quietly. "Are you jealous?"
I REALLY didn’t expect this one. She is!!! Adorable.
It was Lunach Kinslayer who parried the blow meant for my head.
I don’t see why if Lunach saved Ljudevit’s life, that at least Ljudevit doesn’t offer Lunach a gift of spoils through Borna for this, or extend the Lowlander/Uplander bond by some equivalent Lowlander ritual that an Uplander would understand, as you’ve already created one thing (drink) that’s common among both. You could create a ritual we hadn’t heard of yet, that would seem plausible. ;)
Borna carried through with his promise, and hanged both offenders.
Mutimir approving this justice only ensured Borna’s leadership will go unquestioned, as the Uplanders respect strength and swift action. Good idea.
Modri could prove significant. He might set an example for others to follow.
I can’t wait to see how “significantly” you use him, after he provides critical intelligence on Leho.
They repeated every mistake that Vazrig had made, and discovered several new ones of their own.
This also made me laugh.
"So tell me what you're thinking. Don't worry about whether it's fully baked."
Hilarious! Good you’re keeping this dynamic going, although it does seem Ljudevit isn’t showing his “thinking” with helping Borna attack these days.
I said I would, but that it would be more useful in writing, because then you could wipe your ass with it."
ROFL! Love it!
Yes. I saw myself. And I saw you, Ljudevit. And I wished that we lived in a place far away, with plenty of warm pools. In a different time. But we don't. So you're still an idiot."
And she kissed me.
The most touching thing I’ve read in quite some time. Payl’s actually quite the thinker and observer too. She’s really a great match for Ljudevit! :)
Lots of great surprises in this installment. I really can't wait for ch 10 now! You're very talented to make this such an enthralling tale on just the merits of the story. :)
Anonymousalmost 4 years agoThe developing relationship between Ljudevit and Payl was fun to read. You’re a pretty talented writer and story teller.
Comentarista82almost 4 years ago...you get this in the pipeline and approved so quickly? I kept checking and found nothing in moderation! However, you managed it, thanks for such an enthralling and entertaining tale.
Loved the subtle humor: Leho's army making their "new mistakes of their own" in the forest; Lovro farting when the one prisoner exchange wasn't so smooth; Payl smacking Ljudevit upside the head and calling him an "idiot" as some examples. What was REALLY hilarious was Payl nearly killing the idiot guy that grabbed her where he shouldn't have.
I would have never thought you'd join Payl and Ljudevit, and I never thought you'd let her allow him to bathe her. It was very touching, quite entertaining and really sweet. Who would have thought you'd give Ljudevit a chance to soften up an Uplander woman? I'm impressed with those surprises! I'll quote "Major League" on this one: "forget about the curve ball, Ricky...give 'em a heater!!!"
You really balance your dialogue and sentence structure so well. Love the long, medium and then short ones that fit the situation. You've learned those quite well!
Nothing I can remotely think of except masterful. 5!!
