The Shieldmaidens Lover Pt. 01

Diana woke up late in the evening as the sun was setting but did not move. She felt better, but still weak. She knew it would be some time before she regained her strength. She curled her fingers into a fist and hit the pillow once in frustration. She hated that she needed someone to take care of her. She shifted on the bed and tried to go back to sleep. Before she could drift off she heard the door of her room open and footsteps made their way into her room. She knew it was him from the first footfall, the heaviness from his boots, the length of his stride, and the subtle scent of blood and sweat that always clung to a warriors frame. She pretended to be asleep, not moving or giving any sign she was conscious. The figure slowly approached and with one finger gently stroked her hair. Then he left as silently as he came.

Chapter 3

She wasn't entirely sure why she stayed. She learned in the following weeks that her hosts name was Marcus, the general of the human kings armies. As her strength grew she began to help Bronwyn tend the gardens. It had been long since she had such freedoms and she took full advantage of them. She could roam around as she pleased, coming and going without question. She often thought about leaving, but always something held her back. Perhaps it was intrigue for the dark man that every morning entered her room when he thought she was sleeping.

He watched as she blossomed before his eyes. Slowly she began to smile, and laugh. But the biggest change was in her eyes. When he had first seen her eyes had been gray, lifeless. Slowly they transformed from a dull gray to bright sapphire more brilliant than any gem found in the mines. He believed it was her gifted hands that made his garden the loveliest sight in the city. But he was a bit biased considering she spent most of her time in the garden that made it all the even more beautiful to him.

It was a long time before he exchanged words with her again. She was sitting on the ground in the garden with her hands full of rich earth when a shadow blocked the sun from her view. She looked up at him and blinked several times moving her hand to shield her eyes. She stood up and wiped her hands as she looked at him.

"Do you need something?" There were smudges of dirt on her face and her blue toga which only added to her appeal. He just gazed at her, as if he wanted to memorize each feature, each curve of her body. When he didn't answer she sat back down and continued her gardening. Marcus sat on the bench by her side and watched her work. It seemed like time drew out as he sat there but she seemed not to feel the tension that radiated through his body. He didn't know what to say to this lovely creature that he had come to crashing into his once normal life, sending his senses askew. Yet she seemed to not even know of his existence.

Finally he spoke "How did you come into the hands of those bastard slavers?" She seemed to stop dead in her motions but she did not look at him.

She whispered "War is an ugly thing M'lord."

He was quite aware that she had avoided answering the question fully and his arms crossed as he waited for her to continue. She could feel the unspoken words hovering between them but she ignored it. She had no intentions of telling her story, knowing it would put all in more danger than was needed. When he cleared his throat waiting for a response, she relented knowing that he would not leave her alone without some kind of answer. But she had no intensions of telling him the whole or even half of the truth. "Like many of my people I was captured during the fighting and later sold to further line the victors purse."

"And?" He said, sensing that there was more to be told.

She merely shook her head "That is all."

Marcus let out a frustrated sigh and stood up and as he moved her gaze followed him. "I have not asked much of you Diana. But it would please me if you could speak freely to me and give me that gentle luxury of your company now and again."

She watched as he walked away, disappearing back into the villa. She felt as cold and callous as he thought her to be. He had been nothing but kind to her and she had barely given him a thank you for all he had done. There was not a moment that she lived under his roof that she didn't wonder why he had saved her from the slavers. She wanted to know but did not dare ask. Didn't dare question that emotion in his eyes was that she couldn't name. She got up and continued working, trying to forget his words but his sad face would not leave her minds eye. She felt the possibility of a closeness with this man that threatened to bloom with careful tending. Perhaps that was why she was so cold to him. She had to keep her distance, to protect them all. She thought there was something familiar about him but she could not place it, as if she had seen him somewhere before. She had been so long in exile that many things from her previous life had faded to the background, lost it seemed with her freedom. To her people fourteen years was a mere blink of an eye in their long lifetimes but her captivity made it seem like a thousand lifetimes since she had seen her home.

The days got cooler as time in the villa passed much as it always had. But his colleagues noticed Marcus absent from the war room more as time dragged on to the point where days he didn't appear at all. Finally Caspar, Marcus' second in command decided to investigate where the general was slipping off to. Caspar was surprised to see Marcus walking in the garden talking to one of the slaves. The tall red haired man kept himself hidden but was far enough away to let them keep their privacy. Caspar had never seen the general talk with one of his slaves much less take so much time devoted to one. Perhaps there was something different about this woman. It was the way Marcus looked at her that gave him away. After having satisfied his curiosity he returned to the war room to continue with his days work.

Caspar was not the only one to observe the generals strange change in behavior. Bronwyn kept a close eye on the two at all times. Marcus had entrusted her with running the villa and making sure all the household duties were in strict order, so she had the run of the house. She often heard them talking or saw them walking down the halls. Often the discussions were about unimportant things as the two slowly began to trust each other. Marcus would often ask Elwyn about her past but she would quickly redirect the question to him or some other unrelated subject. But she did it with the eloquence of a poet so that Marcus only noticed half the time. Even so, Bronwyn could not help but smile as she noticed that her lords step was lighter, as if the weight of the world he carried on his shoulders was somehow lifted when this woman was with him.

Winter set in around the villa and the afternoon walks that had become a daily ritual stopped. With the flower seeds slumbering deep within the snow so too did Diana become quiet and reserved. Marcus was called away to the city when the king called all his generals together for a council of war. He had told her he was reluctant to go to court but he could not deny the Kings orders. She often sat by the window with her needle point, gazing out at the blanket of white that covered the land. Her body was completely healed and the horrific scars along her back were all but gone thanks to Bronwyn's care. Only the scars that were present long before her slavery were still visible. Her ordeal only showed in the haloed hues of her eyes.

Marcus had been away for a fortnight before he returned. He found her where he had left her. She had fallen asleep sitting on the windowsill with her needle work still in her hands. He stood behind her and admired the workmanship. He could tell this was not her first attempt in the art. The canvas showed a white castle with three tiers surrounded by a forest. Children played in the fields and women hung clothes out to dry on the bright summer day portrayed in the picture. He admired it for a moment before he could not help but reach out to her. His hand gently closed on the upper curve of her arm and her eyes opened. He was surprised when she didn't jump or try to pull away.

In silent response her other hand moved up to gently cover his. She heard his intake of breath at the first reciprocation of his touch or affections she had given. He moved a little closer, so his body was pressed against the portion of her back not leaning against the wall and asked softly "How did you know it was me?"

She smiled a little at that and murmured "None other would dare touch me but you M'lord."

He chuckled softly and made no other motions save for the soft caress of his fingers against the bare skin of her arm. "I missed you Diana."

She closed her eyes and willed herself not to feel the tightening in her chest. She had missed him too but she could not allow herself the luxury of returning his affections. With her silence as only response his hand moved under her chin and gently turned her face towards his. He whispered "Open your eyes" and slowly her blue eyes fluttered open and looked up at him. He held her gaze for a few moments and his hand moved to her cheek. He felt her tense beneath his hand and whispered "Look me in the eye and tell me you feel nothing for me...and I will leave you to your needlework."

She swallowed against the lump in her throat, holding his gaze for several long moments before she was forced to turn her gaze from his, lest he see the truth in her eyes. She did not know what she felt for him, she just knew she felt the tug at the locks chained to her heart and they threatened to break. He turned her face back to him and pressed his lips softly to hers, not giving her time to protest.

She gasped against his lips as she felt the gentle caress. Her eyes drifted closed as his lips moved sensually over hers. Her hand tightened on his, still pressed to her arm as she slowly responded to the kiss. She felt as if her heart would beat out of her chest. As she parted her lips a soft sound echoed from his throat as he deepened the kiss, his tongue moving slowly to explore her mouth. Diana suddenly pulled back from him and whispered "no...no I cant..." and then in a former voice "I cant" and she got up and ran down the hallway and out of his sight.

He stood there in shock for several moments before his hands clenched into fists. Didn't she know what she was doing to him? Kissing him making his knees feel weak and then leaving him in the cold. He was loosing his patience for her game quickly. He had given her every reason to trust him, every reason to return his affections but there was always something holding her back. Marcus was well aware that she had spoken nothing of her past in her tenure at his villa, always managing to avoid his questions. What was she hiding in her past that was so dark and terrible. Didn't she realize that she wasn't the only one fighting demons rooted in the past?

To be continued...