The Taking of the Moon Maiden Ch. 03

Grothaus had walked the wee one over to the group. Ronen looked her over head to toe, she looked nothing like Matilda. She must look like her father.

The image of Matilda lying in passion under a man with flashing dimples and hazel eyes caused Ronen to positively snarl at the girl. A look of fright passed over the girls features and Grothaus clutched the girl closer to him. Ronen felt ashamed to have let his jealous lust have scared the girl.

"It would appear so." His words were simple, but the girl seemed to understand their meaning and relaxed. Ronen continued to look at the girl for a moment and then he turned and left them standing on his plaid to attend to Emmaline while he went to make his nightly check of the camps perimeters.

"Who is Duncan?" It was Daniels turn to ask the question. He had watched the play of emotions on Ronens face when he had been questioning the old woman.

"Someone I am going to kill." Ronen's swift answer left Daniel standing alone staring at Ronens retreating back. Daniel recovered his shock enough to catch up to Ronen and asked for clarification.

"You don't know who Duncan is, or what he is to the girl, but you know you are going to kill him." Ronen turned to look at Daniel and any doubt that Ronen was not speaking the truth about killing this mysterious 'Duncan' was put to rest by the pure rage in Ronen's eyes.

"She fears that he will take her from me. He will not have her. I will kill him and I will kill him slow."

Daniel did not ask for any more explanations from Ronen. He had seen Ronen like this in battle but never elsewhere. He wondered what the Lady Matilda would think about Ronen's claim on her. Daniel also wondered at a man like Laird Earl de la Humes that would cast his daughter out for having such precious child as Moira. He walked off as he mused about the stupidity of a man that had left such an unprotected beauty alone in the world.

"Emmaline, wake up." Emmaline heard Hilda's voice softly begging her to wake.

"Hilda, where are we? I was dreaming of a man, he said he would protect me and Moira from Duncan." Hilda thought never had she heard such an angelic voice had spoken.

"That was no dream. That was our capture, Ronen McVörss." Hilda's answer left Emmaline breathless for a moment.

"The same Ronen McVörss sent to wed Matilda? The same one we were running from?" Emmaline could have laughed at Hilda's answer,

"Yes the same, the one and only, and we have delivered ourselves very neatly into his hands."

"Hilda we will have to think of something and quick. The moment Father finds out about Matilda all hell will be let loose." Emmaline whispered her words over the top of Moiras head. "We need to leave immediately." Emmaline stood up and stepped off the plaid and onto the ground.

"My Lady, please stay on his plaid and donna move until Ronen returns, least you cause some poor unsuspecting soul to lose his head to Ronen in a fit of rage." It had been Daniel that noticed the women up and moving.

Satisfied they had heeded his request he moved to find Ronen.

"Hilda, we must get away and do so quickly. We both know that if Ronen weds me thinking I am Matilda he will be within his rights to turn me over to Father when he discovers I am not Matilda. When Father finds out Matilda is dead he will take Moira. The moment Father and Duncan see us in the spring and realizes my deceit, father will take everything." She looked down at Moira letting Hilda know exactly what she meant by 'everything'.

"I do not know Milady. No one will stand against a women's husband. Not even Mother Superior."

"You are right, that is why we must escape now, before he weds me. Say you will go along." Emmaline fear of losing Moira was overwhelming her.

Hilda trying to calm her advised Emmaline of her thoughts. "Have you not considered getting the Laird to promise not to let your father have access to you and Moira in the spring? I can act as a go between and your father need never see you. He will not know that you are Emmaline and not Matilda."

The common sense of Hilda's solution caused Emmaline to blink. It was perfect, why had she not thought of it herself?

"No, I was wrong to suggest such a thing, it will not work." Hilda's words broke through Emmaline moment of relief.

"Why won't it work? It sounds perfect." Hilda looked at the girl and with mock sarcasm replied.

"Because Milady, the moment Laird McVörss discovers you are a maid he will know that you are not the Lady Matilda."

Emmaline worried her lip for a moment, before causing Hilda to have a slight heart palpitation with her next words. "That will not matter. Duncan told me many things about what was to be expected of me in the bed chambers. I will simply fake it."

Emmaline smiled Hilda as though it would be as easy as slicing butter. "I think it would be much easier to fake having experience, than to fake being an innocent. I only have to pretend one night. After that I will no longer have my maidenhead to hinder me with our plan."

Hilda looked at Emmaline as though she had dropped from the sky. "This is not a good plan and I am sorry to have suggested such a thing. Think about what you do, Milady? If you wed this man whether he finds out now or later, he will eventually find out you are not the Lady Matilda, but her sister the Lady Emmaline. When he does, he can do anything he wishes to you. Returning you to your father might be the nicest thing he could do, because no one stop him if he chose to kill you."

Hilda's warning would have stayed a weaker soul. But, Emmaline had been managing their small group for six long years. She was not about to lose them without a fight.

"Please, Hilda say you will help?" The urgency in Emmalines voice caused Hilda to follow the direction of the young girls gaze. Hilda second; the huge scot was heading towards them from the other side of the camp.

"Say you will go along, or all is doomed?" Emmaline tore her eyes from the scot and jerked on Hilda's sleeve.

"Yes, I will, but only because what you say is true, and if any man should have you, I would rather it be the scot than Duncan."

There Hilda had said it, and she cast her lots in with Emmaline's plan. She hoped they would not later live to regret Emmalines next action.

When Ronen had left Emmaline on his plaid earlier he had went to check the perimeters as he did every night.

This time was different though, it took twice as long as his mind kept drifting back to the girl he had left behind in the camp, his mind repeating the image of her lying at his feet, again and again. His mind played tricks on him, stirring up fantasies of her alone with him, without his men there.

He needed to still himself after the images of her move beneath his hands, using those full lips to beg him for his embraces flowed through his mind. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. What was it about this girl that was driving him mad?

He finally checked with the last guard and had been heading back to camp when Daniel had caught up with him. "If Lady Matilda is considered no as comely as the Lady Emmaline, what does the Lady Emmaline look like?"

Daniels question slightly angered Ronen. He did not like people comparing the Lady Matilda to this perfect Lady Emmaline and finding his Matilda wanting.

"I think rumor has flowered people's minds. I donna think there could be one more fair than my Matilda." Ronens answer signaled a closed subject to Daniel.

As Ronen approached he smiled at the little girl gathering rocks oblivious of two older women's interchange. He could not hear what they were saying but could tell they were arguing. Emmaline knew she had to act quick lease she lose her nerves at the sight of him striding towards her, his face fierce and glowering. She jumped up and started to speak, causing the Ronen to stop and almost step back.

"I am Matilda Earl de la Humes and if I am to be your wife, you are to promise me that neither I nor my daughter will have to meet with my father this spring when he comes to sign the wedding contracts. If you do not agree, than I will not wed you."

Ronens answer sent fear down her spine. "I would have preferred you have come to me of your own will, but it matters no. I will no let you go tearing 'round the countryside until the Claires get you, or someone else. You will be mine, so you might as well knuckle down to me and make it easier on yourself and your bairn."

Emmaline spotted Moira and moved towards when Ronen grabbed her arm to detain her. "I will protect what is mine. You will be my wife; your children will be my children."

His words were quiet and the seemed burn his possession onto her skin. He stared down at her breast until he saw her nipples hardening under his stare. He moved his gaze to look down her small frame stopping at her hips and then moving slowly back up to leave his gaze caressing her lips.

His stance, his words, his looks transmitted his meaning loudly to Emmaline.

"I will have you wedded and bedded before the next dawn." He took a moment to let his words seep in before he continued.

"Once I bed you, I will no lightly let you go. We Scots keep what is ours." She could not speak; her throat had tightened with fear at his words. She started shaking her head no, only to have Ronen grab her chin and hold her head still.

"If you come to me willing I can promise you that you will no be hurt. I am no a gentle lover but I am no a cruel one either. If you fight me I will no promise such a thing." When she did not reply, staring back at him with those radiant eyes, he continued in a softer tone.

"Do you understand what I say? Whether you wish it or no, your father has said I may have you. You have been given to me to do with as I please." Still she did nothing but stare.

"I am talking about bedding you. We can join in pleasure or pain, the choice is yours." He practically roared at her.

Then his eyes narrowed and he let go of her chin to grab her by her waist. His hands completely encircled her small frame as he pulled her towards him. He pressed her tight against him so she could feel his engorged cock pressing hard against her through her skirts making sure she understood his exact intentions.

"I mean to bed you as a Scot, we are no known as gentle lovers, but if you donna fight me I will no hurt thee on purpose." His words had lowered into a growling whisper as he continued his eyes turned black as the darkest night.

"I understand you. It is you that do not understand me. I wish to never see my father again." She finally broke out of her stupor. "I will not wed you because I will not be anywhere near my father in the spring, or any other time. Unless you promise me that he will not be allowed anywhere near me or Moira this spring, I will never stop trying to run."

Her words enraged Ronen. "You will do as your told woman. I will make you mine and when your father comes this spring he will find your body already swollen with my bairn."

Emmaline did not answer Ronen, but he could tell by the way her eyes narrowed at him she was still hatching some plan to escape.

Ronen bent down and crushed his lips down on hers. For a moment she started to respond. His breath mingling with hers seemed so intimate and his lips covered hers completely.

Emmaline froze and tried to still her body from its quickened pulses. Ronen pulled back to look at her. Emmalines words were pushed through tight, scared lips, "I guess you will have to get used to raping your wife." Ronen growled and threw her back onto the plaid.

Looking quickly for anyone to help her she realized that Ronen had not been the only one staring at her, another one was quietly watching her and waiting for her to acknowledge his presence. She threw an overly bright smile at the one called Stephen.

Sensing her interest Stephen nudged his horse in her direction. "Do I determine that you are in need of a ride?"

Emmaline stopped for a moment when a voice crashed around them.

"NO! She is mine." Before she could say anything he grabbed her and hauled her across his saddle leaving Stephen gaping at him.

She began to struggle when Ronen explained. "You are riding with me. I can lay you on your stomach rump up in the saddle, or ye can sit on you rump. I donna care whether you ride on your belly or your arse. The choice is yours."

Emmaline started to curse Ronen about how unseemly of a position he had her in when he interrupted her. "You are my women, it is unseemly you should be riding with another man. We will be meeting up with a priest for the marriage today." His words took the fight out of her. Ronen pulled her up and settled her down in front of him.

"Donna ever let another man put his hands on you least I kill you both." Ronens words were spoken softly against her ear, but she could feel the rage in him. She glanced away not knowing what to say. She had never known anyone that had such fierceness.

Ronen knew she must come to understand and accept that she was going to be his.

The rest of the day the clan traveled until they came to a permanent encampment on the edge of McVörss lands, it was but two days ride from Ronens keep.

Emmaline did not know much about clans, but began to think that this might be the quietest group of Scots she had ever seen. They did not seem to have any enjoyment of life to spark them.

At the campsite Emmaline was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was a semi permanent camp site. It sat just on the edge of the McVörsss land a days ride from the keep. It allowed travelers to freshen before their arrival at the keep. It had several tents, permanent firepits, and a close stream.

Ronen lowered her to the ground. "My men are watching donna try anything or I will have to separate you and your wee one."

Emmaline grasped at his meaning; surely he could not be so cruel as to separate a mother and a child? Looking up at him she knew that he would do just that if she tried to leave.