The Wolf's Captive Ch. 02

A soft growl sounded close to her ear before a wet, roughness swiped at her neck.

Pushing against the heavy, unyielding body pressed close to her, Rowena said in rising panic, 'What do you do? Get away! Get away!'

And then she was cold again. The wolf had bounded to the farthest end of the tent, startled at her rising tone no doubt and a low whine sounded.

'It's alright -- you wouldn't hurt me, would you?' Rowena said shakily. 'You startled me, that's all. I must have fallen asleep...what was I saying?' she said, trying to make her tone easy and unaffected even as her heart still thudded hard in the aftermath of what her bemused mind had been a perceived to be a threat and attack.

'That I found you comely -- yes, well, you are also flippant and rude,' she pointed out. 'So let it be known that when it comes to your character, I find you significantly lacking. A good thing it is that you have a pretty face for you would never charm a woman otherwise. Not that you've charmed me...I offer myself to you because I must. Not because I want to.'

Feeling her lids droop, she continued to murmur on about his generally uncouth person before it was only the chill in the air that kept her from falling into a deep slumber. When the warm, soft body settled against her this time, she did not protest.

*

Nibbling on the salted meat that made up the breakfast fare, Rowena looked about as men and a few women disassembled the tents and loaded the two carts present with trunks and when a tall, commanding figure entered the clearing, she was hard pressed not to stare like a fool.

His sun-bleached hair damp, Cedric drew feminine eyes as he moved through the space. He did not look her way once and not for the first time this morning, she wondered whether she had imagined his coming to her last night but no -- Edwin's accusations were too raw and vivid in her mind to have been invented. A little piqued that he would ignore her so, she rose and cautiously made her way to cluster of waiting horses and spied her brother, his hands and feet tied as he sat amongst the trunks in one of the wooden carts. His mouth covered, his eyes bugged as he saw her but a light hand at her elbow caught her attention.

Standing stiffly, Cedric said, 'You will ride with me.'

Rowena's eyes stayed on his lips for a protracted moment. She could see the cleanness of his skin, the slight flush to his cheeks from his recent washing and looked away, dusting at the skirt of her gown, feeling filthy with her own lack of usual morning washing. He would not find her so alluring in the light of day she mused grimly and his attraction to her was the only thing she had of value.

'You ride with me,' Cedric repeated then gaining her attention, 'or you ride with the serfs. It is you decision,' he informed, little emotion discernible in his eyes. 'Do you understand my meaning?'

Rowena looked about quickly and flinched at the few hostile eyes pinned on her. 'Must you speak so loudly of it,' she whispered, frowning as Cedric smiled tauntingly.

'Forgive me -- I am not used to making such...bargains. Will you come to me willingly, lady, in all ways as you one-sidedly discussed last night?' he whispered, humour playing in his eyes.

'I said I would,' Rowena muttered. 'Will you let my brother go?'

The smile disappeared as quickly as it had formed. 'Nay. You have no say over that. He is my prisoner now.'

'But you will not kill him?' Rowena said quietly, placing a hand on his arm.

'I will not kill him.'

Until she'd heard the words from his lips, she had still doubted him but in his eyes shone sincerity.

Nodding, Rowena held out a hand. 'Then, let us seal our bargain.'

Cedric looked at her hand, looked at her face and then he was pressing a lingering kiss to her startled lips. When he drew away, his eyes looked almost fever-bright.

Lifting her face towards him, he said, 'I will not wait to caress you in the shadows, Rowena. You need not be ashamed of being in my bed. You will have an elevated place in my household for as long as you choose to stay there. I will replace these rags you wear with fine fabrics and you will spend your nights in nothing but pleasure. You have little to lose out of this'

For as long as I choose, Rowena thought incredulously. On the premise that he didn't tire of her first, she would choose to stay there for as long as it took to bend him to her will: until he agreed to release Edwin. He played the stern master now but she still had hope. She had seen well enough how sotted an otherwise unmovable male could become when a woman played him just right -- look at Sylvia and Edwin. Her brother was as pious and proper as they came but practically cooed whenever he spoke of that woman.

Cedric, looking down at her expectantly, nodded in approval when she held out her hand again. Taking it and leading her to a waiting horse, he made to assist her but sighed and followed the direction of her stare as she raised a hand to keep him back.

'Rest easy, your brother is well.'

She bit her lip at his angry tone. 'Must he be gagged?'

'Aye, he must,' and with that, Cedric settled his hands into the indentations of her curving waist and lifted her easily, settling her on the waiting animal.

She sat alone for a time as the last checks were made and then Cedric was hoisting himself up in front of her.

'Give me your hands,' he called, facing forward.

'I am fine.'

'Do not be a fool -- the horse will send you flying as soon as we set off. Give me your hands.'

As he pulled both of her hands around and settled them over his hard stomach, Rowena closed her eyes in mortification but soon the party was moving off and her awkwardness was forgotten as her fingers bit into the soft fabric of Cedric's linen shirt. The only times she had ridden a horse had been as a child with her brother and the unusual jerking pace of the stallion turned her stomach.

'Are you married?' she called suddenly, as a white horse swept passed them adorned with the lithe figure of the fair and beautiful Mariah who shot poison from her eyes at her.

Cedric's stomach moved under her hands.

'Nay. I treasure my freedom. I need no wife to stifle me.'

'What about sons,' Rowena scoffed. 'Every man wishes for sons. Or is that you already have a store of bastards eagerly awaiting your return?' she added.

'Not one -- I am careful where I spill my seed. You need not worry about me getting a by-blow on you, Rowena, so do not think to use that as an excuse.'

Rowena cringed at his confident assurance, thoughts of the secret mix of herbs her father's many mistresses consumed to stop themselves from becoming bellyful assailing her and her feeling of sickness increased. The rest of the journey passed by in silence as thoughts of the coming night plagued her.

*

Feeding Edwin the last piece of bread she had stolen from the food reserve, Rowena asked him whether he wished for more water and he shook his head, his expression sullen.

'Tell me,' she murmured, trying to appeal to him 'do you think our father would have been so lenient had he captured a poached, a trespasser? And I do not talk here of a murder, merely-'

'Murder!'

Rowena gave him a silent look and when he looked away, she said, 'You know I speak the truth.'

'All I know is that I need to gather my bearings and consider our escape, so leave me be and do not chew my ear off.'

'You are infuriating!'

'And you are easy to manipulate, apparently! You let that abomination of God lead you about, to touch you freely - to make a mockery of you before his people!'

Rowena threw him a guarded look, feeling hurt that he of all people should treat her so, should look upon her with such disapproval. 'He has not done me ill -- why should I act foolish and incur his wrath?'

'No, you should not act foolish,' Edwin agreed. 'You say he lusts after you and that he is fair? Well, put it to the test, Rowena. If he is fair he will not make you give yourself to him but you can soften him towards you...all we need is some food, a blade and a horse and we can flee!'

'You can barely walk! And how will the two of us make it on our own when the forests are the perfectly covering for bandits and thieves who hunger for the opportunity to ambush two fools like us?'

Turning his face from her, Edwin said between tight lips. 'Yea, I cannot walk -- and it your prince that did this to me! Do not forget that tonight when he is luring you into his bed.'

Rowena watched his hard profile for a moment, tears blurring her vision. With a sigh, she left him to stew in his bitterness.

*

Cedric straightened from his position against the thick trunk of the tree he had been resting against and held out a hand.

'Do you wish to wash?'

He took in the glazed eyes, the pink nose and the smudged looking lips as Rowena emerged from the tent her brother was confined to but he did not comment on it.

'I wasn't -- I was only-'

'Disobeying my orders -- stealing my food. You will not go to your brother again, Rowena. Do not interfere in things you do not understand,' with that said, he softened his manner towards here. 'Come,' he urged gently, frowning at her bent head as she walked beside him but kept her hand by her side.

'Are you sore from the ride?'

Her eyes met his for a moment and showed confusion at his considerate manner before she looked straight ahead again as he led the way to the stream they had settled near.

'Nay.'

He snorted at that. 'You walk like you have a poker...you walk stiffly. I have an oil with me,' he held up a hand, 'it will ease the ache.'

She nodded and as he started to undress once they reached the steady flow of water, he resisted the urge to tut when she turned her back on him, her shoulders rigid.

'Willingly, you said,' he reminded her, kicking off his boots and pushing his braies over his legs until he stood naked behind her. He frowned at his hardening length, wary of the need to be easy with her for their first coupling.

'But I spoke of bed sport, my lord -- not, not anything else.'

'Fuc -- the sport you speak of is not just confined to a bed, Rowena,' he said patiently, coming to a stop behind her and placing light hands on her shoulders, careful to keep his stiffness away from the luscious curve of her buttocks.

'It is not yet night, my lord!' she argued, trying to pull away from him but he held her fast.

'Nay,' he agreed. 'And I am glad of the fact. Do not feel shame at your body, Rowena. You are beautiful -- you were made for a man's love, not for a convent.'

'You remembered.'

At her softly spoken question he smiled. 'Yes -- as you so pettishly reminded me last night, I understand you whatever form I may be in. Turn around and face me, Rowena.'

She moved to obey but he left his hands on her narrow shoulders, watching her eyes intently as she took in the length of his chest but refused to look much lower.

Running his hands over her arms, he said, 'Come, take of these rags. They are not fit to cover your sweet body.'

'Your honeyed words seem well practised, my lord -- do they work so well on every maid you wish to tumble?'

He would not be goaded by her. He sensed her apprehension and it made him feel like a lumbering oaf, too big and rough compared to her delicateness.

'I do not wish to think at all of other maids, Rowena. Take off the dress. It is filthy.'

It earned him a scowl and he grinned. 'Off,' he repeated. 'Before I rip it off.'

'Alright -- close your eyes, my lord.'

Cedric stepped back and lowered himself to the grass, leaning back on his elbows as he peered up at her and felt his manhood stiffen to its full length under her wide-eyed gaze.

'See how it rises for you? It does not wish to be denied the pleasure of seeing your curves revealed bit by bit. I'm no fumbling boy, Rowena -- I do not play games. I wish to see you bare,' by the time he finished his speech, his voice was hoarse with want and then she was pulling at the back of her dress, her eyes focused on him as if against their will. When she stood over him in just her thin chemise, she gave him an uncertain look.

'Yes,' he encouraged, grunting when she pulled the garment up over her shapely thighs exposing the patch of dark hair between her legs and he was certain he could smell her woman's scent even from here and then at last she was bare but she held the flimsy fabric against her chest, concealing her full breasts from him.

'Come down beside me,' he urged, not wanting to scare her off by coming to her and when she dropped to her knees, he gently prized her chemise from her tight grip, his balls throbbing as he took in her stiff, honey coloured nipples.

'I am filthy, my lord -- is it your wish to bed me thusly?' her tone was tart but her eyes fixated on his nose, embarrassment plain to see.

In truth, the cool water would help ease his lust. He did not think he would win her favour by rolling on top of her and taking her with the quick, hard thrusts his body demanded.

'You are right, the idea is not appealing,' he said, rolling to his feet and moving towards the water. He decided to be magnanimous and allow her to join him unwatched and only when he heard the splash of water indicating her arrival did he turn and seek her out.

'By my garments,' he muttered, taking in her wet breasts, the chilled water having done little to stifle his passion. 'There is a cake of soap. Bring it to me.'

He was treated to the glorious view of her pert buttocks as she waded to the bank and reached out a hand. Taking her time, she made her way towards him and thrust the small cake at his chest before moving away from him, watching him as he made to run the cleansing stick over his chest.

'Turn and I will wash your hair.'

'I will do it,' she shook her head, lifting her chin primly and he had to admire her stubbornness, especially when he watched as she presented her back to him and ran her fingers through her curtain of dark, curling hair, her back arching in unconscious sensuality as she worked the soap into her mane before plunging her head beneath the steady current of water. She turned to him reluctantly, her hair now sleek and straight, her eyes looking overlarge in her heart-shaped face as she crossed a hand over her thrusting breasts.

'Pass me the soap,' he all but growled, delighting in her startled gasp when quickly grabbed hold of her outstretched arm and pulled her towards him until her hard nipples stabbed into the hair of his chest.

'Please.'

Cedric shuddered at the softly spoken appeal, pressing Rowena's wet head into his neck.

'My only desire is to please you and please you well,' he muttered, closing his eyes on a groan as he pressed his stiff length into her stomach, his tight balls nestling into her wet woman's hair.

Loosening his arms as she squirmed in his embrace, he cracked open an eye and considered her, pleased that she looked neither disgusted nor fearful.

'It -- you are very large, my lord,' she breathed.

'Cedric,' he bit out.

She nodded, her eyes holding a languid, melting look in them and he was glad that she had not noticed his harsh tone, so impatient was he for her.

'Cedric -- it is almost as long as the length of my belly as it lays against me.'

'Yes,' he agreed, his throat feeling tight.

'But-'

Brushing a thumb against her lips, he cradled her head in his palm and looked into her damp face. 'We will go well together, Rowena. I will make you ready to accept me.'

She nodded, dropping her eyes to his chest.

'Put your arms around my neck,' he gritted the last as her small hands worked their way into his wet hair and he lifted her into his arms.

'The air grows chill -- we will get dry,' he said, stepping out of the water with her in his arms, unable to resist the urge to taste a nipple, running his tongue over the hard bud until she moaned.

He wasted little time in drying them, rubbing them both down with efficient strokes before coaxingly ordering her to lay atop of his garments on her front as he worked the lightly scented oil into the soft skin of her buttocks and thighs. He persisted even as she argued that she did not require his concern and soon she was still and submissive between his palms as he massaged her soft skin until it shone in the dying light of the day.

When he gently turned her onto her back, she stared up at him with content yet questioning eyes but she made no move to rise as he placed a staying hand over her stomach. As her eyes wandered to his manhood, he moved closer to her on his knees until the tip of him pressed into her rounded hip.

The muscles beneath his hand taunted and Cedric bent low before she could protest, brushing his lips over her own, his chest tightening as she sighed into his mouth, her eyelids fluttering closed but he wanted to see her expression as he pleasured her and so brushed a thumb lightly over her lids until she looked at him askance.

He smoothed the hand resting on her stomach lower, until it rested just above her dark curls and gave a small frustrated bark of laughter as her hand tried to close over his wrist and pull him away, her fingers not meeting around the thickness which made him think of other ways in which her hand may hold him.

His patience thinning, Cedric slid his palm fully over her mound and she was so wet -- slippery and hot -- that he knew nothing else but to give in to the urgency of his cock to be sheathed in her clutching warmth.

'Rowena,' he said her name harshly, 'I will not be able to stop after this -- if you wish to dress and return to the camp tell me now.'

'No,' her voice sounded slurred to his ears but he could not be sure for his heart pounded strong and thick in his chest until he swore that even she could hear it.

'My lord...Cedric -- Cedric!'

Gritting his teeth, Cedric continuing the circling motion of two fingers over her hard, wet little bud, his eyes blurring as Rowena spread her thighs in supplication to his teasing touch.

The sight of her spread before him, her pink folds glistening with want and the scent of her need robbed him of all sense and then he was pushing her wider for him, moving between her thighs, still cognisant enough to consider that she was very likely a virgin and that he had to be considerate yet.

Holding her open between thumb and forefinger, his fingers looking blunt and ugly next to her sleek and feminine neither lips, Cedric bent low and tongued her folds, groaning into her mound at the intoxicating taste that filled his mouth. He had enjoyed women in this way before, though usually he took a woman with the swiftness his lusty body demanded and there was little time or need for such play but being between Rowena's legs now, tasting her wetness...he felt close to losing his seed to the damp grass. She was ready, he decided firmly, settling himself over her chest, bracing his arms beside her head.

'Touch me,' he ordered, arching his back when her hand rubbed at the hair of his chest.

'That was nice, Cedric,' she sighed, still half-mindless and uninhibited about feelings of shame at her abandon, the work from his tongue between her thighs having done its job.

His cock pulsed at the passion in her voice -- what a wonder she was: so free and willing to receive pleasure yet shy and tentative otherwise and he almost felt guilty. He intended to use her until his lusts diminished and hoped she didn't allow her feeling towards him to soften in that time.

'Why did you stop?'

'Stop?' he frowned, breathing heavily as her wetness coated his balls, resting tightly against her hot, moist hole.

'Did I -- displease you?'

'Displease me?' Cedric nibbled at her ear. 'Your taste had me close to spending myself,' he admitted.

'I felt something -- there was an ache and then when you -- when you kissed me down there, the ache felt warm and...better.'