Trust Ch. 04

"You forget who he comes to for true comfort you bed whore," Astrid yelled out for everyone to hear.

After calmly placing her basket on the ground, Iona turned and took the steps that separated the two women. There was no fear on her face or in her voice. She did not lower her tone. This was something all should hear as well.

"Since you speak for your kind, do not forget who begs on her knees in the secret of shadows only to be fucked in the mouth without care. You will always be on your knees before him. That is where you belong. In the warmth of his bed is where you will always find me. My bosom will be where he comes to rest his head. He asks for the joy of my touch. I am his true comfort and the only one that can sooth him. I stand beside him. I have never dropped to my knees in front of him. I have never begged and I have never had the need. I am where my kind belongs. Who is the whore here?"

The woman's attack was fast, but Iona's reaction was faster. She had more experience defending herself than anyone her age should. She bested the girl quickly, aiming for the face. She wanted the woman's beating to be worn as a warning.

When Iona was a slave, she had not responded to the inequities of her position. She was no longer anyone's slave. Years of anger sprung forward. Curses she had not used in quite some time fell from her lips easily.

Having been knocked to the ground, Astrid attempted to protect herself. Iona was about to go down on her when she felt a strong arm latch around her waist and pull her away. Her arms kept swinging and she continued to throw words of insult.

"Today my guard guards you," she yelled out. "He is the only reason you live. Say something to me again and I will pull your teeth from your repulsive face. Your Gods will no longer recognize you or save you from my fury. There are no warnings left for you."

"We pull out teeth now do we?" The owner of the voice was unmistakable. "That is a definite step up from requesting that your ass be kissed."

Despite the surprise, it took a while for Iona to calm down.

"Place me on my feet now," she demanded.

"Why?" the voice teased. "Is it blood you wish to draw?"

"Hers," Iona spit out.

"Then you have accomplished what you have set out to do. Your viciousness even scares my guards."

"And you?" Her voice was calm now and her body draped over his arm.

"You scare me as well, but this is not unexpected."

"Place me on my feet," Iona asked, now feeling the effects of Kieren's closeness and her own shame.

"Only if you promise to behave."

"Do not tease me now in this position."

With that Kieren let her stand, but he did not remove his arm from around her waist.

"Kieren," now on her feet Astrid demanded, "you need to remind your foreign slave girl of her place. Like the animal she is, she viciously attacked me without constraint. I thought she might bite me like a rabid bitch. Your guards should be punished for failure."

Kieren's attention turned to Astrid while once again lifting Iona from her feet. Iona wished to finish her attack. This made him proud.

"Control your tongue woman or I will set controls in place for it." He left no room for doubt in his words. "You wrongly assume a situation that does not exist. There is nothing established for you in my household. It is she I protect. Any punishment that takes place will be in connection to that. I establish Iona's place among you. You have proven yourself to be the rabid dog here as well as the one in heat. Do not concern yourself with what is mine or what is not. This woman I hold is slave to no master neither is she foreign to me."

Before Kieren turned to walk off with her still under his arm. Iona watched Astrid's swollen lips gap open in disbelief

"You are the one that should be warned Gulbrandson Kieren. It is you demeaned here."

Kieren turned immediately and stepped forward so that there was little room between the two of them.

Iona wanted to take advantage of the proximity and reached out for Astrid, but the girl backed up in fear. It was not fear of Iona, but fear of Kieren.

Kieren now had the tone that Iona remembered well. He had used it to set matters straight with her. It was deadlier when spoken for all to hear.

"It is you," he said, "that have forgotten your place in position to mine. Make no further mistake. I am a man that stands on solid ground—not upon the shoulders of any. You and your family can easily feel the effects of how solid the ground beneath me is."

Astrid put more space between them and no one dared come to her aid.

As Kieren turned, he easily placed Iona over his shoulder and a few of his men fell in step behind him. Iona began to struggle.

"Settle down girl," he laughed. His mood had shifted quickly.

"I am no girl," she told him between gritted teeth. "I am a woman. I am a free woman not to be treated like a bag of potatoes."

"This is true," he laughed. "But, you are my potatoes and I do what I please with what is mine."

"She is slave to no man," Iona childishly mimicked.

"Your words are the ones to be questioned here," Kieren informed her.

Iona stiffened.

"I speak many words in anger."

"Yes," he said. "I am aware of that. And, you speak them in the middle of the market nonetheless."

"I embarrass you and your household. For that, I am sorry."

"Woman, do not lie to me," he laughed. "If another chance was given, I would still have to pull you from a cat fight."

"She is no cat," Iona spit out, "She is a rodent."

Once inside his home, Kieren positioned her in a way that allowed her to slide down his body, but not all the way. The transition was smoothly done. He spread his hands across her backside and easily supported her weight. Without choice and fear of falling, Iona wrapped her legs and arms around him. They were now eye to eye.

His eyes were so deep with the color of the sky. She swore that she could see clouds moving behind them. They were hypnotizing. It was too much for her to take. She looked away.

"Now I'll have you put me down please."

"Today is full of surprises." Kieren gave her the most beautiful of smiles. "She learns a new word in my absence Brenna. This word is please."

"This girl you forcefully put upon me has quite the vocabulary as well as attitude." Brenna spoke with the pretense of anger. She smiled ear to ear. They were her children, for them to have each other held meaning to her.

"Have you now. I wish to hear all your words Iona." His voice grew silky.

"My words only seem to result in my punishment," Iona whispered in shame.

Kieren considered her for a moment and searched her dark eyes. His smile slowly vanished. He released her and she slid down the rest of his body.

Iona could feel the graze of his need as she slid to her feet. Her legs felt weak and her own need had long since established itself. If he were to slip his fingers between her thighs Kieren would find her exceedingly ready for more.

He bowed his head, smiling once more and left toward his private area. The men that were observing suddenly pretended to be disinterested.

A bewildered Iona watched his broad back turn down a passage way. She knew what she had felt against her. It was undoubtedly want. Something like that on him was impossible for any breathing woman to ignore. But, maybe that was a general reaction when it came to women. Maybe he and Russ shared more than just blood and beauty. The site and feel of any woman made blood rush to their organ.

Confused, Iona looked to Brenna. Brenna just humped up her shoulders and turned to fulfill her purpose. Once turned, she had to stop herself from laughing out loud.

"That damn Kieren," she said shaking her head.

Iona did not know what to do. Brenna would only escort her out of the kitchen claiming it was still a danger for the girl and anyone that crossed the girl's path. There was no sign of Russ or Gunner to distract her with their inane games. Sitting alone would be too awkward, not to mention humiliating. Going for a walk was not wise at the moment. Astrid was most likely stationed in a strategic position, waiting to shoot Iona in the heart with a poisoned arrow.

Without any other choice, she went to her room and sat on her bed with her hands clasped. She sat there for quite some time thinking.

What was she expecting? There was not anything truly experienced on the Long Ship to solidify a personal relationship between the two—especially not sexually. His only actual physical contact with her body included a harsh spanking and harsher... She really did not want to recreate that image in her mind. His intention had been to punish not please. Then with the coldest of warnings, he had separated himself. He had fulfilled his original words by having her delivered to safety. Iona reasoned that she was free; freedom was all that he promised. It was his only true commitment. Her imagination had created everything else. It was a girl's imagination, nothing more.

These things had long since occurred to her. She recalled her oath to be a woman that accepted reality. The part that she had given to him had to be excised. There was little reason for her to keep penalizing herself. He had demonstrated that she meant little to him as a woman.

Had he not asked her to always remember his parting words aboard his Long Ship? "Never forget what I say to you today, for I shall not."

If not anything else, Kieren's words were truth. Had not Gunner informed her of that when she tried to take her own life?

Iona washed, slipped on her night shift and attempted to sleep. Sleep teased her but never came. Like the night of his last return, she was restless. This time it was beyond compare. Remembering what happened last time made her fear finding her way to the kitchen for warmed goat's milk.

It does not matter, she reasoned. Finding him fucking another on a table meant for eating would only strengthen her resolve.

"Cut it away," she said aloud.

There were a few men living within the Long House and not in the other house designed to house many. She had not considered that her covering was inappropriate until she was already on her way to the kitchen. Then she thought better of it and made her way back to her room. As she found her way through the main hall, Iona paused and stared.

If she had to explain the reason, Iona could not. The passage way to his private area called out to her. Memories flooded her mind. There was the way he had looked at her sometimes. Kieren showed no shame or pretense when watching her bathing or dressing. Sometimes he focused on particular parts of her anatomy than others. The knowledge had always hardened her nipples and they would become humiliatingly obvious. Even when her back was toward him, Iona could feel his eyes upon her. And when the furs that covered him no longer covered his nakedness, he sat boldly in front of her. Iona had to turn away, angry with her body's betrayal.

Kieren was always comfortable with his nakedness on the Long Ship. Why not, Iona knew the small cabin to be his personal space? He did not adjust his habits to accommodate her. His body was perfect in every way, all of it. Even his scars seemed beautiful. Often she had dreamed of how he would feel under her hands, the feel of his skin stretched over muscle. His hair was always wet after he washed. He would raise his arms to dry it with a cloth. Iona liked the look of his arms. He could handle her so well with the strength of those arms. The way his appendage hung made Iona ache to touch it, to verify its beauty. When hard and erect it needed no verification. It made her ache in another way. Iona did not think of it as an appendage at that point. Her thoughts were immoral, she wanted his cock.

No man had ever stirred anything inside of her. When circumstances required the sacrifice of her body there was a division within her. The part that mattered would blind itself and become unfeeling. She became motionless and void of emotion. Iona was a slave, no matter how well treated. For Kieren, Iona felt a deep sense of need. He awakened her body in ways no man had ever done. This was without even a touch from him. She longed for his touch.

Iona felt that she must have her questions answered. Had she imagined what she saw in his eyes? Could he truly see no use for her? Only he could answer her questions. Only he could decide if he should be cut away. That way, she could be certain of any conclusion drawn on her part. There would be no assumptions nurturing fantasies.

She moved quietly down his passage way. The opening to his area was closed for privacy. Iona's thoughts became conflicted. But, she realized that her decision was already made when she came toward his door. Iona had come too far to turn back. Besides if her knowledge of him was correct, Kieren already knew that she was at his door. The man missed nothing. She must now prove herself to be a woman and not a child frightened of confrontation. Her boldness was firm in other aspects of her life, why not here? Why not now?

Iona opened the door, closed her eyes and stepped in. She expected a knife to be placed at her neck or to be restrained in some way. But when she felt nothing, she opened her eyes. Kieren was standing directly before her with his arms crossed. The darkness of night could not hide his nakedness.

"What do you want Iona," he calmly demanded.

Iona cleared her throat.

"I need to acquire you," she stumbled. "I mean acquire of you. No, inquire of you. I...uhm...have questions."

"An Iona that fails to form words correctly is a rare thing."

Iona did not get the feeling that he was teasing. It sounded like he was irritated. She turned to make her escape with apologies.

While attempting to open the door, Kieren's hand pressed firmly against it. Although he was not touching her, Iona could feel his body behind her.

"You have awakened me from a sound sleep." Even and smooth, his voice was not far from her ear. "What is your query?"

"I wanted to make an apology for my words today; I mean yesterday." She tried not to sound nervous.

"And, your query is?"

"I apologize for not clearly establishing my purpose to...uhm...apologize from the start."

"You wish to apologize for your words. You said so many. To which are you referring?"

"Well, my behavior was inexcusable."

This time his lips were closer.

"What words?" he probed in a lower more intimate tone.

"Well...see..." Iona desperately wanted the entire situation to disappear. How stupid could she be, disturbing his privacy in such a way?

"You are not a child," his voice became as silky as earlier, "yet you play a child's game. Children should be in bed at this time of night."

"Remove your hand and I shall return to my bed." Iona attempted to have better control of her voice. "But, it is not because I am a child. I simply do not wish to impose."

"To come to my room with little on has already been done. The imposition is that you come with poor justification."

"I had questions but your tone and behavior leaves me feeling threatened. I can no longer recall their significance." Iona tried to sound indignant. "I will leave you with my apologies and return to my designated area."

"Face me when you address me."

Influenced by the strong pull of his command, Iona slowly turned with her head dropped. He was unnervingly close and she dared not raise her head. When he placed his curved finger under her chin and lifted it, unbearable warmth flooded her body.

"In the cover of darkness you come into my room without invitation, knowing at the center of things I am a man. First you say you have an inquiry. Then you apologize for your previous actions and words unknown. Finally, you accuse me of threatening you and you desire to flee to safety. Am I correct?"

Silence.

"Answer me."

The harshness in his voice, no matter how slight, brought the feel of approaching tears. Her weakness shamed her.

Iona's voice began to waiver. "Well...see...I..." she said before it failed her.

Kieren dropped his finger from her chin.

"Not only are you a child that plays at being a woman but you tease as well."

Kieren waited for a response.

"Must I remind you that I am a woman not a child? My intentions are honorable," Iona finally responded, pulling from her inner strength.

With the same finger that had held her chin, Kieren flicked a hardened, extended nipple. Iona caught her breath and her legs weakened.

"In the middle of the night my intentions are not."

"I am quite aware of that."

Iona observed the shadows of his face.

"What do you want Iona?" He raised his voice.

Silence.

"Since you insist that you are a woman, do not waste time. Speak."

"I came to make myself available for your use," she blurted out.

"Available? What does that exactly mean?" Kieren moved closer to her.

Her breasts with their pebbled nipples pressed into him with every intake of air. She knew he felt them.

"To use me," she said hurriedly. "To fuck me how you please. I owe you as much."

"You owe me nothing," he said removing his hand from the door. Kieren was angry now. "I have no desire to use you as you say."

He stepped back.

"You offer yourself to me like a child forced to share a toy. Must I remind you that I am a man not an animal that molests girls? With that offense, take your leave."

He crossed his arms.

Once again her words brought her punishment. This time he would not touch her at all. She was not worth even a physical demonstration of his anger. She had been warned before of his contempt for her.

Tears began to roll down her face.

"Why do you not want me? Am I not as pleasing as the others? Is it because I am a slave, the color of my skin?" she said, surrendering to her emotions. "I've seen the need that you have for women. I can be solely for your consumption as well."

"I am sorry that I abused you in such a way that night and failed to show you any care. You are no man's slave, not mine or any others. Yet you come to me as a slave available for a fucking you do not desire. You offer yourself as payment. I have no desire for a slave. I have no desire for payment."

Kieren ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Leave. Rest assured that our obligations to one another are complete."

Iona lowered her head once more. She turned and opened the door. Her lungs tightened and her chest began to ache. She moved slowly in hopes that he would stop her.

He did not.

In her room she cried into her hands while sitting at the edge of her bed. There was the familiar, a light knock at her door. Relief filled her. Brenna would help her get through this. Brenna would tell her how to do what was impossible; she would help Iona cut him away. Her wisdom would lead Iona once more and help her to become the woman she should be. Iona needed the older woman to restore her strength. Brenna cared about her. She was the only one that truly did. Iona rushed to open the door.

"Oh Brenna..." she began on the verge of new tears.

His movements were quick. Kieren placed one hand around her waist and drew her lips to his. This was what he ached for and he made the most of it. When he attempted to pull his lips away to consider her response, Iona threw her arms around him and her lips followed his with hunger. This was all he needed to know. He wrapped his arms fully around her, raised her from the floor while kicking the door completely open.

The feel of his lips upon hers was beyond any imagined. Her entire body relaxed into his form and the firmness of his hands across her back. When Kieren lifted her up, Iona's legs eagerly clasped around his waist. Her arms held on to him for dear life. She could not hold him close enough. Iona was finally home and stepping beyond any fantasy. She was at the threshold of an unknown reality.