Uncertain Future Ch. 07

Lara's face darkened at the mention of punishment. "Will...you?"

"What? No! And I'm not mad, Lara. Let go of my neck. I'm not going to hurt you."

With that assurance, Lara slowly untangled her arms from Tarok's neck. As soon as her hands left his body, she spotted a devilish grin on his face.

Suddenly the world turned upside down for Lara as Tarok grabbed her and in one quick roll, had her on her back and him on top. It happened so quickly Lara didn't realize what'd happened until she was pinned beneath Tarok, each of her arms held down by his big powerful hand. His face was so close to her she could hear his breath. And that impish grin was still on his face. Lara didn't dare move nor breathe.

Then Tarok lowered his head. Lara shut her eyes. She felt his wet tongue on her neck, running from clavicle to chin, leaving a trail of coolness behind. After a single slow lick, Tarok released Lara and rolled back on his back beside her.

Tarok smiled to himself, amused with his little jest. He turned his head sideways to see what Lara reaction was and saw Lara turning her back to him, legs slightly curved towards her stomach, her body quivering.

"Lara?" Tarok immediately lifted his head.

She didn't respond, instead he heard a sniffling sound.

Is she crying?

Tarok sat up and moved next to Lara. He carefully put a hand on Lara shoulder. "Lara?" Tarok whispered. He gave her shoulder a gentle shake.

It took her a minute more to stop sobbing. Eventually she got up. When she turned towards him, Tarok saw her face was wet with tears. He raised his hand to wipe the trails of tear from Lara's face, and she let him.

"I'm sorry, Lara. I was fooling around. It didn't mean to upset you," said Tarok.

Lara nodded. She hung her head, her chest still heaving with emotions. "I know it was a joke. You did scare me, but that not why I cry." Lara sniffled.

"Why did you?"

Lara wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "When you pinned me down, for a long, painful second, I was reminded about the past, about how I often felt back at my village. I felt helpless, Tarok. So helpless. Because of the war, the whole country turned into a mess. People were fighting and slaughtering, there wasn't enough food for everyone. Nothing is certain anymore. I watched men and women from elsewhere passed by my village, trying to escape the war. Being the priestess of Verea, people looked to me for comfort, for relief. Yet, there was naught that I could do to help them. I'm young and as powerless as everyone else. And then I was captured by your men. I lost my freedom, and never in my life had I felt so crushed. Even my life was not in my control anymore." Lara choked, she couldn't continue.

Tarok extended his hand to Lara's. She held him tight.

"I just want the uncertainty to stop."

Suddenly, she got on her knees and grabbed Tarok left arm, her face pressed against his shoulder. Tarok could feel her entire body quaking with each sob.

"Tarok, you're my master. You're the only certain thing in my life right now. I beg you, please don't treat me like a plaything. Please, promise me you won't grow bored of me and throw me away. I swear I will be good, I'll be a loyal slave to you. Please, please promise me."

She cried again. She held on to Tarok arm as though if she let go of him for even a second, he'd be gone. Lara heard nothing from Tarok, but she could feel his hand behind her, moving up and down her back. Eventually, her hysterical crying subsided, thanks to Tarok's comforting touch. She removed her teary face from his shoulder and looked up to those blue eyes.

"Tarok?"

"Lara, I can't make that promise to you," Tarok uttered, "because you're not my slave anymore. You are nobody's slave."

The gravity of his words sank slowly into Lara's senses. "You mean...that I am—"

"Yes, you are free," confirmed Tarok. Lara made a sound like she was choking, but before Tarok could voice his concern, her arms had already wrapped around his neck as she practically jumped at him.

"Thank you, thank you," came Lara's shrill muffled voice from underneath Tarok's ear. He couldn't help but wound his hands around the overjoyed girl too. Like all other time he hugged her, his body practically envelop her petite frame.

Eventually she let him go, she was teary again, but this time it was tear of joy. She couldn't stop smiling at Tarok, her benefactor. But her smile flagged when she saw the somberness on his face.

"Lara, there is something I need to tell you," he shifted uncomfortably. "Back in the forest, the morning when we returned to my camp, do you remember? I told you, 'Follow me if you want'. I wasn't joking then. At that point, I didn't consider you as my slave anymore. I said it and didn't look back. You could have picked another path, follow the river to the city like I told you. I wouldn't have chased after you if you do. But you followed me," he paused, his hand found her and hold it tight.

"I know what you are thinking. You couldn't have possibly known about this, that you are a freewoman at that point. I should have told you," Tarok sighed. "I'm sorry, Lara. Not just about that, but for how I treated you, how I abused you, how I hurt you. If it is at all possible, I plead your forgiveness."

He stopped talking. Lara watched as his face contorted into a painful grimace, as if memory of the bruises he caused her brought anguish to his very soul. She realized his eyes had become fixed on her neck, where proof of his earlier abuses was still faintly visible.

She squeezed his hand to get his attention. His blue eyes left her neck and turned to her chestnut ones. "I forgive you. The past belongs to the past. But there is one thing I want to know. Why didn't you tell me that I'm free?"

Tarok bit his lips. He swallowed hard. Lara braced herself for the importance of what he's about to say.

"If you want to leave right now, I understand. I'll give you whatever you need and send my most trusted men to keep you safe on the road to the nearest city. About your question. When I turned around and saw that you were following me, I was glad, so glad. I didn't tell you then, because I was selfish, Lara. I want you to come back with me. I want you to stay with me. These past few days, every night with you in my bed, I've never been happier. I want to spend the night with you by my side, and I want to see you wake up every morning. I want to take care of you, to keep you safe. If you leave, I can't ever be sure of that. I can't live if I know I leave you alone out there in the world. Please stay with me, Lara. Seeing you every day brings me immense joy, joy that I haven't felt since my mother died. I adore your kindness, your smile, your scent, your everything. I...I—" Tarok panted.

"You love me," uttered Lara. She said in three words what he's been trying to confess the whole time. Tarok swallowed and nodded.

Lara's mouth opened, then her lips closed into a thin line. Somewhere deep inside her, she had some vague idea about the truth of their relationship, but the fact is that, at that moment, Tarok's declaration of love took Lara by surprise. How ironic, that the priestess of the goddess of Love was blind to the love that's right in front of her.

"Lara?" whispered Tarok. Lara had been silent. Seconds seemed to stretch into eons, the deafening silence went on as hope faded away from his face. He slowly looked away from Lara, his throat was as dry as sand.

"I... see," Tarok choked. He closed his eyes as he turned his head away. He didn't want to look, or to hear anymore. Everything suddenly seemed woefully unnecessary. Even the fact that he's breathing seemed redundant now.

"I want to stay with you."

Those words immediately dragged Tarok back to life. His head turned to her as she spoke, and he saw the droplets of tears rolled down her beautiful cheeks.

"These past few days with you have been the best days of my life. Yet, I'm a priestess of Verea. And you condone slavery. I can't, with good conscience, willingly be with you. If I stay, I can't look at the other slaves and pretend like I'm fine with it. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," said Lara. She wept bitterly as she clutched Tarok hand.

Out of duty, she had denied Tarok. And it hurt so much.

Tarok put his arm around Lara's back and pull her to his chest. He leaned down and planted a kiss on top of her head while his hand giving Lara's shaking body slow comforting pats.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Lara said repeatedly as she cried in his embrace.

"It's alright, Lara. Don't cry," he whispered to her, "If it's about slavery, then I will renounce it. All my slaves will be free, like you."

Lara looked up at Tarok in utter shock. "You...you would do that? Because of me?" muttered Lara. Her lips trembled when she asked.

Tarok nodded. "It had never occurred to me how my slaves feel until I met you. I saw how you're hurt by me and how you cried because of me. For the first time, I felt this nagging, terrible guilt, Lara. I don't want to feel that way anymore," he shook his head and pressed her hand to his chest. He looked deep into her eyes, "I want to be better, for you."

Lara sat up straight. She had stopped crying. She reached up for his face, her fingers touched his jagged jawline.

"Is this you, Tarok? Is this who you truly are, and not that harsh, brutal minotaur when I first met you?"

"This is who I am, and was, a long time ago. I'm not that dumb beast who mistreated you anymore."

She shook her head. "No, you are not a beast. You are a man. A real human being, with a heart capable of love. Yes, I will stay with you," Lara said, and a huge smile boomed on Tarok's face.

"I am 41, by the way. I understand if this makes you uncomfortable, but—" Tarok said, but he shut up when Lara shook her head.

"I don't care, Tarok. It was nothing more than a jest," she caressed his jaw and giggled when she saw how relieved he looked. "I love you too," declared Lara. She leaned forward and kissed him.

Tarok eagerly returned the kiss. To his now lover.