Venturer Ch. 02

"She wasn't running from me, you know." Kade took in the startled expression on his friends face and sighed deciding to tell his friend as much as he knew which wasn't very much. Jarrau muttered oaths under his breath as he described the scars and Honeys reluctance to discuss them. "I am worried about what damage he did to her mind as well as body."

"Well that explains the physician's arrival this morning."

"I sent word to the Duke that she has been found and the wedding would go ahead, but in my letter to him asked that he did not attend. If Honey sees him again I am not sure what she will do. You cannot tell her he knows she is here. She will try and run again and from me this time for telling him and possibly bringing him here." Kade's voice held anxiety.

"All those seasons of watching her and you never knew?" Jarrau mumbled under his breath, "No. Of course you wouldn't have left her there if you knew she was being whipped within an inch of her life."

"She saw us as friends to her father I think. She does not trust us. Not yet anyway."

"Time is a great healer, my friend, but we will be more vigilant. Your own men need to know the danger or the father may unwittingly slip through our ranks."

"She cannot be told any of this, Jarrau. It is imperative."

Jarrau grunted nodding thoughtfully and spurred his horse forward and they rode back to the town in silence.

Once through the gates, Kade turned his horse to the mayor's residence again to check that his wishes were carried out and meet with the physician. Jarrau went to the camp of the acrobats to escort them to the house to check on Honey. He would tell Kade's men only that she was in danger from within and even her father was not to be allowed to see her without Kade present, impressing upon them the need to be vigilant during their watch without alarming her.

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There was a knock at the door. Finishing Honey's hair with the headband, Delenn went to answer it. The jovial voice of Jarrau roused Honey from her dark thoughts as he walked in and whistled, "If you were not already betrothed to my brother knight, I would send a wagon of gold to your father and ask for your hand myself, Lady Honiara."

He watched the expression on her face change from wide eyed terror to the soft countenance of a lady, "You have a golden tongue, Sir Knight," she replied with a small smile that did not reach her eyes. "Are they here yet?"

He kicked himself for mentioning her father and kept the lightness in his voice, "Yes they are down stairs. I will take you whenever you are ready."

She squeaked in delight jumping up quickly, "I am ready. I am ready!"

Grinning, he offered her his arm and they walked back through the maze of a house, to the dining hall. She smiled as she saw them sitting uncomfortably in the room full of knights and squires. They did not seem to recognise her at first, taking a second look before relief washed over their faces. She ran the last few steps to hug Alec, feeling the familiar arms wrap around her and lift her from the floor in a giant bear hug as he stood to greet her. Putting her back down Alec let Honey hug Maurice before pulling her down to the bench seat beside him. Jarrau smiled and said he would go and organise them some food, as he knew that Lady Honiara had not eaten much that day and must be famished. Alec frown at her "You must eat. Keep your strength up."

She sat between them on one side of the table enjoying the familiar feel and sound of her friends as the men quizzed her on her safety and comfort, looking at her dubiously as she assured them that Kade had brought a physician to her as Alec had wanted and pointed out the new dress to them. "I am being treated well enough."

Maids brought steaming platters of meat soaked in gravy, fresh bread and roasted vegetables and Honey laughed as Alec frowned and added more to her plate than she had given herself. "Stop that or I will never fit into my fine new dress again." Honey noticed Jarrau had taken a seat at a table adjacent to theirs giving them some sense of privacy within the crowded hall, she smiled at him gratefully.

Leaning over and pointing at her plate with his fork, Maurice pretended to tell her to eat more as his low voice instead asked urgently, "Does what you ran from still plague you? Do you need escape? We could help. It would be dangerous but we..."

Hope flared briefly before she shook her head stopping him. She would not endanger her friends again. "No, you must not do anything to endanger yourselves. I will not permit it."

Alec chuckled "Look who is giving orders all of a sudden." He put another buttered slice of bread on her plate as he whispered, "If you need us we will be here. We have a plan of sorts."

She replied glibly, "There are worse places I could be."

Maurice looked at her considering her words, "I never believed you to be a fugitive from justice so I do not think you have to worry about dungeons I just wish I knew why he chased you."

She took a deep breath. These men had been kind and good to her in their own ways and she owed them this explanation. "Because I am betrothed to him," Her voice was a whisper as she dropped her eyes not wanting to look at them.

Maurice nodded, "Yes a knight marrying the Duke's only daughter would enhance his fortunes considerably." He mused and asked "It was him you ran from?"

"No, well not really," She whispered though he was partly the reason she ran from her father and her nightmares. "I barely knew him and had only met him twice before I left my home."

Jarrau had noticed her head drop and anxiety stiffen her shoulders. Moving lightly to their table, his easy voice cut into the quiet murmuring. He asked if they wanted more wine, brandishing a jug. She held up her cup, relief washing over her features as she looked up and caught his wink. He took a seat opposite them and proceeded to regale them with impersonations of the local baron he had met that day while the men ate and Honey pushed her food around her plate.

Jarrau waved Kade over as he entered the dining room, his eyes searching for them and pulled out a chair for him to sit as he stood stiffly by the table. "Tell them I am not exaggerating about the baron's head almost exploding when you mentioned royalty might be visiting."

Kade blanched cursing inwardly at his friend's loose tongue, but nodded, encouraged by Honey's amused expression while she watched Jarrau's impersonation again, and murmured, "Apoplexy would be a closer description."

"Is royalty really coming to this hole in the ground?" Maurice asked intrigued.

"Probably just the Queen of the North and one of her sons I should expect." Kade answered as if considering the question deeply.

"As if Queen Dragora would let her youngest baby boy get married without fussing over him," Jarrau teased laughingly as Kade stiffened watching honeys face for a reaction.

She gaped at him, "You? You're a prince?"

"Barely," he laughed, "I have five older brothers. Succession doesn't factor in my future I am afraid, I am more comfortable as the knight you see before you."

Maurice whistled, "Lady Honiara and Prince Kadegan travelling with our troupe of acrobats. I would put it on the marquee if I thought anyone would believe us, or do you prefer your other title as a Knight of this kingdom, Lord Venturin."

"Sir Kade is just fine, thank you." Kade grumbled. Honey was still gaping at him and Alec reached under the table to take her hand gently and squeeze it reassuringly. Kade smiled though his body was tense, "You are well versed in the affairs of royalty and Knights, Master Maurice. May I ask if you spent time with one of my men during our journey here, Andreus? He also is very current with the affairs royalty and such."

Honey had looked up at Alec and smiled, Kade who had been watching her carefully stiffened further and Jarrau interrupted the moment saying, "The hour grows late. Would you gentlemen like an escort back to your camp?"

Alec looked amused, "No, I don't think that will be necessary."

"Come, Lady Honiara. Let us walk our guests to the door" Jarrau held out his arm to her, she took it and they all walked slowly to the door.

Alec bent to pick her up in a bear hug whispering in her ear, "I will visit as often as I can. If you need me, send a message and I will come, whether the Prince likes it or not."

"Thank you." She whispered back hugging him fiercely. "I do not deserve a friend such as you."

"I think I will walk a little way with our friends," Kade said from behind her and stepped to the doorway. "I won't be away too long. Jarrau send Andreus after me when you see him. These are not good streets to travel alone at night even for the likes of these strong men." He smiled at Honey who looked at him curiously, "You look tired, little Lady. Try to get some rest." He reached out to stroke her cheek gently, and for once, she didn't instantly flinch away. It was a small boon but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Honey quickly hugged Maurice goodbye thanking him for coming. She watched them all disappear into the night and turned to Jarrau, "I don't know how to find my room and apparently I am looking tired." She smiled cheekily.

"Let me escort you Lady. It's the beauty of our wickedly contrived house. No one can get in let alone get out. We once found an old knight who had been lost in here for days, wandering the corridors like a lonely ghost." He smirked at her and she laughed at him as they threaded their way back through the maze of corridors and stairs.

Reaching her room, Jarrau bowed with a flourish and looked around as Leneer appeared a minute behind them. "I will leave you now and go in search of entertainment and perhaps a comely wench." He winked and smiled before wandering back down the hall.

Honey went to step into her room, halted momentarily by the sight Leneer who had leaned back against the wall beside her door. "Relax, Leneer. You don't have to babysit me tonight I am too tired to go anywhere."

"Oh, Lady. You can go where you like within reason and I would be more than happy to escort you. I am here to keep intruders out. Your safety is important to Sir Kade and thus to all of his men." Leneer looked at her earnestly as he said the last and she was taken aback.

"You would escort me if I wanted to go exploring?" She asked.

"Within reason, Lady. You are not a prisoner. We only wish to maintain your safety now that your identity is known."

She frowned at his words, and went to ask more but bit her lip. She wasn't sure she would like the answer. "Goodnight, Leneer."

She entered the rooms shaking her head. She really didn't understand Kade at all. She barely knew him except that she knew she could make him angry without even trying. He was right though she was tired it had been a long day of being poked and prodded. With Delenn's help, she took off the dress and restricting corset pulling her silk nightgown over her head and climbing into bed. She wondered if that protection from intruders would extend to Dukes and priests.

She tossed and turned as she tried to put those dark thoughts from her mind. Kade had seen her scarred body and was not repulsed. Neither he nor the physician had held her responsible for the punishment that had caused them. Her mind turned what she did know of Kade over again and she decided she should try to know him better if she was to marry him and she didn't see an escape from that, yet. Truthfully she didn't know if she needed one. He had promised she would never be hurt like she had been again, but could she trust him? The thought nagged at her.

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Kade walked quietly with the acrobats, three big men looking ominous as they strolled through the streets of Erato. With the camp almost in sight Kade spoke, "She has told me very little of what she runs from but I promise you both I mean her no harm. I want only to keep her in safety." They remained silent so he continued, "I know you care for her but I ask you to trust she is safest where she is. It was not me she ran from."

Alec was the first to speak, "I will trust you for now because it seems to be what Honey wants but if anything happens to her I will come for you."

Kade looked Alec in the eye trying to convey his sincerity, "That is as it should be. I would expect no less from a loyal friend." His voice was low and neither dropped his gaze until they were interrupted. Andreus who was jogging to catch up to them, smiled and greeted them all with a friendly, "Ho there, Gentlemen," and the blonde knight fell into step.

"Thank you for coming. It's been a long day. Any news from the network?" Kade eyed Maurice as he said this and Andreus took his cue.

"No news yet, but you can bet news of any royal move in the season of frost will see the sky filled with pigeons and hawks." Andreus grinned loving the intrigue of politics. Being from the southern kingdom, he had grown up as part of the country's biggest spy network and he was Kade's best information source finding a contact or spy in every town they visited.

"I thought you and Maurice might like to talk as we walk. It seems he is almost as update with current affairs as you are my friend and I would hate to have to replace you." Kade laughed at the stunned expressions on the two men's faces, "It isn't often I am one step ahead of you, Andreus." Laughing more he walked on with Alec as the two other men murmured quietly behind them.

Arriving at the camp of the acrobats, Kade farewelled them saying, "Visit as you wish. Honey is not a prisoner, but until I am sure she is safe from what haunts her, she will be safest where she is. It will make her happy to have friends to distract her over the coming weeks, I am sure."

Leaving them with that cryptic farewell and content for the moment that all was well, he returned to the house with Andreus confirming the notion that Maurice was indeed originally from the south and worked within that kingdoms spy network but also that Alec had connections beyond what he seemed to have.

Entering the House of Venturer and taking the stairs two at a time, Kade made his way to Honey's room. Nodding to the young knight, Leneer, telling him to go find a bed and be back in the morning before he entered quietly. In the dim light, he saw Delenn dozing on the couch and rousing her gently, escorted her to the door of her small bedroom beside Honey's suite, and sent her to bed. Kade turned back into the room after closing the door quietly and looked up just as Honey entered the sitting room. "You should be in bed little lady." He chastised her.

"I couldn't sleep, too much to think about." She moved to sit at one end of the couch, looking up at him again. "Thank you for all of this." Her hand waved around the room. "I just don't understand why you would do it all or want to marry a girl who was gambled away so cheaply by her father." She looked into his eyes sighing heavily, "Are you certain you wish to marry a girl such as me? You are a Prince, you should marry much better."

"I have answered this question already, twice!" He growled, "You would be surprised what I want."

"That's just it. I don't know you at all! I don't know what you like or want. How could I not be surprised, I didn't even know who you were until tonight? How could I know the type of man you might be or why you would want a scarred and abused girl as a bride?"

Her words stung him, he could hear the truth in them and was unsure what to say in response, quietly and looking at her softly he picked up her hand as he said, "I would never hurt you as others have. That is not to say I would not give you a spanking should you need or deserve it or because I want to," he smirked, "but I would never scar your mind and body in such a way." Lifting her chin to draw her eyes to his he continued, "If I had known what was happening to you, I would not have left you in the Duke's castle even if I had to resort to kidnap."

Pulling her eyes away she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them putting a barrier between her scars and his looming presence. Her mind wanted to scream "Why?" She had been told over and over she not lovable, that she was a demon. "Why would this man want to rescue her from her nightmares?" She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer but she knew she needed to know. Just as he needed to know the answers of the questions he constantly asked her.

Taking a deep breath she spoke with a confidence she did not feel. She tried to ignore the scowl that had appeared on his face as she had withdrawn her hands and curled into a ball, "You have asked me questions I have not wanted to answer and in turn you have avoided answering mine directly." She took another deep breath, "I will let you ask three questions which I will answer with absolute honesty, if you will do the same for me."

He was startled, "I could ask anything at all?" She nodded biting her lip and balling her fists, he could see the tension in her but he needed to know how the scars occurred if he was to keep her safe. "Alright." he said guardedly, "it is your game you may begin."

"You seem to know me so well yet I barely know you, how?"

He told her of their first meeting at the Great King of the central kingdom's palace when she was young and precocious, when her mother still lived and again later when she was older and blooming and simply the most beautiful well-bred lady he had met. He continued on through his volunteering as emissary to the east and watching over her, talking to the castle maids, finding out as much as he could about her as he tried to flatter and cajole her father into giving him her hand before finally contriving the plan to win her which had worked until she disappeared.

She listened her eyes wide as he spoke, bewildered that someone would go to so much trouble to win her hand. He had stopped speaking and was watching her concerned. She looked up at him and knew she must tell him what he wanted to know, "I know your first question. You want to know about my scars, how I got them and why?"

His hand reached out to take hers but she shook him free. "No please," she whispered, "Do not touch me. I cannot bear it right now. I will tell you what you want to know and you will see, like me, that you deserve a much better wife." He started to protest but she held up a shaky hand silencing him.

Tears leaked from her eyes and she shook as she relived her nightmare. His arms reached for her several times and she shied away from him finally moving onto the floor out of his reach where she sat facing him but her eyes on the floor. When she finally fell silent, he sat on the floor beside her and pulled her resisting body into his arms saying nothing just making soothing "Shh" noises as she shook silently and tears fell from her eyes.

As she calmed slightly she asked between sobbing breaths, "Now that you know my nightmares, I ask again because I need an answer, the real answer. Why would you want to marry such a girl who is possessed by demons?"

Curses still ran through his head. He was angrier than he had ever been in his life and her question ripped at his heart. "The evil men that did this to you are the possessed ones not you," he hissed before letting out a string of curses that would have made sailors blush. She could hear the anger in his voice and stiffened, afraid and ready to run from him. His arms tightened around her as if he could sense her fear and he took a deep breath.

"Do not run from me, please. I am not angry at you, Honey, none of it was your fault. Not your mother's death, and not your father's drunken ramblings and abuse and certainly not the punishment you received." He turned her in his lap and tilted her chin up to him and kissed her deeply. "I have wanted you since our first meeting, your unspoilt nature and breeding, your obedience, your acknowledgement of every small kindness shown to you by lord or servant alike. These are the very things that allowed those evil men to brutalise you but I am not evil, Honey, and while I may not always be gentle or forgiving, I will never betray your trust as they did."