Chapter Twenty-Eight

A nnora woke with a start and jerked herself upright before scanning her surroundings for any signs of danger. ’Twas an automatic response from living on the edge for so many years. But the camp was still quiet. From the looks of the sky, dawn was possibly fast approaching. She pulled the blanket closer to her chin even though she was warm from the fire at her backside. She wanted to stay oblivious to where her dreams had taken her but she could hardly deny what her heart was already telling her. She was madly in love with Richard Grancourt.

Such a realization, if only to herself, gave her cause to smile and as she did so the memories of her dreams caused her to shiver in delight. She could only imagine how the sensation of being held in strong arms would fill her with desire when it happened whilst she was awake rather than in her dreams. And the pleasure to be found when their bodies were skin to skin? A shiver of delight filled her at the mere thought of it. Annora squirmed on her pallet trying her best to get comfortable but who was she kidding? She had been fighting the memory of Richard since they left each other at Oxford and even though he had taken her captive again, her heart, in truth, rejoiced that he had found her.

Aye, after last night she would finally admit what her heart had known all along. She and Richard were destined for one another. Only a fool would deny oneself the knowledge that they had found the other half of themselves that had been missing. With a new resolve in her mind, she turned around to tell him what she had been feeling but disappointment filled her. Richard was gone from his pallet. She could only assume he was scouting the perimeters of the camp. It would explain why the fire was once more ablaze. He had ensured she would be warm once she awoke from her slumber. Richard had assumed this responsibility since the start of their journey, after informing the knight guard he would tend their fire. She smiled thinking of this small kindness he performed for her each eve and morn.

Since the majority of the knights were still asleep as far as she could tell, Annora decided now was the best time to take care of her personal business. She had learned long ago that privacy was a luxury that continually was a challenge traveling with a large group of men. She had seen glimpses of a river prior to making camp and after days in the saddle, she would not mind the chance to scour the dirt from her flesh. She would take advantage of this opportunity to bathe in private. She reached for her satchel, finding a drying cloth, along with the last bit of soap she still owned. Rummaging in the bottom of the bag unearthed relatively clean clothes. She did not have many left.

With her few belongings secured in her arms, she rose from the hard ground and began making her way through the trees. Stumbling on an unforeseen tree root, she began to pitch forward but caught herself before she fell to the forest floor. Cursing at her stupidity for not bringing a torch to light her way, she continued onward on her quest for a bath no matter how frigid the water might be.

She had expected to be alone as she broke through the tree line toward the river’s edge. But the sight that met her eyes was one she would not soon forget. As though she still slept, the clouds above parted and the remaining moonlight shone down on the naked man rising from the water like a Greek God come to tempt her to sin. Aye… ’twas as if Poseidon had taken human form. All Richard needed was a trident to rule over the waters he stood in.

He pushed back the wet black tresses of his hair but ’twas his smoldering blue eyes when he espied her that caused her mouth to go dry. Annora could in no way mistake the look of desire that rushed across his face. She knew that she could quickly turn about and leave the man to finish his morning rituals in peace. ’Twas what she should have done… but instead, she found herself continuing to gawk at the fine body of Richard in all his naked glory.

She licked her lips, and a hint of a smile lit the corner of her mouth. Annora had been certain that Richard would be just as magnificent without his garments as he was within them, and he did not disappoint. Her eyes all but devoured his broad shoulders and arms of steel. His well-developed chest and a stomach rippling with muscles made her fingertips itch to touch his fevered skin. Lean hips and… well… ’twas a shame the rest of him was hidden from her view beneath the water. She could only imagine his manhood rising to the occasion of taking her.

Richard stretched forth his hand in an unspoken suggestion for her to join him. ’Twould be poor judgement on her part to accept such an offering. But to deny him would also be to deny herself and the feelings she had just reconciled within herself but moments before. There was no point in putting off the inevitable.

She dropped the bundle she had been carrying to her feet. Her boots came next and still Richard did not move but only waited for her in the waist deep water. Her hose, tunic and undergarments came next before she at last came to the water’s edge. Her whole body ached in longing and for what awaited her but a short distance away. And still Richard waited for her to decide her own fate even though she had already done so by not leaving in the first place.

She shivered at the coldness of the water as she began to make her way toward him. And when he again stretched forth his arm, her hand easily was placed within his cool palm. Richard pulled her quivering body into his own and she inhaled sharply when her soft body was molded into the ruggedness of the man before her. How many nights had she envisioned his skin intimately touching her own? He pressed her closer, and her dreams became a reality.

“Annora…” Her name, whispered from those lips she wished to kiss, came out in a hoarse croak. ’Twas as though he could barely restrain himself and she was inwardly happy that she had such an effect on this handsome warrior. “Am I dreaming of you?”

She placed her fingertips on his lips. “Nay. You are certainly as awake as I am, Richard,” she began before winding her arms around his neck. “But no words, for now. Love me as I have dreamed about since I met you.”

“Are you certain? I do not wish you to regret our coupling come the morn,” he said as if grappling with her decision to stay.

“The morn is almost upon us, and I will regret nothing, Richard. Love me,” she crooned softly in his ear.

“I do, Annora,” he replied, and he placed a crushing kiss upon her lips.

In that moment, they connected in an age-old ritual of lovers found. He carried them into deeper water and Annora could do nothing but hold onto the lifeline that was all Richard. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she tilted her head to one side so she might take advantage of the intoxicating kiss that seemed to breathe life into her. Their tongues intertwined in a dance she had craved in the very deepest recesses of her body. A low moan of pleasure escaped her, and she shivered in anticipation of what would soon occur between them.

“You are cold,” he said after tearing his lips from her mouth.

“I am far from cold, my lord,” she replied with an encouraging smile as she traced his lips with one fingertip.

“I see I may have awakened the temptress in you, my dearest Annora. What am I to do with you now?” His own cocky grin spread across his face, proving that he was well aware of the answer to his query.

“I am certain you will think of something, Richard.”

“This is not exactly the way I would have initially made love to you. You deserve better.”

“Desperate times means we must needs take advantage of our situation when ’tis presented to us.” She pressed her body into his own and she heard his own low moan resonate from deep inside his chest. “I do not mind the unusual place for our coupling. In fact, I believe this adds to the excitement.”

“You little minx,” he teased her as he lifted her about her waist. “I believe the years ahead of us will be most pleasant, my love.”

She only barely heard his endearment before he slowly lowered her down onto his manhood. A gasp escaped her as he filled her core and then stilled, giving her the time to adjust to the sheer size of him. Once again, Annora realized Richard did not disappoint. Once she had acclimated herself, he began to help her move in a rhythm known to lovers throughout all eternity. As the pleasure blossomed through her, she swore she would never be parted from this man again.

One hand cupped the back of his head and intertwined with his wet hair. Lost to anything else that was going on between them, she poured every ounce of feeling into ensuring this man might know how much he meant to her. Richard seemed to be in no hurry and yet Annora only wished for the release she knew would soon overtake her.

“You are mine,” he growled out in a strained tone. “Say it…”

“Aye… I am yours as you are mine,” she pledged. “Make me burn for you, Richard.”

He gave no response other than to give in to her command by quickening their pace until Annora felt that she was on the edge of something incredible. And still Richard held back until her resolve at last broke. She shattered calling out his name as a force like white hot lightning wracked her body. Only then did he, too, reach his peak, spilling his seed within her.

When their breathing at last returned to normal, Richard kissed her forehead and then commanded her to stay where she was. He went to the bank of the river and returned with soap in hand, then he began to clean her body in a loving caress as the bar slid across her fevered skin. She wanted him again, but one look upwards told her much. Daylight was fast approaching. Their stolen moment to be alone together was coming to an end.

Once she was cleaned to his satisfaction, he took her hand, and they made their way to the edge of the river. They began to dress in silence, not because she was embarrassed by what had happened between them but more so because the reality that they had become as one seemed somehow reverent, or so Annora felt. The sky lightened into a pink and orange display that foretold that the day would be bright. Richard bent forward and once more claimed her lips before he cupped her cheeks to stare directly into her eyes.

“You and I have now been etched into one another’s souls, Annora. Once we have returned Meregate to your care, we shall make our plans so that we may forever remain together,” he vowed sealing his words with another kiss.

She wound her arms around his neck as he again deepened the exchange between them. Aye… they had finally claimed one another and Annora could only pray to the heavens above that no further obstacles would lay in their path to their future happiness.