Chapter Eight #9
Edward put a foot on the prisoner’s fat chest and pulled the battle axe free, spurting more blood as the man fell to the floor in a spreading pool of the stuff.
“Gentle knights,” Edward said softly as he tossed the axe to the ground. “I do believe we have seen a classic case of justice served.
David scratched his neck underneath his itching mail. “Damn, remind me never to rile her,” he muttered. “Did you see the way she wielded that axe?”
“Did you see the power in her swing?” Anthony countered. “Put some armor on her and let her go into battle with us. She would do as well as any man.”
David sighed, feeling his fatigue and wanting to be free of his wet and uncomfortable clothing. There was nothing more they could do for the prisoner. It was over.
“Let us move him out of here,” he motioned to the de Velt twins. “We will burn the body when the weather clears.”
*
By the time they hit the grand hall, Dustin was reduced to sobbing heavily in Christopher’s arms. He held her tightly, whispering soothingly to her as he carried her up the last flight of stairs and into his chamber.
Once inside, he closed the door and tried to put her down, but she wouldn’t let go of him. Awkwardly, he sat down on the edge of the bed in his bulky armor and held her, stroking her hair gently.
“Dustin, Dustin,” he sighed, sing-song. “What do you do, lady?”
“I heard what he said,” she sputtered. “I heard him say he killed Rebecca.”
“I gathered,” his voice was soft and comforting. “Why were you eavesdropping on us?”
Her head lay on his shoulder. “I wasn’t, at first,” she wept. “I watched you in the bailey and then when I saw you take him to the abbey, I followed because I was curious. Father never kept prisoners and I was just watching when I heard him. He said… oh, God, he said terrible things.”
She wept heavily. Christopher took one arm from her and tried to peel back his hauberk, but it was difficult until she sat up and allowed him to remove it with both hands.
By that time, her crying had lessened and she stood up, looking completely forlorn and exhausted.
Now that he had the opportunity, he rose and removed the rest of his mail and wet things.
Dustin stood silently, watching him with an occasional hiccup.
“Your breeches are wet,” she hiccupped.
Silently, he undid the stays and removed his breeches. Dustin, meanwhile, had turned away from him and went over to the basin to wash her hands.
“His blood is on me” he heard her whisper but he didn’t like the tone. By the time he reached her, she was rubbing harshly at the blood stains that were slow to come off and he grabbed both of her hands, stilling them.
“Come with me,” he whispered into her hair, pulling her stiff body across the room and practically falling onto the bed with her.
She mumbled something, weakly struggling with him, but he ignored her and pulled the thick coverlet snuggly around them both.
In his massive arms, she began to calm and he felt her shaking lessen and lessen.
Outside his windows, the storm raged and pounded, but inside, in his bed, they were safe and warm.
Christopher lost track of time as they lay together, neither one speaking, yet neither one sleeping. Dustin didn’t move a muscle as he stroked her back gently.
“I have never killed anyone before,” she finally murmured.
He nodded faintly. “You used the axe with great skill.”
“ ’Twas my father’s,” she replied. “He didn’t like it. He thought it was a messy tool.”
“Not if used correctly.” Christopher wasn’t sure they should be speaking of this, but better to do it than to allow her to stew. “I am sorry you had to hear those things. I was going to spare you the details.”
“I wish I hadn’t heard,” she mumbled, pressing her face into his shoulder. “But I did. I killed him, and I am not sorry.”
“It is right for you to seek justice for your friend,” he replied after a pause. “I do not fault you.”
She suddenly raised her head, looking at him with her red-rimmed eyes. “Are you angry at me for interfering? I told you, I hadn’t meant to, but when I heard him….”
He shook his head. “Nay, sweetheart, I am not angry,” he said.
“If there would be any justice to the man’s execution, then it is right that you should dispense it for what he did to your friend.
” His eyes suddenly twinkled at her, crinkling at the corners.
“You are ferocious, aren’t you? I have never seen a woman with such bravery. ”
She lay her head back down, snuggling comfortably against his skin.
The whole evening, day, and week was overwhelming her, and Christopher made her feel safe and warm as no one else ever had.
Somehow she knew he would always be there for her, to protect and tease her.
It was maddening and confusing and wonderful to feel the way she did about him.
For someone who never wanted to be married, she was growing to like it a great deal.
With warm and comforting thoughts, she drifted off.
Christopher felt her go limp and knew she was asleep.
As exhausted as she was, he was glad but at the same time he was sorry.
He had so wanted to play with her this eve, touch her, and warm her to him.
She seemed to forget about everything when he touched her, and he wanted her to forget what she had done for the moment.
He wanted to make her his in every sense of the word, and holding her up against his nude body was quickly escalating into torture.
Eventually, he fell into a light sleep. Dreams of Dustin filled his fatigued mind, images he could not quite grasp yet at the same time he could feel strong emotions of fear and anger.
Eventually these images calmed and he began to dream of Dustin in a better light, her golden hair spread over him, her mouth on his stomach in his dream his hands grasped her buttocks, yet he could not quite feel her.
It was almost as if she were made of liquid, he knew he was touching it, yet he could not grab hold.
Yet she was doing maddening things to him and he was in heaven, frustrated that he could not touch her.
His hands left her buttocks slowly, moving up her arms and entangling themselves in cobwebs of golden hair until they reached her breasts.
Suddenly, she felt firm in his palms and he began to caress her eagerly.
Christopher awoke suddenly when Dustin whimpered, and he was aware of his right hand on her breast, fondling her gently while his left arm held her fast to him.
As one does when awakened from a vivid dream, he took no time to consider his actions and began to remove her laced girdle with great urgency.
Dustin, still half-asleep, whimpered again and he tore at the top of her dress, baring her to the waist.
He was so eager that he found he was shaking as his hand reverently grasped her bare breast, observing the deep rosy nipple and delighting in the softness of her. His caresses, gentle at first, increased in intensity until Dustin gasped, entwining her fingers in his thick, blond hair.
His hot mouth descended on her sweet nipple, sucking her mightily and she cried out softly in response, now fully awake. He heard her call his name faintly, her hands in his hair and he was losing his control with all of it.
He tore himself away from her sweet flesh long enough to pull her dress completely off, rendering her quite nude underneath him.
They both froze for a moment, staring at each other in the dim light of the distant hearth. He gazed down at her, her perfect body posed delightfully, his knees between her calves. He was pleased that she was seemingly unashamed to look upon him this time.
“Your body is sculpted like a Greek statue I saw once when I visited Bath with my father,” she murmured, her lids half closed. “How is it that you are as perfect as marble?”
He smiled, running his hands up both of her thighs, lowering himself gently on her. “And how is it that your body is the most perfect God has seen fit to form?”