31 #2
a??I am unable to dye it precisely black,a?? hea??d said.
a??But this will be sufficient. a??Tis a pity she is so much larger than you, Mirana, but we will make do.
Once she is conscious again, I will begin teaching her the responsibilities of my wife and my queen.
If I succeed, you will doubtless hear about it.
My rebirth is the stuff of legends and this one will be sung by your Viking scalds far and wide.
If I fail, why, you will hear about that as well.a??
Rorik took one last look at Sira, and smiled.
a??I had worried about her,a?? he said to no one in particular.
a??She was so ungoverned, her passions so very unbridled.
But now, with Hormuzea??s assistance, she will become more reasonable, I doubt it not.
My parents will be pleased that she is become a queen, despite her temper and her resentments.a??
a??What of all Einara??s people?a?? Gunleik said. a??They know who she is. They wona??t be fooled.a?? He had grasped what had happened and what they planned to have happen, but the shock of it was still writ clear on his face.
a??Aye,a?? Rorik said. a??Those who chance to see her will surely wonder, but Einar will be gone. There will be disarray. There will be chaos. Sitric plans to remove himself and this barge and all his warriors quickly on the morrow.a??
Rorik hugged Eze good-bye, telling her that Sira was a witch but that her father would doubtless bring her to reason. Eze said in her too old childa??s voice, a??I will help Papa. Between us, she will make a fine queen. Take care of your wife, Lord Rorik. I hope she is worthy of you.a??
Rorik looked over the childa??s head at Mirana. She was grinning at him. He felt his body tighten, and he felt remarkably fine. Then he looked over at the bound and gagged Einar. He was awake. There was hatred and venom and a goodly dose of fear in his eyes. He was staring at his half-sister.
Soon thereafter, Rorik guided the two longboats into the Irish Sea.
The night was clear and warm, only a slight breeze ruffling the hair on Miranaa??s forehead.
She stared at her husband, standing at the stern, his legs spread, his hands on his hips.
Hea??d come for her. Not for Sira, no, hea??d come for her.
She heard a muffled grunt over the smooth dipping of the oars and the conversation of Rorika??s men. She looked down at Einar. He was at her feet.
She saw the hatred in his eyes and smiled at him. Slowly, deliberately, she lifted her foot and rested it on his neck.
a??My wife has worried about you,a?? Hafter said to her above the sound of his oars.
There was pride and some humor in his voice and Mirana smiled. a??I look forward to seeing Entti. I hope you have made her happy?a??
a??I had little time, for you were taken so quickly. However, she did not complain. We will see if she complains to you.a??
That had a sour sound to it and she laughed. Mirana realized in that moment that they were indeed going homea??to Hawkfell Island. To her home. She stared toward her husband. At that moment, he turned. She saw all she needed to know when he looked at her.
Toward the following evening, Rorik put them ashore on a small island just off Englanda??s western coast. It was barren, save for a few scraggly sea shrubs, but the sand dunes curved one after the other, thick and deep and high, providing shelter and protection.
There was no one around, no light, no dwellings, no other camp fires.
Rorik allowed Einar to relieve himself, then had Hafter bind him again.
He kept him gagged. He didna??t wish Einar to torment Mirana, and he knew he would try if allowed to.
He left Mirana in charge of the camp whilst he and his men scouted the area.
Theya??d already caught several large sea bass for their dinner.
Einar was fed, then bound again and left in charge of Gunleik and Ivar for the night. a??Let him speak tonight if he wishes to,a?? Rorik said, staring down at Einar. a??Mirana wona??t be here to listen to him.a?? In addition, all his men slept in a wider circle around Gunleik and Ivar.
a??Watch him well,a?? Rorik told them. a??I have no respect for his honor but I have a great deal of respect for his skill.a??
a??Aye,a?? Hafter said, a??but he isna??t a magician. He cana??t fly away, Rorik.a??
Gunleik gently eased his knife blade across the pad of his thumb. a??I should like him to move,a?? he said. a??I should like him to speak, perhaps give me orders, tell me how he will beat me bloodless if I dona??t release him. Aye, let him speak.a??
Einar remained motionless and silent.
Mirana felt shy and strangely nervous when she saw Rorik walking toward her like a conquering prince, two blankets over his left arm, and a look of hunger in his blue eyes.
a??Come,a?? he said only and reached out his hand to her. a??We will seek some privacy.a??
She took his hand silently, following him, careful to watch where she stepped, for there were half-buried rocks in the deep shifting sand.
When Rorik was satisfied that their distance from the camp was sufficient, he spread out the blankets and eased down.
He looked up at her and said without preamble, a??I have never given you pleasure, yet you have suffered my demands on you.
I would remedy that now, tonight. I want to come inside you, sweeting, and I want to place my hand over your mouth when you yell with the pleasure I will give you.a??
The last time he had forced her in the bathing hut. She remembered her terror, remembered the pain, certain he would kill her. She shook her head. That was in a past that didna??t deserve memory. a??What of your parents, Rorik? Will they accept me now?a??
He shrugged and drew her down beside him.
He made no move to touch her or bring her against him.
He looked out over the gently roiling waves of the sea.
It was calm under the brilliant half-moon.
In the distance, she could hear the low voices of the men, muffled and deep.
She could pick out Hafter and Gunleik and Raki.
a??I bade them leave. I told my father and my brother that I didna??t wish them to come here with me.
They were thinking of Sira, you see, and I was thinking only of you.
I told them I would rescue Sira for them and return her to Norway.
I also told them that you were my wife, that you were the mistress of Hawkfell Island, and that I loved you.
They left without saying what they felt, but they still wore their pain and their bitterness, I could see it in their eyes.a?? He turned then and gently cupped her chin in his palm.
a??Heed me, Mirana, I love my parents and I listened to them.
It was a grave mistake I made, for it led to but more pain, for both of us.
a??But in the years to come, they will see what you mean to me and to our people.
They will love our children and they will realize that they have been wrong to create a shrine of hatred.
If they dona??t wish to join in our lives, then so be it.
It is our life, not theirs. Come now, sweeting.
I want to be inside you. I want to caress you. I want to know you.a??
a??Will it hurt?a??
He grinned at her. a??Nay, not this time, for I will be as gentle as the waves creeping slowly onto the beach. Do you trust me?a??
a??With my life. I thank you, Rorik, for saving me. My situation wasna??t hopeful.a??
a??I believe that Hormuzea??no matter how great he believes himself to bea??would have found himself quickly at an impasse. You would have defeated him, Mirana. I just did it more quickly because I had Eze with me.a??
a??But you found her and brought her to us. It was your plan and I thank you for thinking of it.a??
a??It was my duty as your husband. It was also my pleasure as your lover.a??
He leaned over and lightly kissed her mouth.
He didna??t touch her, just continued to kiss her until slowly she parted her lips to him.
She was tentative, uncertain. Hea??d momentarily forgotten her innocence, her inexperience.
He wouldna??t forget again. Her lips were soft and tasted of salt from the sea and of her, Mirana, his wife.
He deepened the pressure and felt her lean toward him.
a??Open your mouth wider, Mirana.a??
She did, with no hesitation. When his tongue touched her, feathery light, she eased and waited, no longer feeling as calm as she had just a few moments before, but knowing herself content to wait, to learn about him slowly, to let the warmth in her belly build and build.
She would be what he wanted her to be and in opening to him, yielding completely to him, she knew she would be repaid tenfold. He was that kind of man.
Rorik smiled against her mouth. She felt it and opened her eyes. He drew back and said, a??Feel my hand.a??
He lifted her breast in his hand. Then the other.
He weighed them, caressed her nipples until he felt her heartbeat quicken and quicken even more.
With no more words he brought her up onto her knees facing him, and unfastened the rich silver brooches at her shoulders, removed her tunic, then lifted her gown over her head.
She wore only a shift, soft and virgin white, and it too was quickly gone.
a??Are you cold?a??
She wasna??t cold but she was naked and he wasna??t. Still she sat before him quietly, knowing he was looking at her, but she didna??t move, just sat there, her palms open on her thighs, the moonlight spilling over her, making her white skin glisten. a??No, but I would see you as naked as I am.a??
He laughed, then rose swiftly and pulled off his clothes.
Never, she thought, looking at him, had she seen a more beautiful man.
His size didna??t frighten her or the thickness of his sex that was swelled with his need for her.
It pleased her, this need of his, just as his strength gratified the deepest part of her.
a??You will tell me what to do,a?? she said, and held out her arms to him.
a??Nay,a?? he said, as he kissed her throat and her shoulders, a??I will show you.a??
She felt him against her hip. She knew a mana??s lust drove him beyond his own best intentions, beyond thought, for shea??d seen it in Einar and other men as well, and Rorik as well, although not this time.
She wanted to touch his mana??s flesh, but when her fingers found him, and she drew in her breath at the wonder of how he felt, he gently pushed them away.
a??No, sweeting. Not this time. No, dona??t look uncertain.
Your touch is miraculous and it moves me far too much.
I am not content to wait for that pleasure, but I will.a??
He parted her thighs and eased himself between them, then rose to his knees, parting her legs impossibly wide, and wider still, placing them over his own thighs.
She didna??t pull back, either her mind or her body.
She waited, relishing the pulsing warmth deep in her belly.
He looked at her and there was hunger in his eyes and a knowledge that she knew he would give her and soon.
When he still didna??t come into her, she lifted her hips.
He smiled as he lowered his mouth to her.
When she screamed her release, Rorik breathed in deeply, the clean sea air and her scent filling his nostrils.
He continued to stroke her with his tongue, widen her with his fingers, and delve deep, feeling her smallness and how she accommodated to him.
When he thrust into her, sinking high and deep, and she again lifted her hips to bring him deeper, he felt the tremors in her body and closed his eyes, feeling the power in her, the need, and that need was for him.
He kissed her mouth and knew she tasted herself on him and he reveled in that too because he heard the soft keening from deep in her throat, felt the gentle spasms squeeze him, draw on him, pull him deeper into her, holding him so tightly he knew he couldna??t bear it much longer.
He heaved himself into her to his hilt and felt her soft flesh hold him tightly.
When he felt his own release overtaking him, he eased his hand between them to find her.
He shouted his climax to the clean sky, his throat working madly, no thought in his mind to his men who probably heard his cries. All of it went upward, to the brilliant stars that studded the darkness, then he covered her mouth with his when she again came to pleasure.
a??I pleased you,a?? he said, a mana??s satisfaction deepening his voice, as he eased his weight off her. She tried to hold him, but he kissed her and pulled away. a??I wish you to remain round and soft for me. If I continue to lie on you, you will become as flat as the blankets.a??
She laughed, her breath warm and soft against his shoulder. a??I much enjoyed that, my lord. Aye, you satisfied me enough.a??
a??Are you certain, Mirana? Do you swear you did not howl like a madwoman just to please me, that you did not feign your release with me, that you only pretended to enjoy my mouth on you?a??
She hit his arm and felt the deep muscles flex beneath her palm.
She looked away from him, her lashes hiding her eyes.
She whispered, her voice meek and submissive.
a??Ah, a??tis the truth, Rorik. I didna??t wish to disappoint you.
I wanted you to feel proud of yourself and your prowess.
I pretended and prayed it would be sufficient. Did I succeed?a??
He laughed against her mouth, forcing her face upward to him.
a??I will never let you go. Never.a?? And he kissed her again.
When he entered her but moments later, she was surprised to feel the building warmth in her belly.
She had felt so languid, so without any desire to move, but she welcomed him and his mana??s sex deep inside her, and moaned in his mouth even as he pressed himself against her belly.
This time, it was she who found him and touched him, drawing him deeper into her, caressing him until he moaned and heaved over her.
a??There is no other man like you,a?? she said against his throat, licking his flesh, then lightly kissing him, then licking him again and again, tasting him, taking all of him into her body and her mind.