Chapter Fourteen
“Beautiful day today,” Bree said, soaking in the warm rays of the sun.
“Mmm hmm.”
“The flowers are blooming nicely.”
“That’s good.”
“And I’m told that the weather will be perfect for the hunt tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“Finn, are you paying any attention at all?”
“That’s good.”
“Finnley!” Bree snapped. That caught his attention.
“Yes?”
“Can we just talk about this and get it over with?”
“Talk about what?” No matter how hard he tried to act oblivious, he wasn’t convincing enough. She knew exactly what he was thinking. “I just wonder what she’s doing right now. That’s all.”
“Adelphie’s probably enjoying the beautiful day like we should be doing. Who knows if any of these gorgeous flowers will be left blooming once the wildfire burns them all…”
“Dagan and Sidonie will figure something out before that can happen, Bree.”
“I hope so.”
Finn was quiet for a moment, then blurted, “Do you think she’s hunting? Since it’s a nice day? Or maybe the other Sabras do the hunting and she just oversees…” He trailed off when he saw the blank look he was receiving from his queen.
“Just go to her. Now,” Bree commanded. “Before I lose my good sense and murder you.”
“I can’t just go to her.”
“Why can’t you? Just go there. It will take you four days to get there and four days to get back. That will give me at least eight days of peace.” She smiled, trying to seem like she was joking but she really wasn’t. His constant brooding was getting on her nerves.
“Bree, Adelphie is not like other women, and she certainly is nothing like the damsels in your books. She does not want a man to show up out of nowhere and woo her. She wants a man to… I don’t know, exactly, but it must be something really…”
“Bold?” Bree raised her eyebrows.
“Yes.”
“And courageous?”
“Yes…”
“A grand gesture?”
“I don’t think—”
“I think she is exactly like other women, Finn. She wants a man who isn’t afraid to—”
“Shout from the treetops,” Finn finished and laughed to himself.
“What?” she asked, confused.
“At the Winter Ball, when Adelphie saw Sidonie and Dagan together, she asked me why they weren’t trying to hide their relationship anymore. I told her that when you love someone you want to shout it from the treetops.”
Bree smiled. “You know, Finn, I think that is a fantastic idea.”
~*~
Breestlin had a horse ready for Finn before he could change his mind. Sir Evan, Sir Tomas, and a guardsman accompanied him on the trip since Finn didn’t know the way to the Sabra encampment. Sir Tomas was around the same age as Finn and his father had also been a knight in Junacave before he died.
Sir Evan was just twenty-two. He was the youngest of Junacave’s knights and the last to be knighted by the late King Frederick.
He was an expert archer but failed miserably when it came to impressing the noble ladies.
Finn had tried giving Evan advice in the past, but nothing seemed to help.
Knighthood couldn’t fix everything, apparently.
The first day of traveling was uneventful. But even though he tried to hide it, Sir Tomas could sense that Finn was getting nervous near the end of the second day.
“Evan, would you like to wager a bet?” Tomas said, loudly.
“Bet on what?” Evan replied, looking over his shoulder as he rode beside Finn.
“On whether or not Finnley here is too scared to follow through with this mission.”
“I can hear you,” Finn growled. “And it isn’t a mission. It’s a terrible idea that I should never have mentioned in front of the queen.”
“Be that as it may, we didn’t come this far to let you run back with your tail between your legs.”
“Especially,” Evan added, “since the queen has offered to reward us handsomely if we make sure—”
“Evan! You can’t tell him that!” Tomas shouted, scaring his horse.
“What did she promise you?” Finn demanded. He should have known that she would find some way to interfere, even more than she already had. His queen was the meddling sort for sure.
“I cannot say,” Evan replied, shrugging.
Finn laughed. Honestly, he was thinking about turning back already so he couldn’t blame Bree for expecting him to.
And for her to have bribed two of her knights into giving him a nudge only meant that she truly cared.
That or she actually had considered murdering him for his sullen mood.
But just to prove that he would go through with the plan, Finn suggested they continue riding instead of stopping as planned to rest.
They arrived outside the Sabra’s encampment before supper the next day. Tomas offered his flask and Finn took a swig of rum to build his courage. Then he climbed into a tree, took a deep breath, and started shouting Adelphie’s name.
Dyna had just ladled a second bowl of stew from the large pot when she heard a voice coming from the other side of the tall log fence.
“Do you hear that?” she said.
“Hear what?” Iona replied from beside her.
“Listen,” Dyna said, pointing. “It’s coming from other there.”
After investigating the noise, Dyna walked to Adelphie’s hut and threw back the animal hide draped over the doorway. “Adelphie, there is something you need to see.”
“What is it?” Adelphie replied without bothering to look up from her stew.
“It’s the most frightening thing I have ever witnessed.”
“I highly doubt that.” In Dyna’s pessimistic mind, everything was terrible and frightening. “Can it wait until I finish my supper?”
“Probably,” Dyna replied. Then she picked up Adelphie’s bow and started to nock an arrow. “But if I have to hear it much longer, I will put him out of his misery myself.”
“Him?” Now Adelphie was curious. She snatched the bow from Dyna before the woman could hurt someone and sat it back down then followed her out of the hut. She heard his voice the moment she passed through the gate. As she got closer, she saw him.
“Finnley, what are you doing here? Better yet… why are you in a tree?” she asked.
“Being bold and courageous,” Finn said, grinning. He hoped humor would ease the embarrassment and regret that he was already feeling.
“More like ridiculous and bizarre,” Dyna murmured after walking up behind Adelphie.
“I think it’s romantic!” Iona added, swooning.
“Hello ladies,” Finn said. “I’m here to—”
“We know why you’re here,” Dyna said, flatly. “What took you so long? We’ve had to hear her go on and on about your fire hair for weeks now. What is Finn doing? Do you think he misses me? Yuck!”
“Have you been talking about me?” He felt a bit of satisfaction when he realized Adelphie was blushing, her face becoming as red as her dress.
It barely covered her body, stopping mid-thigh, but she still wore her usual thick fur collar.
Her blonde hair was braided back from her face on one side, just the same way it was on the first day they met in Junacave, reminding him of their many heated arguments.
Arguments that now seemed like fodder for their newly passionate—and rather odd, really—budding relationship.
Of course, they hadn’t been intimate with each other yet.
Never even kissed. He’d done that and much more in his daydreams with the Sabra though.
If she was willing, he hoped to make at least one of those fantasies a reality before returning home.
“I may have mentioned you once or twice,” Adelphie admitted. “But I’m surprised to see you know how to climb a tree. Aren’t you worried that you may scratch your perfect hands?”
“Only a little. But if I do, I’m sure I can find someone to coddle me and kiss them better.”
“I may vomit,” Dyna said, smirking.
“Is it safe for me to come down? Do I have your word that she won’t attack?” Finn asked, nodding toward the scowling Sabra, who still frightened him a little.
“I can’t make promises,” Adelphie said with a smile.
Finn laughed and stepped one foot on the branch below. When he moved the other foot down, his first foot slipped and he fell sideways. His leg became wedged between two branches, and he found himself hanging upside down from the tree.
Laughter rang out from all the Sabras, as well as Sir Tomas and Sir Evan, who were hiding and watching behind some shrubs. Even Dyna managed a small chuckle before she came forward to help him out of the tree.
Even though his pride was slightly damaged, Finn couldn’t care less.
He was exactly where he wanted to be and the woman whose hips were swaying as she walked in front of him was exactly who he wanted to see.
He followed Adelphie into her hut and within moments, the two of them were naked and lying on her cot.
Adelphie climbed on his lap and leaned down to kiss him, but Finn held her shoulders back.
“Hold on there, huntress.”
“Is this not the reason you came all this way?” she asked, her mouth tilting into a teasing smile.
“Not the only reason, but… certainly the best one.”
“Then why did you stop me?”
“Because I’m the one who came to you, so I get to lead the way. And you have to go along. No complaints. No arguing. Got it?”
Adelphie wasn’t sure what he meant but gave a nod, then she found herself being rolled onto her stomach while Finn began to massage her shoulders.
His smooth hands were warm on her skin as he caressed her back before moving lower to rub circles over her rear.
Every time his fingers got close to the spot she wanted them to touch, he just moved them away again in a gentle tease.
The rubbing was so sensual that she moaned under his fingertips.
This was something she had never felt before.
During the few occasions she had laid with a man, it had always been quick, and every time had been with a stranger.
None of them had been truly memorable, but this? This was something entirely different.
No one had ever taken the time to show her this kind of attention, and her body was melting completely beneath his skilled hands. It was truly marvelous. He worked his way down her body, from her back to her legs and feet, until every part of her was relaxed.
When Finn finally decided he was finished, he dropped down onto the cot beside her and pulled her close.
His kisses began on her lips then spread down to her neck.
He eventually added his hands, which he used to gently caress her breasts.
Breasts that were starting to feel heavy on her chest. When he took one into his mouth, her breath caught and she looked down to watch him lazily swirl his tongue over her nipple.
He was clearly in no hurry, but the slow pace was driving Adelphie insane.
The ache between her legs was agonizing and she knew he was certainly ready for her because she could feel his stiff length against her thigh.
But when she tried to touch him, he swatted her hand away.
She groaned from a mixture of pleasure and suffering.
Finally, he rose above her and positioned himself between her legs. She watched him in anticipation and waited but he didn’t continue. Instead, he lowered his face to hers, those kissable lips just out of her reach.
“Say please,” he whispered.
“What?” she chuckled in surprise.
“It’s good manners.”
“You must be joking.”
“Well, if you’d rather, I can just go…” He pretended to pull away.
“No, no! Alright, fine.”
“I’m waiting.”
“Alright!” she said, laughing. “Please, Finn. Ravish me!”
“As you wish, my lady.”
He entered her in one quick thrust. She gasped when he filled her and her hands clung to the fur blanket she was laying on. She felt herself stretching to accommodate his width and her back arched, drawing him in further.
Finn had to take a moment to pause once he was inside her. He’d promised himself that he would make it last as long as possible. He didn’t know when they would have the chance to be together like this again, so he damn well better make it worthwhile.
After tonight, he wanted to make certain that Adelphie would never again be satisfied with dull sex with a man who didn’t care for her.
She would know what it means to make love.
More so, she would remember what it felt like to be with him.
How it could be, if they didn’t fight this connection between them.
Maybe it was selfish of him, but he wanted to ruin her completely for other men.
Moving slowly required a lot of focus for him, but it was absolutely worth it.
Adelphie moaned and dropped her head back as she raised her hips up to meet him halfway with every thrust he made.
He could tell she was eager to go faster but he kept the smooth pace and was rewarded with another long groan as she clenched around him.
Her toes curled and her legs were shaking but she couldn’t have cared less if he saw how weak he made her. The way he was making her body feel was incredible. Things she hadn’t ever felt before. An emotional connection that she’d never experienced with another. She didn’t want it to end.
When Finn couldn’t contain himself any longer, he cursed and tried to pull away, but Adelphie wrapped her legs around him, holding him close as he shuddered and released into her. Exhausted beyond belief, Finn dropped down onto the cot beside her.
To his surprise, and even hers, Adelphie drug a thin blanket over them and cuddled up next to him. Within moments, they were both sound asleep.