N. Walters - Fabric of Fate

She swallowed hard and nodded. “I do.”

Disappointment beat at him. Yes, she trusted them to some extent, just not enough to stay.

“Come and eat.” With his hand on the small of her back, he urged her toward the table where Tara had set out some oatmeal and honey. Steam no longer rose from the bowl but it was still warm.

Audrey set the carving on the table beside her and then picked up her spoon to eat. Heroc watched her, memorizing every move and gesture. His gut twisted into a knot and he feared he would soon have nothing left of her but a memory.

Abrah paced back and forth, his boots stirring hay in his wake. Carn paced beside him, his large paws barely making a sound. The animal sensed his agitation and was sticking close. One of the horses whinnied and he came to an abrupt halt. The animals were picking up on his growing unease. Would Audrey agree to go for a ride with them or would she start to pull away from them now that her last day had arrived?

He heard the crunch of footsteps on the gravel in the yard and a light, female voice that made his groin tighten. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and his eyes devoured Audrey as she entered the stables alongside his brother.

He wanted to grab her, throw her over the back of his horse and ride until no one could find them. But that would not work. The tapestry would find her no matter where he took her. There was no way to keep her here if she did not wish to stay.

Anger pulsed through her veins. Why had the tapestry brought her? Audrey didn’t want to be here. Had the tapestry made a mistake? It no longer mattered. She was perfect for him and for Heroc. Either of them would be proud to call her wife and the other would count his blessings to be able to share her bed from time to time.

“Are the horses ready?” He ignored Heroc’s question and Audrey’s smile and turned his back on them both. He went to the two horses he had saddled and led the animals to where they were waiting.

Heroc swung easily onto the back of his horse, a high-spirited creature they’d traded with the Craddock brothers for. The older brothers had all been bastards but the younger ones were not only better men but also brilliant when it came to breeding fine horseflesh.

Abrah mounted his huge warhorse, the large beast shifted to the left but quickly came to a halt when Abrah gave the reins a short tug. “Come.” He held out his hand to Audrey, who was staring up at both of them, her blue eyes round and huge against her pale face.

She glanced at Heroc and then back at him. Abrah waited for her to make her choice. He would not beg. Finally, she took his hand and he leaned down and easily lifted her, settling her in front of him. The pants and tunic she wore allowed her to ride astride rather than across his legs. He settled the thick folds of her coat around her. The air was still a little chilly but would warm up as the day went on.

It seemed her arrival had heralded the end of the cold season. From here on the warmer days would come and the fields and woods would soon bloom again. It would be perfect if only she would agree to stay.

Abrah wrapped both arms around her, as much to hold her close as to steady her. Holding the reins easily in his left hand, he squeezed the horse’s sides with his thighs and the beast trotted out the door of the stable, sensing freedom beyond. The iron-shod hooves clattered over hard-packed earth and rocks as he guided them toward the main gates and the world beyond.

Audrey gasped and grabbed his arm, which was banded around her, and held on tight. Her knuckles turned white and her body was rigid.

“Are you well?” Abrah wasn’t certain what was wrong. Did she regret her choice? Would she rather ride with Heroc? It was too late. He had her and he was not giving her up. His arm tightened around her.

“I think so.” He could hear the uncertainty in her voice, the way her breath caught in her throat. “It’s a long way up, isn’t it?”

His brave little warrior was afraid. It struck him like a knife to the gut and weakened the barrier he’d tried to erect around his heart. “Have you never been on a horse before?”

She shook her head, making her curls dance in the wind. “Never. But it’s incredible.”

“I will keep you safe,” he promised. “Relax and enjoy the ride.”

Pleasure poured through him when he felt her rigid muscles gradually ease, her body going fluid and conforming to the hard planes of his torso. He kicked his mount in the sides and the beast took off at a gallop across the barren fields. She gave a small scream, which quickly turned into a laugh of pleasure. “It’s like flying,” she declared. Her enjoyment fed his soul even as it broke his heart.

What would tomorrow bring? Would there be any pleasure in riding without her in his arms? But that was for another day. Today was all about Audrey. How he wished she would be here when the crops were ready for harvest. He wanted her to see the bounty of their land and know its wealth was not in gold but in what it could provide for all of them.

Heroc’s horse thundered alongside them as they raced across the open meadow. They slowed and went single-file when they entered the woods. Birds chattered and small animals scurried out of the path of the large horses and their passengers. Carn loped alongside them, a large gray shadow. Abrah knew the dog would not leave their side and would warn them of any wild boar or predators in more than enough time to enable them to defend themselves.

The world was theirs. With the end of the cold season, people would be venturing outside their castles and keeps, but with Dannon Keep so far off the beaten path there was no danger of running into any other travelers. They were alone.

“It’s beautiful here.” Her voice was a mere whisper as though she were afraid to speak aloud. He understood her reticence. This forest was old and there was something special about it.

“There is game aplenty in these woods. And we will soon clear all the downed and diseased trees for firewood and building materials. Then we will thin where necessary.” There was always a balance to be struck between using resources and respecting them so they continued to provide for generations to come. If he and Heroc were the last of their line it would not matter. The land would belong to someone else.

His heart ached at the thought of his home belonging to another not of his blood. If Audrey did not stay they were unlikely to take a wife. Abrah knew he did not have the heart for it. If she left he would have no other.

A raven flew across their pass, giving a raucous cry. Audrey laughed and clung to his arm as he urged the horse down the well-traveled path. The woods were special but it was what was beyond that he truly wanted to share with her.

Her gaze darted everywhere and she reminded him of a child trying to see everything at once. She turned her head back and smiled at him, her face filled with sheer delight. He longed to kiss her but resisted. Now was not the time. It would be so easy to slide his hand into the opening of her cloak and slip it beneath her tunic. Her skin would be warm and her nipples would pucker beneath his touch.

His cock stirred and he shifted his weight to ease the ache. He knew the moment she felt his erection press against her back. She stiffened slightly and held herself erect, trying not to touch him, but he pulled her back against him and she gradually relaxed again. Abrah kissed the top of her head and urged his horse onward. He was impatient to get to their destination.

Heroc was silent but Abrah could sense his brother watching them both. He glanced toward his brother and suddenly wished he had resisted the urge. Despair was etched on Heroc’s face. It was the first time he had seen his brother lose hope.