N. Walters - Embroidered Fantasies

“I do. I’ve heard stories from the other tapestry brides.” His palm was warm on her spine as he guided her down the stairs and out of the keep. “I can’t say I like much of what I hear about your world.”

“It has its good points, just like any place does.” His frown deepened. She wondered what he was thinking but there was no time to ask. Radnor waited in the courtyard seated on a huge horse, the reins of another held in his strong, capable hands.

“Come, Roxanne. It’s a beautiful day and the world awaits.” Radnor held out his hand. She went to him, eyeing the large black beast he was seated upon. The creature seemed well behaved. For now. She’d never realized just how large horses were before, had never had the opportunity to get so close to them before coming here. And this one was bigger than most.

She chewed on her bottom lip. “I’ve never ridden before.” He reached down and lifted her, settling her in front of him. Once again, she was shocked by his casual show of strength. It took no effort at all to lift her off the ground.

His chest was bare, as he wore his usual leather vest wide open, and his muscles rippled. The heat of his skin warmed her as she leaned into him. His brawny arms came around her, enclosing her in his protective embrace.

Sednar swung up onto the other horse and they were off. She gasped when the horse began to move.

“Relax and move with the animal,” Radnor instructed.

She released the breath she was holding and did as he said. It was incredible to feel such muscle and power beneath her. She almost giggled. She could say the same thing about Radnor.

They passed through the courtyard and the outer area. She wasn’t quite certain what it was called but it was surrounded by a low stone wall. People stared at them as they went. Some nodded in greeting. Others frowned.

She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the open fields beyond. Tension slid away from her as the rocking of the horse soothed her.

Radnor caught her chin in his hand and tipped her face up. He lowered his head slowly. “Good morning, Roxanne.” He kissed her then. A leisurely caress that was an end unto itself. There was no pressure, just sheer enjoyment. When he finally lifted his head, she blinked up at him, her mind nothing but mush.

She gathered her wits and glanced around. “Where are we going?”

“There’s a lake not far from here. It’s a beautiful place.” She’d seen the lake in the distance and had longed to see it up close. “Sounds wonderful.”

“It is.” Sednar continued to expound on the virtues of the land. Roxanne knew it was part of his ploy to try to convince her to stay.

Meanwhile, Radnor was quiet, keeping her safe in his arms as the horses and riders passed the fields and entered the woods, following an obviously well-traveled trail. It was darker here, the sun barely able to penetrate the canopy of trees. The air was tinged with the smell of earth and pine. Birds chirped and flew overhead. Small animals scurried beneath the brush.

She was nervous at first. She was a city girl and had never been exposed to this much nature before. But when neither man showed any sign of concern, she relaxed and began to enjoy it.

It really was another world here. It was amazing how crisp everything looked, how sound carried through the air. She could hear the babble of a brook off to the left.

Looking up, she stared up through the green canopy to the blue sky above. Puffy white clouds dotted the skyline. No smog here.

She wanted to ask them about their family, but this wasn’t the time to do so. There was something almost sacred, spiritual about the woods that made her want to keep silent. A sense of peace, of total calm enveloped her. Had she ever felt this way before?

She didn’t think so.

“Almost there.” Radnor’s voice was low as he guided the horse through an opening in the trees and into an open field. Tall grasses swayed in the breeze. A bevy of wildflowers released their perfume. And beyond was a lake, its dark surface rippling slightly.

“It’s incredible.” She didn’t try to hide the wonder she was feeling.

The horses walked across the field, stopping at the water’s edge. Radnor tightened his arms around her. “Craddock land ends just on the other side of the lake.” He pointed off to the left. “Bakra land is that way.”

“What’s off to the right?”

His grip tightened almost imperceptibly. “That’s Luther land. You don’t want to go there.” Radnor’s voice was hard, his words clipped.

Roxanne remembered what Darrina had told her about the Luther brothers and shivered. Radnor slid from his horse. “Easy, Xander,” he crooned as the horse shied slightly. She gasped and clutched the pommel of the saddle but there was no need.

Radnor quickly swept her from the horse and set her safely on the ground.

Sednar came up behind them, a blanket and a satchel in hand. “I thought you might like to sit by the water and have something to eat.” She eyed him suspiciously. “Were you talking to Darrina?”

“Of course.” He didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was checking up on her.

“She said you didn’t eat much when you woke.”

She couldn’t really be mad at Sednar. He was simply concerned about her well-being. She took the blanket from him and shook it out, spreading it near the edge of the water. Sitting cross-legged, she took in the beauty around her.

Both men removed their swords, keeping them at hand as they sat, one on either side of her. It was only then she noticed the weapons. How she missed two four-foot swords was beyond her. It was probably because she’d gotten so used to seeing both men with them constantly. They strapped them on the moment they woke in the morning and laid them by the side of the bed each night. Their weapons were such a part of them, she didn’t think they even noticed them.

“Why are you always armed?”

Sednar plucked a long piece of grass and chewed on the end. “There are wild animals and enemies to worry about.”

“Even in your own home?” She noticed they were never unarmed, not even in their own keep.

“Especially there.” There was a contemptuous edge to Radnor’s words that made her turn toward him.

“Why?” It was now or never. “Tell me about your older brothers.” Neither man seemed surprised by her question. “What have you been told?” Sednar asked.

“Nothing good, I’d wager. We Craddocks are not exactly the most popular family.” The mocking tone in Radnor’s voice made her heart ache.

She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “I’ve heard dark warnings and mutterings about your eldest brother especially. And your sister,” she added.

Radnor snorted. “I’m not surprised. Leon Craddock was the vilest creature ever born. If you don’t count our sire.”

Sednar gave a bark of laughter but there wasn’t an ounce of humor in it. She could feel the brothers’ pain. It was a living and palpable thing. “Craddocks take what they want. They steal and fight and cheat to get it. Isn’t that right?” Sednar turned his gaze to Radnor who picked up the tale.

“If you don’t, you’re seen as weak. And the weak are beaten, ridiculed and abused.

Might was right in Leon’s world. Two of my brothers tried to steal a woman from another family. They were killed. That only made Leon worse. He hated the Bakra brothers with a passion.”

Now she was totally confused. “But isn’t your sister married to one of them?” Sednar nodded. “Leon had promised her to the Luther brothers and went to get her back from the Bakras. He failed.” There was obviously a lot more to the story than that, but Sednar had already moved on. “There are four Bakra brothers so they have two brides.”