My Lord II Medieval Eric AU II Part 6
Its Saturday, which means a new story. Today it’s another part to one of my old stories (I really don’t want to know how long it’s been since I last updated.) For anyone new to the series you can find the whole story here, and Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5 linked. Otherwise enjoy! As always feedback is much appreciated and prompts are always welcome.
She awoke to the feeling of steel against her neck. Someone had a knife to her throat and a hand strong and hard against her head. A hand evidently intended to stop her struggling, and potentially killing herself on the blade in the process. A hand that was all too familiar against her skin.
It was the only thing that stopped her panicking. Th knowledge that she knew that hand all too well. Just as she knew the thigh which it held her against. It appeared the man who owned them was none too happy at having been forced to sleep in his own tent.
Eric released her, leaning back on her bed smirking, as she sat up, rubbing the spot where his knife had sat. “You should not sleep unarmed.” He told her, running his fingers along the blunt edge of the knife. “You never know who might be lurking around.” She glowered at him, pulling the furs in which she slept up to cover her body better. “I do not usually have to worry, in my own camp, my men actually like me.” He did not miss her attempts to cover herself, she could see the muscles in his jaw tensing slightly as she did it. “I am not worried about your men.”
They sat in silence for a moment, tension running between them. Finally, she caved, breaking the wall between them. “Is that why you snuck in here? To teach me a lesson about security?” He grinned again, shaking his head. “You should not have kicked me out of your tent today.” She felt an angry heat come to her cheeks, “I can do what I want. It is my tent.” His expression did not change, eyes steady on her own. She felt ambushed, whatever it was he wanted he had evidently had plenty of time to consider it, to plan his approach, she still had no idea what was going on.
“Not any more. It became mine the second you married me.” His words left her speechless. So, this was why he was here, to claim his marital right. She had been warned it would happen, warned over and over again. He owned her now, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. They were married, and that was the end of it. He leaned forwards, reaching out towards her, but she pulled away, not wanting to be anywhere near him. “You did not want to marry me, I know that. You have married me, all the same.”
He threw the knife into the air, catching it much more gracefully than his large stature had any right to. “We are not normal people, you and I, we should have realised that the normal marriage contract would not suit us.” He buried the knife heavily into the ground, leaving it to shake in the dirt next to where her head had rested on her pillow. “But I need a contract all the same.”
She narrowed her eyes, it was not what she had expected, not exactly, but she still had the feeling he was going to demand something from her. She was nervous to discover whether or not she would be able to give it. “What exactly do you want?”
Apparently unwilling to be hurried he carried on as if she had not spoken. “I do not quite understand why you chose to marry me, for I do know it was a choice, whether you lost that fight to me or not, but I imagine part of it was because you knew that your rank, your family, would allow you some power over me. You had no intention of giving up your life to be a married Lady, and you thought I was your best chance at both. You were right, of course. I fully intend to honour the reasons why you chose me. Your army is yours, your sword will never leave your side, your clothes… well” He grinned again, eyes wandering over her, “I would not change that, even if I could. Your lands and titles are all your own, although I wish to share them with you. In return for this, however, I expect you to honour my reasons for accepting you.”
She raised her eyebrows at him, “Money?” She asked, trying very hard to keep a straight, calm face. “Aye. Amongst other things. Things I do not think you have earnt the right to know. I do not ask much from you. Loyalty, there is certainly that. Respect. I ask that you ride by my side, fight my battles with me. I ask that you do not try to undermine me, in front of my men or your own. I ask that you treat me as your equal. I am your husband. I expect you to show the world that you chose me. I expect you to show them why.”
He had evidently finished her speech. After a moment, she too found her voice, it was evident he had no expectation that she would refuse, it wasn’t like she could, the alternative was much worse for her than it was for him, she had everything to lose. Why had she chosen to marry him, she was not sure she could answer that, she had certainly wanted to bed him, but she could have done that anyway, she had enough money and power that a disgraced virtue meant little, especially if she did not intend to marry. “Aye, I think I can manage that.”
He nodded, eyes falling on the hollow of her throat. “There’s one more thing.” His voice was much lower than she had heard before, the power of it sent shivers down her spine. He moved towards her, hands pulling at her furs. “You’re my wife.” He told her, slowly pulling away her covers, revealing more and more of her body to him. “Only mine. She was half naked now, and his hand paused, resting over her lower belly, “I intend to be the father of your children, your only lover from this day forwards. I intend to possess you. Give me that, and I swear I will give you the same. I will be none but yours.” She did not answer with her words, instead pressing herself against him, letting the furs fall away completely.
His kiss was hard and heavy, one arm wrapping around her waist whilst the other wrapped itself in her hair, pulling her tightly to him, as if wishing to mould her into his body. She was grateful for his warmth, eager for the hard feeling of his body against her own. He lay her down, his body coming to rest on top of her. Lips still pulling and pushing on her own. Her own hands came between them, running along the curves of his chest, feeling his heart beat mixing with hers, hard and fast, as his own hands wandered lower and lower on her body.
She pushed hard on his body, pulling her lips away from his. He was so shocked by the movement that he went without protest. “I will give you all you ask.” She told him, struggling to get the words out between heavy breaths. His eyes were heavy as he looked down at her, as if trying to process her words through a haze of fog. She could feel the source of his grogginess pressing insistently against her inner thigh. “Tomorrow. I have told my men we would be sharing separate beds. So that is what we will do.”
He simply stared at her for a moment, letting her word sink in, finally the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, as if forcing himself not to laugh. He lent down, pressing a kiss to her lips, final and sweet, before lifting himself away from her and removing himself from the tent. She lay for a moment, trying to regain her breath, cursing herself for sending him away, and desperate to run after him, to pull him back and have her way with him. Finally, however she felt her body begin to cool, could pull her furs about her again and roll over.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw what was by her pillow. Still burrowed into the ground the knife had remained, she had no doubt he had left it on purpose. Part of her was tempted to throw it away, unwilling to accept his help, but she knew he was right, she should not sleep unarmed. Another, deeper part of her was touched, sure he would not have done this for anyone else. So, she tucked the weapon under her pillow, where she could easily reach for it, and fell asleep with her hand curled around it’s handle.