Malia Martin (22 page)

She dropped the knife then, because it truly did not matter. It really never had. She would never have been able to hurt Robert. And she knew deep within her heart that he would
not hurt her.

All she cared about now was the force that seemed to pull them together. Her anger, hurt, everything had dissipated with the heightened sensitivity of her body. All she could think of was the storm that had begun to wage within her body, her heart hammering at her chest, her nerve endings hot as lightning bolts of sensation shot from her husband’s fingers across her skin.

She heard the knife thud against the hard, dirt floor and plunged her fingers into the hair at Robert’s nape.

They kissed, and Aleene felt dizzy. Wrapped in each other’s arms beneath the blanket, the warmth sent beads of sweat slipping down Aleene’s temples. Robert groaned against her mouth, cupping her breast in his hand. The storm within Aleene strengthened.

With a deep shudder, she arched her neck, breaking their kiss. She could feel her husband’s fingers at her throat, tugging at the string that gathered her gown there. Slowly and gently, he smoothed her gown down her shoulders. And then he dipped his head and nuzzled, just beneath her collarbone. Aleene swallowed and tried to breathe as Robert trailed light kisses down her neck and between her breasts.

She clenched her fingers in his hair.

He breathed hotly against her and continued his exploration, nibbling lightly at the underside of one breast. His hand wandered down her side, cupping her hip and pulling her more firmly against him.

Aleene closed her eyes feeling him against her body, his lips, his fingers. Fear had no place in her mind. It was as if they had been thus long before, only they had forgotten. And now they were together again.

“Is it good, Aleene? Do you feel the rightness of it?”

She trembled, for he had not moved away when he spoke and his breath heated her already hot skin until it seemed to burn. She opened her eyes and looked down at her husband. It was a moment of stillness; his eyes, dark in the blackness of the tent, stared up at her from under his brows.

“Don’t stop, Cyne.”

His entire body slid against hers as he pulled himself up to be level with her. Her womanly place seemed to clench, and she made a small sound of pure pleasure.

He kissed her mouth again, and she opened for him. The moment of peace passed, and her body took on the rhythm of the storm once more. Cyne trailed a line of kisses down her breast bone and slid his arm around to cup her bottom in his hand.

He nipped at the side of her breast, and she bucked toward him. Aleene bit at her bottom lip as he trailed kisses toward the tip of her breast. The loud rushing sound in her mind lessened as she waited, all feeling centering upon her husband’s tongue on her body. Finally, Robert laved her nipple and sucked gently. As if a hard wind had gone through her, Aleene’s entire body trembled as she dug her fingers into Robert’s scalp.

Her legs came up, her heels pushing at the ground, lifting them both. She needed fullfilment. Robert rose above her, kissing her mouth as she pulled at the ties of his hose. He pushed them down and lifted her gown, still tangling his tongue with hers.

His hardness met her softness, and she stiffened. Her frenzy and need slipped slowly away as the same awful memories began to slither into her mind.

“Shh, darling,” he whispered against her mouth. “’Tis nothing to be afraid of. It will be even better than what we have been doing.”

She breathed irregularly, and Robert kissed her again, lightly. The urgency that had led them to this point calmed. Aleene could feel her husband, still hard against her, but she could also feel his control as he said calmly, “I will never hurt you, Aleene.”

He moved, sliding off of her. She made a whimpering sound, her hands folding in his tunic and stopping him. “Please, I’m afraid, but do not leave.”

“I’m not going to.” He smiled, then settled himself next to her on the floor and lifted her over him. “We shall do this with you in control, will that not make it better?”

She gasped, her legs automatically straddling Robert’s.

He laughed. “Come, come, Aleene, you did very well this way the first time.” Robert ran his hands up her thighs. “This time we will finish.”

“Oh.” Goose flesh covered her legs, and she shivered when he reached her hips and squeezed.

“Bring me into you, Aleene.” He moved beneath her.

She sat up on her knees slowly. When she moved, she saw the blade of Robert’s knife on the floor beside them. She stared at it for a long moment, then turned her gaze upon her husband, at her mercy beneath her. She closed her eyes for a tiny second, then reached down and shoved the hilt of the knife so that the weapon skittered away from them.

Robert never moved.

“I wouldn’t want us to hurt ourselves.” She smiled and reached between them, taking him in her hand.

Robert held his breath, clenching his teeth together.

She moved forward slightly, her exposed breasts bouncing against her ribcage, her gown dropping even lower on her arms. He felt her wet against him and hitched in a small breath of air.

Aleene supported herself for a moment on her knees, her eyes dark, sensual, and, finally, trusting. He held himself still, waiting for her to move. All the while everything within him wanted to thrust forward and feel himself deep inside of her. Another breath, this one a bit deeper. Would he live through this? Surely he would die of agony.

She did not move down on him, but she took one of her hands and cupped his cheek. “I am so afraid, Cyne.”

“Do you wish to stop?” Could he?

“No.” He felt her quiver against his manhood. “The dark memories do not come. But I am still afraid that they might.”

“If they come, I will stop.”

She only nodded.

“Move against me, Aleene, feel me.”

She rocked forward and then back, slowly, so slowly. Her eyes drifted shut, her head bent backward. He could feel her hair against his legs, trailing forward, then back. He would die soon, he knew he would.

He needed her down on him. Her breasts moved with her body, her throat exposed for his lips, but he could reach neither. He tightened his grip on her hips, willing her down.

And finally, she lowered herself. An inch at a time, she came upon him, the breath leaving her lungs in an audible woosh when finally she straddled him completely.

His member moved inside of her, and he held his breath, afraid he might spill his seed at any moment. He closed his eyes and tried to think of anything else. The hungry men outside, the battle soon to be fought, his wife above him, moving.

His eyes snapped open as he felt her bend toward him. Her breasts flirted with his chest. “Ah, Aleene.”

“Oh, Cyne,” she murmured back, her lips meeting his, her hands coming to rest on either side of his head.

They kissed lightly as Aleene moved her body slowly over him. “That’s right, darling, Do what feels good,” Robert said against her full lips,

She moved faster and their kiss deepened. Robert felt as if he might drown in her, The dark, swirling kiss took on the rhythm of their mating, and Robert knew he had never felt so aroused, Every part of him moved with his wife, his tongue, his manhood, his heart, He groaned, taking her tongue deeper into his mouth and clutching her hips.

He was lost, completely. That she could do this to him seemed miraculous for she was truly a virgin no matter that she had no maidenhead to breach. He opened his eyes, saw her beautiful face above him, her dark hair enclosing them in their own world, and bucked forward,. needing to be completely within her.

She gasped, and he came. Hard and fast, he felt himself convulse and pulse inside of his wife. She continued to sway above him, as she broke their long’ kiss and flung her hair aside, breathing erratically. He came so long he thought he.might die, but then he realized that it was no longer him. He had spent himself, but his wife’s body clenched his spasmodically. Robert watched her, running his hands up her sides to cup her heaving breasts.

“Ah,” she moaned and shivered when he thumbed their peaks. And then she came down upon him and buried her face in his neck.

“Ah,” he agreed, smiling and stroking her hair.

The silence in the tent seemed deafening, and he wondered if they had been loud. He tightened his arms around Aleene, not caring. Let everyone hear them, and envy them their closeness at this time of heartache. He turned on his side, feeling himself slide from Aleene’s warm body, and held her tightly against him.

After a few moments her breathing lengthened and he felt all the tension leave her limbs. She slept.

But such a reprieve did not come to Robert. For his heart now loved as it had never done before. And it hurt. For his love was on the other side of the battle he must fight. He had promised never to hurt her again. And he wouldn’t. But he would fight. His heart would no longer be in it, though, for William had lied.

Robert knew that William had been promised the crown, he had witnessed it himself. And for that Robert’s loyalty still lay with his liege. But William had lied about Harold taking the crown of England by force. He had lied to secure backing from his people. And then he had lied again to secure backing from the pope. No, his heart would no longer be in it. Robert looked at the shadowy figure of his wife beside him. He reached out and smoothed dark strands of hair from her face. His heart would be here, with Aleene. All he could hope is that she would understand. And that she would leave, so that she would be safe.

“I will not leave!”

“Shh, Aleene, you will wake the men.”

“I do not care, Robert, I will not leave.”

Robert sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “You are truly the most stubborn woman.”

“Do not call me names.” She sat up. “You are being just as stubborn as I.”

He pushed himself up and pulled her into his embrace. She went willingly, for even in anger she coveted his closeness. “I want you safe.”

“And I want you safe, Robert. Come home with me.”

He pulled away from her, his face in dark shadows. “You know that I cannot.”

Aleene breathed in deeply and held it. On a sigh she said, “I know.”

“We fight tomorrow. I want you to go to King Harold tomorrow morning at dawn before the fighting begins.”

“No!” Aleene dropped her head into her hands. “Do not speak of the battle. I cannot bear this, Robert, I feel as if I am torn into a dozen pieces.”

“I know, Aleene. I think I feel the same.”

She looked up at him, grabbing his arms. “Then let us run. Now, Robert, let us run. Let us go somewhere far from here. Somewhere we can live without English or Norman. Somewhere we will not be enemies.”

“Are we enemies, Aleene?”

“Do not speak word games, Robert. I swear I cannot ever believe I thought you simple!” She threw off the blanket that had twined around her waist and stood. Her dress hung in a rumpled circle at her waist. She tried to pull it up, but couldn’t find the arm holes in the dark.

Her husband’s hands stopped her. “We cannot run, Aleene.” He pushed the gown down over her hips. “I will fight for my lord, you will fight for yours.”

“I do not know what to fight for anymore, Robert, you have taken all the certainty out of my life.”

Robert came against her, their naked bodies touching and warming each other. She shuddered. “Have I, Aleene? Have you no certainty in your life?” His large, beautiful hands rubbed her back,
then slipped down to cup her bottom.

She clenched her fingers around his shoulders, holding him to her, yet keeping him away. “Yes!”

“Stubborn wench.” He nipped at her lips.

“Don’t call me names.”

He chuckled and kissed her this time, deeply. Thought spiraled through her head and left, like the leaves on the wind. The blood thrumming through her veins, and the need of her body for her husband’s took over all else. She melted against him, and he lowered her to the ground gently.

He came over her, a shadow in the dark, yet ever so comforting. And she surrendered to his touch, the callused fingers on her breasts, the warm lips against her throat. “Oh, Cyne.”

He thrust inside of her, moving against her slowly, then coming faster and faster. Aleene came up to meet him, her hips moving against his. And the feeling came again, only this time faster. Her insides centered wholly on the point where their bodies met, a whirlpool of all her emotions, moving around and around until she was sucked down inside and came out the other side, convulsing with the most intense beauty’ and release she had ever felt. Her whole body shook with the force, and she shuddered with the effort to breathe.

He kissed her lightly, then pushed the tangled, wet hair from her forehead.

“I shall never be cold again,” she said.

“I pray so, Aleene.”

The next morning as the men prepared for war, Aleene left. With her back straight, and her eyes forward, she swore she would not turn around. But her newly melted heart would not allow such icy tendencies. She turned at the edge of the forest, and caught the gaze of her husband. He brought his fingers to his lips then blew a kiss to her. She forced her mouth to curve in a smile and pretended to catch his kiss. Only she didn’t put it to her mouth, she placed it above her heart. And then she turned her mount, made sure that her banner flew high, and pushed the beast into the trees.

On the other side and up a hill, she met with her king’s men. They welcomed her,
pointing to Harold’s tent. Aleene wanted nothing more than to turn around and stay behind the lines of her enemies, to stay with her love, but she forced herself forward.

Harold sat with his brother and many other earls, counseling before they went to war, but he stood when he saw her and helped her from her horse. “Aleene, I am happy to see you safe,” he said, his eyes weary and his voice as unhappy as she had ever heard it.

“I have seen their troops, your highness, would you like me to report?” she asked reluctantly.

He smiled a sad smile and shook his head. “No, my dear, that will not be necessary. We already know what we must, and you should not be put in such a position to be disloyal to your husband.”