WORRLGENHALL (68 page)

     
“Not well enough,” Belon countered concerned and upset they didn’t catch those who fled or react quickly against those who came forward to attack them, “I want them skilled enough that when I am not with you, I know they can defend you.”

“
Then I beg always be with me Belon,” Aderac said weakened by Belon’s dominance.

“
Such is my want to keep you safe,” he revealed, as more than once, he thought of releasing his command and becoming his personal guard to protect him, as well as be around him more, but after mentioning it casually, when his men became in an uproar didn’t bring it up again, “I may release my command.”

“
What is your third?” Aderac sighed lovingly.

Belon gave a clue
as to what the third was by the hard kiss he put on his lips. “When done with your day do not tarry coming to me.”

“
You will be done,” he submissively said, rapt by his commands.

After they kissed, Aderac took his hand, and as Belon locked his fingers ti
ghtly between Aderac’s, both walked side-by-side back to their horses.

Just as Belon told him to do, eagerly Aderac hurried to him, even ending his day early, and when he walked inside the chamber and saw Belon waiting naked with his legs spread wide to r
eceive him, he felt his body flushed from excitement.

“
Come to me now,” he commanded. His tone strong, but far from sounding as if he was giving commands to men under his control, but a strong tone from need and want for Aderac, who was removing clothing as he obeyed until he was naked as well.

As he stood in front of him, Belon looked at him lovingly and pulled him onto the bed with him, and Aderac expecting passionate thrusts throughout the night such that he could hardly sit was wrong.

Instead, Belon turned him onto his side, slowly kissing his neck as he put one of his legs between Aderac’s legs and placed his other strong leg over his hip; then as he wrapped his arms all the way around him, he gently moved inside him, as he whispered sweet nothings into his ear.

**

When Gueden came back from a short journey, he didn’t recognize the guards inside Ivodgald.

“
What are you doing standing against the wall on guard?” he asked, “I have men in place for such.”

“
They are training,” he answered, “And until then Belon’s chosen will be on guard.”

“
Belon’s chosen?” Gueden questioned indignantly, “So bold is he,” Gueden added while storming away.

In an indignant fit, Gueden made his way to Aderac, who when he saw him coming, already gathering what it was about, ex
cused all to talk to him.

“
Bold is he,” Gueden complained, “To take charge of those under me.”

Aderac kept his tone calm.

“He does nothing without words to me of it,” he mentioned, but wouldn’t go any further.

“
Why did he do such a deed?”

“
Speak to him,” he suggested, “I am king. It is for you both to keep me safe.”

His question unanswered, Gueden left him and looked for Belon, then when he saw him drinking at a table with several others under his command, approached him.

“I reasoned I would find you here,” he condescendingly commented, “Drinking as always.”

“
What is it Gueden?” Belon impatiently asked, but already knew what it was about, because he had never said two words to him until now. 

“
Belon, bold you are!” Gueden’s clamor as he stared at him.

From the way he blared, Belon stood, well aware that those around them shouldn
’t hear two in high places speaking bitterly to each other.

“
We have others watching and many can hear us, follow me,” he said and walked away.

Gladly, Gueden followed Belon; the
n once alone again Gueden shouted. “Bold you are!” he repeated, “Must you take over all?”

“
That is not my wish,” Belon assured him, “But my wish is this, that he is safe.”

“
And you reason that is not mine?” Gueden asked insulted.

“
Your men are unskilled." Belon noticed, “They cannot run fast or for long without getting winded. Many can barely use a sword with one hand, let alone two, or hurl a spear far with good aim, and I have more to speak of, yet I will not.”

Gueden huffed, “
They are not men for the battleground,” Gueden declared, “They are inner guards for the king, and all they need to know is how to swing their swords.”

“
They are men who use their guard’s clothes as a means to get women and glory only,” Belon scoffed, “What if the walls are breached? What use are they?”

“
Of good use breached or not, no harm has come to him ...” Gueden retorted.

Belon had to agree, no harm had come to Aderac, but he thought of the guards that let the men get away into the forest. If those were his men,
he knew they would never have had a chance to flee because they would have killed them right away.

“
You will have your men back,” Belon assured him, “When they are more skilled.”

“
What is it with you?” Gueden asked frankly, since both were alone, “… and really behind all this that none of us see?”

“
Shall I be offended?” Belon asked him, “Your words are few, but mean much.”

“
Only the truth offends,” Gueden was quick to say; then looked at him suspiciously, “I have heard of you Belon long before you came within these walls. Such is how you look you can have any you choose, woman or man; yet, you choose one unlike you in so many ways. Yes, he is a king, but he is not a king who can boast of battles or conquests, as your kings in the southern lands do. He is a man of books and far from handsome, as we all know was the one that had you so smitten.”

Belon scowled. His snide remark literally made him want to strike him down, yet he managed somehow to contain his anger.

“You may not trust my words, but I love him.” Belon kept his words simple. “And I do not love you -”

Gueden stared at him oddly.

“Now whose words are few and mean much,” he said sarcastically.

“
Then I will make mine clear, Belon said as he met his stare to let him know he meant all he was about to speak, “All you spoke was true of me, but that is no longer me. I have been humbled and graced to learn from my past and have. He is all to me, and my warning to you is this, Head Advisor Gueden. If harm comes to him behind those slow soft middle guards of yours, you will know how much I love him by my vengeance on those I do not love.”

Gueden let out a loud uneasy gulp, unsure what to say.

“You can have them back in place,” Belon again assured him, deciding to forgive the insult, “When they can protect well, the king of books, not of battles or conquests, that you do not see as handsome, who has me so smitten, I love him more than my own life.”

Both still staring at the other, annoyed with each man
’s audacity, Gueden said nothing else, as he abruptly turned and walked away, then as he got father down the hallway, he passed one of Belon’s men.

 
Pretending to pass him, suddenly he stopped quickly withdrawing his sword hoping to surprise him, but when he turned, his sword barely all the way out of its sheath, he found the man’s sword pointed at the side of his neck ready to slit it.

At once
, he nodded; then kept walking, then when he noticed one of his own still on guard. Pretending to pass, suddenly he stopped and withdrew his sword to surprise him, and as he did, the guard had trouble getting it out of its sheath, even as Gueden pointed his sword at his throat.

Annoyed with him, Gueden growled; then sheathed his sword.

“In the morning,” he said disgusted, as he looked at him and shook his head, “Be among Belon’s men to train.”

G
ueden’s guards more fit and trained, and the horses corralled and prepared to journey, Aderac began to mope about dreading the days that brought Belon closer to leaving him.

On the night before Belon planned to leave, when he came to the chamber for bed and didn
’t see him inside, knowing it was late and he would
be close, he immediately checked the roof, gathering he would go there to think.

Quietly, he climbed the stairs from inside the chamber, and saw Aderac standing staring out into the darkness, then walked up to him
and put his arms around him from behind.

“
For days you have been in a mood, and as we sleep you wake late into the night and sigh, then only after I hold you do you fall asleep again,” he said, as he now turned him to face him, “Why?”

“
You know why,” Aderac answered, as he sadly looked up at him.

Belon put his hand under Aderac
’s chin. “Speak it to me.”

As he sighed, he spoke his reason for doing so.

“To take the horses to WorrlgenHall will be a slow task,” he admitted, “You will be gone far longer than any time ever before.” 

“
Aderac,” he said lovingly, “If you wish it, I will not go.”

Aderac inhaled wanting to ask him not to go, but instead, he turned and looked out again, then up at the dimly lit half moon.

“It was on a half moon just as the one above us,” he sighed, as he thought back, “When I first confessed my love.”

“
Yes it was.” Belon remembered, “And I doubted your truth when you spoke it.”

“
And know?”

“
I trust your love of me more than the very blood within me,” Belon answered undoubtedly, “And need it even more to live.”

“
Such torment it is to love, as well as joy,” Aderac commented, and again deeply sighed.

Again, Belon turned him and made him face him.

“Which seizes you more with me?” he asked, as he looked at him.

Answering right away, A
derac put his arms around him, and looked up at Belon through love-struck eyes.

“
Joy seizes me more Belon,” Aderac spoke his words of truth, as he lifted his head up for Belon to kiss him, “And shall always.”

As Belon looked at his face when he lifted his
head and closed his eyes, he did kiss him, and it long and tender made Aderac want more.

“
Let us run to our bed and sweat upon it until morning,” he whispered as his hand moved down his back to his rear.

Although, pleased with his words, Belon had somethin
g else in mind as well.

“
In a mood you have been,” he said wanting to cheer him, “We are sleeping under the stars.”

Sleeping outside
not something had done in a long while Aderac frowned. “Do you mean outside in the open with nothing over our heads?”

“
Yes.”

“
Uh,” Aderac said hesitant, but Belon only pulled him by his arm urging him to follow, which he did.

Once they got to the lake, Belon made a fire; but still in his sullen mood, Aderac watched, but said nothing.

“Come, swimming will soothe you,” he said, as he undressed and jumped in the lake.

“
I am in no mood this night,” Aderac said, as he watched him, “You swim.”

After trying playfully to splash water on him from the lake, when it wouldn
’t reach him, Belon spoke as he swam around.

“
If you do not come in on your own,” he warned, and began to walk out of the water, “I am going to throw you in.”

Aderac stiffened from Belon
’s threat.

“
Then, you will have to do such,” he called his bluff believing he was only joking.

In a burst, Belon was out of the water racing towards Aderac, who now realized he was serious, and took off ru
nning to get away.

Belon right behind him, just as he was about to close in on him, he tripped and fell face down into the dirt, and his body naked and wet made the dirt cover him completely.

After he fell, when he raised his head; his face covered in dirt such that he looked like he was wearing a mask, Aderac burst into a loud deep belly laugh and so hearty was his laugh, he bent over and held his stomach.

“
You laugh do you,” Belon said when he stood, “When I catch you, we shall see who laughs.”

Again, A
derac took off running with Belon right behind him, but his face still covered in dirt made Aderac laugh so hard his sides ached, and when he paused to hold his side, Belon caught him and tackled him.

As both crashed to the ground, Belon on top of Aderac,
when they looked at the other both laughed hard, then after their laughs came passionate kissing. 

“
I hate when you are away from me Belon, I do,” Aderac admitted the reason for his mood, as he wiped more dirt of Belon’s lips with his hands; “You are my happiness.” 

“
I have kept my mood from sadness,” Belon admitted also, “But you know I am hopeless when away from you, and only with you am I happy.”

“
I will not be weak and beg you to stay with me,” he said, “But I will be weak and beg you to return with haste.”

“
And I shall.”

After kissing again, Belon moved from on top of him.

“I must get back in the lake,” he said, as he stood and pulled Aderac to his feet.

“
Wait for me, I will join you,” Aderac said, as he began to undress.

“
No,” Belon stopped him, as he now kicked dirt onto the fire, “It is only to get this dirt off me.”

“
Then what shall we do?” he asked, as he watched him walk back to the water.

“
Run to our bed,” he answered, as he turned and roguishly smiled, “Then sweat on it until morning.”

“
Hurry, Belon hurry,” Aderac eagerly urged.

Just as he said, both sweated on their bed until morning and again seeing him off by riding with him to the wall, after they rode away from the others to say goodbye to each other Aderac reached into the pouch on
his horse.

“
I had this made for you,” he said, and gave him an axe with, as was most everything he had made for him, the crest of Ivodgald etched, “Dare you throw it with such ease and skill and not own one, my warrior.”

Belon took it; then smiled moved b
y his gift.

“
You are my life,” he said and kissed him.

“
As you are mine,” Aderac’s words back to him.

Holding each other tenderly, Aderac inhaled.

“Go now,” he urged, prolonging his torment as long as he could, “If you do not, I will beg you to stay.”

“
Speak such words,” Belon assured him, “And I will yield.”

“
Go,” he again urged.

“
Long for me,” Belon said, “I command it.”

“
You will be done,” Aderac whispered his response, then after a long passionate kiss, both got on their horses, and as always Aderac watched him until he was out of his sight; then rode back to Ivodgald.

**

After successfully getting the horses to WorrlgenHall, Belon had planned on a quick return, but the roads knee deep with mud from harder than expected seasonal rains made riding back nearly impossible, and forced him to remain at WorrlgenHall.

Gone now for longer than four full moons, he longed for Aderac in his heart, as well as between his thighs, and to keep himself from lying awake lost in thought about him, he often drank
before bed so he could go right to sleep.

Still sleeping in his old chamber, one night as he lay trying to sleep, when his door slowly opened, he reached for his sword, but stopped when he saw who it was.

“You have been within these walls, and have eaten and drank in the men’s hall, but have not come to me,” Moura said, then walked inside the room. As she did, she untied the strings on her dress, and let it fall to her feet, then stood naked in front of Belon.

Always enjoying the sight of her shapely body, Belon lustfully stared as she walked closer. Long since he had felt any release, he became rigid from the sight of her full breasts and closely cropped forest, and as his eyes traveled up and down her body, t
he memory of how it felt to be between her hot moist walls came back with a vengeance swelling his groin.

“
Aaahh,” Moura said when she got to him and felt how rigid he was when she fondled him, “Such pleasure has always come from what I touch.”

As she pres
sed her full breasts to Belon’s face as he sat, he grabbed them, and as his fingers dug into her firm smooth flesh, he licked on her nipples, but when he looked up at her just about to taste her lips, when he looked into her eyes, something Ogorec said came to him.

“
Dare I do such a deed?” He stopped himself, “I have gone to far as it is licking on your breasts and letting your hand touch on me. To do more would indeed be a betrayal, and I know the pain of betrayal well. I cannot and will not, and know should I; the guilt would show in my eyes.”

“
Then make your eyes deceive,” Moura said, as she tried to straddle his lap.

“
How can I do such?” Belon asked, and quickly lifted her off him before she could do anything else, “When all that is in my eyes is love for him.”

Moura stared at him in disbelief.

“Belon, never did I deny you when you came to me when Ogorec wounded you so,” she reminded him, “Do not deny me this night.”

Moura was right, he did come to her many times hoping she
’d take away his sorrow with pleasure, and she never once denied him.

“
I must,” he said, sorry for hurting her, but not that he refused her, “You must go.”

Insulted, Moura huffed as she slid back into her dress.

“I have seen who you speak of when he was here,” she hatefully said, as she did, “How can you refuse me to be loyal to that ugly man, when you have never been loyal to anyone. 

Angered by her words, Belon leaped to his feet and grabbed her hard by her jaw with one hand.

 “For the sake of our past, I will not slap the teeth out of your mouth, insult him again and I shall.”

“
Then we are truly at an end,” she angrily assured him, as tried to pull her face from his strong grip, but couldn’t.

“
Well so,” Belon said, and released his hand, “And rightfully so.”

**

Back at Ivodgald, Aderac asked his messengers everyday if  Belon sent any messages from WorrlgenHall, and each day when he got nothing, he moped, but now king, he knew he could not sulk within his chamber, yet if not needed, he was there laying on his bed or staring out of his windows lost in thought.

“
Do you reason something befell him?” Aderac asked Gueden, as he began to fret because he had heard nothing, “It is not like him not to get word to me and four moons have set since he left.”

“
If such, word would have reached you good or bad,” Gueden assured him.

Aderac wanted to send men to WorrlgenHall to find Belon, but Gueden talked him out of it.

“To journey with horses is a hard task and you know such,” he dissuaded, “And dare you send someone after him as if he was a woman urging him to return. You will shame him by such a deed.”

Aderac looked at him and thought about his words, Belon was indeed a proud man, and to do such would anger him.

“Very well,” Aderac relented, although he missed him greatly.

Whe
n they began walking again, Gueden paused.

“
My king,” Gueden said; then when Aderac stopped and turned to face him, he continued, but chose his words wisely, “A child has been born to you that you have yet to name. The people are speaking behind your back that you are so spellbound you have forsaken your own blood.”

His words angering Aderac, not from his boldness; instead, because he was right, Aderac only nodded.

“Such is true,” he admitted, then turned and walked towards the queen’s chamber to speak with her.

Long since he had come to her, hesitantly, he opened the door and saw her breastfeeding; then, after he sent everyone out of the room, he sat beside her and half smiled as he took his child in his arms.

Not having seen her since she was born, after he held her in his arms for a while, he smiled fully and proudly.

“
She is beautiful,” he said, “And as I hold her, the name Beladera comes to me, and it shall be so.”