Ria Cantrell - Celtic Storm 03 (18 page)

“I was not flirting with you.”

“Oh, no? The look you shot me across the hall sent heat right through me.”

“I was not flirting. I cannot help it if your over-blown ego has caused you to think such a thing.”

“I am not saying I did not like it, but I am requesting you to heed me on this.”

“Hmph! Flirting indeed.”

She did not know if she had flirted, for she was sure she had not, but she turned on her heel and hurried back to the main hall.

Erik did not know why he enjoyed provoking her, but he smiled as she stormed off, once again piqued at him; their truce momentarily broken.
Ah, well, better get to the lists as he was needed to do
.

~Chapter Twenty-Three~

Rhianna felt her face burn at Erik’s words. She had not thought she was acting wantonly by flirting with him. He was the one who had done illicit things to her the other night in her chambers. Now he had accused her of such a thing. So, she had looked at him; it seemed she could not help that. She liked looking at him. His presence in the hall gave her both comfort and excitement as well. She had not realized he saw her from across the room. That man totally infuriated her.
He was such a pompous ass!
Yes, she had enjoyed his kisses and in fact, after the other night, she actually craved them. He could be so sweet and thoughtful one moment and as annoying as a man could possibly be in the next instant.

Did he mean what he said; that he could not concentrate when she looked at him? Was he just filling her head with silly frippery and flattery? Maybe he was used to women fawning over him. That had to be it. Well, she was not the type of woman he was used to. Oh, he made her so angry. She was going to go back in there and give him a piece of her mind.

By the time Rhianna got back to the main hall, she saw Sir Drew dressed in his mail hauberk and he was heading out toward the list. Rhianna said, “Sir Drew, is there trouble?”

“Why, no, my lady. Erik just bid me come to the lists. Said he wanted to train a bit. I am going to join him there.”

“Oh, the lists, is it?”

Rhianna had half a mind to go out there and distract him as he accused of her doing, but she thought better than to goad him at the moment. Nodding her head, she said, “Very well, thank you.”

“Do you need me to get him for you?”

“No. Not at all. Thank you. I will speak to him later.”

“Aye, my lady. I best meet him out there. Seems there are storm clouds forming. We would like to get in some time before the skies open.”

“Yes,” Rhianna said, a bit distracted. Drew smiled a disarming grin and he left her to join Erik in the lists. Rhianna brushed past the many people that filled her home. She needed some fresh air and so she hurried up the tower steps to the turret overlooking the lists. She wanted to observe Erik’s technique. She had often watched her brother train in the lists and it had always given her a sense of security. She knew Erik was a force not to be reckoned with and so she wanted to see how he worked with his men. She would not admit to him that she wanted to see him in action and his warning only made her need to all the more. It was like telling a child not to do something and the child would thus be compelled toward the misdeed. Well, she was not a child, but she had to see him working with his sword. She should be safe from his eye up on the parapet.

The turret above the lists was a perfect spot to watch and not
distract
him. She grabbed her cloak in case the wind kicked up from her perch and she looked out over the balustrade of the wall. She had a bird’s eye view of the list field beneath her. She pulled the ribbon free that had been tying her hair back and let the breeze flow through her thick tresses. The men were in formation and were running several drills with swords and shields. Erik was ever the commander as his men followed the minutest direction of his orders. Rhianna could see that he gave silent commands as well, and his men knew that by the tilt or nod of his head just what he wanted from them. Rhianna did not want to admit it, but Erik’s strength and leadership was impressive.

She leaned out a little over the stone crenellations and she peered down beneath her when the men started parrying. The clang of metal striking metal was daunting, but Rhianna could see the well-trained men working in sword play so expertly, her heart welled with pride. These men would defend her lands. Their leader was skilled in weaponry and even from her height; she could see the power in his strikes and the proficiency in which he thwarted blows.
Mostly
. Something had gone wrong and for a brief moment, she actually thought he looked up toward her hiding place. Drew called out a warning and one of Erik’s men struck him in the side with the flat of his sword. She saw Erik falter and Rhianna gasped in horror. He was hurt! Hurrying down the steps, she raced through the bailey to the list field below.

Erik felt the change in the wind and something above him caught his eye. The breeze had caught something and flipped it like a banner against the greying sky. It was her. She was watching him! He could see her ebony tresses being tossed in the draft and the blue, bell-like sleeves beckoned his eye. His concentration was momentarily broken.

He heard Drew’s warning and heeded it, side stepping a blow from one of his men, only it was just a second too late. As he ducked from the arcing blow, he twisted to the left but it was not enough to miss it completely. His man saw that he had not blocked the parry and he tried to turn his weapon away from his knight, but it had been swung and was in full momentum. It struck him in the side, knocking the wind out of him.
Damn!
The blow brought him to his knees. It may have even cracked a rib or two. He was thankful the sword hit him with the flat side and not the edge. Even though they used blunted swords for practice, it would have caused some serious damage had the edge cut under his mail. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground.

Rhianna pushed through the throngs of people to get to the list. She entered the field and she ran to Erik, who was lying on his back on the ground. She knelt beside him and she started barking orders, “Someone, get his helm off. Get me some water, quickly.”

As they loosed his helm, Rhianna took his head into her lap. She said, “Oh, my God. Erik, can you hear me?”

Despite the pain in his ribs, he moaned, “Aye.”

When the water was brought to her, she dabbed his face and she said, “Are you in pain?”

Again he moaned and said, “Aye.”

“What happened?”

“A witch…put a spell on me.”

“Witch, wait…what?”

He moaned louder as if in terrible agony and he said, “I saw her black hair above me…and…” more agonizing moans. “Oh…it hurts….”

Rhianna said, “Ssh, I will help you.”

“Yes, you need to help me.”

“Of course…now be still.”

“I need you to…I need you to.…”

“What? What is it that you need me to do?”

“I need you to stay…away from the lists, like you were told.”

His grin broke rouse and Rhianna sat there for a moment, too stunned to utter a remark. He was play acting to tease her! Of all the stupid things to do! Rhianna practically leapt to her feet which almost caused Erik’s head to bounce on the packed earth beneath him.

“Ouch,” he said, as his skull took the brunt of it. Sitting up, he saw Rhianna standing over him. Her eyes were blazing and she spat, “Why of all the mean things to do. I was worried sick that you were hurt.”

“I am.”

“You are not. You are despicable. How dare you make sport of me? A Witch! You called me a witch. And I was not in the lists…until you got hurt. I cannot help it if you were distracted because my hair blew in the wind. You call yourself a warrior! Distracted because someone’s hair blew in the wind, indeed!”

“Not someone’s hair…
your
hair.”

“Well, mine or anyone else’s should not have affected your ability to dodge a blow. Big warrior, daunted by hair blown by the breeze!”

“Rhianna, I would cease if I were you. You are treading on dangerous ground.”

“Oh am I? Ha! I am not the one lying in the dirt because I was distracted by hair. And then to mock me; how dare you?”

Rhianna stepped over him and she began to leave the list field. She was furious. Erik called, “Rhianna, come back here.”

She turned and with hands fisted on her hips, she stuck her tongue out at him. She stormed toward the stables and was absolutely livid. She needed to get away from him and fast.

Erik sat there stunned for a moment but then he rose slowly to his feet. He was about as angry as could be. First she had defied him and then she scolded him in front of his men. Again! He peeled off his hauberk and moved quickly after the girl. Drew grabbed his arm and he said, “Erik, what are you going to do?”

“What I should have done in the first place. I vow she is not going to sit for a week.”

Erik called a groom to bring his horse, because Rhianna had already ridden off over the bridge at a break-neck pace. She may have gotten a head start, but her mount was no match for Erik’s destrier. As his horse’s hooves flew over the ground, it quickly ate up the distance between him and Rhianna. She was riding low on the horse, spurring it faster, not mindful as branches whipped at her face. She was so angry she did not know what to do. She felt humiliated and she was not going to be told what to do in her own home. She was not married to him yet, and right now, she was pretty certain she would never marry him, the devil take her!

Her ire prevented her from noticing the change in the weather. The temperature had dropped and lightening streaked across the sky. She turned back to look and saw the arrogant bastard riding her down. She caught a glimpse of his face and saw he looked as murderous as she felt.

The bloody girl was going to get them both killed. She was riding without care. She was going to break her damned neck. Erik was gaining on her and if he could, he would grab her reins and slow her down. As he rode up alongside of her, he called, “Rhianna, stop. This is madness.”

Instead she dug her heels in and pushed her horse to ride faster. She had to get away from him. He was the last person she wanted anywhere near her at the moment, but as a branch whipped at her face, she was almost unseated. Erik saw her list in her saddle and he forced his horse to keep pace with her. His arm snaked about her and he caught her before she toppled off the back of her horse. With a viselike grip, he pulled her before him on his horse forcing her to sprawl face down in front of him. Erik slowed his animal to a walk and he observed her in this very precarious position. She was hurling insults and curses and he had had enough.

His hand, swift and sure smacked her upturned posterior. Her cry of outrage only fueled Erik’s anger and he landed another smack to her behind. With each protest, Erik gained satisfaction in swatting her. As the horses slowed to a stop, Erik dragged Rhianna off the back of his horse and he sat down on a large tree stump. He pulled Rhianna over his knees and continued his punishment of her in earnest. He growled, “I warned you not to speak to me in front of my men that way.”
Swat.
“And I warned you not to distract me in the lists.”
Swat.
He then spanked her like a wayward child, listing her offenses as his big hand delivered stinging blows to her buttocks. With each smack, her derriere smarted and burned. It seemed the punishment would not end. Rhianna cried out and cursed with each strike and as expletives left her lips, she would earn another smack. She kicked and squirmed until finally, Erik let her go.

Rhianna scrambled to her feet and she cursed Erik with every name she could think of. He stood up and grabbed her back with a hand tightly over one of her wrists. He did not raise his voice but said, “It is a shame that such vile language should come from such a pretty little mouth. Now cease your abuse of me or I promise you another spanking. I fear; I did enjoy delivering it!”

“How dare you, Erik Ragnorsen! You have no right to lay a hand on me. I am a lady, after all.”

“Then you need to act like one and not like the bratty child you so vehemently want me to believe you to be.”

When she began yet another tirade of curses, Erik could take no more. He pulled her into his arms and he kissed her soundly. She tried to break free from him, but as she learned as she was over his knee, when he held her, she was stuck. Luckily, fat rain drops began falling and more lightening split the darkened sky. That stopped Erik and he said, “Come on, I have to get you to safety.”

Erik took her hand and put her onto his horse. He jumped up behind her, and took her horse’s reins in hand as well. They had ridden further than he thought and it would take them too long to get back to the keep. Thunder boomed loudly and all thoughts of kissing and spanking were lost as they tried to find cover from the storm that had come upon them in a matter of minutes. Erik pulled the hood on her cloak up and he pressed his body to her back to shield her from the slashing rain. By the time he found an outcropping of rock, he was nearly soaked through. Once he checked that the small cave was not inhabited by any animals, Erik dragged Rhianna inside. Despite his attempts to shield her from the rain, she shivered in her cloak. He looked at her and he was not sure if it was rain or tears, but glistening drops clung to her lashes. It tugged at his heart as she sat huddled, trembling against the flashing storm beyond the cave entrance. He sat beside her to warm himself for a moment. He doubted he would be able to find wood that was dry enough to start a fire. They would just have to wait until the worst of it passed.