Authors: Monica Luke
As they approached the gates, expecting him as always to be there looking down at him, Ogorec smiled when he looked up and saw Ovfren standing on the wall.
Ovfren racing down the stairs, as King Aderac, Belon, Enek, as well as Laad and Loth, who were waiting in the courtyard watched him, all except Laad, who Loth didn’t tell, tried not to look over at Enek to see the expression on his face, while he watched Ovfren rush to Ogorec.
Immediately, Ogorec jumped from his horse; then tenderly kissed Ovfren.
“I missed you,” Ovfren’s first words.
“Not as much as I.”
“Come.” Ovfren took his pouch. “Let me help you.”
As the servants and guards took King Baric’s pouch, Aderac jumped from his horse.
“Is all still as planned?”
“All is as planned,” Baric answered, as Belon and Enek jumped from theirs, and all followed him, “Let us meet once more in my council with the quorum, bid farewell to those we love, and we shall all march in two days.”
After one final discussion about battle plans, as all dispersed into court, as soon as Ogorec walked out the door, he went right to Ovfren.
“Shall we be off to our cottage?” he asked, as he put his arm around him.
“Gladly.”
Witnessing it, Enek expression briefly showed a hint of jealously, which he quickly pushed aside, and after he did, Belon walked up beside him.
“You did well,” he commented on his masked indifference, well aware that the sight of them together bothered him, “But can you keep up such Enek, I know I could not?”
Enek didn’t respond, and instead walked the opposite direction, but as he did, he couldn’t help his impulsive urge to turn for a second to briefly watch them walking side by side lovingly down the hallway.
“Come brother,” Cyorec said, as he hurriedly caught up with him, while he walked, “We have spent no time with the other. Ride with me and we shall.”
Slightly disturbed by Ovfren’s show of affection to Ogorec in front of him, Enek took in a calming breath before he looked at his brother.
“Well true,” he gladly accepted his offer hoping it would get his mind off the thought of Ovfren and Ogorec probably embracing madly, as he now patted him on his shoulder, “I would enjoy such.”
Aderac walked over to Belon. “What shall we do this day?”
Just as he asked his question, the children burst into court from the hallway, and as soon as they saw their fathers, began running straight towards them.
“Long has it been since we all swam,” he answered and squatted to grab Beladera in his arms, “We shall do such and eat by lake.”
“Swimming.” Laad heard them. “Sounds pleasant, if you grant it, great king, I would enjoy such with my family, and Nona can make us all something to eat.”
“I grant it,” Aderac pleasantly agreed, “And the children would indeed enjoy it.”
“Well then,” Baric chimed in pleased with the idea, “Let us all.”
**
Making certain he was sound asleep, by adding herbs into his drink to ensure it was a deep one. Ovfren sneaked out of the cottage and rode to WorrlgenHall, then once inside, stealthily made his way down the hallways, and as instructed, through the passageway into Enek’s chamber.
“I feared I would not be alone with you before we rode out,” he commented, as he sat up in bed when he heard him quietly come from behind the tapestry.
“Did you really believe I would without touching, kissing, and being with you?” Ovfren questioned, as he undressed.
“It was my worry,” Enek answered.
“I am here,” Ovfren whispered, as he climbed into bed and started his kisses at Enek’s stomach.”
Enek moaned heated by Ovfren’s lips upon his skin, but as he kissed on him, his mind wandered to the kisses he was sure he gave Ogorec not long before.
“I became jealous when I saw him kiss you,” Enek confessed when Ovfren finally reached his mouth.
“I know,” he whispered, alternating from his mouth to his neck, “But I have not deceived you.”
Knowing he hadn’t, Enek let out an exasperated sigh unsure if he could keep up the charade of indifference when he saw them together, or let the thoughts of what they did when alone not bother him.
“I do not know if I can stand the torment of seeing and knowing that you ... that you?”
Ovfren stopped kissing him, and looked at his face. “Can you stop loving me Volenek, or bear your body never again upon mine?”
Ovfren now imbedded into his very mind, heart, and soul, Enek knew he couldn’t.
“No Ovfren,” he averred his answer, “Or would I want to.”
“Just as I cannot stop loving you, or ever not want to feel you inside me.”
“Could I be in love to deeply?” Enek questioned aloud tormented or not, certain he couldn’t release him.
“You are no more deeply than I.”
With that said, both began kissing and grabbing at each other wildly as if, if not the other would escape from his grasp, and spoke no more words of severing the cord of passion and love that now bound them tightly together. Instead, well into night, both moaned the other’s name until Ovfren rose out of Enek’s arms to leave.
As he dressed, Enek lay in bed observantly watching his every move; silently staring at his youthful perfect physique wanting him again almost immediately.
“I will not be able to come to you this night before we ride out,” Ovfren’s words, as he faced away him while dressing, but felt his eyes on him.
Enek groaned, as he raised and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, silently annoyed with himself that he desired him so badly he wanted to be with him every minute of the day and night.
“I gathered such,” his low toned obviously unhappy reply,
Ovfren could hear in the tone that the briefness of their interlude bothered him, as well as the news they wouldn’t meet before he rode out, and after he pulled up one boot, he reached into the other before he put it on.
“For you.” Hoping his gift would at least soothe him to know how much he thought of him when he wasn’t with him.
Enek looked at the tightly wound strings of braided black leather, fashioned into a circle to fit his wrist and hardened with resin.
“This must have taken some time,” he said, and immediately slid it over his hand and onto his wrist, feeling moved as he noticed the meticulous woven strands with copper tubing down its center tightly wound, then sealed by burning the end to keep it from unraveling.
“Yes,” Ovfren admitted, and sternly ordered, “And never are you to have it off your wrist. It means a great deal to me to know you wear it, and is symbol of my love.”
“Ah.” Enek smiled pleased, noticing more of its intricacies with the braids going into the small copper tubing, as each strand joined, and knowing he was who Ovfren thought of solely while he worked on it made him happy, “Never shall I.”
As Enek admired his gift, Ovfren put on his other boot.
“I must go,” he whispered, as he moved his face to his.
Admiring his gift a few seconds longer, Enek moved his hand to Ovfren’s face, and looked at him lovingly.
“Be watchful of everything and be brave, but do nothing foolish, and I pray my face is always what comes to you when you close your eyes and wake,” he said, as his hand touched Ovfren’s chin.
“That almost sounded as words a commander would speak to his men,” Ovfren’s attempt to lighten the somber moment of their impending separation.
“You can be well sure.” Enek slightly chuckled, “None have heard from me, that I want my face to be what they saw when the closed their eyes and woke.”
Both chuckled, as they sat on the edge of the bed.
“Wait,” Enek suddenly said, and stood, then went into his pouch quickly taking out something he always carried in battle, “Keep this with you. It means a great deal to me.”
“No,” Ovfren didn’t want to take it.
“Take it,” Enek lovingly said, “It saved my life.”
Ovfren twirled the smooth rose hued rock between his fingers. “How did it?”
“The sun shined off it, and when I bent to pick it up.” Enek remembered, “If I had not, a spear would have gone into me and surely killed me.”
“I shall carry it always.”
Both knew they had to part, and as Ovfren stood, Enek stood as well. His tall frame looking down, as Ovfren looked up into his eyes, both put their arms around the other.
“Find your way to me at once when all is done,” Enek’s words, as he now put his hand lovingly on the nape of his neck before gliding his lips to his to kiss him.
“I shall miss you Volenek,” Ovfren whispered, as his lips melded to Enek’s lips tenderly kissing him several times, before both gave one long last one.
“And I shall miss all that is you,” his anguished aver, “With every beat of my seized heart.”
“I love you.”
“I love you more.”
A
soft wind calmly blew across the grassy land, as the sun peaked over the hills lighting the red and orange streaked horizon, and as all the early morning preparedness began to buzz, the movement of people, and the hum of conversation spread throughout WorrlgenHall
.
Cyorec’s horse guard already well on their way south, now the rest of the footmen, horse guard, bowmen, and wagons began their journey.
The men of Worrlgen leaving from the southern gate, the walls crowded with loved one’s waving and shouting farewell to their men, and since Ivodgald had none, Nona and Ecia arranged for women to line the walls to bid them farewell as they rode out from the eastern gate.
The children in the courtyard alongside Silinia sniffled holding back tears in swelled eyes as they bid goodbye to their fathers, and as Belon and Aderac kneeled holding them, both men struggled not to become overwhelmed with emotion.
“Worry not children,” Belon said, with them tightly in his arms, “We shall return before you can blink.”
The children still sniffled, and as Aderac wrapped his arms around them from the other side, he sniffled as well unable to succeed in holding back soft tears.
“We both love you much,” he assured them. One eye strong the other flooded as his voice quavered, “And you both shall never be out of our heads.”
As Silinia stood, she tried to be strong as well. She had become part of the noble household caring for Beladera since before she could even walk, and once Ihon came to Ivodgald, she cared for him just as equally.
“Watch over them well,” Belon needed not say, as he stood and looked at her, before he lovingly touched both children under their chins, “And just as the king always urges, see that they learn each day.”
Silinia nodded; then as both mounted their horses, the children ran towards them.
“Children,” Belon warned, knowing they should know better, “You both know not to run behind horses.”
Instantly, they stopped and hugged each other as they did, and again overcome Aderac jumped from his horse to give both one more hug.
“I shall miss you both very much,” he lovingly said, then hurried back to his horse.
Now both on their horses to ride ahead of the men and lead them out, they looked at each other, inhaled deep and turned on last time to look at the children, then waved goodbye as they rode off.
As he sat on his horse and watched from a distance, Enek mused as he thought of Ovfren longing to, at the very least have been able to speak to him before he rode out, then as he looked at his wrist, he smiled.
“Where did you get that?” Belon asked, when about to pass him noticed him fiddling with it on his wrist to make it rest closer towards his palm.
“It was a gift,” Enek would only offer.
Aderac’s head turned to Enek’s wrist curious what was a gift.
“It looks well made.” He noticed.
“A gift?” questioned Belon, knowing Enek was being evasive.
“A gift,” he only repeated, and offered nothing more.
“In the north beyond the icy sea,” Aderac knew and whispered over to Belon, “Leather stranded bands are made just as his is. It means someone loves and claims him. It is a common tradition.”
“Ah,” Belon’s simple remark, and asked nothing else about it.
**
On the eastern wall, the farewells were just as emotional as Laad lovingly kissed Nona and the children goodbye, and Ecia and Oen bid farewell to husband, father, and king.
Loth on the bottom by the gate, after he hugged his children and tenderly kissed them goodbye, as he stood by his horse to mount it, he gave a passionate kiss to his wife.
“Worry not, my dear,” his loving words, “I will be with you again soon.”
As he looked up the high wall, he caught the gaze of Laad, and then nodded.
“It is time,” he smiled hoping to comfort her, “I love you.”
Loth spurred his horse forward; then waited just beyond the gate for King Baric and Laad to pass, and after they did, joined them.
The line moving slow but steady, extended long with men lined side-by-side fourfold followed by the wagons and battle siege weapons, as priests on either side sprinkled water blessing them when passed as they prayed for victory.
In the lead Baric, with as always Ogorec by his side, followed by Laad, and Loth, once the land opened wide, all separated to march in their bands.
Ovfren in back among the other high guilds, he took out the gift Enek gave him and twirled it between his fingers before clutching it tightly, as he too mused longing to have been able to touch him again before all rode out.
He thought of the last time they embraced, how Enek’s strong arms wrapped around him as he lay under and on top of him. The erotic words he moaned into his mouth and ears; the deep heavy breathing upon his neck, while biting it just hard enough to titillate, but not leave love bites, had his heart racing just thinking back on it.
“Ovfren!” a guild nudged when he passed him, you are slowing.
Ovfren shook his head hard left and right, clearing his thoughts.
“My head wandered,” he quickly said.
“Huh.” The man sounded off, “Better to wander now, than when in battle and lose it off your shoulders.”
Ovfren knew the man was right. He had to focus. Keep a clear head, and not be distracted with lovesickness.
“Well true,” he agreed, and gave the rock one more glance, then tucked it away.
**
Slowly, but steadily both sides traveled well paced, with messengers between them both to inform the other of each other’s progress or unforeseen situations and scribes to record the events of battle.
Seven days into the journey, the men of Ivodgald made it into the Plains of Kurn, and able to see Celgon in the far distance beyond it, Belon decided to wait.
“Why do we wait?” Enek curiously asked, as he and Belon talked side by side on the horses and looked out.
“They know we are coming,” Belon answered, “Let them wait and wonder.”
Enek didn’t comment on his answer as he looked out.
“We will be with Cyorec soon.”
“Hopefully they gathered as many as they could.” Belon slightly chuckled, knowing Cyorec probably cursed all the while, “The early rains, I am sure brought out many.”
Enek could not help but briefly chuckle, he knew his brother too. “There will be no end to his gripping when he meets with us.”
“Ha, I would have a healer make sure he is well if he did not,” Belon replied, “Come with me and the other commanders to meet in the tent before we retire for the night.”
Belon turned and trotted away, but Enek paused and looked up at the flickering stars; then took a moment to rub his finger along his wrist, feeling the tightly woven leather and think of Ovfren.
When done with his wistfully thinking, as he galloped pass several trees, the sound of rustling got his attention and made him stop.
“Who is there?” he asked, as he patted his horse’s neck to calm its neigh so he could listen more closely.
As the rustling continued, cautiously Enek jumped off his horse and withdrew his sword.
“Give the word,” Enek warned, “Or I will kill you.”
More rustling, but no words spoken, Enek eyes became keen slowly moving forward prepared to strike down any who came at him.
Suddenly, a man stepped out from behind a tree, and about to gore him Enek halted and pursed his lips annoyed.
“That was foolish,” he chastised. “Why did you not give the word?”
“I had to relieve myself first.”
Enek reached into his pouch.
“When you ride out to the men of Worrlgen to give word of where we are,” he said, “Give this to the guild Ovfren and only him. He should be with the band of guilds closest to the king.”
The man took it, nodded and tucked it away, then held out his hand again.
“My charge is a battle messenger for the king and lords,” he hinted, as his palm opened, “Not one to take messages back and forth between the men for whatever reason you may have, and dare I be so bold to pray it is not secret words of treachery.”
“Far from it…” Enek assured
Enek let two gold coins drop into the man’s palm.
“In his hand away from the ears and eyes of any,” he warned, “And I mean my words more than anything that has come from my mouth.”
He nodded, understanding Enek’s inference. “And that is what I shall do.”
**
Both sides moved rapidly not setting camp longer than needed, faithfully communicating with the other of their progress, but King Gegorad didn’t wait for the warriors of Worrlgen to march into his land and did just as he wrote he would, marched to meet them head on.
“The Segorans are two days ahead of us,” scouts reported, “Coming north ahead of King Gegorad.”
Baric looked to Laad. “The Segorans?”
“I am sure all along it has been this,” Laad voiced, “They came to WorrlgenHall to invoke strife.”
Baric eyes slanted and his nostrils flared. “Then they can die alongside them.”
**
Tagia woke sweating from a dream more times than she cared to recall and each one the same. The walls of Celgon falling down on Atorad and him trampled to death by a red horse, she felt it was a sign.
“What is it, my lady?” her seer asked, as she stood by the window listening to the waves of the Itasar Sea.
“The dream, it came to me again.”
“It will keep coming until…”
“Until?”
The seer made her way to the door and listened carefully. When she heard nothing, she hurried back and pulled Tagia by her arm to speak to her in a tiny corner so no one could hear them, even though, she suspected many tried.
“You can save this kingdom and us all -”
“How?”
“The lightening that struck the tree with red leaves will hear you.”
Tagia looked down then back to her seer. “I see us both rotting away after being buried alive somewhere for even speaking this.”
“Be wiser than the fool you let sit on your father and brother’s throne,” the seer sneered, “He will only have us all marched into the sea.”
“His words to us all were that he will do what father and my brother could not.”
“Word spoken by fool, my lady. From a man wanting to be king such that he will let all die around him, then beg for his own life.”
“He has the people believing Worrlgen killed my brothers.”
“And is it Worrlgen that marches towards us?” the seer scoffed, “It is another kingdom. One that haunts your dreams, and I see visions of.”
“Why does another kingdom march against Celgon?” Tagia wondered.
“Whatever treachery Atorad plotted?” The seer knew, “Has brought
the
wrath of the red
against us. Your dreams prove it, and what I see does as well, but another is able to control him. He is who you must reach.”