WORRLGENHALL (29 page)

“
Gemon,” Baric sounded off and slyly looked over to Ogorec, “Of the Gemon tribe.”

“
He is our leader.”

“
I gathered by the name.”

Quietly, all followed Foede int
o his camp, and as their presence caused heads to turn, everyone stopped what they were doing and curiously watched them.

“
I am beginning to wonder if we are a strange sight to them,” Ogorec commented, noticing how everyone either stopped or slowed to gawk as they rode by.

Baric looked down at the women he passed, most dark haired with tanned skin from the sun, he saw no one that stood out as the one he remembered.

“No fair haired maiden among them that I can see,” Ogorec said to Baric, but as Baric was about to respond, he stopped when he saw two other heavily built men step out of a large round tent before a much thinner man came out and stood between them.

All three head
’s wrapped with cloth the same color as that of their brightly colored garments. The man in the middle was tall and had a long thin beard with gold binding on the end, and when Ogorec looked at him, he had to control himself to keep from letting out an amused chuckle.

“
Welcome,” the man in the middle said pleasantly, as he slightly bowed putting his palms together as he did, “I am Gemon.”

As he spoke, Baric got down from his horse and walked to Gemon, bowing back the same way to show respect.

“Thank you for letting us into your camp.”

Gemon clapped his hands and several women came from n
owhere. “They will water and feed your horses,” he said, “Please come inside.”

The women pleasing to the eyes, young scampering about as they took their horses by the reins, shyly some looked up at the men offering demure smiles that were quickly welcomed
as they dismounted, along with wanting stares.

“
Those women will cause the men to not keep clear heads,” Ogorec said to Baric, as they walked inside Gemon’s tent.

“
Let the men enjoy such sights,” Baric commented, “It is not every day that beautiful women appear from nowhere to take a man’s horse.”

Again, after another clap more women appeared.

“Sit,” Gemon said to the men, as several women made their way to each man with water and baked bread, “Eat.”

As Baric sat next to Gemon at a long table lined with fre
sh meat, Ogorec sat on the other side and looked around the tent. Huge inside it with statues and bright colored heavy rugs along with blankets spread here and there, he was impressed such an elaborate decorated tent could be in the middle of a nowhere.

S
till wary, although the men were welcomed openly, as he looked around, he kept his eye on the men that guarded the entrance to the tent, along with others who stood equal lengths from each other against the tents walls watching all and saying nothing.

His
head titled Ogorec now looked above, the tent high with a wide opening to receive the sun or look at the moon, when he lowered his eyes they fell on Ovfren who stood across from him.

Unable to feign he did not notice him across the tent, Ovfren
’s curly light brown hair pulled back from his face and tied revealing his thick youthful brows, gradually sloped nose and strong jaw, as well as Ogorec’s weakness, his mesmerizing gray eyes, made him want him right at that very moment.

As Ogorec mused, he felt his b
reath quicken when he thought of their night only hours early.

“
This night no matter what the toil I will have you.” His longing thought as he looked over at Ovfren.

Finding Ovfren alluring also and tired of waiting for him to look her way, a woman walked
over to him and gave him wine and bread, then after she did, stood in front of him to talk to him, as she flirtingly smiled.

Thinking nothing of it, Ogorec looked away, but when he looked back, when he saw Ovfren smile; then lean and whisper something in
her hear that made her smile and giggle, his jaws clinched, and he stood.

At once, Ogorec made his way to Ovfren, but said nothing to the woman as he looked at her, but from his scowling expression, she knew to move along.

Ovfren facing one way and Ogorec facing another, Ogorec was quick to let Ovfren know he didn’t approve of his behavior.

“
How dare you taunt me?” he whispered through clinched teeth, his jealousy building inside him.

“
What did I do wrong?” Ovfren whispered back to Ogorec.

“
The woman?”

Ovfr
en eyes gleamed from Ogorec’s jealousy, as he walked more towards the end of the tent, and at once Ogorec followed him.

“
Ovfren,” he whispered, “Did I not speak of my jealousy?”

“
More than once,” Ovfren said amused, as he feigned innocence, “I gave you no reason for it.”

“
The woman, what did you say to her that brought such a smile and giggle?”

Ovfren took pleasure in seeing how jealous Ogorec had become.

“Do not make it so that I cannot breathe,” his words just to try him, “You smother me already and we are at a beginning.”

Knowing he was being haughty, Ogorec boil
ed with anger and set his mind to humble Ovfren.

“
And it will end with haste,” he warned him, “I do not pleasure in such games. Hurt within or not. I will release you if you try to amuse yourself by taunting me and not have you come to mind ever again.”

Ogorec
’s words like a slap in the face, Ovfren took them to heart immediately.

“
Ogorec,” he now spoke humbly regretting his careless amusement, “My words to her were only truth.”

“
Curses, Ovfren. Reveal them then,” Ogorec said, as now along with jealousy, annoyance rose within him, “What were your words to her?”

“
That my ‘
loroog’
is watching you smile at me,” he answered truthfully. “She did not know what it meant and asked. When I told her, she laughed since we were all men.

“
Loroog
?” Ogorec questioned curious, “I gather that is a word from the language of your homeland. What does it mean?”

“
Love,” Ovfren answered, “But from that word it means more of a destined lover.”

“
That was careless,” he scolded, “She could speak of your words to another before we ride out.”

Ogorec sighed, while he decided whether if he should remain angry with Ovfren or not, and as Ovfren waited for him to speak, he decided to speak first.

“Forgive me,” he whispered, “I beg you.”

“
Have I given myself to one who behaves carelessly and needs always scolding?” Ogorec fumed, “And will make it such that I lament loving.”

“
It was senseless of me to behave in such a way,” Ovfren confessed, “And no, never again will I behave so foolish. The ways of love are unknown to me. I loved you silently for such a long time, and now that I have you, I fear I do not know how to behave to keep you.”

“
I am a man Ovfren, not a boy,” Ogorec continued his scolding, “And have no time for foolishness.”

“
I know that well now.” Ovfren regretted, “I have erred great by doing the one thing you warned me of.”

Again, Ogorec sighed; then fought his urge to look at Ovfren, fearing once he looked into those eyes, angry or not, he would grow rigid.

“When the time is fitting,” he spoke, as instead, he looked the other way, “We will speak at length of how our life will be together.”

“
Our life…” Ovfren’s eyes lit when Ogorec spoke words of their future.

“
Those words should be as we hold the other in embrace,” Ogorec added, “Yet they come now in angered whispers.”

“
And what of Belon?” he questioned, his fear of the one able to drive them apart.

“
Great was my want for him and longer the time,” Ogorec confessed, “Yet in this short time my want for you turned into love. You make my heart race just from the sound of your voice and weaken me with only a thrust from what rests between your thighs. Never have I known such pleasure, nor had such a want to just be near another so badly, that when I am not I can hardly breathe.”

Ovfren swallowed, as Ogorec words humbled him more and made him throb between his thighs.

“I have loved you for a long time,” he whispered, “And shall until my death.”

“
More words Ovfren,” Ogorec urged. The anger he felt only seconds earlier now gone.

“
You will hear more this night in your ear,” Ovfren vowed, “As I thrust into you until you purr like a tamed lion.” 

“
How you speak to me,” Ogorec closed his eyes, and murmured low and long, “Always speak to me that way.”

“
Arrange it my ‘
loroog’,
” Ovfren whispered, “Arrange a time for us.”

“
I will arrange it,” Ogorec said eagerly, “And beg that the night comes with haste.”

“
Make it so that we will not be missed,” Ovfren’s tone pleading, “If only I could have you now. By the time night comes be well ready for me.”

As Ovfren spoke, Baric looked up and saw Ogorec near him by the tent
’s entrance.

“
Ogorec,” Baric called him over to him, “A word.”

“
This night my one and only,” Ovfren whispered as Ogorec began to walk pass him to go to Baric, “This night.”

Ogorec stopped, then coughed and cleared his throat just in front of Ovfren.

“Yes, this night,” his coughed words; then walked to Baric.

“
Ogorec,” Baric said when he came to him, “We have graciously been asked to stay the night. Have the footmen make camp.”

Ogorec fought to keep his expression unchanged, but was unhappy about staying with
them for the night, and looked over at Ovfren, then back to Baric.

“
A word, my lord,” he said, and stood back.

“
Yes,” Baric said, then stood and walked to Ogorec who had now stepped more away.

“
My lord,” he whispered, “I reason it not wise. Can we trust them? I believe we, after you gaze at the women and unable to find the one you seek, move along. Laad and the men will be waiting for us.”

“
Your wariness is without cause,” Baric dismissed, “We have time. Laad knows to wait for us before he enters lowlands.”

“
Then I ask to guard throughout the night.” Ogorec thought quickly, “I will not be able to rest from wariness.”

“
Get another and enjoy this short time,” Baric urged, “One night such as this does not come much. Lovely women are all around us, and I am well sure you will have no trouble getting one pressed under you.”

“
It is no trouble to me,” Ogorec said, “I would rather watch this night.”

“
Ogorec,” Baric said, and looked at him concerned, “Is your mood unchanged. I reasoned you were in better spirits?”

“
It has, my lord,” Ogorec assured him, “Yet, this night I am in no mood for such pleasures.”

Baric nodded; then put his hand on Ogorec
’s shoulder.

“
Take another out with you,” he warned, “That you not be alone should you come across trouble.”

“
I shall, my lord,” Ogorec said; then walked away.

As he passed Ovfren who still stood at the entrance to the tent, he stopped.
“When the moon rests in the sky meet me and we will ride out;” and walked out.

Later, just as planned, both met when the moon rested in the sky
and rode hard away until they stopped by a river with thick bushes; then as Ogorec removed his pouch and skin saddle, then tied his horse, when he began to gather wood to make fire for the night, Ovfren questioned him.“We will not be missed?”

“
We are on a watch throughout the night,” Ogorec answered and smiled, “And will not be missed.”

Removing his pouch and skin saddle too, Ovfren looked at the river. The sound of the water soothing, he began to remove his clothes and walk towards the water.

“It is cold.” He shivered, when he dipped his foot, then shivered again before he got fully in and splashed around.

“
Ovfren,” Ogorec said, as he gathered wood, “First tasks first.”

“
True, first tasks first,” Ovfren teased; then splashed water out onto the ground towards him, “Now get into the water with me.”

Ogorec looked over at Ovfren as he stood waist high in the water, and dropped the wood.

“How can I refuse?” He yielded and began to undress.